Tags/CW: Playboy!tim, angsty!tim, slowburn, strangers to soft enemies to lovers, kinda yearner!Tim, eventual toxic ”relationship”, happy ending, mentions of alcohol and implied sex, (not proofread)
Enjoy!
“You messed up, Tim.”
“You fucking fucked up shit you weren’t supposed to be involved in in the first place.”
“You’re supposed to be the smartest.”
“You’re not good enough.”
“Be better.”
“Why aren’t you him?”
Love-in-a-mist
That sounded a lot more like a strip club than a bar. Honestly right now he’d go anywhere as long as there was alcohol. What were college years for if not bad decisions? So what if he wasn’t actively in college? He was still college age, that had to count for something.
Gotham was Gotham, getting into a bar was easy. To them money was money, so twenty one and up was a suggestion. “Old enough to get here means old enough to be here” they said. Bruce wasn’t one of them, neither was Dick. Thankfully he had his own place now, if he wanted to come back drunk he could. And quite frankly he wanted to. That is until he actually stepped inside the place.
It was so… chill. The lights were a comfortable orange, warm and welcoming. The smell was fresh, good food and better booze. And the people? Everyone was smiling, talking to the person next to them and the person three tables over. He couldn’t believe he found a place this happy in Gotham, in GOTHAM. There were quite a few people here looking too young to be over 21, he couldn’t exactly say his case was different. Though the security did look pretty threatening, if he wasn’t Red Robin he’d be nervous.
Amidst all of this, finishing a far too colourful drink, was you. Someone who did not look like they belonged in Gotham. You were beautiful, and you looked his age. You looked like you blew a kiss at every obstacle life threw at you and it let you walk past it. Like the universe declared “This one’s my favourite, anyone got a problem with that?” the moment you were born. Carefree and happy, joy radiating off of you like it was everybody’s business. He didn’t want to taint that, but saying hello never hurt.
“Can I buy you a drink?” He asked as slipped into the seat on your right. You turned and for a moment, he thought he was getting the worst rejection of his life. “Do I know you from somewhere?” You looked at him with eyes that made him want to take you home before even thinking of answering. But he got hit with a realization, you don’t know who he is. Seemingly, you have no idea about his… media characterisation. About how every gotham tabloid has had “Tim Wayne, inheritor of the playboy lifestyle” on their front page at least once. About how he knew he wasn’t ever gonna see you again once this night is over. Cold? Probably, but better than messing you up with his… well everything. So he looked at you, deep in your eyes, and told the truth. “Nah, I’m just a guy who wants to show some appreciation.” Bended truth.
As soon as he saw the smile you shot him, he knew it was over.
Because eventually your lips collided, and bodies followed suit.
Because he left his car by the bar so he could call the fastest cab to his place.
(Because as soon as your clothes fell to the floor his future intertwined with yours, even if he didn’t know it yet.)
Goddamn. Yes. Please.
His mind was a chorus of your gasps.
And for once, he didn’t necessarily like knowing he had to leave before morning.
So the last thing he expected to happen was actually falling asleep with you next to him. That was not his plan, he didn’t want to break it to you face to face that he lied and you’ll only see him in magazines, it’s an uncomfortable situation. He was planning on just leaving a note and hiring a maid so you didn’t wreck his apartment. He actually already had a maid for that.
Imagine his disappointment relief when he woke up to a note himself.
Thank you for last night, you were absolutely wonderful. But we’re not right for each other. Wish you the best, Tim. XOXO
TIM.
Either that was your name (unlikely) or you knew who he was (fuck).
Did he just… get played? Him? Seriously? The universe could not possibly be this ironic.
Goddamnit. He was angry, he didn’t know why. No part of his brain could really rationalise being angry that you did what he was going to do anyway. You were kind about it. As kind as he was every time he left a note. You didn’t treat him anyway he hadn’t treated others. You gave him a great night and you didn’t stay. There’s nothing wrong with that. So why was he angry? Why does it hurt? Was he doing this to people?
He usually doesn’t entertain emotions like this. He finds a case and readjusts his focus. Large emotional attachments to civilians were distractions, ones he really couldn’t afford right now. He has Kon, he has Steph, he has- that should be enough. People are busy. People have their own lives, he has a very busy life. So what if that meant he couldn’t really keep connections? It’s fine.
Everything is fine, and he has work to do.
Work. Work. Work.
With Wayne enterprises during the day and red robin during the night he hasn’t had to sleep. He hasn’t had to deal with the fact that his bed makes him feel alone. He hasn’t had to think about the fact that your face is still in his head. That karma was brought to him in the form of you. That he deserves any and all pain he feels. That-
“Red!” Tim’s pulled out of his thoughts by a voice laced with too much concern.
It’s 02:33. Patrol was slow. Him and Dick are suited up on a rooftop in midtown. Dick has an arm supporting him. Hold on. Since when did he need support?
“Hey man, when was the last time you slept?” Dick’s voice, too much concern.
Tired, not enough filter. “71 hours.”
“Let’s get you to the manor.” Dick’s carryin’ me, don’t need his help.
His thoughts wouldn’t fully form, or perhaps he didn’t let them. Dick managed to get him awake enough to change clothes, not awake enough to fall asleep anywhere other than the staircase.
Self destructing and falling asleep on a staircase? Real classy.
And he was in for a surprise when he woke up.
A/N: Hi this is part one of my love in a mist series, expect to see Duke Thomas and Kon more in the next parts. (Reader will also probably be more present in the next parts.) The rest of the series will probably be a little lighter, and Tim Drake will grow with this series so mb if anyone didn’t like his decently severe (mostly mentioned/alluded to) playboy tendencies in this one. Likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated. If there’s anything you didn’t like or think was off please tell me.
