A/N: Soulmates. The prompt calls for historical AU, buttt I'm gonna diverge from that since the concept of Kon's soul is actually brought up in the comics.
Conner's soul is new. He doesn't have any past lives. Raven outright confirmed that Conner's soul was brand new when he was having an existential crisis as to whether he was real or not after Lex Luthor decided to activate previously non existent mental commands to set him on his teammates
(Personally, I'm half convinced it was Alexander Luthor Jr who did that since he was running around causing chaos at the time while pretending to be Lex, but that's more of a suspicion than anything I can actually confirm)
What Black Zero does to an alternate Tim is canon, but it's never actually shown. In Superboy: Hypertime, Conner basically gets yeeted into several alternate universes, and the main theme is an evil alternate version of himself that never left Cadmus is running around capturing Superboy's and trying to use them to conquer the multiverse (because ruling one reality was not enough for Darth Kon). In one of them, Black Zero murders Tim and Superboy ends up taking his place as the new Robin
Published: 8/2/2019
Warnings: Major Character Death (In divergent timeline(s))
Featured Character:
Tim Drake
Supporting:
Conner Kent
Bruce Wayne
Dick Grayson
Raven
Antagonist:
Black Zero
TimKon Week V - Soulmates
Tim knew early on that he did not have a Soulmate. He'd scoured his own body a thousand times in an attempt to find a mark, but there hadn't been one.
His skin, born completely unblemished.
It was rare, not having a soulmate, but not entirely unheard of. Most people had one. A few people had two. Rarely did people have anymore than that.
And Tim… Tim had none.
He was born markless.
When he was younger, Tim was of the delusion that not having a mark meant his Soulmate had yet to be born. Tim was older now. He knew better than to believe in such childish delusions. He'd studied the phenomena, again and again.
And Soulmarks, according to all records…
Soulmarks appeared, branded onto your flesh, from the moment you were born, regardless of whether your soulmate was alive or not. If your soulmate was dead or had yet to be born, the mark would still be branded on your skin.
The only difference being, of course, was that the mark would be faded. White lines, etched into your flesh, like a scar.
Tim was pale, so he'd initially hoped that his mark was just difficult to see against his skin. Then, he'd hoped it was maybe etched onto a part of his body that he couldn't see properly, and had even gone through the effort of getting his entire head shaved to double check, much to his parent's chagrin.
(Hey, it was rare, but it had happened before)
And… Nothing.
No Soulmark. No Soulmark anywhere.
Tim knew that this didn't necessarily mean he was destined to be alone, because a Soulmate wasn't someone you necessarily married or even loved. Indeed, some of the most famous Soulmates in history had been known for killing each other rather than loving one another, and on occasion a Soulmate was someone you considered family and all the mark really meant a strong familial bond that would never break.
Free will still existed.
A bond might be predetermined, but it was up to the participants to decide what that bond necessarily meant.
Being markless didn't mean Tim would be alone. It didn't mean he'd never find love. It didn't mean he'd never find someone he could really, truly bond with and care for. It didn't mean he'd never find someone he could give himself to, or someone he could be himself completely around without fear of judgement.
It didn't mean any of that, so damn it, why did Tim feel like it did?
Why did he feel this crushing feeling of loneliness, weighing down on him endlessly?
(Of course, that might have to do more with his rather absent parents who couldn't be bothered to give their own son the time of day, but that was something Tim didn't want to psychoanalyze too deeply)
"And another thing," Bruce, complete in his Batman costume, turned to Tim. The man sat before the main computer in the Batcave, typing away and filing information on their latest case while Tim watched.
Tim had only recently strong armed his way into being Robin. Because someone needed to do it. Because someone had to hold the Batman back. Because someone had to humanize him.
Jason Todd was dead and Dick Grayson had flat out refused when Tim had attempted to talk him into becoming Robin again, so the roll had fallen to Tim himself.
It hadn't been an easy journey, but here he was, before the World's Greatest Detective.
"Your Soulmark," Bruce continued and Tim had to resist the urge to flinch because his Soulmark, or lack of one, was something he specifically made an urge never to think about. "Is is active?"
Tim fidgeted.
