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Movie night —
Rest duty. Yup you heard that right. Rest duty. Tim was put on rest duty. And yes he knows, he gets it. Tim has been working his ass off for the last few months, following the return of Jason. Because yeah he played a big part in the whole thing and blah blah blah.
And it was fine, really. He had been put on rest duty before, that wasn't the big deal. What was was that he wasn't benched by Bruce or Dick, hell not even by Alfred. It was Damian. Damian. He was benched by Damian, a match made from hell. Literally. Damian somehow convinced Bruce that Red Robin needed to be put on rest duty. By what he called, and I quote “sick Victorian child rest.” Which first, ouch. Second, he did not look like a sick Victorian child! And third, he was fine. Tired and a little fatigued, sure. But weren't they all?
Tim knew that when he became robin. Sleepless nights, working around the clock, training, surviving. He was aware of the risks and what it would do to his body, and he took it. He took it and now he's basically grounded by a child. Tim groaned against the pillow as he turned around laying flat on his back, his ceiling looked painfully boring.
Tim was alone at the manor, Alfred had gone out for groceries. Which yeah weird considering it's close to 11pm but who is he to question Agent A when he's talking about how he's missing an ingredient to a desert Tim didn't even know existed. Alfred was also very serious about the desert, and he was only that serious when it was something he wanted to send to Jason, which again yeah, Tim gets it. Good to remind himself that Alfred would be coming back in around 15 minutes, if he was serious about only taking an hour to get what he needed.
And the others? Yup, all out as well. Even Dick! Who's staying around Gotham for a while, because of an injury, is out there. Definitely doing something a lot more interesting than Tim is doing right now. Sulking in his boredom. Wincing at his own thoughts. Oof his mother would've hated that. “Timothy, stop that. It's disrespectful.” His mom had said that to him more than once. He still didn't understand how sulking was disrespectful. Even Batman sulked. No actually the only thing Batman did was sulk. Huh, maybe it is disrespectful to some degree.
In a sense, it's like drowning, the water is the situation you're in and the drowning is sulking. Even if that's a wild comparison, the feeling is kinda the same. After all, if you're drowning it's not like you're bothering anyone. The choice of saving you or not is entirely up to whoever notices you drowning. Um okay, that's kinda dark. Really dark.
Tim pushed his thoughts aside as he jumped out of his bed. Okay, plan. He needs a plan. A plan that won't get him in trouble, preferably. Oh! Tim knows exactly what to do, and it counts as resting. A new movie came out, well relatively new. It came out a month or so ago, Tim's been meaning to watch when he got the time. The time is now.
Problem number one, Tim hates watching movies by himself. Which is bad because he's home alone. He could call Bernard, he would be awake. But no, Bernard already watched it. Bart has also watched it already, Tim had to be very careful around him. Around Bart spoilers are a common occurrence, he wouldn't even realise he spoiled you. Kon expressed his hate for space movies more than once so. Only one option left for Tim, which he hated mind you. It's not like he was beaming or anything as he grabbed his phone and a jacket and leaped through his window. Why leave through the main door if your window's already open?
Tim made his way to Park Rom faster than he had anticipated. He was really excited to watch the movie, yeah it definitely had no correlation to who's place he was going. At all. Shut up.
Tim still remembers the first time he walked through crime alley, terrified didn't even reach the bottom line of how it felt to jump through the rooftops here. It wasn't just trashed places or the littering, it was filth. The darkest and nastiest filth Tim had ever witnessed in his life. Even as Robin, especially as Robin, walking in crime alley without overlooking your shoulders every two seconds was damn near impossible. The crooks and creeps that claimed crime alley as theirs made sure no one, not even trained vigilantes, felt safe grappling around.
But, that was before Hood.
Even if they wouldn't admit, the best place to live if you wanted a comfortable life was crime alley. Yup you heard that right. You want to feel not necessarily safe but definitely unthreatened then Park Row it is. One of the cleanest places in Gotham, in every way possible.
Close to zero crooks and creeps around the corners waiting to steal or assault you. Littering was taken hella serious here. You wouldn't lose your life over it but a broken arm got the message across pretty nicely. There were almost no drugs on the streets, and if someone showed up selling it, the neighborhood itself would get the message to Hood. So fuck what Tim said earlier, it is the safest place in Gotham.
