Chapter 2: Brush with Death
There was always something mysterious about Danny. Tim knew this even before they started dating. And maybe it was that thrill, that shot of adrenaline, of never knowing what to expect from him, in a good way, what finally did him in.
The Amity Parker kept Tim on his toes with the way he dealt with pretty much everything. Whenever the vigilante thought he had failed someone, Danny would give the impression of being an old soul with his views on life and death, grounding Tim in ways no one could. But he was also a lethal punster who wouldn't take many things seriously, including the threats made by the Wayne family when they started dating.
For whatever reason, Danny didn't follow any logic, any agenda, any societal conventions. Nothing. A free spirit of sorts.
So Tim learned to just let things be whenever Danny was involved. It was hard, to free himself of expectations, to not control every single detail, to embrace the silliness, to stop assuming and jumping to conclusions. Nothing was perfect and completely structured with Danny, and somehow it was never really scary.
Until now.
When Danny mentioned he was going to Amity Park for the summer, Tim couldn't resist giving a little unexpected something back by asking to take him along. Part of Tim felt it was a really bold move. Who in his right mind would want to throw themselves to their in-laws like that? And only after six months of dating? It felt unheard of. But he wouldn't have expected for a partner to learn about his double life so early in a relationship, either.
Danny, as with everything else in life, took Tim's intention to join in stride. Or at least that was what it looked like at first.
Something changed in the course of the last few days that set Danny on edge and Tim was not sure what it was. He suspected there was more going on in Amity Park than what was available to those outside of the small Midwestern town. And while Danny did speak fondly of his family, there was always something he tiptoed around whenever he spoke about his childhood.
His stories usually mentioned parents who were always working and had no time to check on their kids. He was a lonely boy who learned to fend for himself, albeit with a sister two years older. And he admitted he felt he didn't belong with those around him as he grew up, making him look for something else outside of the comfort of his hometown.
Everything Danny mentioned about his upbringing resonated with Tim's own childhood in a way.
But none of that explained why this trip was so terrifying for Danny. Why the change of mood, the dread, the excuses… What had set Danny on edge to warrant all the tricks to convince Tim to turn the car around?
Maybe Tim should go back. Maybe he could pretend there was some mission and ask Kon to come over to pick him up. Maybe that would relieve Danny from going through with the road trip together.
Sure, they had a great time after they talked on the side of the road. Like the not-as-embarrassing visit to the Red Robin restaurant, or their stop at the "Deja Brew" coffee shop confirming Danny's list of pun-related places to visit. Not to mention the amazing photos Tim was able to take in the different trails and points of interest they visited: from climbing rocks to have the perfect view, to going to a miniature museum. It was one silly and unrelated experience after another and Tim had almost forgotten about Danny's resistance to go to Amity Park.
In fact, his boyfriend almost seemed to have done a full mood change after their talk. It couldn't really have been that easy to change his mind as if it were a switch, right? Sure, Danny kept things lighthearted most of the time, and he always had a way to understand and handle his emotions that Tim wished so badly to learn from. But was that it? Was all the stress over now? What if—
"I'm back," Danny's voice greeted as he entered the small room they decided to stay at for the night, with a bucket of ice in tow.
Huh, Tim could have sworn the front desk clerk told them they ran out.
"Hey," he replied with less enthusiasm.
Danny left the bucket on the table by the door and dropped on the bed next to Tim to give him a small peck on the lips. "Why the sour mood, starling?"
Tim closed the laptop where he was checking the photo he had taken earlier that day and placed it on the nightstand next to his side of the bed. "Just thinking," he replied vaguely.
"Oh, boy…" Danny mumbled as he got an inch closer to hug him, a reassuring gesture Tim was now familiar with whenever there were traces of his inner demons spewing nonsense, or whatever his boyfriend called his emerging anxiety.
"What's wrong with just thinking?" Tim protested and gave a playful shove with his shoulder.
Danny gave him an unimpressed look. "It's the overthinking part that worries me, my lovely bufflehead. So, new rule? Not thinkingabout the topics we're not supposed to talk about either."
Tim huffed but definitely didn't pout. "Fine. But it's not overthinking," he defended. "It's…mentally listing facts."
Like the fact that there was still something about Amity Park that Tim needed to figure out to understand why Danny had been (still was?) so apprehensive.
As if reading his mind, Danny frowned while he propped his head in his hand, while the other hung loosely over Tim's stomach. "Okay, you're totally still thinking about whatever you were overthinking. So, I'm changing tonight's plans."
