Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dick was tired. No, that was an understatement. He was exhausted, stressed out of his mind and just overall done with the world.
Bruce said it would only be one week and that Dick probably wouldn't even need to go to Gotham. It was supposed to be just a heads up in case something happened and they needed him to step in as Batman. That should've been all.

Yet here he was a month later, back in the manor after an excruciating night of rounding up rogues as the Dark Knight.

Tim and Damian may not have been the best of friends, but they got along well enough to be able to lead everyone through patrols without a hitch. Even Jason stuck around for the first two weeks to keep the underworld in check. Then the Arkham breach happened, because why not? And unless Dick was ready to give Jason and Damian free hand at dealing with situation, he needed to put on the mantle. Tim was morally gray enough to actually let those two do whatever they wanted, so it was up to Dick to actually keep them to Bruce's code.

So he got himself delegated to Gotham for work, forging up a case that needed to be worked on with the Gotham police. He got some extra help from Barbara and needed butter up Jim a little, but it was enough to convince his commissioner that it needed to be a joint effort.

And as if this wasn't already enough, Alfred announced that Tim needed to quit patrolling because of his upcoming heat. And that brought up an entire new set of issues.

Dick sighed and leaned back on his bed. He was too tired to actually get under the covers.

Someone needed to step up as the Pack Alpha. With Tim going into heat and Damian having just presented a few months ago, things were bound to get ugly at some point. Damian still wasn't accustomed to his new instincts and hormonal problems, which often lead to him becoming more violent than he actually intended to be, and Tim was most likely going to trigger something at some point and they would end up in a brawl... It was way too hectic now, nobody needed them to start tearing each other's throat out at every turn.

So it was up to Dick or Jason to take the lead. Dick genuinely hoped he could push at least this onto Jason, but the younger alpha just laughed into his face, gave him the finger and fucked off with the Outlaws.

So here he was now being Batman, full time cop and Head Alpha of a pack full off issues. He understood that the future of the entire universe was important enough for Batman to go off-world, but damn, Bruce could've been nice enough to actually come back after the promised week.

"It's kind of a kettle calling the pot situation, but if you sleep like that you are going to be really sore in the morning." Tim's voice was soft and Dick forced himself to sit up to look at the boy. The omega leaned against the doorframe, a tall glass of water between his slim hands. He seemed absolutely unfazed by finding Dick in that situation.

Dick gave him a weak smile.
"If you wanna talk about sleeping habits, you can also tell me how much you slept in the past weeks," he replied easily, forcing on his usual happy demeanor. Tim worked the most before Dick came back to Gotham and he had his own problems, he didn't need to deal with Dick's too.

"I slept enough not to die, didn't I?" Tim shrugged. His fingers brushed off the droplets running down the side of his glass. He was wearing a huge, white long sleeve that Dick vaguely recognised as Kon's from years ago and well-worn sweatpants that almost hid his bare feet. He looked soft and homey and Dick was ready to just wrap him up in blankets so the rest of the world can't get to him.

Tim pushed himself off the doorframe and stepped closer.
"You, on the other hand, look like you're about to die." He lifted an eyebrow, which was could only be bested by Alfred's own Eyebrow of Doom. There was a reason Tim could control an entire room of business sharks even if he only was able to legally drink alcohol since a few months ago.

Dick let out a soft laugh, but it sounded more like a sigh than anything else.
"Just hitting a low point, I guess. I'm tired. But I should be as good as new soon once I've got the schedule down," he tried to reassure him, smiling up at the omega as genuinely as he could.

Tim's gaze didn't waver.
"Dick, you don't need to lie to me. I'm not Damian to put you on a pedestal," he said softly before walking to the bed. He put his glass onto the bedside table and sat beside Dick. He pulled a leg to his chest, threw his arms around it and settled his chin on his knee. " You came up over half an hour ago, and you didn't go to sleep," he noted, watching Dick through the fall of his long hair.

Dick reached out and tucked a strand behind the omega's ear.
"I'm really just tired, no need to worry. I don't want to mess things up again," he said, knocking into Tim with his shoulder playfully. This close, he could smell Tim much better than before; his coffee and vanilla scent was still muted like usual, but the spice of his heat was already lingering around the edges.

Tim hummed.
"I really don't thing you need to worry about that. You can't really fuck up anything that hasn't been fucked up before," he said and even though he said it with a smile, Dick felt like he had been hit in the chest with Harley's hammer.

'Timmy, I'm... " he started, but Tim immediately waved him off.

"I don't mean it like that, I came in peace today. We already talked about it. What I mean is that you can't really do much worse than you did before as Batman. Or when Bruce was Batman, because he's not the perfect Pack Alpha, either," Tim snorted at the end, and Dick couldn't help but chuckle. Yeah, Bruce had his issues but he tried his best so they should give him cookie points at least for that.

" That's comforting," he whispered and threw an arm around Tim when the omega shuffled closer. It was rare that the Bats let him give them physical affection, so he wasn't going to skip out on it, especially not now. Tim was warm and solid by his side, his scent comforting and calming. All the thoughts that have been running around his head before were slowly drowned out by the omega in his arms, and the only thing he could focus on was the familiar coffee and vanilla pudding combination he knew by heart. He smiled as he sagged against Tim. "Are you trying to manipulate me with your scent? Is this your way to calm me down?" he asked with a breathy laugh.

Tim didn't even tense against him.
"It works with Bruce," he replied easily.

Dick shook his head in disbelief but his smile stayed on his face. It was considered rude to manipulate someone with scent like this, but Dick wasn't surprised. It's not like he hasn't done this to Tim before, yet still, it was surprising that the omega would try to do it.
"You dose B?"

Tim turned his head to the side to look down at Dick before once again looking forward.
"Only when he's really getting out of hand. But I'm less forward about it with him."

"So this can actually work on him?"

Tim nodded.
"Yeah, although I'm not sure if it's about the entire pack or only me because I'm an omega. According to research, having the omegas of the pack close can help an alpha calm down enough to refocus. I thought if it works with B then it should work with you, too, "he answered. His voice was completely nonchalant about it. Dick never got over the fact of how cold Tim could be sometimes, even when he was trying to comfort someone.

"It's definitely working." Dick let out a yawn. "But I salute you for daring to do this to B. I wouldn't have the nerve for it."

Tim chuckled.
"Oh no. I only ever do this enough for him to pull his head out of his ass."

Dick wanted to answer something else, but he only had it in him to humm. He tightened his hold on Tim, fitting his face into the junction of his neck and shoulder, inhaling deep. It was really nice. Having an omega, having Tim close made him feel both strong like an alpha should be, and safe like he just arrived home. He nosed along the warm skin, relishing in the feeling of having Tim relax into his hold.
"Do you wanna sleep here tonight?" he asked, slurring the words a bit. He was already closer to being half asleep than anything else.

"You want me to?"

"Yes, please. This is nice," he said. He could be called whiny, he could be called clingy, Dick didn't care. It's been a while since he had a peaceful human physical contact so he was drinking in the moment like a thirsty man would drink the water.

"Then at least let's go to bed normally, or Alfred will kill us," Tim patted Dick's legs to make him move before getting up to close the door. Dick climbed onto the other end of the bed and pulled the covers on top of himself before Tim settled in beside him. He didn't cuddle him, he didn't spoon the omega, he only got close enough to feel his warmth. Before either of them could say anything else, Dick was out.

Chapter Text

"This is literally the second night I took off and you're already injured. It's kind of ridiculous, don't you think?" Tim asked as he wrapped the gauze around Dick's shoulder and arm. Alfred patched up the scar itself, then Tim took over so the butler could wash his hands.

Dick gave him a sheepish smile.
"Sorry..."

"Well, if you wouldn't be so lazy to take unnecessary vacations, this wouldn't be the situation," Damian spit from the direction of the computer. He was still in his Robin uniform, having spent his time updating their notes on the newest Riddler case while Alfred helped Dick clean up and took care of his wounds.

Dick gave him a warning glance and the young alpha met it with a glare.
"Dami, don't be mean."

"Believe me, gremlin, I would gladly be out there, but seeing that my biology doesn't make me think with my knot like you, I can still make rational decisions," Tim gave Damian a condescending smile as he secured the edge of the gauze under Dick's arm. Damian's face contorted in a frown and he let out a low growl. He looked ready to launch himself at the omega when Alfred stepped between them.

"Master Tim, that was completely unnecessary. Master Damian, you need to realise that unless we want Master Tim's status to become public knowledge amongst the rogues, it is unwise to let him out on the streets," he gave both of them a disappointed look before walking towards the stairs. He rearranged his sleeves as he looked back at them. "If I may suggest, I would advise all of you to retire for tonight. Master Damian, you have school tomorrow, and if I remember correctly you have your math test in the first period," he looked at Damian with a pointed look, but the boy just snorted.

"As if I need to rest for that. I could solve it while drugged, it is a child's play compared to what mother made me do when I was only two!" he declared loudly but seeing that Alfred was not relenting, he got up. "School is just a waste of my time," he murmured but obediently went up the stairs and disappeared from the cave.

Alfred turned back towards Dick and Tim.
"And I would suggest you two do the same. Master Dick, you have work tomorrow and Master Tim, you need to rest," he said. Dick nodded his head and started gathering his things from the sickbed. Tim, on the other hand, was making his way towards the computer.

