Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jason was in love.

It wasn't often that Robin could patrol Gotham with Nightwing, because he was always busy out of town on some really cool missions with the Titans, but Nightwing decided to pay him a visit this week.

And he skipped patrol with Batman because he wanted to have this lighter, more relaxed time with Dick, because it was the only time he wasn't trying to prove his worth. And he liked Dick. He was a good older brother — the closest he'd ever had, up until then.

And Gotham was quiet today — I mean, calm by city standards, of course — not much activity, just a few petty criminals, no supervillains with insane plans, and no killer clowns trying to kill (literally) make people laugh. So, it was a peaceful night.

And they were in Gotham Cathedral, atop the church, sitting near the gargoyles, gazing down at the city from above; bright, beautiful, and alluring. That city, despite everything, had a great charm, though none of them yet understood why Bruce was striving so hard for a place that had taken everything from him and given him a bat cowl and a mission with impossible parameters.

The silence was comfortable; Jason enjoyed these moments because he always reflected on his life up to that point and how magical his life could be if he continued working alongside Batman. But he also liked talking to Dick when he was angry or arguing with Bruce about anything.

Today he was calm, relaxed, and comfortable. He looked at something below them and smiled at the small glint that flickered occasionally due to the light reflecting off the lens from the camera. And he decided to share it:

"Do you see the glint down there?" Dick comments, nodding his head. Jason follows his gaze to the small glint and looks a little confused, waiting for the older man to continue. "That's a boy who's been following us for a few years."

Jason blinks a few times.

“What?”

"Yeah," Dick laughed. "I don't really know why he does it, but that kid is always following us. It's kind of impressive how he always finds us in places, he's always sneaking around and making sure he never crosses our path. I think he doesn't want to be seen!”

"But... why? Isn't that dangerous? He could get hurt" it was a genuine concern, because even though he can't see from that far, it's not safe for someone his age to follow watchmen at night and put himself in danger like that.

But the fact that he is being followed for years and never having noticed, was a detail that bothered Jason a little. He was trained by Batman to track his enemies, to never be followed, to keep his guard up and always expect the worst, and also to be always prepared for any situation.

But he definitely wasn't prepared for a boy following him around like crazy for whatever reason. It bothered him. He wanted to know what this boy had that was so good that he'd gone unnoticed for so many years!

“He is very good at hiding. I think he's small, so he goes unnoticed in places," Dick continued, swinging his legs and looking at the dark Gotham sky.

"But he could get in trouble if he keeps following us like this. Who is he?" Jason turned his head slightly toward the small glow; he couldn't see the boy from up there, he could barely see anything at that height. But he was… intrigued, in a way.

“Our neighbor!”

"The Drakes?" he turned his head quickly to Dick, his domino mask eyes wide with surprise. "I didn't know they had children, I mean, I hardly ever see them at home. They show up at gala parties now and then, but never accompanied of a child. Do you think he…?”

“I'm not sure. He must be two years younger than you, Jaybin” he smiled, running his hands through Jason's hair “He has a dangerous hobby, but I don't think it's revealed anything about our identities to him. Otherwise, Bruce would have done something by now. He would know.”

Then, Batman also knew about the boy who was always following them around, but never did anything about it? Well, typical. Jason figured he'd send the boy a warning and ask him to stop wandering around town at night; that would be the sensible thing to do.

“It seems we have company.” Jason commented when he saw the commotion in the alley where the boy was, some slightly older and rather burly boys. Robin smiled and Nightwing shook his head; it was time to act.

They jumped from the top of the Cathedral church and made their way to the alley, landing behind the older boys, ready to face them. The tallest and seemingly strongest one was the first to position himself in the front line, stretching out for a good fight.

"Shouldn't you be messing with idiots your own size?" Robin taunted with his characteristic grin. Nightwing laughed behind him, and the big guy charged with all his might, but Robin was agile and dodged as if he were dancing; playing with the bully. Part of him was just showing off, he knew it, but he didn't think much while he fought.

"Ah, Robin, be nice to our 'friends' here, they don't understand sarcastic humor," Nightwing also provoked one of the guys, who tried to hit him with a piece of wood, receiving a single punch before passing out. "Oops, I went too far."

"This isn't fun, Wing," Robin rolled his eyes, hands on his hips, shaking his head negatively.

"Robin, watch out!" he heard a shout coming from the boy they were trying to protect, Drake. Robin looked back and saw the bully try to attack him with a trash can and almost get hit. He put his foot in front of the idiot, who tripped and fell to the ground.

Then, it was time —the miserable second —when he finally caught sight of Drake, the boy must have been a little shorter than him, not much younger, but short and thin, with short hair falling over his face and large, expressive blue eyes. The type of kid Bruce liked to take in.

And he would have gotten punched by another big guy because of that little distraction if Drake hadn't acted quickly and thrown something at the idiot's head, who turned sharply towards him yelling "son of a bitch," but Robin wasn't going to let that jerk hurt Drake.

Robin threw his full body weight onto the brute and slammed him against the alley's brick wall, positioning himself protectively in front of Drake. Nightwing had already finished with the other remaining boy and was laughing, sitting on top of him, spouting nonsense.

"You'd better start running before Batman decides to put you behind bars, idiots!" Robin said and one of the big guys who were on the ground got up to help one of his friends, and they really ran away.

Nightwing also released the two who were with him, who ran off like they were in the Olympics, and one of them yelled that there would be payback. Pff, idiots. As long as Jason is here, neither of them will go back to being brainless brutes. He would make sure to give them another beating.

Most importantly: Drake.

Jason turned to the boy who was looking at him, his gaze too bright, and he could almost swear he saw the boy's cheeks turn red and him gasp. Whatever it was, Drake was right there in front of him, and it was the first time he'd seen the boy for real.

