Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In an empty mansion, an eleven year old Timothy Drake sprawled on the floor bored with not having anything to do. No games, no television, no nothing. Just some boring days with boring floors. But then Timothy had an idea. A great idea! But that's just Timothy's childish idea and that idea comes with, 'I'll go stalk Batman and Robin!' Timothy beamed but then later frowned, 'Oh... But mother said not to go out...' Timothy thought but then a not-how-it-works idea brought Timothy to smile once more, 'Mother said "Timothy" not to go out but not "Tim"!' Timothy thought.

Both fists up in the air, "I'm gonna have a twin brother named Tim Drake!" Timothy announced and the empty room echoed his announcement.

And so, Timothy with the admiration of the vigilantes and photography made "Tim" with a personality that is a bit of an exaggeration of who he truly is.

He's tired? Make Tim even more tired!

He loves the vigilantes? Stalk them!

Batman died and is in need of Robin? No more rational decisions!

Basically, "Tim" is a fun character that Timothy enjoys being one. He even got to stay at the Batcave often instead of playing "sprawl on the floor" games back in his house. "Tim" could actually be helpful, make his life more fun, more games and more hero-like! Than a "Timothy" who has nothing but an empty house with a neglecting family.

Being "Tim" is better, happier, and productive. Batman doesn't need to know about "Timothy", a boy who loves a calming home, reading books and photography as a hobby. Alfred doesn't need to know about "Timothy" who is still stuck as an eleven year old boy.

Nobody needs to know that "Tim" never was real, never ages, never true.

But it was hard to get to that persona when Batman was still grieving and alcoholic. The training was harsh, too harsh for poor "Timothy's" body and yet this "Tim" continued. Continued to stand up while its legs were fractured, its lungs poisoned with Ivy's pollen, his head hit with a crowbar, and the aftermath training with Batman gave him the price to lay on the mat before he could stand back once more.

Alfred doesn't know Tim's pain, only Timothy, the two hiding in one body.

The love of non-violence and vigilante had him in a stalemate to decide whether to stop this facade or not but "Tim" had a role to play, and he wasn't gonna stop when his admiration of vigilante was right in front of him and the loneliness is right behind him. He has gone too far and Tim will go once Batman is stable.

Red Hood

Up went the Red Hood to the Titans Tower, gas leaked through the rooms and hallways, causing the team to sleep.

Excluding one member: Timothy's third identity a.k.a. Robin.

"You're the Red Hood..." Tim said, "The one that's been cleaning up Gotham the easy way." he added and Red Hood scoffed at his statement.

"Easy? What do you know about easy?" Red Hood replied, slowly taking off his helmet and revealed his face with a domino mask, "You've got parents, Tim." Red Hood scowled, "You got a house, food and the luxury to go to a private school." he remarked, clicking his teeth, "What more do you want?!" the question got Tim punched in the stomach, literally- Tim Timothy yelped in pain and "Tim's" instincts took over the body and stumbled and flipped away from Red Hood, giving distance.

"What? Running away already?" Red Hood questioned, "Don't tell me you didn't train? Complaining about how hard it is? No..." Red Hood continued, "Batman wouldn't let you in on here if there'd been no training but then again," he said, "you did blackmail him." Red Hood came closing in on Robin, throwing in tiny bombs at him while Tim did his best to protect himself with his stick, going whooshy-zappy on those bombs lmao.

But as Tim was distracted in protecting himself from the bombs, Red Hood was given the opportunity to kick Tim, stumbling him and Red Hood took that chance to step one of Tim's ankle and broke it. Tim would've yelped in pain if it weren't for the fact that the pain was more tolerable than when he was training with Batman. Robin coughed, "What do you want? To be Robin again?" Tim asked, "Is that what you want? Taking it back from me?" Red Hood scoffed at the accusation.

"Who said I wanted that?" Red Hood took out a knife, "Don't you get it? No one cared that I was gone." Red Hood said, "They abandoned me with that clown." he continued, "Alone for over a year!" Red Hood sliced Robin across his ribs and Robin in turn used his stick tried to push off Red Hood. But Tim didn't have the strength, "You're pathetic." Red Hood sneered, grabbing Robin's neck.

"Never planned to stay." Robin chocked out and took the initiative to grab a tiny taser from his belt and tased Red Hood, releasing Robin from the man's grip.

"Getting too tired? What kind of Robin are you?" Red Hood asked but no reply came out from Robin and instead, he changed the subject.

"No one forgot you, Jason." Robin said, "No one wanted you to disappear. Not Batman, not me, not even Alfred." he continued, "I only became Robin because Batman needed a Robin. He needed help." Robin said, "And I was the only one who could."