" I will, promise," the omega said, but settled down in the armchair Damian occupied before. Alfred gave him a look, but just shook his head in response.

"I wish you good night," he said and made his way up the stairs.

"Good night, Alfie," Dick shouted after him, but the butler didn't even look back at him. Dick got off the bed and slid his phone into his pocket. He walked over to the chair and looked at the screen. Tim was speeding through the notes on the Riddler's case, his blue eyes running through the lines with extreme speed. His face was illuminated by the light of the screen, reflecting off his eyes.

"He hasn't caused any real damage yet, so we're not prioritising this case yet," he said softly, putting his good arm around the backrest of the chair.

Tim nodded. The Riddler had stolen things right now seemingly randomly, but he didn't blow up anything or killed anyone so this was a rather nice change of pace.
"I know. I'm just trying to look for anything that might give something away. This is not as easy as his other ones are, I can't decide what is supposed to be the clue," he sighed. "I will probably have it worked out by morning, so you can take it with you to work or drop it off to them somehow." This was supposed to be reassuring, but Dick couldn't help, he found himself pouting.

The thing was, it felt nice to wake up next to Tim that morning. Sure, he was freezing, because Tim stole all the blankets to wrap himself up like a burrito, but the way he curled into a ball against Dick's back made up for it. He was still asleep when Dick woke up, so he didn't push the alpha away when he wrapped him in an octopus hug, soaking up every bit of affection he could get from the moment he had before the alarm clock went off. He had rolled over to shut it off but Tim already woke up by the time he looked back at the omega. Seeing the hateful glare sent his way, Dick chuckled.

"Go back to sleep," he had said, and rolled off to the side so Tim could get comfortable once again. And by the time Dick came back from the bathroom, he was already asleep, with only a few tuffs of black hair showing from under the blanket.

It felt right. It could be just that Dick had been single for a while now and it was nice to finally not be alone in the bed. But he wasn't going to be picky about that, he took what he was offered, not looking the gift horse in the mouth.

"So you're not going to sleep next to me today?" he asked, and almost winced. He sounded much more pathetic than he thought he would.

Tim gave him a look and lifted an eyebrow.
"Are you planning on having a midlife crisis today, too?" he asked, only looking at Dick from the corner of his eyes. He started pulling his legs up to his chest, getting ready to stay there for the night.

"Wasn't planning on it yesterday either, yet it happened. So come onnnn," Dick whined, sliding his arm from the back of the chair to Tim's shoulders, draping himself onto the younger. "Please, please, please, please, please."

"Dick, you're hindering the case," Tim answered easily, only a bit of annoyance in his voice, yet he didn't pull back when Dick nuzzled into his hair.

"I call it looking out for my packmate who should be on a break."

"Dick, I'm serious."

"So am I," Dick said, gently rubbing Tim's back. He didn't scent him, no matter how much he wanted to pull Tim's own trick on the omega. "When was the last time you slept more than four hours?"

"Last night," Tim replied without hesitation. Being able to sleep back after Dick went to work gave him that much needed time. He only started his meetings at 10 AM.

Dick rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, in how long? Two months?" When Tim didn't answer, the alpha knew he was right. "So come on, Babybird. You may have at least a week 'till your heat, but it can never hurt to rest forward for it." He pressed a kiss to Tim's temple and held him a bit tighter. It was cold in the cave and he was now only clad in basketball shorts, so he tried to steal as much of the omega's body heat as possible. It wasn't much but it was something.

" You're not going to let this go, are you?" Tim sighed. He started typing on the keyboard, but he let himself lean into Dick's hold. He tipped his head back a little, unconsciously baring his throat. Dick had to force his eyes away when Tim swallowed.

He smiled when the omega turned to look up at him.
"Nope," he obnoxiously popped the p.

Tim watched him for a long moment before he turned to look at the computer. He let the program run by itself before getting up from the seat.
"Just don't make this into a routine," he sighed, but gave Dick a small smile back when the alpha's face lit up.

"Thank you, Timmy," he nuzzled into the omega's neck once again before pulling back. Tim's scent was stronger than the previous day, and Dick couldn't help but notice it.

They shut off the lights so only the computer screen lit up the room and the bats had the free reign on the cave for the rest of the night. Alfred already retired, so they made their way up the stairs as quietly as possible. Tim opened the door to Dick's room so they wouldn't have to walk in front of Damian's on the way to his. He didn't bother turning on the light, he immediately climbed into the bed. He let Dick climb over him, so he would be on the side of his good arm.

Dick exhaled happily as he settled down, the covers warm around him, his bed as comfortable as it gets. He looked at the ceiling and just took in the darkness around them. He could feel how tense Tim was beside him. He hoped it would be as easy as it had been the previous night, but he was proved wrong. But it would've been weird for him to say that okay, Tim can go now, it wasn't working out. It was like going to sleep after a fight with your partner; you just lay in the bed, side by side, all the unsaid things hanging in the air.

"Dick, are you lonely?" Tim's voice cut into the dark like a knife. Dick turned his head to the side to look at the omega beside Tim. Tim was still looking at the ceiling, the moonlight illuminating his profile.

"You're here with me, why would I be lonely?" he asked. He held back from reaching out and brushing some of Tim's hair aside. His profile looked soft, his eyes tired, but alert at the same time. His hair fell messily onto the pillow, and Dick's fingers itched to smoothen out the strands.

Tim snorted.
"Most people wouldn't nag someone to sleep next to them normally." He turned his head to look at Dick. "It's been a while since you dated someone."

"Is this gonna be one of those heart-to-heart talks we would both deny ever having?" Dick chuckled. It was weird to ever actually get one of the bats to talk, let alone about a topic like this. But if Tim was offering to talk, then Dick wasn't going to turn it down. The last thing he ever wanted was to put the walls he fought so hard to take down, up again.

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood, because this is really awkward," Tim answered with a laugh.

Dick smiled as he took in the younger. Then he shrugged.
"I... just needed some time to myself. To realise what I actually want and need," he answered.

"And you know now?"

Dick exhaled through his nose.
"I don't know, honestly. I only ever dated alphas and betas, and in the end we always fought more than anything else. That's not healthy. But I can't exactly be with an omega who just, you know, rolls over when I say so, no offense," he added quickly. When he heard Tim actually laugh, he continued: " Don't get me wrong, I love them all with all my heart. Like Babs, Kory and Wally are still my best friends. But it just doesn't work in a romantic sense I guess. So maybe I'm just destined to be the playboy of the family til I die like B."

"Even Bruce has Selina, and he's much worse at feelings than you," Tim reassured softly.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

"Why, if you're such an expert, why did you and Kon break up?" he lifted an eyebrow, turning onto the side to fully look at Tim.

"Differences. I have too much trauma and he didn't know how to handle it. I need something serious and secure while he wanted something fun. We agreed to end it before it turned into something sour," he replied before eventually meeting Dick's eyes. "But we've been working better together since then, so I guess that was the right call."

Now Dick didn't hold back, he ran his fingers through Tim's hair for a moment before getting comfortable.
"That's what matters in the end," he said and inhaled deeply. Tim's scent was now all over the room, like a soft caress on Dick's senses. It wasn't intentional like it had been last night and that made it even nicer.

"Yeah, I guess," Tim sighed. He didn't try to keep up the conversation. He saw how Dick's blinks slowed down before he eventually just closed his eyes and gave in to the exhaustion.

The omega waited a few minutes before moving just a bit closer. When Dick didn't stir, he just curled against the alpha's chest, pulling the covers a bit higher on himself.
It may have been just his upcoming heat taking over him a bit, but it felt nice to have Dick by his side. He would never say yes immediately or ask for it by himself, but having the alpha near made him feel safe.

And that was more than he could say about most of his life.

Chapter Text

"I still believe it would be more efficient to apprehend them now, before they could actually start an attack," Damian said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Dick sighed. They've been having this conversation for way too long now. They barely just stopped to breathe on the rooftop after stopping a mugging attempt, and nobody knew how long they would've before the next.
"I understand that, but it would be stupid for us to walk into Robinson Park and initiate a fight while Ivy is laying low. She has Harley under control, so she's not causing trouble either, and honestly, the park can use a little love after that fire Firefly started during the breach," he frowned. He hated to say it, but Firefly actually putting Robinson Park on fire was probably the best thing that came out of that night. This way, Ivy got mad enough that she apprehended the rogue herself and all but threw him into Dick's arms when she was done with him. Easiest arrest ever since.

"She will not lay low forever," Damian reminded him with a grim look of his face, and honestly, Dick understood his point. And yet he could not say yes.

"Yeah, but since Selina is near, she will probably get them to stay there until B comes back. Because right now, it would be a death wish for us to walk into her territory with little to no back up, because not only would we loose the fight, we would most likely get our asses handed to us royally," he explained. He saw the displeasure on the teenager's face, but Dick ended the argument there. He ruffled Damian's hair just to have his hand batted away. "Prioritise, Robin. There's no need to beat someone up when offering a Snickers is more than enough."

"Yeah, but please get a few kicks into the Riddler for me," , Tim voice came through the comms, and Dick is not proud to say he jumped a little. He was used to hearing Barbara there, not the omega.

"Red Robin, what are you doing?" Damian growled a little in answer.

"Giving Oracle the day off. Anyway, I probably have the Riddler's whereabouts," he said with a sigh.

