sxfetynet:

   Now, there was the truth. 
Youths spent in service to shadow had shaped 
them into something more. Something all together
else. He’d challenge anyone, anywhere to be 
half as good at what they did with nothing 
more than what they were. Bats had at least 
got a few things right over the course of a long, 
and largely unenviable career. 

                ❝Oh yeah? And who taught you how to 
                  make it look so damn easy?❞

A joke. Even if there was more than an ounce of 
honesty to it. Tim is a hero in his own right, long
having outgrown the mantle of Robin. Even if 
he retained the name in a sense, he had well 
and truly made Red Robin a name to be 
equal parts feared and respected. 

                    ❝I was just out for a stroll, caught wind 
                      that lil bro was moving up the east 
                      side, thought I might drop by. See how 
                      you were doing.❞

He waved a hand in a dismissive gesture, one
betrayed by that smile. 

                           ❝But you know. The Batman damage.❞

A cursory glance was paid to the perp by his 
brother’s feet, tilting his head to the right, 
then left. The night was wearing thin around
the edges, but he hoped that it was not 
quite done yet.

                       ❝Got enough juice for one last run with 
                         your big brother?❞

back before dick was dick to him, and somebody he considered a brother, he’d been robin. the first robin. & he’d been tim’s hero in a way that made him blush and squirm to even think about now. he’s grateful that dick never knew the extent of that, it’d be weird if tim suddenly ended up having all kinds of– emotional moments with everybody. that was the great thing about the batfamily really– they all just KNEW about your affection, took it and nobody had to really acknowledge it or talk about it until shit absolutely hit the fan. (which— it was gotham && that tended to happen more than any of them liked. )

in any case, there is still something about dick’s honest praise of him that makes tim feel like the 10 year old fanboy who used to have a robin poster on his bedroom wall. even if that often seems like a lifetime ago and not the 7 or so years it’d actually been. but there is heat suffused across his high cheekbones and he’s grateful the cowl covers most of it. 

      anything else he has plausible deniability as it’s a crisp fall evening and it tends to get windy on rooftops. 

“ that part is all me, actually. “

he says it with the playfulness & amusement of false bravado, the tone of brothers razzing one another like they’re not the fully grown mature men they are and are instead the boys they all once were. 

       “ unfortunately, you just can’t teach greatness. “ he says, trying for stoic and missing because dick gives him a look and he can’t help the little snicker that cracks through. 

just like that it seems there is much less formality to the whole encounter, which is something that tim is all too happy and eager to blame on dick. he was the…warm one, of the family and everybody knew it. the one who could bring out the levity and the softer blurred edges of all of them. even bruce wasn’t immune to it. 

“ mmm. the batman damage. “ he confirms, a language that needs no further explanation because all of the robins are fluent in it by now. 

though tim feels his smile slip slightly in concern, something about the tone and the language dick is using is…well, a bit worrying. like he’s planning on going somewhere and he’s not sure for how long. 

“ for you asking? always. but seriously dick, what’s with the choice of words? – you’re sounding like a sentimental and ominous hallmark card. you planning on going somewhere? “ he steps casually over the thug, he’s unimportant. he always was but– even more so in the face of this potential minefield of a conversation.