The angst of the Red Robin

Chapter 1

Red Hood winced and grabbed at the open bullet wound on his leg. He couldn't walk far. He cursed and shot his grapple up towards the nearest familiar apartment complex. He zipped up on the wire, and slid into the window, crashing on the couch. The room was a mess. Papers strewn about, and empty coffee mugs took over the coffeetable. Three open laptops were running, and Red Hood could faintly hear the sink running in the bathroom. The door opened, and there stood his nineteen year old little brother, who, he hasn't seen in over two years. Dark circles under his eyes, and a shaggy mop of hair almost covering his eyes. The boy spared him a glance then rolled his eyes and headed to the kitchen.

"Hey babybird, this place is a shitstorm." Tim rolled his eyes once more, than pulled out a ziploc bag full of Mac and cheese, and poured about half a bag of goldfish into it.

"Everyone's a fucking critic." he muttered, pouring a rather large cup of coffee. Jason's eyes widened.

"Damn. Who taught you to finally use big boy words Replacement?" Tim's face dropped.

"D-Don't call me that anymore." Jason looked at the floor.

"It's happened, hasn't it? The brat took over?" Tim shrugged.

"He's taken every single thing I have, except my job at work. Which I doubt I'll have soon anyways. My family, my room, my cases, my team, Robin, and oh. Did I mention Dick signed him up for an intership at Wayne Enterprises? I guess I have. Well, it's fine. It's perfectly fucking fine." he spat, handing Jason a mug of his own. Jason pursed his lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Tim." he said quietly. Not babybird, not replacement, not any other annoying, vulgar nickname. Just Tim. And That said boy, felt a small smile growing on his face. Tim looked up, eyes hollow without emotion. Empty.

"It's fine. We're not all cut out for this world. That's all." Jason's heart dropped to his stomach.

"N-No! Tim, that's not what I mean! Not at all! I thought it was just Robin that he took from you. Dick said that after Bruce died, you moved out, cut off ties with your friends, and just became a self centered asshole who never leaves his apartment after work." Tim huffed, and took a sip.

"He's just pissy that I've been cancelling all his stupid family bonding activities and have been ignoring all of them. I'm not Bruce's son, I'm just a fill in. I don't belong in this family, nor do I have a place there. Did Dick tell you that Damian made a hollogram, telling the Titans all sorts of bullshit about how I quit, and how I'm not worthy enough to be Robin? Yeah. He also marched into my room, and demanded I left. After I told him 'No.', the damn kid threw me out the window. Along with all my stuff. I just left after that because I'm fucking sick of it. Damian is a little asshole, and I'm sick of being blamed for shit that I never did, so yes. I left. And good riddance." Jason rose his eyebrows.

"Wow, I didn't know that the demon would actually ruin your life. Damn. Well, at least you didn't go on a murdering rapage." Tim didn't mean his eyes. Jason cackled. "Holy shit. Tim, you didn't!" Tim silently took another sip. "Oh my god. You tried to kill Damian?" Tim motioned his hand in a circle. Jason knit his eyebrows. "Dick too?" Tim rolled his eyes and repeated the motion. "Who else could you have tried to murder Timbo?" the older man laughed. Tim scratched the back of his neck.

"Actually, I left Gotham for about two years, and I've only been back for a month. I've been doing behind the scenes work for Lucius, giving him everything, the plans for the business, and we've just kept quiet for the last couple years. I do everything, and he's just a messageman. I left the country and stayed with Ra's for a bit, and he dipped me in the pit after I refused to become his lover. It was nuts. I was nuts. I tried to kill everyone, and what's worse was I thought I was completely justified! Also, Bruce is alive, but still, after a shit ton of evidence, nobody believes me, so Yeah, I'm a little pissy." Jason's face went stone cold, wiped of any emotion.

"Bruce is alive? Tim, why didn't you tell any of us?" Tim shoveled a mouthfull of mac and cheese covered goldfish into his mouth, with an annoyed sigh.

"Because Dick called me batshit crazy and threatened to throw me in Arkham Asylum." Jason clenched his fists and grit his teeth.

"Alright Timmers, can I see the evidence?" Tim hesitantly nodded, and threw a first aid kit at Jason, narrowly missed getting hit in the head.

"Fix your leg first, and get the blood out of my carpet, then we'll talk." Jason huffed.

"Geez, ok. Just know that I am absolute shit at stitches on myself." Tim rubbed his forehead.

"You know what? The sooner we do this, the sooner you leave my house, and the sooner I can get a different apartment. Move over." Tim handed Jason a laptop, and opened the first aid kit, starting to clean the wound. Jason sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"Well, ya don't gotta switch apartments, I'm in hot water too." Tim shook his head.

"No, Dick knows where I am. Or he will soon. He's been keeping tabs on you. Also, I have a new place set up in town. I'm moving there tomorrow anyways. You might as well stop by for dinner, since I don't know how to cook." Jason smirked.

"Timmers, are you inviting me over to make you dinner tomorrow night? Oh my god, this is gold!" he cackled once more, leading to an annyoed Tim, to pull the stitches tighter. Jason glared at him.

"Ow." he stated, swatting Tim's hand away. "Actually, how did you know Dickie bird is keeping tabs on me?" Tim rolled his eyes.

"Because he thinks by getting tabs on you, he can get tabs on me." Jason pursed his lips.

"But he's seen you more than I have." Tim shrugged.

"Yeah, pretty much. By keeping tabs on you, he's trying to keep tabs on me, since I left a cold trail. But that's on him. He drove me away, and I don't plan on going back. Since you're being tracked, umm how would you feel about moving to a high defense apartment building? I have two spare rooms and a huge kitchen, along with a library." Tim subtly dropped, Jason smirked.

"You know what? We'll see. My place is getting a little boring." A bright smile spread across Tim's face.

"Awesome!" he pulled the bandage tight around Jason's calf.

"OW! DUDE WATCH IT!" Tim snickered and grabbed the dishes and put them in the sink.

"Hey Jason?" the older man looked up from the couch. "I'm sorry I took over as Robin when you left. Bruce started to get seriously violent and I didn't want both the memory of Robin to go bad, and I didn't want Bruce to break his morals. If he did that, he wouldn't stop. Ever. Please don't blame him. Especially if it's my fault." Jason stood up, and walked over, eyebrows knit.

"What do you mean? I'm not mad at you, sticks. Yeah, I'm calling you sticks now. You're far too skinny." Jason poked him in the ribs. Tim ignored the joke.

"I mean it though. I just didn't want your memory to be in bad blood with Bruce. I'm sorry." a tear rolled down his cheek. Jason felt awkward. He wasn't the comforting type. Dick was. Jason wrapped his arms around Tim.

"There, there." Jason cringed. "Relax, I'm not mad. Not anymore. You're my brother Tim." Tim choked on his tears.

"B-But it's my f-fault." Tim clung to his shirt and cried. Jason pat his back.

"Tim, it's no one's fault but my own. I should have listened to Bruce. In your situation, Damian is a little brat, and Dick is just being a Dick. And I believe you. About Bruce, about everything." he said in a calm voice, Tim only cried harder, feeling the relief, shudder off his shoulders. Jason stood there, and held him, letting him cry. Jason led them over to the couch, and Tim fell asleep in his lap. Jason awkwardly tried to slide out from under the kid, but Tim started to stir. Jason groaned and made himself comfortable where he was. Tim smiled in his sleep.