In fact, I didn't know the neighbors had a son, and I didn't know he was so… different? Well, something about him was different. Maybe it was the fact that he was walking alone through the alleys of Gotham chasing some vigilantes? And how on earth did he manage to do something like that? Honestly, that doesn't just make him different, it makes him weird. Very weird.

Jason received an elbow from Dick, which he grumbled under his breath, finally returning to reality and escaping his thoughts.

"Did you get hurt?" he asked, just to check if he was okay, and he wasn't sure, but he saw Drake blink a few times, close his eyes, count to three, and finally answer.

"You were amazing!" he said directly to Robin. "I knew you were amazing, but wow, seeing you up close was incredible. It's even more amazing!” 

"That's not what I asked," Jason tried not to sound grumpy, but the boy just smiled at him. And yes, he was different and very weird.

"You saved me, so I'm okay!" he clutches the camera tightly to his chest, scratching the back of his neck and glancing to the side. Jason feels angry. Why wasn't this kid even slightly worried about what almost happened here? It was dangerous!

"You're lucky we were nearby," he began his sermon. "What could have happened if we hadn't been here? Wandering around alone is very dangerous, kid!"

"I know, I'm sorry," he said, but he didn't seem the least bit sorry. "But you saved me anyway, so thank you."

"Hey, I helped too, you know?" Nightwing, the meddler, chimed in with one of those really annoying smiles, but the kind that looked like he was having fun. "Are you sure you weren't hurt?"

“Yeah, I do. Thanks!" he replies casually to the older vigilante and Jason is simply intrigued.

"Great! We'll walk you home, can you give us a guide?" Dick was being kind and considerate, as he should be, while Jason was functioning with half his brain.

And one thing he noticed about Drake was that heI loved to talk. Besides Dick, I didn't know anyone else as talkative as him, and that was impressive because Dick seemed very attached to the boy, almost as if he knew him.

And they spent almost the entire journey talking. Drake talked about some of the Batman and Robin adventures he'd witnessed, some that even Jason himself didn't remember—maybe from Dick's time? Who knows. —But besides that, he was a very nosy kid. And a gossip.

“How do you know about all of that?” Jason had to ask, because it wasn't normal for someone to have such a large brain to store so much information. To have memories of so many moments that even Dick didn't remember, and he was impressed by the amount of detail.

"I have plenty of free time," he shrugged in response to Robin, who was still so attached to that camera pressed against his chest.

"Do your parents know about your nighttime outings?" It was a very personal question. Perhaps Drake's parents knew something? But if they did, why didn't they stop the boy from unnecessarily putting his life at risk?

"No. They're not home much to notice it, and maybe they don't even care that much about it" there was a melancholy in his voice, his grip on the camera seemed to intensify. It was time for Dick to act and ask too, like the responsible adult he should be.

“Do you know where your parents are?” Nightwing question.

"Somewhere in Europe," he shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I don't know when they're coming back, and being alone isn't as great as it sounds!"

Suddenly, Jason felt angry. Because no boy should be left alone at home without parental supervision, even less so when he clearly needed the older ones present. But he can't blame Drake for feeling bored in a huge house while he's alone. Weird hobbies always arise from neglect.

He also felt sorry for the boy. He would hate to be in his place… and it’s not like his previous situation wasn’t just as bad, growing up in a broken home and watching his family crumble before his eyes. Parents should be loving people to their children. Why on earth abandon him alone? Cruel.

And it didn't take long for them to arrive at the Drake Manor, which it stayed a few meters away from Wayne Manor, far enough for a short morning walk. The house was enormous and if he had guessed, empty, lonely and cold. Jason would hate this place. He definitely hates this place. No more than Drake, he imagines.

"Thank you," the boy said. "You didn't need to save me or take me home. I don't deserve all this!" he said with a sad smile that touched Jason deeply.

"You idiot boy!" he grumbled. "That's our duty! And my work keeps kids like you safe and sends them home safely. Tsc.” he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth “You should be more careful and not go out at night. It's dangerous! You could get hurt.”

"That's never been a problem before," Drake retorted.

Because maybe Jason didn't know how long that boy was on the streets, sneaking through the darkness, small and cramped spaces, alleys and corners of Gotham, searching for the vigilantes who swore to protect this city. Perhaps he knew nothing. Not even what his life was like in that lonely Manor.

Still, that wasn't reason enough for him to put his life in danger like that. It wasn't... healthy. It wasn't safe.

“But it's a problem now I know what you do!" Jason stepped in front of Drake, who took two steps back. Those big blue eyes were shining, looking at Robin as if he were his...The only plank of salvation. As if it were the only thing he had to cling to. He sensed it and didn't like the feeling he had.

“I'm just one boy among many others, I'm not that important.”

“Of course you are!” and Robin wanted to make him understand that he was just as important as any other child in the world. That he would care if he got hurt. He wants Drake to understand that. “I don't care what you think about yourself, it's important to me so that you stay safe. Therefore, no going out at night to take photos!”

And Drake smiled as he listened to his words. He flashed the brightest, most beautiful smile Jason had ever seen, and it made his heart skip two beats. He wasn't sure what it meant, but it was something, something that would probably change his life.

"I can't promise anything!" And it was with that smug smile that they said goodbye. Drake stuck his tongue out at Robin, laughed, and ran inside the Manor, while Robin just stood outside, watching the boy run away.

Nightwing seemed quite calm, it was almost as if he were accustomed with that weird ritual, which makes it quite clear that he's met Tim several other times. Maybe he's given the same sermon a few times, but Drake was stubborn. 

"That reckless brat!" Jason began grumbling as they walked toward Wayne Manor. "Doesn't he have any common sense?"

And Dick was laughing. Of course the idiot was laughing, because everything was a big joke now. Jason was getting more and more sulky here.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked the older man.

"Sorry," he said, still laughing. "I was just having a little déjà vu!"

