Hey, sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to try to update at least three stories today, even if the updates are small. I might come back at a later point and update it, but I don't really know. Anyway I hope you like it! Oh!
Warning for emotional abuse for this chapter.
After that night Timothy had met Jason he was… more determined to get pictures of Robin. And he might have snuck a few of Jason with Bruce. Timothy wasn't quite sure why he was doing this. Not until one night he was in Gotham and saw two boys hanging out.
And he found out they were brothers.
There was something about hearing the oldest say 'I'm your big brother, silly' and ruffled the younger's hair that clicked for Timothy.
He wanted that. He wanted Jason to be his big brother.
When that realization hit, Timothy blushed and hid away in his home for a whole week.
To make things worse, his parents came home not long after.
Mother and Father allowed him to sit with them in the living room. Provided he was in his designated spot and was reading a book. Except he wasn't reading. Not really. He was still thinking about Jason and how nice it would be if they were to play games like the brothers did in stories and in Gotham.
Jason would surely win most games as he was bigger and stronger. Perhaps Timothy would win at things like cards… or board games. Maybe Jason would take Timothy out for some ice cream.
Timothy never gained the courage to try ice cream.
But then his Father said something to him.
"Tim." Father said. "Timothy."
Timothy looked up from his book to see his father. Father was sitting in his chair, newspaper in hand. Front page showed Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd.
"Yes father?" He asked politely.
His father's grey eyes stared at him. Almost as if he was he thought of saying 'never mind.' It was what happened most of the time after all. To Timothy's surprise his father asked, "what's on your mind?"
Timothy blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well," his father shifted in his leather chair, "you haven't exactly been reading your book right? You're just on the same page."
The sound of clothes ruffling slightly. This caught mother's attention.
He was going to be in trouble for not actually reading.
"I," Timothy stopped for a second. His eyes moved without permission to his father's paper. "I was thinking about something."
His eyes went back to his father's face to see a look of bafflement on it. Slowly did he blink. "About what?"
Timothy swallowed. "If I could have a friend."
Everything stopped.
"T-Tim, bud, when-what?" His father sputtered.
He didn't even see his mother to know her eyes were boring into his tiny skull.
"They don't even have to be a friend." Timothy backpedaled, realizing a little to late he put emphasis on a word. Timothy was never supposed to do that. It was back talking if he did that. He did his best not to blush. "Just another child, they don't have to be the same age as me, to come over and… talk about books." He finished lamley.
Tick tack tick tack his mother's heels crossed over the stone floor to reach him.
"Books? Only books?" His father asked, clearly baffled at his request and answer.
Mother was standing over Timothy. Tall as a mountain. A perfect eyebrow rose. "If you wanted to talk about books, Timothy, you could just talk about them with your tutors."
"Yes-"
"Then why ever would you want a friend?"
Timothy would not look at the newspaper. Timothy would not look at the newspaper. Timothy would not look at the newspaper.
Mother looked at the newspaper.
He could feel her cold fury as she connected the dots instantly.
Timothy was in trouble.
"You do realize," mother's voice sharp and frightening, "that Jason Todd is just a little street rat, taken in by Bruce Wayne as another charity case when the first one ran away."
No.
"He was gentle and he didn't hurt me!" Timothy shouted as he jumped up from his chair. "He was kind and he talked to me and-"
"Timothy Jackson Drake!" Mother's voice boomed all around, shaking Timothy to his core.
Oh. Oh no.
Timothy had spoken out of turn. He had shouted. He had disrespected his mother.
Mother had raised her voice.
"I do not understand why you are so obsessed with this boy, but this ends!" Mother pointed her finger to Timothy. And faintly he felt it was something akin to a sword, ready to impale him. But that was ridiculous. Mother would never.
"You are forbidden to say his name, and you are forbidden to see anything that has that disgusting street urchin in its contents!" As to prove her point, mother tore the newspaper out of father's hands. "You will be punished!"
She snatched him from his spot, darkness all around him as he was fully encased by her hand. He could not stop the tremors. He could not stop the ragged breathing. He could not stop the heart pounding, pounding, trying to jump out of his chest.
He could not stop the tears.
It hurt when she dropped him into his chair, in his tiny house, and it hurt when she snapped at him to "stop that idiotic sniveling."
Sharp, blood red nails found the corners of his mouth, forcing them up into a smile. "You are to be smiling Timothy. You are to watch me, and smile. Do be a doll and settle down for mother."
He couldn't stop himself from settling down. His smile was wider than usual.
The tears didn't stop.
"You are a Drake. Drakes do not cry." Mother scolded. "I will leave momentarily, but by the time I come back, those tears will be dry."
She left.
He stopped crying.
She came back.
Newspaper held up in one hand, she held something up with the other. With a flick of her thumb, a little flame came to life.
Mother had a lighter. The flame went closer to the paper.
It caught on fire.
Timothy watched uselessly as hungry flames licked at the paper, eating it up. Soon enough the image of Jason Todd with his father, Bruce Wayne disappeared. Their smiling, happy, faces gone with orange embers and soon black soot.
Timothy did not cry. Timothy smiled like a good little doll.
Timothy was bad and so Timothy had to be punished.
Timothy would never raise his voice to his mother again. Timothy would not disrespect his mother again. Timothy would not say Jason Todd's name again.
Timothy would, however, continue to go out to see Robin. And when his parents went out to leave the country that night, he did just that.