Bruce wasn't asking if he didn't have one. Bruce assumed he did. Everyone always assumed, because no one was entirely sure what to do with the idea of being markless.
In general, it made people uncomfortable.
It definitely made Tim uncomfortable.
"I don't have a Soulmark, Bruce." Tim admitted.
Bruce paused, the clicking coming to a cease.
Tim felt a surge of panic hit him. Would Bruce turn on him because Tim lacked a Soulmark? Would he reject him and kick him out, strip Tim of the title he had worked so hard to earn?
Those without marks often faced persecution. Old superstitions were a hard thing to kill, and the idea that someone lacked a Soulmark because they themselves didn't have a soul had already killed millions throughout history.
A witch hunt, if ever there was one.
Tim didn't think Bruce would judge him for it, but rationality goes out the window with fears like this. Fears Tim sometimes believed himself, in the back of his head, because what sort of person was born without a mark?
A mark meant you had a soul. It was undeniable proof of it. Tim had no mark. Tim didn't even have the hint of a mark, carved into his skin. Tim had nothing.
Bruce's momentary lapse ended as he continued typing away.
"I see. Good. You won't be comprised, then."
Tim choked. Leave it to Bruce 'Batman' Wayne to find something tactical in something that had been haunting Tim since he was old enough to understand what having a Soulmark even meant.
Spinning around, Tim left the cave. It might sound angry and petty, but he did not want to deal with Bruce and his coolness right now. He just didn't.
He got that enough from his real parents, thank you very much.
Bruce never commented on it further, but Tim hadn't been able to let it go.
How could he, when even the great Batman had responded in stunned silence to Tim's admission?
It brought back all the questions to the forefront of Tim's mind. Questions he didn't know how to answer or how to avoid.
Did he even have a soul?
Was he even a person?
What even was a soul?
Why did having one matter?
Tim wanted- no, he needed- an answer. It came in a rather unexpected format.
"What do you mean, you have a friend who can scan me for a soul?" Tim said in astonishment.
Dick grinned at him.
"Exactly what it sounds like. Raven can scan for it. She'll be able to see it. She's done it before."
Tim… Wasn't sure what to say. When he'd brought up Bruce's reaction to Tim's lack of Soulmark, he'd done so with trepidation that Dick might respond the same way Bruce had.
He'd never expected something like this.
"She can do that for me?" Tim asked softly, hopeful.
Dick stared at him for several seconds before placing a hand on Tim's shoulder, squeezing it.
"I promise she can," Dick assured before tilting his head. "I mean, I still have to ask and stuff, but anything for my new little bro."
Little wha-
Before Tim could respond to that loaded statement, Dick hauled him in and began to give him a nudgy.
"Wha- let go, Dick!" Tim hollered.
"Nuh uh," Dick laughed in Tim's ear even as Tim struggled, "It's a big brother's duty to annoy a little sibling when their in a funk!"
"No it isn't!"
Dick paused. Tim sighed in relief, sure he would be freed soon.
"It is now," Dick shrugged and resumed the nudgy, much to Tim's enraged chagrin.
Tim had to resist the urge for skepticism once he entered Raven's room. The entire place was shrouded in darkness, the drapes only let in the smallest silver of sunlight, and Raven herself sat knelt before a literal pyre in the middle of the room awaiting him.
A cushion was set on the floor before her on the other side of the pyre. The lit pyre, which was releasing multicolored smoke up into the air.
All in all, it looked like a complete bullshit setup. Like those scams you see where someone walks around pretending to be a mystic. Regardless, Dick had promised him Raven was legit- and Tim had seen it himself on multiple occasions, so he was going to trust his brother's judgement.
Brother.
Tim had always wanted a brother, and now, he had one. One that had gone out of his way to help Tim with something that genuinely gave him anxiety instead of shoving it under the rug like Bruce had.
Of course, Bruce did the same with his own emotions and the man was terrible with them, but Tim could tell he cared. Still, knowing Nightwing was watching out for him was a nice feeling.
"Sit," Raven motioned to Tim's cushion. Tim sat.
The two of them stared at each other for several moments.
"I want you to close your eyes," Raven commanded, "and breath in the hallucinogens coming from the fire."
