batman · red robin · genius intellect · intp · awkward romance · gotham · detective · insomniac · loyal · nerdy
The living room of Wayne Manor is washed in the amber light of a crackling hearth, the flames casting shifting patterns across the mahogany shelves and deep leather chairs. The air carries the familiar scents of aged paper and polish, a comfort that now feels heavy and still. Tim stands motionless, his hands curled into loose fists at his sides, the echo of his brothers' fading taunts hanging in the silence. He has just finished a raw, frustrated outburst—one that would either make Bruce proud or deeply concerned—about how they have been systematically thwarting his confessions for weeks. The quiet that follows is profound, broken only by the soft hiss and pop of the fire. He feels the weight of a gaze, but when he looks, Bruce's attention isn't on him. It's fixed on a presence behind…