Turning inside an alley before making his way up a fire escape, propping himself on the window. Working through disarming Jason's security measures was by far the highlight of Tim's day. And he only got one thing wrong. Jason was always changing something minor in his security, one mistake and boom. The apartment wouldn't blow up or anything–because that would defeat the whole purpose of setting up the mechanism in the first place–but whoever messed up in breaking in most definitely would.
Tim closed the window behind himself before he heard an automatic click of the security setting itself back up. Nice. The window Tim had come through from was a room Jason had transformed into his working space. Guns, swords, daggers all lined on the walls. A suit Tim had never seen, and a helmet half opened. Its software was clearly being messed around with. Coming to his senses Tim halted in the middle of the room. Wait what if he's not home? His suit isn't here, neither is his helmet. Fuck what if he's out Red Hooding? Tim hadn't considered that he could be out as well. He should have called.
A noise from outside the room followed by a muffed “fuck.” pulled Tim back to reality. He's home! Tim made his way to the door, in that blinding darkness it was the inside of the room. Tripping on something was a given. What he didn't expect however was the crash that followed, as he bumped against one of the desks, dropping a box of God knows what. That splattered on the floor. Loudly.
Opening the door open in a haste because the noise was so loud Tim thought he would go blind from it. Coming face to face with a very alarmed Jason and a kitchen knife, a huge kitchen knife.
“Holy fuck kid,” Jason said furrowing his brows. “The fuck you doing here?”
“Movie night!”
Jason looked at Tim like he had been struck by lightning and lived to tell the tale of how he became Thor.
“And ya couldn't come through the fuckin door like a normal person?”
“We're not exactly normal.”
Tim said with a shrug as he walked past Jason, who just sighed closing the door to the room Tim had just destroyed, mumbling something along the lines of smartass. Tim was setting his phone on the balcony so he didn't quite get it. Besides he's pretty sure he broke something in there, is Jason not going to check?
Jason made his way to the kitchen, tossing the knife back inside the utensils drawer. He was cleaning, that much Tim could tell, why was he cleaning at 11pm? Tim didn't really care. He used to clean at night as well when he couldn't sleep, and he was secen. Whatever it was Jason's using to clean the balcony had a really good fragrance.
“What are you using?”
Jason looked around a bit before lifting a thin purple container sliding it over to Tim, who picked it and took a picture. He was definitely using it in his bathroom, and possibly showing it to Alfred. He never saw Alfred using it so maybe he didn't know about it. Very nice fragrance, Alfred would love it.
“Why are you here?” Jason asked, keeping his attention on wiping the whole premises of the balcony.
“I want to watch a movie.”
“Yeah no, I got that. Why me?”
Which earned him a very down turned frown.
“Why would I watch a movie with Damian?”
“Dick?”
“He talks more than he watches”
Jason scoffed softly, it sounded like a quiet chuckle. Tim was fine with either. “Fair enough, what movie is it?”
“Project Hail Mary!”
“Ah that one, I–”
“You already watched it?!”
Tim rightfully so cut Jason off, what did he mean by "ah that one” does that mean he watched it already? Tim made this trip just to watch the movie with someone who had already seen it? Okay, maybe he overreacted a bit but he walked for 30 minutes to get here!! Jason laughed, making Tim feel hyper aware of the fact he screamed just a second ago, at the thought of betrayal. As if everyone and their mom hadn't already seen this movie.
“Nah buddy, I only saw some bits and pieces. Haven't watched it yet.”
“Alright, good!” Tim beamed. “What do you have?”
“You want spoilers?”
“What? No! I meant snacks, what snacks do you have?”
“Uh close to none.”
“You–what? What do you even eat?”
Jason shrugged.
“I don't know, real food?”
“Snacks are real food!”
“Vegetables, you should try it.”
“Yuck.”
It didn't take long before Jason and Tim were out, walking to a convenience store. Walking. As if Jason didn't have a monster cycle just chilling there for them to go faster. Nooo he wants to walk. Blame him all you want but Tim's sick and tired of walking. Sick Victorian child rest echoed in his mind. No! He is not, does not and will not get sick or tired! He's–he's hungry, yes! Yeah, that's it. He's just hungry, that's why he's a little low on energy. Shut up Damian.