Tim blinked.
"... You're admitting to drugging me?"
"Of course I'm admitting it," Raven scoffed. "What sort of natural fire gives off smoke that looks like a rainbow?"
True, true. Then again, Tim was pretty sure there were plenty of ways to mix chemicals to produce the results without adding drugs in. Regardless, deciding to trust her, Tim closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Good," Raven said. "Now, Dick tells me that your primary reason for seeking me out is your lack of a Soulmark."
"Yes," Tim couldn't keep the hitch out of his breath.
"I can tell you right off the bat that you have a soul. I can see it, shining brightly within you," Raven said.
Tim couldn't help but open his eyes to stare at the woman.
"Then why are you having me-" Tim began.
"Close your eyes!" Raven commanded so sharply that Tim obeyed without question. "Breath in. Breath out. In. Out. In. Out."
Tim did so, allowing his body to relax.
"Good," Raven said. "Now, the reason for smoke and the ambience I've laid out? We are going to find your Soulmate."
Tim kept himself from opening his eyes again, but it was a very near thing.
"I don't have one," Tim said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.
"You do," Raven reassured. "They merely do not exist in this dimension yet."
"... What?"
Because what the fuck?
What did that even mean!
"Reality is more complex than we give it credit for," Raven continued. "There are other realities. Other dimensions. Alternate universes. My father," Raven spat the word with so much loathing it reminded Tim of Bruce ranting about the Joker, "came from one such alternate land. You lack a Soulmark because your Soulmate has yet to exist in this reality. That does not mean that they do not exist in any reality."
"... So, what you're telling me is, you're going to show me something I can never have because they're from another dimension."
Again, Tim's bitterness came barreling right out. He'd come here to see if he had a soul. Raven had already given him that knowledge. But, she wanted to take it a step further. She wanted to show him other dimensions. She wanted to show Tim something he could never, ever have.
She didn't just want to tell Tim he had a soul.
No… She wanted to prove it to him.
Tim could appreciate the sentiment. He really could. However...
What did it matter if his Soulmate didn't exist yet?
Wait… What did that even mean, actually? People whose Soulmates had yet to be born were still marked, so Raven's statement made little sense.
"People live, and people die," Raven explained. "When they die, their soul eventually reincarnates. This is best shown through Hawkman and Hawkwoman, both of whom have reincarnated and found each other again and again for the last four thousand years. The reason you do not bare a mark is because your Soulmate has yet to exist at all."
"... So, what you're saying is, whoever my Soulmate is, their soul is new. Or is going to be new."
"Yes."
"But then, how does a new soul come about?"
"How does anything come about?" Tim could practically hear Raven shrugging. "It merely does. I will help you glimpse into these other worlds, so that you may have the answers you seek, if you are willing."
If Tim was willing…
Tim could know, for a fact, here and now if he would ever have a Soulmate. Perhaps not in this life, but maybe in the next. He would know for a fact, and Tim could admit that knowing that there was nothing wrong with him would go a long way to fixing the anxiety of not having a mark had done to him.
On the other hand…
Tim was utterly terrified of finding out he didn't have a Soulmate in ANY reality. Because that would be the kicker, wouldn't it? Tim would be the one outlier, the one thing Raven would never expect.
It was an irrational fear, Tim realized, but one that he couldn't quite shake.
Raven was giving him a choice. She could show Tim, here and now, glimpses of these other dimensions. It wasn't so much about knowing if he had a soul or not at this point, but proving it. Not just proving it, but giving Tim hope for the future.
Hope…
"Do it," Tim decided to fuck it and go with it.
He didn't want to grow alone and bitter. He didn't want to walk though life, rejecting others around him and closing himself off.
He didn't want to be like his parents, who couldn't look past the material and drowned themselves in it.
Raven inhaled deeply, and then…
Tim gasped as the world began to spin.
Tim felt himself lifted in a pair of strong, muscular arms. Groaning, Tim moaned as Kon practically devoured his throat, hands squeezing appreciatively at Tim's ass. Wrapping his legs around his lover, Tim panted as he was set down on the bed.
