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[Honey's Sweeter] Graduation
Title: Graduation
Universe: Honey's Sweeter (explicitly future fic, though timeline's fuzzy)
Relationship: Tori+Tim (platonic), Russell/Nasreen, Nate/Elena, Tori/??
Summary: Tim's graduating high school - and in a way, his relationships with his family (blood relatives or no) are "graduating" as well.
Your baby brother was graduating high school in one week. Where had the time gone by? You remembered when he was barely up to your knees, eagerly dragging his Scooby Doo stuffed dog across the carpet... and now he was an accomplished young man with the world at his fingertips (both literally and metaphorically). Aunt Chloe'd even softly whistled when she'd gotten the invitation in the mail. Wasn't your address unlisted...? How your brother had managed to hunt you down, you'd never know.
"Timmy's gotten pretty handsome," She commented, staring at the small picture enclosed in the envelope. "Kinda like your dad was at that age."
Ew. You knew Dad and Aunt Chloe had a Thing, back before he'd met Mom, but you really didn't need to be reminded of it. "I guess," you said slowly, shrugging your shoulders as you glanced at the invitation again. God, you really didn't want to visit your old high school. It didn't miss you and you really didn't miss it.
Tim's graduation was more important than your complete and total apathy for your alma mater, so you sucked up your pride and booked a flight for Atlanta. Aunt Chloe was accompanying you this time too, and you couldn't wait to see Uncle Charlie and Granddad. They always knew how to make you laugh, even on your worst days. Your older cousins Peyton and Maxine were even coming, and you rarely saw them - unless E! TV specials counted (which, in Russ's opinion, never did). Sure, Aunt Michelle and her husband were stopping by too, but they wouldn't be able to make it until after the ceremony.
Mom'd made noises about Tim's "work" family: Dick Grayson, the Gotham socialite who made Paris Hilton look like a genius, would show up - hopefully - and maybe even Bruce Wayne? Bruce's son Damian had opted to stay home, and you knew that Tim and his ex-girlfriend Stephanie were on really rocky terms. Her appearance would've been both a relief and a burden simultaneously, and you weren't sure if Tim's heart could handle it. The house would be bustling with activity - and to be honest, you kind of preferred it that way, at least when you were visiting. The house always felt weirder when it was just the five of you.
(Un?)Fortunately, your flight had been really uneventful - you were half-hoping for an exciting passenger or two - and as you stepped off the runaway, you couldn't help staring at the hustle and bustle. You were finally home. It didn't quite feel like it, not even when you ran into Mom and Dad's arms at the baggage claim and Uncle Charlie kissed Aunt Chloe with the most passion you'd seen in years. You supposed married couples had to show off their love somehow - even if it had to be in public.
Then you'd gotten home, casually dumped your suitcases in the central hallway, and met the rest of your family in the den. Tim was awkwardly sitting to the side with his 3DS, and you could see Aunt Maxine coaxing him into solving one of the levels ("I don't think you can solve the puzzle that way, Timmy...") as Uncle Peyton held a baby boy in his arms.
Before you could ask if Uncle Peyton and Aunt Maxine had had another kid (again), Uncle Peyton graciously moved the kid into Tim's arms, knocking over the video game console in the process.
Russ beamed at the sight before he wandered over and hugged you tightly. "Hey Tori."
You grinned, returning the affection as best as possible. "Hey big bro." You tilted your head towards the kid. "Is that...?"
"Nabil's gotten really big since you've last seen him, hasn't he?"
God, you still couldn't believe your big brother was a father. It'd only been what, three months since you were in Los Angeles? You wanted to help your sister-in-law with day-to-day chores as the new parents got re-adjusted to life. Or well, Mom basically guilt tripped you into it, but it was the same idea. Plus you'd gotten in some good work experience: the Getty never knew what hit them.
You slowly nodded, letting Russ wrap his arm around your shoulder. "He really has. Was your flight okay?"
"Yeah." Russ nodded, tucking back your hair behind your ears. If you weren't too tired to fight him, you certainly would have. He continued, "It was really nice and quiet. Nabil slept the entire time."
Go Nabil! You laughed, leaning against the wall and watching Tim gently bounce your baby nephew off his knees. Dad was trying so hard not to fanboy over the newest addition to the family - you could tell from how tightly he'd folded his arms - while Russ moved away from you to hover over them like the new, overprotective parent he was. And always would be, you thought to yourself as you observed them. Hadn't he always been like this? Russ just oozed of responsibility, in the same way that you embodied spontaneity and Tim embodied paranoia. Parenthood fit Russ like a glove.
Even so, you still couldn't believe that you were legally an aunt. You were only 21 (almost 22)! Mom and Dad shouldn't be grandparents before Tim'd even made it out of high school! It seemed almost wrong (if not hilariously inappropriate). God, who'd allowed Russ and Nasreen to breed? Sure, they had every right to, as two young adults in a stable, healthy relationship with secure sources of income. They could provide for baby Nabil without looking to their parents for cash. But... kids? Cute little ones that cried in the middle of the night and puked all over the place?
You couldn't imagine that kind of responsibility. Hell, you couldn't even imagine Tim graduating high school and starting college next fall. He'd wanted to ditch school a few months ago, to scour the depths of Europe for Batman, but Dad had promptly banished those nonsensical ideas out of Tim's mind. Not only had he kept an eagle eye on the kid, but he'd also decided to use his lengthy connections to ensure that Tim stayed in school - even if your baby brother didn't want to. He'd never gone to that extent for you, even when you'd run off to New Zealand to get your first taste of the family business.
Did Dad just love Tim more? You could almost taste the bitterness on your lips, and you didn't like the way it felt, like one of Red Hood's cigarettes over the Gotham harbor. You weren't the jealous type. You really weren't.
Jealousy hadn't prompted you to ask Mom why Dad'd used such extreme measures. Of course not. You were just curious - which is also why you'd waited until you were sure Dad was preoccupied with baby Nabil. As he and Russ sang The Circle of Life to the poor kid held up high, you and Mom sat off towards the corner before you dared to ask her why.
Mom gave you the guiltiest look you'd ever seen in your life before she set down her coffee. "We couldn't keep you here, Tori. You wanted to go out there and explore the world - and as much as I wanted to rein you in, your dad said you'd benefit from this more." She sighed, staring down at her mug. She couldn't bare to look at you - did she think she'd made the wrong decision? - and instead kept her gaze calmly on her grandson.
"But with Tim... he wasn't going to discover himself. He wanted to find Bruce. That can't happen overnight, and I just... we didn't think it was feasible."
In other words, since you had entered the family business, Dad knew what to expect. Aunt Chloe was mentoring you; Dad knew the criminal underworld like the back of his hand; and if all else failed, Granddad could stomp out the little bugs with one swipe of his cigar. There was an air of familiarity in treasure hunting that just wasn't there in the world of capes and cowls.
Mom and Dad had always been terrified of Tim's exploits, more than they ever feared yours - and you were technically dancing on the wrong side of the law. This used to amuse you, but right now? Noticing Mom's nervous tics and how her voice shook when she even thought about Tim throwing himself into battle... it scared you too.
