Work Text:
Formal Request
“Mind if I join you,” Tim’s voice called as he landed behind her. She’d known he was following her for the last few roof tops. She had no idea why he’d sought her out since he’d told Alfred he didn’t want to see any of them but she’d finally stopped and let him catch up even though Batman was going to be mad about it. “I’m sure your under orders to stay away from me but I really need to speak to you.”
“I think we’ve spoken plenty while your wearing your Stray costume,” she said but Tim just looked annoyed. She wondered if that annoyance meant he was or wasn’t Stray. “Anyway if you know I’ll get in trouble with Batman why seek me out trying to get me fired like you were?”
“If he fires you for just talking to me then he’s an even bigger ass than I remember him being,” Tim said as he walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down. “Besides you’ll probably get a kick out of what I want to ask you?” She doubted it but she nodded her head for him to continue. “I thought I’d formally ask your permission to take over your old Spoiler identity, I’m planning to get back out there as a cape so I need a name.”
She couldn’t help but stare at him in shock of all the possible things he could have asked her that was the most bizare. “Are you serious?” He just nodded and kept watching her it was strangely unnerving. “Why even ask my permission, why not just do it?”
“Because unlike him I figure I should let the person who created the identity make the call,” He said with a casual air. “You created Spoiler so you should get to say who gets to use it next.” She supposed that made sense and it was even kind of touching but it would also cause friction with Batman if she said yes.
She wondered if that was the real reason. “So if I say no you won’t use it?” He nodded in response. “This is all about ticking off Batman isn’t it?” She did her best to keep her temper under control. “You are just doing this to mess with our partnership for revenge?”
“No, If I wanted to piss him off I’d go with a cat themed identity,” Tim said after a moment. “Since he still wants me to be that thief stray going with something feline would be the best way to piss him off.”
He was actually smiling then, “And if you say no I’ll just go ask Dick to use the Target identity he used that one time instead.” He laughed, “And if he says no then I’ll do the cat thing to piss off Bruce as long as Selina doesn’t object.” He seemed thoughtful then, “and if she does I’ll have to start from scratch which might take a while.”
Everything he said made a certain kind of sense but it also confirmed that he’d kept tabs on all of them since he knew about Dick’s outing as the Target. “You’ve been keeping track of what goes on with us.” She didn’t bother making it a question. “That just leads credence to Batman thinking your Stray.”
“Or it just means I kept tabs on my home town and my favorite person to stalk,” Tim said with a shrug. “Bruce needs me to be Stray so he can write me off as just another villain so he doesn't have to face his own failures.” He then gave her a strange look, “How come you haven’t called him Bruce once even though we both know who he is?”
“Never say his real name in costume that is one of the rules,” she said as her defense but he just snorted in response. “Look why do you want my old name, given how much you like Nightwing why not go ask him for his spare name instead.”
“Because yours is better and spoiler fits how I’m planning to cape better than Target,” Tim said with a shrug. “I’m out of practice so I’m going to be more get folks arrested from behind the scenes only fight when necessary kind of vigilante at first.” She thought about how she’d easily clocked him following her which did imply he was out of practice. If it wasn’t a trick to make her think he wasn’t Stray.
She felt like screaming it was enough to drive you crazy going back and fourth on if he was Stray or not. She considered asking him outright to swear he wasn’t Stray before she’d even consider letting him use the name but she decided against it. “Go ahead and use it but promise me you won’t pick any more fights with Batman.”
“I won’t pick fights with him but I won’t roll over if he picks any,” he said dismissively. “So do you still mind if I use it?” She had to admit it felt pretty good that he was asking her instead of just doing it. She nodded her head and he smiled. “Anyway maybe I’ll see you around Robin.”
She watched him go and decided that even though there was still some doubt she was going to go with him not being Stray. Tim had shown her respect and not called her things like pretty bird so she was going to hope that she was right and he wasn’t pulling some long con on all of them. Now she just had to figure out how she was going to tell Batman about giving him permission to be the new Spoiler.
The End.