Work Text
The Red Hood looked out over the streets of Gotham. His body was exhausted and he wasn’t sure if he was thinking clearly. He wanted to go to home, shower, and crash, but he had a few more matters to see to before he could head in for the night. He had to go scare the shit out of some dealers, threaten some pimps, and make sure no one stole Gloria on fifth street’s shoes again. It was starting to get cold out and she should really make sure to bring her some socks.It was about three hours before he can start heading home. A couple of assholes were pretty clearly scoping out a family owned pharmacy. Add about fifteen minutes to that time. Inconsiderate criminals were the most annoying. Finally, he was at the home stretch. Just a couple more blocks and he would be able to crawl into his safe house and relax for a few hours before the whole damn thing started again, but as he was coming up he saw a small figure out of his periphery.He let the guy gain on him a little. It would be easier if he got close. The idiot did. What was he even doing out here. He didn’t weigh much when Jason held him by his throat against a wall. He was scrawny, didn’t look like he had anything on his bones. He was wearing a red hoodie and had a red bandanna covering his nose and mouth.“Why are you following me?”There was no way this kid wasn’t aware of the situation he was in, it was pretty clear that he wouldn’t be able to put up a fight against Jason. So, why did his eyes look calm. Calculating. Like he wanted to remember the details of the whole thing. They were icy blue and framed by dark, long eyelashes. He had seen those eyes before. He should be more scared, just like he should have been when Jason held a knife to his throat.“Fuck, Tim?”“Who are you?” he gasped out. Jason released his grip and the kid pulled off the bandanna and took in as much air as he could.“When's the last time you ate? You are light as a goddamn feather, Timmy.”That's when he was tackled into a hug. What the fuck. This was Tim. Tim who limited conversations with Jason to strictly work talk with pccaisonal banter.“Jay.”He was crying. He had his head pressed firmly into the armor and he wasn’t holding back. He was fucking sobbing.“What the fuck is going on replacement?” He sounded harsher than he meant to, but Tim clearly didn’t care and just hugged Jason tighter. All Jason could think to do was to stroke his back and try to make the same shushing noises his mom used to make when he would get scared. He did that until Tim’s breathing steadied.They couldn’t just stand like this forever. He grabbed hands that were on his back and pulled Tim away. Was that a wedding band on his finger? What the fuck? This must have been the tenth time in the past twenty minutes that Jason voiced that sentiment in his mind.Tim must have seen him staring at the hand, which should have had more calluses and scars than it did, because he stared at it too. “I have a lot that I need to explain to you. Can we go somewhere private?” When they got back to Jason’s safe house, Tim planted himself on the couch. He looked to Jason like he was just as tired as him, but he had to figure out what was going on.He sat next to Tim on the couch and took off his helmet. Tim gave him that look again.“Don’t start crying again. You need to tell me what is going on.” Jason used the same gentle voice he did when he had to get information out of an assault victim or a witness to a murder. Usually Tim would hit him for being condescending, but something told Jason that this wasn’t in any way a usual circumstance.“I know,” Tim took a deep breath, “I know.”He paused for a few seconds, looking for his composure. He found it and when he started to speak he looked like Tim again.“This isn’t my world. I can’t explain how I got here, but I’m not the same Tim you know.”Thank god he gave Jason a moment to let that sink in. Jason had heard about different dimensions. Roy started talking about the multiverse when he was drunk sometimes. He would slur on about different timelines. Little things would have been different and have had huge repercussions.When Jason nodded, Tim continued. He told Jason that he was retired and that he came here for a reason, but he couldn’t remember it.“So what do you need? Are you trying to get back?” He had so many questions. And they talked for a while. Not about themselves, but about Tim’s justice league and the technology. They eventually started cracking jokes and laughing, but Jason could tell that Tim wasn’t telling him something. He was holding back necessary information, but Jason wasn’t going to confront it. He was going to laugh with Tim.He ruined any chance he had at a friendship with his Tim Jason had never been able to shake that guilt. Tim had idolized Jason and Jason had tried to kill Tim. Now, Tim would work with him, but that was it. He watched him sometimes and saw a cold side to him that looked like Bruce, but he also saw a warmth that was only Tim’s. He would never admit to the admiration he had for the kid.“So in your reality,” Jason started, “What’s different? About you, I mean”“I mean I really don’t know. I don’t know very much about this reality. You are the first person I have found here.”“Well for one thing you do not have that rock on your finger in our world.”Tim looked suddenly nervous, “Well. I’m married. Obviously. Me and… well we got married when we decided to quit the life ya know? We went to college and we lived together. It was all really quick and romantic. Everything was right there for a little while I think.”Tim got a sort of nostalgic look that Alfred would get when he dusted the family photos that were in Bruce's office.“You and who? You and Steph? Or is it someone I wouldn’t know?”“Jason…” Tim was chewing his lip now, “I don’t know how to tell you this. I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”Jason just looked at him. Clearly not able to predict what was coming next.“You were my Husband.”He let the words hang in the air for a while. Jason was frozen where he sat.