Like a fairy tale part 3 – True Love
Note: you might want to read "To Steal a Rose" and "The Frog" before starting ;)
Chapter 1 – White as snow
Harley Quinn was moaning. And begging. And pouting.
Tim started to feel annoyed.
"But Puddin'!" she shrieked in that horrible voice of hers. "You've been away for months! Now that you're finally back, can't we have some little fun?"
How could someone have such a shifting tone? Most of the words she said were merely childish then, from time to time, one syllable reached a note only equaled by a chalk's screech on a blackboard.
Was that why she wore black-and-white make up? To look like chalk? How tasteless.
"I know!" she kept going. "There is a fair next town? Shall we go? Just the two of us!"
At that point, Tim made his move. Yawning, he looked up from the pillow his head was resting on, saw the Joker sitting at the edge of the bed, and crawled toward him to curl against his high like a cat. Soon, a strong hand started petting his hair. He didn't need to watch to know the Joker was smiling.
"Maybe next time."
Tim also didn't need to check if Haley was glaring at him. He smiled lazily and started purring. Petting turned to caress, as planned.
"That's enough!" Harley howled. "You're always with him! I was there first!"
"Oh, pumkin', you know it's not like that."
"Isn't it? He sleeps with you! He wears your clothes!"
Tim frowned. He had started stealing the Joker's suit jackets because they were so much colorful than the sepia tones reserved to his own clothes. Moreover, they bore the Joker's smell, which reassured him.
Five months ago, they had moved to another flat with real doors and windows – but Tim didn't dare to get out of it. They both had a bedroom and the Joker spent most of his evenings with him, sometimes sleeping there, sometimes not. Whenever he was away, Tim felt waves of panic at the idea he might not come back – hence, the smell, the clothes.
Besides, they were pretty.
"Isn't he a perfectly behaved pet?" the Joker laughed, delighted.
"If he's just a pet, he should wear a leash!"
"Harleen doesn't like me", Tim complained.
She hated it when he used her first name.
"Because Tim is a brat!"
On the other hand, he didn't like it when she used his. But contrarily to her, he pretended not to care.
"She wants you to abandon me. In a box. At the side of the road. While you go on holidays in some sunny place where birds aren't allowed", Tim stated in his saddest voice.
"Nonsense", the Joker answered. "You're no bird. You're a cat! Or maybe a real boy."
"I'm not made of wood?" Tim made himself sound surprised. "Does that mean I behaved?"
The Joker laughed.
"Yes, you did!"
"So my nose won't grow anymore?"
It was a very bad joke. The Joker laughed so much he almost fell from the bed.
"I will make sure it keeps growing whenever I want it to, my dear."
Tim uncurled to press himself against the Joker's side shamelessly.
"Like now?"
To his dismay, the Joker didn't like sex so much. Most of the time, he would just cut off Tim's clothes and caress him, apparently curious of the noises he could obtain. Often, he wouldn't allow him to come; he loved to be begged.
But Tim knew how to make him want it. He rubbed against the Joker's pocket, where he kept his gun.
"I can feel you're happy to see me", Tim pretended.
The Joker's grin turned from amused to dangerous. Harley straightened.
"We could have pop-corn?" she tried helplessly. "Put blades in the candy floss?"
"Done there, seen that. But I'll spend tomorrow afternoon with you, what do you think? Find us some bank to rob in style."
She pursed her lips, but soon jumped to her feet.
"Of course, puddin'! It will be the best time ever!"
The gun's barrel was in Tim's mouth for him to suck even before the door closed on her.
sososo
To wear bright colors when you were supposed to hide in the shadows meant either you were an imbecile or you were really good. Damian knew in which category he belonged and was proud to finally clip Robin's black and yellow cape around his neck, making ready for his first official patrol.
He was above being excited by this important step but he allowed himself some degree of eagerness. After all, this would not only be Robin's comeback on the roofs after several months – an upgraded version of Robin, obviously – but also his first patrol at his father's side. Damian would make sure that it would be perfect.
And he was used to perfection. There was no need to feel nervous.
He still double-checked his weapons and his belt's equipment. The light armor of the new Robin suit had been tested but it was the first time he wore it all, mask included. It was adapted to his body and face as if he had worn it several times already; Alfred did good work.
Damian checked the Batcomputer – such a childish name, certainly chosen by Grayson – just in case any alarm had been raised already. He couldn't wait for his father to arrive. They should not be late today! Nor ever. But especially not today.
Finally, the Batman appeared. Damian straightened, ready to take any order, but his father barely paused in front of him.
"Get into the Batmobile."