"I'm going to make love to you," Kon rasped into Tim's ear. "I'm going to worship you. I'm going to make you come again and again and again. I'm going to make you beg, I'm going to map out each and every part of you, find every single erogenous zone on you and overstimulate them until you forget your own name."
Tim narrowed his eyes, squinting at his lover.
"Try it, clone boy."
Kon grinned and proceeded to do exactly what he promised.
Tim's eyes snapped open, his body seemingly falling forward of its own volition. Eyes wide, the young Robin looked up, face a burning red.
Raven stared at him blankly.
"Clearly," Raven stated, "you and your Soulmate are of the… Romantic variety."
Tim could practically feel the steam coming out of his ears.
Steam, and surprise, because until that moment Tim hadn't realized he was attracted to guys. Was he attracted to guys? Was it that particular incarnation Raven had made him remember that was attracted to guys?
No. Thinking it over, Tim could definitely still say the man in the vision was hot. Tim liked. Tim really, really liked. The muscles and the eyes and the smoldering look on his face like he just wanted to devour Tim whole.
…
Oh god, Tim was too old to be having a sexual identity crisis!
(Tim was fourteen. Tim was blatantly lying.)
Tim shook his head.
"Okay, whatever, I have a Soulmate. It's not like it matters. He doesn't exist in this dimension," Tim pointed out.
Raven smiled at him.
"Ah, but not yet."
Tim frowned.
"No offense, Raven, but if my Soulmate is a newborn, I'm not having sex with him, period. The age difference alone," Tim shuddered, not bothering to finish the sentence.
Soulmates didn't have to be someone you slept with. Hell, sometimes your Soulmate was a parent or a sibling. Tim's Soulmate, though? They were very clearly… Copulating.
"Clearly, you did not pay attention to the words exchanged in the vision," Raven arched an eyebrow.
Tim turned beat red again. Oh, he'd definitely heard the words alright.
"Your Soulmate is a clone," Raven stated, startling Tim. "Which means his appearance is deceiving. He will not be born. He will be created."
Tim spluttered.
"What? But… Wouldn't a clone not have a Soulmate? I mean, clones don't have souls, do they?" Tim asked, unsure what to make of that.
On the bright side, Raven wasn't commenting on the… Other aspects of the vision.
Dick could never know. Tim would never live it down, especially since Dick had declared himself Tim's brother and would no doubt use it against him in many trollish ways.
Raven arched a second eyebrow.
"You would judge another for not having a mark?" Raven asked snidely and Tim fidgeted, unsure of how to answer that.
Intellectually, he knew, you shouldn't judge someone for not having a mark. It was something Tim knew in his head, but his heart? That was a little more stubborn.
Internalized hate always is.
"Besides," Raven lifted her arm, dragging down her sleeve. There, clear as day, was an ever changing green mark burned onto her flesh. And by ever changing, Tim meant it.
One moment, it was a monkey. The next, a donkey. A gorilla. A dog. A lion. A goat. Constantly shifting, from one shape to the next.
"Wow…" Tim said.
"Marks change and reflect those you are bound to. I was not born with this mark, Robin. It appeared on my flesh when I crossed from Azarath into this land. Perhaps, your mark too shall appear when your Soulmate crosses into this world in a similar fashion. Until you meet him, it will be impossible to tell what fate has in store."
Fate…
Tim was fated to meet this 'Kon'.
The name ringed in Tim's head, the same way the other Tim's emotions had felt like his own. Kon.
Tim… Tim really wanted to meet him. He really did.
Raven stood.
"Alright. We're finished," Raven said, walking towards the exit before glancing over her shoulders. "Oh, and by the way… You'll likely experience visions of alternate versions of yourself when your dreaming do to the ritual."
"... I'm gonna what now!?"
"Conner! KON El, listen to me, dammit!" Tim was screaming.
Conner stopped.
The pair of them stood along, in one of the many backroads of Agrabah. The desert sun beat down on them mercilessly, the heat sweltering.
Conner turned and stared at Tim, waiting patiently for Tim to continue.
Tim reached out to him.
"Don't go," Tim plead, "you can't. None of us can. Master Ava said that, when the time comes, and there is war, we mustn't fight. We have to run away, to the world outside."
Conner sneered. Outright sneered at him. It was a weird feeling.