No wonder they'd called Tim the baby and given him cutesy nicknames and smothering love. They wanted to shield him from a lifestyle that they couldn't possibly begin to understand (and quite frankly, you didn't really understand it either). Yet his heroism was also the giant elephant in the room that even Nasreen didn't want to talk about.
When Bruce died, Mom had called you over the phone - well, she called Aunt Chloe first, but the sentiment was still there. You knew Tim wasn't in great shape. You didn't know that he'd show up on your doorstep only hours later, with disheveled clothes and hair, and he'd even crookedly glued on his domino mask so that it looked lopsided, dangling dangerously on one side of his face. You didn't get any time to ask questions. He'd thrown himself into your arms, and you could only watch hopelessly as he cried in your chest for hours. He'd hiccuped when you held up the phone and said, "Mom's on the line." He was so reluctant to tell them about his location, and even more reluctant to leave you for sleep.
You tried to let go of him, but he only clung to you tighter. For just one moment, Tim was four years old again, and you were his giant teddy bear, his big strong protector against the bitter world. You weren't going to let the world break him - if anything, you were going to break the world until it started treating Tim better.
Tim had eventually uncovered the truth, and Bruce had returned to the world of the living, but it had been a struggle. You remembered the tears too well to brush off Mom's worries.
So instead, you managed a faint smile as you snuggled close to Mom. Had this been anywhere else - and any other point in time - you wouldn't have dared to show this much affection, even in the company of your own family. "So treasure hunting's more appropriate than saving the world. I get it."
Mom nearly spit out her coffee. You couldn't help giggling hysterically, almost loud enough for the boys to turn and stare at you.
"That's not it..." Mom tried to protest, but even she couldn't hide her smile for long. "It's just, we don't want Tim to miss out on his senior year. You eventually came back for your graduation - but Tim may not get to."
You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It's not like Tim'll lose his Wayne Tech scholarship or anything."
Mom's smile quickly grew exasperated. "He's not going anywhere, scholarship or not, if he doesn't finish high school. Chloe tells me that you're doing decent work in the field, and you got your diploma..."
Barely. If Aunt Chloe hadn't dragged your sorry ass back to Atlanta, you would've gotten your GED instead. In retrospect, you're glad she made the effort ("No niece of mine's skipping her high school graduation!"), even though you'd given her such an attitude at the time.
Before you could change the subject, Dad approached you with the baby, and gently pressed the baby's forehead to your lips. You swear to God, sometimes your dad's more of a kid than your actual kid brother. "Say hi to Aunt Tori!"
You wanted to roll your eyes at Dad, but you really didn't have the heart to give him sass. Nabil didn't deserve your rage - he was what, 3 months? - and he certainly wasn't the reason you hated the world. Plus he had Russ's nose and even smiled a little like your big brother. How could you hate that smile? Nabil melted your heart into a giant puddle of love just by smiling at you. You half-suspected the rest of the family had fallen for his charms too, hook, line and sinker. Even Tim, and Tim's heart was notoriously hard to steal.
You gently squeezed Nabil's hands before you looked up at Dad. "You've been wanting to say that all day, haven't you?"
"Maybe." Dad chuckled, gently rocking Nabil in his arms as he adjusted the baby's position. "It's not every day I get to see my grandkid, you know." Except it was, when modern technology had invented webcams and Skype. Russ had actually confessed that he'd once kept his computers off for a whole day, only to be foiled by the iPhone and its stupid Facetime. Only your brother would've been ensnared by the marvels of modern technology!
"Silly me, how could I forget?"
"That's my baby girl." Now Dad lightly kissed you on the forehead before he eagerly brought Nabil back to his expectant parents.
Baby fever must be getting to you. You didn't even want kids! You'd always squirmed when Uncle Peyton and Aunt Maxine had asked you to babysit their kids, and that was just for a couple of hours! No offense to Shelby and Kieran, but you just weren't a kid person. Rising to your feet, you gave Mom a polite nod before you grabbed your car keys and headed out. You didn't quite know where you were going, but anywhere had to be better than here.
Buckhead was pretty nice this time of the night. You remembered driving down here for dates, back when you were suave enough to actually call them such, and the occasional night out with your brothers. Mom was a huge fan of the Lenox Mall, and you'd always lose her in either Pottery Barn or Pottery Barn Kids. Tim just about lost it when Pottery Barn announced a Batman collection - Mom not only had to own the entire set, but she also insisted on redecorating Tim's room in the entire style. Needless to say, Tim's secret identity remained secret for an impossibly long time.
After all, who'd actually believe that Robin was stupid enough to plaster Batman decorations all over his bedroom? Dad and Russ eventually returned everything while Mom was working on a news story in Dubai, but the mental image had remained with you for far too long.
You figured you'd just wander around the mall, maybe collect some interesting gifts for the kids, and call it a night. Shelby was into My Little Pony, last you heard, and Kieran was way too into Transformers for his own good. Nabil... well, he was a little too young for specific toys. A rattle was probably your safest bet. You'd only just parked your car and headed out when you noticed an all-too familiar figure about to exit the parking lot.
Against your better judgment, you ran towards him. You'd recognized that swagger anywhere, that impeccable sense of style, that black leather jacket... and of course, that red helmet that almost looked like a condom if you were a little too out of it that night.
"Red Hood!"
He almost turned back to look at you. Almost. So you called out his name again, and this time, he stared at you as if he'd seen a ghost. "Victoria?"
Of all the people you'd met, he was the only one who'd ever called you by your full first name. You folded your arms as you approached him. "Didn't think I'd see you in this part of town."
He laughed softly, taking off his helmet to reveal his face. As usual, he'd worn his black domino mask, the kind that hid absolutely nothing if you knew what to look for. Unfortunately, you didn't know - you had never been privy to his secret identity. Every time you'd worked with him, it'd always been for business. Business that weirdly overlapped, considering that he wasn't much of a treasure hunter and you weren't much of a mafia lord. Aunt Chloe mentioned something once about him operating mainly out of Gotham too. Just what was he doing in Atlanta, period?
"I've got some last-minute business to take care of," He admitted after a moment, glancing at you with an amused smile. "What's your excuse?"
You shot him that same amused smile in return. "I live here."
"Oh."
That amused smile had quickly given way to confusion, and for the first time since you'd met the Red Hood, you knew that you'd successfully stumped him. Victoria Fisher was a world traveler, the kind of girl who never stayed in one place for long... but Tori Drake was the proud daughter of one of CNN's finest anchors and a successful novelist. Atlanta would always be home, no matter what corner of the globe beckoned to her.
"Yeah." You stepped closer to him, now noticing the way his hair drooped over his eyes. Man, he was really cute - almost as cute as Lynx had been under that mask of hers. For both of your sakes, you hoped that he wasn't secretly an undercover cop. Lynx's refusal to let go of the law was what had ultimately led to your break-up with her. Figures Tim's paranoia was ultimately right for once. If he knew, he'd never let you hear the end of it - though knowing your kid brother, he knew and was just biding his time for the proper blackmail moment.