And whatever that meant, it wasn't in Jason's interest. They both returned to the Cave after the patrol; Dick said he'd be back in San Francisco soon and didn't want to be around when Bruce returned. Their relationship was getting worse and worse, a huge rift was forming, and Jason didn't know how he could help them.

But that night, he didn't think about the conflicts between Dick and Bruce, but instead opened a new file on the Batcomputer with Tim Drake as the main topic, where he began to take notes and research about the boy.

He was curious, and no one could judge him for it.

[...]

It turns out that Jason discovered many things about Tim during two weeks of research, even how many schools Drake had attended. And there were many. Most were boarding schools, which only implied that how much your parents were never close enough to pay attention to their own son, who was turning 13 next month.

Not only that, he also recently discovered that the boy had transferred to Gotham City High School not long ago, which is curious because it was the same school Jason attended and he never saw that boy over there. Maybe because he wasn't interested in him before.

But now it was!

Contrary to what he thought, Tim was very sociable. He talked to people very easily, made friends, and was always walking around the hallways with a blond boy with glasses; people would stop to talk to him. Jason would never have imagined that someone with such a peculiar hobby was a normal person. Because, well, he was quite normal.

And besides being just like anyone else, he also got relatively high grades—competing for first place with Jason in mock exam scores—which makes it clear that he was an intelligent boy. And his only flaw was his loose tongue and lack of self-preservation.

His brief research on Tim Drake consumed a significant amount of his time, so when he went out on patrol with Batman simply to avoid thinking about it, he saw that small glint of Drake's camera in some darker corner, far from the danger. The question is: how can he be so accurate?

Jason sometimes wonders if Batman knows existence that kid knows about it, but knowing Big Bat, he probably has an idea, but for some reason he never did anything about it. Jason didn't tell him about the incident with Tim the other week, and it wouldn't be nice to get a lecture from Batman himself about not having a shred of common sense.

And so, on every patrol in the following weeks, Jason played a little game with himself, trying to figure out where Drake would be sneaking around next time. It was fun. Sometimes it was really difficult to find where he was, and he also noticed that he had started hiding a little better to avoid being found, joining in the game as well.

On a Friday night, Batman and Robin were patrolling what would be a relatively quiet day. Most of Gotham's villains were in Arkham and the other half in Blackgate; there hadn't been any escapes in recent days—for now, it was only a matter of time before they did—and dealing with small-time criminals wasn't exactly much fun.

But he realized that Drake wasn't hiding; in fact, the streets weren't so dangerous that night, and he could see the glint of the camera on a rooftop where he and Batman were standing close together. Jason wanted to go over there, but he didn't want to draw Batman's attention to the matter.

"It's getting late. Time to go back!" Batman said, preparing to leave.

"Can I stay a little longer?" Robin asked. He never asked for too much; he didn't know how long Batman would let him go out alone, but he was confident tonight. The Dark Knight looked at the boy, thinking, analyzing, and finally, a sigh.

"Anything you want to do?" he asks, and Jason nods. "Anything you need my help with?"

"No need! I can handle it myself!" Jason smiled at his father and mentor, trying to convey confidence. Batman nodded silently.

"Don't stay so late." That was all he said before disappearing into the shadows and darkness.

And that was the perfect moment for Robin to catch Drake by surprise. The boy was watching Batman and Robin separate, but it was when the Boy Wonder landed on the roof behind him that he stopped moving and shivered. Jason chuckled softly. He approached Drake, who was now looking at him with that sharp smile and a witty retort.

"I thought I should tell you not to go out at night anymore." Jason acts like tough Robin, putting his hand on his hip, ready to give a lecture. But Drake rolled his eyes and smiled.

"And I remember saying I wasn't promising anything!" he retorts, and Jason grimaces, because, of course, he would respond that way. He doesn't want to admit that he spent time observing Tim Drake at school, discovered that he's like that all the time, except when he's at home, that is, when he is. Tim doesn't spend much time at the Drake Manor, perhaps because it's too big and empty; there's not much to do inside.

"You're a very stubborn brat, you know?" Robin says, walking to the edge of the building, sitting on the ledge and watching Tim follow him.

"Some say it's my greatest talent. You have to give me credit for it," he smiled, and Jason couldn't resist laughing at the little idiot.

"No way! I'm not encouraging that kind of behavior," he smiled slightly, watching the boy sit down beside him, gazing out at the city with a big sigh. "Did you enjoy today's patrol?"

"Considering you guys didn't do anything all night? That was fun," he replied, shrugging.

"Tell me, how do you know where we are? I'm almost one hundred percent sure that most people barely know we're flying over their rooftops." It was a question Jason always asked himself when he thought about Tim Drake, because he couldn't believe the kid was naturally a magnet for trouble.

“A magician never reveals his tricks!”

“And I imagine that you are not a magician," he laughed at Tim, who just smiled, toothless, without laughter.

"I'm not. But you'd think I was weird if I told you," Tim says, looking downcast. "And it's not like I'd know either, I'm just lucky."

"Lucky, huh?" Jason scoffed with a hint of sarcasm.

“Much luck!” Tim laughed.

Whatever Tim's secret was, Jason didn't care. Not now. Not at this moment.that the otherThe boy, so weird yet so ordinary, was smiling as if nothing in the world could affect him. What he doesn't know—yet, but has a vague idea—is how much he's affected. There's something more melancholic in his smile and in his eyes, something Jason wants to discover eventually.

"And the photos?" Robin pointed to the camera Tim was always carrying. He looked at it for a while, then looked back at Robin, wondering whether or not he should show him the photos. What harm could it do?

"Do you want to see?" he asked.

"Of course!" The boy Drake handed the camera to Robin, who began to show some of them. Dark landscapes, city buildings, parks, people and figures are a little blurry but easily identifiable. And as time went by, the photos...They improved.Gradually, especially those that were about Robin.

