Chapter Text
Nights when they fought Ivy were the worst. Sure the Joker was terrifying on a good night and Bane was just really annoying to fight, but Ivy must’ve had a personal vendetta against Tim. There was no other explanation.
No matter how many times he got suited up and dragged down to the botanical gardens (seriously, why on earth did Gotham of all places have botanical gardens?) his stomach still dropped in what could loosely be called dread. He tried to avoid anything to do with Ivy and her stupid pollens as much as he could but he was still a vigilante.
That’s the one thing they don’t tell you. You really don’t get to pick and choose the villains you fight. Which really sucked.
If Tim could choose what villains to fight, he’d go with Riddler and Catwoman without a shadow of a doubt. The Riddler already hated him so it was incredibly satisfying to solve what was supposedly impossible to figure out, and Catwoman… Well she hadn’t tried to outright kill him at all so that was a tick in his book. One could argue that Ivy also hadn’t tried to outright kill him but it was close enough. Even she knew his hatred of cuddle pollen by that point, and genuinely apologised when she’d notice Tim got caught in it once. She stopped using it entirely for a few weeks, but must’ve decided fights were too boring without it.
Even so, Tim just couldn’t get it through his head; what kind of sick mind would make something like that? To make someone feel like that and the only remedy be human touch? Not only was it exceptionally weird, it was cruel. The amount of freezing cold nights he’d spent in the lonely manor contemplating whether or not he should call his parents were the bane of his existence. Wanting to simply on the off chance he got any relief from hearing their voices, still knowing they wouldn’t answer. The thought of trying filled him with guilt because if he did, they’d end up calling him back hours later and he would be bothering them. Like always. Sure they never said it, but the fake cheerfulness while their coworkers complained about losing daylight was proof enough. And that was worse than the pollen.
Though the pollen was still terrible.
Possibly the worst thing he’d ever experienced, and he’d gone through some pretty bad shit. At least he’d managed to get away before the effects truly hit nearly every time.
Nearly, key word.
His brother could be incredibly annoying, and that was Tim’s downfall on one gloomy night in Gotham City, where he’d much rather be in his bed editing photos.
Dick happened to be in Gotham for the weekend and of course he wouldn’t leave Tim alone, well, not that he was actually complaining. He got to hang out with Dick Grayson and fight supervillains. That was always going to be cool as fuck. Some days Tim just wasn’t feeling it. Still, Dick put on his cocky smile and dragged Tim out of his hobbit hole to go fight Poison Ivy, while he desperately tried to run off without suspicion.
“Where’re you off to, baby bird?” Dick questioned as Tim was in the middle of trying to slink down an alleyway. He’d beaten up a few dumb goons on the way to the gardens and decided enough was enough. He was getting out of here. Or so he thought. He grimaced and turned around slowly.
“Uh…” Good grief, he never blanked on a lie. Ever. “I have homework?”
“Come on Robin, this’ll take 30 minutes tops. We can do it before your bedtime.” Dick teased and he sighed, knowing there wasn’t really any way to get out of it. They were both too stubborn for that. So Tim made his way to the gardens, sulking grimly behind his older brother.
“Nice of you to join the fight!” Spoiler hissed as they entered the scene of the crime, trying to avoid several vines actively reaching for her neck. Dick had already taken off in a separate direction. Great. Tim hissed through his teeth and ran to help her but instead got a root around his ankle for his troubles. Before he could jinx himself and think that it couldn’t get any worse, it did. His luck was so bad he didn’t even need to say that it was, now that was a new low.
Because of course he had to be dragged upside down and taunted by a fucking plant. He hung there for what felt like ages, helplessly watching as the vines took stronger holds around Stephanie's limbs and twirled dizzyingly around her neck. Thankfully, he soon watched as she was cut loose by Nightwing who started to slowly but surely make his way to him, before getting distracted by another plant. Tim huffed impatiently and promptly received a face full of pollen. Great. Nights fighting Ivy were the worst.