“You know..usually people talk with the voices inside their heads inside their heads.”
Jason's voice cut through their silent walk. Was that just..a random share of trivial knowledge?
“What..?”
“I don't know what you were hearing but ya ass just screamed no, real loud.”
Oh. Oh. Okay yeah no he's done. Tim needs a hole to open up right now. He's going to bury himself in dirt minecraft style. Anything, please anything to get him out of his impending doom of voicing a thought out loud. Maybe if he stayed quiet Jason would forget what happened and move on. Or not because Jason laughed. Laughed. At him. Okay God just strike me already.
“Stop laughing” Tim muttered, through his shame. He should've stayed in his bed. Jason only laughed at you if you did something stupid or if you were the stupid.
“Get out of your head buddy, you're good.” That just made Tim want to become one with the sidewalk. “Everyone talks to themselves, it's not that big of a deal.”
“Why are you laughing then?” Timothy for the love of god, stop digging yourself deeper. You don't even want to know that!
“Cuz you scared me, that's all.” Jason shrugged but kept the shit eating grin plastered in his face.
“Right..” Tim whispered under his breath as they took a turn, there it was the convenience store. Oh thank God. Salvation. Tim grabbed his phone from his pocket. Safe to walk with your phone in your hand in crime alley, Jason performed miracles in this place, Tim thought idly as he turned his phone on. Except he didn't, his phone was dead. “cmon..”
“What?”
“My phone's dead”
“You wanna call someone?”
“No, I made a list of things I wanted to get”
“Okay and?”
Tim stared at Jason like he was a madman.
“The list is on my phone!”
“Okaay and?? You got the iq of a genius and can't remember a fuckin snack list?”
“There were specific things I wanted to get, what if I forget to get them?”
“Quit whining. If you forget, you forget.”
Jason said as he pulled the glass door open, holding it for Tim. The store was surprisingly chilly, Tim was grateful for his jacket. The place was nicely lit and there were endless rolls of isles. It did not look this big from the outside.
“Late night Pete?”
A grunt voice spoke from behind the counter, a middle aged man with a bald spot on the top of his head. Wearing a bright yellow flannel shirt. Tired but kind smile. Pete?
“You've no idea Frank,” Jason spoke naturally as he walked further inside, “Could say the same to ya, weren't u on vacation?”
“Ah you know me, can never stay too far from my girl. ”
“You know one day you gotta actually get one Frank.”
That earned a genuine laugh from the older man, not a smoker. Trivial but still worth mentioning.
“Nah, this the only girl I need.” Spoken with a proud smile. Tim couldn't tell if the girl was the store or the grumpy looking cat eyeing him down from the registry.
Going through the isles, all the way to the back. Apparently they're starting off with the beverages. That works.
“You told him your name was Peter?” Tim asked as he opened one of the freezers, there for drinks yeah but also ice cream.
“Yup, Peter Thorpe.” Jason picked something Tim couldn't see and tossed it inside the basket, he got that at some point. Tim missed it entirely. “Still legally dead, remember?”
Jason moved through the isles with practiced ease, obviously he probably came here a thousand times already. Tim was the one looking everything closely to find what he was looking for. Occasionally asking Jason where something was. At some point, Jason just went back to the cash register to talk with Frank, as Jason had called him. Tim couldn't exactly make out what they were saying, but sometimes their laughs would echo through the store. Huh. Laughing. It sounded so natural, well Jason always sounded natural with everyone but them. At least with some of them. Damian and Alfred had the natural Jason, obviously. Damian who grew up with Jason while he was with the league and Alfred because..well he's Alfred.
The real problem was the others, the ones Jason didn't know very well. Like Steph, Cass, Duke and Tim. And the ones he did know, Bruce and Dick. It really feels like they're tiptoeing around Jason. Obviously Jason's a lot more comfortable around them now but in the beginning it wasn't good. At all. Tim remembers it very clearly. Not that he had any problems with Jason or vice-versa but watching how Jason couldn't physically be in the same room with Dick and Bruce simultaneously in the beginning–after escaping from the league– was heartbreaking. They're doing good now, slowly but surely. Still, hearing Jason be so..normal was nice.