There's only one photo that Jason doesn't know how it was taken, where, or how much of it, but it shows him sitting on the edge of the building, just like he was now, looking at the sky while dangling his legs in the air; distant, thoughtful, he seemed tired and even frustrated. He doesn't remember that day, but he remembers the feeling of being lost.

In photocaptured that moment of Robin's vulnerability, which he shouldn't show to anyone, was perfectly captured. The lighting, the angle, the timing, the feeling it inevitably conveyed to anyone watching. Jason wanted to ask, but wasn't sure if Drake would answer.

“You're very good at this. How do you do it?”

"Practice," he simply says, swinging his legs and looking at his feet, without looking at Robin.

"How long have you been practicing?" he couldn't help but ask. Tim looked at him this time, his expressive blue eyes blinking slowly and a small, fragile smile forming.

"I told you I have a lot of free time," he laughed to lighten the mood. "It's just a hobby, nothing serious."

“You are very good. Have you ever thought about showing these photos to someone?”

"No. Absolutely not!" he shook his head. "These photos are... all I have. My most precious treasure, I can't simply show them to just anyone. What I know shouldn't be shared!”

What does he know? This had been nagging at Jason for a while, and he wouldn't stop thinking about it until he had a concrete answer. But he didn't want to get into that now; no matter what, he wasn't going to ruin this moment.

And somehow, the more he looked at Tim Drake, the more he thought about how cute he was. He caught his attention because he wasn't what he expected, because he was different from what he imagined. Jason doesn't usually judge a book by its cover, and he misjudged him at first, thinking he was too idiotic—and yes, Tim was an idiot for several reasons—but he was certainly a good person.

And his brief distraction led Jason to point the camera at Tim and take a picture of him. A picture of a fragile and simple moment that Jason had experienced certainty that no one else saw. A moment where Tim was just a lonely boy looking at Gotham with the same admiration of someone who loves this city and would risk everything to protect it.

He saw it and wanted to record it.

Tim blushed when he realized the photo had been taken and quickly turned his face towards Robin.

"Hey!" he tries to grab the camera, but Jason pushes it away from his reach.

"Beautiful things need to be documented!" Robin said, raising his arm far away.

"You can't tell me that!" he hid his face behind his hands. "Don't play with me!"

“I'm not kidding. You're handsome! And that moment… that photo… I want it.” He wasn't sure why, but it surprised Tim, who looked at him with wide eyes and a furrowed brow.

“What!? But why!?”

"Because I took it! You have a lot of pictures of me, I can have one of you. It's only fair!" Robin says as if it were obvious, but it wasn't that simple.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Tim's smile was so bright that Jason had to take another picture. "Will you stop?"

"I want that too!" — and it was Robin who was now smiling charmingly, leaving that boy completely lost.

"Alright, alright. You win!" he sighed in defeat.

"Great!" he smiled. "Now that I've secured my victory, I'm taking you home! And don't even think about refusing, kid, that's non-negotiable!"

Of course not.

Robin did his job and took Drake home; the goodbye was a little awkward, neither of them really wanted to leave and be apart. Tim was looking at him with hope and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on, but Jason couldn't stay away from home any longer. He grinned and shouted, "Take care!" as he ran towards Wayne Manor.

[...]

The following weeks were more tiring.

Remember the Arkham breakout? It really happened, and now there were some insane lunatics and criminals running loose in the streets of Gotham again, making everything even more dangerous, in a way. And Jason was worried about Drake wandering around while he followed him and Batman on this little crime-fighting adventure.

I didn't like the idea of ​​the boy getting into trouble and being in danger.

And because he was busy trying to decipher riddles and double plans, he didn't have time to even think about Tim right now. He missed two days of school with his arm injured from an intense battle with Killer Croc, he got distracted for a moment and was hit. Batman wasn't happy.

Since Jason hadn't told Drake about school—he couldn't let him know he was Robin, the boy was too smart to connect the dots—he went all this time without speaking to him or showing up in front of him as Robin.

What a drag! Jason wanted to see him, wanted to talk to him, wanted to be close, but it wasn't possible. And that affected his mood throughout the week he was off patrol with his broken arm. Batman called Nightwing for help, Oracle was also working hard, and all that was left for him was to monitor the situation from the large computer.

But his mind was on the mansion next door, thinking about his neighbor. It was a lapse in judgment, but no one could blame him for it. He just hoped Tim wasn't on the streets right now. He wanted him to stay safe.

But not being sure about that was killing him.

"You could call young Timothy," was a suggestion from Alfred, which seemed brilliant. But Jason wasn't sure about it.

“But he didn't know me. He doesn't know Jason Todd, and it would be weird to call him like this out of the blue." He continued sulking, leaning back in his chair and sinking into it.

"Call him as Robin. You know what to do!" was the last thing the butler said before heading back upstairs. And perhaps he was right; Jason didn't doubt Alfred's judgment for a second, so he went up to get the phone too.

Fortunately, Bruce had a phone book for half the city and for important people and businesses, so he figured the Drakes' home number would be listed there as well. And luckily for him, he found it.

He dialed the number and hoped Tim would answer; he was practically begging for the phone to be picked up. If Drake was out of the house, he wouldn't be able to stand there until he found the boy and dragged him back. He waited. He waited. And finally someone answered!

But it wasn't Tim Drake on the phone.

It was a woman's voice, calm, controlled, and stern, but also the voice of a woman who appeared elegant and very polite. Jason thought it was Tim's mother; perhaps it was her, if it were… there's a chance he's home.

“Uh, hello? Mss. Drake?" he asked hesitantly to the woman on the other end.

"Yes, right?" She waited for him to say something immediately, but Jason was afraid of saying something stupid and angering the woman. He doesn't know how to act in front of rich people, one of the reasons why hates gala parties.

