A/n: My original plan was to do Dick and Jason but I decided to change it up a bit and do Tim instead of Jay. We'll see how it goes since I'll be referencing when Bruce was lost in time without having read it. I'll try to not make it too specific though.

Today's prompts: Obsession, broken window, bruises

"What were you thinking?" Dick berated, and if he wasn't busy bandaging Tim's bloody hand then he would have been pacing around.

"I should have called Jason," Tim muttered, frowning.

"Jason wouldn't have been able to get you out of jail without anyone finding out you were ever inside. Do you know how many favours I had to call in? You're lucky I keep in touch with some guys at the BPD and even then I owe Gordon- you know what, it doesn't matter!" He finished up with the bandages, scrutinising the rest of Tim's body for other injuries but thankfully, the hand was the worst - from today anyway.

Dick got up to grab something from the kitchen as Tim rolled his eyes.

"I don't see what the big deal is," he huffed. The wrong thing to say judging by the way Dick paused and turned back to stare at him.

"You broke into someone's house."

"So? We do a lot worse as… you know."

"You smashed through someone's window to steal something as Tim Drake!" Dick exclaimed, incredulously.

"I needed it for a case and it was right there! I didn't exactly have time to change into my suit or wait until tonight," Tim protested.

Dick took a deep breath, trying to calm down so he didn't escalate the situation. It was just so stupid, such a big lapse of judgement he wouldn't normally expect from his younger brother, but then again Tim had been known to have questionable judgement when he was sleep deprived and this focused on a case.

Instead of replying, Dick just tossed something from the freezer to Tim. His brother only just caught the ice pack, frowning at it.

"What's this for?"

Dick closed the freezer door, contemplating whether or not to grab a drink from the fridge before deciding against it. He turned back to his brother.

"Are you gonna make me name all of the places you currently have a bruise?"

Tim eyed Dick warily. "If I did, why would you be able to?"

Dick paused. "I uh, I have my sources," he said slowly.

"You're a stalker," Tim gasped.

"Hey," Dick frowned. "You stalked me first."

Tim blinked. "Oh yeah," he smirked, then moved the ice pack to the large bruise on his side he'd gotten last night.

The two were silent for a few seconds, Dick sitting back down on a chair across from Tim. He sighed.

"Tim, we have to talk about this."

"About what?"

"Your… obsessiveness over cases. This… this was going a little too far, don't you think? I get that you're passionate about it, but there are boundaries. This isn't even the first time- "

Tim scoffed, cutting his older brother off. "Yeah, well what are you gonna do? Take Robin from me again?"

Dick froze. "I thought we were past that," he whispered.

His younger brother refused to meet his eyes. "Were you ever past Bruce doing it to you?" He mumbled.

Sucking in a breath, Dick thought about the best way to approach this. In truth, a small part of him had been hoping they'd never have to actually talk about it. He was scared it would only lead to another fight, another argument that he would hate every second of because he didn't want to be at odds with his brother but he didn't have a choice when Tim couldn't see. He'd thought - he'd hoped they could just move on from it, pretend it never happened but he could see now that was as stupid as what Tim had done today.

"Tim, I- I know you don't want to hear my reasons- "

"- excuses," Tim corrected.

"Reasons," Dick emphasised, before he continued. "So I won't waste my breath. I can say I'm sorry again and again but I know that's not enough because you're right, it wasn't enough for me when Bruce… not that he ever said sorry, but I never wanted him to, not really. I just- I don't know what else to say," he admitted, squeezing his eyes shut.

It was true. He knew what it felt like, what he'd done to Tim because it had been done to him and he still didn't know how to handle it. But he hadn't had a choice. Even if he could make Tim see that, it wouldn't make it okay. He wasn't sure it would ever be okay again; his relationship with Tim forever tainted.

"I don't know what I want you to say either," Tim finally said, so quiet that Dick almost thought he'd imagined it. He opened his eyes to peek at his younger brother, curled up on the couch fidgeting with the bandages on his cut up hand.

"Well, um, are you still mad at me for it?" Dick tried, voice barely louder than a murmur. This moment felt so delicate, like one loud sound could break everything they'd tentatively managed to build; one small breath able to blow down the house of cards they were trying to fix the foundations of.

"Yeah."

"Do you think you ever might not be?"

"I don't know. Are you still mad at Bruce?"

Dick thought about it. His anger towards the man who'd raised him stemmed from so much more than taking Robin from him. It had felt like a betrayal - still felt like one - but it was more than taking his name, a part of his identity. It was giving it to another, without his consent, without the other knowing what it meant. It was his name becoming a symbol, something outside of him that meant hope, but also meant opportunity for so many young people to put themselves in danger under his name, even if they didn't realise it.

There was so much more to it, but ultimately…

"Sometimes," he answered. "But it changes. Why I'm mad, if I'm mad."

He saw Tim swallow.

"Do you regret becoming Nightwing?" He asked after a while.

Dick grinned. He didn't have to think about this answer.

"Never. Do you regret becoming Red Robin?"

"No," Tim confessed, hint of a smile on his face.

Dick nodded, a soft smile on his face. "Then I'm okay if you never forgive me."

Tim looked up then, finally meeting Dick's eyes.

"I still miss being Robin though," he whispered, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Dick got up, and finally pulled his brother into a tight hug.

"Me too," he whispered back, as Tim's arms wrapped around him.

"I'm sorry," came Tim's voice, thick with emotion.

"About what?" Dick asked, pulling his brother away slightly so he could see Tim's face.

"Punching through a window as a civilian to grab a folder was kinda stupid."

Dick couldn't stop the laugh that slipped past his lips. Even Tim gave a wet laugh too.

"Still wish you'd called Jason? He would have been merciless and then told everyone else about it."

Tim groaned. "Please don't tell him. Or anyone else."

"I won't but chances are Babs already knows and I can't speak for her. Last time I tried did not go well," Dick added with a shudder, making Tim laugh again.

Dick smiled too.

Things between them weren't perfect, and they probably won't ever be, but this was a start. Tim was happy with Red Robin and Dick was happy as long as his brother was. They couldn't forget what happened, but maybe they could start to rebuild the trust that had been broken. Moments like this were proof that things could get better. Not perfect, but that was just how this family was. The best they could hope for was okay.

And they were okay.

A/n: Dang, I've been writing for like an hour. I enjoyed it though. I know Tim might have been a little ooc because why would he get arrested but it's more to highlight the fact that he can get a little too invested in cases. Dunno if that's true either (I know the most about Dick, Tim… not so much) but this fic is more about their relationship than anything so hope you enjoyed that.

Anyway, stay safe, take care of yourselves, and see ya soon.

- CrowofArcadiaOaks