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Tim kept his head down as he walked, trying to ignore the whispers following him down the hallway. He didn’t know why they bothered to keep their voices low, he knew they were talking about him. It’s not like there was anything new to gossip about, his life story was available for the public to consume on just about every media outlet.
The poor Drake kid, forgotten by his family and held ransom by accident. Everyone had witnessed the public humiliation of Tim Drake, and the interest in how the rest of his story would play out was Gotham’s favorite topic at the moment. Especially since the news report this morning revealed that his parents were officially considered fugitives. They refused to come back to the country and had apparently transferred money to offshore accounts days before getting their bank accounts frozen.
As Tim made his way to the library, he tried not to think about the events last month. But, with the revelation to the Drake family drama, people were dying to know how Tim would react. He saw people with their phones out in class, just waiting for Tim to break.
Too bad for them, Tim wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
Tim finally made it to the library and was grateful to see his favorite spot in the corner was empty as usual. He knew that he was lucky the librarians would be on the lookout for nosy students. It was the one hour at school he could find peace and process the new bit of news he learned. He had hoped that somehow this had been one big misunderstanding, that maybe payments weren’t going through because his parents were overseas.
But, the fact they knew to take their money and run means they had to see the messages from the police and the court. If they got those messages, then the ones from the kidnappers were coming to them too.
He really had to accept it now, his parents really abandoned him and knowingly left when he was in real danger. This wasn’t like the times before, when they left him for weeks in an empty home, with nothing but a housekeeper who stopped by every few days to check on him.
No, they were too caught up on their own lives to even bother helping their son, their flesh and blood, as he begged and pleaded on several video recordings sent to every form of contact he had with them. They hadn’t acknowledged any of the videos, or calls. The kidnappers even tried emailing the Drake’s personal assistant and that was met with silence too.
He was never more thankful for the picture of him with his family on the Drake Industries website, he was pretty sure the kidnappers thought he was lying about being their son. They were already annoyed with grabbing him in the first place. Apparently, they were hoping to grab Jason Todd-Wayne, who according to their source was known for hanging out at the skate park by Gotham Academy. All they really knew about the Wayne kid was that he was in his early teens, had black hair and blue eyes. They supposedly had tailed the Wayne kid for a couple weeks to know his school schedule before grabbing him.
Tim didn’t know who the kidnappers were getting their source from but, it was clear they didn’t know Jason. The kid they were watching ending up being him and when they demanded he call his dad Bruce for ransom money, Tim was very confused.
They were furious at first, when they learned they grabbed the wrong kid. But, when they looked up his parents, they seemed to have enough money that the ransom demand still seemed worth it. It took two days before they realized his parents were not going to answer. He was glad they only tried hitting in one video before they gave up on him completely.
He was pretty sure they were considering human trafficking was the way to make money off him when suddenly his ransom was paid in full. Not by his parents, but Bruce Wayne the absolute last person Tim would expect.
Somehow, the videos the kidnappers sent to his parents were leaked to the press. Letting the world know that Tim Drake wasn’t a good enough son to be saved by his parents. The only reason Bruce Wayne even paid for him was out of pity. The payment didn’t really mean much though, Batman ended up saving Tim before the men could even accept the money transaction.
Once the full story got out to the press, well the media had a field day. They couldn’t stop taking about how Tim’s kidnapping happened on accident. How he was held for days after being mistaken as Bruce’s kid. How it was suspicious the man ended up paying for him anyways. This led to speculation on who Tim’s real biological father was, because why would anyone want to spend that much money on a kid that wasn’t theirs?
That rumor hurt the most because he wishes it was sort of true. How was it possible someone not even blood related to Tim care more about his wellbeing then his own biological parents?
“Hey,” a soft voice brings Tim out of his thoughts. He looks up to see the last person he wants to be with right now. Jason settles in the seat across from him and pulls out a book, it’s different from yesterday Tim notes.
“You can’t keep skipping lunch to hide out in the library Tim,” Jason scolds, like he has the right to tell him what to do. “Alfred will be sad that you bring home a full lunch bag.”
“Well, like I told you the last few times, I don’t get that hungry during lunch,” Tim answers, laying his head on the table and peaking to see Jason’s reaction. It’s getting harder for him to hold himself from making rude remarks. He doesn’t know why Jason bothers checking on him during school.
The worst outcome of this whole kidnapping fiasco is that he ended up staying with the Wayne family. It’s all too convenient that Bruce is a foster parent and willing to take in Tim. This placement didn’t help dispel the paternity rumors and Tim can’t help feeling resentment for it.
For all of the people in the manor really. He knows they are only helping him out guilt or pity. Well, he doesn’t need it. He never needed anyone before, and he doesn’t need anyone now. He knows Jason is sitting with him because of the news released this morning and it doesn’t matter. He’s already over it, no one needs to worry about him breaking, he’s not made of glass.
But, when he feels something poke his arm, and he lifts his head slightly to see half a sandwich wrapped in plastic in front of him. Tim feels his lips start to tremble and a few tears fall. He can’t believe a stupid peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the reason he finally starts to cry.
But, the one person he should be blaming this whole thing on is the one who seems to be caring about him the most. Why doesn’t Jason seem to understand what everyone in Gotham already knows? Tim is not worth caring about but, the older teen still insists on trying to make sure he’s okay.
Not once does Jason look up from his book while Tim eats the sandwich, and he only pauses to reach into his bag and pass Tim a pack of tissues.
By the time the bell rings, Tim has pulled himself together enough to face the rest of the day. Jason ruffles his head a bit before parting ways at the library entrance and Tim is grateful, he didn’t try to apologize about the news.
While Tim still believed he could face this on his own, maybe he could start leaning on someone else from time to time.