Tim was not looking forward to talking with Bruce about his reasons for
cutting off contact with the rest of the clan. He made his way out of his
bedroom and started for Wayne Manor anyway though, hoping that he would be
able to return without his father finding out about the short trip.
Sneaking out in the middle of the night would probably get him into even
bigger trouble than before, after this spate of good behavior. So he made
his way to the cave with a small amount of dread, just wanting to get the
discussion over with.
However, as soon as he entered the main part of the cave he was treated to a large dose of déjà vu. Bruce was out of uniform, facing Nightwing, and they were talking about him. Tim stopped sharply, debating internally whether or not to stay. He didn't want to talk to Dick. He didn't even know what to say, and Bruce had been right; it all seemed very childish. That didn't change the fact that Dick had been advocating for Tim to be out of the Robin gig though.
There was the promise to Bruce that they would talk about this though, and he started forward again, clearing his throat softly. Both men turned to face him, Nightwing warily looking him over as Bruce's non-expression almost moved to a frown before lifting slightly. "You said you wanted to talk to me, so here I am. I don't have a lot of time though, unless getting caught by my dad is a desired outcome." There was a long moment of silence. "So are we gonna do this, or not?"
There was a strange look that passed between Bruce and Dick and then they were both moving towards the computer. Tim followed, stopping again as Oracle appeared on the large monitor. "We don't want to gang up on you Tim, but Nightwing and Oracle insisted on being present. Everyone has been worried about you." It was very disturbing, the way that Bruce seemed to care again. He hadn't acted so friendly in a long time, almost since the beginning of their partnership. It unnerved him, as did Dick's silence and Bab's hurt expression. She looked like he had just kicked her puppy, and he hadn't done anything to her at all.
"Why, because I'm being childish? I thought that was what was expected of teenagers." He folded his arms across his chest, his posture turning defensive.
"Yes, but you never had before. It was one of the things we liked best about you Tim. You were more mature than we were sometimes. It's what makes you a good Robin. I think that you should tell Dick what you told me earlier tonight."
Tim looked at Dick for a moment and then away again as he began. "I heard what you said to Bruce about me, a few months ago. About how I shouldn't be Robin anymore. That I was just a waste of your time."
There was a sudden movement and Tim found himself being pulled towards Dick. "I never, I would never say that. I wouldn't even think it because it isn't true."
"I heard you say it though. You said that he didn't need me on patrol." Tim tried to pull away; "I heard it clearly."
"Maybe Dick just meant that you were doing well on your own and that neither of you were patrolling together very often, so it was less necessary to think of you as a team?" Babs interrupted with ease, trying to diffuse the tension she sensed.
"Exactly. Tim, you have been on your own for a long time, or so it seems. You go out with Spoiler, or Batgirl, or even me, far more often than you patrol with Batman. That was all I meant. The two of you don't rely on each like Batman and Robin had in the past, like when I was Robin." There was a pause, "And I never said you were a waste of my time. I like spending time with you; it's like I've gotten a little brother and I never really was that for Jason. I should have been. I don't want there to be a distance between us Tim. It isn't good to have that distance."
Tim looked up again, but found that Dick's attention was focused on Bruce. "I know. It just… hurt, when you said those things about me. I didn't want to talk about it at all."
"And that's why you stopped talking to everyone, isn't it? Because you thought that I didn't care about you anymore."
"If I was so unnecessary, why would anyone care if I were gone? It's not like anyone was trying to reach me at school when I stopped patrolling." This was starting to feel even more awkward, and Tim knew he should leave. "I should go, I don't want to get caught sneaking out on the weekends anymore. I don't really know what else to say."
"Tim, stay a little longer, please. We really want to work this out tonight, so it isn't avoided in the future." Bruce moved forward again, and Tim found himself surrounded by the three, backed up to the computer and blocked by Dick and Bruce.
Dick was giving another of those strange looks to Bruce, who was ignoring it again. "You do understand that it isn't true, right. That I never meant that you were unnecessary; or unwanted or anything like that?"
"I guess. I just need some more time. I've liked being on my own. It was nice to count on myself and not have to contact Oracle for everything or ask for a bail out from anyone." Tim glanced at Bruce from the corner of his eye; "It was nice not having to follow orders on my own cases."
Dick's expression changed dramatically, with the conversation topic; "I understand that. It's good to have some independence. You haven't screwed anything up these last few months, not that you normally do, so you can totally handle the missions on your own. Every bird needs a chance to spread its wings and be on its own. It doesn't mean you have to leave the nest entirely though."
"I missed all of you, but it just didn't seem like anyone cared that I wasn't around. It was easier just to stay away." He stopped again. It was difficult to find the right words. "I don't know how to get past this."
"Well, you can start by patrolling the 'haven with me next weekend, and staying over. We can talk more then." Dick's hand found its way to Tim's shoulder again.
"And you can stop by the Clocktower the next time you go on patrol in Gotham. I'd like to see you in person again, it's been a long time." Bab's smiled at him, reassuringly he thought.
Bruce waited as Bab's said goodbye to Tim, and made plans to see Dick later, and then was silent as Dick made plans to have Tim visit the following week. Finally he was left alone with his Robin though, and he stepped closer to Tim. "Go home, get some rest. I'd like you to come over tomorrow night. I have a case that I'd like your assistance with." He patted Tim's shoulder briefly, but seemed uncomfortable, and then went towards the equipment vault. "We'll work out this independence thing tomorrow."