"Yeah, right!" Red Hood charged at Tim, Robin tried to hit Red Hood only for the man to grab it mid swing and elbowed Tim by his neck. Robin attacked again by grabbing Red Hood's wrist, used his staff to hit him. "Then why was I replaced so quick!?" Red Hood remarked, "That clown... Why is he still alive?!"

Red Hood and Robin fought but ultimately, Red Hood won that fight and left Robin on the ground passed out after countless beatings.

And when Robin woke up, he went directly to the Drake mansion, fixed himself up, mend the body and dressed himself to get to bed. Once morning rises, Timothy awakes from his slumber, wincing from the pain on his body, "Eughh... what happened?" he flinched when he saw his reflection from a mirror just right on his wall, his body full of bandages, "...Right... That happened." Timothy groggily get off of the bed but when he did, he fell straight on the floor, "Ack!" he yelped in pain and turned to look at his ankle, it was sprained or maybe fractured, 'Robin probably fixed it up... I think...' Timothy thought, 'I mean, Robin is still me and I'm a genius! Pretty sure I'm fine.' Timothy looked at his bedside and saw Robin's staff, "That'll do."

Pretty hungry, Timothy used the staff as a support and went to his fridge to see it empty. "Man..." Timothy muttered, he sighed in annoyance, "What should I do? I can't go to Alfred looking like this." Timothy said, turning his back from the fridge as his eyes wander the floors, "Let's see if there's any pennies laying around here..." he whispered, 'Time to play the sprawl-on-the-floor game again. Fun.' Timothy thought sarcastically.

There were no pennies, no change, no money, 'I'm dying!' Timothy thought, 'I've got all this stuff and yet I'm dying!' he continued, sighing internally, he picked himself up from the ground, "Usually, I'd go to the Crime Alley to find scraps but Red Hood's staying there..." another sigh left from his mouth, "Where do I go?" he fell on his knees, "Heaven?!" he questioningly answered himself.

The Blood Son

Huffing and panting, Tim Timothy runs as fast as he could to get away from a little brat. His eyes shaking in trepidation, 'I'm now questioning why exactly I must have to become Robin?!' he wondered, 'Stupid me! Couldn't I had just threatened Batman to take care of himself and then stalk him if he did?!' he thought before stopping, "Wait... That sounds way too creepy." Timothy muttered only to dodge a sword from behind, "Erk!" he yelped and saw from behind, the little brat, Damian Al Ghul.

Timothy doesn't know the boy but Tim and Robin does, so Timothy puts on his acting and the stage is once again opened but its light flickered.

Damian left Tim in an alleyway, dark and alone, expecting him to bleed out and die right after Damian successfully plunger a sword right through his stomach. I mean, Damian kind of lost track of Tim after that.

Tim coughed, 'I'm thankful for the missed spot of my liver...' he thought, 'I've got time...left.' his breath shortening, his eyes heavily wanting to be shut closed. 'Can't... must... live...' his vision blackened and when opened again, he was laying on an unfamiliar couch in an unfamiliar room.

"Awake already, Pretender?" A reverberating sound came from behind, and Tim turned to see Red Hood, "So, what got you into this mess?" he asked.

Timothy's stomach fell, his eyes widening before registering who Red Hood only knew, he relaxes himself but his eyes avoiding Red Hood's gaze, "Can't... remember." Timothy replied, not like he lied, his memories are a bit fuzzy. "There... was a boy, I think." Timothy started to recall.

"A boy almost got you beaten?" Red Hood questioned, scoffing at the irony, "How much of a failure can you be?" he pressed, "Bats really didn't train you that much, huh?" he mocked but Timothy ignored it like Red Hood ignored the strange behavior from Tim. The boy in front of him felt like he wasn't him but was also him.

"How did... I get here?" Timothy asked, now fully looking away from Red Hood and observed his surroundings, 'This feels more homey than mine is...' Timothy thought.

"You forgot? Well, can't blame you for that." Red Hood replied, "But seriously though, you were acting weird." he said. Timothy looked at him questioningly and Red Hood sighed.

"You can't remember, huh?" Red Hood said, "Try to think more, Pretender. I'm not gonna tell you what happened." Red Hood left to the kitchen as Timothy could hear the simmering sounds from a frying pan.

Timothy closed his eyes, 'You're the one helping me after beating me near death...' he remarked in his thoughts, 'Now... what happened?' Timothy did his best to remember but there were only glimpses he could remember.

Robin's Instinct

The wound, the stab in his stomach with a sword, Robin was magic and magic doesn't die from a mere, ordinary, sword. So, Robin did his best as he could to delay the body's death, Timothy's death.

Robin didn't pull out the sword obviously, but he did pull up a shirt or a fabric from his pants and wrapped it around him to apply pressure. And with every bit of willpower Robin has, he stood up and went to the direction of a strange apartment, a strange house? But Robin went in from the window and there, Robin stared down at Red Hood.