"Really? How?" Dick immediately perked up. Anything to finally get something done for the night that didn't involve fighting with Damian.

"My meetings were boring. Anyway, the idiot played us. He already counts in us over thinking everything and expecting the hardest riddles, so he made it obvious this time," Tim answered. The anger was apparent in his voice, this was an insult, one that absolutely got under his skin. " He took five pieces from three jewellery store and six from the second one. "

"Stop stating the obvious, Red Robin, some of us actually have a job to do tonight," Damian snarled. Dick shut him up with a glare, but the young alpha glared back.

"Yeah, I remember, what about them?" he asked in a more gentle tone, hoping to ease Tim a little after Damian's intermission.

"Anyway, the first three always are from the same places. The first is always ten feet away from the door, the second is three feet from the first to the right and the third is thirteen feet from the second. He kept this pattern even when he needed to go into another room for it to keep up. The other's were completely random in their placements, which was the thing that threw us off. But if you actually take in the first letter of the fantasy name of those necklaces and stuff, it actually spells Scarecrow", he sighed once again. Dick could imagine him shaking his head, he was obviously so mad it took them so long. "If you go ten streets north from the first store, then three to east and then thirteen buildings north you should end up in one of Scarecrows unused labs. If I'm right, there should be at least another clue or Nygma himself."

"That's utterly embarrassing. Nygma is the only rogue who's intelligence I had faith in, I refuse to believe this," Damian declared and Dick couldn't help but agree. He resisted the urge to face plam. They were talking about the man who was the reason they all needed to learn everything about art history and the most obscure things there were. This seemed... too stupid.

"That's why I'm telling you to kick him a few times for me. He counted on us going into the history and whatever of all the jewellery stolen so then he could probably mock us from not noticing what's right in front of us."

"But we avoided that. Robin and I will test this theory and get back to you with the results," Dick took out the grapple gun and shot it off. Damian was right behind him, flying back to the first crime scene.

"Got it, " and with that, Tim's line went silent. Following the instructions they quickly found themselves standing over a worn down buildings, with over half of it missing. It had been a fight when they arrested Scarecrow during the time he was still using this hide-out. It should be empty, Bruce collected all the samples they found.

And Jason stuffed Scarecrow back into Arkham right after the breach originally happened. Despite that, Dick reached for the rebreather and saw Damian do the same. It was always better to be safe than sorry.

He went first, Damian following closely on his heels as they they quietly entered the building and went towards the basement. He remembered it being a very basic lab, so it shouldn't be hard to get in. Scarecrow was never one to set up the best defenses, trusting his fear gas to do the work for him. Going down the stairs whey could already hear Nygma talking to himself, sometimes throwing out riddles, sometimes reasoning why he was smarter than anyone else and no one deserved to even be near him. Dick saw the suffering expression on Damian's face and was sure the boy rolled his eyes under the white outs.

He leaned against the doorframe as he watched Nygma. The man leaned over a table, pulling the stolen jewellery apart, separating the most valuable parts from the rest. Dick gestured for Damian to stand down, crossing his arms in front if his chest as he leaned against the doorframe to wait. At this point, the whole operation was more of a joke than a serious arrest. He took the rebreather out of his mouth and let out a loud, dramatic sigh.

Nygma shouted as he turned around, holding the tool in front of himself as a weapon.
"Batman!"

"What the fuck, Ed? What are you doing?" Dick asked, watching the man's every move. He was so happy that even Bruce had some nights when he wasn't in full-vigilante mood, so he could get away with this.

"Don't ask rethorical questions, they insult my intelligence!" the Riddler bellowed, throwing the tool aside. He pouted as he straightened up, grabbing his cane from the table.

"I must admit, I'm surprised he realised it was rethorical," Damian commented, and Dick held back a smile.

"Stop ridiculing me," Nygma groaned. "Being a villain is not cheap, this is a necessary part of the job," he gestured towards the table.

"Whatever, Riddler, you're going back to Arkham, so you won't have to worry about expenses," Dick answered, pushing himself away from the doorframe. "You can even choose if you're coming along the easy way or you wanna play it out?" For a good measure, he cracked his knuckles. He could almost feel Damian vibrate with pent up energy beside him.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen today," the Riddler frowned before he raised his cane and pushed the top of it.

Sometimes Dick wondered what a field day a psychiatrist would have when analysing their reflexes. Maybe that's why Harley always said the "birdies" were her favourites to fight with. In situations like this, they all reacted differently. Damian's first instinct was to put the rebreather back into his mouth, taking into account where they were. Jason most likely would've shot Nygma on the spot. And Dick...

Dick pushed Damian back and out of the door so the gas hit him, not the teen. He held his breath and lifted his rebreather up, but the Riddler's cane came down on his wrist, knocking it out of his hand. Dick forced himself not to suck in a breath to swear as he grabbed the end of cane and yanked it out of the Riddler's hand. He jammed it back, right into the rogue's face, braking his nose in the process. Nygma shouted in pain, no even caring that with this he himself inhaled the gas he sprayed over the room. Dick looked around for his rebreather, but couldn't see it anywhere. It most likely slid under one of the cases.

Damian touched Dick's shoulder at the same time Nygma grabbed onto the cape of the uniform and the surprise of that was too much. He couldn't hold his breath any longer and inhaled. His head whipped towards Robin as the realisation hit him. The teen nodded in understanding as he took out a syringe from one of the back pockets of his utility belt.

Nygma was screaming, clinging to him, but his voice was slowly morphing into the music Dick knew from his youth. The familiar melody of the circus, the awed sound of the crowd and a voice announcing the the Flying Grayson.
He didn't fight Damian when the boy lifted the cowl on his neck, trying to stay sane at least while the boy administered the anti-serum. Since his hand was already under the cowl, Damian punched a nerve on Dick's neck to knock him out while he dealt with the situation.

Batman, what's your status?

What happened to Bruce? Was he hurt? He would always answer, no matter what when they called. Dick tried to move, but he could barely turn his head. But as he did so, he immediately wished he didn't.

Bruce lay on the ground, his cowl torn off his face. He wasn't moving, not even the minimal movements his breathing should've caused. Dick gasped for breath and turned away.

Batman, can you hear me?

Barbara's wheelchair was on its side, the woman on the ground. He body was contorted painfully, the handle of her chair sticking out of her chest. Behind her, Jason was laying beside the wall, his helmet shattered around him, his face bashed in by the crowbar that was left next to him.

Grayson, answer him. It's secure to talk now.

Damian. Where's Damian? God, Dick would never forgive himself if he let anything happen to Damian. He heard his name, so despite the pain in his chest, he turned to the side. He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, but nothing came out of his mouth.

Damian was fighting so hard to keep his body up, on his hands and knees over Alfred's limp body, protecting him from any other attacks. The katana ran through his body, and at this point it was only the teen's will keeping him alive. His strong will that could never be broken. Dick tried to crawl towards him, but he never seemed to get any closer. Eventually, Damian collapsed.

Dick.

Tim. The Babybird, where is he? What did they do to him? His Babybird... He was going into heat, he was vulnerable!

Dick, can you hear me?

Dick tried to look for the omega, desperately trying to find him. He already failed the rest, he couldn't leave Tim too... Not him... Not again...

"See, Detective? They were and will never be there to save you. I am the only constant, only I am worthy of your trust, beloved," the dark chuckle made Dick's skin crawl as the poison green cloak entered his vision.

Dick, I'm here.

"Timmy," Dick sobbed out as he finally saw Tim. The young man looked down at him, his face void of any emotion. He didn't even flinch as Ra's draped the cloak around his shoulder. Then the man enveloped the omega in his arms, leaning to his neck.

"He failed them like he failed you all those times before. You can never count on them, and they just proved it once again," Ra' s nosed along Tim's scent gland, slowly moving behind him to get a better access.

"He failed me," Tim looked directly into Dick's eyes as he said those words. Dick's entire body shook in pain from hearing them. "He failed Bruce, Babs, Alfie, Jason and even his darling Damian..." the omega's beautiful face contorted into a frown, the hatred and anger burning in the eyes Dick loved so much.

Dick...

"That's right, beloved," Ra's whispered. "Come with me, and I shall give you everything you desire. Everything you could ever need. Just be mine, Timothy."

Dick watched in horror as Tim relaxed into Ra's hold and bared his neck for the alpha to claim.

Dick, I need you to listen to me.

Tim maintained eyecontact as Ra's al Ghoul laid his claim on him. A soft moan escaped his lips when the alpha's teeth pierced the skin. Dick closed his eyes, holding back a sob. He couldn't watch.

Bruce is off-world with the JLA. He's safe. Wonder Woman and Superman would never let anyone hurt him.

But Bruce was dead. He saw it with his own eyes. He was right next to him, and yet the man was dead and he was alive. He couldn't stop whatever happened.

Barbara is at home, most likely binging Netflix. She's off from work today.

But her wheelchair... Even if they didn't ram the handle through her chest, she could be hurt by the fall.

Jason is with Artemis and Bizarro. They would sacrifice themselves before ever letting anyone harm Jason seriously.

But the crowbar... Right. That happened long ago. It didn't happen right now.

Damian is right next to you. And Alfred just finished feeding the bats dinner. Both of them are unscathed.

He had been dosed with fear toxin. They were arresting the Riddler. He had been foolish enough to loose his rebreather. Damian gave him the anti-serum.

