Chapter Text
It tasted sharp and metallic in his mouth, a tooth coming loose. He wanted to spit it out but he feared he might puke if he did. He swallowed the blood and held the tooth under his tongue, gritting his teeth. It was the first time the Joker had hit Tim since he’d taken him. He’d expected it, torture, pain, suffering… he’d gotten it, for sure, but he hadn’t been struck the way he’d expected. The branding on the chest, over the R on his Robin suit had been the most physically in pain he’d been this whole time. The mental pain though… that had been unexpected.
He’d just made a snarky comment, refusing to repeat the words Joker had asked him to – and got smacked across the face with a metal bar so hard it dislodged a tooth and made him black out momentarily.
He was slowly waking up, the room spinning in his vision when he heard gunshots being fired outside.
“Mmm… now where was I?” – The Joker said walking around the chair Tim was tied to, dragging the metal bar on the ground. It made a loud scratchy sound but Tim’s hearing was muffled.
“I was telling you-” – He spat once more. – “I’d laugh harder but it seems you forgot how to be funny.”
“Oh! How innovative! Everyone, please, clap! Seems your trousers aren’t the only thing you’ve grown lately!” – He hit Tim on the leg, side of the knee.
Fuck… that’ll take ages to heal… – He thought groaning in pain, but carrying on laughing.
“Can’t assault your way into an audience, man…” – Tim leaned his head back, breathing deeply and trying to center himself. – “Matter of fact, why don’t you just go ki-”
Tim didn’t finish his insult to Joker, he was interrupted by the loud bank of the door to the room being kicked in. He saw the flashes of shots fired before he saw the man firing them. He flinched from the sound, hearing Joker scream and fall to the ground. The shooter entered the room, a tall man with a similar build to Bruce’s. He was wearing dark clothes, tactical gear and had half his face covered with a black mask. Tim was surprised to find himself being stared at by the masked man with such a level of intensity… he would’ve expected to see from being reunited with a friend or a loved one – but he didn’t know this man.
The man walked into the room and set his sights on Tim, immediately beginning to untie him. Tim was still wearing his ripped up Robin suit but his domino mask had gotten crushed days ago, he was also barefoot.
“Robin, status.” – He heard the man say close to his ear, while untying his hands.
It surprised Tim, the man’s voice deep but still too young to be Bruce’s. He tried to focus on the request, no matter how puzzling.
“Hum… potential fracture to the knee, right one… other than that just good old beat up…” – He spat out the tooth just as the man circled back to the front of the chair. He looked at the tooth and then back at Tim.
Tim started bringing his arms back to his front slowly, the joints painful from being pulled back for so long.
“Concussion?” – The man asked examining his face.
“No, just got hit on the jaw there…” – He pointed at his face smiling but immediately grimaced in pain, a toothless smile that made him look even younger than he already did.
“Hang in there!” – The Joker spoke in a tortured voice, he’d gotten shot multiple times and was bleeding and in pain. – “Who said I’m done?”
“I did.” – Tim heard another shot and the Joker screamed. Then there was silence.
“Ok, let’s go.” – The man said putting a cloth over Tim’s mouth. He tried to fight it off but the man was strong, much stronger than he was even on a good day. He gave in to whatever substance the man pushed onto him and fell back.
He didn’t feel the swinging of being carried away from the warehouse, nor did he wake up in the car. He did finally wake up slowly on a comfortable couch, finding immediate relief from feeling soft cushions behind his back. He blinked slowly and tried to open his eyes, feeling hands on his leg, on his knee.
“Easy… don’t try to wake up too fast… you’re safe.” – That same voice spoke.
Tim managed to finally open his eyes and looked up to see the man on his knees, inspecting Tim’s. He was unmasked and Tim tried to not look too surprised by the face meeting his.
“It’s not broken, not fully at least.” – He placed an ice pack on Tim’s knee and held it in place while he looked at him. – “I’m more worried about your chest…”
“What about it?” – Tim asked forgetting himself.
“Oh nothing… just thought the huge burn might be making you uncomfortable… my mistake.” – He said laughing softly. His mouth smiled but his eyes remained serious.
“Oh that, just a scratch…” – Tim joked letting his head fall back down against a soft pillow.
“Mind if I clean it up?” – The man said standing up.
“Sure…” – Tim said noticing a large scar on the man’s neck.
-
“Stay still!” – The man said in an annoyed tone.