Danny stood up and extended his hand to Tim. "Come on, birdie, let's see if Robins fly out in the countryside," he said with a playful grin.
And apparently that's all it took to disarm the other boy and make him push his concerns aside. Tim snorted and eyed Danny with curiosity, still not taking the offered hand. "What are you planning?"
The amusement switched to mischief on his grin. "We are doing something fun and dangerous," he said and paused for dramatic effect. "We're breaking into the abandoned theme park down the road."
With a shake of his head, used to reacting to more ludicrous ideas that not always turned into a real plan, Tim took the hand and stood next to Danny. "Ok, first of all, you're not a Robin."
"I've done parkour!" Danny protested.
Tim lifted one of Danny's arms to show how skinny it looked and gave him an unimpressed once-over. "Second of all, you have no training," he added and let the appendage fall. Danny's pout almost made him laugh.
Tim loved pointing out all the obvious reasons why some of his crazy plans shouldn't happen. This time, though, his boyfriend probably had something else in mind because he wouldn't budge on the topic. "You haven't even heard what I have in mind. So, we're still going." Danny turned to grab the car keys and threw Tim his jacket.
Tim smiled as he put the jacket on. "Sorry, Starman. What is it, then?"
"All I'm saying is we can jump the fence, walk around, maybe find out if the Red Screamer Coaster is haunted, and hop back outside," Danny explained. "Easy peasy, right?"
Was this some joke to prepare him for what Amity Park would have in store? Or was this Danny's way to say something so unhinged it could get Tim's mind to focus on something else?
It wouldn't hurt to just humor him, if only this once. See how far he would really take it. If the theme park was really abandoned, there wouldn't be that much security to worry about. And with him being Red Robin, this could be an easy walk through the park, so to speak.
"Alright, I'm in," he replied and the surprised gleam of excitement in Danny's face was enough of a treat. "But, we will probably find some security guard there. Are you sure you wanna do this?"
Danny grabbed his hand to pull him out of the motel room. "You're fine. In fact, I might even know the guy. You know how everyone knows each other in these small towns."
Tim squinted. "You lived in Ohio, we're not even out of Pennsylvania, yet."
They walked down the stairs to the parking lot, still hand in hand. "Shoot, you're right. I guess it's a myth and no one knows shit about anyone. Just a thing to keep in mind when we're closer to home," he said with a wink.
Danny opened the car once they reached it and took the driver's seat this time, which made Tim suspect this wasn't just a visit "down the road". What if he was planning on going much farther or what if he meant some other park miles away?
"Hey, Major Tom, we're not going out of orbit, are we?" Tim asked as he clicked the seatbelt on. "We still have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow."
His partner's eyes looked as if they sparked with joy. Danny was planning something else. So maybe it's a surprise. Or maybe he wanted to talk about something serious and he needed Tim to relax first.
Whatever it was, the smile on his lips was kind, and soft, and so full of love. "We're fine. Nothing like getting some fresh air and admiring the view," Danny replied, his hand caressing Tim's in the same reassuring way Tim had grown familiar with.
After Danny turned the car on, he drove out of the parking lot and headed south, though Tim didn't remember seeing any theme park on their way to the motel and wasn't sure where it was really located. Some minutes later, Danny took a turn close to an abandoned mill. Then took a left to a barely lit street. These sights were definitely unfamiliar. If he didn't trust his boyfriend, Tim would've been concerned with the random turns.
Danny seemed to sense his discomfort at the unknown route. "Sorry for not taking the road close to the woods, Birdman, but I don't want to run over some random deer out there."
"Oh," Tim said in a small voice, feeling like such a clueless city dude, "didn't even think about that."
They continued the apparent shortcut until they reached an empty parking lot close to the woods, surrounded by chain link fences and signs to someplace called Thunder Streak Park, which had definitely seen better days. Danny stopped the car and turned with a mischievous gleam in his eyes to face his partner in crime. "Ready?"
The childlike look made Tim smile. "Sure, why not?"
The two got out of the car and walked toward the fence closest to the forest. That would definitely provide a good cover, though with how quiet this town was, they probably weren't expecting any trouble in their neighborhood to begin with.
No cameras were in view and no lights or signs of a guard either. Danny called him over and gestured at the open lock by a gate. Oh, this would be easier than they thought.
"So, no parkour, rocket launcher?" Tim joked.
"I know much more than parkour," Danny huffed indignantly. "I'm sure you'd be impressed with all my awesome skills."