"I'm right here, Grayson. We're back in the cave in five minutes," Damian said. The car was silent under them even though Dick could tell they were going fast. He was laying down, so Damian was probably driving. He should still have a few more months before he was legally allowed to drive.

"I drove better than all of you combined when I was six," the teen snarled and Dick smiled. He forced himself to open his eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered. He probably talked out loud while he wasn't self-aware enough to think.

"Signal confirmed that Riddler is back in Arkham, the police is leaving the building as speak," Tim's voice was calm, but not cold like it sounded when Dick was still completely under the influence.

"Thanks, Babybird," Dick breathed out, closing his eyes once again. He was exhausted now that the horror of the fear gas was over. He may have been unconscious physically, but mentally he was done.

"ETA in three minutes," Damian murmured in the front.

"Noted."

Dick listened to the sounds around them, trying to ground himself in them. The soft noise of Damian turning the wheel, the young alpha's soft breathing and the buzz of the car. He was thankful Damian wasn't one to pry; he heard everything Dick had babbled while under the influence of the gas, and he didn't ask about them. He didn't appreciate being interrogated himself, so he didn't do it.

Maybe Dick should take a lesson about that.

They rolled into the cave and Dick forced himself to sit up as Damian parked the car and eventually got out. Alfred opened the door to the backseat and eyed Dick, carefully taking in everything that could be an injury. He didn't say anything as he reached in to help Dick out of the car.

"I'm fine, Alfie, I'm not hurt," he reassured him with a soft smile, but didn't fight against the butler's hold.

"I wouldn't call this fine, Master Richard," the old man said, leading Dick to the medical table. "Is there any injury we need to treat?" he asked. He waited for Dick to get onto the table before he helped him out of the cowl.

"I think I popped the stitches in my arm, but I'm not injured anywhere else," he said, wincing a little when he needed to put his arm over his head so they could take off the armored shirt. His arm was bleeding a bit, but only a few of the stitches broke, and that was still better than what he expected. Alfred's gentle hands poked around the wound gently as he examined it.

He nodded slowly.
"That's true. I'll fix that up, then you can shower and go straight to bed," he said. In his eyes, there was a slight warning about what he might do if Dick disobeyed that order.

"Understood," Dick grinned up at him, before watching him get the medical kit. Then he turned to see Damian and Tim at the computer. Tim was still following the other bats on the monitors, each of them having their own coloured dots on the map. He had the comm in his ear, but he was now standing so Damian could quickly type in his report.

Looking at them like this, it was so obvious how much time has passed. Damian, now fifteen, was already a bit taller than Tim, and he had been bulkier than Tim for the past year or two. Tim, despite putting on all the muscle he had done in the past decade, had always been the slimmest between them. He never managed to bulk up or grow taller. Something Damian and Jason loved to tease him about at every chance they got.
The omega glanced up and their eyes met. Tim raised an eyebrow in question and Dick only shook his head with a smile. That was enough for the young man as he turned back towards the monitors. He tapped the comm in his ear, listening in for Harper who was wrapping up for the night after handing a mugger to the police.

Dick didn't make a sound as Alfred fixed him up, then hit the shower right after Damian finished up for the night. The warmth of the water on his skin felt heavenly. He didn't realise he was cold until the water started falling onto him. He truly didn't think he was too shaken up, but he only truly started to unwind there. Dick couldn't tell what this was about, but he felt more relaxed in there.

And yet he didn't allow himself to take too long. He knew Bruce wouldn't even feel the difference in the water bills, but the years of keeping himself alive on a single cop's earning had left a mark on his mentality. Still, by the time he exited the showers, now clad in soft pants and in a shirt, Alfred and Damian already left and Tim was finishing up. Duke was the last to retire for the night, but Tim followed him on the monitor until the guy got home.

When Duke was home, Tim cut off the comm and took it out of his ear, leaving it on the table. He looked at Dick's reflection on the monitor before turning around to look at him.

"Hey," he called out softly, walking towards the alpha. "How are you feeling?"

Dick smiled back, waiting for Tim to get to him before slowly walking towards the stairs.
"I didn't die, so good," he answered lightly.

Tim gave him a look.
"I'm serious, Dick."

"So am I."

Tim sighed and shook his head in disbelief as Dick patted the small of his back to send him forward before the cave closed after them.
"You were calling our names a lot. You were babbling, that's why I'm asking," he clarified softly, stopping on the carpet to look Dick in the eyes. It was dark outside, the lights of the manor shut off. But the large windows of the room let out enough light for them to see it each other. He reached out and patted Dick's good arm. "You don't have to tell if you don't want to, but I'm here if you need to talk about it."

Dick watched his face for a moment. Tim had been closed off for a long time, not showing his emotions around them like he used to when he was younger. But his face wasn't empty like in his hallucinations and his eyes were so much warmer. Dick stepped closer and when he saw that Tim wasn't pulling back, he put his arm around the omega and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Thank you," he whispered into the dark locks, inhaling the familiar smell of his shampoo and Tim's own scent. Tim relaxed into his arms and hugged him back softly. Dick pressed a kiss onto his head. "Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Tim nodded against Dick's chest, burying his face in his shirt.
"Yeah, if you want me to."

Chapter Text

Dick learned to love to fall when he was very young. You just needed to learn when it was the right moment to catch yourself. But he hated when he watched the others fall. One of his repetitive nightmares was the night Tim first defeated Ra's al Ghoul as Red Robin. Logically, Dick knew he was there, he got there in time. He could still feel the beaten up body colliding with his midair as he grabbed him. But in his dreams, he never caught him. Tim would be too far away, his cape slipping through Dick's finger so he was left dangling in the air as Tim fell to his inevitable death.

"You failed him before and you continue to do so all the time. He was bound to die because you failed to care for him," Ra's said, looking down at Dick from the window. He eyed him with disgust in his eyes, his face cold, unbothered by the newest life he took. Dick looked at him in shock, the cowl of Batman seemingly weighing a ton on his shoulders. He should run after Ra's, he needs to catch him before he could get away. But Tim...

Dick closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the wire of the zip line. If he had listened, if he was faster, if he cared more or did better, he wouldn't have fallen... Putting on the Batman clothes always seemed like taking the weight of the world onto his shoulders, but he never realised how hard it actually pulled someone down. He wouldn't be able to stand it forever.

"See? They can never come first. And you will always leave them behind." Dick looked around, but he couldn't see where the voice came from. "You'll just run back to Blüdhaven and leave everything here. Responsibilities, people, feelings. Coward."

The press on his shoulder pushed Dick off the zip line and soon he was falling. The press didn't disappear, so Dick grabbed the hand and threw the attacker.

His eyes snapped open when he heard the crash. He was still holding onto the wrist, having thrown Tim from the other side of the bed to the floor on his side. Tim groaned as he tried to push himself up from the floor.

"Oh my god, Babybird, I'm so sorry," Dick climbed off the bed, engulfing the boy in his arms tightly. Tim ran his hand up on Dick's arm, leaning against him.

"It's okay. I touched you when you were having a nightmare, I should've seen it coming," he murmured softly, he gathered himself up enough to turn around in Dick's arms, pulling the alpha against his body.

"I'm so sorry," Dick whispered once again. He didn't even realise he was trembling until he felt how solid Tim was against him.

"It's normal, we all do this," Tim reassured, running his fingers into Dick's hair, caressing it softly.

"I... I..." Dick honestly couldn't tell what he wanted to say. All he could do was apologise. He knew this was only the after effect of the fear gas he inhaled a few hours ago, but seeing that both dreams told him the same thing, he knew the issue.

"We should get back onto the bed," Tim whispered, still holding Dick gently as the alpha clung to him as a lifeline.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's just the bed is more comfortable than the floor."

"I mean, for everything," Dick sobbed out, the stress getting the best of him. Freaking toxin was still playing with his feelings. He should be able to handle it well after all these years. He should be able to differentiate the reality from the hallucinations. Then why was this affecting him so much right now?

"Dick, what is this about?" Tim asked, pushing Dick back enough to look him in the face. He cradled his face in his hands, and Dick couldn't help but turn his head towards Tim's wrists and inhaling. His scent was strong, a tiny bit of anxiety making it a bit sour. He wanted to make it better. The alpha in him yearned to pull the omega back into his arms, but he knew he was the reason Tim was worried.

"You heard what the toxin made me hallucinate," he exclaimed, even though he wanted to state it as a question. He saw as the realisation settled in Tim's head as his eyes turned serious and he slid his hands from Dick's face to his shoulder.

"Yeah, what about it?" his voice didn't betray any of his emotions.

"I failed all of you so many times. You, off all people, I couldn't... I can't... God, why are you still here? Why do you forgive us? All the time? I can't, Timmy... I'm so sorry," Dick knew he was babbling, but he had so many things running around his bed at the same time he just couldn't sort them out anymore. He more felt than heard Tim sigh as the warm air brushed against his skin.

Seeing that Dick wasn't in a state to move Tim moved a little, bringing Dick between his legs so he was able to fully hold the man. In moments like this, there was no place for masculinity, and that was something they all learned the hard way in the beginning of their vigilante careers.
"There's nothing to forgive, Dick. You hadn't failed us, you did nothing wrong. There is no reason for you to apologise," he said. He felt Dick's tears wetting his shirt but he didn't care about them.