“You were my husband and you died.” They talked. They talked for hours. They talked until the sun poured in through the window and until it was high in the sky. Jason mostly just listened. He let Tim tell him about their time together. They had met when they were kids. Jason caught Tim taking pictures of batman and a friendship had started. And from that the two fell in love. From what it sounded like it was the intense kind of love that could only end in tears in their line of work, so they quit. They decided they were more important to each other than they were to the good fight.And Jason understood why Tim was looking at him the way that he did now. His Jason had died in an accident. There was a drunk driver. That’s why Tim looked so destroyed when he hugged Jason in the alley. It explained why he looked at Jason the way that he did.Jason wouldn’t admit that part of him was jealous. It was clear that life was different for Jason in that universe, but it wasn’t clear why. Apparently Jason hadn’t died when he was fourteen. He had kept the robin mantle until Damian came along, and then he went to college. He went with Tim and majored in English.He was jealous of the version of him that had Tim, which was a hardest fact to admit to himself. He wanted that. He wanted that with someone, he knew, but his stupid little crush on someone who would never love him back never seemed like such a big deal until now. Now he realized that he did have a chance, that he and Tim were capable of loving each other, but that he had ruined everything.Tim could take him in hand to hand, but only recently stopped flinching when Jason moved too quickly.The shame that Jason felt when the thought of Tim would sneak into his head late at night got worse the more it happened, but that didn’t keep him from chasing his end to the thought of being buried deep inside him. He would imagine what his voice sounded like saying his name laced with lust instead of fear.He would do anything to take back his mistakes.And now, goddammit, those same eyes were looking at Jason like he was the thing that he had lost. Even in a different universe Jason had caused Tim more pain than someone like him ever deserved.“We should go to sleep. It’s been,” Jason looked at the clock on the wall, “about forty hours since I last slept, probably more for you. I mean if you are even the least bit similar to our Tim.” Tim nodded at him with a sweet, tired smile that Jason had never seen before. “You can take the bed, I can be a good host for the inter-dimensional traveler right?”“I can take the couch I’m smaller. I doubt you would fit on that thing.”Jason would have protested, but Tim was right. Only about two thirds of his frame would actually fit on the couch laying down. He got Tim sheets and pillows and told him that they could handle everything when they woke up. Jason woke up a few hours later to the sound of footsteps in the hall. He put his gun back on the nightstand when he remembered that he had a houseguest. He saw the door crack open and Tim’s head peak through.“I…” He fixed his gaze on the dirty carpet. “I can’t sleep knowing that you’re just a few feet away. I know that your not… You aren’t the same person, but can I…”It took Jason a few moments to realize what was being requested. He wanted to sleep in the bed with Jason and pretend that it was his Jason.“Sure.” Jason could hear how awkward his voice sounded, “I should tell you that… Well I can’t help but think of my… our world’s Tim. I just…”“No worries. I’m using you just as much as your using me.” The corners of his mouth curled up a bit, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.The smaller frame crawled into bed with him. At first his back was to Jason, but he kept moving just a little and then going back, like he was tossing around the idea of cuddling up to Jason, and Jason should be damned because he wanted it to happen.Instead Tim spoke up, “Do you think you love me… I mean… Do you love him?”“That’s…”Tim flipped over and looked Jason in the eye, “I think that means yes. So why aren’t you the same here? What’s different?”“I’ve done a lot of things that he won’t ever be able to forgive me for. Things that I don’t deserve to be forgiven for.”They just looked at each other. It dragged on for what felt like it could have been an hour to Jason. Then Tim reached out and rested his hand on Jason’s cheek, and Jason pulled his body close so that Tim was breathing against his bare chest.It all felt so damn right that Jason didn’t want to fall asleep. He wanted to savor this, but he had passed exhausted hours ago and couldn't keep himself from drifting off to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Jason woke up, Tim was drooling on his chest. He had on a grey t-shirt that Jason had lent him and he just looked so damn small. His Tim wasn’t as small. After years of being Robin and Red Robin, he had quite a bit of muscle to bulk up his tiny frame, but this Tim looked fragile. No version of Tim could be helpless though, he still had those icy blue eyes that made Jason shiver. He would never admit to that though. It was 5:56. His alarm clock would go off in four minutes. He could spend four minutes indulging, just lying here with Tim. Four minutes.He stroked his arm gently, not wanting to wake him up. He was warm, well he was warm everywhere except for the freezing hand on Jason’s abdomen. He reached for it. He told himself he just wanted to move it. He wasn’t reaching to hold Tim’s hand. His larger hand wrapped around Tim’s. One minute. Dammit. He reached over with his other hand and unplugged the clock from the wall. Maybe he could sleep just a bit longer like this. Tim’s steady breathing onto his chest, his little hand curled up under Jason’s. Jason could just fall asleep like this again. So he let himself. When he woke up this time, Tim’s legs were wrapped around his thigh and Tim was letting out little strangled noises and moving his hips in way that made Jason realize that he was starting to get hard as well. “Tim!” He started to shake the other man’s shoulder. “Jay?” Tim sounded confused, but then he kept moving. He was rocking his hips back and forth, pressing his erection into Jason’s thigh. “Good morning, baby.” He was still half asleep and clearly wound up, he wasn’t thinking about what he was doing. “How did you sleep?”“Tim.” Jason did his best not to squeal out the name, but it still sounded less in control than he would have liked.“It’s okay baby. I’ve got you.” He clearly misinterpreted Jason’s earlier plea, because his hand was reaching for the clear bulge in Jason’s sweatpants. Jason grabbed his wrist and Tim immediately halted all of his movements. “I- I’m sorry. I wasn’t…”What the hell could he do about this. He did what he always did. He ran away.“I’m going to go make something to eat.” Tim wandered out of the room as Jason was scooping some eggs out onto plates.“Here.” He brought both plates to the table along with some water. For a while they just stared at each other and ate there eggs. Jason would look up from his eggs and find Tim staring at him.Tim was the one who finally spoke. “I’m sorry,” he said, looking directly at Jason still.