"I'm about to grab some graduation presents, so if you'll just let me..."
He gently grabbed your hand before you could pass him. "Actually, I've got a proposition for you."
You narrowed your eyes. "I'm listening."
"Not here." He thought about it for a minute, before his gaze fell on your car. "Let me stash my bike in your car, and we'll talk." The one night you had to take the family SUV...
"Fine." You sighed, glancing over your shoulder and reaching in your pocket for your keys. "This had better be worth it. Where're we heading?"
He smirked. "Somewhere special. You'll see."
The Red Hood's definition of special was certainly... something. Atlanta was a landlocked city, so it didn't offer the harbors Red Hood was so fond of. Instead, he'd directed you (with the help of a GPS) to one of the empty parks in town. You raised an eyebrow at him as you parked and slowly climbed out.
"This is your idea of special? The Botanical Garden?"
He shrugged. "You've been here before?"
"Plenty of times." Dad liked to write here, and Russ used to volunteer in high school - you'd occasionally helped out too, before you decided to run off halfway across the world. "What's in this place for you?"
There wasn't anything of monetary value here. You both knew that. If anything, you suspected that the Red Hood dragged you down here just to talk. The Lenox Mall wasn't exactly a top destination for private conversations: there were too many tourists for such a thing.
After a moment of silence, the Red Hood slowly admitted, "The replacement's here."
Uh-oh. You'd never personally met the Replacement, not in your years of traveling across the globe, but even you knew the Red Hood had a huge grudge against this kid who'd replaced the Hood at his old job. Thing was, you didn't know what the Hood did before he decided to take down every mafia boss in the country. Was the Hood an assassin? Someone who fought for a greater cause than drug dealers? Or even some kind of fighter that worked for the greater good? Every time you asked the Hood, he'd always dodged the question before cleverly changing the subject. After a few attempts of prodding and poking, you gave up altogether. Whatever the Red Hood used to to do, he sure wasn't proud of it.
"If you're asking me to help you take down the Replacement..." You could feel your entire body shaking. You weren't a killer. You could do a lot of illegal things if you put your mind to it, but you couldn't kill someone in cold blood. It just didn't feel right.
The Red Hood shook his head. Sympathy colored his entire face as he removed his gloves and sat down beside you. "No. I'm long past that." He stared up at the sky for a moment, as if he were struggling with what exactly to say next. "He's not terrible."
"So why're you here? To creepily stalk the Replacement?" Because that was kind of Tim's territory, and you half-suspected your brother would be pissed if anyone tried to approach his levels of paranoia.
The Red Hood chuckled. "That's more the Replacement's style."
Huh. Your brother and the Replacement shared that personality trait? Of all the things. You smiled. Now that you were really looking at the Red Hood, he didn't look that much older than you - if you had to pin his age down, you'd guess that he was probably around your age, maybe even a little bit older.
"Nah," The Hood said after a moment, "I'm just here to see him." There was an underlying message, one that implied that he was here to give the Replacement his blessings. About damn time too. You were starting to get worried about his obsession with the Replacement - this kid really couldn't have been worth the trouble (or the hassle).
"Good." You slowly nodded. "... Then what?"
He leaned forward, almost as if he wasn't quite sure of what he was doing next, and brushed his lips lightly against yours. His lips tasted of smoke, of possibilities of the future, and a life that you'd craved so badly that you would've done anything to obtain it. Against your better judgment, you returned that kiss. If you weren't in the Botanical Garden past closing time, you would've certainly undressed him - and you were certain of it, because you caught your hands just in time. The Hood cracked a wry smile, watching you restrain yourself, before he kissed you again. Dammit, you weren't here for this!
Shelby and Kieran needed presents, and Nabil needed his rattle...
They certainly weren't getting them tonight, not if the Red Hood had anything to say about it. "You know," you said, looking up into his mask (and wondering just what his eyes looked like underneath it), "You should meet my family while you're here."
"Are we getting serious?" He might've been half-joking, but you could smell that fear underneath his mask. Boys always got terrified (and some of the girls too).
You shrugged. "I was supposed to buy my cousins presents. You kind of got in the way of that - so it's the least you could do."
The Hood sighed. "Do I have to?"
"Unless you want to waltz into Toys-R-Us and buy a Twilight Sparkle--"
"When do you want me to be there?"
Knew it. Taunt a boy with My Little Pony, and he'd be putty in your hands (unless he was one of the infamous bronies). Thank god the Hood wasn't one of them. You might've actually had to dump him if he was going to be insufferable on you. You inspected him, actually looking over his clothes, before you said, "... What about tonight? My whole family's going to be there. Including my Aunt Chloe."
The Hood visibly relaxed at the mention of your aunt's name. "And Charlie?"
You nodded. He grinned, rising to his feet and heading back towards the car. "Then I think we can manage tonight."
Just before you'd headed inside, the Hood had taken his mask off for the first time. ("It's not right, meeting your parents like this," he'd said offhandedly, before he reached for the spirit gum remover he kept in his pocket.) You'd always imagined his eyes to be this deep, rich brown color... or even a light hazel.
Instead, it was this amazing, clear shade of blue that almost put your brother's eyes to shame (and your brother's eyes were pretty damn clear). You whistled softly, "Blue? I wouldn't have guessed."
He rolled his eyes at you. God, he was so handsome that he almost made your heart melt again. Almost - Nabil'd already stolen it a few hours ago. "Most people don't."
There was a moment of silence, before he added, "Jason."
You tilted your head at him. "Huh?"
"That's my name." He smiled at you, more genuinely than before. "Jason Cain."
Jason. You nodded, committing the name to memory before you ushered him inside. You'd prepped him on your cover story on the car ride over: he was a study abroad student at Gotham University, and you'd met him while you were on the job, but as it turns out, he had some family here and he was just visiting for the summer...
"Hey, everyone---"
"Jason." Tim was almost seething as he rose to meet you. You'd never seen your brother this angry, even when you'd decided to glue his hand to the wall (you were bored, okay?) or when you'd almost destroyed his 4th grade science project. Shit, you'd somehow managed to pick yet another significant other that had somehow insulted Tim in the past.
Dad once said that everything he touched turned to shit. You didn't think everything you touched was on that same level, but you sure knew how to pick your partners.
Jason narrowed his eyes at Tim, before he slowly turned his gaze upon you. "I thought you said your last name was Fisher?"
Tim snorted hollowly. "That's also our mom's maiden name. Jason, meet Tori Drake, my older sister."
Aunt Maxine visibly made the 'awkward turtle' hand motion, and it was all you could do to keep from laughing at the sheer absurdity at the situation. You wanted to melt there right on the spot. God, what did Tim ever do to Jason...
"You're the Replacement's sister?"
Oh.
Oh my god. Your kid brother and your current friend-with-benefits had both worked for the goddamn Batman? You really knew how to pick them, Tori. Not only was your kid brother a stupid hero who threw himself into battle on a regular basis, but the Red Hood was a former Robin gone wild. No wonder he didn't want to talk about his past with you!