"That's not true and you know it," Dick answered and looked up so Tim could see how desperate he really felt. "You told me not to lie to you. So please don't lie to me. Not right now." He sounded like a broken man, and maybe he was. Deep down maybe all of them were broken.

Tim watched him with a sad expression.
"This is not the time to have this conversation. The toxin is still in your system, that's why you're..."

Dick cut in before the younger could finish that sentence.
"It's never the time for these conversations and you know it," he snapped and only realised how forceful he was when Tim flinched. Then Dick started focusing just enough to regulate his scent to sooth the omega. "Please, Tim."

Tim took a deep breath, obviously aware of how Dick was intentionally putting out a calming scent after he realised how much it upset the omega. Tim almost smiled, it's only been two days since he himself did that. He pulled Dick back into his arms, burying his face in the alpha's neck.
"Then I'm going to be honest with you. But I want you to know that I'm not mad at you and you have nothing to apologise for. It's behind us at this point," he whispered and waited for Dick to nod and hug him back before he spoke again. "I'm not in a position where I'm allowed to hold grudges. If I don't forgive the people who have betrayed me, who tried to kill me or hurt me physically or emotionally, I would simply have no one left. If I cut these people out of my life fully, I would be alone. I couldn't stay in Gotham or in San Francisco with Young Justice, because really there's always someone who tried to kill me or walked over me."

"Young Justice, too?" Dick didn't even realise how shaky his voice actually was until he spoke.

Tim chuckled against his shoulder.
"The very first time I met Kon he tried to beat me shitless," he said it like it was a sweet memory of their first date. "Anyway, but even if I tried to do it, I couldn't, because I've been a bat. Bruce or Babs would eventually find me, if not Ra's. And there is only so many times I can defeat the entire League of Assassins by myself. So I stay. I learned to see the world from other people's perspective so I know why they did what they did. Does it hurt? Yeah, all the time. Do I regret forgiving? No. "

He slowly rocked them back and forth as he spoke. His heartbeat was steady against Dick's, their chests moving in tandem as they breathed. Dick gently slid his arm around Tim's waist and pulled him even closer until the boy was almost fully in his lap.
"We don't deserve you."

"You do," Tim answered. "Because you're here. I told you, I know you'll always catch me. And even if you don't believe me, I still trust you to do it." The kiss Tim pressed onto Dick's jaw was so soft the alpha barely felt it before he leaned his head back onto Dick's shoulder. "But I still think we should get back to the bed. You have to be up in two hours and you need that sleep after tonight."

Dick squeezed Tim a bit tighter for a few long moments before eventually nodding and letting him go. Tim climbed out of his lap and offered him a hand before pulling him up from the floor.
"You're still staying?" he asked as he climbed back under the covers.

Tim went around the bed, but instead of going to the door, he just got into the bed from the other side.
"I told you, if you want me to, I will," he gave Dick a small, reassuring smile as he got comfortable in his place. This time, he didn't put any distance between them, he shuffled closer to show that it was okay for Dick to hold him if he wanted to.

Dick pressed himself up against the omega, grabbing him by the hips as he intertwined their legs. Tim's arm fell around him in a loose embrace as he fit his head under Tim's chin.
"Thank you."

"Try to sleep."

"I don't know if I can. This is like when you watch a horror film and you need to watch a Disney movie right after so you can sleep," Dick murmured into the pillow and closed his eyes. Like this, Tim was the only thing he could feel; his body against his, his scent around him. There was no fear, only the omega in his arms.

" You want to watch a Disney movie? " Tim snorted, and almost jerked away to look at Dick, but then held back.

Dick shook his head.
"No, then we definitely wouldn't sleep. Just sayin' that this situation is like that," he replied, but despite everything, his eyes were getting heavier and heavier until he could barely muster the strength to open them. He just relaxed into Tim and listened to his heart beating and his soft breathing until he eventually fell back asleep.

Tim waited for Dick doze off, holding him tight as the man slowly drifted off. He looked at the window, watching the moon. It was four in the morning, Dick needed to get up at six. The sun will soon rise and this bubble will be broken. Right now, despite Dick's nightmare, it was calm. It was just the two of them, without anybody else disturbing their peace.

Tim leaned his head down and took a deep breath, inhaling Dick's scent. With his heat coming up shortly, the alpha's closeness was affecting him a bit, but it wasn't overwhelming yet. He just felt safer, warmer and it was slowly getting harder to control his emotions. When he heard Dick call their names on the comms, his heart broke. The panic, the pain, the sadness in his voice made it hard for Tim to breath. He wanted to help, but he was confined in the cave and Dick wasn't responsive. And when he was finally within arms reach, Damian was right between them and he probably would've mocked Tim for being too emotional of he did anything. So he held back.

He was honestly relieved when Dick asked him to stay the night with him. He didn't sleep, he rather just watched over the alpha, knowing full well what the repercussions of the fear toxin were. He knew the nightmares would come before Dick even fell asleep.

Tim moved a little, pressing their bodies a little closer. The sun was slowly dawning the first rays painting the sky red. And he just laid there watching it unfold, trying to keep the bad dreams away from Dick, because right now that was the only thing he could do.

Chapter Text

Dick often thought about whether it was possible to get brain damage without actually getting hurt. Because there was actually no explanation on why he had been glaring at the screen for half an hour at this point without a single thought in his head. He literally had been the one to come up with this case, why couldn't he forge some evidence at this point?

Scrolling through the log they got from the harbor, he could easily pinpoint which shipment came for Penguin, which one was Black Mask and so on. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to actually point out one and commit to the case. Who knows when Bruce will be back? He would need to stay in Gotham at least for two more weeks until the traces of Tim's heat completely vanished...
Dick banged his head into the table. How much he wished they would just send him out to patrol the neighbourhood! His job would be so much easier.

He was still not back on his detective title after vanishing for a year to play superspy, so he shouldn't even be allowed to be on a case like this. It was just Gordon and his own commissioner's bias towards him that he was there. And he was lying to both. Nice.

"I take that you have no new leads," the tired sigh came from his right so Dick lifted his head. Commissioner Gordon looked just as tired as Dick felt. He wasn't wearing his trademark coat and his tie was loosened but Dick couldn't blame him. If he could, he would've loosened a few things on his own uniform too.

"I'm sorry, sir. I've been going through these for a while and there are just no regularities. That could be a mark itself, but it doesn't help us catch the next shipment," he answered, gesturing towards the screen.

"I know. But we don't exactly have the manpower to monitor every single ship or to send backup if there's an attack," Gordon frowned.

"I'll go back to the harbour later today, go through things again, just in case," Dick said, turning towards the man with his seat.

Gordon nodded.
"Okay. Now take a break, kid. Glaring at the screen won't get you anywhere. Have lunch or something," he patted Dick's shoulder before turning and going back to his office.

Dick gave one last look at this his screen. He really needed to get things in order soon. He looked at the clock. He could go back to the manor and have lunch while also going through the information in the batcave. That could give him something to work with. He turned off his computer and stood from his seat. Grabbing his jacket, he was out of the door.

The lunch rush was already over at this point, so Dick could speed through Gotham on record time. Taking the bike always had it's perks, and agility was one of them.

Leaving the bike in front of the manor Dick opened the heavy door himself. Alfred should be with Damian, they were supposed to be back soon from school. Damian still refused to go to school if he wasn't taken by the chopper, and at this point they just let him. Him actually having to socialise with teens his age was more important.

"YOU ARE RUINING MY FATHER'S BUSINESS, DRAKE! JUST BECAUSE HE'S NOT HERE..."

Okay, Dick now regretted coming home.

"YOU ABSOLUTELY GIVE TOO MUCH CREDIT TO BRUCE, GREMLIN. I'VE BEEN RUNNING W.E. FOR YEARS NOW! Bruce only signs what Lucius and I put in front of him, everything else is on us!"

Tim was not supposed to be back yet. He left early for a full day of meeting and his last one should've ended late in the evening. Then why was he back? Dick went to the kitchen, following the noises.

"That is not true! He's the head of the company and soon I shall take over, and when I do, you will be out of there before you can realise it," Damian warned, his eyes burning with anger. He was still in his school uniform, shouting at Tim from one end of the kitchen island. Tim stood on the other one, his suit jacket draped over a chair. His hair was unmade, having run his hand through it one too many times. Between them, Alfred was calmly preparing their lunch servings.

Tim snorted, his eyes darkening as he watched Damian. His chin was down, protecting his throat from the young alpha, but there was something feral and mean in his gaze. Dick saw that as his opportunity to step in.
"Alright, everyone, that's enough," he said as he put himself between the two. If he had any ounce of self-preservation, he wouldn't have physically put himself between the two, but it was either him or Alfred. So he stepped forward.

"Stay out of this, Grayson," Damian growled, his scent spiking with aggression. He didn't even try to temper it down, using it as a spear in their verbal fight. Dick tried to smell for Tim's reaction, but Damian's scent overpowered everything.

"I'd love to but I can't when you fight like this," Dick said and grabbed Damian by the neck. He didn't put any power into his grip, just enough to establish who was the pack alpha in there. Damian pushed his hand away and glared at Dick, but when his eyes met the man's he didn't attack again. That was good enough for Dick. "Now, tell me what's going on so we can work on it together."

Maybe he should just quit being a cop and start working as a kindergarten teacher.