“It’s fine. I get you just thought-”“No, I didn’t.” what? “I knew it wasn’t him. You just smell like him. And you mutter in your sleep just he did. I wasn’t confused. I was just pretending.”“That’s…” and Jason didn’t know how to respond to that. Clearly that wasn’t an okay thing to do, but Jason had stopped it. He didn’t know if would have if he knew what Tim was doing.“But you feel the same way, right. I mean you want me. Well, not me, but it’s obvious you do. How long have you been in love with him? How long have you been ignoring you’re feeling for him?”“That isn’t just a simple answer. I’ve done things that…” Jason couldn’t admit those things out loud to Tim, who had no idea, “It isn’t your place to tell me what I should do.”“I’m not telling you to confess your feelings to him, but maybe we could just. Maybe we could pretend.”“What? Play house? You have to get back. We need to go see Bruce.” Jason was confirming more than anything. After all, this was some version of Tim wanting him. Jason wished he was a strong enough man to say no. “We can wait a little while right? I won’t tell if you don’t.” How in the hell was he so calm about this?Jason took the empty plates to the sink. How was he supposed to respond to this? “I don’t know, Tim.”“You do know. You know this is exactly what you want. You aren’t hesitating because you don’t want me, you are hesitating because you think you’re taking advantage of me.” Tim had come up right behind him. “You aren’t taking advantage of me, Jay.” He must have been on his toes, ‘cause his breath was against Jason’s ear when he spoke next in a tone that was way too low, “I want you. Jason, please. Fuck me.”Fuck.Jason turned around and pinned Tim’s body to the counter. He grabbed him by the hair and pulled him. “Is this what you want?”“No. I want so much more.” He jumped up and wound his legs around Jason’s waist. Jason knew how obvious it was that he was hard in this position. He let himself grab Tim’s ass and squeezed. That was it. That was fucking it. The little noise Tim made was enough to knock him on his ass every damn time. No more hesitation. No more guilt. He was taking this. He needed this. Tim felt like he was made for Jason, and he just looked so beautiful. His body was so small and pale. He was laying on the bed, his head turned to the side, both hands fisting the sheets as Jason pounded into him. If he didn’t believe Tim before, he sure as hell did now. He knew every little look and every sweet spot on Jason’s body. Even the best first time fuck wasn’t this good. He knew Jason’s body. “Shit! Jay! Right There! Fuck!”“You’re so fucking pretty for me babybird, you know that?” Jason was trying so hard to keep his composure, but lost every drop of it when he heard Tim mutter something. That couldn’t have been right. Tim could have wanted to be called that. “What was that?”Tim looked shy all of the sudden. “That’s what you call. You really like it. I know.” Jason definitely did like it, but Tim didn’t look nearly as certain as he sounded. “Okay, Princess, I got you. Tell me exactly what you want me to do now.” Jason almost didn’t want to patrol. Almost. He knew that, for now, Tim would be waiting for him when he got back. So he said goodbye, using the same pet name Tim had asked him to use. He tried not to think too much about what he was doing. Thinking leads to thinking rationally and asking questions that there weren’t answers to. He was gonna ride this until it was over. He didn’t really give a damn about the consequences. He just wanted a minute to be happy. He was lost in his head when he noticed wings. Red Robin was walking towards him. “Quiet night, Hood?”“Yeah. Stopped a mugging. Nothing major.”“Yeah, me too.”Silence. Awkward silence. There hadn’t been this much tension between them in years. Or maybe Jason was just imagining it. He must have been, because soon Tim was talking to him again and Jason was thanking the powers that be he couldn’t see Tim’s eyes. He wouldn’t be able to handle that after he had spent the afternoon looking into the same ones. “So we have this perfect imitation of Nightwing bantering with actual Nightwing while I’m trying to figure out who it is. And then it hits me, this is one of his ex girlfriends who happened to be evil. I don’t remember which one, but it doesn’t really matter. So she is flirting with him, while she is him, and the damn guy starts flirting back. Then she leans into for a kiss and of course… Are you even listening to me?”Jason’s mind tries to remember any damn detail of what Tim was telling him. “Sorry, caught up in my own head I guess. What were you saying, Princess.”Tim’s skin, what isn’t covered by the Red Robin suit, immediately turns a dark shade of red. He doesn’t move at all. His face stuck in a confused and slightly scared look.“Is everything okay, Red?” Jason’s mind starts to run through every possibility. What kind of toxin would only affect Tim? He was most likely exposed earlier and it has a delayed onset. That means it took a while to metabolize and if Tim didn’t notice-“Why did you call me princess?” Oh.Oh, dammit.“Red… I…”“Who told you? Was it Kon?”“No. No one told me anything. What are you talking about?” He could try to play this off as a coincidence, but he didn’t know if Tim would just let it go. Now he was embarrassed. Wait…. Kon?As in?“You fucking the clone, Tim?” Yup, that was definitely jealousy Jason was hearing in his own voice.Now there was rage apparent in his voice, “I thought you said you didn’t know what I was talking about. I’m gonna fucking kill him.”Now what was he going to tell him. Not the truth that’s for damn sure. Exit strategy. He didn’t need one. He was literally on a roof. Exits all around. “Just remembered I have some business to take care of.”And with that he was gone. It was early, only about one. Usually he would head home at about four, but he was missing Tim. When he came in through the window, Tim was standing over the counter, working on something. When Jason got a better look, he realized he was kneading dough.“Since when do you cook, Princess?” How the hell had that become instinct in a few hours.