You really, really wanted to swear out loud, but the sight of your kid nephew was enough to keep your language in check. Jason bit his tongue, right up until he saw Nabil, and then his gaze went to Tim questioningly.
Tim sighed, with exasperation, "My nephew. Nabil Mohsen Drake, meet Jason Todd..."
You'd half-expected Jason to point a gun at the kid. It was his usual tactic for dealing with things he didn't like, after all. Instead, he quietly asked, "Can I hold him?"
Tim blankly stared at Jason. "Uh..." His gaze went towards Russell, almost pleadingly, before Russell slowly handed the baby over to Jason.
Jason slowly rocked the kid in his arms, before he very solemnly told Nabil, "Hey. Your kid uncle? The one not even out of high school yet? He sucks - but only because he's too stupid to tell his other family that he was graduating high school."
"Hey!" Despite Tim's scowl, you noticed that he had relaxed his shoulders. Even if Jason had intended on harming the family, you knew Jason wouldn't have gotten too far - not with Dad, Mom, Aunt Maxine, Aunt Chloe, you, Uncle Charlie, and Aunt Maxine all in the same room. You were all seriously capable of kicking butt if you had to (and well, Uncle Peyton tried).
"I told Bruce and Dick," Tim said quietly after a moment. "They said they'd be here for the party this weekend - and well, you know how Damian is."
Jason laughed. "That little snot? I'm amazed he knows what a high school graduation is." Still, his voice was much more gentle and soft than you ever remembered it being - Tim must've noticed too, because your kid brother's smile had softened as well. Jason glanced over at Russell before handing the kid back. "Mashallah, your kid's great."
"You know Arabic?" Russell looks visibly impressed - you're impressed too, for that matter. You only learned Arabic when you realized your older brother was converting to Islam, and even then, you only really learned key Muslim phrases and curse words.
Jason smiled widely. "Of course. The Re---Tim's fluent in it too - or did he neglect that part?"
Tim shrugged helplessly. "I think I said it once or twice."
Dad and Mom had been in the kitchen this whole time, but Dad finally poked his head out to ask, "Tori? Does your boyfriend want to stay for dinner?"
"He's not my boyfriend!"
Jason rolled his eyes at you. "No one's ever your boyfriend." Part of you really wanted to smack him for remembering that kind of detail. The other part of you's impressed - Aunt Chloe had mentioned horror stories about the Red Hood, about how he only cared about the hunt and the kill. Nothing else mattered to him.
Except, apparently, you and Tim. Figures that's how life would work.
Tim held his hand out to Jason, almost expectantly, before he said, "Truce?"
Jason stared at Tim's hand, as if Tim had just grown a second head, before he slowly accepted it. "Truce." Jason might've been acting as if he wasn't here for a truce, or a chance to start over, but you really knew better. If Jason hadn't known that Tim lived in Atlanta, or that Tim was graduating high school this week, he wouldn't have even ventured down to this part of the country.
You being here - and Tim's older sister, no less! - had just been an unexpected bonus.
Aunt Maxine floated beside you as you followed the rest of the family into the kitchen. "He's kind of cute." She paused, before hastily adding, "Not that Ming-Na wasn't cute, or that Juliet girl..."
You softly snorted. "It's okay. You don't have to be PC for me." Though you did appreciate the lengths Aunt Maxine went to, just to ensure that you'd be accepted no matter who you dated. Mom and Dad tried too, but they were also Mom and Dad - their efforts simultaneously embarrassed you to the point where you just didn't bring people home. Ever.
Uncle Peyton just eyed Jason before he murmured, "This reminds me of a movie."
You elbowed him. "Everything reminds you of a movie."
"No, this time it really does! There's even a whole trope to it, where you unwittingly bring home your son's archnemesis for dinner..." When Uncle Peyton got into the zone, there really was no stopping him, so you didn't even bother. Instead, you and Aunt Maxine just shared knowing glances before you fell into the crowd and grabbed your dinner plates.
So maybe you never did grab those presents for Shelby and Kieran, and maybe you never did get more work experience in Atlanta, but hey. You were with your family - and for the first time since you'd run away from home, you actually felt like you were back in a world in which you belonged, even if stupid Jason Todd had to follow you all the way back there.
He even followed you to Tim's graduation ceremony, claiming that he was a distant relative on Nate's side. Considering how much he looked like Tim, with his black hair and blue eyes, the school bought it. You almost wanted to throttle the principal. Almost - you weren't going to cause a scene in somewhere as innocuous as your old high school.
The ceremony itself went alright. Mom and Dad clapped a little too loudly when Tim's name had proudly been called ("Timothy Jackson Drake!") and while you'd normally be embarrassed by the onslaught of love, it also wasn't an outpouring for you... and you were technically the older sister here...
You had never realized Tim was capable of that kind of death glare. If looks could kill, you and Jason would've both been dead a long, long time ago.
When the reception rolled around, you eagerly latched onto his arms. "So?" You asked with a slight grin. "How does it feel to be an official high school graduate?"
He gives you a lopsided smile. "Same as a high school student, I guess - but the degree's nice."
"It's a pretty fancy piece of paper, I'll give you that."
Dad looked up at you from the buffet table - god, how many petit-fours did he have? - before Mom had to drag him away from some other parents photographing their children. You noticed some of Tim's friends, plus his current girlfriend, and you gently nudged your kid brother in their direction. "Go ahead."
"You sure?" He looked at you hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure if you'd be here when he turned around. "I can always--"
"Go."
Without another word, you watched him head off with his friends before you helped yourself to another eclair. Jason approached you, with his arms folded, before he asked, "So?"
"So." You grinned at him. "Think the Replacement's done a good job?"
"Tim did an excellent job."
"Yeah," you agree as you watch him and his degree (or was that his Scooby Doo doll, dragging onto the hardwood floors? You blinked, and the objects kept blurring together in your memory) disappear into the crowd. Your kid brother's more than capable of handling himself, and even though you want to protect him from the big, bad world, you suspect he'd break the world before you could get a chance.
He still needed you, yeah, but not in the same way that he once did. Maybe that's a good thing. You can relax a little now, enjoy some vacation time in Vienna before you snag your next treasure... Or maybe you'd just worry, like you always did when no one was looking, every time Red Robin made the news.
No matter how mature he'd get, he was always going to be your annoying thorn... even if you never said so out loud. "He really did."
Universe: Honey's Sweeter (explicitly future fic, though timeline's fuzzy)
Relationship: Tori+Tim (platonic), Russell/Nasreen, Nate/Elena, Tori/??
Summary: Tim's graduating high school - and in a way, his relationships with his family (blood relatives or no) are "graduating" as well.
Your baby brother was graduating high school in one week. Where had the time gone by? You remembered when he was barely up to your knees, eagerly dragging his Scooby Doo stuffed dog across the carpet... and now he was an accomplished young man with the world at his fingertips (both literally and metaphorically). Aunt Chloe'd even softly whistled when she'd gotten the invitation in the mail. Wasn't your address unlisted...? How your brother had managed to hunt you down, you'd never know.