+
(Okay, I feel like this is a cop-out, but have been blocked for weeks and wanted to get it finished- I may rewrite later if inspiration strikes, or perhaps will write a follow-up story.)
However, as soon as he entered the main part of the cave he was treated to a large dose of déjà vu. Bruce was out of uniform, facing Nightwing, and they were talking about him. Tim stopped sharply, debating internally whether or not to stay. He didn't want to talk to Dick. He didn't even know what to say, and Bruce had been right; it all seemed very childish. That didn't change the fact that Dick had been advocating for Tim to be out of the Robin gig though.
There was the promise to Bruce that they would talk about this though, and he started forward again, clearing his throat softly. Both men turned to face him, Nightwing warily looking him over as Bruce's non-expression almost moved to a frown before lifting slightly. "You said you wanted to talk to me, so here I am. I don't have a lot of time though, unless getting caught by my dad is a desired outcome." There was a long moment of silence. "So are we gonna do this, or not?"
There was a strange look that passed between Bruce and Dick and then they were both moving towards the computer. Tim followed, stopping again as Oracle appeared on the large monitor. "We don't want to gang up on you Tim, but Nightwing and Oracle insisted on being present. Everyone has been worried about you." It was very disturbing, the way that Bruce seemed to care again. He hadn't acted so friendly in a long time, almost since the beginning of their partnership. It unnerved him, as did Dick's silence and Bab's hurt expression. She looked like he had just kicked her puppy, and he hadn't done anything to her at all.
"Why, because I'm being childish? I thought that was what was expected of teenagers." He folded his arms across his chest, his posture turning defensive.
"Yes, but you never had before. It was one of the things we liked best about you Tim. You were more mature than we were sometimes. It's what makes you a good Robin. I think that you should tell Dick what you told me earlier tonight."
Tim looked at Dick for a moment and then away again as he began. "I heard what you said to Bruce about me, a few months ago. About how I shouldn't be Robin anymore. That I was just a waste of your time."
There was a sudden movement and Tim found himself being pulled towards Dick. "I never, I would never say that. I wouldn't even think it because it isn't true."
"I heard you say it though. You said that he didn't need me on patrol." Tim tried to pull away; "I heard it clearly."
"Maybe Dick just meant that you were doing well on your own and that neither of you were patrolling together very often, so it was less necessary to think of you as a team?" Babs interrupted with ease, trying to diffuse the tension she sensed.
"Exactly. Tim, you have been on your own for a long time, or so it seems. You go out with Spoiler, or Batgirl, or even me, far more often than you patrol with Batman. That was all I meant. The two of you don't rely on each like Batman and Robin had in the past, like when I was Robin." There was a pause, "And I never said you were a waste of my time. I like spending time with you; it's like I've gotten a little brother and I never really was that for Jason. I should have been. I don't want there to be a distance between us Tim. It isn't good to have that distance."
Tim looked up again, but found that Dick's attention was focused on Bruce. "I know. It just… hurt, when you said those things about me. I didn't want to talk about it at all."
"And that's why you stopped talking to everyone, isn't it? Because you thought that I didn't care about you anymore."
"If I was so unnecessary, why would anyone care if I were gone? It's not like anyone was trying to reach me at school when I stopped patrolling." This was starting to feel even more awkward, and Tim knew he should leave. "I should go, I don't want to get caught sneaking out on the weekends anymore. I don't really know what else to say."
"Tim, stay a little longer, please. We really want to work this out tonight, so it isn't avoided in the future." Bruce moved forward again, and Tim found himself surrounded by the three, backed up to the computer and blocked by Dick and Bruce.
Dick was giving another of those strange looks to Bruce, who was ignoring it again. "You do understand that it isn't true, right. That I never meant that you were unnecessary; or unwanted or anything like that?"
"I guess. I just need some more time. I've liked being on my own. It was nice to count on myself and not have to contact Oracle for everything or ask for a bail out from anyone." Tim glanced at Bruce from the corner of his eye; "It was nice not having to follow orders on my own cases."
Dick's expression changed dramatically, with the conversation topic; "I understand that. It's good to have some independence. You haven't screwed anything up these last few months, not that you normally do, so you can totally handle the missions on your own. Every bird needs a chance to spread its wings and be on its own. It doesn't mean you have to leave the nest entirely though."
"I missed all of you, but it just didn't seem like anyone cared that I wasn't around. It was easier just to stay away." He stopped again. It was difficult to find the right words. "I don't know how to get past this."
"Well, you can start by patrolling the 'haven with me next weekend, and staying over. We can talk more then." Dick's hand found its way to Tim's shoulder again.
"And you can stop by the Clocktower the next time you go on patrol in Gotham. I'd like to see you in person again, it's been a long time." Bab's smiled at him, reassuringly he thought.
Bruce waited as Bab's said goodbye to Tim, and made plans to see Dick later, and then was silent as Dick made plans to have Tim visit the following week. Finally he was left alone with his Robin though, and he stepped closer to Tim. "Go home, get some rest. I'd like you to come over tomorrow night. I have a case that I'd like your assistance with." He patted Tim's shoulder briefly, but seemed uncomfortable, and then went towards the equipment vault. "We'll work out this independence thing tomorrow."
+
(Okay, I feel like this is a cop-out, but have been blocked for weeks and wanted to get it finished- I may rewrite later if inspiration strikes, or perhaps will write a follow-up story.)