Work Text:
The cave was cold and damp, the only sounds echoing through the space being the bats shuffling above and the hard whacks of a bat against an unfortunate training dummy.
Tim stared blankly at the screen, hands posed over the keys. It was so much worse than he had expected. He had expected files with more details on Dick's super secret mission and he did find them, but the audio logs were hard to listen to.
‘This is Birdwatcher checking in. Mr. Malone, respond.'
‘Mr. Malone, please respond.’
'...Are you there?'
'Can I come home?'
'Please?'
Dick had called and called but Bruce, no, Batman, never answered. The calls got shorter and shorter and the pleading also got quieter and quieter until finally only the loud silence was left.
That wasn't the only thing that Tim found.
There were also the digital gravestones. It was shocking and absolutely morbid if Tim was completely honest. All the batkids had one with their birth dates and a blank space. Expectedly, the only ones that had a death date were Jason and Damian and then a new 'birth date' with their resurrection date underneath.
But he never expected one for Dick. It was the same date that he 'faked' his death. With a listed resurrection date on the exact day.
Batman wouldn't have filled in the date unless it was true. But that would mean... that Dick had actually...
Dick had died. For real.
He hadn't faked it.
The context of how or why didn't matter. Well, not right now. It might have, probably actually will much later, but it wasn't important. Not right now. Not at this very moment.
Dick had been dead.
His older brother, the first Robin, the Boy Wonder, had died and allowed all of them to believe that he hadn't, that he had faked his very real death to go on a mission for the Batman.
There was a loud crash in the background and more swearing. Jason was beating the ever living shit out of the training equipment.
Tim took a deep breath, held it for three and let it out for seven. It took him a few cycles before he sent the information to his own servers, closed out of the files and shut down the Batcomputer. He pushed away from the desk, making his way towards the training area that held a very angry crime lord.
“-fuckin’ dickhead! He could’a jus’ said something!” Jason raved, his chest heaving as he struck the very broken training dummy.
Tim watched as his other resurrected older brother kept on taking his anger, his frustration, his grief, out on the dummy.
“Stupid self-sacrificin’, self-flagellatin’ asshole!” He screamed, throwing the metal bat harshly onto the cave floor.
“Jason.”
Bright green eyes met his, both of them carrying a new weight, a horrible understanding of what their father - of what Bruce - had done and allowed to fester. It sat heavy in the chest, pressing and uncomfortable and impossible to ignore.
“You already knew.”
The older man stiffened and broke eye contact. That confirmed it.
“Before I called you, before the videos, the logs or the dates.”
He growled, shaking his head like an angry dog.
“I knew Dick died,” Tim flinched but Jason carried on, rage dripping off his words, “not that he’d been beaten to hell hours after dying ! Or that he’d wanted to come back so badly.”
Tim swallowed around the glass in his throat, his eyes becoming wet at the reminder. Dick had wanted to come home so, so badly. He’d been left alone with no one the wiser of his own situation, abandoned by their father Batman. Only to return and be welcomed with a kiss by a fist and angry, hateful words.
“We all die. We’re all going to die… but you didn’t die, did you? You just lied. ”
And then Dick’s own response-
“-I know, you’re right. You’re right to hit me. You’re right to say all that.”
But they weren’t. Tim wasn’t right.
Dick had died.
He’d been dead and then revived, only to go undercover for an op he had no choice in not accepting. Forced to lie and fight for everyone else’s safety.
Dick had allowed them all to believe that he had lied. And for what?
“Because he’s Dick.”
His breath caught. He hadn’t meant to say his thoughts out loud.
“Because he wanted his family together more than he wanted the truth out there.”
Tim sharply looked up, Jason was now in front of him. He looked upset, his lips pressed tightly together and pale. But there was understanding and pain in the slope of his brow, the brightness in his eyes.
Carefully, slowly, Jason pulled Tim close, hugging him tightly.
“Because Dick’s a self-sacrificing older brother who loves his family too damn much.”
Tim’s chest hitched painfully and the tears fell.
⋆˚🐾˖°
Dick had just entered his apartment when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. ‘It better not be Damian stating he forgot something, again ,’ he thought with mirth. His youngest brother was such a worrywart; he’d made every excuse under the sun to prolong his already extended stay even further. And Dick had just seen him off too.
He hung Lucky’s leash back onto his hook, taking time to ruffle the dog’s soft ears before pulling his phone out.
With a quick swipe, his smile faded. His happy mood snuffed out and was replaced with stunned shock.
It was his younger brother, just not the youngest.
Little Wing
Timbit knows.
His throat is suddenly very dry. A frigid ball of dread settled underneath his sternum, his hands clammy and cold.
Big Bird
What does he know?
Little Wing
That you actually died.
Dick sucked in a breath, his chest tight. No. No, Tim wasn’t supposed to know that. He wasn’t supposed to find out. Another message quickly popped up.
Little Wing
I didn’t tell him. Swear down.
It barely crossed his mind. No way would Jason break such a promise. Tim was just too smart, the one who chased every lead to its end, the very best at investigating out of all the Robins.
Big Bird
I never doubted.
You promised.
What now? What’s the next step? Does he call Tim? He shook his head. First thing’s first. He ignored his shaking hands, his rabbiting heartbeat loud in his chest.
Big Bird
How is he? Is he okay?
Little Wing
Not the best. I think he’s still processing everything.
Dick chewed his cheek. He typed back quickly.
Big Bird
Is there anything I can do to help?
He saw the three dots pop up before they quickly disappeared. They popped up and disappeared a few more times before finally,
Little Wing
Timbo says he wants to meet you.
Big Bird
Of course. Where and when?
Little Wing
No chance at the Manor, right?
Dick scoffed, no way. Anywhere but there at this point.
Big Bird
No, definitely no chance.
What about coming to Blüd?
Little Wing
Worth a shot.
A pause. And then,
Little Wing
See you in an hour, tops.