“I wanted to know if Tim is... I'm a friend of his from... school.” He didn't inspire much confidence, but that wasn't a lie. He was someone from Tim's school, but they weren't friends, at least not really (yet).

“I'll switch to him, one at that moment” to his surprise, she was much calmer than Jason had expected.

It took a while for the voice on the other end of the line to change; the breath of what seemed to be Tim was ragged, and he also seemed hesitant to speak to whoever was on the other end. Jason felt his heart race, almost leaping out of his chest.

“Hi?” It was a relief to hear his voice.

"Hey, kid, Robin here," he tried to sound as natural as possible, and heard Tim choke on the other end, which made Jason chuckle softly.

“Ro–... Robin?” he whispered “Why are you calling me?”

"I just wanted to make sure you were home. Safe, I mean" he felt a tragedy trying to speak. The other end was silent for a moment, almost thinking Tim had hung up, but if it weren't for the other's heavy breathing, he would have truly believed it. "Kid?"

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I… I’m home. I haven’t gone out in the last few days, my parents… kind of got back together. So…” right, so Tim doesn’t go out when his parents are around, which is a relief.

“Great, then. Just checking, I mean, there was an escape at Arkham and I really didn't want you walking around alone and unprotected. I can't protect you while I'm hurt!” he sighed as he revealed.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, not seeming surprised by the question.

"Yeah, I hurt my arm. I'm not with Batman, so I'm calling you and… well, you know! Just checking." It's a plausible excuse, he thinks. Tim looked stunned on the other end, almost frozen. Because, like, Robin was calling for him and asking if he was okay. Robin, for some reason, had his number and was calling him. Robin cares about him.

“That explains everything.” he whispered and sighed very deeply, he almost managedseeA smile spread across her lips “I won't go out when you're not here. And… thanks. For worrying. You didn't need to, you know.”

“But I want to!”  he said with conviction.

"I feel special like this," he chuckled softly. "I still owe you two photos, remember? I already developed them for you."

Oh, the photos. It would be a lie if he said he had forgotten them, because in truth, even with so much on his mind and villains to face, he couldn't forget those photos, the feeling, and much less Tim. The boy was fascinating. He was brilliant. He was beautiful—very beautiful. And Jason liked what he was feeling, even if it was unfamiliar.

He didn't want to limit himself to just being Robin; he wanted to be able to talk to him as Jason Todd as well. It would be a good excuse to see him every day and talk to him, but how could he approach the boy without seeming weird? Without revealing his true identity?

And he had a plan!

"Can you hand them over to me…" he took a deep breath. "There's going to be a gala at Wayne Manor next weekend, it's a masquerade ball. You… you think your parents will be home for the event?"

"Actually, I think so. They usually always show up at Mr. Wayne's events…" he says slowly, as if evaluating what was being said now. "Why? What's the gala about?"

"I'll be there!" he said firmly. "And I want you to go! And... take the photos. Okay?"

The reply took a while to come, and Jason could hear some euphoric little screams from the other end that made him smile broadly. Tim was anxious. Or freaking out. Or very happy to have been personally invited by Robin. Whatever the reason, it made Jason feel satisfied.

"I'll be there!" Tim said with such enthusiasm that Jason could hear his own heart beating. Yes. That was it! He was going to meet Tim in a situation other than just being Robin, even though the boy didn't know his true identity, and, at that moment, he didn't care.

“See you there!”

The line dropped immediately afterward, and he didn't just celebrate with hysterical laughter and screams. A date, one part of his mind screamed in his ear. The other was simply happy to be able to see Tim again. He was even considering visiting the boy, but knowing his parents were home, he didn't want to risk being seen at Timothy's bedroom window in the Drake Manor—not to mention that if Bruce found out, he wouldn't be happy.

It doesn't matter. 

This will be the first gala night that Jason Todd feels excited to attend.

[...]

The advantage of it being a masquerade ball is that you can use that to your advantage. All the wealthy bigwigs of Gotham and even outsiders were invited to attend, and of course a prestigious family like the Drake archaeologists of Drake Industries would be participating in this annual event.

Jason, on the other hand, was having a minor anxiety attack because he didn't know what to wear or what mask to use. Masks hide identities well, but they also make them a little too obvious. What would Robin be doing at an event like this? People might get suspicious.

Even though he was busy with the small gallery of villains that he and Batman still needed to capture, Nightwing's help was always welcome, whether in Gotham — despite the disagreement between Dick and Bruce — or at home, for young Robin.

Well, asking Dick for fashion advice was a mistake.

He was practically forcing him to wear a disco outfit similar to his own, and honestly, it was ridiculous. It didn't suit his charm and would probably scare Tim away with something so ugly.

"I'm not going to use that!" he refused categorically. Dick was still grinning like an idiot as he held up that weird term in front of the mirror.

"Come on, Jaybird, you asked for my help and I'm helping" and of course, for Dick, all of this was just fun; he didn't understand how serious this date was.

"I'm meeting Tim at this party, I can't show up in front of him looking like a clown!" he huffed sulkily, arms crossed. The older brother laughed, sitting on the bed next to him, being that typical annoying and idiotic older brother.

"Tim Drake?" it was that playful tone "You're so excited for a gala that you hated because of a boy?”

"Look, it's not what you're thinking!" Her cheeks were redder now than ever.

“So, all of a sudden you started liking this event?”

"No!" she sighed. "It's just that... he's an idiot, you know? He follows me everywhere on patrol, and no matter how many times I tell him not to, he continues. And he keeps teasing me. Smiling. The photos… he looks at me like I'm the world, and I'm just… Robin.” he threw himself on the bed, staring at the ceiling “And he's cute. I took pictures of him with his camera and asked him to develop them!”

"Are you telling me you like him?" Dick lay down beside him, chuckling weakly, and Jason's cheeks grew increasingly red. He's going to die someday, and it will be from embarrassment.

