Chapter Text
Jason leaned against the hood of the Batmobile, the garage dimly lit except for the faint overhead bulbs casting shadows across his face. He had been tinkering with his bike when Tim wandered in, silent as a ghost. Jason wasn’t surprised—Tim had a knack for showing up unannounced—but he raised an eyebrow when the younger vigilante lingered near the workbench without saying a word.
Finally, Jason broke the silence. “You’re creeping me out, Replacement. Spit it out already.”
Tim hesitated, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. His arms were crossed, his posture uncharacteristically uncertain. “Why did you become Robin?”
Jason froze, his hand halfway to grabbing a wrench. He straightened up slowly, turning to face Tim fully. “What?”
“You keep asking me,” Tim said, his voice steady despite the knot tightening in his chest. “Why I wanted to be Robin. Why I do what I do. I think it’s only fair I ask you the same thing.”
Jason blinked, caught off guard. “I—uh…” He scratched the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at Tim. “That’s different.”
“Why?” Tim pressed, insistent.
Jason shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms. “Because it just is. I didn’t have… I mean, I wasn’t like you, okay? I didn’t have some grand plan or big noble reason.”
Tim tilted his head, watching Jason closely. “Then why?”
Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, it’s not like I woke up one day and thought, ‘Hey, I want to dress up like a traffic light and fight criminals.’” His attempt at humor fell flat, and he sighed again. “I don’t know, Tim. It just… happened.”
Tim didn’t say anything, waiting patiently. Jason huffed, feeling the weight of the question settle over him.
“I guess…” Jason started, his voice quieter now. “It felt like a way out. A way to… to matter, I guess. To do something bigger than just surviving.”
He glanced at Tim, gauging his reaction, but the younger teen’s expression was unreadable.
“I was angry,” Jason admitted, his words tumbling out faster now. “At the world, at the cards I’d been dealt. But then Bruce found me, and it was like… I had a purpose. I wasn’t just some kid from Crime Alley anymore. I was Robin. I could make a difference. I could actually help people.”
Tim finally spoke, his voice soft. “And did it help you?”
Jason froze, the question hitting him harder than he expected. He looked away, his jaw tightening. “Sometimes,” he said after a long pause. “Other times… it made things worse.”
Tim nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor. Tim straightened, offering a faint, almost sad smile. “Thanks for telling me, Jason. I’ve been wondering.”
Jason opened his mouth to respond, but Tim was already turning to leave, disappearing as quietly as he’d arrived.
Jason stared after him, a strange mix of emotions swirling in his chest.