“I don’t cook. I have a tendency to burn water. I am currently baking. Much less intuition, much more more chemistry.”Jason just nodded and smiled. He was never expecting to come home in the middle of the night to find Tim baking bread, but it was nice. “I’m going to go shower. After that we can eat your bread and figure what exactly we are going to do about all of this.” While he was in the shower Jason tried to think of a solution that he would feel okay about and have Tim end up in the shower with him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Stakeouts were the worst. Criminals were surprisingly boring. Maybe if they were talking about something interesting he could get his mind on something else. Maybe he could think about something other than the past week. Everything was fine when he was with Tim, but now he had time to think about how big of a piece of shit someone had to be to do what he was doing. After a few hours of listening to these morons and stewing in his self hatred, Jason gave up for tonight. Nothing big was happening. Not what he was waiting for. No one was there that he had been waiting for. He would kick someones ass tonight for giving him bad info, but for now he was done with this shit. As he was standing up to go, he feet hit the roof he was on. It was too loud to be accidental. The guy knew to announce his presence to avoid a bullet a wound.“Hey, Dickie.”“Where have you been, Jay?” His relationship with Dick had recovered over the past few years more than his with anyone else. It was just like Dick to forgive someone who should be beyond forgiveness. Just like Dick to come check on him when no one had heard from him in days. Just like him to be the only one to notice he wasn’t around. “You know me.”That wasn’t an answer. Dick let it slide. Just like him to save it for later. “What’s the deal here. Stakeout?”He didn’t want to go back to Tim. Not with this guilt. He would wait. He didn’t need Tim. This was better if he was just a warm body and he wasn’t wishing for the real thing.”“Eh, bad info. Got plans tonight?” Get drunk with Dick. That’s a plan. They went to Dick’s apartment, as well as his fully stocked fridge. They drank beer and played video games for a while. When Dick started getting personal it was easy just to force the conversation towards his life. He could talk for hours.“So I heard his name was Tiger.”Dick let out a wheezing sort of giggle noise and nodded.“Where the fuck do you find these guys, Goldie?”“Ya know, life.”“Has he tried to kill you yet?”“Just the once, but man he is so good in bed.”Jason rolled his eyes at his brother’s ridiculous openness. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. Did you sleep with him before or after”“I mean.. after, but he is so hot. He’s big and broad,” Dick leaned in close to Jason, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear him in his empty apartment, “And so fucking hairy.”“Oh my God, that’s disgusting. I really didn’t need to know you were into that.”Dick was so giggly when he drank.“How about you? Getting any?”“Jesus christ. I really don’t need to have this conversation with you.”“That’s a no,” Dick slurred out. “How are you not fucking anyone. Even Tim has a boyfriend. You’re falling behind.”…“Oh yeah. Kon, was it? Superboy?”He tried to sound amused. He hoped Dick was too far gone to notice he wasn’t.“Yeah. Here I am, being the best slut I can be, trying my hardest, and Timmy gets a super on his first try. I’m a little bit bitter.”It was hard to tell if he was kidding, or being more honest than he meant to be. “I really don’t want to start talking about Tim’s sex life either.”“Whatever. You’re just jealous. You’ve been resigned to childhood crush. He’s has moved on to…”The end of Dick’s sentence came out too slurred for Jason to understand. He was thankful, because judging by the way Dick giggled it was sexual and Jason didn’t need that right now.”It was confirmed. Superboy. Jason never really met him. If he was anything like the guy superman was, he was exactly what Tim deserved. Someone well-intentioned and kind. Hopefully, he could give Tim what he deserved. So much. He was probably good. He probably deserved Tim as well. Unlike Jason, who was fucking him without telling him. He had to end this. He had to send him back. “Dick. I need to see Bruce. Something… happened. I need his help.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Jason told Bruce, he left out what had gone on between them, in this universe and the other. Somehow he imagined that bruce would still be mad at him for marrying Tim, even if it wasn’t this version of him who did it. Dick was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed next to Tim. Jason could see that he was thinking. He was frowning slightly and staring at nothing. He was less concerned as the double, and more concerned as the detective.Bruce took it all in, just looking at Jason while he processed the story. “What aren’t you telling me, Jason?”“It isn’t necessary.”“All of it is. You know that. I need to know every detail you know.”The batman voice didn’t intimidate Jason, but he knew Bruce was right. He sure as hell wasn’t going to be the one to tell him though. So he brought Tim in. It was easier for him to explain it to Bruce, because he was used to Bruce knowing and being happy for them. Bruce just nodded, holding his chin in his hand. His face didn’t betray any emotion while Tim spoke.Their world’s Tim looked almost shocked. When he caught Jason’s eye, he studied him. Jason couldn’t take that, and he knew when to retreat, so he did. He found Alfred in the kitchen. Alfred was safe. He offered him some chocolate chip cookies and Jason settled at the counter. The cookies were chewy. He ate three before Tim came up. He glared at Jason“You slept with him.”Shit. Fucking detective. Too fucking smart for his own good. Jason couldn’t lie.“What are you talking about?” He could try to lie, but the glare doesn’t drop. “Why?”“I…” What the fuck could he say. He didn’t know what assumptions Tim was making. “How did you know?”“Do you think I’m stupid? How long has he been here? How long had he been here before you decided this was the version of me that you liked? What was it? He wasn’t Robin, he wasn’t your replacement, he wasn’t the enemy. What makes you want to try and kill me but fuck him?”If Jason didn’t know any better he would think that Tim was jealous. He was breathing hard and likely hadn’t intended to say most of that. If Tim was ever going to talked him again he was going to have to meet that vulnerability. “It wasn’t like that. I just… He saw me as someone else, okay? Someone who hadn’t done all of the fucked up shit I’ve done. It was just too easy to fall into a stupid fantasy. I’m sorry. I was being selfish.”“Self-pity isn’t a good look on you.”And with that he was gone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He felt a little bit bad for talking to Jason the way he did. Okay, he didn’t feel bad, more conflicted than anything. Jason hated him. A lot. So, why did he have sex with him? There was one obvious conclusion to be drawn, but Tim avoided that as best he could, and focused at the problem at hand. There was another one of him, which could lead to all kinds of bad.