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Tim did not plan for this to happen. Nope. He was not mentally prepared for this— this thing in his lap. He had no training. He knew nothing about how to care for such a thing.
A cat.
He found the small creature in his front yard. She was silent as she bounced around in the grass. Tim instantly fell in love. Well, maybe it was when she walked right up to him and purred. The cat wasn’t afraid of him. She rubbed against his legs, weaving in and out while the vibrations shook his skin.
Tim now had a cat.
She was beautiful. Black and white, but mostly black. Her chest and 3 of her paws were white, along with her large, bouncy whiskers. Tim needed to name her, but nothing would be good enough. She was majestic in a way that Tim had never seen before.
Maybe it was because she followed him into Drake Manor without prompting. She entered the door through the crack, uncaring that the environment was different. Then, as soon as Tim sat down on a couch, she hopped up after him.
In the back of his mind, Tim wondered if the cat was a spy. Maybe she had cameras or a wire on her. The cat may be a ploy so that he would tell her secrets.
He dismissed it. Of course he didn’t want that to be the truth, therefore he decided that it wasn’t.
She eventually wandered around the house, but she always came back to him. Tim didn’t know what to do. She was so sweet. Tim was unprepared for this. He had never taken care of an animal before.
He needed to control something about this. Tim knew he couldn’t control a cat, therefore he could control what she interacted with. Well, that was a weird way to put it. In reality, Tim surfed the web for toys, scratchers, and the best litter and litter box combinations.
He ordered the beginning sets off of Instacart so that he didn’t have to leave her. Tim was very thankful for the Pet 101 guides online. Once the delivery arrived, he set up the basics: litter, box, wet food, dry food, small toy set, and scratching board. Then, he did the rest of his shopping online. It would be delivered within a few days.
He would have never bought a water fountain for her without it. Tim wasn’t about to be the reason why her organs failed. Apparently, cats didn’t drink much water so their kidneys had issues later on the line. Tim ordered the water fountain — it supposedly entices animals to drink more because the water is moving, and therefore safer to drink — instantly, a smile set on his face.
Tim looked down to her as she kneaded into the pillow next to him on his bed. She hadn’t even named her, and yet she was showing affection. Tim cursed himself. Here she was, showing that she liked him, only for him to not even respect her enough to name her.
Tim searched for the best names for cats. He decided that he wouldn’t do Loki instantly, even if it was incredibly popular. After opening numerous cat-naming sites (and some baby-naming ones too) Tim determined that he needed the name to fit in with either the Drake Lineage or his vigilante aliases.
While he debated what the best name was, he fell asleep. The cat curled up right next to his head, sleeping on the soft pillows, and occasionally kneading into his hair and scalp by accident.
He didn’t choose what time he woke up the next day. He half expected for the noise to be from his unnamed cat. Instead, he realized that there was a loud banging noise, as in, a knock on a door.
Tim rushed to the front door.
Dick was there. His brow was furrowed in concern. Tim didn’t understand that. He was at home all night. Unless something happened to someone else, there was no reason for Dick to be so worried.
“Hey, Tim,” he said gently, prodding. Dick analyzed every inch of his body. “Are you okay, baby bird?”
Now it was Tim’s turn to be confused.
“What? Yeah. I’m okay. Are you okay?”
Dick’s eyes darted around Tim’s form, like he couldn’t find the correct answer. “Yeah, yeah. All good.”
This was awkward. Tim and Dick stared at one another, neither willing to look away or talk.
Tim eventually asked, “Is something wrong…?”
“No, no!” Dick waved his arms around in an X form. “I just— you didn’t patrol last night. Babs was a little concerned, so she asked if any of us had seen you. And then, well, no one had but you didn’t press any of your emergency beacons so…”
Tim felt a bit humiliated. He didn’t mean to worry anyone.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys,” he said. It had never occurred to Tim to tell anyone he was taking a night off. “I just didn’t patrol.”
Dick didn’t look convinced. “Are you… okay? Do you need help on a case or— or, something?”
Tim felt his cheeks redden. “I’m all good,” he assured, trying to be genuine. “I think I might take a bit of a break, is all.”
“A break?”
Tim hummed as he scratched the side of his face. “Yeah. Just for a few days.”
Dick immediately demanded, “You should come to the cave if you’re injured, Timmy.”
Tim blinked. Repeatedly. “I’m not injured.”
Dick seemed even more confused than he was before. “Then why are you taking a break, Tim?” he asked. “You never take breaks. You never skip patrol. You’re always the one that talks about not taking days off.”
Tim pursed his lips. He didn’t have a good answer for, A cat adopted me so I’m a father now, I guess. He wasn’t disillusioned. The cat in his house was the one who chose him. She’s the one that sought him out, not the other way around.
Apparently, by not answering, Dick grew more concerned. “I’m here for you. You know that, yeah?” Tim nodded numbly. “Good. Just… Just reach out. For anything, Tim. Anything.”
Tim shut the door on a very, very confused and worried-looking Dick. His shoulders were even hunched over.
Tim shook his head as he receded into the manor. He went back to his room to find that the cat was still on his bed, curled up on his pillow. Tim broke out into a smile. He petted behind her ears. When she lifted her head, he petted under her chin. It was addictive, to be honest. She simply purred and purred under his fingers.
Alright. Tim was going to name her. He started to call out random names.
“Pancake?”
“Frisbee?”
“Willa?”
“Mouser?”
“Stinks?”
Nothing. There was nothing that was good enough.
Tim was beginning to think that he sucked at this whole parenting thing. Then, he whispered to her, “Tabitha?” Still, she didn’t move. It was official. He sucked. He couldn’t even name his daughter.
