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Tim Drake is damn good at most things.
He has As and A+s in all his classes and he has been an honors student ever since he entered a school's gates. Except for this AP Biology class, apparently.
This AP biology class has been a pain in his ass. Ever since he started the school year, Ms. Cruess has been on everyone's ass about every single assignments and tests. No tests has had over 65% in average and nearly all students are losing their motivation and their hope. The last test, which was about DNA and RNA synthesis, has made three students cry during the test itself. No one in the class admits that someone set up a shrine in the only gender neutral bathroom in the school to curse her. No one also admits that the shrine only grows exponentially as they continue to take their weekly tests.
Tim Drake has lost his motivation to live a long time ago. He's a gen Z, after all. However, one thing Tim Drake is NOT is a quitter. He would rather shove a stick up Ra's ass than to admit defeat from this crankly old woman who smiles smugly every time she grades their tests in class. Ms. Rachel Cruess will not take away his 4.0 GPA and she certainly will be crushed when she learns that he WILL get a 5 on the damn AP test.
Someone in this family should be able to help, especially since nearly everyone works in the medical field. Bruce is a doctor, for fucks sake. (Hell, he even owns multiple hospitals!) Dick is an EMT, who has to know about biology more than him and even Alfred served in the Royal Navy. Jason, even if he never finished high school, knows biology more than him, considering he reguarly shows up at the manor to check the chemical compositions of Scarecrow's toxins whenever Bruce isn't here. (Very convenient.... Tim is pretty sure that's not a coincedance.)
Unless they're all useless.
And of course, they're all useless.
Of course, the test happens the week Bruce is gone for the Justice League reasons and the weekend before, Dick is gone to visit Wally.
Well. Eh, when has that ever stopped him from asking questiosn to Dick? (The answer is never.)
"Hey, Tim! What's up?" Dick answers within four rings.
"Hey Dick. Do you remember AP Biology?"
"Uhhhh, I never took AP Bio but I know Biology! What's up?"
"I need someone to explain to me what Krebs cycle is." Tim hears an immediate groan.
"Krebs cycle? Oh god." Dick makes a pathetic attempt to cover the microphone of his phone and barely muffles his voice. "Hey Wally? Do you know about the Krebs cycle? Well, worth a shot."
"Both of you don't know the Krebs cycle?"
"Hey, don't judge us! You never really use the Krebs cycle as an EMT and Wally probably didn't even learn about the Krebs cycle! It's not like I use it everyday to help people! I still remember blanking on the difference between NAD+ and GDP+ on my college bio exam. Yuck! It's a nightmare material, really. Have you tried watching Crash Course videos? Hank Green basically taught me all the biology Bruce didn't teach me."
Tim does not know if he should be happy that Dick doesn't know about his breakdown about photosynthesis in his room last month, which ended with Tim memorizing the whole crash course video on the topic and passing out right after.
(If he saw a kiss mark on his screen right where Hank's white board was, that's none of his business. It's no one's business, actually.)
"Thanks for trying to help, Dick."
"Any time, Tim. I know you'll ace your test! You're one of the smartest kid I know in my life. Break your leg! I mean, not really. But good luck!"
Well, Fuck.
Tim doesn't want to use his plan b but even Hank Green, his savior and his most beloved biology teacher of all time, doesn't get it through his head. It's time pay his second oldest brother a visit.
Last thing Tim wants is to get gutted by the Red Hood himself right before his test. He always does worse when he's on pain medication and the last thing he wants is this old hag of a teacher smugly looking at him whenever she's handing out tests. Tim shivers from how disgusting that class is, which only motivates Tim further to do his best. After all, the most effective motivation that has worked on Tim has always been spite. Spite and curiosity.
After the disappointed call with Dick, Tim grabs some cheese puffs Lian likes and some of Alfred's chocolate checker pie for Roy and Jason. If Tim has a list of everyone's favorite food on his phone, it's to call favors and definitely not because he loves these people or something. (Tim also loves lying to himself. He lies to himself that it's fun! Or whatever.)
When Tim knock on Jason (and Roy)'s apartment, the first thing he sees is a handgun wedged in the cracks of the front door.
"Hi Jason! Lovely day we're having."
"What the fuck. Why are you here?" Jason maintains his scowl but lets Tim in by stepping aside. He must have smelled the pie. Perfect.
"You know, spending time with my favorite brother. Hi Roy!"
"Hey, kid! How are things going?" Roy comes over with Lian on his hips. As much as Jason wants to look scary, it's hard when both Jason and Roy are covered in marker doodles.
"Oh, terrible."
"Why? What's up? Want some coffee?"
"Roy, he's leaving soon."
"Aw, Jay, don't be so rude to Tim! He did bring up some gifts and he's having a terrible day, you know." Roy winks when Jason is facing away from Tim. It's a great day to have an ally that's emotionally intelligent for once. Tim wonders how things would change if any of them finally got therapy. Well, except Jason since he's in therapy but he still has a long ways to go.
"Yeah! Hi Tim-tim!" Lian chimes in. Tim always thought Lian was the best nephew? distant kid? your brother's best friend's kid that your brother is co-parenting? your other brother's ex-best friend's kid? Well, labels are just labels.
"You're staying only because of Roy and Lian." Jason tsks but he still has a faint smile on his face. It's good to see Jason smile. "So, what's up? Need me to kick someone's ass?"