“We are going to have to keep you confined to the manor.” He didn’t make eye contact with himself, looking for any information he could on inter-dimensional travel. There didn’t seem to be anything that wasn’t mystical. “We can’t the public seeing you.”“Aren’t you intrigued by me? Actually, I don’t need to ask, I know you are. What are you wondering? What’s the big question?”“I’m not-” Tim knew the futility of lying to himself. Himself. This whole experience was surreal. “I shouldn’t, I mean. If it doesn’t concern getting you back, then it isn’t relevant.” Relevance, that's what it was. He could tell a lot about him. He was thin, like his mother, like he would have been he didn’t constantly push his body past its own limits. He was married. He was educated.“Because it will bring up questions that you don’t want the answers to?”And he was reading Tim like a fucking book.He didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say to that.“You know a lot already. You would. I bet you saw what I did with him the second we walked in here.”“Maybe what you had with Jason is different, but there isn’t anything between us here.”“Bull. Shit.” Tim was smiling now, “I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. The first time batman brought him out. It wasn’t anything like Dick. He was all passion and feeling and it was like nothing would ever be as perfect as him in that suit. That isn’t different here is it?”“That isn’t relevant.”“Oh it’s relevant. I bet you think about even still. His legs. His hands. The way he bites his lip when he’s focusing. I know the way you think. Ya know, he bites his lip the same way when he has sex. Yours and mine.”“Stop.”“You never had him like I did. Me and him since we were in high school. It started out so awkward, but when I saw him fall apart for the first time, I knew that it was the only thing I needed for the rest of my life.”“Stop.”“You know what? He loves you. A lot. I learned how to tell. I learned how to read him. He loves you so much that he can’t even stand it. He is desperate for you, and you just let him waste away by himself.”“Shut your fucking mouth,” Tim couldn’t tell what he was feeling, but anger is what he let out.“So what’s different? I think I have figured a lot of things out, but why won’t you just be with him?”“Because he tried to kill me.”That finally got his doppelganger to shut up. Tim had pawned off baby-sitting duty on Damian, and requested a night off. Bruce let him go, the situation in the cave getting more awkward by the second. None of them quite trusted the new Tim, except Jason obviously.He got into his bed, glad to be in his own apartment to process the enormous amount of shit he suddenly had to deal with. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t it have been Damian or Bruce? Why couldn’t it have been Dick?Nevermind. Not Dick. He would probably fuck himself.His entire train of thought ceased when there was suddenly a tap on his window. He opened to see his super-boyfriend hovering outside of his window.“Get in here, someone is going to see you!” He pulled Kon in by his sleeve.“Happy to see you too.” Kon just smirked. Oh boy, did Tim miss that smirk.“I’m sorry. I am happy to see you. You have no idea the week I’ve had.”“Wanna talk about it?”He did. He told Kon about the shit that went down at W.E. as well as meeting Dick’s new terrifying boyfriend, but left out the part about new, dimension hopping Tim. He didn’t want to explain any of that right now.They settled in and turned on a movie. It was usually easy to focus on the dumb comedy and the way Kon laughed, but not tonight. He couldn’t help but think of what Tim said. He knew everything somehow. He hadn’t lived the same life that Tim did, but he was clearly still the same detective. It was so fucking hard not to entertain the fantasy now. Growing up with Jason. Losing his virginity to him. Getting married. Crawling into bed every night and getting wrapped up in his big arms.He couldn’t think like this. He had Kon. Kon was everything. He was more than Jason. Anything Jason could give him, Kon could give. And he had more. He was dating superboy. An alien with super strength. He was caring and beautiful.The other him just didn’t know. He didn’t know that he had this. He had his stupid little crush on Jason, but that doesn’t mean anything. Kon was perfect. With his broad body and his big arms. He could just take Tim but he did it gently.His hands were soft, they couldn’t callous like Jason’s did. He would never know what callous hands felt like roaming his body and tweaking his nipples. Sliding up his things and pulling him apart-No. He liked Kon’s soft hands.Kon was what he wanted.So he crawled up on his lap.“I missed you,” He whispered into his ear, “I’ve been waiting for so long, do you think we could come back to the movie later.”Kon hummed and smiled at Tim. “I think I could stand that.” he said, and then started kissing Tim passionately.Usually, Tim loved foreplay. He loved to make Kon beg for him, but not tonight.“I want you inside me. Now.”Kon didn’t need to be asked twice. He picked Tim up and carried him to to his bedroom.“Babe, you're already so hard for me,” Kon gasped out.“For you. All for you,” Tim said. And he told himself that he meant it.Kon set him down and they both stripped their clothes. Kon used his fingers to stretch him out. They were so damn soft. He should like that. He did like that. Soft was good. Soft was Kon, the man he loved.He groaned when Kon pushed inside him. It was gentle. Kon had to hold back or else he could hurt Tim.His pace increased enough that Tim could focus on that and not think about Jason.“Tim! Fuck! Tim! You’re so good!”Tim was staring at the ceiling, focusing on not thinking of Jason. He couldn’t not now.“Tim!” Kon yelled again.Tim couldn’t tell how long had passed.“Tim?” it wasn’t a yell. Kon sounded… worried. Tim realized he hadn’t been moving, or speaking. He didn’t even notice that Kon had stopped.“Tim, are you okay? Is something wrong?”“No, no. Keep going.”Kon pulled out, “Babe, talk to me. What is it?”“It’s nothing.” Sure, Kon wasn’t a bat. He wasn’t a detective, but he could tell something was wrong. They had been together for almost two years now, and friends for years.“Somethings wrong.”“No nothings wrong. Please just… Can we please keep going?”