“I am!” – Tim replied contorting his face.
“You got through the worst of it already, just let me finish wiping it away. I’ll dress it in a second!”
“How long have you been in Gotham?” – Tim asked looking around the room, a simple room but it showed signs of being well lived in.
“Not long, I come and go.” – Jason said keeping a steady hand over Tim’s chest, wiping away gently and removing pieces of fabric that had gotten stuck to his flesh.
Tim stared at him with intensity and Jason felt uneasy. He averted his gaze and focused on the wound, his leg bouncing.
“Thanks.”
“What?” – The man said feeling thrown off, Tim’s timing was strange.
“Thanks for saving me.”
“I… of course…”
“We haven’t… we’ve never really met… I’m Tim…” – He said stretching his hand at the man.
He stared at Tim’s hand and extended his own at him, unable to hold back a chuckle.
“You’re a weird kid, anyone ever tell you that?” – The man said shaking his head. – “I’m -”
“Jason.” – Tim said squeezing his eyes.
Jason paused, still holding Tim’s hand.
“Smart kid…” – He admitted.
“Kid… You’re not that much older than me…” – Tim shrugged.
“How old are you?” – Jason asked with a smile on his face, Tim looked so young to him…
“I’m gonna be 15 in a couple months.” – He said running his tongue over the hole the tooth he lost left behind.
“15… jeez…” – Jason said finishing dressing Tim’s wound, a chill running down his spine at the memory. – ”The double J… what’s up with that?” – He asked covering up the burns.
“Joker Junior.” – Tim said feeling uneasy. Jason swallowed with difficulty.
“Did you kill him?” – Tim asked with wide eyes.
“I… I don’t know…” – Jason admitted looking down. He felt a knot in his stomach.
“You don’t know?”
“Didn’t shoot him in the head… he was still breathing when we left.” – He said standing up and walking away from Tim, uneasy with the direction the conversation had gone.
“Why not? Why did you leave?”
“Hey! Easy with the interrogation!” – He said walking into a small bedrrom, trying to run away from the absurdity of the situation. He shuffled through his wardrobe.
Jason couldn’t believe he’d left, he couldn’t believe he’d been right there in front of him with a gun in hand and he’d just run out. Seeing Tim tied up, in his Robin suit… it had set a different type of panic inside his brain. Suddenly he wasn’t angry anymore, he was scared and he needed to escape – he needed to save Robin.
“But why?”
“I had a hurt kid in front of me… what do you think?” – He replied walking back in the room with a pile of clothes in his hands. – “They’re a bit big but it’ll do. You need help standing?”
“Think I’m good…” – Tim said taking the clothes from Jason’s hands. – “You gonna take me back?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm… you gonna knock me out again before you do?” – Tim asked standing with some difficulty, Jason held the chair he was sitting on steady to help his balance.
“Fraid so, kid…” – Tim looked around for a moment. He could tell him he knew the exact address they were at, but he decided to entertain Jason. – “Fine… I’ll hit the toilet first then if you don’t mind.” – He said laughing and limping away into Jason’s bathroom.
-
It had been a particularly short day, the type that doesn’t let you breathe. For most people, long drawn out days at the office are the worst… days where you count down the minutes until you can log off, head home and enjoy your few hours of freedom before another gruelingly long shift. For Jim Gordon, the short days, the ones where so much happens that every time you look at the clock hours have passed… those are the worst days.
He was sipping his first cup of water of the day, it was 7pm and he leaned over the water fountain feeling a particularly heavy load on his back.
Another day… – He thought with a sigh, remembering the last time he’d counted days like these. The last time Batman had lost his Robin.
“Sir? The Bat-signal is on!” – A young officer said running towards Gordon.
“What now?” – He complained walking towards her and his office. – “Take a few men up, I’ll meet you there I’ll just go grab my-”
He stopped speaking as he opened the door to his office to find a young Tim Drake asleep on his chair, wearing an oversized hoodie and with a dark bruise on the side of his face.
“Laura! Laura keep the light on! Tell him to come here!” – He shouted closing the door behind him and rushing to Tim, mouthing the closest thing to a prayer Jim knew – a wish for the kid to be alive.
He’d barely reached Tim by the time the kid started moving, blinking slowly and lifting himself up from the slumped position he’d been left in. Jim didn’t hear the door opening behind him but noticed the light from the outside corridoor hit Tim’s face. He turned to find Batman running past him, the door shutting close behind him. Batman ran toward Tim, turning Jim’s chair so he could examine him.