Immediately after he was doused in pollen, the root was sliced, and let Tim say that suddenly freefalling after hanging by his ankle was not a fun activity, especially when he felt a chill set into his bones and regret pool in his stomach. Cuddle pollen. Why couldn’t he have come up with a better lie? What kid actually did homework, and better yet, what kid cared about doing homework?
Someone, presumably the person who cut the root, grabbed him by the ankle harshly enough for it to pop right before he landed on his head and he had to suppress a whine of pain. Gods, getting a concussion would’ve been better than that. Usually, it took upwards of seven minutes for the pollen to properly kick in and for his mind to be clouded by pain and panic and that horrendous cold, and that was long enough to escape Bruce's sight before he broke down. The chills and shakes and tears and weakness and nausea could be avoided for that short time if he simply wasn’t touched. He craned his neck and took a look at his torturer and by no surprise found Nightwing grinning down at him. Jeez he could move fast.
“Would’ve gotten to you sooner, but I was a little tied up.” He snickered, “Obviously not as much as you, though.”
Dick did some weird acrobat shit and suddenly he was rightside up on the ground. Wait… no he wasn’t. He felt someone grabbing his shoulder before his buckled knees hit the gritty dirt and had to bite his tongue at the contact.
“Woah Robin, maybe you were upside down for a little too long.” Dick joked at Tim’s unsteadiness, but still kept a firm hand on his shoulder, which burnt from the touch.
He didn’t look too worried until Tim kept slumping forwards and he noticed the grimace of pain. Tim tried to regain his footing and pull back, to get away from Dick’s fiery hand, but the grip tightened.
“Hey, baby bird,” His tone was much softer now, losing its humorous edge as Tim essentially trembled under his hold, “were you hit with something just now?”
Tim didn’t trust himself not to start crying if he tried to talk and all he wanted was Dick off of him so he just shook his head, swallowing down the warning of nausea and once again trying to step back. The pain was getting worse, heat spreading from his shoulder to his chest, desperately trying to stave off the cold taking over him. He’s seen the others go through this; each one of them, even Bruce, greedily latching to someone's side and feeling better. But this was too much.
Dick was trying to talk to him, he was sure of it, but his ears were ringing and he was much too focused on getting Dick’s hand off to pay attention to whatever he was saying. Dick got the memo, finally, but all at once the chill came back, this time with a vengeance, and he couldn’t help the weak gasp of pain as he willed himself to stay standing. It wasn’t any use.
His head started to feel fuzzy from the harsh breaths he was taking and he felt the tremors in his arms and legs get worse, his eyesight went blurry, but not enough that he didn’t notice Dick’s hands reaching towards him. All he could think of was the pain, and tried to rush back as steadily as he could. Which, honestly, wasn’t steady at all, as he somehow tilted forward and dark spots started to narrow his vision down. The last thing he registered was a panicked shout and fire exploding in his sides and back.
Tim had been acting weird all evening, Dick had decided. First, he seemed less than enthusiastic to go on patrol, which was definitely new for the kid, who’d usually have to be dragged home. Then, he spent nearly half an hour scouting for low level thugs when he knew Steph needed backup with Ivy. And he had used homework of all things as an excuse to not hang out with his big brother. So yeah, weird.
After a bit of teasing and reluctance, they finally made it to the botanical gardens where Poison Ivy was wreaking complete and utter havoc. There were vines and roots everywhere, covering the usually beautiful flora. Most of the ground was torn up and splattered with soil. There were four civilians, most likely a family, getting directly targeted by the thick roots, and Spoiler was fending off large vines imitating pythons. Tim could handle her for now.
He rushed towards the family that were shuffling back towards a fence to avoid the free moving roots, which were splattered with flowers that would definitely not spray anything that smelt nice, and tried his hardest to yank one of the roots away. When that didn’t work, he realised it would probably be easier to yank the family away and got to work on that. He took the mother and the youngest child first, swinging them to the other side of the gardens where everything was still calm. Quickly he took the father and the other child, and told them to essentially get the hell out of there. They started to thank him, and he didn’t want to seem rude, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed Spoiler struggling more, and Robin nowhere to be seen. Oh no, he was there, he just happened to be hanging upside down instead of helping her.