Damian pursed his lips but obeyed promptly. This was his chance to prove how good he was; he wasn't to spoil it by behaving like a child. He didn't even propose to drive even though it would certainly be thrilling, considering the car's performances. He was not doing this because it was thrilling, but because it was his place as Batman's rightful heir.
His father started the engine and, soon, they were blurring through Gotham. Damian didn't say a word, concentrating on their point of arrival. They were to hide the Batmobile in Park Row and move downtown, then come back up following the river eastside. Even if someone found the car, no one would dare to touch it, Grayson had told him. 'Except if someone tries to steal its tires', Todd had added, but evidently he had just been his usual annoying self: the car was protected.
They stopped in the empty alley and got out. Batman grappled; Damian followed without being told. He had studied their route but of course Batman would lead the way.
It did feel a little bit thrilling.
They stumbled upon their first mugging not five minutes later. Finally, some action! Batman dropped, cape opened like wings, and Damian followed without a second of hesitation. There were two of them – in ten seconds, both were disposed of, stunned, and Damian was letting the woman take her bag back.
She didn't stay to ask questions. Instead, she gripped her bag and ran away.
Damian rolled his eyes. People from this city really were scum. He didn't voice his doubts, though, and joined Batman's side to help him tie the offenders to a lamp post. They took off again as soon as it was done, in perfect silence.
Were they to be left in the street like this? They certainly deserved it, Damian thought.
But no – Batman activated his com to the Cave, where Grayson was on duty.
"Two thieves at the corner of High and Timber."
Damian quickly activated his own com link to hear the answer.
"… in a few minutes", Grayson was saying.
"Good. Batman off."
They resumed their route, silent again. Damian was feeling… not precisely annoyed or tensed but itchy. Should he have waited on the rooftop? Certainly not; he was a trained assassin, after all, and even his father cleared him for duty. They had just been easy to handle and didn't deserve any comment.
The next half hour crawled by with nothing happening, long and dull. After a while, Damian took the lead: he was supposed to show how much of a good Robin he was and would not manage that by doing nothing. At least, he ought to prove he knew the route by heart and had no problem moving around by himself.
Then finally he saw some action: a small group of gangsters harassing a couple of teenage girls. Damian dropped without being prompted, ready to help, and started disarming the most aggressive men. He saw light reflected on metal and kicked a gun away without the weapon being fired. Soon, Batman joined the crowd, and they were fighting and moving together, like during training, only better – because this time, they really were Batman and Robin!
They managed to secure the villains without any complication. The girls were shaken, but unarmed; Batman still checked on them and asked them to call the cops themselves before grappling to a rooftop nearby. Damian followed, feeling deeply satisfied.
Then Batman turned to him in fury.
"What did you think you were doing?" he growled.
Damian tensed. Annoyance soon replaced his shock while he thought about his answer, reviewing the fight in his mind. He had done nothing wrong!
"You intervened without being ordered to, in a situation involving both civilians and guns! You did not take the time to make sure they were safe before jumping on their aggressors, exposing them to their wrath. What were you thinking?"
Damian felt a wave of – disappointment, it had to be disappointment because fury would be foolish. And fairness had nothing to do with the mission so protesting about it would have been useless. It still hurt.
"Apparently you weren't thinking at all", Batman noted at his lack of answer.
Damian gritted his teeth.
"I went knowing you would take care of the civilians! There were only six of them, I was perfectly able to fight them even on my own…"
"One of which had a gun."
"Which I took care of less than ten second after engagement!"
"Ten seconds were more than enough for him to fire."
Damian glared. This time, it was fury and he didn't care.
"Who are you seeing when you look at me, exactly?" he snapped. Then, changing his voice to use Drake's: "Should I speak to you like you expect your Robin to? And also make the same errors?"
Batman's eyes widened behind the cowl. Damian smirked.
"I am Robin", he said in his own voice. "I don't do silly mistakes."
They stood there for a few seconds, staring at each other. Then Batman lean over him.
"Go. Back. To. The Cave."
He turned around and grappled away to continue his patrol, leaving Damian behind.
Damian headed back to the manor. It was outside the city walls, but not far away; he could walk. He had to reach the road first, anyhow. Finding his way into the Cave shouldn't be too hard considering he knew where the entrance was hidden. At worst, he would get into the manor and in the Cave through the clock.
He was not hurt. Only disappointed. To be sent back like a disobedient child… He was better than Drake.
He would prove it, eventually.
He was almost back to Park Row when he felt movement in his back. He dodged, the batarang leaving his hand by reflex – uselessly; a black and blue mass hugged him as if he was the stuffed pet of some sleepless toddler.