"Drake got sent home for being incompetent. He is failing as a CEO and he will take down Wayne Enterprises with him. I cannot allow him to ruin my inheritance!" Damian's scent spiked again as he got heated but one look from Dick was enough for him to sit down.

Tim rolled his eyes.
"Bullshit. W. E. wouldn't have worked with them anyway because we have policies and moral codes. I would now because I actually work there!" he replied and now Dick could definitely make out his scent. He saw the scent cancelling patches on Tim's wrists and neck, so the fact that he could smell him spoke volumes. He was angry, he was frustrated and most of all, he was now truly in pre-heat.

" Tim, what happened?" Dick sighed. He kept his voice calm and levelled so he wouldn't agitate the omega even more.

Tim glared at Damian for a long moment more before he met Dick's eyes.
"I had a meeting with a potential business partner. But they started making comments and unwanted advances just because I'm an omega in pre-heat. They refused to actually talk to me about business. So I put them in place," he said with a shrug. The darkness in his eyes let Dick know that he was still angry about that.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"It's obviously not nothing if they sent you home."

"Lucius said it's not appropriate to let people know how you could ruin their business in half an hour, even if you say hypothetically first."

Dick almost smiled. He should've guessed it. But before he could react, Damian was already in attack mode again.
"They were potential business partners, Drake! I know you are an imbecile, but you can't just treat them like that! Wayne Enterprises shall prosper and you will lead it to ruins!" he snarled, slamming his hands onto the kitchen island.

"Master Damian!" Alfred called out in a warning, but it was drowned out by Tim's answer.

"We have omega employees, Damian! We don't work with people who treat them like that! Lucius and Tam agree with me, and Bruce would too!" he hissed through his teeth. His hands were trembling from the anger by his side, his face flushed.

"You're just too emotional," Damian called out and Dick grabbed Tim's shoulder in time before the omega could launch himself as the young alpha.

"That's it!" he called out. "Both of you, go to your room! And for God's sake, take a nap!"

Kindergarten teacher it is.

"This is so fucking stupid. I was just doing my fucking job," Tim hissed before tearing himself out of Dick's hold. He stormed out of the room.

Alfred shook his head.
"He truly needs to stop spending so much time with Master Jason," he sighed. Dick wanted to find that funny, or even find joy in the fact that Jason and Tim were getting along. But right now it only left him feeling sick at the thought. His chest felt tight, but he ignored it.

"I am right, you can't deny it," Damian said. "I will go train. Someone has to be in shape to take care of Gotham," he said with all the emphasis on someone. Dick wanted to reprimand him again, but he just didn't have it in him to actually get into a fight with Damian. He just let him go, watching as the young alpha marched off to the cave.

Dick ran his hands down his face, leaning his elbows onto the island.
"I can't wait for Bruce to be back," he whined, looking up at Alfred. The old butler watched him with soft eyes. He understood Dick's struggles more than probably anyone could.

"You're doing great, Master Dick. Would you like me to prepare you lunch?" he asked and even if Dick's stomach was ready to eat itself he shook his head.

"No, thanks, Alf. I'll go check on Timmy, then I will have to go back to work soon," he sighed, pushing himself off the kitchen island.

"Snacks it is, then," Alfred declared, already turning around to start the preparation. Dick smiled at his back; he knew better than to argue with Alfred about that. He ditched his belt with the guns and other stuff at the end of the stairs before making his way up to Tim's room. The omega must have taken off the scent cancelling patches on the way because his scent lingered in the hallways.

The door to his room was open so Dick could easily look in. Tim was spread out on his bed, his tie having joined the rest of the chaos in the room. The dress shirt and the fly of his pants were undone as if Tim was just about to change when he decided he couldn't care less. His undershirt rode up just enough to expose his abs, his alabaster skin covered in white scars everywhere. Dick wanted to run his hand under Tim's shirt, but he just knocked on the doorframe instead. He gave the omega a kind smile when he looked up.

"What, came to take your nap?" Tim asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. But at this point Dick knew better than to take it to heart.

"As much as I would love to take a nap with you, I have to go back to work in, like, twenty minutes," he answered. He didn't shut the door after himself as he walked to the bed.

Tim ran his eyes up and down on Dick's form, an unsaid way to point out his uniform.
"Are you slacking off, Officer Grayson?"

Dick smiled and kicked off his shoes so he could climb onto the bed. Tim didn't move away, so Dick guessed it was okay.
"I'm supposed to be on my lunch break before heading to the harbour to forge some evidence," he sighed, turning onto his back. Tim's room was a mess, but his bed was comfortable at least.

"For what case?"

Dick should've known Tim would perk up at that.
"I said there's this gun-trade making its way into 'Haven from Gotham so I could come here while still keeping my job. I just didn't think much about the details until now. And I suddenly need to find something to look for," he answered.

Tim turned onto his side so he could look at Dick.
"Black Mask has been trying to expand business, although he was looking towards Metropolis more than 'haven. If you can make it out to have some drugs beside the guns, I can make it out for it to interlap with your case," he said. He gave a small smile when Dick' s head immediately whipped towards him.

"Really?"

Tim laid his head back down onto the mattress.
"Yeah. It's Jason's case, but seeing that he's off doing whatever I think you can take over. I'll take care of him if he wants to complain," he reassured Dick softly. His voice was now a bit rough, maybe from the shouting match earlier, but looking at him up close, Dick could see how tired Tim was. The dark bags under his eyes were now a constant thing, but he seemed more exhausted than earlier.

Realistically, Dick knew neither of them slept well the previous night, but one night didn't mean a single thing to them. Maybe it was his oncoming heat, or just simply the rough day he had, but Tim was tired. So Dick ignored the weird feeling in his chest about how Tim knew so much about Jason, and asked:
"How are you feeling?" he asked. He kept his voice a whisper, to make the moment feel private despite the open door.

Tim's eyebrows rose for a moment before he shrugged.
"I'm good. Why?"

Dick reached out and ran his fingers into Tim's hair.
"It's just... I know what it's like to have people invade your personal space whenever they feel like it. So I just wanted to check in with you," he answered, pulling his hand back. He saw how Tim's gaze softened before he turned to look at the ceiling.

"It's just the usual. Not the first and not the last time someone's going to do this. At least now they fear me enough that they won't try shit with the W.E. staff," he commented, trying to give the conversation a lighter tone than it had started off with. Dick smiled at that.

"Alright then," he patted Tim's hand as he sat up. "Seriously, take a nap. I'll see you tonight," he gave the omega's hand a squeeze before getting up. He should still have enough time to eat some before leaving for the harbour to look for drugs and guns.

He was already at the door when Tim called out.
"Dick."

Dick turned back to look at Tim now curled up on the spot he laid on earlier.
"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Seriously, Dick would've chopped off his right arm for the chance to get back into the bed with the omega and just doze off for the rest of the day. But he couldn't so he smiled, resting his hand on the doorknob.
"Anytime, Babybird." And he closed the door.

His phone was going crazy in his pocket, so Dick walked to one of the warehouses before picking it up.
"Grayson," he called, hoping the wind wouldn't drown out his voice.

"I take it you're still in the harbour," the commissioner's voice was strong but Dick needed to concentrate to make sure he heard him correctly.

"Yes, sir. Why?"

"We got an anonym tip that it's most likely Black Mask behind the gun-trade and that it probably involves drugs as well. I already dispatched the narcotic division, stay where you are," Gordon spoke in hurry and Dick could imagine him already throwing on his coat as he spoke.

Dick held back his smile as he looked around.
"Anonym tip? Are you sure it's trustworthy?" he tried to sound as unsure as possible, despite being sure about who sent the information.

"Kid, at this point, we need to check out everything. And it's most likely one of the Bats, if the quality of this research is anything to go by. Probably Red Robin, since he didn't make a scene." Yeah, Dick could see that. Bruce would want to deliver the information himself and Jason would just blow up a few warehouses instead of helping.

He hummed.
"Must be nice. Having cooperative vigilantes."

Gordon chuckled.
"Don't you have your own guy in Blüdhaven?"

Dick leaned against the wall.
"We do, but Nightwing is a drama queen. All flair, no work."

"One would think the circus kid appreciates the showmanship."

Dick laughed.
"I definitely do, sir. But being a cop, I prefer the streets being safer over a few unnecessary backflips. If we had Red Robin in 'Haven, it would be the safest city on Earth."

Chapter Text

When Tim woke up, he was disoriented. None of his parts was hurting, so he wasn't knocked out. He hadn't been drugged, that was a different kind of disoriented. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. The room was dark, only the moonlight illumating things. He was in his own room, that was good enough. He just overslept. He pushed himself into a sitting position and looked at the clock on his bedside table. 3:48. He completely missed that night's patrol, Dick and Damian should already be back if everything went alright.

Tim groaned and rubbed his eyes. After Dick left in the afternoon, he immediately got up and sent the anonymous information to Gordon but he couldn't wait to see what happened afterwards. After pulling an all nighter next to Dick, he was tired. His heat was taking its toll, he was already exhausted and it hasn't even truly started yet. So he took a quick shower and took the alpha's advice and took a nap.

A nap that lasted until the middle of the night.

It was weird to wake up alone. In the last few days he always woke up with Dick all over him and it actually felt nice. It was calming to have the warm body of the alpha next to him, his heavy limbs pressing down on Tim. It was grounding. It was secure. And now it wasn't there.

