Chapter Text
Gotham City , New Jersey
9 November
The landscape was framed between the dead bushes of a tree, which leaned on the already frozen lake, everything surrounded by a light mist, common in the nearby areas of Gotham City. Several leaves gently fell on the melting ice, that revealed the few fishes that survived the first wave of freezing weather.
Students wandered on the gravel alley outside Gotham City University, however, the focus of our attention is right above the young adults outside. It was the fourth window on the left, on the third floor. A kid fresh of his seventeenth return, sighed, letting his luggage fall on the bed, staring at the grey walls of his dorm, growing a feeling of anxiety and void up his chest.
Timothy did not feel right.
What really bothered him was his tendency to stay on his own, spending the best years of his life alone; it was easier to live without anyone bothering, but it was also depressing, so university was his final chance to "break the shell" as his older brother says.
He sighed. He had to be stay there for five years. Obviously, studying was not the problem, he was always told he had a great mind, he was almost smarter than non other than his father himself.
He gently unzipped the piece of luggage, starting to store his clothes in his part of the drawer, that he had to share with his roommate for the rest of his university career, maybe his peer, or maybe someone smart just like him, or a piece of shit. It was up to the future.
Suddenly all his doubts vanished as he heard the door opening. He saw his new roommate. He did not look that bad, he seemed a nice person. He was an irish dream: red hair and green eyes, freckles all over his face. of tall, slim, slightly muscular and with a smile printed on his face "HEY!" he shouted, roughly leaving his stuff on the floor "nice to meet you, my name is Wally" waving his hand at the other boy "you must be Tom"
"Timothy. Timothy Drake" the brunette answered.
"Why this depression party?" Wally asked, walking to the window and separating the curtains, letting in the poor sunlight of November "much better" he turned his gaze to Tim again "play football?"
"No"
Wally's smile slightly came off "rugby. maybe you like rugby?"
"No"
"Usually what do you do for fun?" the redhead questioned, walking to Timothy's opened luggage, seeing the photographs of his family, taking one of them in his hands "oh, you happen to be rich"
Drake walked to the other boy, snatching the photograph from his hands "none of your business"
"Come on, mate! I'm trying to be friend with you"
Drake turned to his luggage and zipped it up, storing it under his bed "then do not invade my spaces"
When he turned again to his roommate, he noticed Wally sad expression. Maybe he was too harsh "I apologize, I was too critique"
"You're new here?"
"Yes"
"This is my third year here. Last roommate was arrested about two weeks ago, so here you are with me"
"Arrested why?"
"Selling cocaine to the freshmen"
"Oh wow"
"What if we go for a walk? Hopefully, we have to spend my next three years together, if you do not get arrested before"
Tim nodded and got inside his university cardigan "sounds interesting"
Wally and Tim walked together through the corridors, but it looked obvious that Tim was not going to speak first, so Wally tried, once again, to cheer him up "how old are you? You look young"
"Seventeen"
"What?! A minor! How is it possible that you are here before even being a major"
"My studying career evolved through time and now here I am"
The redhead did not understand one word, but he pretended he did "which club are you joining?"
"Literature, maybe chemistry"
"Why don't you come to the football club with me?"
"I do not exactly play sport"
"Just for company, I will introduce you to my other pals"
"I do not get along with jocks, usually"
"I will change your mind"
"I have my doubts but go on"
Wally smiled and made a few steps ahead, walking Tim outside, where part of the football club was exercising. He let put a yell calling his other mates' attention "AYE!"
"Wally! Dirty bastard!" ons of his mates yelled, arriving to Tim and Wally. Tim had to admit, he was rather intimidated by the football club members, not in particular that club, but every sport clique in the U.S.
"Who is your friend?" the other "man" asked, reaching the three of them "fresh meat?"
"He is my new roommate, Timothy. Tim, this is Conner, but we call him Superboy"
"For you just Superb"
Timothy already understood what kind of person Conner was. Hollow in the inside, but masked with a veil of pride, who had to put other people down to feel something, the kind of person Timothy felt a deep hatred for.
"Kon are you coming with us?"
"I would rather not spend time with fans" he said, smirking to the youngest boy.