He sprinted to Stephanie right as the vines were wrapping tightly around her neck and made quick work of cutting her loose. She took off, presumably for a breather, understandably so, and Dick started to walk towards Tim. He looked unimpressed and red in the face but it was kinda funny to see him tied up like that and Dick needed a second to think of some good jokes so yes, he dragged the walk out. Shitty idea he thought as a bunch of plants sprouted under his feet, tripping him. He kicked them, sighed, and swung up to Robin, smoothly cutting him loose.
For some reason, he didn’t make the connection between Tim being held up by the vine and the vine being the only thing holding him up, so the kid happened to free fall for a second. He probably would’ve smashed his head pretty bad if Dick didn’t shoot his arm down to grab him. He had felt Tim’s ankle pop. Which was not a good feeling. He had also heard Tim groan. Which was definitely not a good sound. Oh well, he’d be right.
“Would’ve gotten to you sooner, but I was a little tied up. Obviously not as much as you, though.” He laughed but cursed internally. That was a crap joke. Tim didn’t even laugh.
After his less than award worthy joke, Dick pulled Tim up to get a better grip and effortlessly set them both down on the uneven soil. Dick’s heart sank when Tim suddenly dropped, but flooded with relief when he noticed it was his knees not his ankle and that it was probably just headrush from being tied up for so long. Bruce wouldn’t be killing him tonight, hell yeah. He steadied Tim with one hand and smirked.
“Woah Robin, maybe you were upside down for a little too long.” He meant it as a joke but as Tim just kept leaning forward with his face pulled tight in pain, his worry came back. Tim tried to stand straight and shake his hand off, but Dick held tight, tilting his head in concern. He spoke quieter, “Hey, baby bird? Were you hit with something just now?”
Dick had the urge to pull Robin’s domino mask off and check his pupils when he went noticeably green after shaking his head. Ok, no, he was definitely hit by something, Dick could even see a light layer of powder slowly sinking into his skin.
“Are you sure Robin? You really don’t look too good.” He tried to ignore Tim, still trying to shake his hand off, but he was starting to feel guilty. He obviously didn’t want to be touched, but he really did not look steady. “I’m only trying to help, ok? Why don’t we go sit down?”
Spoiler was back in the field at that point, fighting Ivy and all her plants with enough grace that Dick trusted her to not get tangled up again, so he tried to push Tim down gently, but he winced so softly that Dick knew he was crying under the mask, so he removed his hand. Hoping it would help, more than knowing it would.
He was completely wrong, he realised, as Tim started to breathe too heavily to be normal and his legs shook so badly Dick was sure he was going to fall. He reached out to grab Tim but stopped when the kid’s lenses widened in what looked like fear. He should’ve still grabbed him. Tim made an unsteady maneuver that seemed like he was trying to shuffle back but overbalanced and collapsed forwards. Dick, as terrified as he was, easily caught Tim around his midsection.
“Shit! Robin?” He got nothing in return but a weak gasp of pain before Tim went limp in his hold.
Well fuck, now Bruce was going to kill him.
He readjusted Tim in his hold and sped towards the alleyway Tim had tried to escape to before. He was twitching in Dick’s hold and softly whimpering, and when Dick managed to get his shaking hands to pop open the mask solvent he kept in his belt, he saw just how restless Tim’s eyes were. Flittering uncomfortably around in his head, before all the movement stopped and Dick held his breath. Tim’s hand started to spasm a bit, fingers cramping up, and he took a deep breath before struggling to open his eyes. Blown pupils. Fuck. Time for Dick’s favourite game: concussion (maybe), toxin (definitely), or both (perchance)? It took Tim a second to focus his eyes on Dick, but nearly as soon as he did, they started slipping closed again.