"Grayson!" Damian yelped. "Weren't you supposed to be on monitoring duty?"
"I got bored", Nightwing answered with a big grin. "I thought I would join you instead."
Damian cringed.
"I don't need a babysitter, I am going back, I…"
"No need. I talked with big B., he grunted his approval when I told him I needed some air and company. We'll take care of the eastside while he finishes the westside, alright?"
Damian narrowed his eyes but there was nothing to read on Nightwing's masked face, except for his usual mischief. It wouldn't be the same in Batman's absence, but still – Damian had to admit he had hoped for this night to last longer.
"If father gave his approval…"
"He totally did. Let's go!"
Grayson flew away like if he really was a bird. Damian grumbled before his flips and laughs. Weren't they supposed to be discreet?
And they were not following the planned route.
"Were are we going?" Damian asked.
"To the station!"
No explanation followed. Damian sighed with exasperation.
"Why the station? Has something happened? Who is on monitoring duty if you left?"
"Jay is doing it remotely, and Babs is on it too."
"We are not supposed to use those names during patrol", Damian pointed out.
"Says the one who called me Grayson", Dick mocked. "Also, Jay actually is a codename."
Damian rolled his eyes.
"Don't tell me. You choose it for him."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Anyone else would have chosen mockingbird, which is much more fitting." Or pigeon.
Nightwing actually blinked at that.
"Mockingbird… I like it!"
"It was not a suggestion."
Thankfully, they were reaching the station. The building was easy to climb and gave a good view of the platforms. Grayson didn't stop at the top but kept going until he almost reached the train – then just jumped on it.
Damian started in disbelief.
"Come on, Robin!"
It was evil from him to use that name just to tempt him. On the other hand, Damian guessed he had some right to, since he had been the one creating the role in the first place. He joined him just as the train started to leave. Grayson grinned madly.
"Care to tell me what we are doing this?" Damian enquired.
"We are train-surfing! It's a tradition for Nightwing and Robin's first patrol."
And the fool stood while the train speeded.
"It's a very good exercise for you balance", he added.
"My balance doesn't need exercising", Damian protested, and stood to prove it.
The wind, the speed were exhilarating. It was not as good as being at his father side, but it might have been worth not going back to the Cave, Damian admitted. The tracks curved and so did they, making one with their unaware mount.
Damian realized he was smiling and quickly went back to a more respectable expression. Too late; Grayson saw him and grinned even more. How did he not tear a muscle?
"Don't forget to look at the streets", Nightwing commented. "If we see something going on, we jump to take a look."
"Jumping. From the train. You are insane."
"It's just a matter of coordination, I'm sure you'd manage."
"Of course I will. But if this is a tradition, I assume you did the same with my predecessors?"
Nightwing didn't darken, exactly, but his smile took a sad shade which Damian didn't like at all. He probably should have refrained from mentioning Drake, even in such an indirect way.
"Well, they had to learn, didn't they?" Grayson answered easily. "It's not easy for him, you know."
He was not talking about Drake, obviously, nor Todd. Damian gritted his teeth.
"Which doesn't give him the right to act so stupidly, we all agree, and don't worry I'm going to set Kal on him", Grayson added with some satisfaction.
Damian almost winced in sympathy. Kal El could be really annoying and was as likely to drop a subject as a crocodile to free a prey after having taken the first bite. Todd had told him with some awe that Lois Lane was even worse; Damian was positive he did not want to meet her.
"Anyway, he will get used to it. He wants you at his side. Just give him some time."
Damian straightened.
"Of course he does. Even if he did not, it is just a matter of time before he realize I am the perfect partner for him."
Grayson grinned – then seemed to see something, and grinned even more.
"Looks like there's trouble over there!" he exclaimed with joy. "Time to show off, Robin. You ready?"
Damian smirked.
"Always."
And they jumped.
sososo
Jason removed his magnifying glasses when he heard the distinctive sound of the Bat-com': someone wanted to talk to him. He dragged his laptop closer to take a look. It was Babs, on her private line. No emergency, then, but she was one of the few from whom he would accept and even welcome the interruption.
He changed his status from 'busy' to 'available' and Babs' astonished face appeared on the screen. Now, he knew why she called.
"Hello, beautiful", he said. "How are you doing?"
"Did you really steal Superman's armor?"
Jason snorted. Said armor was spread on the working table in all its glorious red and blue – the damn thing didn't have a scratch despite several experiments. He fully intended to ask Lex for some of his toys in order to finally take a sample.
"My reputation is overrated", he answered. "I asked him to lend it to me and he agreed."