“Tim! Are you hurt? How did you get here? What are you wearing?” – Bruce asked repeatedly, his hands reaching for Tim’s face and examining the bruise.
“Hey, easy with the interrogation!” – He said reaching for Bruce, hugging him. Bruce hadn’t dared, afraid he was injured. – ”I’m fine… my knee’s a little messed up and I lost a tooth.”
Bruce hugged him back tightly, his hands shaky under his thick gloves.
“How did you get here kid?” – Jim asked leaning against a files cabinet in relief.
“Oh, Robin saved me.” – He said winking at Bruce.
-
He stomped up the stairs, his boots heavy and his back hurting – it always hurt. Jason carried the small bag of groceries like a much heavier weight than it was and leaned heavily against the door as he unlocked it. He flicked the light switch and couldn’t help flinching when he spotted Batman standing in the middle of his room.
“No.” – He said beginning to turn around.
“Jason!” – Batman shouted, a tone of voice so pained Jason couldn’t help but stop.
He leaned his head against the door and closed it, dropping the groceries next to him on the ground and turning around slowly, exhaling and squeezing his eyes shut as he did so.
“Fine… go on… I’m ready.” – He said keeping his eyes closed.
It hurt Bruce to see him like that. He looked so young, like he was afraid of being told off for having done something naughty. He took off his cowl and dropped it on a table next to him.
“Jason I’m not here to fight… I’m… I’m here to thank you…”
“Oh…”
There was a drawn out moment of silence between the two before Bruce spoke.
“How did you do it? How did you find him?” – Bruce’s words surprised Jason, an admission of failure in a way – rare.
“I know people Bruce… the streets talk when you look like you belong… I infiltrate easy…”
“I know I haven’t said this enough… I know not too long we stood against each other. That doesn’t matter right now. Thank you, Jason…” – Bruce said lowering his head, Jason nodded in response.
Jason walked further into the apartment, still standing by awkwardly.
“You didn’t kill him.” – Bruce stated.
“Wasn’t for a lack of trying.” – Jason replied raising his eyebrows, scratching his forehead anxiously.
“Last I checked you were a perfect shot.” – Bruce said with a smirk. – “Why didn’t you?”
“Best detective in the world?” – He scoffed. – “Do you understand what it was like for me to go into that room? To see that kid strapped to that chair? To hear his laughter in my ear again?”
“Jason…”
“It was hell Bruce.” – He covered his eyes for a moment, gathering himself. – ”I walked into that room and I didn’t see the Joker – I saw myself sitting there, hurting and in fear.”
“You chose Tim.” – Bruce said nodding.
“I made sure this time someone saved Robin.” – Jason replied with a stern tone of voice, anger in his eyes.
They once again stood across from each other in silence, a feint buzzing sound coming from an old heater that did little more than noise.
“I… I brought your jeans back… Tim insisted he keep the t-shirt and jacket… They are all too big but the jeans especially…”
Jason waved at Bruce in dismissal.
“Keep’em… He’ll grow into them.”
“Jason-”
“He’s going to grow into them, Bruce.” – Bruce nodded once more, retrieving the pair of jeans from the small dining table.
Bruce looked around for a moment and then at Jason. He looked skinnier than last time he’d seen him, when they’d fought over Joker. The apartment was cold and fridge empty. He couldn’t stop himself.
“Jason, do you need-”
“I didn’t do this for a reward.” – Jason blurted out interrupting Bruce.
“I’m not offering one.” – Bruce responded with a serious face.
“I’m… I’ll be fine.” – Jason leaned forwards against a chair. – “I know it’s not the manor but I’m fine… I get by.”
Bruce put the cowl back on and was about to walk out through the window he’d come in from when Jason spoke up.
“You know what you have to do, don’t you?” – Jason said looking up slowly. Batman was silent. – “He’s not even 15 Bruce…”
“I know… I… I know…” – Bruce said leaving slowly, knowing what he needed to do and dreading it terribly.
Jason looked at the couch where he’d laid Tim down after bringing him home, the couch where he often fell asleep. The silence of the bedroom was almost always too much, the television brought a comforting drifting into sleep that comforted Jason. He looked at the door to his bedroom and then back at the couch and wondered if Tim would have trouble sleeping tonight. He hoped he wouldn’t.