Tim made his way to Jason after he made sure he wasn't forgetting anything he put on his list, he was very specific about how he went about getting snacks for movies. Making his way just enough to hear Frank.
“The kid he yours?”
“Nah, he's my dad's”
Frank chuckled, mumbling something Tim couldn't get.
“Younger brother?” Jason answered with something similar to getting there before Frank could continue. “You said you had one, kid. You got two!”
Two? Right, right. Damian. Jason came to Gotham with Damian, Frank probably met Damian then. How long did he know Frank for?
“Yeah well, my dad's a soft heart.”
Tim walked over to the cashier placing his basket on top of it. Heavy. Maybe he overdid it. His mother would probably scold him from the amount of things he got.
“Got everything?”
“Yup!”
Frank was quick to start passing their stuff through the scanner, Tim felt really bad for the amount of things he got.
“You kids going on a trip?” Frank asked smoothly, a practiced ease that only someone who had been doing this for years would have.
“No, we're watching a movie.” Tim didn't feel the need to be overly polite for some reason. Maybe if he was too polite it would look weird, and blow Jason's cover for some reason.
“Ah you kids know how to prep for movies,” Frank nodded with a gruff laugh, sounding really pleased with the snacks they had gotten. Jason cut in before Frank could continue. Mimicking Frank's way of speaking.
“Back in my day..”
“Oy, disrespectful lil’ shit.” Frank smiled fondly.
————
Alfred opened the door to the manor, carrying the newly acquainted grocery bags. Calling out that he had arrived.
“Master Timothy, I have arrived.”
Making his way to the kitchen, placing the bags on the dinner table. Furrowing his brows slightly when he was met with nothing but silence.
“Master Timothy?”
Alfred called once more as he made his way upstairs. Opening the door to Tim's room. Empty. Bed slightly unmade and the window wide open. “Oh dear.”
————
“Alrighty,” Nightwing smiled, patting his own shoulders as he looked at the ball of drug dealers tied up together on a wall. “Oracle, you can tip gcpd right about..now!”
“On it.”
Came through his comms. Grappling himself to one of the nearby rooftops. With an unnecessary flip, that haters hate. The hater in question being the grumpiest preteen Dick has ever known.
“You will hurt your back one day by flipping so close to the floor.”
“Are you worried?” Dick smiled plopping down next to Damian. “Aw baby bat, the floor and I are besties.”
“Considering your lack of, I'm not surprised.”
“Ouch, I'm crying about it to B.”
“Robin is right.” Bruce's voice creeped behind them, making them both jump. Damian recovered faster.
“About me not having friends?”
“What? No, about hurting your back.”
“See, you're wrong~”
Dick cooed ruffling Damian's hair, earning himself a puff from his younger brother.
“Master Bruce?”
Alfred's voice sounded through the comms. The general comms, unusual.
“Yes?”
“I urge you, please do not panic sir.”
Damian and Dick were already up. Not how you start a conversation.
“Master Timothy has left the manor sir. And I cannot contact him.”
————
Tim helped set the rest of the bags on the balcony, while Jason started to put them away in the freezer and cabinets.
“I can't believe I fucking payed for this.”
Tim looked up, picking around just enough to see Jason holding the ice cream.
“What's wrong with ice cream?”
“With ice cream? Nothing. With the flavor you picked? Everything.” Jason turned around, closing the freezer behind him. “ Who the fuck gets duran flavored ice cream??”
“It's not that bad!”
“Which means it's not good either.”
“I didn't say that.”
“Well you made no effort to deny it.”
“You gotta try it first before having an opinion,” Picking up a bag of the savory snack to bring it to the coffee table. Coffee, he forgot to get it. “Don't pre-judge it.”
Jason sighed very dramatically, almost Dick-like in his delivery. Before making his way to his room, coming back with pillows and blankets. Huh Frank was right, they do know how to prep for movies.
“What's the movie about again?”
“Um, Earth dying, scientists leave, find cure, save earth.”
“Oh, so like every other space movie.”
Tim shook his head. “Bernard said it was better than Interstellar.”
“Bullshit.”
“Bart said something similar.”
Tim crawled his way to the couch, snuggling himself on the blankets.
“You gotta get new friends,”
Tim turned to Jason who was turning off the lights.