"Alright. Did you really asked Superman to lend you his armor?" Babs corrected.
That pulled a laugh out of Jason.
"Yeah, I did. 'was even polite about it."
"He needs it, howdidyoumanageIwantittoo!"
"I had good arguments."
"Jay!"
Jason grinned.
"Sorry, none you could use for yourself. I want to understand how it works to make one for Kon."
"I could help you!"
"Care to spend a few months in Metropolis?"
"He cannot possibly have loaned it to you for several months."
"Six, actually. He said he had managed without for years before finding the fortress and would just fetch it in case of real emergency, such as an alien invasion or something. I promised I would leave it in an accessible place and would not let Lex play with it."
Babs moaned in frustration.
"You are working on alien technology."
"It's far above my level", Jason sighed. "But since no one knows how it works, Kal included…"
"He is depending on tech he doesn't know?"
They exchanged the tired glance of two Bats talking about any other hero. Except for Diana, of course, and the very few ones who had received any training whatsoever before deciding to play the costumed vigilantes. Not that they were not capable; they just sometimes had the most civilian reflexes.
"Do you really think you could replicate it?" Babs asked.
Jason shook his head.
"Of course not. We don't have the technology nor the needed materials. But to understand enough from it to create something similar? Well, maybe. In a few years, anyway."
She nodded. She was looking at him with expectation, which was new. Jason kind of liked it.
"Hey, let's not celebrate before I actually manage anything, alright?"
She grinned.
"I'm sure you will. What shade of green is Lex?"
"Only a really light one. After all, this is for his son, and he might manage to do something about what I find anyway."
"How green is Bruce?"
Jason shrugged.
"Unhappy with the armor being unavailable, but he doubts anyone can pull anything out of it. So, he's mostly okay with this."
Babs looked at him. Jason grinned. Of course, she was right: this was only half the truth. He timed his request with Damian starting his patrols, which meant Bruce had other things on his mind.
"Do you know how it's going for the little bird?" Jason asked. "Dick didn't say anything, which means it was bad, but I don't want to ask for details."
"Bruce was Bruce", Barbara groaned. "But Dick finished the patrol with the kid, so, all is well. They have been patrolling all three together ever since. I guess Dick intends to make sure Bruce behaves before giving him another chance."
Jason rolled his eyes.
"The brat doesn't know his luck. Learning to handle Bruce is part of being Robin."
"Until now, Bruce didn't have a boyfriend", Babs pointed out. "Bruce-handling is Dick's job, now."
"Ah, well", Jason sighed. "He's always been the ultimate Robin, hasn't he?"
There was almost no bitterness left at this statement. Strange how things changed, Jason thought. At some point in time, he really had thought being Robin would be his life forever. All Robin thought that, he guessed.
"So. What are the news on your side?" he asked.
"Nothing as thrilling as working on Superman's armor. I can't believe you didn't tell me!"
"'Will teach you to call more often", Jason teased.
She made a face.
"Am I the one who moved out of the city? Am I the one who promised I would call often?" she accused.
"Well, I have been busy, you know, with Superman's armor", Jason answered.
Her expression of disgusted fury was not entirely faked. Jason smile softened. She was right; he should have called sooner. He had not wanted to have anything to do with Gotham since he had left – thinking about it lead to thinking about Tim, and that was just too painful.
However, Babs wasn't Gotham. She deserved better.
Maybe he should suggest to meet for lunch one of those days? He could convince Lex to give him a day off. He might even get an interesting night over it – to compensate for his absence, allegedly.
Before he could formulate his proposition, though, Babs frowned.
"Sorry, it's just a warning. Shooting in the docks. Dick should be able to…"
She paled.
"What?" he asked urgently.
"I've got to go", she said, already getting up. "It's the Joker."
sososo
The sex had been horrible. Tim supposed – hoped – it would get better: they had both been virgins, after all. The Joker had also acted like a petulant child but that certainly would not change. In the meantime, Tim noted to search for documentation.
But before that, more urgent measures had to be taken. Tim got up.
"I'm going to shower."
"Excellent idea", the Joker agreed, looking more disgusted than satisfied even though he had come. "Let's do that."
He joined Tim, much to Tim's surprised. They had touched each other a few times and shared a bed whenever the Joker was in the mood, but they certainly never had showered together.
Well, Tim wasn't about to protest. Memories of boiling water and snakes kept haunting him whenever he was alone in a bathroom. But with the Joker there – nothing would happen. He would be safe.
The hot water unknotted his muscles delightfully, especially after the strain they had endured. There had to be a way to do this properly – and cleanly, for God's sake. After all, people were supposed to find it pleasant.