"Sure thing, Armstrong." Truth is, he was impressed with his bold moves, in any case. Who cared if there were other skills? He just shouldn't let that get to Danny's head lest he wanted him to go even bolder with his ideas.
As they walked inside, the moonlight allowed them enough visibility to navigate the abandoned space. Most games and attractions had already been taken down, but a few stands were still standing with leaves and trash scattered all over them.
The only ride standing tall and apparently unperturbed was the tall rollercoaster Danny wanted to see. The name was no longer visible and Tim had a hard time remembering what it was really named. The two jumped the small fence that kept the visitor's lines in place. Danny looked around and gestured to a maintenance ladder closest to the tallest point of the wooden coaster before he began to climb it.
Tim would have been surprised by Danny's lack of fear of heights if it weren't for the way he had found Tim, almost dying in a rooftop, while he was perilously stargazing (if such thing was even possible in Gotham).
That didn't make Tim worry any less, so he tried to follow closely, careful to keep an eye out for any broken or weakened bars, checking the support on the beams closest to where they climbed to ensure a safe return to ground.
Once they made it to the top, they sat on the tracks of the roller coaster and Tim finally noticed why Danny had brought him there: the sight of the stars! Their spark looked so bright and amazing with the lack of lights and pollution. Sure, Tim had seen them so many times while visiting the Watchtower, but he had never watched them with someone who loved space as much as Danny did.
Without a word, Danny laid on his back to stare above them, Tim following his example soon after. The way it all looked so endless. The moon so big and beautiful. And had the sky always been this vast? Had he ever had a view that felt so open?
Danny sighed dramatically but kept his eyes upwards, tracing constellations in his mind from the looks of it. "Okay, I lied, night owl. I'm not exactly trying to give you the bad boy vibe or to see if this place is haunted."
"We're here to theorize if the moon is haunted?"
Danny pushed his foot playfully. "Maybe next time. I wanted to show you this view. I'll confess we could have just gone to a clearing and, I don't know, go on the car's rooftop to stare at it safely. But where's the fun in that? Besides…it's not everyday we can get this high to see a clean, open sky back at home."
"Back at home?" Tim asked confused, his head running at top speed. "You didn't have these sights in Amity Park?"
"I meant…Gotham? Where you and I live?" Danny reminded him sheepishly.
Warmth filled Tim's cheeks. It was silly, such a simple comment but at the same time it felt so meaningful to know what Danny was considering home now. In a way, it put into perspective how much they had progressed in their relationship.
Or maybe Tim was reading too much into it. It could totally be that, too. "Oh, duh," he replied instead. "So, what's on your mind?"
There was some hesitation as Danny opened and closed his mouth, finally settling for something to share. "I know I was a jerk earlier in the morning, and I'm so sorry. You got me thinking about what this trip means to you. And I know you're stressing over it, and it's not really fair." Danny paused and took a deep breath.
Tim forgot about the cloudless summer sky, about the stars, about the awkwardness and lingering doubts he had about the whole trip, and he turned to look at the guy who had made his heart swell in his chest with love.
Danny continued avoiding his eyes, staring at the vast expanse of the universe visible through their relatively tiny window. "You deserve so much better than what I am, than what I've shared with you. You deserve to know everything, to know the truth."
The park felt utterly silent, if that was even possible, almost waiting for something to happen. There was a small, unexpected chill, something familiar about the sensation he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was as if time had stopped as everything around them waited with bated breath for Danny to say...something. Tim didn't know what, but it somehow felt as if the biggest secret of the universe was at arm's reach.
Danny licked his lips and finally turned to face Tim. "I can't tell you everything right now. I'd like to do that after you have a chance to learn a few things first. So, I guess the bottom line is…" he paused to hold Tim's hand in his. "I dowant you to come to Amity Park. I want you to know everything. At least once I share the half of my life you've been missing, you can decide if you still want…this," he said as he lifted their connected hands. "But I…I hope you stick around," he finished with a sad smile.
Millions of thoughts ran through Tim's head. Of course I want to be around you, he wanted to shout. But then he felt the familiarity of the whole situation. A moment similar to their early history together. It seemed that no matter how much their relationship evolved, some things were still stuck in the past.
Tim turned to face Danny completely. "Do you remember when we met?"
Despite the scarce lighting, the embarrassment in Danny's face was evident. "Which part? The first aid? Your family's death threats?"
What? Tim's brows furrowed. "That's not when we met."