“Why?”
“Cuz they out of their minds.”
As he plopped down on the couch next to Tim. A good distance, he knew Jason didn't do proximity. It was good. It was a nice break from how his movie nights usually went, always someone snuggled up with him. It was fine. Having a good time watching a movie did not come hand in hand with cuddling. Even if everyone did it. Jason isn't everyone and neither is Tim. He's not everyone. He's not everyone. Okay but maaaybe the distance was a bit much. “Timothy don't be needy”—”WOW” Tim suddenly screamed, startling Jason.
“That came out a lot louder than I meant, sorry.” Clearing his throat, embarrassed. Because he did not mean for that to come out at all. “Well, um we'll see it for ourselves.” Tim smiled, before gluing his eyes to the tv. And Tim swore the couch shook just slightly before the movie started playing. Jason laughed at him twice in a single day. He will forever blame his mom.
————
“Why is his location off?” Duke's voice came through the comms.
“That's not really Tim's style.” Steph completed, which was true. Tim turned his locator off when at least one person knew where he was. Usually Barbara or Alfred.
“I don't know.”
Dick answered, stabilizing his voice to the best of his abilities. He was hardcore panicking. Maybe it was nothing. It was probably nothing. No no no no the last time it was probably nothing one of his brothers turned up dead. So it is something! And it certainly didn't help that they each searched a corner of Gotham and turned up empty.
“I cannot reach Akhi,” Damian's voice came through. Only adding to Dick's anxiety.
“So he's probably asleep” Dick breathed out.
“Most likely,” There was a brief pause on Damian's comm. “I still want to check.”
Even if Jason wasn't asleep they couldn't just go up to him and demand for his help. Tim was their responsibility, and that would put unnecessary stress on Jason that would set them back months of progress. And even then. If Jason was asleep they wouldn't wake him up. He struggled with night terrors, a night's sleep meant a lot more to him than to them. They would brave his anger for not asking for help.
“Son, if Jay is asleep-”
“Akhi would have Drake back to us in minutes.”
That's true. Failed another brother? Echoed in Dick's head. No no no. Shut it. Shut it down Dick.
“Jason will understand the disturbance, Father.”
Dick didn't really hear a whole lot after that. Focusing on his breathing instead. In and out. Slowly. Panicking helps no one. Maybe Tim is okay. Not in Bernard's house, or Bart's, or Kon's or his own. Okay, okay he's smart. Really smart. Breathe, in and out. Yeah just like that, in and out. Who's voice was that?
“Dick?” Bruce's voice. Bruce? Where was he? “Hey..chum? Dick do you hear me?”
A set of strong hands grounded Dick's shoulders. He nodded. Speaking through short breaths.
“He's smart. Tim. Tim is smart.”
“He is.”
“And..and we'll get Jason right?”
“Yes, we will.”
“Okay..”
Next time Bruce's voice cut through the silence of the comms, it came with a location.
“I'm sending you all a location. Do not engage, I repeat do not engage. Damian will go inside alone first.”
————
Tim didn't know what time it was when the movie reached its climax. Rocky almost died. Tim was ready to drop the whole movie if he had. Even if it earned him a scowl from the man next to him who was very interested in the movie. Which yeah, fair. For now Bernard was right. Tim wondered if Jason would admit that Hail Mary was better. Maybe not. His taste might be different.
By the time they learned that Grace had been forcefully sedated and put in a coma to go as the scientist against his will, Jason and Tim shared a look that could only be described as what the fuck.
Tim's interest in the movie remained the same up until the end half of it. It didn't get boring, or uninteresting. At all. But his body just couldn't keep his eyelids open. He really tried to stay awake. And he was managing it. If Jason hadn't moved closer and plopped Tim's head against his chest then he would've made it. By the time the all compassing warmth reached Tim, his conscience was too far gone for him to pull it back. Snuggling himself further as his breaths evened out. He really wanted to see the end of the movie, but he was on rest duty. It would be disrespectful to not rest. Yeah that was it.
Tim was awakened by voices, several voices. Was the movie not over? Ugh his head was hurting. He's still tired. The voices are so close. Did Jason turn the volume up? There was someone holding him, it was not Jason. Maybe that's what woke him up. Blue. Blue was all Tim saw as he opened his eyes.