"No, I need help on a class. I got a test on the Krebs cycles and Dick apparently he forgot everything about the cycle. Has either of you taken AP Bio with Ms. Cruess?" Jason shivers.
"Ugh, that old hag. She's still there in gotham academy? Fuck her. She doesn't teach shit and makes up the hardest tests ever. A kid in my class dropped out of school because of that damn AP Bio class." So her reign of terror has been a thing for a long time, huh.
"Well, I'm not letting her ruin my GPA because she's a terrible teacher. Any resources that helped you?"
"I never took Biology. Sorry, Tim. I took a class on Python instead," Roy adds. Jason nods.
"I dropped out of AP Bio by week 2 and took Forensic Science instead." Well, fuck. Maybe Tim is truly fucked for this test. "Don't fret, baby bird. I may not be able to help you but I know a person who's perfect." Jason's grin is NOT at all comforting.
Turns out the perfect person is not a person. It's actually two people: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.
Tim knows that ever since Harley broke up with Joker, Harley and Jason has been closer. They only got closer after Roy and Lian moved in and Ivy decided she liked Roy ever since Roy helped out with building a cuddle toxin grenade.
(Tim knows it's also because Lian told Ivy that she wants to be an environmental activist after watching a Attenborough documentary on Disney+ but Tim knows better to shut up.)
"Red hood calling us over for a favor. What a rare deal! Hi Lian! Hi Red's roomie! ("His name is Roy, for the hundredth time," Jason adds.) Oh my gosh! Is that your brother?" Harley shouts as she enters the apartment through a duct-tape-patched living room window. Lian waves. It's weird to see them in such a casual setting. Tim sometimes forget that Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy knows that Jason Todd is the Red Hood.
"Nice to see you in a good mood, Harls. Good to see you too, Pam," says Jason, handing them each a plate with a piece of Alfred's pie Tim brought.
"Thanks Red! You're the best host ever! Mmmmm! So, what can we do for ya?"
"Well, Harls. My brother, Timmy here, need some help on a test prep."
"Red, we literally both have doctorates. You want us to teach your kid brother for free?"
"Well, ladies, I have something you'd like. I'll tell you when we're alone." Jason smiles. This sounds like something illegal is about to happen for Tim. Damn it. Fuck it! He can ignore a crime happening in front of his eyes if it means that he can get an A on this test. Tim acts like they heard absolutely nothing and everything is normal and fine. Harley is definitely amused by this.
"You really shouldn't have, Red. Well, a favor means a favor exchanged. What kind of help does he need that you can't help?"
"Krebs cycle."
"Oh fuck," Harley whispers. "Is this Ms. Creuss's class?"
Tim and Jason both nods without a word.
"Damn. That old bitch really haunts the gotham like no other. Kid, you better strep in! We're doing this!" Harley and Ivy gives each other a devilish smirk. "Let's start with pyruvate-"
Turns out, Harley and Ivy are both great teachers.
While Harley gave him notes from her AP Bio class with her and her test back then (the test was equally horrible even back then), she also gave him a run down on the Krebs cycle in a romantic but gory drama comedy as a pyruvate. Ivy gave him more of a succinct summary of the cycle, while relating them back to previous lessons, like aspiration styles and role of water in biology. ("I was a plant biology Ph.D. candidate at Gotham U after all." "You should go back and finish it, babe!" "Oh darling, I got banned from the lab after becoming Poison Ivy. I would love to finish the thesis I was working on, however." "Aww, babe! I can totally threaten the dean and the president for you to finish your Ph.D.! Anything for you, sugar pops!")
By the time sun is about to set, Tim has never felt this confident about biology ever. It was like studying with Hank Green but with constant live feedback, corrections, and simple easy limericks to memorize the cycle with.
"Thank you, Harley. Thank you, Ivy. I actually understand Kreb cycle and what it does now. I really appreciate your help."
"Anything for Red's little brother! You're a smart kid too, I don't think I've ever seen a kid get the cycle as fast as you have even during my TA days."
"You TA'ed, Harls?"
"Red, you silly, I was one of the top of my class! I loved TA-ing for intro to bio classes and organic chemistry classes. Gotham U paid really well for organic chemistry tutors, you know."
"Damn. You surprise me everyday. Thanks ladies. Take more pies and take some of the tamales."
"We'll take it. See you later, boys. If we can get tamales everytime we teach the kid, feel free to call us again." Tim feels like he could cry. Free tutoring from the best teachers he has ever had? Yes, please. Tim is left speechless even after the window Harley and Ivy
"You owe me, Timtam."
"Jason, I would literally do anything for you." Jason snorts.
"Shut up and come eat tamales with us. Bring some to Alfred too. Rojos or verdes?"
Two weeks later, when the test is graded, Jason gets a text from Tim. It says "I could kiss Harley and Ivy on their cheeks right now" with a picture attached to the text: an AP Bio test with a score of 100% correct with a note that says 'first time in years. Good job, Timothy'.
Jason will never tell anyone how excitedly relayed that picture to Roy, Harley, and Ivy, as soon as he got the picture.
Tim knows, however, because Jason doesn't know that Harley secretly slid him a note with her phone number on it and that Harley sent him a text saying "good job kid!" with 20 heart emojis and 5 high five emojis not even 5 minutes after he sent the text to Jason. But Tim would never tell anyways.