(He would make sure he would, too, starting next time.)
He rinsed the soap from his porcelain-white skin, then noticed some green in the water. Strange, he did not feel the usual itch from the acid and it wasn't the correct shade of green anyway. Then he looked up, and froze.
The Joker's hair was red. Or, well, some strange mix of orange and half-rinsed green. And his face – his face was white, like Tim's, but the lips were not red anymore, and most of his overstretched smile had disappeared.
Make-up. It had been make-up.
The Joker face was still sharp, Tim decided. And too white, of course, but… It looked human, in a Michael Jackson's way. With some foundation he would look perfectly normal, no one would look at him twice in the streets.
(The Joker was human.)
It was a bit weird. And a bit scary.
"Sad, isn't it?" the Joker said. "I really ought to find a better brand. Really, why don't people create long-lasting green hair dye, mh?"
"So you can put on this mask to go for a walk from time to time?" Tim suggested.
That earned him a wicked smile, almost as good as with the make-up on – with the Joker's real face on.
"Good boy. I knew I had good reason for keeping you around."
Tim pouted. Of course he had good reasons to! But he was no Harleen: he wouldn't complain about the Joker's lack of attention.
"If I had access to a computer, I would look into this to make it better next time", he pointed out instead.
It would be a computer or books, and he would rather have access to the whole internet instead than to one silly magazine if this was to be some of an exhaustive search. Well, exhaustive would be impossible, considering the amount of data which could be found on that topic in one single search, but well.
"Of course", the Joker answered, getting out of the shower to dress in a purple bathrobe. "My laptop must be over there, somewhere."
Tim stole the matching towel to put it around his waist. A computer… It had been, how many months? His fingers were shaking with need. He found the laptop and sat on the bed where the Joker was collapsing. There was no need to wear his jacket with his smell still strong on the bed so Tim stayed in that state of undress. The Joker's hands found Tim's hips, making him grin despite their previous misadventure. He opened a browser and started looking.
(He could just take a look.)
(Just one.)
Maybe something was left from… before, because one of the tabs was no gay forum nor Doctissimo stupid advices, but a newspaper. Tim's smile disappeared from his lips. Two familiar shadows were jumping from a rooftop on the front page, one of which should not have been there.
Batman and Robin. Batman and Robin.
(Batman needed a Robin!)
(This is a good thing.)
(But Robin is dead!)
(No, he isn't. He was, which wasn't the same, obviously. (And he wasn't really dead anyway or else, how would he be talking?))
Bruce had another kid – Bruce had abandoned him – but he already knew that! He did! He DID! He was the Joker's now!
But that Robin – that new Robin – it wasn't right. It was. Not. Right.
Because Robin couldn't kill! Could not! Could. NOT!
And this, this could only be one person, only one in the whole world.
Damian.
(Damian. (Only him.))
And Damian was an assassin. He had killed.
He could be no Robin.
No. ROBIN!
A crashing sound, the picture disappeared. Then Tim blinked and realized he had thrown the computer to the wall.
"Woops", he said, unrepentant.
The anger was still there, pulsing, screaming with rage inside his chest. He got up to reach the lamp, throwing it as well. Then the pillow – which proved to be very unsatisfactory, considering the lack of noise – then the alarm, then a vase. The Joker was watching him, bored.
"I kind of like that lamp", he commented.
"He made a killer Robin!" Tim yelled, too furious to keep it inside.
"Indeed", the Joker said, not pretending not to know. "He's boring. A real brat. I don't like him."
Tim gritted his teeth. The Joker considered him, then took a gun from nightstand's drawer.
"There, shoot something. It always calms me down."
Tim took the gun and shot at the walls.
"It doesn't help!"
It did, a bit, because the noise matched his anger, but not quite enough.
"Walls are dull. Do this through the window", the Joker suggested.
Tim opened it, not caring about being half naked, and shot outside. One passerby was hit and fell on the ground with a cry; the others started screaming and ran away. Tim sighed with relief.
"You're right", he said, closing the window. "If was satisfying."
The Joker was grinning with delight. Tim joined him, curling against him, and sighed again when he felt his arms around his waist. He felt a kiss on his jaw. Unfortunately, the Joker didn't keep going.
"Come on, darling. You have to dress up. We will have company soon and you are in no state to entertain them. Yet."
Tim pouted but knew he was right. He stole the Joker's pants and jacket, put a hat on his head and a smile on his face. The Joker kissed him, clothing himself in the same clothes from another set.
"Go, darling. Go. I will keep them busy while you run. See you at the warehouse."
"See you soon", Tim answered, and kissed him goodbye before he started running.