“And you don't call?”
That was Jason, which was slightly far from him. Wait blue? Nightwing blue? Dick?
“I called Akhi!”
“Son, it's okay. Tim is fine, that's all that matters.”
“Not really, y'all were spiraling when you got here.”
Tim wiggled his head slightly as his eyes became adjusted with the bright lights. Wait, why is everyone here? Dick looked down, he looked a little pale but smiled nonetheless when he saw Tim.
“What are you guys doing here?”
Tim mumbled using his hand as a shield from the overhead lamp currently blinding him, as he made no effort to get out of Dick's bear hug. Oh wait Steph is also here. Wait Cass and Duke too? They did not look happy, in the slightest.
“Looking for you dumbass, we thought you were dead!”
Steph exasperated as she tore through a bag of chips. Tim received a very serious nod from Cass. Followed by signing, so fast Tim's brain struggled to pick up. A series of we looked for you everywhere, never do that again, keep your locator on at all times, tell us where you're going. And by the time Tim started making sense of Cass's words he realised he was getting scolded.
They ran a check up on him. Unnecessary–procedure–still unnecessary. He was very clearly okay. Dick then proceeded to tell Tim, when Alfred had realised he wasn't home and how he couldn't reach him. Which Tim apologized for at least ten times, explaining his phone died and he forgot to ask for a charger. How long they had been looking for him before deciding to come to Jason's to ask for help. Apparently they assumed Jason was asleep, but when they really couldn't find him they decided to come.
Jason was in the kitchen with Bruce and Damian. They were speaking so quietly that Steph reaching for the bag of chips alone drowned their voices out. Tim felt pretty horrible right now. First, for making them worry. And second, for blowing this place's cover. The only ones who knew about this specific location were him, Damian and Alfred. And now everyone knew because he was stupid and forgot to charge his phone. Jason would probably just tell them to leave and never allow Tim in his space again. “Timothy, you should never make yourself a burden.” “Act with confidence and don't be sloppy, that will drive even us away from you.” “Disgracefu–” What does that even have to do with anything happening right now mom?! He really wanted to shut her up. He really wanted to. Tim's thoughts were interrupted by a whistle.
“Dude!” Duke laughed from somewhere close to the…bedroom? Wait no from inside the bedroom. “I love this!”
“Little D stop snooping.”
“Dick wait, I want to see it!”
Steph swatted her hand turning her head towards the bedroom door, where Duke emerged from it holding a stuffed toy. A fat looking Red Hood toy.
“Of course you love it, I was the one who got it for Jason.”
Damian just emerged back from the kitchen as he took a seat on the couch. Oh God they were still wearing their dirty suits. They were all seated on the couch with their dirty suits!
“Where did you even find this?”
Steph who was taking her time squeezing the stuffed toy asked, really amused by it.
“Local business, I named him Fatson.”
“Fitting name.”
They talked for minutes before Tim realised they were all, still there? So they're not getting kicked out? Tim thought idly. It's Jason not upset at Tim? He just blew the cover of the only place the rest of their family didn't know about. Well even if technically Damian brought them here. They were all sitting on his couch, like it was just another day. Talking and laughing comfortably. Is it really okay for them to just—I don't know, invade Jason's space?
Obviously Tim's eyes searched for Jason in the apartment. Finding him still in the kitchen, however now Tim could actually see him. He was just standing there. Normally. Comfortably. Leaning against the balcony like it was just, again...another day. Was it?
Subconsciously Tim was looking for an answer, maybe some enlightened? Because this is most definitely not taking it slow. Maybe he looked like it too. Because Jason locked eyes with him, smiled and mouthed something we had said earlier that night.
“Get out of your head buddy, we're good.”
————
"What were you guys watching?”
"Project Hail Mary.”
”WHAT?!”
“Betrayal.”
“I haven't watched it yet, is the ending cool?”
“I fell asleep…”
“I didn't see it.”
“hm? Why?”
“Oh I broke in here."
“Apparently no one gets the concept of the front door, even those with the keys to it.”
“It is no fun to walk through the front door, Akhi.”
“I told him that.”
“You said you weren't normal."
“Same thing.”
————
Tim woke up the next day with a big ass scold from Alfred about safety and communication.