Sure, Tim knew that this wouldn't last. This was only until Tim went into heat or until Bruce came back, because then Dick will go back to Blüdhaven and they were going to just forget about it. And Tim felt strangely sad about that. Maybe Damian was right and he was getting too emotional from the hormones, but he really missed falling asleep while being held. He glanced at the clock. Then he pushed himself out of the bed.

His bare feet didn't make a sound as he walked through he manor, hoping not to wake up anyone. Damian would have his head if he did so. But he only needed to get to Dick's room without drama, that shouldn't have been an impossible mission.

He pushed the door open carefully, peaking inside. Dick laid on his stomach, the comforter low on his hips. Tim stepped in, closing the door after himself. Dick sucked in a sharp breath at the sound, but Tim didn't bother with it. The alpha would've eventually woken up anyway.

"Tim...?" Dick's voice was rough with sleep. The sheets rustled as he moved, trying to look at the omega.

"Go back to sleep," Tim whispered, climbing into the bed. Before Dick could turn around to look at him, Tim put his arms around the alpha's waist, spooning him from behind. He could feel Dick relaxing against him so he knew it was okay.

"You okay?" Dick asked, caressing Tim's arm gently before putting his hand on his.

"Yeah..."

"You got lonely?"

"Yeah..."

Dick pressed back against Tim's body a little.
"Me too. I didn't want to wake you up," he whispered, exhaling slowly.

Tim hummed, resting his head between Dick's shoulder blades. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Dick always smelled so nice. He smelled like home, like safety, everything Tim longed for. He could still remember the very first time he got a whiff of his scent after bringing Bruce back from time. He wanted to be so mad, so angry and never look back after all that happened. But presenting hurt so bad and he was so incredibly tired both mentally and physically after everything he went through. And Dick's scent was so familiar and so unfamiliar at the same time. So different from what he was used to before presenting and yet still remaining the same. Tim wanted to cling to him and never let go, this being the only constant he had.

Tim couldn't tell what kind of scent he must give off. He knew that when he was near heat, it kind of gave away his emotions. That must have been why Dick linked their fingers together and pressed it against his chest, so Tim could feel his heartbeat not only on his own chest but under his palm too.
"Try to sleep, Timmy."

"'kay."

"Goodnight."

So they fell asleep with Tim spooning Dick, his arms holding the man strongly.

Dick's phone buzzed on the bedside table, but he only turned it upside down, hoping it would be enough that no more notifications would show. But then the phone started ringing, so Dick actually had to reach up and decline the call.
He felt Tim move behind him, and before thinking anything about it, Dick turned around, throwing his arm around Tim and pulling the omega flush against his body.

Suddenly, Dick didn't feel tired anymore. He could feel how Tim's breath hitched at the realisation as well.

Okay, they could get through this without making it awkward. Morning wood was completely normal for any male to have. Tim was also close to his heat, it was bound to happen at some point while they shared a bed. And Dick was a healthy adult alpha with a beautiful omega in pre-heat in his arms.

The phone fell silent, ignored.
The sun was rising, the light coming in through the windows. If they truly wanted to, they could've easily said it was the dawn that tainted Tim's cheeks pink. They could've reasoned that it was basic biology that caused their situation and just gotten a cold shower.

But Dick couldn't think about any of that. He didn't want to think about any of that. He watched Tim's face, his arms frozen in place. His entire being screamed for him to pull the omega closer, to grind their bodies together. And from how Tim's pupils widened, how he lifted his chin to bare his throat, Dick knew the omega wanted the same.

He leaned in slowly. He gave Tim time to pull back, to push him away if he wanted to. But Tim only lifted his hand, running his hands into Dick's hair to finally close the gap between their lips. Dick finally tightened his hold even more around him, groaning happily as they both melted into the kiss.

He had shared many kisses in his life. Romantic ones, cuddling after the most perfect dates. Hurried ones before he threw himself into a dance with Death once again. And yet this felt the right. He ran his hand onto Tim's thigh to lift it around his hip so he could turn the omega onto his back. Tim moaned into the kiss, his lips falling open, giving Dick free entrance to map his mouth.

Dick gently climbed over him, never once breaking the kiss. He felt so good like he could loose himself in the moment for forever. Tim's hand ran down his back to reach for the hem of his shirt when the phone went off again. The ringtone startled them enough that they broke apart. For a long moment, they just looked at each other, neither of them knowing how to react.

Then Tim nudged Dick enough with the leg he still had wrapped around the alpha that the man had to roll off of him. Dick went for his phone immediately. This time, he looked at the caller instead of just blindly declining the call. Blood drained from his face as he saw the ID.

"Hi, Bruce," he greeted unsurely. His chest was tight, and he could only hope his tone didn't give away the panic he felt in that moment.

"Why didn't you pick up?" Bruce didn't beat around the bush, he immediately asked the question he wanted.

"I'm sorry, I was sleeping," Dick answered. He could deal with a thousand lectures about him being careless enough to sleepily decline a call, but he would never live it down if he declined it because he was making out with Tim. Dick ran his hand down his face. That was another conversation he wasn't ready to have.

"Don't be so careless," Bruce chided, but it was much more gentle than Dick expected it to be. The man was probably tired.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm coming back. We should land sometimes today, so I need you to be Batman in Gotham today too. But starting tomorrow, I'll be back," he exclaimed, leaving absolutely no place for Dick to object.

"Are you sure? You don't want to rest more?" Dick asked, leaning back on the bed. He could hear Tim leaving the room, but he didn't turn to look at him. It was awkward enough as it was.

"No, I've been away long enough," Bruce answered.

"Alf won't like that."

"I will take care of that."

Dick chuckled. He knew the butler won't let it go so easily, but there was no point in arguing with Bruce. If he set his mind onto something, he never let it go.
"Well, good luck with that," he said.

"Thank you, Dick."

"See you tonight, B," Dick put on his cheerful smile, hoping it translated through his voice. He needed to appear normal.

"See you tonight," Bruce said before ending the call.

Dick let out a loud sigh and let the phone fall onto the bed beside him. He turned onto his stomach and buried his face in the sheets. He definitely didn't see this coming and he most definitely didn't want to go to work before they had time to adress this issue.

The sheets still smelled like Tim, still warm from how he laid there just moment ago. Dick wanted to scream, but held it back. He needed to sort this out and he needed to do it soon. By the smell of it, Tim will be in full heat within the next two days. And now that Bruce was coming back and the police was ready to wrap up the gun-trade case, he needed to go back to Blüdhaven.

But the thought of leaving Tim there didn't sit well with him. He could remember what it felt like to watch Ra's al Ghoul claim Tim as his or how he felt when Alfred let him know how much time Tim and Jason actually spent together. And it made him angry.

He knew it was irrational and that it may be just his alpha reacting to Tim's omega. But that didn't tamper the urge to growl and challenge anyone he viewed as a threat to his claim on his omega.

Dick sat up like he had been burned. When did he start thinking about it as a claim? Tim wasn't his, they had never even talked about anything like that. Hell, they weren't even dating. They spent a few night sleeping in the same bed, but that didn't mean anything.

His alarm started blaring, signalling that Dick had to get up. He slammed his hand onto it harder than necessary, the top of the clock caving in a little under his palm.
"Dammit," Dick whispered to himself, standing up. Now he only needed to write up his reports about the case, that should give him enough time to get himself together.

He couldn't leave like this. Not without Tim and not without knowing where they stood.

Chapter Text

Dick rolled his shoulder, before pressing save on the document a thousand times. He was done. He was so done. He knew he had to get everything in order before the Gotham PD would hit on Black Mask's base that Tim leaked to them, but that didn't make writing reports more enjoyable. His colleagues in Blüdhaven already shut down the warehouse Tim found, so his job in Gotham was officially over. There was no need for them to work together anymore.

A small packet slammed down onto his desk and Dick looked up. Commissioner Gordon gave him a pitiful look and gestured towards the packet with his chin.
"Put the patch on, kid. You're starting to smell too strong," he said. Dick gave him a surprised look as he took the packet into his hand. Scent-cancelling patches.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't notice," he murmured, still looking at the patches. He wasn't supposed to start his rut for a month, so he shouldn't have any notable scent. He was good at controlling his pheromones - came with the job and being a vigilante - so he hasn't been told his scent was out of hand since he was a teenager.

"By the look on your face, you're too shocked. You have an omega or another alpha near you who's in heat or rut?" he asked.

Dick nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I do."

Gordon shrugged.
"Then they must have triggered it. Anyway, put it on then get back to work. Don't make us more work on your last day here," he said, and didn't even wait for Dick to answer, just left him there. He had his cigarette in his hand before he even exited the room.

Dick tore open the package and stuck the patch onto the back of his neck. He wanted to go home, he was utterly ready for the day to be over. Tim was probably holed up in his own room, maybe even building a nest... Dick felt a rumble build up in his chest before he held it back. Now, that his coworkers probably noticed his scent, the last thing he needed was to go into absolute alpha mode.

He undid the cuffs on his uniform and stuck the patches onto his wrist, leaning back in his seat. He will have to take a few days off if he was truly going into rut. But if he was in rut and Tim was in heat, maybe they could just...

No, he couldn't think about that. Not in work, not in that moment.

He ran his hands into his hair before he focused on his computer screen. Work should give him enough things to think about, so he should be able to keep his cool. And then they can figure out what do to. After their kiss in the morning, he knew Tim also wasn't unaffected by him. They were both adults now, they could sit down and talk about it.