"Who are you again?" Drake asked, giving him the 'bat-glare'.
Kon noticed the sassy comment, but he turned to the other side and left "I'm sorry, usually he does not behave like this"
"I don't care in the first place"
Wally forced a smile and lead Tim back inside "where are you from? Are you from New Jersey?"
"Yes, I'm from Gotham City. And you?"
"I am from Missouri, but I lived in Rhode Island for a while, and now I am here. Conner, the guy you just met, is from Metropolis"
"That explains his nickname"
Tim raised his gaze to Wally and notice that he got distracted by someone, a blondie with light olive skin "Hey Kid Flash, who is your friend?" she asked, getting nearer and nearer, holding her books tight on her chest "name's Artemis"
"Tim" he replied.
"Tim, Artemis is like part of my group at the university, like, one of the few I can stand. I will introduce you to the others if you want"
"Go easy on him, Kid Flash, are you new here?"
"Yes, I arrived today"
"Wally as been talking about a new roommate for two weeks now, I'm happy that he got satisfied with what he got" she lowered her face to her watch, it was already sunset time "I have to go, Z and Kal asked me to help them with their physics exam. See you tomorrow then, Wally"
Tim noticed Wally was nervously beating his right foot on the ground, then he yelled "wait!"
Artemis made a step back.
"Tonight I heard A Star Is Born is on TV, want to watch it together?" then he saw Artemis smiling "o-obbiously Tim will be with us, you know, to help him socializing and-and... It starts at 9 p.m"
"I didn't know you were a Barbra Streisand fan"
"Who?"
The girl rolled her eyes "see you at half past eight, I'm bringing popcorn"
"See you!" then Wally turned back and rested a hand on his roommate's back "Timmy did I look nervous"
"More like totally lost. And, Barbra Streisand is the protagonist"
"Of what?"
"Of the movie. you suggested watching A Star Is Born, right?"
"Right, right, but I have to ask you a favor, though it is your first day here
"I will go awa-"
"No, not that!"
"Go on" Tim asked intrigued, arriving to their dorm's door. Wally got in and jumped on his bed.
"I have no intention of having sex with her, you can stay with us"
"But?"
"At some point of the movie I want to reveal my feelings, so we need to find a trigger phrase so you can leave us alone"
"It's okay for me"
"What about red banana?"
"Indifferent, I am the one to go outside. How much time?"
"About an hour, you have to forgive me"
"I told you it is not a problem"
"Thanks Timmy you are the best!" he said, jumping out of the bed and hugging him tightly "now what do you want to do? Do you want to show me around or-"
"No, thank you, I think I will read a book or something"
"If by something you mean drink or smoke I'm in"
"Smoke what?"
Wally let out a giggle, walking to his side of the wardrobe "Weed, what else?"
"I'm not used to that"
"Want to smoke a roommate joint?"
"Just a puff or two" he said, taking his luggage from under the bed, extracting a philosophy book "I don't usually do that. What if they find us?"
Wally was on his bed, lighting the joint hanging from his mouth "unlikely. the only people walking in this apartment are Artemis, Conner and Kaldur, and we risk more in those nights"
"Conner? The one from the football club?"
"Exactly. I know you don't like him but sometimes he will be here, so you have to learn to get along with him. He is not that bad"
"I will ignore him and he will ignore me. We don't like each other and that's okay"
Wally nodded and patted his hand on his bed, inviting his new friend to invade his personal space "C'mhere, we can talk"
Tim followed his advice and sat beside him, with his back on the headboard "Do you like it here?"
"I thought that I would never socialize, but I'm relieved to have you as a roommate"
The night proceeded smoothly. Artemis arrived at the prearranged hour, then they started to watch the movie, which they never paid attention to, they were too busy talking and knowing each other, and in less than 24 hours, Tim had to change his mind about going to the college. It was not that bad after all.
When Tim heard a casual "red banana", he got up and made up some excuses, then walked out the dorm, leaving the two of them some deserved privacy. He made his way down the stairs and walked out the university, going for a walk around the institute.
He arrived to the football pitch and dat in the green grass, illuminated just by the headlights above him.
He closed his eyes, feeling a presence right in front of him, in the dark side of the court. It was not intimidating, indeed, it was rather familiar.