And Red Hood saw Tim with a sword through his stomach, walking in from the window, the boy didn't say anything but glare at the man. "What do you want?" Red Hood asked, "Cuz I'm not fixing you up if you're thinking about that." right after Red Hood said that, Tim Robin immediately took out the sword from his stomach, causing Red Hood to panic and run to him, "SH*T!!" Red Hood expected for Robin to fall but he stayed perfectly still with blood gushing out from his stomach, "F*ck! Fine! You win!" Red Hood immediately did his best to keep the blood from spilling out more and gathered supplies but not right before he placed Tim on his couch, laying there to rest.

Timothy's Priorities

'Red Hood had a bathtub in the living room....' Timothy quickly covered his mouth with both of his hands, '....with roses in them and scented candles around.' Timothy tried to stop himself from laughing that his eyes were watering. His body was vibrating just to stop himself from laughing and opening up his wounds. He released one hand and grabbed the couch's fabric and squished it in his hand, calming himself down, he sighed quietly, 'Red Hood's not that bad then...' he wondered, 'I used to do that too... but with leaves and imaginary candles.'

Red Hood came back with a Clear Broth, "What's up with you?" Red Hood asked, "Here. Eat this and leave." he shoved the tray of Clear Broth to Tim's hands.

"Thanks," Timothy said, "you're not so bad after all." he added and Red Hood just grumbled.

Back In The Drake Manor

Back in the manor, the Drake Manor, Timothy was resting at his own bed, his own safety. The only place where no one would bother him, not even his parents would. "I wonder if Bruce noticed I was gone." he muttered but when the night came, he saw Batman.... with another Robin. Timothy's mouth opened slightly before closing, 'He didn't notice...'

'Or maybe he did...' Timothy thought.

'But Batman would notice, he's the greatest detective!' Tim thought.

'Then he left us here.' Timothy remarked.

'This must what have Red Hood felt.' Robin thought, no, Tim thought, Robin was no longer here.

'What should I do?'

Earlier back, Batman and Damian Wayne were in the Batcave, "What did you do?" Bruce asked, a scowl on his face, "Where's Robin?" his fists clenched when Damian didn't answer, "What do you want?" Batman asked and Damian smiled.

The only way for Batman to get an answer from Damian was to give what he wants, Damian wants to be Robin, so he will be, and right after that, Damian would tell him.

And during the patrol, Timothy Drake saw them from roof to roof, patrolling around the City.

Timothy Drake saw how Batman was stable around Damian, the new Robin while possibly knowing that Tim was in trouble or dying, Timothy thought Batman didn't care about him at all, not as much as when Jason was Robin. Damian being the blood son must be more important than Tim.

'Who am I kidding?' Tim thought, 'I threatened him...' he continued, 'Forced myself in and got myself into this mess... just to get rid of this loneliness... to get rid of boredom and... to have fun.' Tim thought, 'I'm not his son, not adopted nor a blood son. He didn't choose me...'

'I never was.' Tim recalled when he was hit with Ivy's cuddle pollen, he was left alone. The fear toxin, cured himself. There were signs, so clear and yet he didn't stop. Why didn't he stop? He's only destroying the body, and the act was only to distract himself from the negligence from his parents. But he got so into the act that he had forgotten his true role.

The role of distraction, entertainment and exaggeration of Timothy Drake. He never wanted to Robin, never wanted to replace Jason, never wanted to be a part of a violent life. But he somehow he got involved, although, there's a hole, an escape and leave being Robin now that Damian took it from him. Timothy giggled, "I should thank him." the irony, he almost killed Tim and yet here he was, suggesting to thank the assassin.

What a fool.

Chapter Text

Timothy went to a corner, turning in every pathways, alleys and roads, everything felt so familiar to Timothy but he can't seem to place where he is right now because he's already staring at a wall. Timothy is trapped and the Bats are right behind him.

"Tim..." Batman called, "Where have you been?" he asked, his voice was hoarse in worry. Timothy gulped, he can't seem to tap in "Tim" mode right now, and right now, he's panicking. "Is something wrong Tim?" Batman asked, "Let's talk about this at the manor." he suggested but all Batman received was a shake from Tim, a "No".

"Tt. Don't make this hard, Drake." Robin commented and Red Hood scoffed.

"Probably traumatized." Red Hood remarked. Batman had already been informed about the previous events that Tim had gotten himself into, and as much as he wanted Red Hood and Robin to not go with him, the duo wouldn't leave by his side and insisted in finding Tim. "Just where have you been, Pretender?" Red Hood said, "Got to taste your own medicine so now you're sulking?" Red Hood said, glancing at the new Robin before looking at "Tim" who had faced them now.

But Tim's stare was neutral yet it was somehow different.

