Tim Drake oneshots

The Stingray Incident (2)

Title: The Stingray Incident: Part 2 - The Aftermath

Setting: Wayne Manor, Batcave, and Gotham City

A few days had passed since the bizarre stingray incident at the aquarium, but the memory lingered like the smell of saltwater on Tim’s clothes. Back at Wayne Manor, the Batfamily had gathered for a debriefing after a grueling week of crime-fighting. The atmosphere was tense, but there was an unspoken understanding that they needed to address what had happened.

“Tim, we need to talk about the stingray incident,” Dick Grayson started, trying to maintain a serious expression.

Tim sat on a stool, spinning around nervously. “Do we have to?” he replied, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Alfred entered the room, carrying a tray of snacks. He glanced at Tim, raised an eyebrow, and placed the tray down with a soft thud. “Indeed we do, Master Tim. I can only imagine the culinary choices you’ll be making in the future after your… performance at the aquarium.”

“What’s the big deal?” Tim asked, crossing his arms defensively. “I was hungry!”

Bruce’s piercing gaze met Tim’s. “You ate a stingray, Tim. You don’t just grab a creature from an exhibit and consume it like a snack. It’s not normal behavior, even for us.”

“And it’s definitely not something I’d want to see go viral,” Dick chimed in, scrolling through his phone. “If the public finds out, you’ll never live it down.”

“Yeah, well, at least I didn’t get my ass kicked by a guy in a question mark suit,” Tim shot back, knowing full well Dick had recently suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Riddler.

“Both of you are missing the point,” Bruce interjected, his voice steady. “The incident could have drawn attention to our identities. If someone had filmed it—”

“I don’t think anyone was filming when Tim was munching on a stingray,” Dick interrupted with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “It was way too chaotic for anyone to think to pull out a phone.”

Just then, the Batcomputer beeped, breaking the tension. Oracle’s face appeared on the screen. “Hey, I just got a notification about something trending online. You’re not going to believe it.”

“What is it?” Bruce asked, frowning.

“‘Gotham’s Brave Boy Eats Stingray’,” she said, barely suppressing her laughter. “It’s gone completely viral! There are memes, videos, and—wait for it—people are actually trying to recreate the ‘Robin Stingray Challenge.’”

A stunned silence enveloped the room.

“Are you kidding me?” Tim exclaimed, his face turning beet red. “How could this happen?”

“They’re calling you a ‘courageous culinary hero,’” Oracle continued, laughing now. “It’s ridiculous! Even the news is picking it up. They want an interview.”

“Absolutely not,” Bruce declared, a rare edge to his voice. “No interviews, no media. We’ll handle it internally.”

“Good luck with that,” Dick added, still grinning. “You know how people are. This will blow over soon enough. Just try to avoid eating anything from the aquarium in the meantime.”

Tim groaned, rubbing his temples. “This is so embarrassing. What if Alfred finds out?”

Alfred, who had quietly been listening, cleared his throat. “I am aware of the incident, Master Tim. You’re fortunate I am more focused on your well-being than the local news.”

“Focus on my well-being?” Tim repeated incredulously. “You mean, like making sure I don’t turn into some kind of seafood connoisseur?”

“Perhaps a vegetarian,” Alfred suggested dryly. “Though, in the future, it might be wise to simply pack a snack for your patrols instead of resorting to marine life.”

The Batfamily erupted in laughter, the tension finally breaking. Tim couldn’t help but chuckle along, even if it was through a mixture of embarrassment and relief.

As the laughter faded, Tim looked around the room at his family. “Okay, okay. I promise I won’t eat anything strange again. But can we please just pretend this never happened?”

“Too late for that,” Dick replied, still smiling. “You’re forever ‘the stingray guy’ now. Just embrace it!”

“Right, because I needed another nickname,” Tim mumbled, but a small smile crept onto his face. Deep down, he knew they would get through this together, just like they always did.

As the meeting wrapped up, Bruce stood up and faced Tim. “Just remember, as ridiculous as this is, it’s also a reminder of how close we are as a family. We have each other’s backs—even when one of us makes a fool of themselves.”

“Thanks, Bruce,” Tim replied, feeling a sense of warmth amidst the chaos.

With that, the tension dissolved entirely, and the Batfamily returned to their usual rhythm, their bonds strengthened—thanks, in part, to a strange encounter with a stingray that would become a hilarious legend in Gotham’s lore.