“What’s wrong, Tim?”Kon was just trying to help, to be the good boyfriend. He knew something was wrong and he was putting Tim’s needs ahead of his own. He should be grateful.“I said I’m fine!” Tim shouted.“Whatever,” and Kon looked hurt by that, of course he did. “I’m gonna go shower I guess.”So much for being grateful.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was cold, much colder than Tim had expected it to be tonight. He wasn’t tempted to pack up his camera and go, but then he saw him. It was Robin. He was running ahead of Batman, he did that sometimes. His hair was curlier than usual, but his laugh was the same. He had so much grace about him. Batman approached. “Go on ahead, I have some business to take care of. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone.”Batman had changed so much since he had taken on the new robin. His facial expression was almost indistinguishable, but his voice sounded more… fatherly? Batman leaves and Robin just stands atop the building. He closes his eyes and the wind blows through his hair and makes his cape flare out behind him. He looks like a hero. Tim pulls out his camera, but his hands are shaking. He drops the thing to the ground and Robin startles a bit and turns. “Oh, no. Nonononono.” It was his camera. It couldn’t be broken. A flash of yellow. Robin’s cape.“Are you okay?”Tim looks up at him. His eyes are wide. He wants to cry because of his camera, but Robin is standing right in front of him. He reaches out a hand to touch the symbol that he has seen so many nights out and in so many pictures. “Robin.” A gauntlet wraps gently around his hand. Tim raises his gaze to meets the taller boys eyes. He doesn’t find them, he knew he wouldn’t, but he can still see something there. Something there for him. Concern. “Is everything all right.”Tim sniffles, “My camera.”Robin looks at the ground between them and the bends to pick it up. “Oh, I think it’ll be okay.” A crack grows when Robin adjusts it in his hand. “Okay, maybe not. Um… usually I save people, but I don’t think I’ll be able to help you with this.” Robin looks like he is trying really hard to think of a solution. Tim giggles at him.Jason runs a hand through his hair and asks, “What’s your name?”“Timothy. I mean Tim. I mean… My name is Timothy but I go by Tim.”“Okay Tim. It’s late. You should get back home. You are too young to be out here this late.”“I don’t think you are that much older than me. I can be out here if I want.” Tim tries not to, but he can’t help the smile. He’s talking to Robin!“I’m definitely older than you, but… If you stay out here can you at least keep me company?. You know, so you're safe and stuff.”“Okay!” Tim nearly squealed. ---Tim followed them. He was far, but close enough to capture pictures on his new camera. He had gotten it when he had asked. Part of him wished that he had been reprimanded for breaking the first one, but he wasn’t. Which was good. Of course it was. Every now and then Robin would turn around and wink or do a pose. He knew that Tim was following him for a while now. He would come to see him when Batman left him alone or when patrol was nearing an end. Tim would tell him about school and his parents and everything else. Somehow Robin had become his best friend.“Get some good pictures?”“Yeah. I think so.” Tim smiled up at him, big. He always smiled too big at Robin. He wanted to be cool around him, but he found he couldn’t control it. They talked for a little while until they heard a woman scream.“I’ll be right back.” Robin jumped down into the alleyway where a woman was being mugged. Tim had seen him fight before, but when he got knocked to the ground, he looked like he might not get back up. Tim panicked a yelled, “Jason!” As soon as he got back to his feet Tim regretted it. He used his real name. He wasn’t supposed to use his name. He wasn’t supposed to know his name. Jason knocked the man out, gave the woman back her purse, and called her a cab. When he came back up, Tim was expecting him to look angry, but her just looked curious. “How did you know my name??”---“Bruce, can a friend com over for dinner?”“Of course, Jason. Who is this friend?"
“His name is Tim Drake.” ---Jason paced around Tim’s bedroom. “He fucking benched me! He acted like it was the obvious thing to do." Jason took a second to control his breathing "Maybe he was right, it's just, ever since I saw that woman and what had happened to her.”Tim just looked at him. He let Jason Speak. “Bruce really thinks I did it.” he paused. “I don’t know if I did it, Tim. I couldn’t have, right? That isn’t something I would do, But he’s dead now. And I… I don’t feel bad about it.”Another long pause. “He told me I needed to talk about my parents. I just left. I didn’t know what else to do.”“Tell me about them,” Tim saidAnd Jason did. He told Tim about the bedtime stories and going to the circus with his dad. He told him about his Mother’s death and how guilty he felt when everything got easier without her. He missed them, even if his Dad left. He would cry at night sometimes and sing the same songs that he sang to his mom when she was so far gone she couldn’t stand up.When he was done he was crying, and Tim took his hand. He held his breath as Jason's eyes flickered to where their hands meant. He hoped that Jason felt the things that he felt. Hoped he felt the same confusion and happiness that he felt around Jason. ---They had started out kissing on Jason’s bed. Something they did often enough. They had discussed this eventuality before, but Tim didn’t feel prepared. He felt inexperienced and incompetent. He had never done this before. Jason hadn’t either. He knew. He had been with Jason since they were kids, and now… now they were doing this. Kissing. Tim knew how to kiss. He kissed Jason a lot and it was one of his favorite things to do. He would go with that. He would stay in familiar territory and try not to think about the rest.So he kissed Jason soft and slow, one hand on the back of his neck while Jason’s rested on his cheeks. It was slow. At least it started out that way, but slowly both of their breathing began to quicken and when Jason bit at his lip, it felt like something sparked in his stomach.Jason’s hands slid down his body and settled on his hips. Tim thought that this was a good time to pull Jason on top of him. His back hit the bed. This wasn’t new, but they were getting to the edge of familiar territory. He tried not to let his mind wander to the time that he came in his pants while they were in the middle of a particularly hot and heavy make out session. He never liked to think about that. But that thought completely left his