"Timmy's gotten pretty handsome," She commented, staring at the small picture enclosed in the envelope. "Kinda like your dad was at that age."
Ew. You knew Dad and Aunt Chloe had a Thing, back before he'd met Mom, but you really didn't need to be reminded of it. "I guess," you said slowly, shrugging your shoulders as you glanced at the invitation again. God, you really didn't want to visit your old high school. It didn't miss you and you really didn't miss it.
Tim's graduation was more important than your complete and total apathy for your alma mater, so you sucked up your pride and booked a flight for Atlanta. Aunt Chloe was accompanying you this time too, and you couldn't wait to see Uncle Charlie and Granddad. They always knew how to make you laugh, even on your worst days. Your older cousins Peyton and Maxine were even coming, and you rarely saw them - unless E! TV specials counted (which, in Russ's opinion, never did). Sure, Aunt Michelle and her husband were stopping by too, but they wouldn't be able to make it until after the ceremony.
Mom'd made noises about Tim's "work" family: Dick Grayson, the Gotham socialite who made Paris Hilton look like a genius, would show up - hopefully - and maybe even Bruce Wayne? Bruce's son Damian had opted to stay home, and you knew that Tim and his ex-girlfriend Stephanie were on really rocky terms. Her appearance would've been both a relief and a burden simultaneously, and you weren't sure if Tim's heart could handle it. The house would be bustling with activity - and to be honest, you kind of preferred it that way, at least when you were visiting. The house always felt weirder when it was just the five of you.
(Un?)Fortunately, your flight had been really uneventful - you were half-hoping for an exciting passenger or two - and as you stepped off the runaway, you couldn't help staring at the hustle and bustle. You were finally home. It didn't quite feel like it, not even when you ran into Mom and Dad's arms at the baggage claim and Uncle Charlie kissed Aunt Chloe with the most passion you'd seen in years. You supposed married couples had to show off their love somehow - even if it had to be in public.
Then you'd gotten home, casually dumped your suitcases in the central hallway, and met the rest of your family in the den. Tim was awkwardly sitting to the side with his 3DS, and you could see Aunt Maxine coaxing him into solving one of the levels ("I don't think you can solve the puzzle that way, Timmy...") as Uncle Peyton held a baby boy in his arms.
Before you could ask if Uncle Peyton and Aunt Maxine had had another kid (again), Uncle Peyton graciously moved the kid into Tim's arms, knocking over the video game console in the process.
Russ beamed at the sight before he wandered over and hugged you tightly. "Hey Tori."
You grinned, returning the affection as best as possible. "Hey big bro." You tilted your head towards the kid. "Is that...?"
"Nabil's gotten really big since you've last seen him, hasn't he?"
God, you still couldn't believe your big brother was a father. It'd only been what, three months since you were in Los Angeles? You wanted to help your sister-in-law with day-to-day chores as the new parents got re-adjusted to life. Or well, Mom basically guilt tripped you into it, but it was the same idea. Plus you'd gotten in some good work experience: the Getty never knew what hit them.
You slowly nodded, letting Russ wrap his arm around your shoulder. "He really has. Was your flight okay?"
"Yeah." Russ nodded, tucking back your hair behind your ears. If you weren't too tired to fight him, you certainly would have. He continued, "It was really nice and quiet. Nabil slept the entire time."
Go Nabil! You laughed, leaning against the wall and watching Tim gently bounce your baby nephew off his knees. Dad was trying so hard not to fanboy over the newest addition to the family - you could tell from how tightly he'd folded his arms - while Russ moved away from you to hover over them like the new, overprotective parent he was. And always would be, you thought to yourself as you observed them. Hadn't he always been like this? Russ just oozed of responsibility, in the same way that you embodied spontaneity and Tim embodied paranoia. Parenthood fit Russ like a glove.
Even so, you still couldn't believe that you were legally an aunt. You were only 21 (almost 22)! Mom and Dad shouldn't be grandparents before Tim'd even made it out of high school! It seemed almost wrong (if not hilariously inappropriate). God, who'd allowed Russ and Nasreen to breed? Sure, they had every right to, as two young adults in a stable, healthy relationship with secure sources of income. They could provide for baby Nabil without looking to their parents for cash. But... kids? Cute little ones that cried in the middle of the night and puked all over the place?
You couldn't imagine that kind of responsibility. Hell, you couldn't even imagine Tim graduating high school and starting college next fall. He'd wanted to ditch school a few months ago, to scour the depths of Europe for Batman, but Dad had promptly banished those nonsensical ideas out of Tim's mind. Not only had he kept an eagle eye on the kid, but he'd also decided to use his lengthy connections to ensure that Tim stayed in school - even if your baby brother didn't want to. He'd never gone to that extent for you, even when you'd run off to New Zealand to get your first taste of the family business.
Did Dad just love Tim more? You could almost taste the bitterness on your lips, and you didn't like the way it felt, like one of Red Hood's cigarettes over the Gotham harbor. You weren't the jealous type. You really weren't.
Jealousy hadn't prompted you to ask Mom why Dad'd used such extreme measures. Of course not. You were just curious - which is also why you'd waited until you were sure Dad was preoccupied with baby Nabil. As he and Russ sang The Circle of Life to the poor kid held up high, you and Mom sat off towards the corner before you dared to ask her why.
Mom gave you the guiltiest look you'd ever seen in your life before she set down her coffee. "We couldn't keep you here, Tori. You wanted to go out there and explore the world - and as much as I wanted to rein you in, your dad said you'd benefit from this more." She sighed, staring down at her mug. She couldn't bare to look at you - did she think she'd made the wrong decision? - and instead kept her gaze calmly on her grandson.
"But with Tim... he wasn't going to discover himself. He wanted to find Bruce. That can't happen overnight, and I just... we didn't think it was feasible."
In other words, since you had entered the family business, Dad knew what to expect. Aunt Chloe was mentoring you; Dad knew the criminal underworld like the back of his hand; and if all else failed, Granddad could stomp out the little bugs with one swipe of his cigar. There was an air of familiarity in treasure hunting that just wasn't there in the world of capes and cowls.
Mom and Dad had always been terrified of Tim's exploits, more than they ever feared yours - and you were technically dancing on the wrong side of the law. This used to amuse you, but right now? Noticing Mom's nervous tics and how her voice shook when she even thought about Tim throwing himself into battle... it scared you too.
No wonder they'd called Tim the baby and given him cutesy nicknames and smothering love. They wanted to shield him from a lifestyle that they couldn't possibly begin to understand (and quite frankly, you didn't really understand it either). Yet his heroism was also the giant elephant in the room that even Nasreen didn't want to talk about.
When Bruce died, Mom had called you over the phone - well, she called Aunt Chloe first, but the sentiment was still there. You knew Tim wasn't in great shape. You didn't know that he'd show up on your doorstep only hours later, with disheveled clothes and hair, and he'd even crookedly glued on his domino mask so that it looked lopsided, dangling dangerously on one side of his face. You didn't get any time to ask questions. He'd thrown himself into your arms, and you could only watch hopelessly as he cried in your chest for hours. He'd hiccuped when you held up the phone and said, "Mom's on the line." He was so reluctant to tell them about his location, and even more reluctant to leave you for sleep.