“Hey, hey, no, come on Timmy, stay with me.” He whispered, lightly tapping his brother’s cheek but quickly retracted his hand when the skin where he’d made contact immediately started to turn splotchy and red. Tim did end up waking back up, yet to Dick’s horror, he shouted out and turned away from him before beginning to dry heave. He placed a soothing hand on the kids back, but naturally it made things ten times worse and Tim started to genuinely sob, trying to lean away from his touch, but ending up falling back into him, shaking and crying.
What the hell did he do? He had no clue what was wrong or how to help, and he had half a mind to go back and confront Ivy and ask what the fuck she dosed his little brother with.
Tim woke up disoriented. His head hurt. His arm hurt. Scratch that actually, everything hurt. And then everything clicked, Ivy. Cuddle pollen. Dick.
He was on his back, eyes open but not really taking anything in, gods his head was spinning. He thought he saw Dick for a second but ultimately gave up with being awake, he much rathered the alternative. Passing the fuck out and letting the pollen run it’s course while he was unconscious.
When he heard quiet muttering, he realised that Dick was indeed there with him, and when he felt a warm (hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot) hand pat his cheek, he couldn’t help but cry out and turn away just in time for his body to try and lose his dinner on him.
When he felt that same fiery pain on his back he gave up. Sobbing, he wondered how Dick couldn’t take the hint and get off of him, but even amidst the heat driving him completely crazy he let himself fall back into his brother and let the heat keep the cold at bay.
He felt like his whole body was covered in burns but he soon felt like if Dick so much as moved, he would simply die. He needed to be held. Well, that was a new experience. Usually he curled up in ten quilts and cried and cried and cried, until the cold became too much and he became numb to the world for a few days, but Dick was helping. Sure the help sucked and was absolutely terrifying at first, but the longer Tim stayed in Dick’s lap, pulling his hot (warm warm warm warm warm warm warm warm warm) arms down he felt better. Sure he still felt dizzy and weak, but the bone deep aching cold was gone. Slowly, Tim stopped sobbing, maybe he even stopped shivering, but that was probably just wishful thinking. He opened his eyes to see Dick looking absolutely lost, and just the littlest bit crazed, in his swimming eyesight.
“Oh sweet jesus kid, are you ok? Do you know what she hit you with? Keep your eyes open, alright, I’ll get you back to the cave soon.” He muttered frantically.
“Calm down. I’m fine, it’s just cuddle pollen.” He mumbled, still holding both of Dick’s arms captive.
“Calm down?” He exclaimed, “Do you understand how– cuddle pollen?”
Tim nodded when Dick cut himself off. Great, now they were going to have a conversation. Why did that stupid pollen have to make him feel so woozy? Why did he have to admit something as idiotic as cuddle pollen could break him down to pieces.
“Tim, are you sure-”
“Field names.”
“Sure, kid.” Dick huffed, “Are you sure it was cuddle pollen? I’ve never seen someone react like that. You’re breaking out in hives, you were about to puke, you passed out.”
“Might again,” Tim whispered under his breath, his head would not stop spinning. Dick continued.
“That’s not cuddle pollen stuff dude. You were actually extremely touch adverse.”
Tim cleared his throat a bit and spoke up, “I just have a really bad reaction. Ivy usually doesn’t even use it around me, but she must’ve been distracted with Spoiler tonight.”
“That’s more than a bad reaction Timbit-“
“Nightwing.” He said in warning.
“No one’s around.” Dick rolled his eyes, “Still. I’m convinced it was something else.”
“Nope. I was really, really cold and when you touched me I was hot. That’s pretty much all it is. You were just super hot. Like to the point where it hurt. I’m just not used to it.” Tim shrugged, as best as he could in his position anyway.
Dick looked at him with the saddest puppy dog eyes before sitting him up and hugging him. Touch still slightly stung, and his head still hadn’t cleared properly, but he hadn’t ever had a better hug, so he let Dick hold him.
“You’re really not used to it, huh kiddo? Doesn’t matter, I'll make sure you are.”