Then, he got a horrible or great idea. He could get a bird and a family lineage in one swift move.
“Hen?” he whispered to her. She looked up. He repeated, “Hen? Do you like Hen? I can be Drake, you can be Hen.” He grinned as she pawed at his fingers, clearly wanting to play. “It’s either Hen or getting called a duckling for the rest of our time together.”
Tim grinned down at Hen. She was great. She was vibing.
Tim was pretty sure, no, positively sure that she was perfect. Even if she accidentally scratched his jacket to shred last night while he was asleep. It was his fault. He’s the one that didn’t introduce Hen to the cat scratcher last night.
Over the next few days, many incidents happened.
Tim walked in on Hen eating the butter. She licked it to soften it, then she took a bite, then repeated the process. Tim was frozen in shock for the first minute as he watched Hen chomp away. She only stopped when he put the top of the lid on the butter container.
Hen really liked the small carrying mice he got her. She flung it up in the air, then would chase after the toy as it fell down. By accident, she flew it against a bookshelf. Hen didn’t seem to care that she was flying towards the heavy wood and books. Tim got up as quickly as he could. Hen just walked away, uncaring that some of the books fell down.
Tim learned that wet food was a bit gross to look at. He wasn’t a huge fan, but every time he undid the top of a can, Hen came running. He would hear the thump of a jump, then the fast footsteps. Hen would purr against his arms as he poured the wet cat food into a bowl. Then, she’d purr while she ate. It made a weird noise, but Tim found it adorable.
When the package of treats arrived, Tim knew he created a monster. Some of the treats were in bags while others were in tubes. It was a little confusing, but they all had great ratings. The treats in the bags sounded like a chip bag or something. Now, every time he messed with something that was in plastic, Hen came running for treats.
He didn’t really check his messages much. He mostly got texts from his family asking if everything was okay. He replied that everything was fine, but they just kept asking so he just… stopped responding.
Tim liked the fishing rod-like teaser toy he got. Hen liked it too. He had multiple different toys at the end of the pole, but Hen ended up liking fluffy feathers and the worms on a string the best. He sat there for hours, swinging the rod around. Hen never seemed to tire out. Tim wondered how such a small thing could have so much stamina and energy.
Tim answered the door a few days after Hen came into his life. He assumed it was the postman dropping off the tunnel chute that Tim ordered. Instead, he was met with Jason.
Jason didn’t look very happy to be there. In fact, his whole posture screamed that he was uncomfortable. He held out one of his hands from his chest and said, “So, well, Dickie-bird asked me to check up on you. Said you’ll be more willing to talk to me.”
Tim was very, sincerely, confused.
At Tim’s blankness, Jason continued, “Look, kid, we know that you’re struggling with… with something. So just. Let us in. We’re worried. Even Cass threatened to return from Hong Kong because she’s worried ‘bout you. So… spill it. Now.”
Tim didn’t understand. What was he supposed to say?
Tim replied, “Jason, I don’t know what you want me to say—”
“Jesus!” Jason burst his way into the house. He looked around, clearly trying to see something. He demanded, “Is it drugs? Are you hurting yourself? Are you hurt, Tim? What’s going on with you?”
Tim shut the door behind him. His mind was connecting the dots quickly.
“Jason, it’s not like that.”
Jason leveled his gaze with Tim. He held onto Tim’s shoulders, arms shaking with emotion. “Tell me what’s wrong. I don’t have to tell the big bad B if you don’t want, but I’m concerned now and that is saying something.”
Jason poked at Tim’s sleeves. Tim yanked his arms back and stepped away. What was going on?
Jason accused, “Are you hurt? Did you do it yourself?” He gripped onto Tim’s wrist and pulled up his sweatshirt sleeve easily. There was nothing there, so Jason let him go. But that wasn’t the end. “Tim, Timmers, Timbo. Just. Just tell me what your problem is.”
As Tim looked at Jason without an explanation, he caught sight of Hen.
She strolled into the room without a care. Hen bee-lined it towards Tim, purposely going around Jason with a wide turn. Tim watched her the whole time. Once she pawed at his feet, he picked her up.
“Oh my God,” exhaled Jason.
Tim sent him a look. He scratched Hen’s ears, then said, “Jason, meet your niece. Hen, this is your uncle Jay.”
“Oh my God.”
Tim furrowed his brow as he held Hen in his arms. He said, “Do you not like her? If so, get out of my house. She belongs here while you don’t have to be here.”
“Oh my God.” Jason held his hands to his face. He breathed out steadily before putting them at his sides. “Timmers, you scared the shit out of me. We thought— well, it doesn’t matter what we thought. Thank God. Never do this again, got it?”
“I don’t understand—”
Jason stepped forward. He ruffled Tim’s hair before delicately using two fingers to scratch along Hen’s chin.
“She’s good for you, Timberella.”
Tim grinned into Hen’s fur. “Yeah?”
Jason put on one of his sappy smiles. “Yeah, kid. You seem pretty happy.” He took out his phone. “Hold still for a sec, kay?”
Tim did so. He didn’t understand what the big deal was. He got a new family member. So what? None of them even knew how many kids Bruce had adopted emotionally.
After the flash went off, Jason messed with his phone some more. Tim heard his phone ping with a notification across the room. It must have been the family group chat.
Jason’s eyes lingered on them. Tim held Hen closer. Jason shook his head with a smile.
“Don’t scare me like that again, Timmy-boy. Please. Never make me have to have an emotional conversation again. Especially when it’s not needed.”
Tim nodded as Jason disappeared out his door.
Tim looked down to Hen. She looked up to him, eyes wide and clear. Her whiskers tickled his neck. He set her down on the floor and reached for the teaser cat wand. Hen immediately jumped to get to the feathers.