Dividers by @pixopix
Please do not paste, repost or feed my work to ai.
Prompt: Imagine being part of poly tangle with Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels. You are the secondary partners for both men but with the holidays coming up, you are starting to feel pushed away. Alone in a hotel you question your choices of years gone by.
Warnings: Established prior relationships, poly relationships, angst, fluff ending, open marriages
Pairings: Shawn Michaels x reader x Chris Jericho
Universe: AU Wrestling
Reader gender: Female
Author: Ilariya_Lavoro writes
Part 1 of 4
Next
Over the horizon
You perched on the edge of the hotel bed, your phone staring up from the carpeted floor. It had long since turned off, the endless string of unanswered calls and messages flooding in, lighting up the screen ad almost drained the battery flat. To answer their increasingly worried texts and calls would mean that you would have to face this new reality. One where you were now alone.
It wasn’t just them trying to get through, your sister, friends and their partners. Each had tried but the end result was the same. They failed to get through. Your tired gaze lifted, moving to the other temptation in the room. The full glass of your poison of choice. There had been times in the past that you had struggled with alcohol, finding it hard to stop after just a complete of glasses here and there.
It had affected all aspects of your relationships, personal and professional. They did not want you to destroy yourself, burn herself out and throw your hard earned career in the ring away for a numbness that lasted until you blacked out. It had been hard but in the end, had been worthwhile. You shook your head, that now felt like a foolish thought. Your life spun into a vicious circle, landing you right back at the beginning. With you once more sat in a dark hotel room in the middle of nowhere with a bottle of booze, ready to chase away her blues.
Bouncing between Texas and Florida when you were on the road, had once been a comfortable arrangement. Setting up your own home in Mississippi as the midpoint for the days away from both of them. When they were with their own families for important days such as christmas, anniversaries and birthdays. It had almost been ten years since this arrangement had begun. All those long years that you had remained hidden in the shadows, to protect them from the harsh scrutiny of the world and it’s media.
It had been eating at you, slowly killing you. You had started to feel less than important, regardless of their kind, warm and reassuring words. However they had begun to sound hollow over time. Promises of tomorrow turning into dust and being left on the shelf to decay.
You turned your eyes away,ignoring the siren calls of temptation for now. Focusing on the ceiling as you let yourself fall backwards. Falling into the welcoming embrace of the cotton sheets and slight bounce of the mattress. “How did I not see this coming?” You softly questioned the empty room. Silence answered as your words echoed around her.
You scoffed, embarrassed that it had come to this, talking to the four walls that you confided yourself in. Trying to block out the world, trying to hide from the heartbreak that lurked just over the horizon.
You had been blinded by the depths of your own emotions, by the intoxication of your love and passion for those you had let into your heart. The whispers in the night, the ever growing distance that widen with every missed moment. The various I can’t, I’m sorry, I forgot but next time. Those cut you, more so with the frequency of them appearing in the messages you received, in the short conversation in passing that seemed to come your way. The cracks had formed, deepening as another piece of your still bleeding heart fell away each time that you felt pushed further out.
You had tried to ignore the doubt that bubbled beneath the surface at first. What had broken you to the point of vanishing from sight, was overhearing them both, discussing the arrangement that had been solid for so long. It had been by pure chance, seeing both of them at first had caused those oh so flutters in her stomach to rise up anew, but the serious expressions upon their handsome faces and the hushed tones as they spoke forced you back down to earth, hard and decisively.
It was the words next spoken that it did the most damage. ‘We both knew that this couldn’t last forever’ You had turned on your heel, rushing out to your car and hightailing it out of there. Neither had seen you lingering in the doorway, neither had seen you leave either. It was as if you hadn’t been there in the first place.
You had felt like a coward, running away without knowing the full context of the conversation. The very thought of knowing terrified you to the core. You could only see one way of this ending, with you pushed out the door and into the cold.
Raising her hands to cover your face as you fought back the tears that were threatening to cascade down your cheeks. “I’m such a lovestruck fool. I dared to think that this could end happily. It never was going to”
KNOCK KNOCK
The loud pounding of knuckles upon the door of your hotel room, caused your body to shoot up. Once more you perched upon the edge of the bed, this time your eyes were fixed upon the door. They narrowed, as you tried to work out who possibly was on the other side. It wasn’t room service, as she only ordered the one glass and nothing else. There were a long list of possibilities.
KNOCK KNOCK
Once again, the knocking came. This time it was louder, as if the person on the other side was making sure that they had been heard. To make sure that you came to the door and answered it. Whoever it was, they were not going to be ignored. You sighed, pushing yourself up and off the bed. With three steps, you had crossed the tiny room and were standing before the door. If there had been a spyhole then you would have checked first. To see who awaited her on the other side but alas there wasn’t one.
“I better get this over with” You muttered to yourself, as you wasted no time, grasping and turning the door handle. Once you had heard the click of the lock releasing, you pulled the door towards yourself revealing the rundown corridor and your sister Morgan skittishly standing there. Your eyes widened at the sight of her. “How did you find me?” You quickly fired at her, your lip quivered giving away your nervousness at being discovered.
“Are they here with you?” The next question followed, not giving your sister time to answer. “Come on, I know you. I’m your big sister. You stayed here when our parents announced their divorce then when dad got remarried and then again when his new wife fell pregnant” Her words fell in quick succession as she listed off past incidents of you suddenly disappearing. It had been many years since the last occurence.
She did know you. Morgan had been there time and time again when your anxiety got the better of you. Each and every time she found you and brought you back. Morgan always had your back and this time was no different. “And no, Chris and Shawn don’t know I’m here”
A wave of mixed emotions wash over you, disappointment and relief to name a few. You wave your sister into the room, Morgan doesn’t hesitate and enters. You follow her back into the room, closing the door behind you. It was going to be a long night.