mind when Jason pulled away from the kiss and looked at Tim. He looked at Tim like he was the only thing in the world. His eyes were so blue and Tim got lost in them every damn time. Including this time, because he almost didn’t notice Jason playing with the hem of his shirt until his fingers grazed his abdomen and sent a shock through him. “Can I?”Tim just nodded and Jason lifted up his shirt. He suddenly had trouble pulling it off and Tim couldn’t hold back his laugh. He pulled it off himself and jason looked so flushed. He wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or if it was the situation in its entirety having an effect on him. Jason laughed too. It eased all of the tension instantaneously and soon they were laughing and kissing and laughing. Tim looked at his shirt where it lay on the ground while Jason kissed his neck. It felt good. Really good. Like, he didn’t realize anything could feel the way Jason’s tongue did when it ran from his collar bone to his ear. It was hot and wet and almost felt sticky, but in a good way that made tim twitch in his jeans. He wondered if Jason was in the same boat as he was. He glanced to see the legs straddling his hip, and where they met there was a rather large bulge. Jason’s sucked on his earlobe while he ran his hands up and down Tim’s sides, drawing a stream of noises Tim couldn’t find in himself to be embarrassed by, and he realized he wasn’t doing anything. Jason was making him feel all kinds of things he had never felt before, and he was just lying there. That was unacceptable, so, without putting too much thought into it, Tim pushed them forward to reverse their position. Now Tim was on top of Jason and Jason had his legs wrapped around Tim’s waist. Tim, more out of curiosity than anything, put some pressed his hips down into Jason. Jason let out a gasp and then a moan. Tim decided then that his only goal in life would be to make Jason Todd make that noise as many times as he could. He repeated the action and kept the pressure on while he mimicked what had felt so good to him just a few minutes ago. He kissed and licked down. He pressed the collar of Jason’s t-shirt down so he could get at his collar bone. The noise Jason let out gave him enough confidence to reach his under and up Jason’s shirt and begin to rub at his nipple. And then tug. And then pinch. And then twist. “Fuck. Tim. do- do that.” Jason sounded breathless. And it sounded good. Tim could feel how hard Jason was. He stopped kissing Jason so he could look in his eyes. Then, he positioned his hips so that they were touching through their pants. He began to thrust lightly. Even through two layers of denim and underwear, the sensation drove both of them crazy. “Fuck! Tim! Princess! Shit! That feels so good.”Princess. That was the nickname that Jason had given him a while ago. He never told Jason that, since they had gotten older, that stupid nickname occupied a completely different place in his mind. He had imagined Jason saying that in a situation very similar to this one just earlier this week after he found himself unable to sleep and hard. The high pitched sound that Jason made drew Tim our of his thought. Jason’s eyes were closed and his teeth digging into his lower lip. His hips were jerking up without the rhythm they had a second ago.Jason was coming. Tim had made Jason fucking Todd orgasm. Robin. He just made Robin come in his pants. He just watched as Jason came back down to the world. He wrapped his arms around Tim’s neck.“I’m sorry Tim. I thought I could- I didn’t want it to be over so quickly.”Tim couldn’t help but smile at how cute he was.“It’s fine. It doesn’t have to be over right? I mean I can still… We can still.”Jason let go of Tim’s neck and they fell into a kiss again. Tim could ignore the aching in his jeans for now. They kissed more gently than before.When Tim pulled back, they sat up on the bed, feet hanging off of the edge. Tim looked from his hands to Jason. Jason”s face was turned up into a grimace.Oh Right! Jason was probably extremely uncomfortable. “Oh my God. I’m sorry I totally forgot. I mean I didn’t forget. I was just not thinking about how uncomfortable you must be. I know how it feels. Of course you know I know how it feels you were the one…”Tim realised he was rambling and in a panic, “Here let me just.” No, Tim wasn’t thinking when he sank down to his knees on the floor and didn’t realize what he was even doing till he had unzipped Jason’s jeans. Shit, Jason was pretty. And also half hard already. And also big. Maybe it was just because Tim had never really looked at anyone else’s that much, or maybe it was just cause Jason was big. It was sticking out of his underwear, that had somehow gotten pulled a few inches down. It was growing as Tim looked at it and it was covered in Jason’s orgasm. “I’m sorry.” Tim let out shaky.“No, no. That’s really okay.” By the time Jason had finished his sentence, his voice had raised a whole octave. ---“Bruce, I have to tell you something.”Bruce didn’t even look up from his computer, “Yes, what is it.”“It’s… It’s important.”“Oh.”Bruce stood up and walked around the desk. Sat on the edge and folded his arms. He had a concerned look on his face. He looked at Jason and then at Tim. He eased a bit. If Tim was here it wasn’t Robin business. Jason’s face was flushed.
“Is everything all right?”Jason was quiet for a moment, but then spoke up, “I wanted to tell you that… I mean I thought you should know, because I know you aren’t my dad, but you kind of are right? Really I don’t know what my Dad would say. I guess I don’t know what you’ll say either, but-”“Jason.” Bruce said, urging him to get on with it. He took Tim’s hand.“Bruce, I’m gay.”“I see.”And that caused Jason to get a look of panic on his face. That was not what Bruce intended. Truly, he didn’t know how to deal with this, but he still loved Jason all the same. He wanted to tell him that this changed nothing, that it wasn’t disappointing and that he was proud of him for being honest. He wanted Jason to feel all of the love and happiness in the world.Rather than saying any of this he pulled Jason into the most awkward hug any of them had ever witnessed, but Bruce was happy.When Jason pulled away he said, “So does this mean you’re not mad?”“Not at all Jason, and I would like to say that out of all of the partners you could have chosen, I believe that Timothy is a fine young man.”“Thank you, sir.”“Very intelligent.”Tim smiled at the compliment, but then it quickly dropped.“Smart enough to have researched and understand the importance of barrier methods, I assume.”The color drained from Tim’s face and Jason choked.