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Numbness crawled up Tim’s fingers, an uncomfortable feeling he was valiantly trying to ignore. His hands trembled around the camera, refusing to press down on the button.
Crap. Tim knew he shouldn’t have gone out tonight.
Gotham nights were brutal on a good day, but as winter rounded, the nights got worse and worse until not even Tim’s thick winter coat could do much for the cold.
He had thought– assumed that he would be fine since no snow had fallen yet but… well here he was, freezing his butt off on a random rooftop.
As he looked over the street, he sighed, a puff of air visible in the streetlight cast up onto his building. He hadn’t even seen Batman or Robin, so it wasn’t worth it.
The cold made him sluggish and tired and Tim just wanted to keel over and fall asleep.
It probably wouldn’t be much better at home either. The heater had been faulty and he didn’t want to bother his parents again this month after he asked them to sign a school trip waiver.
Would it– would it be so bad if Tim just… fell asleep?
Cold seeped into his bones, and Tim slumped from where he’s been kneeling. His stiff jacket wrapped around him, constricting his movements even more in the bitter cold.
Tim blearily opened his eyes, looking as his breath formed into white clouds, blurring his vision. He squinted when disappeared, but the white didn’t.
White was floating down from the sky, and something nagged at Tim’s head, his mind frozen over.
Oh. It was snowing.
That probably wasn’t good.
Tim couldn’t help as his eyes slipped shut, flakes of white falling over his red nose.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Jason scowled, trying to stop his teeth from chattering so much. He had his arms wrapped around him, and despite the winter Robin suit Alfred had made him, Jason was fucking freezing.
He hated the cold. Cold reminded him of nights on the streets and wandering around, trying not to die of frostbite. It sucked and Jason would rather not think about that.
Bruce had told him that he could stay home, stay in the warm Manor while Alfred made him hot chocolate, but Jason couldn’t not go out! Crime didn’t stop because of a little cold, and if one more person got mugged while he was up in his fancy manor, then Jason would never forgive himself.
So here he was, trudging through Gotham streets at the dead of night.
The worst part of it all was apparently crime did stop for the cold because there was NOTHING OUT HERE!
“Robin.” His head snapped around to face Bruce, all creepy like with his weird ninja powers. “Do one last sweep of the area, then that's it for tonight.”
Jason frowned. It wasn’t the time they’d normally get home. He was about to open his mouth to ask why, but then his eyes caught on something.
Snowflakes floating from the sky, landing on his nose.
Ah, that's why. You never want to be caught in a Gotham street at night in the snow. It was a death trap for normal people, and while it won't kill himself and Bruce, it wouldn’t be a fun time.
Nodding, Jason whirled around to scope the area. The last thing he wanted was for someone to be caught up in this cold.
Snow had made a thin layer over the streets by the time Jason rounded the last corner. He had a runny nose and the earmuffs weren’t doing much for him now.
Just as he was about to go back to the car, Jason’s eye caught on something flashing, like light reflected off something shiny. At this point all he wanted to do was get home, but something tugged at his heart, and Jason had a bad feeling in his gut.
That particular feeling had saved him from dying in the streets countless times, so no way in hell would he be ignoring it now.
The building wasn’t that high with an access point on the side. It was a familiar area, one he went through on patrols most days. In fact, Jason had climbed this building before, although armed with a grappling hook and not manually like he was doing now.
Jason pulled himself to the top, swallowing past the dryness in his throat. He took a moment to breathe before looking up.
Like before, he scanned the roof, every second of nothing soothing the feeling in his chest. Stepping forward to where he thought he saw the flash, Jason peered past a crate, pretty close to the edge.
His heart jumped, choking him up at the sight.
A body slumped up against a crate. A tiny body. A child’s body.
For a single, sickening second, Jason froze. That moment passed, and his body seemed to burn, even in the bitter cold.
Jason raced forward, ignoring the pain in his knees as he landed next to the body. His hands fumbled for a pulse, fingers pressed against cold skin.
Nothing… nothing…
He grit his teeth, an ache spreading in his jaw from how hard he was clenching them.
There!
Jason’s heart jumped, and he double checked. A pulse, faint but there!
Anxiety filled him, and Jason didn’t give himself the time to think before pulling this child– a boy he thinks– into his chest, his other hand coming up to his ear.
“B?” He called, his voice shaking.
The crackle had him wincing, and Jason heard Bruce’s alert tone in an instant. “Robin, report.”
“Seventh street, on the corner building on the roof. A boy asleep, faint pulse, freezing.” He rattled off, pulling away just enough to see the kid’s face. He looked so young and his face was so pale, but there was red around his nose, lips and ears. “Couldn’t have been out here long, but he’s tiny, so he needs to be warmed up now.”
“Okay, I’m on route with the Batmobile now.” Bruce said gruffly, the sound of the Batmobile ringing out across somewhere, not too far away from Jason.
Jason looks down, biting at his lip. He notices a camera, pointed down at the street. This camera was probably what flashed and very well may have been what saved this kid’s life.
Frowning, Jason took a closer look at what the kid was wearing. It all seemed to be proper winter wear, really expensive even. Where would an alley kid even get something like this?
Stupid kid. Jason thought, pulling him closer and tucking his face into Jason’s neck, hopefully warming up a little. Could have died, what was he thinking? Even street kids know not to fall asleep in the snow!
Shaking his head, Jason’s heart leapt when the Batmobile skidded into the narrow alley smoothly. A calm washes over him when Bruce wastes no time in grappling up.
“B!” Jason called, practically holding the kid out like a limp kitten.
No words had to be exchanged further, Bruce just scooping the kid up, then with no hesitation also picking Jason up by his cape like a scruffed kitten. They made it down to the car in record time and Bruce placed them both in the backseat.
The heaters were on and Jason felt like his joints were all melting. He quickly went to work stripping the kid of his wet coat to avoid hypothermia. It was a relief to see his clothes underneath were dry and warm.
Bruce looked back after turning the car back on route, eyes under the cowl narrowing on the child’s face, still knocked out. “I know that face.”
Jason snapped his head up, tilting his head. “You do? Who is he?”
“Timothy Drake.” The older man pressed his lips together and turned back around, all brooding like. “Our neighbour's son.”
“Oh. Huh.” Jason turned his attention back on the feverish looking kid, frowning. Why was a rich kid like this out in Gotham at night? Especially in winter! Doesn’t he know how dangerous that is?
Jason didn’t need to voice his questions, he knew Bruce was thinking about that too.
Well, Jason internally sighed, they’ll figure that out later when the kid is awake and feeling better. For now, Jason can think about how exactly to word his lecture he’ll be reprimanding the kid with.