"Grayson, you stink," Damian frowned. He promptly lifted his uniform in front of his nose to try and block Dick's scent as much as he possibly could.

"Yeah, I've been told so," he sighed before grabbing a small box from his pocket. "Rub this under your nose, that way you won't be able to smell me or Tim anymore," he said. Damian was still too sensitive to scents, so Dick knew the young alpha would react badly before he even got into the cave.

"Tim is in his room, his heat is about to hit," Bruce added, turning around in his chair and getting up. He probably expected Dick to go in for a hug; it's been a while since they've seen each other and Dick had always been the most affectionate out of all his children. But Bruce smelled like alpha, and Dick didn't want any of that near him. Damian he could deal with, because despite being an alpha, he was still a teenager and wasn't much of a threat to Dick's position. But Bruce was the Head Alpha in their makeshift pack, and Dick was still rational enough not to challenge that.

Dick nodded. The less he thought about Tim in heat, the higher the chance he can lead the hit on Black Mask's hideout. The police was probably already getting ready to do their work, he needed to suit up and get out there too.

"Are you okay, Dick?" Brucevs hand settled onto his shoulder but Dick shrugged it off. Normally, it would've been a grounding weight, warmth to remind him of family, but right now it just made him want to fight.

Dick nodded and gave Bruce a small smile, while also taking a few steps back.
"Yeah, just my rut is coming earlier than I expected," he said and undid his shirt to change into the Batman cowl. One last night, then he can be back in his own uniform.

"And you still want to go out?" Bruce asked. Damian grumbled something under his nose, but Dick didn't think about it enough to make it out. He knew both if then were eyeing his patches.

"Yeah, might help with getting some tension out," Dick added as cheerfully as he could. He knew that Jason often used patrol to work off his pre-rut aggression.

"Don't get carried away," Bruce warned before settling back into the armchair.

Dick pulled on the cowl.
"I won't, I promise."

Objectively speaking, the night went well. They got Black Mask in record time, both of them tearing through the henchmen until they found the boss and got him in cuffs. Normally, Dick would've been absolutely overjoyed at that, but right now the energy was still buzzing under his skin.

So he was still not tired when they got in. The shower he took was cold enough to freeze anything, but it didn't have any effect on him. Bruce seemed to know already, so he didn't even try to get a report from Dick, only asking Damian about the details.

So Dick slapped on the scent-cancelling patches once again, and left the cave. Since Bruce was home and most likely fought Alfred until the butler let him stay up and monitor their patrol, he was calm about immediately going to bed. Maybe this rut was only a fake and everything would be better tomorrow...

When he opened the door, the sweet scent all but slapped him in the face. His mouth watered, his eyes zoning in on Tim who was sitting on the bed. From his place, he could spot the scent-cancelling patch on Tim's neck so his heat was getting to the point that they weren't working anymore.

Tim gave him a sheepish smile.
"How tired are you?" he asked without any greeting. Dick tore his eyes away from the omega's neck, only now taking him in fully. Tim was in sweats and baggy long sleeve that Dick may or may not have recognised as one of his own and shoes.

"I'm... not," he answered and cleared his throat. He shifted a little, hoping that his own sweats were baggy enough to hide everything. His own scent must have spiked, because he heard Tim's breath hitch, but he purposefully ignored it for the sake of his own sober mind.

"Could you drive me back to my place? I'd feel better having my heat there," he said, standing from the bed.

That surprised Dick enough to pull his head back above the water.
"Sure, I can, but didn't you originally want to spend it here?" he asked and walked to his wardrobe. He was okay in the sweatpants, but Gotham was cold and not even he was supposed to drive barefoot.

"That only happens when B isn't in town, he and Alfred feel better then. But he's back, so it should be good," he answered before snorting. "And the gremlin's hormones would get a rest, too."

"He's still adjusting," Dick chided softly, still acting a buffer between the two. He pulled on a jacket and reached for a shoe. He hesitated before closing the wardrobe again. "Do you..." he stopped for a moment. He looked back to see that Tim really wasn't wearing a jacket.

"Hm?"

Dick took an unsure look towards the wardrobe before asking.
"Do you want a jacket?" he asked. He was worried he was overstepping a boundary with that; Tim was in heat and he was an alpha offering a piece of clothing. Normally, this would be seen as a courting gesture. Were they courting? They weren't courting. Tim already wore his clothes multiple times during the years, this shouldn't be weird. But that was before Dick was ran over by the realisation that the younger man was everything and more.

Tim had his back to the windows so his face was in the dark, but Dick was sure his eyes shone up.
"Yeah, please. If that's okay," he said and he stepped even closer. Dick held his breath for a long moment as he took out a better jacket and gave it to the omega.

He then smiled at the younger man
"Then let's go," he said and gestured towards the door. Tim threw on the jacket and exited the room, Dick right on his heels. Dick bit into his lower lip as he inhaled the scent the younger gave off. It was so sweet and Dick just wanted to bury his face into his neck, while holding him close as he slowly peeled of his clothes... His teeth pierced his lip, drawing blood. He needed to get himself together.

Damian and Bruce were nowhere to be seen, so they took Dick's car and set off without saying anything. Dick strictly kept his eyes on the road, despite his mind constantly going to the omega beside him. They couldn't let the windows down, because their scent might attract unwanted attention, but like this their pheromones were so concentrated Dick was straining in his pants. He tried to block the thought of Tim being just as turned on as he was, but the way his scent kept getting stronger despite the patches spoke volumes.

He almost crashed the car from stepping on the break too fast.
"Your nest!" he gasped, as he watched another car speed away in front of them. There were barely any people on the streets, so most cars ignored the traffic rules at this hour.

Tim gave him a surprised look.
"My... what?"

Dick turned to look at him.
"Didn't you build a nest in the manor? Are you okay leaving just like this? Do you need anything? I can still stop and get you supplies or whatever..." his brain went into overdrive. Omega's nested before their heats so they would feel safe during the actual time. Tim had been sleeping in his bed, and he didn't build a nest there, but that didn't mean he wouldn't need one. Tim already had his clothes, but Dick still had to get some blankets, food, water... His omega can't go through this without adequate resources.

Tim smiled softly, and Dick's attention was immediately on him before his brain could take a double take on referring to Tim as his omega.
"Dick, I don't nest ," he answered and patted his shoulder. "The light is green."

Dick looked at the street before stepping onto the gas.
"You... don't nest?"

Tim shrugged.
"During my first heats after I presented I didn't feel safe enough to nest, and after a while the urge just went away," he explained, relaxing back into the seat. He lifted his knees up and hugged them, so he could bury his nose in the jacket without it being obvious.

" Oh, " was all Dick could say. Tim presented during the time Bruce was lost in time. Back when he was alone, fighting the world by himself, even working with Ra's al Ghoul to achieve his goal.
Dick felt aggression flowing through him. The thought of Tim going into heat near the Demon's Head made him see red. He remembered clearly what it looked like when Ra's claimed the omega in his hallucination. It was something he never wanted to see again.

His scent must have spiked because he heard Tim let out a small moan beside him. Dick stopped the car in front of Tim's house. He wanted to swear, he wanted to scream, he wanted to do so many things but he couldn't. His grip tightened on the wheel, his body tight and deathly still. He didn't look at Tim.

He wanted him. He wanted him so bad. The last few days had been perfect and he wanted to have them, have them forever. To go back after patrol just to have the omega crawl into his embrace and talk until they fell asleep, just so they could wake up with their limbs tangled. Tim was there with him through thick and thin despite Dick not being as good as he would deserve. Yet he still had the audacity to feel jealous at the thought of Tim being with anyone else.

"Dick," Tim's voice was soft and breathy. Dick slowly turned to look at him. Tim was now sitting normally, his seat belt undone. His scent sweet, his eyes longing.

Dick swallowed.
"Yeah?" his voice was rough, and he didn't even realise before how dry his mouth had gone. He licked his lips to wet them.

Tim followed the movement before looking into Dick's eyes again.
"Do you want to come in?"

Dick wanted to laugh. This was torture. A game by the universe to test the strength of his will. It gave him everything he could ever want, placing him within an arm's reach just so Dick wouldn't be able to touch him.
"Tim, I don't think that's a good idea. If I go in with you right now, I'm not leaving," he gave Tim a suffering smile, still gripping the wheel. His knuckles got white from the strength of his grip. If he let that go, if he touched even just a hair on Tim, he might loose it.

Tim's dark blue eyes looked almost black in the dark of the night. Dick was sure he could drown in them. The only thing disrupting the picture was the strand of the too long hair that fell into his beautiful face. Dick ached to push the strand back, to bury his fingers in the soft hair and loose himself in those eyes forever.

"I know."

This time Dick actually let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"I don't think you do, Babybird," he whispered. "If I go in right now, I'm not letting you go. Not now, not ever."

He was ridiculous, saying things like that just after a week of domestic bliss. But if he let Tim slip through his fingers right now, he just didn't know how he would cope. But if he went in now and he lost him afterwards... That would be even worse.

Tim's usually cold fingers were warm on his hand as he gently pried his hands off the steering wheel. Those elegant fingers toyed with the patch on Dick's wrist as Tim leaned close. His eyes almost crossed as he looked Dick dead in the eyes as their noses almost touched. Their breaths mingled as he whispered:
"That's exactly why I'm asking."