Chapter Text
"Nose goes!" Flash yelled, as everyone scrambled to put their finger to their nose.
Nobody, and I mean nobody wanted to be the one who had to check up on Bruce. Yes, they were all friends, and yes they could all do it. But they all know how he gets when he is depressed, and that is a danger none of them wanted to handle.
As for the rules of the game, the last one to put their finger to their nose must go. And Shayeria was the last one.
"Ughhh you've gotta be kidding me!" She rolled her eyes, knowing damn well dealing with Bruce was gonna be a nightmare. "I make no promises I'll get him to come to the Watchtower, I'm not good with the whole pep talk thing."
Jason died 6 months ago. Which was a tragic loss that had left a couple of league members in a depressed fog. However, nobody got more depressed than Diana and Bruce.
Diana pulled through within a month. She had seen countless of her sisters die in battle, so her resistance to loss is sadly strong.
Bruce lost a kid. A protege. A solider. A friend. He lost one of his second halves. A Batman without a Robin is nothing better than a tyrant.
The league gave Shayeria a nod of good luck as she beamed through one of the Gotham boom tubes. The smell of Gotham instantly hit her like a fright train. Blood, alcohol, pollution, and shame was the core builders of the smell.
She opened her wings and began to fly up into the Gotham "afternoon" that looked more like midnight than noon.
After a bit of flying she found her way onto Wayne Manor, casually opening the front door and walking in.
"Bruce I know you know I am here, so where are you? I just wanna talk." After about a minute of waiting in the doorway she heard a click before the grandfather clock in the hallways moved, revealing a secret passage.
"Don't you feel like that's a bit old school, Bruce?" She joked, secretly happy he even let her into the cave.
At the BatComputer sat a hunched over Batman, starring at the screen. Shayeria saw a pitiful man being consumed by sorrow which hurt to see. She cleared her throat before beginning the whole 'Bruce please come to the Watchtower we are worried about you' speech.
"Bruce, you haven't come to the Watchtower in half a year, and we are hearing reports about extra violent behavior from you. Also, you're shutting us out, and we can't help you if you don't let us, so please let us we are worried about you." Shayeria felt like she was talking to a brick with how little reaction he had to her words.
"Bruce, you know I'm not good with pep talks. I go in and smash things, just like you. I fuel my anger into violence, and that's my way. You on the other hand were violent, but calculated. You knew who to beat up, and you investigated to help stop crime from getting bigger, instead of hitting it when it is big. Now all you do is hospitalize the shoplifter, who is stealing food because he can't afford to eat. What's your deal Bruce?"
"Maybe being brash and violent is the way to go." Bruce spoke up.
"Bruce-" Shayeria was interrupted by a sudden yell.
"Bruce, I'm here for training!!" Which earned a big sigh from Bruce.
"Bruce... Is that another kid?" Shayeria asked as a boy walked down the stairs leading to the BatComputer.
"Yes."
"Please don't tell me-"
"OH MY GOD, IT'S SO NICE TO MEET YOU HAWKGIRL!!" The boy ran over to her, gleaming with excitement.
"Uhm... Hi?" Shayeria waved at the kid before focusing her attention to Bruce again. "I cannot believe you! Even after Jason you still haven't learned! We need you Bruce! Your tean needs you. I'm leaving, come to the Watchtower and talk to the others, they're worried about you."
Shayeria turned around and stormed off.
"What's wrong with her?" Tim asked.
"She doesn't believe I should have a Robin."
"She doesn't know anything then. Batman needs a Robin." Bruce didn't reply, he only kept typing.
---
Shayeria flew around Gotham, trying to put her thoughts together. How could he bring in another Robin after Jason? He is barely together as it is, how could he handle the possibility of losing another one?
The smog of Gotham turned even darker as the sun left the sky, as Shayeria once again landed on Wayne Manor.
She needed to talk to this new kid. There was still time to save him.
She waited, watching the front door for the kid to leave for the night.
Eventually that time came.
Shayeria swooped down and landed in front of the kid. "Hey kid, what's your name?"
The kid looked startled as he jumped from the sudden appearance of her. "Oh.. Uh. Tim, that's my name."
"Tim, nice name. I am Shayeria."
"Wow, it's an honor to meet you." He looked so excited yet tried to hide it with cool expression. He hasn't perfected the bats have no emotions look yet.
"Do you want to go on a quick fly around town?"
"Why are you being nice to me?" Tim asked, genuinely looking confused.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well I know you don't like me being Robin, so why take interest in knowing me? Are you going to try to convince me to give up the mantle? Because if you are there's no point in you wasting your time." Tim said cold and calculated.
"You're a smart one, I'd expect nothing less from a underling of Batman." She smiled at him, "I'm still bringing you on a fly, well, unless you're a scaredy cat."
Tim smirked, "I'm no scaredy cat-" Without warning Shayeria scooped him up bridal style and soared into the sky. Tim screamed which quickly turned into a laugh.
The city was quite beautiful from the skies. There was no violence nor despair, there were only pretty lights and shiny buildings.
"It's so pretty." Tim said in awe.
"It sure is," she paused for a moment, "how did you meet Bruce?"
"He was my neighbor, and I stalked him for awhile. It is truly not that hard to figure out he's Batman to be honest. I found out who Robin was first, which at the time was Dick, due to his unique acrobatics. Everything fell together after that."
"You really are a smart kid."
"I know."
"Oh! And a snob," she joked.
"Thank you."
"I just called you a snob why are you thanking me?"
Tim started to cry but tried to hide it by constantly wiping his face. Shayeria ran her fingers through his hair, trying to calm him down.
"Sorry I just..." He choked out a sob, "haven't had someone I could joke around with or someone who was there for me in awhile. I don't know what just came over me." He continued to wipe his face.
"Hey, you can cry, I won't be mad." She hugged him a little closer.
That fly did not have anymore words, just choked sobs.
Eventually, they were in front of Wayne Manor once again. Shayeria gently placed Tim on the ground and gave him a proper hug. Once they released she pulled out her phone and Tim did the same as they exchanged contacts.
"Contact me any time, us birds need to stay together." She scruffed his hair before smiling and flying off.
---
Bruce came back to the Watchtower a day later and acted like his absence didn't happen. Shayeria got permanent nose goes out of having to have a heart to heart with Bruce again, and she got bragging rights for being Tim's favorite.
She made sure to talk to Tim at least once a week, and she became a frequent flyer in the Gotham area for that reason. A lot of the league was more hesitate to get attached to the new bird because of the recent loss, but they all eventually grew fond of the cunningly sarcastic bird.