You tried to let go of him, but he only clung to you tighter. For just one moment, Tim was four years old again, and you were his giant teddy bear, his big strong protector against the bitter world. You weren't going to let the world break him - if anything, you were going to break the world until it started treating Tim better.
Tim had eventually uncovered the truth, and Bruce had returned to the world of the living, but it had been a struggle. You remembered the tears too well to brush off Mom's worries.
So instead, you managed a faint smile as you snuggled close to Mom. Had this been anywhere else - and any other point in time - you wouldn't have dared to show this much affection, even in the company of your own family. "So treasure hunting's more appropriate than saving the world. I get it."
Mom nearly spit out her coffee. You couldn't help giggling hysterically, almost loud enough for the boys to turn and stare at you.
"That's not it..." Mom tried to protest, but even she couldn't hide her smile for long. "It's just, we don't want Tim to miss out on his senior year. You eventually came back for your graduation - but Tim may not get to."
You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It's not like Tim'll lose his Wayne Tech scholarship or anything."
Mom's smile quickly grew exasperated. "He's not going anywhere, scholarship or not, if he doesn't finish high school. Chloe tells me that you're doing decent work in the field, and you got your diploma..."
Barely. If Aunt Chloe hadn't dragged your sorry ass back to Atlanta, you would've gotten your GED instead. In retrospect, you're glad she made the effort ("No niece of mine's skipping her high school graduation!"), even though you'd given her such an attitude at the time.
Before you could change the subject, Dad approached you with the baby, and gently pressed the baby's forehead to your lips. You swear to God, sometimes your dad's more of a kid than your actual kid brother. "Say hi to Aunt Tori!"
You wanted to roll your eyes at Dad, but you really didn't have the heart to give him sass. Nabil didn't deserve your rage - he was what, 3 months? - and he certainly wasn't the reason you hated the world. Plus he had Russ's nose and even smiled a little like your big brother. How could you hate that smile? Nabil melted your heart into a giant puddle of love just by smiling at you. You half-suspected the rest of the family had fallen for his charms too, hook, line and sinker. Even Tim, and Tim's heart was notoriously hard to steal.
You gently squeezed Nabil's hands before you looked up at Dad. "You've been wanting to say that all day, haven't you?"
"Maybe." Dad chuckled, gently rocking Nabil in his arms as he adjusted the baby's position. "It's not every day I get to see my grandkid, you know." Except it was, when modern technology had invented webcams and Skype. Russ had actually confessed that he'd once kept his computers off for a whole day, only to be foiled by the iPhone and its stupid Facetime. Only your brother would've been ensnared by the marvels of modern technology!
"Silly me, how could I forget?"
"That's my baby girl." Now Dad lightly kissed you on the forehead before he eagerly brought Nabil back to his expectant parents.
Baby fever must be getting to you. You didn't even want kids! You'd always squirmed when Uncle Peyton and Aunt Maxine had asked you to babysit their kids, and that was just for a couple of hours! No offense to Shelby and Kieran, but you just weren't a kid person. Rising to your feet, you gave Mom a polite nod before you grabbed your car keys and headed out. You didn't quite know where you were going, but anywhere had to be better than here.
Buckhead was pretty nice this time of the night. You remembered driving down here for dates, back when you were suave enough to actually call them such, and the occasional night out with your brothers. Mom was a huge fan of the Lenox Mall, and you'd always lose her in either Pottery Barn or Pottery Barn Kids. Tim just about lost it when Pottery Barn announced a Batman collection - Mom not only had to own the entire set, but she also insisted on redecorating Tim's room in the entire style. Needless to say, Tim's secret identity remained secret for an impossibly long time.
After all, who'd actually believe that Robin was stupid enough to plaster Batman decorations all over his bedroom? Dad and Russ eventually returned everything while Mom was working on a news story in Dubai, but the mental image had remained with you for far too long.
You figured you'd just wander around the mall, maybe collect some interesting gifts for the kids, and call it a night. Shelby was into My Little Pony, last you heard, and Kieran was way too into Transformers for his own good. Nabil... well, he was a little too young for specific toys. A rattle was probably your safest bet. You'd only just parked your car and headed out when you noticed an all-too familiar figure about to exit the parking lot.
Against your better judgment, you ran towards him. You'd recognized that swagger anywhere, that impeccable sense of style, that black leather jacket... and of course, that red helmet that almost looked like a condom if you were a little too out of it that night.
"Red Hood!"
He almost turned back to look at you. Almost. So you called out his name again, and this time, he stared at you as if he'd seen a ghost. "Victoria?"
Of all the people you'd met, he was the only one who'd ever called you by your full first name. You folded your arms as you approached him. "Didn't think I'd see you in this part of town."
He laughed softly, taking off his helmet to reveal his face. As usual, he'd worn his black domino mask, the kind that hid absolutely nothing if you knew what to look for. Unfortunately, you didn't know - you had never been privy to his secret identity. Every time you'd worked with him, it'd always been for business. Business that weirdly overlapped, considering that he wasn't much of a treasure hunter and you weren't much of a mafia lord. Aunt Chloe mentioned something once about him operating mainly out of Gotham too. Just what was he doing in Atlanta, period?
"I've got some last-minute business to take care of," He admitted after a moment, glancing at you with an amused smile. "What's your excuse?"
You shot him that same amused smile in return. "I live here."
"Oh."
That amused smile had quickly given way to confusion, and for the first time since you'd met the Red Hood, you knew that you'd successfully stumped him. Victoria Fisher was a world traveler, the kind of girl who never stayed in one place for long... but Tori Drake was the proud daughter of one of CNN's finest anchors and a successful novelist. Atlanta would always be home, no matter what corner of the globe beckoned to her.
"Yeah." You stepped closer to him, now noticing the way his hair drooped over his eyes. Man, he was really cute - almost as cute as Lynx had been under that mask of hers. For both of your sakes, you hoped that he wasn't secretly an undercover cop. Lynx's refusal to let go of the law was what had ultimately led to your break-up with her. Figures Tim's paranoia was ultimately right for once. If he knew, he'd never let you hear the end of it - though knowing your kid brother, he knew and was just biding his time for the proper blackmail moment.
"I'm about to grab some graduation presents, so if you'll just let me..."
He gently grabbed your hand before you could pass him. "Actually, I've got a proposition for you."
You narrowed your eyes. "I'm listening."
"Not here." He thought about it for a minute, before his gaze fell on your car. "Let me stash my bike in your car, and we'll talk." The one night you had to take the family SUV...
"Fine." You sighed, glancing over your shoulder and reaching in your pocket for your keys. "This had better be worth it. Where're we heading?"
He smirked. "Somewhere special. You'll see."