"I'm sorry, Tim, but I can't just run, and I'm surprised that you can," Conner spat out, disgust clear in his voice. "Every Keybearer we know is gathering at the Badlands. The fate of the world, of every world, is at stake! I can't just turn my back on that!"
"They're going to slaughter one another!" Tim yelled right back. "It's going to be a massacre! Every. Single. One. Of. You. Will. Die. And, it will all be for nothing!"
"Nothing?" Conner repeated incredulously, taking a step forward. Tim had to resist the urge to summon his Keyblade. Conner would never hurt him of his own free will. "We're going to preserve the light. We're going to save it. We're going to save-"
"All I see is a bunch of people I thought I once knew, surrendering themselves to their suspicions and killing one another over their own greed," Tim interrupted coldly. "A bunch of children, desperate for Lux, willing to cut each other down over it. You won't save the world, Kon. You are going to end it."
Conner stared at him for several seconds before screaming incoherently, turning away and leaning his head against a wall. Hand curled into a fist, Conner slammed it against a wall. Tim watched silently, unrepentant.
"Damn it, Tim, don't you think I know that?" Conner choked out, turning his head to stare at Tim with misty eyes.
The confession shocked Tim. It really did. He couldn't keep the surprise from showing on his face. Surprise, followed by anger.
"IF YOU ALREADY KNEW, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU INSISTENT ON GOING?!" Tim thundered.
Conner pushed himself off the wall. Idly, Tim noticed a large crack running along it that hadn't been there before. Conner turned to face him fully.
"Because, everyone we know is going to be there, and I can't just turn my back on them!"
Tim stared.
"You… You complete and utter moron! You. Will. Die. You are all gonna die! What part of that aren't you getting?"
"The part where you expect me to turn my back on everyone," Conner said bluntly. Tim flinched. "I know we're all probably going to die, Tim. I know it's a pointless battle. I know it's idiodic, and moronic, and stupid. I know we shouldn't be fighting one another. I know we should be focusing on the Heartless. I know, but if I can make a difference, any difference, isn't my life worth that?"
"NOT TO ME IT ISN'T!" Tim bellowed before he could stop himself.
Conner face shifted. It took Tim a moment to realize he was being gazed at in pity.
"I'm sorry, Tim, but I can't turn my back on everyone. Not even for you. I love you, but I'm not picking you over the world. I can't do that. I can't, and I won't."
Then, the moron turned, walking away calmly, as if he hadn't just torn out Tim's heart and stomped on it.
Tim woke up with a scream on his lips. A pant escaped him as he turned in his bed.
What… What in the hell had that been?
Is that what Raven had meant?
Tim didn't like it. Tim didn't like it at all.
Shaking it off, Tim sat up. There was no use trying to go back to bed now. Tim pretended his body wasn't shaking with fear that wasn't his own, and instead stood, ready to prepare himself for his day.
The dreams weren't all bad. For the most part, they were happy. Tim was happy in them. Conner was happy in them.
Tim was happy now.
Conner stomped his foot, causing the earth around them to quake. A block rose from the ground, which he flung at the Fire Nation troops.
Tim himself was dancing between them, smacking away at them with a bo staff. Unlike Conner, Tim wasn't a Bender, but a little thing like that wasn't going to stop him from being a badass.
Wacking the last one over the head, Tim smiled.
Every single one of them was out cold. Good. Defending the town was getting a bit tiring, but hey, someone had to do it and fighting next to Conner was pretty fu-
Tim felt himself spun around as Conner pulled him in for a kiss. Grinning, Tim kissed right back before pulling back.
Tim bopped Conner on the nose with his freehand.
"Now, now. Back it up, buddy," Tim grinned. "Wait 'till we get home."
Then, without missing a beat, Tim spun and smashed his staff into the head of a Fire Nation soldier who'd been slowly raising his hand to open fire on them.
Conner whistled.
A hand was curled around his throat, lifting Tim in the air. Except, there wasn't a hand. Not a visible one, at least.
Before him stood the strangest thing he had ever seen. A man that looked like an older version of his best friend, dressed in black, a golden cape swirling behind him. The man was sneering at him in disgust.
