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Gotham was a relative alright city to live in. Sure, there were many criminals, but if you avoid these corners or play along everything mostly goes well, and if not will one of the bats come. So you didn’t had to worry about that too much. Everyone was minding their own business and the academy was like every other one.
And these facts were good, they were brilliant. Just people living their own lives the best and happiest they could. Or now did they? They’re like every other part of society too, so of course they had stereotypes.
But now Tim didn’t fit into these stereotypes. Of course, he’s „not right in the head“, just „confused“ because that’s what people called him. Well, people he interacted with, and there weren’t many of that.
It was mostly school, the classmates. Or just random people on sidewalks because his voice didn’t match his looks. People don’t like things that don’t fit their self made up norm. The norm people brought into society decades ago because they needed power over minorities.
Life is hard, for everyone, but Tim feels like he has to bear the double amount of what a person usually has to deal with, maybe even triple.
There’s him having the usual stress like all people his age, school and studies. Then him also being robin, which probably wasn’t so good for his sleep schedule, and then there’s him having to prove to others that he’s a boy.
But people never listened, no matter how hard he tried. When he told his teacher two years ago she told him that she’d have to talk with his parents about it and see what she could change in the system for him. But she never did. He knows she remembers, because everytime he walks past her, she gives him a guilty glance.
He thankfully had the courage to ask his new teacher on the first school day if she could change his name, who happily wrote it down and told him she’d tell it the other teachers too so he wouldn’t have to do that, she looked almost as she’d been expecting for him to come up to her and ask that.
His new classmates were confused the first time she had called Tim and asked who that was, she then told them for him, which was actually really nice. It was just bad that they kept glancing at him weirdly.
He just hopes that they’ll forget his deadname, which his teacher called him on the first day, so even if they don’t accept him they have to call him by his chosen name because they can’t remember.
Yes, that’s the reality, most people aren’t as accepting as his friends. But now he doesn’t even have them as support anymore, he’s alone in this new class. He didn’t got to catch up with his studies so he needed to retake the year.
He was scared at first with Bruce finding out about it, because what if he toke robin from him because he couldn't handle both lives? But Bruce was the most understanding one out of all people he talked to.
Bruce was kind to him, tried to tell him that it's fine to make mistakes, even though as vigilantes it wasn't that fine sometimes, especially when a rouge got away.
Tim got snapped out of his thoughts when the clock of the school went off. Right, he was in class. He hadn't paid attention to any of it, he's too focused onto his thoughts.
He felt like the guys were looking at him weirdly again, but there's nothing he could do. The only person he got along with in this new class is that one girl whom he shares similar interests with.
But that's not good. People will probably assume he's a girl too if he only hangs around with girls, that's how society works. So it's better to stand around alone, even though you look like the biggest freak like that.
But anything is better than your identity being ripped from you just because of your friends.
He hated that.
Shoot, he spaced out again and now almost everyone already left the classroom. He quickly grabs his bag and hurried to the door, but in a way it looks normal and not like he's running from his teacher.
The hallway was an alright volume, it's the second floor after all and everyone needs to get down to the ground floor for break, so now it will be loud, very loud.
Tim searched through the few people that were still up here, and thankfully non of his old classmates were here. He needs to go downstairs still.
Since school started again two weeks ago he was feeling unwell and having a headache non-stop during school hours. It was terrible.
But he didn't wanted to ask his dad for medicine for the pain, he would only say his mind is making him feel unwell so he can stay home from school, and then there would be a talk about his mental health, which Tim doesn't want to have.
He never liked talking to his parents, they always were so absent when talking. It's not like they didn't care, they did, but they should care more and in the right way.
And now that his mother is gone he feels a bit more tense talking to his dad than before. But they're fixing their relationship at the moment, which is good, Tim is glad for that.
Sometimes his father can be a bit much and he would get annoyed, but then again he enjoys the time he now spends with him.
It just hurts that he won't accept him. Or well, he does accept him, just not in the right way. It would be nice to hear him at least once call Tim by his name.
He told Tim he would call him like that when they're in private, but he never did. It hurts. Sure, he allows Tim to cut his hair, getting a binder, different clothes, but why not acknowledge him as Tim?
So yes, their relationship was getting better, but not between Tim and his dad, no, between his dad and his 'daughter'.
When he first came out to them, his mom said "of course I knew, I'm not dumb".
But if they knew, why did they never ask him? They could have asked him if he's a boy, but no, he was suffering for years in silence because he thought they will never accept him.
He crashed forward, some kid walked into him. Right, school, gosh, he kept forgetting that. He's still in school, first break. He really gotta work on his attention span.
So many people stuffed together in one place, schools didn't make sense. He needs to find his friends, or at least a quiet place. They're probably in the library, they always hung out there together, always their group.
Tim had some simple bread with cheese with him, yummy. Just everything a growing teenager needs.
On the other side of the library were sitting his old classmates, he didn't like them, they've been making fun of him the past year. It seems kinda pathetic that he told no one, or at least no adult, about that.
But his self esteem is shit, he can't help that. It's always been like that since 5th grade for some reason. Gosh, how he missed being a kid. But also not, he hates being [dead name], but the memories of her are so beautiful.
He mours the time he had, the one he will never have and then one he could have had in another life. He hates being trans. But who really ever enjoyed it?
"Hey, Timmy, we going inside?" a familiar voice ripped him out of his thoughts. Liz. She was alright, have known eachother since years.
"Yeah, sorry Liz" he gave a light smirk to it, trying to come over as less nervous as possible, if that's even possible with all his shaking. "Have you seen Bernhard today already?"
Liz just stared at him for a minute, if he didn't knew her he would think she was planning to torture and murder him.. which on second thought as Robin wouldn't be that weird due this being Gotham.
"Duh, we're in the same classes. I'm surprised you haven't seen him yet"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He rolled his eyes as the two settled to finally go into the library which is way quieter than anything else in this building.
"Exactly the way you think" Tim scoffed and she just chuckled, wonderful.
"What lessons you got now?" What a ass boring question, but small talk about classes and teachers is way better than overthinking right now.
Even though he wasn't really far from overthinking. Whatever Liz said got into his one ear and out of the other again.
Whatever, not like it was important anyways.. but it's important to Liz. He gotta focus and lock in onto that conversation. For Liz.
"And then our teacher said he's gonna jump out that window if someone else would-" okay, maybe not all of it is important.
Tim mentally rolled his eyes before they both turned to the door as the clicking of the lock filled the quiet space. Standing in the door was Bernhard. Tim was starting and Liz could tell he would be drooling if this wasn't a school space.
"Tim, you good? Oh, and hi Liz" Bernhard smiled as he made his way over to the two and sat down between them. Squished between them.
"No, Tim isn't good, he just saw the live of his life and fell out of all clouds" she tried teasing him but just scoffed as he didn't react.
Thankfully the awkward moment was broken by the bell, school, am I right? Now Tim won't be able to see the two again till tomorrow, shucks.
But alright, just a few more lessons and then he would be home, he will be spending some time with his dad! Now that wasn't too bad.
He now just needs to make it through the school day. Through the stares, judgement and comments. He can do this, he needs to do this. For his dad, for B, for himself.