A Million Reasons | K. Danvers ✔

[76] Visit From The Insomniac

• August 06, 2017 •

It was near dawn when Zach woke up from the sound of his phone ringing. He rubbed his eyes and reached out for his phone, surprised to see the time as well as the contact.

The name Timothee was flashing on the screen but before he could pick up the call, it had disconnected. He sat up, thinking that he should call him back and check that the boy was doing alright. 

The reason behind that concern was that he knew Tim was very unpredictable and could get himself into trouble easily. Plus, he recalled the last time he had called at an unconventional time.

But then the knocking on the window shook him out of his thoughts. A text lit up his phone's screen shortly after: I'm outside, open the window and let me in.

"Tim, you idiot..." Zach looked for the crutches placed beside his bed and stood up carefully.

He wasn't wearing the walking boot so he had to twice more careful with his leg. The knocking had gotten impatient so he drew open the blinds and undid the clasp on the window.

He couldn't fathom how Tim could have reached up to his window but then realized that he must be a part of the Young Justice too. Soon as the window had been opened, he stepped aside to let Tim in.

"What are you doing here?" Zach asked.

"Hello to you too," Tim replied cheerfully, but then noticed Zach standing there with difficulty, "oh I'm so sorry, I totally forgot about that. Come, sit down first."

Tim made him sit down on the bed, placed aside the crutches and then closed the window.

"I mean I didn't forget about it, it just slipped my mind. The real reason I came here was to see how you're doing so of course how could I forget?"

Zach smiled, "why did you come through the window? We have a main door too."

"Yeah and you do have someone who would kick me right out if I stepped through that door," he chuckled, "Aviana would never let me step in so I had to take an alternate route."

"That you're totally right about."

Tim examined his leg thoroughly, a slight frown on his face, "I may be no doctor but I can see it is healing up."

"Yeah, it is," he replied, "I can walk with these crutches but there are a few restrictions, no longer than fifteen minutes per hour."

"Aw man, that sucks," he had picked up the crutches examining them, "by the way, can you lend these to me for a while?"

Zach looked surprised, "why, what do you need these for?" 

"You look as if I asked a kidney from you," he shrugged, folding his arms across his chest, "can I borrow your crutches?"

"On one condition. You aren't planning to commit some deadly stunt, are you?"

He laughed, "oh no, I'm not asking for myself. I just think you could do with an upgrade. I want to modify these for you, free of cost, because you're my friend."

Zach knew it was Tim's way of showing that he cared, "it's alright. I will not be needing these for long either."

"Yeah, I know that's the ideal situation," Tim remarked, sitting down on the mat and folded his legs, "but I am taking these anyway, I promise I'll bring them back before you have to go for your routine fifteen minutes walk."

"Okay fine. But will you tell me how did you manage to climb up to my window? You aren't some human variant of a spider."

"Maybe I am," he winked, "you never know."

"Oh yeah, what if I take a guess?"

Tim's eyes sparked, accepting the challenge, "sure, go ahead."

"You're part of the Young Justice," he stated simply.

Tim had in the meanwhile filled up a glass of water from the jug on Zach's bedside table and almost dropped it upon hearing him, his voice high-pitched as he shrieked, "you what?"

That once Zach couldn't hold in his laughter, "everyone else is asleep, you would only be solidifying your chances of getting kicked out by Ava if you be any louder."

"Oh crap," he had dropped his voice low but the words poured out in a rush, "but how do you know? I mean... Of course not, how can I be a part of the YJ? You must be mistaken, you're definitely mistaken. I... I'm not... Haha, you have to be joking, right? Right?"

Zach patted his shoulder, "slow down. And drink the glass you had filled, you need it."

Tim did as he was told, taking in a few deep breaths to calm himself down. And when he was considerably better, he spoke up, "how did you make such a far-fetched assumption?"

"Why did you get so shocked if it was that far-fetched?"

"Point... Ugh," he placed the glass back, "fine, how did you guess?"

"Maybe because you're a friend of Kara and Connor and I already know about them by now."

His eyes widened in shock, "wait, woah, you know about them?"

"Long story."

Tim shook his head as if he had found out a possibility of how Zach knew, "I told that idiot not to go about wearing his Superboy shirt, that must have given it away."

"Not exactly. But what I do want to know is which one of them are you?"

"Red Robin," he replied, knowing there was no need to hide anymore. "I used to be Robin but then my demonic little brother snatched the title away from me. Then obviously I had to cook up a new identity for myself."

"Cool."

Tim chuckled, easing up as the shock faded, "you're the first one who thinks it's cool. Everyone else tells me I was stupid to name my hero self after a burger joint."

"Ah, I almost forgot about it. They do have a valid point."

"Oh come on, you have no idea how short notice it was for me to revamp everything, including the suit, the weapons and the title."

By then the sun had risen and it was time for the rest of the family to wake up too.

"Hey Tim, if you want to go back on your own without being kicked out of here, I suggest you should leave," Zach spoke up, noticing the time, "because everyone else must have woken up and Ava would show up any moment now."

And just as he had said it, Ava's distinct voice could be heard, indicating that she was coming up the stairs to wake Zach up.

"Oh shoot, not the devil herself," Tim stood up immediately, "your crutches will have to wait, I can't leave any proof of my presence here and if I take them away right now, she would find out."

"Don't fall off," Zach warned as the boy hastily got out through the window.

"I'm not going to. Oh shoot, she's here. See ya later, bro."

And with that last remark, Tim had slid off, disappearing from view. Right on cue, the door to Zach's bedroom had opened and Ava stepped in, surprise evident on her features.

"You're awake already?"

"Yeah," he replied, eyes darting around to make sure that there was no clue that could tip off Tim's surprise visit to her.

"And who were you talking to?"

"I... Uh... I was on the phone," he covered up with a lie though he knew Ava had gotten somewhat suspicious, "why are you full-on investigating me first thing in the morning?"

"Ah forget it," much to his relief, she let go of the investigation, "breakfast's laid out so you better cut the call and come downstairs. I'm gonna give you only five minutes to freshen up."

"Ava, ten minutes," he negotiated, "please?"

"Okay, ten minutes. Not even a second more," she replied, setting a timer on her phone, "and hurry up, your time starts now."

***