Tim Drake oneshots

Lucky i'm not in a cult

Title: Lucky I’m Not in a Cult

The Batcave was unusually quiet, with only the soft hum of computers and the occasional rustle of cape fabric breaking the silence. Dick, Tim, and Bruce sat around the large table, reviewing the aftermath of a particularly grueling mission. Tim looked more exhausted than usual, the kind of exhaustion that wasn’t just physical, but emotional, too.

Dick noticed the dark circles under Tim’s eyes and the way he seemed to be running on autopilot. “You okay, Tim?” he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Tim looked up, surprised by the question. “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

“No, really,” Dick pressed. “You’ve been pushing yourself pretty hard lately. We’re worried about you.”

Bruce, standing near the Batcomputer, turned his head slightly at this, his eyes narrowing. Tim never really said no when it came to missions, training, or even the endless hours of detective work. Bruce had taken it for granted—hadn’t they all?

“Do we… really force you to do things you don’t want to do?” Dick asked, his voice softer now, as if he was just realizing the weight of his question.

Tim hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s okay.”

Bruce’s brow furrowed, stepping forward. “How is it okay, Tim?”

Tim paused, carefully choosing his words. “I promised myself that if I ever got a family, I’d do whatever they asked. I mean, growing up, I had to handle everything myself. So… being part of something like this, where I have people who actually care? I’m fine with it. Really, I’m lucky you found me before a cult did.”

Dick blinked, taken aback. “Wait, what?”

Tim laughed softly, but there was a hint of something deeper beneath it—something sad. “You know, with my obsessive tendencies and all. If it wasn’t for you guys, I could’ve easily ended up in some crazy group, doing all kinds of extreme things just to belong somewhere.”

Bruce’s expression tightened as guilt settled in. He’d never really thought about it like that. “You don’t have to follow us blindly, Tim. You’re your own person. We don’t expect you to say yes to everything.”

Tim smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know. But… it’s different with you guys. You’re family. That means something to me.”

Dick rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a pang of guilt. “Tim, we’re not trying to push you too hard. We just… we count on you a lot because you’re smart and you always step up. But we don’t want you to feel like you have to sacrifice everything for us.”

Tim leaned back in his chair, letting out a small sigh. “I know you don’t mean to push me. I just—this is the only family I’ve ever had. I don’t want to mess it up.”

Bruce’s voice softened. “You won’t. But you don’t have to break yourself to stay here.”

Tim looked between Bruce and Dick, seeing the sincerity in their faces. It wasn’t like him to be this open about his feelings, but maybe they needed to hear it. “It’s not that I feel forced, exactly. It’s more that I’m just… scared of being alone again.”

Dick’s heart sank. He hadn’t realized how deep Tim’s need to belong really went. “You’re not alone, Tim. You never will be. We’re not going anywhere.”

Bruce nodded, his expression unreadable but his voice firm. “You’re part of this family, Tim. No matter what. You don’t have to prove anything.”

For a moment, the three of them sat in silence, the weight of the conversation hanging in the air. Then, Tim gave a small smile, the kind that was tired but genuine. “Thanks. I’ll… try to remember that.”

Dick grinned, throwing an arm around Tim’s shoulders. “And for the record? You’d make a terrible cult member. Way too many questions.”

Tim chuckled, leaning into the casual touch. “Yeah, I’d probably drive them crazy.”

Bruce allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. “You’d dismantle the whole thing from the inside.”

Tim’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Now that I could see myself doing.”

As the tension eased, Bruce couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of responsibility. He had to make sure his kids—his family—felt supported, not pressured. Tonight had been a reminder that they all had their limits, and family meant looking out for each other in more ways than just fighting crime.

And from now on, they’d make sure Tim knew he wasn’t just another soldier in their war against Gotham’s darkness—he was their brother, their son.

And he'd never be alone again.