Pairing(s): Slight JayTim
Verse: AU Young Justice, Cassowary.
Disclaimer: If I owned DC there would be a lot more villain centric comics and billions of LGBT characters.
This takes place a year before (Literally) Invasion.

Prelude

At a young age Timothy Jackson Drake knew his parents didn't love him, they didn't even try. One day they decided to give him to his uncle, Slade Wilson, assassin. Slade didn't care for kids, but Tim was an exception being family. And since Tim was Slade's responsibility he trained him in many forms of combat. No guns. Tim would never use a gun, he may use swords but he never liked guns. Slade never got him to move past the no guns, so, he trained him with a bo staff.

A while after Tim's ninth birthday he grew an obsession for Batman and Robin and snuck out every so often to see them in action. After a while Tim decided he wanted to be like them. He told Slade, who was not particularly fond of the idea, and gained approval. In a months time Tim had a black and blue costume, almost resembling Robin's. The gloves of the costume hid talons and he had a pocket with a bo staff for safety measures. His codename was set, Cassowary.

At thirteen Slade was never really around to take care of Tim. Slade doesn't even know Tim had been invited to join a team of teenaged heroes, he accepted. Not long after joining the team his parents died. Nobody told him, he had to read it in an article online, but he really didn't care, they weren't real parents but it still bothered him.

Tim's Pov
"Hey Cassowary, what're reading?" Robin asked when he took the seat next to me.
"Black and White," I said not once looking up. It's a book about two female vigilantes who are turned against each other, and it's pretty good.
"Sounds interesting," Jason replied and I nodded my head. We sat there without speaking another word and every once in a while I noticed him pass me glances. I closed my book my book and slightly turned Jason's way to see him looking at me.
"What is it?" I asked, you just can't stare at someone like that, it's creepy.
"U-uh, nothing," apparently Jason discovered he was staring at me because a blush appeared on his face.
"Okay then," I looked away from Jason and stood up accidentally bumping into Nightwing's chest. I backed away and slightly rubbed my head. "Sorry, I didn't see you there Nightwing."
"It's okay and we kind of need to talk," I looked up at Nightwing showing my confusing, "In private." Oh. Nightwing was the only who knew who I was even if I knew both his and Robin's identities. "C'mon," Nightwing bobbed his head signalling to follow, we were heading to his room.

"I'm sorry about their death..." Dick said, "and that no one was around to support you."
"It's fine, it's been two weeks and I never took it bad. I've been completely fine the whole time," well that's what i tricked my self into believing.
"But somethings still bothering you, I can tell," I looked down at my hands. I was never entirely sure what was bothering me, it couldn't be their death. "Tim?" I was staring at my hands blankly and a pain blanketed me when I finally realized...
"They never once told me they loved me..." Tears streaked down my cheeks almost instantly. Dick pulled me into a hug.
"You have family here that love you and will never abandon you no matter what," his words comfort me, and they're true. The team is my new family. I pulled away after a bit and wiped my eyes dry. I looked up at Dick and smiled, he smiled back. "Do want to go to Gotham and get ice cream with me and Jason, to blow all this over?"
"Sure," it's a lot more appealing than returning to an empty house.

We ended up at an ice cream place called Lets Spoon, which is a pretty horrible name. Jason got chocolate, Dick couldn't decide between cherry or strawberry so he combined both and I got blueberry. I didn't finish mine so Jason did so for me. "You should stay at the manor tonight," Dick suggested.
"Only if he tells me his name," Jason demanded.
"It's Tim Drake," I could trust Jason and he looked at me as if he couldn't believe my name, "and I'll take you up on that offer."

After wasting time hanging in the manor Jason, Dick and I went to sleep at two a.m. I wasn't deep in sleep so I heard Jason get up and presumably walk to the Batcave. I silently followed him and for someone being trained by the Batman he wasn't good at sensory. When we reached a grandfather clock he set it to 10:57 and it lifted up revealing a staircase. Jason scoped behind him and proceeded to the cave. I quickly lunged to the stairs before the clock went back down.

The Batcave was giant compared to what I had in mind, it even had a giant penny. There's computers everywhere and an area for medical attention. Jason went for what seems like the main computer. He had a few documents on him and was clearly pointing a specific location. He kept on browsing countries in Africa but stopped on Ethiopia. Jason quickly stood up and ran to the Batjet.

I wasn't quite sure if i should have stopped Jason from leaving, but Ethiopia seemed important. I didn't touch the computer in fear that Batman would come in any moment, which he did. "How did you get in the Batcave." Batman's tone made it a command not a question.
"Uh, Jason technically. I followed him down here," I tried to keep completely still and calm, only one shiver escaped. Batman gave me a glare that said he wanted to know more, "I assume he headed to Ethiopia, he took the jet." It may have been my eyes but I swear Batman's eyes grew wider, as if he were afraid. Batman turned quickly and jumped in the Batmobile and left quickly, leaving me there.

2 weeks later
I'm not exactly sure how I feel. Dick took leave from the team to take care of Bruce and hasn't spoke to me in a while. It was up to me to place a memorial of Robin in the grotto. It went without notice for a while until Miss martian noticed it. She didn't make it public to the team and never brought it up around me. Eventually they'll all notice.

When Dick returned everyone on the team was happy, they even ignored the fact that Jason wasn't with him. After the team finished celebrating his return I gained my chance to aproach him, "Hows Bats?"
"He's fine now, but he's always going to beat himself up about it," Dick actually seemed fine, I guess two weeks was enough.
"I made a memorial," Dick looked at me with a little confusement, "it's in the grotto, we can go see it."
"Sure."

"Did you know he liked you?" Dick asked, we were standing in front of Jason's memorial, "I don't mean as a friend."
"Oh.." I looked down at my shoes. I wouldn't have guessed even if he sometimes acted stupid around me and to be honest I hate myself for just now finding it out, "That... That explains a lot." I looked up at the holographic image of Jason in his Robin suit. I believe I could have grown to like him the same way. "I think I'm going to go train." I lied, technically.
"Okay, I doubt anyone will disturb you," of course he saw right through it. I turned and walked out the grotto and passed Miss M who was listening.

When I entered my room I called Slade, I told him I was coming home. It turned out he didn't even read the note I left him when I left. I told him about joining the team and he wasn't exactly happy and wanted me back home. I scribbled a quick note to Nightwing telling him I went back home to get my mind straightened. Thats what I needed, knowing the first person who may have cared more about me than anyone is dead isn't pleasent to think about.

Author's Note
This came from an idea I wrote down but instead Tim had a twin, the writing style is basic RP because I was lazy. So anyways, comment what I should do next (time skip to December) and any pairings you'd like to see, but none for Tim . And I'll have a parody of YJ that's Arsenal centric (It's crappy and lazy).