"I was at Drake Manor, resting." Tim replied, "And I was going to continue my rest if it weren't for you three following me around." he added, 'That sounds like what Tim would say right???' internally, Timothy was sweating buckets.

"I checked there, you weren't anywhere." Batman replied.

Internally, Timothy was flabbergasted at the reply, 'You stalked around my manor?!' Timothy thought.

"Tim?" Batman said, snapping Timothy from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yeah... I was at Drake Manor but I usually hang around in the basement." Timothy answered, "I'm guessing you didn't check there?" he questioned, Batman nodded in understanding.

"And why exactly would you be down there, Drake?" Robin asked and Timothy hummed.

'Its the only place where my parents can't catch me.'

"It's a cozy place." Timothy held out a thumbs out, causing Robin to grunt.

"You're lying." Robin stated and Timothy shrugged.

"Not your business anyways." Timothy replied back.

Then there was a beet of silence before Timothy continued, "So... Red Hood... why are you here?" Timothy asked while munching on his snack, "Worried about me." he jested and Red Hood scoffed.

"Judging by how you came to me for help. I'm assuming you became rogue." Red Hood said, "But I guess it was for nothing." he added.

'You were gonna shoot me down if was, huh?' Timothy thought.

"You did the right choice, Drake. If you went back to the Wayne Manor, I would've ended you." Robin remarked and Timothy had the urge to actually gasp dramatically like sarcastically and Red Hood could see that but Batman didn't.

"Damian!" Batman scolded before sighing in annoyance, "Tim, let's go back home." Batman was about to reach for Tim's hand but the boy swatted it away, "Tim?"

Timothy was puzzled but nevertheless smiled, "Batman?" he questioned, "What do you mean home??? You mean Drake Manor, right?" Timothy said, "I'll be getting home once I'm done with my groceries." he added.

Red Hood grumbled, "What? Is Wayne Manor not great for you, Pretender?" he questioned, causing Timothy to sigh and glanced at Robin then to Red Hood.

"Red Hood... I'm not sure what you meant but..." Timothy continued, "I have no reason to go back to the Batcave." Timothy smiled, genuinely and sincere, "There's a new Robin now, meaning I can step down." he said.

"Wait, what? What do you mean step down???" Red Hood asked, his eyes narrowing at Tim.

But Timothy continued, "And besides, I didn't want to be Robin in the first place." Timothy laughed, "I was just there to help out. Batman had gone nuts and needed someone." he shrugged.

Timothy's statements caused Red Hood to tense while Batman stepped a little closer to Tim, "Tim... I didn't know... You, you don't have to be a Robin to stay if that's what you're worried about." he explained but Timothy shook his head.

"Sorry, Bats." Timothy shrugged, "But I'm gonna have to take control back of my life." he added, breathing in and out, "Can't have myself losing my sense of time everyday."

Timothy smiled brightly and glanced at Red Hood and Robin, " Besides now you have both of your sons again. And you're getting 'stable'..." he explained but closes his eyes in thought, humming before opening his eyes again to say, "Meaning meaning that I am done with my job. Ta!" Timothy waved goodbye, leaving the three bats.

Timothy Wants Control

Walking by the sidewalk, Timothy has his hands tied with groceries, "....How old am I?" he muttered, his eyes wandering around, "Everything looks the same as usual..." he said before humming a melody that his mother once sang to him.

And while arriving at Drake Manor, he looks by his side, his neighbor Wayne was just there. 'I think it's time for me to stop altogether.'

He opened he gate and went in the house, there, he dropped his groceries and found two of himself. One dressed in Robin suit and the other, stances like "Tim".

"We need to talk." Tim started, "You can't just stop so suddenly."

"He's right," Robin added, "You still have some work to do."

Timothy groaned, massaging his temples, "You mean my work as 'Robin'??" he questioned, "If you hadn't remembered, I was already fired by the time Damien took the Robin mantle."

"Yes, but you can't just leave your family." Tim stated, "Robin or not, Bruce will miss you." Timothy looked at Tim incredulously while Robin coughed.

"It may sound fake, but it might be true." Robin said.

Timothy raised a brow, "Might????" Timothy repeated.

Timothy sighed, "Look, guys, I almost got killed." he remarked.

"And I saved you."

"You took me to a crime lord."

"Same thing." Tim and Robin said in sync. "And stop screeching in your head, we can still hear you." Tim stated.

"Wonderful, you can read minds." Timothy said.

"We are you—"

"I get it, Robin. I was being sarcastic." Timothy replied. His eyes wandering to the floorboards and noticed the feet of a mirror. 'Right...' Timothy looked up again and clearly, he found two mirrors facing him. 'I forgot I placed these here...' Timothy knew he wouldn't look at his reflection. Didn't like confrontation at all.

Guess his body forced to take it up in their own hands.