A part of Tim knew that he should know the man, but it was a little hard to think with the lack of oxygen.
"You, you, you. It's always you!" The man spat.
Tim had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. The man took a step closer, hand rising to touch along Tim's cheek. Tim attempted to breath.
Whatever was holding him, it held tightly. Invisible bonds, keeping Tim upright, frozen, unable to move.
No.
Not 'whatever' was holding him.
Tim knew exactly what this was. He'd felt it on him, a thousand times before.
Every other time, the tinge of Tactile Telekinesis on his skin had brought him relief. This time, all it brought him was horror.
"LET HIM GO! Stop it! Just stop!"
Superboy… Tim had almost forgotten Superboy was here too.
The older version of Superboy turned to sneer at him.
"Shut up! This brat needs to die!"
Older…
Right. Black Zero. That was his name. Tim remembered now. Black Zero, the dimensional traveler, who'd burst into their world and murdered Superman himself when he was still weak from the beating Doomsday had given him.
Superman hadn't had time to fully recover when Black Zero had arrived, and had fallen again. This time, permanently.
Fallen, the same way Tim was sure he was about to himself.
"Why? Leave him alone! I'll do what you want! I'll do whatever you want! Just stop hurting him!"
Black Zero turned his head to stare at Superboy and laughed. He laughed, loud and boisterous and borderline insane, before turning back to Tim. "Do you hear him, Drake? He'd do anything for you. He would even serve me," Black Zero laughed, patting Tim on the cheek. "But, you see, it's too late for that. You've already corrupted him. You always corrupt him, in every life! You always pull him towards the light! Every single damn time I come across a world were the pair of you have interacted… EVERY single one!" Black Zero spat in Tim's face. Literally.
"Please…"
Black Zero turned back to look at Superboy.
"Just remember this, Superboy. Remember what happens to those that stand against me. Remember, and watch."
Then, Black Zero twitched his finger.
And Tim? Tim's neck just snapped.
This time, Tim really did wake up screaming.
For once, he was really, really glad his parents weren't home to hear it.
The dreams varied.
Sometimes Tim died. Sometimes Conner died. Sometimes they both did.
They both died in the Keyblade Graveyard. Conner, too stubborn not to go, and Tim, following behind him like the moron he'd professed Conner to be, only for both of them to be struck down in quick succession by Master Ira.
Sometimes neither of them died.
Sometimes they got married.
Sometimes they didn't.
Sometimes they stayed friends.
Sometimes Tim was Conner's Best Man.
Sometimes Conner was Tim's.
Regardless of the life, however, there was one consistency: they were friends. Yes, they had their ups and downs. Yes, there were moments where they screamed at one another. Yes, there were moments were they stood on opposite sides.
But, at the end of the day, they always, always stood by each other in the end.
Their friendship was the stuff of legends.
Literally.
Then… One day, the dreams stopped.
It took Tim an embarrassingly long time to figure out why. Tim would never let Bruce know Tim hadn't noticed on his own. He'd never live it down. Regardless, the reason for the lack of visions was pointed out to him in the middle of changing for Gym class.
"Hey, dude, you didn't tell us you had a Superman tattoo! Man, that's cool!"
Tim blinked and turned around to stare at Ives.
"... What? I don't have a tattoo?"
Ives blinked at him before pulling out his phone. "Yeah, you do! It's on your back! Here, let me show you."
Tim shrugged. It's not like there was anything there in the first place. At least, that's what Tim assumed until Ives showed him the picture.
Superman's symbol, printed clear as day, right on the small of his back. Tim took the phone from Ives and narrowed his eyes, trying to see if his friend had maybe added an icon to it, or… No. Tim could see the outline of his scars through the Superman symbol.
Suddenly, it clicked.
"... Kon El."
"Huh?"
Tim shook his head.
"Nothing, here. I forgot that was there, it's temporary. I got it the other day on a dare," Tim lied through his teeth, handing the phone back. Ives shrugged and took it.
"Whatever you say man, whatever you say."
Bruce stared at him. Tim resisted the urge to fidget.
"You're telling me that you believe the clone that recently revealed itself and is calling himself 'Superman' is your Soulmate?"
