"Hi," Tim says like an idiot. He's talking to Batman! Actually talking to Batman!
Batman stares down at Tim, but his lips twist, almost like he's tempted to smile.
"Uh, I bet you're wondering what reason I have for being on this roof," Tim says. Tim is also wondering what reason he's going to give Batman for being on that roof. He thinks quickly and says, "Well, I live here!"
"You live on this roof," Batman says. It doesn't sound like a question, more like an unhappy observation.
"No!" Tim says, realizing the implications of that. Batman will think he's a homeless street kid and turn Tim in to the police, and the police will try to put Tim in a foster home. Tim doesn't need a foster home, he's got his own home! "I live in this building."
"You live in an abandoned building," Batman says.
Oops. Those implications might be worse. Tim fumbles over his words, stammering, "I mean, I used to live in this building, back when it wasn't abandoned, and I missed it, so-"
"You used to live in an office building that was abandoned long before you were born," Batman says.
Double oops. Tim tries again, "I mean… I mean…"
Batman is looking entirely unamused, and almost a little angry, and Tim is abruptly reminded of his dad when Tim's giving too many excuses, even if Tim only meant to explain and not give excuses or talk back.
But then that reminds Tim of his dad's consequences for talking back, which reminds Tim of the girl and her dad from before, which reminds Tim of his many questions for Batman-
And Tim blurts out, "Why did you call the police on that guy?"
Batman stares at Tim.
Gingerly, Tim sits up. Batman offers him a hand, but Tim can sit up on his own, thanks very much. He's not a baby, he doesn't need help.
"Why did you call the police on that guy?" Tim asks again.
"Do you mean the man in the alleyway?" Batman asks, sitting back on his heels.
"Yeah," Tim says. "What'd he do wrong?"
"How much of that encounter did you see?" Batman says.
Tim considers how to answer that and concludes that telling the truth is the most likely way to get a true answer back. "I watched from when you were sneaking up on them."
"Did you see me jump down, then?" Batman says.
"Yeah," Tim says. "And I saw you beat him up and talk to the girl."
"Then you saw him hit her," Batman says.
Tim nods. "Uh-huh. He said she'd been back-talking."
"And did you hear me tell the police why they needed to arrest him?" Batman says.
"You said he was 'guilty of child abuse,'" Tim said. "But how did you know that? Were you tracking him for a while or something?"
Batman is quiet for a moment. "What do you think child abuse is?"
"Hurting your kids when they don't deserve it," Tim says. It's the simplest way to put it. There are a lot of ways of hurting kids that they deserve, and listing those would take a while, so clarifying it as hurt that isn't deserved is the quickest way to say it.
"What would be a way of hurting a child that the child deserved?" Batman asks.
Tim droops. He had been hoping Batman wasn't going to ask that. Batman's probably looking for a way to suggest to Tim's parents consequences for Tim once Batman figures out how to get Tim home. "You know. Stuff like a slap on the cheek when you mess up, or belt smacks on the bottom because you were bad, or needing to learn to do better so you get put in the closet for time-out until you need to pee so bad it hurts. Stuff like that."
Batman nods, like that's what he was expecting to hear.
"But you don't need to do any of that to me," Tim says, suddenly realizing that might be an option and hurriedly trying to persuade Batman it wasn't necessary. "I'll tell my parents I was bad when I get home, you don't even need to come with, and they'll give me consequences, so you don't need to give me any consequences."
"And why would I give you consequences?" Batman asks.
Tim droops even more. He stares at his feet. "'Cause I was nosy and snoopy and watching you do stuff and making you come check on me when I'm supposed to be good and not be a bother to grown-ups."
Batman is quiet for a longer moment.
Tim is tempted to look at Batman's face, just a peek, just enough to try to see how mad he really is, but Tim knows better than that.
"Are there other ways grown-ups say you bother them?" Batman asks.
Tim wants to whimper, but he doesn't. It looks like he's in for a bigger punishment than he realized if Batman's asking about other ways Tim is bad, and whimpering and whining only makes grown-ups more mad. "Asking for more food when they work hard enough as it is to get me what they get me, or being noisy, or being stupid, or fussing when they get home a day late, or-"
"I see," Batman says, thankfully cutting Tim off before he has to list even more ways Tim's naughty sometimes. "And these are all methods of discipline and reasons for discipline that your parents use?"
"Of course," Tim says. "Why else would I know them?"
"And have you ever told someone else that your parents hurt you?" Batman asks.
Tim pauses. Something about that question seems… Off. Why would Batman want to know that? And why would he phrase it like that?
Gathering his courage, Tim peeks up at Batman.
Batman looks furious.
But why?
Oh. Oh no. Tim messed up. He said something wrong. Worse, he implied his parents did something wrong.
"My parents aren't abusive!" Tim says, and he hears his own voice crack with panic.
"I didn't say that," Batman says calmly.
"But you implied it," Tim says. "They're not abusive. They're not! They're the best!"
"I just wanted to get to know what situation I might be bringing you back to," Batman says.
"A good one!" Tim says hurriedly. "You can bring me back to a good situation!"
"And what would make it a bad situation?" Batman asks, his tone hard and sharp.
Tim flounders, because it sounds like Batman's already decided it's a bad situation that he'll be bringing Tim back to. "You know! Actual abuse!"
"And what makes your parents' treatment of you not 'actual abuse?'" Batman asks.
Tim panics. If Batman thinks Tim's parents are abusive, Tim will end up in a foster home, or worse, Tim's parents will just make sure nobody knows Batman thought that they're abusive and just get really, really mad at Tim, more mad than they've ever been before, and Tim will be lucky to make it out without any broken bones, and Tim is never lucky! At the end of his rope, Tim blurts out, "You can't turn my parents in to Child Protective Services! You can't, or, or, or I'll tell everybody your secret identity!"
Batman stares at Tim.
Tim stares at Batman.
Finally, Batman says, "And what makes you so sure I have a secret identity?"
"You do," Tim says, his voice wobbling despite his best efforts. "You have one, and I know it. Because I know who Nightwing is, and from there, it's not too hard to figure out Robin or even Batman."
Batman's lips twist a little, but not in a smiling way this time. "Tell me one thing that would give away who Nightwing is."
Tim looks around. There's nobody else but them on the rooftop, obviously. Tim leans in real close to Batman and whispers, "There's only one person in Gotham who could ever do a quadruple somersault, and that's a Flying Grayson."
For the longest moment yet, Batman doesn't move.
Tim doesn't move either. He just feels like he's dizzy from spinning really fast, that's all. And his chest is all tight too, and he might throw up if Batman doesn't do something soon.
At long last, Batman leans back from Tim.
"I'm sorry," Tim says on instinct at the tight line of Batman's lips, but he leans in further and whispers, "But you can't call Child Protective Services. I won't let you, Mr. Wayne."
"I see," Batman says. His voice is strangely even and calm. "Then would I be able to call Nightwing and Robin to join us?"
Tim pauses. On one hand, it would be the coolest thing ever to talk to Batman and Nightwing and Robin all at once. On the other hand, Batman must have some kind of plan that calls for calling in Nightwing and Robin. On the first hand, though… Tim's got the ultimate blackmail in the form of their secret identities, so they can't be too mean to him, and Batman doesn't kill, so even though he's got to be super mad, Batman still won't kill Tim to keep their identities safe, so Tim will be okay eventually.
And it really would be the coolest thing ever to meet up with Batman and Nightwing and Robin.
Tim nods. "They can join us."