His thoughts became real as he saw a huge sized man in a bat suit walking toward him, faster and faster "Timmy, everything's okay?"
"Yes, dad"
"Did you meet your roommates? Did you make friends? How was-"
"So you came here at 10 p.m dressed as batman just to ask me if I made friends?"
Batman hesitated a tad, but then he spoke again "sure. Your brothers miss you already"
"It has been just half a day"
"Yes, but you know how Damien and Dick are"
"And Jason?"
"Well..."
"Don't tell him he run away again"
Bruce nodded and Tim sighed "are you after him again"
"After him no. I want to have a peaceful conversation with who I consider my son, though he does not accept me anymore"
Before Tim could say anything, he heard another familiar voice saying "Timothy"
Tim turned around and saw Conner, the jerk who he met shortly before. He looked back and saw that Batman was not there anymore "Hey, do you need anything?"
"Do you know where Wally is?"
"In our room, but he is with Artemis"
"I'm going"
"Hey, hey, hey. I did not walk out my bed in a freezing night just for them to be bothered by anyone"
Conner looked at him silently, then nodded, letting out a blow of hot breath "are you cold?"
"Do you care?"
"No" he answered, shaking his head. Tim was not disappointed with the answer, but it was somehow underwhelming. They looked at each other for a few seconds, until they both noticed some snowflakes perching on their clothes. He did not believe his own eyes when he saw the football player in front of him taking off his jacket, gently putting it on Timothy's shoulder "goodnight"
He watched Conner walking away, getting his hands into the pockets to keep them warm, and it was very warm. It was already rather hot due to the body temperature of the football player, but maybe because of what he just did, Timothy's cheeks became bright red. Maybe he was embarrassed.
All he knew was that
10 November
Tim opened his eyes, finding Wally's bed empty. When he returned the night before, Artemis and Wally were asleep on the couch, i front of the turned on television. He took off Conner's jacket, making a pair of keys falling on the ground, he took them up and left them on the bedside table.
When he got up he stretched his limbs and went to the bathroom to refresh himself, then he put on a sweater and a pair of jeans, taking the keys from the table and the jacket from the clothes hanger and going out looking for Conner.
Fortunately, he found Conner chatting with his roommate a few meters from the their dorm. He stopped in front of them, until they noticed him.
"Good morning mate" Wally said, offering him a cup of coffee "want some?"
"No thanks, I was here to..."
Wally did nor pay attention to his answer, handling him his coffee and ran straight to Artemis, who was knocking on their dorm door. Tim looked at the other guy, offering him his jacket "and you lost these" showing him his keys.
"Thank you" he said, taking everything from Tim's arms "I slept outside my dorm room"
Tim giggled and then saw his serious face "for real?"
"Yes" he said closing his eyes "My roommate was out with his girlfriend and my other one is in California. So, yeah, I spent the night sleeping outside my room"
"If you told me or Wally you could have slept in our room"
"It's not the first time I sleep on the floor"
"Then you should stop lending your stuff to all the strangers you find on the pitch"
Conner smirked and looked behind him, and then to Tim, acknowledging the embarrassing silence that built between them "So... See you around?"
"See you around"
29 November
In the same month he encountered Conner a few times more, not a lot, but a fine amount of time for someone you barely know. They exchanged a few words before classes and during breaks, trading gazes when he came over for movie nights, laying on Timothy's bed. The two of them somehow spent a lot of time together but never spoke to each other that much, or had intimacy or something, but for Tim it was just fine, not that he felt bonded with the player, or he felt that he had a soft spot for him.
But something was off with him during the last days of November. Timothy, as usual, was out for a walk in the fields owned by the university, it was a wonderful day and Wally and Artemis invited him for a picnic with their group of friends. When he arrived at their piece of grass, he immediately noticed that Conner was not alone, he was with a girl with red hair, dressed like she just got out of a '60s television show, she immediately introduced herself as M'gann M'orzz, Kon's girlfriend.
Tim did not know what he felt growing inside when he spent the whole afternoon watching Kon and M'gann kiss each other, having fun showing their mutual love.
Something was starting to make him choke on his own breath and he did not know exactly what.