"I'm pretty sure, yeah." Tim admitted.
"... handle it on your own," Bruce turned away, stalking off.
Tim stared in surprise. He hadn't expected much, not really, but he had at least expected something!
"Wha- but, Bruce-" Tim called, walking forward and extending a hand out. Bruce turned and Tim paused.
"Tim… I understand this might be a bit shocking to you, but I can't go to Metropolis with you. I do not… I do not wish to see any being, waltzing about in Superman's colors, no matter what lineage they claim," Bruce told him bluntly.
Tim froze. Well… When Batman put it like that, he and Superman had been pretty close.
Wait a minute…
"Was Superman your-" Tim bit his own lip to keep himself from finishing that sentence. Oh dear gods, he could not believe he'd been a second away from asking Bruce if Superman was his Soulmate.
Superman, who was very, very dead.
Bruce, however, shook his head.
"No. However, he was a close personal friend. He… Kal El was the closest thing I ever had to a brother. Now, please, leave it be."
Oh holy hell, when Batman asked you politely to stop, Tim knew full well you should. Bruce turned and stalked out of the cave.
Alrighty then. Tim would have to handle this himself. No biggie. He just had to track down a super clone of the most powerful man on Earth. How hard could it be? The clone was running around making as big a spectacle of himself as possible, after all.
It turned out to be even easier than that.
Tim had been in the middle of beating up some gangbangers when the air around himself swooshed as it was forcibly displaced. Startled, Tim's head snapped up as Superboy himself arrived out of nowhere, stomping down on the ground and hitting one of the thugs in a brutal uppercut that sent him sprawling.
"Is that one of those new Supermen?"
"Fuck this shit, I'm out!"
The thugs started to run, but it was a useless endeavor. Tim was quick himself, and had a multitude of gadgets. Superboy… Well, he wasn't as quick as Superman, but he was faster than the average thug, that was for sure.
It was over in seconds. Panting, among the bodies of the fallen thugs which really reminded Tim of the time they'd beat the shit out of Fire Nation troops, except that had been literally another dimension. Tim turned towards Superboy.
"Super-" Tim began before he was interrupted by a half Kryptonian practically leaping across the alleyway to glomp him. Tim's bo staff fell with a clatter as he raised up his arms in surprise, holding up the clone as he wrapped his legs around Tim's waist.
Oh boy. If Tim hadn't upped his workout regimen with Batman, he'd be falling right about now.
"Rob! You won't believe how long it took me to find you!" Superboy babbled as he rested his head on Tim's shoulder.
Tim froze.
"You were looking for me?"
"Duh," Tim could hear the eyeroll. "I mean, ever since the visions started when they were trying to make me into Superman the Second, I knew I had to get out of there. I mean, hell, I saw what that evil me did and I never, never wanna be something like that and can we not talk about that, I still have nightmares about it."
Holy mother of god, Superboy had had the same visions as Tim? Pulling back, Tim shot the Superboy a look of stunned surprise.
"What?" Superboy frowned. "Is it not normal to have those when you're being created? I mean, I was born like this so I didn't go through the whole baby stage, so maybe everyone else forgets but I-"
Tim interrupted Superboy with his lips. Superboy let out a pleased sound before kissing back enthusiastically. Tim groaned into it, slowly closing his eyes.
"Ah! Gross! First, they beat us up, now we have to watch them mate?"
"Did you just say mate, dude?"
"What else do aliens do?"
Tim pulled back from Superboy, turning his head to glare at the two arguing thugs.
"Do I need to hit the pair of you harder?" Tim demanded.
Both froze. Slowly, looking up, they shook their heads.
Superboy snorted, lowering himself from Tim before taking Tim's hands in his own.
"What do you say we get out of here, Rob."
Tim smirked.
"Sure. Let's get to know each other a little better," Tim said.
Superboy had the audacity to roll his eyes.
"I already know you, Rob. I dreamed about you every day while I was in that tube. You're all I've ever known."
Yeah, about that, Tim would definitely have to interrogate Raven later as to how exactly that spell of hers worked.
Regardless, Tim had found his Soulmate and his Soulmate had found him. They'd figure out the rest together, just like they had been always meant to be.