Tim Drake oneshots

The Masks we Wear (4)

Title: The Masks We Wear

Setting:
Bruce Wayne is back, miraculously returned from the timestream, and Gotham is once again buzzing with his presence. To mark his return and celebrate his triumphant survival, Bruce holds a grand gala at Wayne Manor, inviting Gotham’s elite and his closest allies. The Batfamily is there, together for the first time since Bruce’s "death." However, danger lurks beneath the surface of the joyous occasion.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Joker has his own plans to crash the party, seeking to destroy what Bruce has rebuilt. But another shadow looms larger, one who has never truly let Tim out of his grasp—Noctis, the secret benefactor and obsessive protector who has been watching Tim from the shadows all along.

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Scene 1: The Gala Begins

Wayne Manor is dressed in elegance, filled with the who’s-who of Gotham society. The Batfamily is scattered throughout the event, keeping their identities concealed behind the personas they wear in public. Tim, in particular, feels uncomfortable. The return of Bruce has brought some joy, but also immense tension. No one has forgotten how obsessed Tim became during Bruce's absence, and his relationship with the Batfamily remains strained.

Tim stands by a table, sipping a glass of water, eyes flicking between the guests, keeping a subtle vigil.

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Dick Grayson: (walking over, offering a warm but cautious smile)
"How’re you holding up, Tim?"

Tim Drake: (shrugs, trying to sound nonchalant)
"I’m fine. It’s… a lot. But I’m glad he’s back."

Dick Grayson: (nodding)
"Yeah, we all are. You know, Bruce would want you to relax tonight. Try to enjoy yourself."

Tim Drake: (forcing a smile)
"I’ll try."

But Tim can’t relax. He hasn’t been able to since Bruce returned. There’s too much history—too much unresolved tension between him and the rest of the family, especially since Damian has fully taken on the role of Robin. And then there’s Noctis. Even now, in the middle of this crowd, Tim can feel Noctis’s shadow looming over him, watching, waiting.

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Scene 2: Joker’s Attack

The evening continues, seemingly peaceful, until the laughter begins. That haunting, manic cackle that chills everyone to the bone. Guests turn in alarm as the Joker and his goons storm into the ballroom, weapons drawn, their twisted smiles reflecting the horror that’s about to unfold.

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Joker: (grinning, voice dripping with mockery)
"Well, well, well! I couldn’t miss a Bruce Wayne party, could I? Especially after our favorite Prince of Gotham’s miraculous return from the dead!"

Chaos erupts as guests scream and scatter, Joker’s henchmen firing warning shots into the air. The Batfamily instinctively starts to move, slipping away to change into their vigilante personas. But before Tim can escape, a pair of Joker’s goons grab him, holding him tightly.

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Joker: (noticing Tim, his eyes lighting up with glee)
"And look who we have here! The little bird who thought he could fly all on his own. Tell me, Timmy—how’s that obsessive streak of yours going? Still chasing after Brucie?"

Tim struggles against the goons, but they hold him tight. His mind races. The Batfamily is somewhere nearby, they’ll come for him. But even as he thinks that, another name rises to the surface of his mind—Noctis. He knows Noctis is watching. He always watches.