--- “Tim, maybe I don’t want this to be my life anymore. What if… What if I wasn’t Robin.”“What do you mean?”“Well, you know there’s this new kid now. At first I thought he was going to be to angry and unpredictable, but after Bruce died, and then came back. It’s changed him. Robin made him better, but me…”“Jason…”“I get so angry. I see things and it makes me think of my dad and my mom, and I just can’t control myself. I don’t like who I am sometimes.”“Then stop. You don’t have to be Robin. I know Bruce is all about the mission and all, but you aren’t.”Jason Just stares at him, so he continues, “Come with me. Late enrollment goes until August. You can live with me. I’m not living in student housing. I found an apartment a few weeks ago. It’s too big just for me.”“But, Bruce… Batman,”“Fuck Batman.” Tim said, a serious look on his face.Jason returned the look. They held it until Jason broke first. Letting out a loud laugh. “Okay.”“Okay?”“Yeah.”---The room they put Tim in was white. Like, stupid white. Some of the furniture was more of a cream color, but mostly it was just white. And it hurt Tim’s head. He closed his eyes and let out a groan.“Having second thoughts?”Dick stood in the doorway.“Hey, Dick.” Tim gave a small smile. He didn’t need to give a big fake one around Dick. He had become like a brother to Tim since they had known each other. After today they really would be brothers.Dick raised an eyebrow, “I swear to god I was kidding, but you do kind of look like you’re ready to run.”“No. Well, not from Jason. This whole thing. I know it wasn’t his choice and I know that the son of Bruce Wayne can’t just have a quiet ceremony or anything. I don’t know, it’s just… a lot.” Dick nodded, he knew exactly what Tim meant. When you became part of this family, everything done in the public eye was big and extravagant. “Also, how many of the guests that I don’t know are actually superheroes? Is Wonder Woman here? Superman?”“Diana couldn’t make it. Superman may or may not be part of the press.”“You’re kidding.”It was all so crazy and stressful and fucking superman was at his wedding. But all of that disappeared when he saw Jason in that tux. He had seen him in one before, but this was different somehow. And Jason’s vows were beautiful, and so were the rings. And they danced. It was slow and everyone was watching them, but he didn’t notice them. Jason was holding Tim’s hand to his chest and they were swaying. Tim didn’t think he could feel this way, but that exact thought had occurred to him before when he was with Jason. ---“It’s not right. People die all the time right? And they come back? Dick, please there has to be something.”“It’s not the same, you know that.”“Your friend, Lucas, right? He saved someone. He brought them back.”“This isn’t the same. There isn’t any science or magic or anything. He’s gone.“He can’t be gone.”---Tim sat in front of the head stone.Jason Todd-DrakeLoving Brother, Son, and HusbandWholly to be a fool
While spring is in the world“Don’t worry babe. I’ll find you again.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Being at his place on his own left Jason wracked with guilt. What else was new? Tim was staying at the manor now, and there was no way in hell anyone was going to let anything slide there.Why was he even considering that? He wouldn’t do it again. He wouldn’t be able to. The look on Tim’s face when he realized was so.... He wouldn’t let it happen again. Then Tim was knocking at his window. Tim. This world's Tim. Why? He didn’t know. Before Jason could get up, Tim was opening the window. The knock was only out of courtesy. He slipped in in that graceful way that was just like Dick if he wasn’t such a show off. “What are you doing here?” He tried his best to make it sound like a legitimate inquiry. He had no right to be mad at Tim, he was the one who had messed up. “I was gonna stay at my place, but I just ended up getting in a fight with Kon. I… I wanted to apologize. For what I said earlier.”“You really don’t need to I was wrong. I knew at the time I shouldn’t have done it, but I did it anyways. You had every right to be pissed.”“Well, yeah, but I kinda need to forgive you, so let me?”Tim had so much to forgive Jason for that he didn’t even know which part he was talking about, but he knew he didn’t deserve forgiveness for any of it. He would do his best to give Tim whatever he wanted, whatever he needed. So, he smiled at him. It was small and it didn’t reach his eyes, but he gave what he could. “There we go. Look at that.” He paused for a second, “Now we need to talk.”“What do you mean?” “I think he knows more than he is letting on.”“Well, he is still you. Even if he was never Robin, he still has the brain.”"The brian?"It always confused Jason when Tim got shy or flustered. He was such a show off sometimes, but sometimes he seemed surprised someone would notice something about him that was so obvious. "Nevermind… what do you think is going on?""He was really clearly trying to get into my head. He says he was here by accident, but I don't think that adds up."“I think…” He trusts Tim. He must be right, who is going to read him better than himself. “I think you’re right. So how do we figure this out.”Tim’s face lit up just a little bit. He liked a mystery, no matter the context. “You have been around him the most, let's figure out everything we know then go from there.” Jason told Tim everything he knew and Tim wrote everything down on a whiteboard that he pulled out of his closet. “We just don’t have enough information. There are so many factors. So many things could be different just because of that one thing,” Tim said.They stared blankly at one another for a few minutes, seeing if anything would come to their mind. Nothing did. “Just that one thing,” Tim said quietly, “If I would have dropped my camera, things could be so different.”Tim must have thought this through already. He was probably disgusted by the thought. “I don’t really like to think about it. I’ve fucked up so many things. To think one little stupid thing could make it all different… I would take back so much if I could.”It was quiet again. Things were heavy all of the sudden. He hadn’t been so open with Tim, and Tim was letting him be vulnerable. It felt like things were taking a turn, but they couldn’t. He didn’t deserve it.“Coffee?” He asked.“Coffee,” Tim confirmed with a smile.They sat for a while drinking their coffee and coming up with a theory every once in a while until...“I think we should have sex.” Tim said. And Jason choked on his coffee