The Red Hood's definition of special was certainly... something. Atlanta was a landlocked city, so it didn't offer the harbors Red Hood was so fond of. Instead, he'd directed you (with the help of a GPS) to one of the empty parks in town. You raised an eyebrow at him as you parked and slowly climbed out.
"This is your idea of special? The Botanical Garden?"
He shrugged. "You've been here before?"
"Plenty of times." Dad liked to write here, and Russ used to volunteer in high school - you'd occasionally helped out too, before you decided to run off halfway across the world. "What's in this place for you?"
There wasn't anything of monetary value here. You both knew that. If anything, you suspected that the Red Hood dragged you down here just to talk. The Lenox Mall wasn't exactly a top destination for private conversations: there were too many tourists for such a thing.
After a moment of silence, the Red Hood slowly admitted, "The replacement's here."
Uh-oh. You'd never personally met the Replacement, not in your years of traveling across the globe, but even you knew the Red Hood had a huge grudge against this kid who'd replaced the Hood at his old job. Thing was, you didn't know what the Hood did before he decided to take down every mafia boss in the country. Was the Hood an assassin? Someone who fought for a greater cause than drug dealers? Or even some kind of fighter that worked for the greater good? Every time you asked the Hood, he'd always dodged the question before cleverly changing the subject. After a few attempts of prodding and poking, you gave up altogether. Whatever the Red Hood used to to do, he sure wasn't proud of it.
"If you're asking me to help you take down the Replacement..." You could feel your entire body shaking. You weren't a killer. You could do a lot of illegal things if you put your mind to it, but you couldn't kill someone in cold blood. It just didn't feel right.
The Red Hood shook his head. Sympathy colored his entire face as he removed his gloves and sat down beside you. "No. I'm long past that." He stared up at the sky for a moment, as if he were struggling with what exactly to say next. "He's not terrible."
"So why're you here? To creepily stalk the Replacement?" Because that was kind of Tim's territory, and you half-suspected your brother would be pissed if anyone tried to approach his levels of paranoia.
The Red Hood chuckled. "That's more the Replacement's style."
Huh. Your brother and the Replacement shared that personality trait? Of all the things. You smiled. Now that you were really looking at the Red Hood, he didn't look that much older than you - if you had to pin his age down, you'd guess that he was probably around your age, maybe even a little bit older.
"Nah," The Hood said after a moment, "I'm just here to see him." There was an underlying message, one that implied that he was here to give the Replacement his blessings. About damn time too. You were starting to get worried about his obsession with the Replacement - this kid really couldn't have been worth the trouble (or the hassle).
"Good." You slowly nodded. "... Then what?"
He leaned forward, almost as if he wasn't quite sure of what he was doing next, and brushed his lips lightly against yours. His lips tasted of smoke, of possibilities of the future, and a life that you'd craved so badly that you would've done anything to obtain it. Against your better judgment, you returned that kiss. If you weren't in the Botanical Garden past closing time, you would've certainly undressed him - and you were certain of it, because you caught your hands just in time. The Hood cracked a wry smile, watching you restrain yourself, before he kissed you again. Dammit, you weren't here for this!
Shelby and Kieran needed presents, and Nabil needed his rattle...
They certainly weren't getting them tonight, not if the Red Hood had anything to say about it. "You know," you said, looking up into his mask (and wondering just what his eyes looked like underneath it), "You should meet my family while you're here."
"Are we getting serious?" He might've been half-joking, but you could smell that fear underneath his mask. Boys always got terrified (and some of the girls too).
You shrugged. "I was supposed to buy my cousins presents. You kind of got in the way of that - so it's the least you could do."
The Hood sighed. "Do I have to?"
"Unless you want to waltz into Toys-R-Us and buy a Twilight Sparkle--"
"When do you want me to be there?"
Knew it. Taunt a boy with My Little Pony, and he'd be putty in your hands (unless he was one of the infamous bronies). Thank god the Hood wasn't one of them. You might've actually had to dump him if he was going to be insufferable on you. You inspected him, actually looking over his clothes, before you said, "... What about tonight? My whole family's going to be there. Including my Aunt Chloe."
The Hood visibly relaxed at the mention of your aunt's name. "And Charlie?"
You nodded. He grinned, rising to his feet and heading back towards the car. "Then I think we can manage tonight."
Just before you'd headed inside, the Hood had taken his mask off for the first time. ("It's not right, meeting your parents like this," he'd said offhandedly, before he reached for the spirit gum remover he kept in his pocket.) You'd always imagined his eyes to be this deep, rich brown color... or even a light hazel.
Instead, it was this amazing, clear shade of blue that almost put your brother's eyes to shame (and your brother's eyes were pretty damn clear). You whistled softly, "Blue? I wouldn't have guessed."
He rolled his eyes at you. God, he was so handsome that he almost made your heart melt again. Almost - Nabil'd already stolen it a few hours ago. "Most people don't."
There was a moment of silence, before he added, "Jason."
You tilted your head at him. "Huh?"
"That's my name." He smiled at you, more genuinely than before. "Jason Cain."
Jason. You nodded, committing the name to memory before you ushered him inside. You'd prepped him on your cover story on the car ride over: he was a study abroad student at Gotham University, and you'd met him while you were on the job, but as it turns out, he had some family here and he was just visiting for the summer...
"Hey, everyone---"
"Jason." Tim was almost seething as he rose to meet you. You'd never seen your brother this angry, even when you'd decided to glue his hand to the wall (you were bored, okay?) or when you'd almost destroyed his 4th grade science project. Shit, you'd somehow managed to pick yet another significant other that had somehow insulted Tim in the past.
Dad once said that everything he touched turned to shit. You didn't think everything you touched was on that same level, but you sure knew how to pick your partners.
Jason narrowed his eyes at Tim, before he slowly turned his gaze upon you. "I thought you said your last name was Fisher?"
Tim snorted hollowly. "That's also our mom's maiden name. Jason, meet Tori Drake, my older sister."
Aunt Maxine visibly made the 'awkward turtle' hand motion, and it was all you could do to keep from laughing at the sheer absurdity at the situation. You wanted to melt there right on the spot. God, what did Tim ever do to Jason...
"You're the Replacement's sister?"
Oh.
Oh my god. Your kid brother and your current friend-with-benefits had both worked for the goddamn Batman? You really knew how to pick them, Tori. Not only was your kid brother a stupid hero who threw himself into battle on a regular basis, but the Red Hood was a former Robin gone wild. No wonder he didn't want to talk about his past with you!
You really, really wanted to swear out loud, but the sight of your kid nephew was enough to keep your language in check. Jason bit his tongue, right up until he saw Nabil, and then his gaze went to Tim questioningly.
Tim sighed, with exasperation, "My nephew. Nabil Mohsen Drake, meet Jason Todd..."
You'd half-expected Jason to point a gun at the kid. It was his usual tactic for dealing with things he didn't like, after all. Instead, he quietly asked, "Can I hold him?"
Tim blankly stared at Jason. "Uh..." His gaze went towards Russell, almost pleadingly, before Russell slowly handed the baby over to Jason.
