Chapter Text
The night air was bitterly cold against Tim’s skin as he looked over the Gotham rooftops, making him desperately miss his insulated suit with its warm, heavy cape.
He wondered idly if anyone would even recognize him like this—league attire cloaking his frame and hair grown long and braided back. He certainly didn’t feel like the 11-year-old who used to trail behind Batman and Nightwing on late night patrols.
“What are you doing out here, Corvid?” An annoyed nine year old asked from somewhere behind him, before a sharp voice barked out—
“Corvid, Shrike, what is the meaning of this?”
“I was just following Corvid,” the preteen brat behind him replied. As if he had any right stalking him after Tim had expressly told him he wanted to be alone.
“Corvid?” He turned to face his mother, his eyes landing on his younger brother standing between them with arms crossed grumpily. Probably blaming him for the cold and for Talia finding them.
Around him, Gotham seem to hold her breath as he met Talia’s eyes. He knew what she probably thought, how he definitely looked sneaking out of their hotel in the middle of the night in Gotham of all places, Damien trailing behind him.
How Ra’s would respond if he were with them.
“I wanted to see if anything had changed.”
Talia gave him a sad smile as she tipped her head in acknowledgment. “I have been coming here for the past 20 years. The only change one sees in Gotham is what technology the people hold. Come children, there is nothing for you out on these rooftops.”
“What about Father?” Damian asked, the real reason he followed Tim out revealing itself, making both of his companions freeze. “Would he not be out at this time?”
“Enough Shrike. It is time to return to your rooms. I am sure your brother can lead the way, as he so responsibly lead you out here in the first place.”
“But we are here, in Gotham. Why can I not meet him?” His voice had gone plaintive, making him suddenly seem much more like other children his age.
“Now, Shrike. You will not question me on this.” Talia‘s face had become stone as she stared the stubborn child down.
Tim stepped forward and put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Come on, Shrike, if you can beat me back to the hotel, I’ll let you try my new bō.”
The bribe must’ve worked because the next thing he knew, he was blocking a jab aimed towards his kidney before Damien took off across the rooftops, eager to get his hand on the new weapon Tim had found earlier that day.
Tim nodded in deference to his mother before chasing after the brat, knowing better than to leave him unattended for long in an area as teaming with enemies as Gotham.
Flying across the Gotham rooftops filled him with a familiar ache, the steady rise and fall of his breath as he ran soothing something deep inside him. Damien was only a few steps ahead by now, and Tim was so consumed by his chase that he missed a new shadow tailing him until the smoke bomb went off before him, making him freeze for a split second and whip out his collapsible bō.
“Shrike, return to the nest and let Shikra know we were intercepted,” he barked out, watching Damien take off before the vigilante had a chance to stop him.
“Didn’t know the league of ass was using bird names now,” Nightwing quipped as he mirrored Tim’s ready stance. “Or training children. You guys just wanna be us so bad, don’t you?”
“I don’t have any business with the Bats,” Tim stated, hoping he could talk his way out of a fight with the man he used to consider practically a brother.
Nightwing snorted derisively, “No, you see, every time Ra’s has the gall to send one of you to Gotham, you have business with the Bats. That’s kind of just how this works, bud.” He twirled one of his escrima sticks, and Tim stiffen as he recognized the distraction for what it was. “Wanna tell me who the kid was so I can get him home after I’m done with you?”
Tim struck out with his bō before spinning back, realizing there was no way out of this without at least a little violence. At least this would reassure Ra’s that he hadn’t been outside because he was trying to run away.
Dick stumbled a bit as he dodged before recovering and rolling his shoulders in a fake relaxed stance. “Oh, thats how we’re playing this? No more talking? You assassins are so boring,” he dragged the last word out before launching himself at Tim.
Tim ignored his banter as he blocked the attack he knew was coming, immediately going for the knee that he knew was Dick’s weakest point. He kept his hits focused on the places he knew would knock his opponent down quickest, wanting to end the fight and get out of the area before Nightwing could call in reinforcements.
He could only hope that Damien made it to Talia before anyone else stopped him.
His prayers felt answered when a sharp whistle cut through the air, causing him to disengage and immediately take up a defensive position, eyes scanning for the source of the order.
