He rushed home after a long day at school, barely saying 'hello' to Alfred as he ran up to his room. He had a few hours before he went out tonight and wanted to see the fruits of his labor.

The curtains were pulled closed as he preferred the dark, and he spared a paranoid glance to see if anyone was watching. He didn't want to share this moment with anyone. Seconds passed by like hours as the computer blinked and whirred to life as he eagerly waited.

Tim sat down and sought a program disguised as innocuously as possible.

It had taken the better part of two nights to install all of the cameras, it would have only taken one if he hadn't been interrupted. It was a labor of love after all, and it was something he was good at. Between Bruce and Barbara teaching him, there was little he didn't know about surveillance.

The button-sized microphones and cameras were scattered around the apartment. They were invisible unless you knew what to look for. The next-gen equipment was a far cry from hiding in the bushes with his old Polaroid.

Precious data was scrambled and re-scrambled over various servers and satellites before landing on his laptop. There was a moment of silence as the connection was made, praying that every calculation was correct.

A dimly lit video covered the screen and lenses automatically adjusted to focus. Tim couldn't be happier as he watched the figure faintly snore, completely unaware of his part in this triumphant occasion. The teen touched the screen where his lover slept and couldn't keep from smiling as he said "Good Morning Jason."

He kept the video open in a little window at the edge of the screen while he worked on homework. Even if Jason was only sleeping, as he usually did during the day, the sight warmed his heart. It was a small gesture of closeness, reminiscent of a couple holding hands.

The twenty-something year old woke up just before the sun went down and lazily stretched his arms above his head. Scars crisscrossed his torso, toned muscles pulling them as his back arched. He was slow to wake and moved sluggishly to the bathroom, never noticing the electric eyes following his every move.

Tim rested his chin on his hand and giggled at the bedhead. Honestly, he preferred the natural red and was glad to see it grow back. His musings were cut short at the rush of the shower, and Jason's thumbs hooking on the waistband of grey shorts.

The teen's hand jolted out to minimize the window before he could see anything. His face burned for reasons that were hard to explain. "I'm not ready for that yet!" He thought to himself.

…

The former Robin usually didn't talk in his sleep, his activities were limited to tossing and turning. He came home late sometimes, wounded from a fight. These moments were the hardest to watch, but Tim felt he had to. He was alone and injured, stitching up a dash or digging out a bullet. It hurt them both deeply.

It reminded him how far apart they really were. Separated by a thin sheet of liquid crystal, he didn't know if Jason even knew his name. The glowing surface was warm and smooth despite his sadness. It would be another night that Jason refused pain medication.

He chose the pain over the nightmares.

…

Red Hood and Robin fought on a rooftop, miles from where the battle began. Jason had fallen three nights ago when a fire escape collapsed. His left side was a mass of bruises and ribs were cracked, if not outright broken.

A hit there would take him down instantly, but Tim couldn't bear the thought. He wasn't supposed to know about it, and dared not admit how he knew. The former Robin should be resting in bed, not making it worse.

A punch swung out and landed at the side of the teen's head. "Fight back already! C'mon, hit me!" He shouted angrily.

Tim shook his head and blocked another blow with his forearm. The attack was a feint and Robin pushed back into a brick wall, one hand at his throat and another gripping his wrist. "Why the hell not?"

The teen closed his eyes, and hid his face behind bangs dampened with sweat. A communicator on his belt chimed before his voice could betray him. Jason let him go and told him to answer it.

It was Batman. "…I'm sorry, I must have lost him somehow. He seemed to be heading north…Yes, I understand. See you soon." Robin hung up and faced a confused Red Hood.

"Why are you letting me go?" He asked as if his world suddenly became very tilted. Tim fumbled a little with his answer, opting out to shrug and offer the next best reply "You're my brother, aren't you?"

Jason's body stiffened a little, taking an act of kindness harder than he would take a punch. The teen grabbed his hand when he turned to leave. There was desperation in the act. He held on too tightly, not wanting him to go.

A confession is always a difficult thing to do, even if it wasn't everything he wanted to say. "…I'm glad you came back."

Their hands were separated, and Jason muttered "…Thanks" before disappearing.

Bruce asked Tim all sorts of questions afterwards, but he didn't want to talk about it.

…

Alfred gave him an odd look as he went upstairs, noticing how much time he spent alone lately.

This was becoming a routine, a certain part of the day he looked forward to. It was like a date, he told himself. They were even more like a couple now.

Jason was his, even if he didn't know it yet. He was sure that no one else understood the former Robin like he did. Bruce had failed him as a mentor and as a father. Dick was more sympathetic, but he was still distrusting.

Tim loved very deeply, even if it was from afar.

An early fear of his was how he would react seeing his Jason with someone else. Luckily, the older man was surprisingly faithful. Despite his boasts, the former Robin always slept alone.

It made him happy that he didn't have to share with anyone else. Soon he wouldn't have to.

He had kept a folder for his favorite moments. Watching was awfully nice, but he soon wanted something more. It shouldn't be too hard to have him in person, could it?

…

Jason had spent the past week looking for a certain movie. It was one that he really liked and that he hadn't seen for a while. There wasn't a store in Gotham that carried it and no website would let him watch it for free. It was like an itch he had to scratch.

He was reaching the end of his rope and Tim just happened to have a copy. It was painfully easy, really.

Now for the hard part.

Jason was digging around in his apartment, looking for some small, misplaced object. His phone began to ring, allowing him to quickly find it under the couch.

"Hello?" He answered the device, now moving on to some other task.

"Um, hi Jason. It's me Tim." The sheepish voice surprised him, not expecting a personal call from the Boy Wonder. "…I was hoping we could get to know each other a little better, over a movie maybe…"

Jay raised an eyebrow, slightly suspicious. "What do you have in mind?" He asked, remembering how the teen let him get away.

Tim could see him perk up when he said the name of the film. He would struggle a little, but he'd give in soon enough. The options were weighed briefly, but Jason took the bait.

…

Bruce and Alfred were spending the evening at a charity ball, leaving Tim all alone. He was absolutely giddy, everything was going to be perfect.

The doorbell rang, and the teen rushed to let his boyfriend in for their first real date. Even the mere phrase made him excited.

The former Robin was a little uncomfortable being in his childhood home, and Tim did his best to make feel welcome. The film was a comedy and it helped break the tension. Soon, they were talking and laughing like old friends. They had a lot in common, from music to television and they didn't even notice that it ended hours ago. Tim had inched closer until their thighs touched, hanging on every word.

Jason reached over to play with the teen's hair and curl it between his fingers. His hair was a little too long for a boy. "We should do this more often, I had a lot of fun." He said with a laugh.

The teen was enjoying the attention and regretfully said "Too bad you have to go."

Jason disentangled his hand out of black locks and rested it a few inches from the boy's shoulder. "I don't think Daddy-bats would approve of finding me on his couch." The playful tone was gone and he became serious. "I'm sorry for acting like a jerk before. My fight isn't with you." Green eyes dipped down to a scar across the teen's pale throat.

"When can I see you again?" Tim asked, trying to hold on to this moment for what it's worth.

"Soon, I promise."

I'll be waiting.