"I didn't say anything like that! I just…" he lets out a frustrated groan and turns his body so his back is to his brother. "I just think about him sometimes. If he's okay. If he's safe! And sometimes, I think I like him a lot, but… he likes Robin and not Jason Todd. Me!”

It was inevitable not to feel a little anguish, envy, and jealousy of himself; I mean, with the amount of time he'd known Tim, he didn't need to be a genius—a prodigy—to know what Tim thought about Robin.

They weren't exactly friends, you couldn't even call them that, but something was happening. Something good. Something that made Jason feel a little better, like the beginning of a possible friendship.

He just wants Saturday night to be perfect.

He's been busy all week, lots of dangerous criminals on the loose and Jason prohibited Tim could leave when he wasn't around—because of his previous injury—but now he was better, and even so, it was wise for Tim to keep his distance, whether due to the presence of his parents or the slightly more serious danger.

They didn't see or speak to each other during that time. Alfred was happy that he had succeeded in inviting little Timothy to the gala on Saturday, and had also helped him choose the mask—and perhaps he should have asked him to help with the clothes, but Dick was nearby and he also wanted to… talk. To vent or something like that.

But, to be honest, he didn't know what to expect after talking to Dick.

"You could, I don't know, talk to him like Jason too," Dick suggested, and Jason had to look at him in horror, as if he had said the most absurd thing in the world.

“No way! Tim is too smart, I can't compromise our identities. Bruce would be furious with me!” he sighed defeatedly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Dick said, offering a small smile that confused Jason even more. Seriously, what is this guy talking about? There's no world where Bruce Wayne—Batman—wouldn't care about something involving their secret identities.

“Are you listening to yourself?”

“Look, I'm not saying you have to tell him you're Robin. You don't need to directly, If he figures it out on his own, you won't be to blame for anything. And honestly, if Timmy were really a threat, Bruce would have done something already.” The conclusion seemed logical, and, okay, it makes sense. A little, at least.

“What if he doesn't like who I am?” That was his biggest fear: ending up disappointing the people who believed in him. Being Robin is magical, but it doesn't create a barrier within him that surpasses expectations; that comes from all his effort and hard work, and even then… maybe it's not enough. Jason was afraid of not being good enough for people.

“Do you want to know something? If he really likes you, he won't care who the person is underneath the mask." Dick's smile was affectionate now. "And regardless of everything, you're still a good and amazing person, Jay."

Jason accepted his brother's words and smiled at him, whispering a soft "thank you." And in seconds, they were back to trying on the suits.tackythat Dick brought him. But it still left him wondering: would Jason Todd be enough? He hoped so, because that's all he was. A Bowery kid who lived on the streets for a long period of his life, in poverty, stealing tires to make ends meet.

Unlike Tim, who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, despite spending most of his time alone and without parental supervision.

They were completely different situations.

There came a point when Alfred interrupted the horror show Dick was putting on, the butler expressing his dislike for expensive, unfashionable suits, saying that he would help little Jason dress elegantly for the party.

The boy thanked the heavens that the butler existed.

And that same night, he retrieved the uniform from the cave. Robin didn't go out on patrol with Batman that night; with Nightwing in the city and major villains still on the loose, the Bat decided to give young Robin a day off, but that didn't stop him from wearing the uniform.

He ran to the Drake Manor, which wasn't too far from where he was, and landed on the roof, searching for Tim's room. He hung from the window where the light was on and knocked a few times, drawing the attention of the boy who was studying at his desk. Tim's eyes widened when he saw him.

"Robin?" he opened the window, speaking softly and sticking his head out. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking to make sure you weren't venturing out alone" was just an excuse; the truth was he wanted to see the other boy soon. Tim smiled slightly, his cheeks flushed.

"You told me not to go out for now," he commented, leaning on the railing.

"That's weird, you don't usually listen to me," she teased with a smile, and Tim chuckled.

“Well, there's a first time for everything, right?”

"Sure!" Robin chuckled softly. He couldn't stop admiring the boy who was standing there with him at the window.

“Did you come to pick up the photos?”

"No. I want them on prom night," Robin said confidently, and Tim just looked at him with a hint of curiosity. This was new to him; he hadn't expected this little thing that was growing between them to become something serious in the future. "And about that… on prom night, I want to tell you something important."

“Well, I can hardly wait” Tim gives a small smile “You only came here to tell me that?”

"I told you I was just checking!" he pouts at the boy. "You're really going, right?"

"Sure. It's not like I have a choice either," he smiled crookedly. "My parents think it would be good for me to talk to Mr. Wayne's youngest son, you know, for public relations or something."

Jason stiffened slightly, he almost lost his breath, his heart was skipping a few beats, and he was almost certain he would panic. But he didn't. He was okay—as okay as could be expected.

"And you want to talk to him?" He had no idea where that question came from, but he asked it anyway. Tim just shrugged.

“That would be great. He seems like a nice kid!”

“Cooler than me?’

Tim frowned and raised an eyebrow, those sharp blue eyes looking at Robin with a questioning expression. Damn, he felt like an idiot now. Tim must think he's an idiot.

"Where did this come from?" the younger boy asked, and Robin tried don't panic while searching for a logical answer.

“I'm just asking. I mean, what if he's not... that great? Would you be disappointed?” Oh my God, Jason Peter Todd, shut up.

"I'm not sure," Tim continued, looking at him suspiciously. "Are you... jealous?"

“What? No! Not at all, I mean. Of course not. It's just that I never thought you'd want to talk to Jason Todd!” He really wants to jump off that roof right now, maybe bury himself in Alfred's garden and never come out again. Tim lets out a laugh.

“Robin, he 's Jason Todd! He's like, the coolest kid in school, with high grades, athletic, kind nerdy, and who reads romance novels in the library without anyone knowing” and he says all this with a very peculiar smile that was difficult to decipher “talking to him would be a dream.”