Danny's eyes widened. "What do you mean that's not when we met? Did you stalk me before that or something?"
Tim scoffed. "Of course I didn't stalk you, space case. I meant at the coffee shop."
Danny sat up to stare down at him with the most confused expression that had ever graced his face. "The coffee shop? You mean, when you did stalk me to see if I was up to something after we met?"
"We didn't meet that night, Danny. I was hurt and unconscious all the time while you patched me up, remember?"
The look of disbelief that colored Danny's face was soon replaced with amusement, a loud laugh escaping his mouth. "You birdbrain," he said between laughs. "I can't believe all this time when I said we met under weird circumstances, I was talking about that night with you as Red Robin and you were talking about, like, two weeks later as Tim Drake over some potentially deadly coffee."
Tim sat up next to Danny and chuckled. "I mean, at least my version can be told as a coffee shop meet-cute. Yours is, what, identity reveal? Enemies to lovers?"
Danny laughed even louder and gave him a playful shove. "You're such a nerd."
"You're one to talk, Armstrong," Tim shoved back. "Anyway, the coffee shop. I asked you why you hadn't outed me if you already knew who I was. And you said something that I will never forget. You said…secrets are also a part of who we are. If we strip them from others, you're essentially destroying a part of what another person is."
"I don't remember saying it like that, you know?" Danny replied with less mirth in his voice. "I meant I wouldn't destroy you by revealing your identity. I'm not an asshole."
Tim nodded. "I get that, but, it's true, you know? That's why I stopped looking into your past or whatever that was actually available to hack. I took a leap of faith instead. I know you haven't told me everything there is about you, but I trust you'll tell me when you're ready. Because, yeah, I do know you're not an asshole."
Did it go against everything Tim believed in? To leave a mystery unsolved? He, who had vowed to become the world's greatest detective? Maybe, but this was one mystery he felt the luxury of seeing unravel slowly. And wasn't that an exciting part of being a detective too?
"So you're saying, you're going on this ride even if you don't know where it leads?" The way he asked it, full of hope, his chest holding a breath waiting to find relief…
"Yeah," Tim replied. "I mean, we did say this is just a long date, right? We don't have to put that much pressure on each other. Youmight be the one who doesn't want to stick around, you know?"
Danny shook his head and dramatically touched his chest where his heart was. "Duckling, I'm not sure we're just having a long date at this point. I'm a huge Red Robin fan, in case you didn't know that. The restaurant, of course." Tim could only snort at the joke, which only made Danny double down on his theatrics. "If we break up, I'd have your reminder every time I look at their menu. I'd starve without my favorite Guacamole Bacon Burger, you know?"
The way Tim laughed so hard made his stomach hurt. Leave it to Danny to break the tension of a serious moment with a joke.
"You are so ridiculous," he managed to say as he tried to catch his breath. "If we break up, I'd have it worse, starlight. The sight of the stars would be ruined for me and I'd have to stop being a night-time hero. Can you imagine that hit to my schedule? I'd die of stress and sunburn!"
The laughter eventually died down and left them staring at each other, the incredible view above them now the distant background to frame their worries, turning them into a small speck in space against the cosmic horrors the universe held.
Danny leaned forward to hug Tim, his words tingling against his ears. "Silly goose," he breathed.
Tim hugged him closer. "Hey, that's a new one," he whispered before they broke apart.
The moment of silent understanding passed between them and Danny laid back down against the uncomfortable wooden planks, staring at Tim and the stars in a single frame. "So I guess we'll have to hope Amity Park is not enough of a threat to our relationship. We'd both die and I'm not sure you're ready for the whole ghost thing," he commented with a lighter tone.
Tim shrugged in response and laid on his back, his head now resting against Danny's shoulder. "I've worn capes most of my life. I'm sure I can handle a bedsheet. It could be fun to scare some tourists, you know?"
Danny's shoulders shook with a chuckle. "You wound me, it's like you're making contingency plans for an afterlife without me."
Tim reached for his hand and rubbed circles with his thumb. "Then let's just make the best out of this life before we figure out what comes in the next one."
There was something in the way Danny turned to look at him. That thrill waiting for something unexpected to happen. Maybe it was another crazy idea in the making. Who knew?
Whatever it was, Tim was eager to find out.
Notes:
- The Deja Brew coffee shop is real and I realized there are too many shops out there that use puns for names.
- Major Tom and Starman are references from David Bowie's songs
- The Guacamole Bacon Burger is also a real item on Red Robin's menu