Chapter Text
Michael Afton
Michael Afton sat with a smile as his father screamed in agony, trying to escape the fire.
Henry, his god father, died first and his spirit embraced the soul of his daughter and the duo approached him.
“We'll stay with you until you pass Mikey.” Charlotte Emily, Charlie, sat next to him as a bunch of children joined them.
The Missing children, Cassidy, Gabriel, Jeremy, Susie, and Fritz smiled softly in guilt.
Their anger kept bringing their killer back and making it worse, they suffered greatly and caused many others to suffer.
The Circus brigade, Elizabeth, Sally, Joshua,Scott, Peter, Noah and Angela who looked relieved.
Their were driven to insanity, almost completely forgetting they were ever human.
The toys, Jeremy, Bobby, Madison, Avery, Cooper and Samuel while blank didn't look as haunted.
They were the most lucid, but still couldn't recognize anyone.
Finally was Chris, his little brother, who hugged him.
He watched it all.
“I know the real reason it happened, I'm sorry it had to be your responsibility, big brother.” Tears fell from the undead teen.
Michael, who was only fourteen, lived for a long time and mostly alone. Fire licked at his legs, and the flesh burned from his bones. Though he wasn't separated, this confused everyone.
Cassidy whimpered, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry.”
Michael reached out and patted her head, this time their was no flesh on him so it almost startled him to see bone.
“He escaped…”
Everyone groaned, but Chris shook his head.
“No, Michael deserves a rest, if he doesn't…this shouldn't even be his responsibility!” Elizabeth hugged the older boy as the weight of what Cassidy had done hit them.
Years before they first interacted, Cassidy linked Michael's soul to William.
After realizing what she did, they agreed it was for the best. His guilt wouldn't let him pass on anyway.
“Gah!” Michael’s jaw clattered on the ground and smashed into pieces.
Michael knew what he had to do, he just didn't want to be alone. Though he knew, he only had William left.
“I'm so tired.”
“I'm sorry Mikey, I'm so sorry.” Noone left, all feeling guilty at gaining rest.
“All of you suffered enough, please move on. I'll be fine.” He couldn't smile, but his eyes glowed.
He could feel their guilt as each Spirit left one by one, only four remained. Uncle Henry, Charlie, Lizzy and C.C.
“I'm going to Gotham, that's the one place he hasn't hit. Say hi to mom for me okay?” Michael was sad, but he knew it needed to happen.
It was morning by the time the building was done burning, by the time a seared skeleton could no longer feel warmth, the morning when the last of his family left him.
It was morning when the boy made his way to Gotham City.
Tim Drake
The ten year old, Tim, watched as Batman fought Riddler’s goons and Robin stopped the bomb, taking great pictures.
He had found out that the original Robin had been his idol Richard Grayson of the flying Greysons, having his first real memory of him when he was little.
Well he was Nightwing now.
The second Robin was someone more down to Earth, someone who cared for people personally. His name was Jason Todd, his personal Robin Hood.
This new Robin was a bit too violent but he still did well, Damian Wayne, the one he found out to be the biological child of Batman.
Batman, Who was Gotham's very own Brucie Wayne, scolded Robin for being reckless while cleaning up his face.
Tim sat behind the wall as the duo left the area, and he soon left as well. A pang shot through his chest, sadness or jealousy either one, he wished his father was like that.
His father hit, screamed and belittled him at every chance . Never once had he received a hug from the man.
His mother tried in the beginning. She finally made herself detach from Tim, to not care to free herself from guilt.
A rustle caused the kid to flinch from his darkening thoughts, his eyes wandered to a bundle pressed against an alley wall.
“Hey, I'm just leaving. I didn't mean to startle you, hey are you okay?” He forcefully turned the stranger towards him and gasped.
Underneath the hood was a skull, not white but a dusted gray with black smudges and no bottom jaw.
Though Tim almost screamed, the slight shiver from the skeleton made him pause.
He could tell that Skeleman was scared, that Tim would be afraid of him. This made the kid think, that sounded lonely.