“You're… a little stalker” that was the least awful thing he'd managed to say so far. “And an idiot! What does "a dream" mean? Is he that cool? Like, you've got Robin at your window right now.”

"Seriously, you're not jealous?" he teased. "Because it seems like you are!"

"I'm not!" his cheeks were turning red beneath the mask, and Tim, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying it.

“It's too cool having Robin at my window worried about me” he smiled in a way that completely shut down Jason's system “And I'm glad he's so willing to be jealous of me with another boy.”

"If it weren't against my ethics, I'd be pushing you out of that window," he grumbled, but couldn't help but smile at how happy Tim seemed to be.

"You idiot!" he chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You know, you don't need to worry so much about me."

“Too late, Timmy, now that I've started, I'm not going to stop!” and that was a very stark and brutal truth.

Tim didn't respond to that; he just leaned forward and kissed Robin's cheek. And why? Neither of them knew, only that it happened, it stirred something in them and touched their hearts. Robin was as red as a pepper now. Tim was nervous and shy.

"So, see you at the party!" Tim said, stepping away from the window to close it, not giving Robin time to say goodbye. He accepted this and was a little mortified.

When he returned to the Cave, he simply didn't know what to think of that interaction. How could he have been doubly jealous of himself? That's crazy. But it would be good if Timothy talked to Jason at the gala; that would be a good start.

"How was your little adventure at the Drake's windows, sir?" And as always, Alfred knew everything.

"He kissed me on the cheek, Alfie!" he exclaimed excitedly. "But I don't understand that boy, he's so...! Wow, this just makes me even more excited for the party. Can we try my suits again?"

“With pleasure, sir!”

Anxiety was going to kill him!

[...]

It was today!

His big day had arrived, and he wasn't at all prepared for this little event. His heart was pounding loudly inside his ribcage; he could hear it, and he was going crazy with nervousness and anxiety.

Alfred was with him, adjusting the bow tie on his suit and making sure his hair stayed in place, but he couldn't stay still. Tim must be downstairs waiting for him. Or he might not even have arrived yet! But Jason was… trembling, vibrating, shifting in small bursts of anxiety that he couldn't control.

The butler looked at him in the mirror and held his shoulders, massaging them to ease his tension. Jason took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. This is a mistake. Bruce would be furious if he found out, but he could blame Dick for convincing him it was nothing. That idiot circus clown!

"Everything alright, young man?" Alfred asked as standard procedure, but Jason was about to panic.

"What if he doesn't like me?" That was her biggest fear, because Jason liked Tim. The other boy had the perfect humor, he was hardworking, dedicated, intelligent, clever, stubborn, a bit of a stalker, a big idiot, had a sharp tongue, was funny, handsome, very cute, and, and, and, and Jason can't control his heartbeat every time he sees him. If Tim doesn't like him asJason,So he was ruined forever by his first rejection.

"Master Jason, you are someone with many qualities and flaws that make you unique. Just be who you've always been. Little Timothy will like you either way!” Alfred says this with unwavering certainty, which Jason doesn't know where it comes from. Everyone seemed to know Tim. They know who he is. Only Jason didn't know until Dick told him.

"I still don't understand..." he muttered in frustration. "I want him to like me the way I like him, but these feelings are still confusing for me, Alfie.”

"There are many ways to like someone," the old butler continued enigmatically, as always, but with that gentle smile.

“And… What if I like him as… more than a friend? Is that okay?”

Suddenly, he felt a wave of anxiety and fear of the butler's judgment, who simply continued to smile and gently held his shoulders. There was no negative reaction coming from him; quite the contrary, he seemed poised to offer all the necessary support.

“What matters is that you care deeply about him, regardless of how you name that feeling. Just keep in mind that love has no form, no pattern, and isn't as simple as people make it seem. It comes from the heart. Just let your emotions flow with the wind, and everything will be alright. If, by chance, little Timothy doesn't accept it, just be patient. You're both young!”

Alfred's words echoed in his head for hours. After finally getting his outfit together, he took a deep breath and decided to face the high society and fake rich jerks that Bruce insists on keeping in touch with. He hated gala parties and was somewhat glad that this was a masquerade ball.

The entrance hall was full of people. Bruce, despite the mask, was recognizable and spoke to people with that weird and seductive smile, a person which doesn't fit at all with who he really is — with who Batman is.

Dick even decided to participate this time; he brought Roy Harper as a guest, and the two were being idiots together somewhere in the mansion—honestly, it wasn't Jason's business. So, the boy continued searching for any trace of the Drake family. He didn't know their faces well, having seen them very little, but he would recognize Tim anywhere.

Even with a mask of fake red feathers stuck to his face and a crooked smile for the ladies who pinched his cheeks while talking about how much he'd grown. It's true, Tim was quite grown up. He was still shorter than Jason, but only a few inches, and it wasn't much. He held his breath and ran toward him with a silly smile on his face, managing to see the exact moment his eyes lit up when he looked at him. He smiled and moved away from the ladies a little. The boy's mother looked at Jason sternly, which was scary. 

"That must be Wayne's little boy, right?" one of the ladies commented, going to pinch his cheeks.

"Really?" the other asked. "With the mask, he is unrecognizable!” she laughed with feigned grace “And dressed as well as he is, he doesn't look like a boy who came from the…”

"Hey, don't say that!" The third lady nudged the other's waist. "Remember how Mr. Wayne reacted when they talked about the boy? It's rude."

All of this left a bitter taste in Jason's mouth. The fact that he had been adopted and taken from both of them had always been the subject of cruel gossip about him, yet another reason to hate gala parties and high society, those rich, pretentious idiots. He just needed to stay calm; he was here for Tim and not by the grumpy ladies.

"It's true that knowing his background might damage his image," the voice was the same as on the other phone call, Janet Drake. "But a boy who, despite being raised on the streets, has more education and class than most of you, says a lot about who he is! Don't judge a book without reading its contents, okay, Timothy?"