There, standing on the edge of the roof like an avenging god, was Talia, uncover hair whipping around her dangerously.
Nightwing also spotted her immediately, standing from his attack position into something both casual and obviously disrespectful. “Talia, should’ve known you were the issue. Does B know you’re invading Gotham with your skank ass-assins?”
“Nightwing, as classy as always, I see. Please apologize to my beloved on my behalf. We are simply passing through and didn’t mean to interrupt your ceaseless battle against Gotham’s true nature.”
“Cut the crap, Talia. Why are you here?” Dick spat, placing his weapons in their holsters. “ Batman is on his way to deal with you. I don’t have the patience for snakes tonight.”
Talia looked at Nightwing consideringly for a moment before glancing at Tim and commanding in sharp Arabic, “Return to the hotel and ensure your brother doesn’t do anything foolish while I deal with this. I will see you both for breakfast.”
Tim ran off as soon as the last word left his mother‘s mouth, doing his best to disappear without Dick seeing which direction he was headed. He knew Talia would be far past angry at him for causing so much drama, especially after having to deal with Nightwing.
At least it was Dick he ran into, and not Jason, who would’ve immediately clocked exactly who the two shadows following Talia into Gotham were and knew exactly how to kick Tim’s ass.
Tim realized he counted his blessings just a bit too early when he spotted the hooded figure sitting on the hotel roof between him and the access hatch he needed to use to get back inside. In his hands was Tim’s new bō, the smooth, matte, black coating seeming to absorb the surrounding light.
“Hey, brat. I like the new staff. Where’d you snag it from?”
With a frown, Tim landed on the roof, a few feet from his worst rival, eyeing the stiff set of Jason shoulders and how closely he was watching him in return. “Some shop in the local underground. I’m sure Shikra would connect you with them if you asked nicely and promised to come visit on occasion.”
Jason scoffed as he tossed the weapon to him. “She’s really letting you call her that stupid code name?”
“ Shrike thought it wasn’t fair that her name didn’t match,” Tim replied, catching the staff and scanning the area, hoping to figure out what Jason’s plan here was.
“Well if I catch wind of you or the demon calling me something stupid like Bluejay or anything, just know we’re gonna have problems—“
“Don’t be a moron. Your code name is Emu, since you’re both needlessly dumb and aggressive,” Tim interrupted, immediately dodging the knife Jason threw towards his throat. “Where is Shrike? He was supposed to meet me here.” Please stay inside and not that you’ve carted him off, he silently prayed.
Jason finally stood, seeming to tower over everything with his terrifying height. “He’s in bed, where you should be. Talia asked me to make sure you both made it in, seeing as you’re obviously too immature to be trusted without a babysitter.”
Tim bristled at the accusation, squaring his shoulders to appear bigger and less like a child. “Well I’m here now. You can leave.”
“No can do, bird brain. I take babysitting very seriously. Can’t have kids running around dangerous places like Gotham unattended, now can we? You never know what kind of stupid shit they’ll get caught up in.”
“Fuck off, Jason,” Tim snapped finally pulling his mask off to fully glare at the older boy.
When he realized he had gotten under the other boy skin, Jason seemed delighted, stepping closer. “What were you even doing out here Timmy? Were you gonna try and run back to the Bats? What would Ra’s say if he heard his special little boy tried to run away?” he mocked, his helmet tilted in fake sympathy. “He would be so disappointed.”
“The only disappointment here is you, Jason” Tim cut him off again, recentering himself when he realized Jason definitely wasn’t leaving. “I just wanted to see what changed in the last few years, not that it’s any of your business. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to my room so I can get some sleep before dealing with whatever punishment our mother has cooked up after tonight.” He tried to brush past Jason, just for a hand to grip his arm in a bruising tight grip, forcing him to halt.
“Everything in Gotham is my business, so maybe next time use that stupidly smart little brain of yours and don’t cause me and Talia more problems we shouldn’t have to be dealing with. Now go to bed, brat.”
Jason let go, and Tim quickly slipped into the building and into his silent room, wishing he was far away from both the Red Hood and the Bats.