To be a skeleton, for everyone to be afraid or think the worst of him.
“Hey, it's okay, I just wasn't expecting a skeleton man..you are a man right?” The skeleton nodded softly as Tim outstretched his hand and ignored the flinch.
“I'm Tim, what's your name?” Thick black gloves gently took his hand, a deep static sound came from the Skeleton causing both to flinch and the skeleton to release his hand.
“How about we get you somewhere safe and dry and we'll find a way to communicate better.” There were no eyeballs, but there were pinpricks.
The pinpricks light up slightly as he nodded and slowly stood, this told Tim that the skeleton wasn't a full adult.
The ten year old filled the empty space with chatter, talking about heros and Vigilantes. Making sure the skeleton was listening, he finally turned to him.
“Do you have a favorite hero?” He watched the skeleton shrug and his eyes turn blue.
Tim hailed a taxi and quickly got them to Bristol, the taxi driver didn't question the skeleton but he didn't scream either so win for them.
“Welcome to Drake Manor! Population one! My parents leave a lot so it's just me.” Tim’s heart throbbed at that sentence.
The skeleton stared at him, his eyes somehow even darker blue.
“Anyway! Can you write? Or do Sign?” The skeleton shrugged and did a writing motion.
Tim got a piece of paper and wrote down a few questions.
What's your name
What's your favorite animal
What's your favorite color
Are you alone
Do you want to stay
What's your opinion on Batman
Can you keep a secret
The skeleton wrote his answers with a slight buzz and his eyes glowed yellow slightly, Tim assumed he was either happy or amused.
Tim mentally filed his findings about the skeleton for later, and startled to find the notebook in his hands and even more surprised to find his own questions.
Michael
Foxes or Hedgehogs
Red and grey
I think so
I don't want to be a bother
I kinda like Batman, he's got guts and just built differently.
Yes
How old are you
Why are you allowing strangers in your home
What's your favorite animal
What's your favorite color
Can you keep secrets
Can I write a contract for me to stay?
Tim knew he didn't need to write the answers but he did anyway while answering verbally.
“I'm ten! I'm alone, you're alone, if you wanted to hurt me you would have already. Also you're trying your best not to scare me! I like bunnies, red is my favorite color too! I have a lot of secrets, and what do you mean by a contract? I'm the man of the house right now so you can stay.” He made sure to write his responses well so they can be read.
He watched Michael write a long time, he was thankful that today was Friday and he had nothing for tomorrow.
The skeleton has written out an entire contract, mostly in the child's favor. Tim was a Drake, which means he had to be fair.
In order to stay, secrets must be kept on both sides, the house must be kept, and if Tim is at any point upset with Michael then Michael must leave without fuss.
Michael will listen to Tim and attempt to follow his lead, any disruption is met with eviction.
Any harm brought to Tim will result in eviction.
Tim shook his head instead of reading more, “Michael, there's nothing fair about this contract and if you signed one of these before, you've been scammed by a bad person.”
Tim tore the contract and started a new one, more fair and equal to Michael.
This Contract states that both parties are required to keep each other's secrets, and the others' well being into account.
Neither are entitled to be treated better than the other.
Tim will not hold Michael accountable for anything that happens to him.
Michael will be patient with Tim.
The only time eviction will be a necessary punishment, is anything harmful without a reason.
Michael must hide from any adults that enter the building, for security purposes.
Any changes or requests will result in a new contract or a rule book.
Michael read over the contract and slowly nodded in agreement, the duo signed the document and immediately started the rule book.
Resulting in Tim finally falling asleep in surprisingly cozy bone arms.
Rules
Telling where the other is going to avoid panicking and possibly wandering
Michael is allowed to play in the kitchen
No experimenting in the kitchen or Michael's room.
Anyone who knows Michael must learn sign language
Get Michael a mask or material to make one
Ask/honestly tell pls
If Michael senses something, no going out (?)
Puns and jokes about skeletons are allowed but no skeleton song.
Triggers will have another notebook
Don't touch any mysterious plushies without consent.
They slept with no further concern.