Jason slowly rocked the kid in his arms, before he very solemnly told Nabil, "Hey. Your kid uncle? The one not even out of high school yet? He sucks - but only because he's too stupid to tell his other family that he was graduating high school."
"Hey!" Despite Tim's scowl, you noticed that he had relaxed his shoulders. Even if Jason had intended on harming the family, you knew Jason wouldn't have gotten too far - not with Dad, Mom, Aunt Maxine, Aunt Chloe, you, Uncle Charlie, and Aunt Maxine all in the same room. You were all seriously capable of kicking butt if you had to (and well, Uncle Peyton tried).
"I told Bruce and Dick," Tim said quietly after a moment. "They said they'd be here for the party this weekend - and well, you know how Damian is."
Jason laughed. "That little snot? I'm amazed he knows what a high school graduation is." Still, his voice was much more gentle and soft than you ever remembered it being - Tim must've noticed too, because your kid brother's smile had softened as well. Jason glanced over at Russell before handing the kid back. "Mashallah, your kid's great."
"You know Arabic?" Russell looks visibly impressed - you're impressed too, for that matter. You only learned Arabic when you realized your older brother was converting to Islam, and even then, you only really learned key Muslim phrases and curse words.
Jason smiled widely. "Of course. The Re---Tim's fluent in it too - or did he neglect that part?"
Tim shrugged helplessly. "I think I said it once or twice."
Dad and Mom had been in the kitchen this whole time, but Dad finally poked his head out to ask, "Tori? Does your boyfriend want to stay for dinner?"
"He's not my boyfriend!"
Jason rolled his eyes at you. "No one's ever your boyfriend." Part of you really wanted to smack him for remembering that kind of detail. The other part of you's impressed - Aunt Chloe had mentioned horror stories about the Red Hood, about how he only cared about the hunt and the kill. Nothing else mattered to him.
Except, apparently, you and Tim. Figures that's how life would work.
Tim held his hand out to Jason, almost expectantly, before he said, "Truce?"
Jason stared at Tim's hand, as if Tim had just grown a second head, before he slowly accepted it. "Truce." Jason might've been acting as if he wasn't here for a truce, or a chance to start over, but you really knew better. If Jason hadn't known that Tim lived in Atlanta, or that Tim was graduating high school this week, he wouldn't have even ventured down to this part of the country.
You being here - and Tim's older sister, no less! - had just been an unexpected bonus.
Aunt Maxine floated beside you as you followed the rest of the family into the kitchen. "He's kind of cute." She paused, before hastily adding, "Not that Ming-Na wasn't cute, or that Juliet girl..."
You softly snorted. "It's okay. You don't have to be PC for me." Though you did appreciate the lengths Aunt Maxine went to, just to ensure that you'd be accepted no matter who you dated. Mom and Dad tried too, but they were also Mom and Dad - their efforts simultaneously embarrassed you to the point where you just didn't bring people home. Ever.
Uncle Peyton just eyed Jason before he murmured, "This reminds me of a movie."
You elbowed him. "Everything reminds you of a movie."
"No, this time it really does! There's even a whole trope to it, where you unwittingly bring home your son's archnemesis for dinner..." When Uncle Peyton got into the zone, there really was no stopping him, so you didn't even bother. Instead, you and Aunt Maxine just shared knowing glances before you fell into the crowd and grabbed your dinner plates.
So maybe you never did grab those presents for Shelby and Kieran, and maybe you never did get more work experience in Atlanta, but hey. You were with your family - and for the first time since you'd run away from home, you actually felt like you were back in a world in which you belonged, even if stupid Jason Todd had to follow you all the way back there.
He even followed you to Tim's graduation ceremony, claiming that he was a distant relative on Nate's side. Considering how much he looked like Tim, with his black hair and blue eyes, the school bought it. You almost wanted to throttle the principal. Almost - you weren't going to cause a scene in somewhere as innocuous as your old high school.
The ceremony itself went alright. Mom and Dad clapped a little too loudly when Tim's name had proudly been called ("Timothy Jackson Drake!") and while you'd normally be embarrassed by the onslaught of love, it also wasn't an outpouring for you... and you were technically the older sister here...
You had never realized Tim was capable of that kind of death glare. If looks could kill, you and Jason would've both been dead a long, long time ago.
When the reception rolled around, you eagerly latched onto his arms. "So?" You asked with a slight grin. "How does it feel to be an official high school graduate?"
He gives you a lopsided smile. "Same as a high school student, I guess - but the degree's nice."
"It's a pretty fancy piece of paper, I'll give you that."
Dad looked up at you from the buffet table - god, how many petit-fours did he have? - before Mom had to drag him away from some other parents photographing their children. You noticed some of Tim's friends, plus his current girlfriend, and you gently nudged your kid brother in their direction. "Go ahead."
"You sure?" He looked at you hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure if you'd be here when he turned around. "I can always--"
"Go."
Without another word, you watched him head off with his friends before you helped yourself to another eclair. Jason approached you, with his arms folded, before he asked, "So?"
"So." You grinned at him. "Think the Replacement's done a good job?"
"Tim did an excellent job."
"Yeah," you agree as you watch him and his degree (or was that his Scooby Doo doll, dragging onto the hardwood floors? You blinked, and the objects kept blurring together in your memory) disappear into the crowd. Your kid brother's more than capable of handling himself, and even though you want to protect him from the big, bad world, you suspect he'd break the world before you could get a chance.
He still needed you, yeah, but not in the same way that he once did. Maybe that's a good thing. You can relax a little now, enjoy some vacation time in Vienna before you snag your next treasure... Or maybe you'd just worry, like you always did when no one was looking, every time Red Robin made the news.
No matter how mature he'd get, he was always going to be your annoying thorn... even if you never said so out loud. "He really did."
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re: N/C age thing: Cool! I wasn't sure if it was a mistake or an IC misdirection, and now that I'm sure I really like it.
help now I'm just imagining C&C's proposal brb I think I may need to write this
Tori totally would have noticed his helmet |D I guess the 2005 stuff didn't come up in my Google Images results (I did get what I'm assuming was some YJA stuff).
I also like Tori's love interests and Tim's supervillains overlapping :D but hey, the only fic I've written about her with a love interest also turned out awkward and that had nothing to do with Tim, alas poor girl and her stupid taste.
This makes me laugh every time I look at it :D If the goddamn Batman is telling you to get married...
Aw man, Tori would feel awful if she found out that was how her running away hit Tim :( I on the other hand also find it really interesting!
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I can't stop this, the C&C proposal sounds amazing (i'd imagine it happened
when Charlie came back to lifeafter the shock of Charlie almost dying)I might've been imagining the art but I could've SWORN that the nickname was a Thing.
on the upside, at least Tim can't blame his rogues gallery on that one... (though Tim has no room to talk, considering his girlfriend faked his death and he mourned her for like, a solid year).
IF BATMAN TELLS YOU TO GET MARRIED, YOU'D BETTER GET ON THAT BANDWAGON...
I suspect Tori would ;; and Russ would fume about it because dangit, his kid brother does not need that (it's just something to think about?)