He noticed the boy shiver when the woman's gaze fell upon him. He simply smiled and shook his head.

“Sure, Mom.”

"I'm satisfied! You can go play with your little friend," she gave him permission to walk away, and Tim didn't hesitate to grab Jason's hand and run to the other side of the hall.

They completely distanced themselves from people and stayed where they couldn't be seen. Tim was trembling, he looked like he was about to panic, and Jason held his hand tightly, gently caressing it. Tim looked at him and smiled.

"You're always saving me from trouble, Robin," he said with that same calm smile, full of things to say.

"I think you saved me this time," he laughed awkwardly, wanting to forget the ladies' comments, especially Janet Drake's. "Your mother is terrifying." 

“Yeah, only at times like these. She hates people who only know how to talk and judge.” He held Jason's hand firmly. “Even though she wants me to get along with... well, you know, for public relations and image, she still has a bit of personality. I think.” 

“It was cool that she defended me in the weirdest way I've ever seen, but still, I think it was disturbing.”

"Sorry about that!" Tim laughed and Jason smiled. Okay, they are not still discussing the implication that he was the boy Wayne the ladies were talking about. And perhaps they didn't need to bring that up now. Not yet. 

“You know, I thought about that night for a long time,” he says, almost breathlessly. “And I want to enjoy everything we can from this boring party!” 

“You took the words right out of my mouth!”

And for two boys like them, the night is young.

Of course, they took full advantage of everything they were entitled to, running around the hall, inventing games, and grabbing food without anyone seeing. They tried their best to avoid the adults and Dick, because Jason was fully aware that Dick would say something stupid if they got close.

And it was fun. Of course it was, because nobody was as willing to walk up and down alongside him besides Tim, and the comments—perhaps a little mean—about influences and bad behavior made Jason a little uncomfortable. He was used to it, but it still hurt to realize that he was a problem.

Tim noticed and took his hand, dragging him inside the Manor and guiding him to the kitchen, where they sat for a while with Alfred handing out pieces of his special pie to the boys. 

It was here that Jason realized that on the few occasions he had been to a gala party, he had been too busy trying to escape that he had never noticed that Tim was actually there. But the boy always ran away to Alfred's kitchen and stayed there helping and eating treats that the butler offered him, while Jason was just on the roof of the mansion, waiting for that little torture session to end. 

The boy says he was a little lonely, I mean, his parents made him go through a kind of loneliness that a younger child shouldn't have to experience, and now that he's older, realizing that was a little... painful. And he's here, as Robin, and he told him about Jason Todd's parents, and said how he understood that feeling of having to grow up alone and fend for yourself because no one will be there for you. 

“I thought I was alone and would stay that way,” Robin said of his experience, clenching his fist as he remembered how much he hated the feeling of being alone. “But then B showed up, Alfie, Dick... and I wasn't alone anymore.” He looked at Tim, his eyes shining as he looked at him. “And you don't have to be alone anymore, Tim. I'm here! I want to be here with you. I want to be your friend...” 

That beautiful smile that lit up Tim's face should have been confirmation enough for him that things were going well. Even so, his heart was beating wildly against his chest.

"Robin, I'm just a kid who happens to live in the mansion next door. Why do you care so much?" He wasn't exactly expecting an answer to that; Tim was afraid of getting hurt and wounded by diving headfirst into this possible friendship. But he didn't just want friendship. He wanted all that's what Robin has to offer. And Tim wants to give him his whole heart.

"Because I like you!" It got stuck in Jason's throat, who was trembling with nervousness. Alfred had already left the kitchen to give him space, but even from there, they could still hear the loud music from where they were.

“I know that, given my ‘profession,’ I shouldn't worry so much about just one person. But I can't help it!” He stops in front of Tim and lets all the sincerity he wants to convey that night shine through. "You mean everything to me, Tim. I... I feel like if I keep seeing you, I'll care more and more. And now, you're stuck with me and my concern for you. Consider this a warning!

"Okay!" Tim laughed, a very affectionate smile playing on his lips. "I'll remember that."

"Want to dance?" The music was still playing, and Jason held out his hand to Tim, who just laughed and took it.

“Sure!”

The height difference wasn't huge; Jason was a good 3 cm taller—and two years older—and he awkwardly held Tim's waist while Tim clung to his shoulders. Neither of them knew how to dance, which was pretty silly. But they tried steps they'd seen on TV, and that only intensified how silly they looked trying to dance to a slow song.

But it was okay, nothing was perfect, and it was fine as it was. Jason's heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel Tim's pulse too, seeing that he wasn't the only one nervous here.

When the music stopped, they were laughing at how terribly they had tried to perform some of the steps and how their first dance had been a complete disaster.

"There's a place here where we can be alone without interruptions," Jason began, speaking in a deep voice. "Would you do me the honor of joining me?" He extended his hand, and Tim laughed heartily.

“Let's go!”

They ran upstairs. Jason took Tim to his room; it was large, tidy as much as possible—Alfred insisted on keeping everything neat and tidy—and Tim couldn't help but notice the small details: the posters, the books on the shelf, the magazines under the bed, and some clothes scattered on the floor. He knows. But he will wait until it is said explicitly.

They climbed out the bedroom window and onto the roof of the Manor, where Jason usually sat alone to think and have his moments of sadness and reflection. Now, he was sharing this place with the boy he liked quite a lot, whom he had met only a few months ago hiding in an alley while taking pictures of Robin and Nightwing at the Cathedral. The boy who was always following him everywhere with a camera, who had a sense of humor as awful as his own, and who was a real pest.

He doesn't know when he started liking Tim so much, only that he does it now and doesn't regret it one bit.

"I like coming here to be alone. It's a good place!" he says, looking at the dark, cloudy Gotham sky; you couldn't even see the moon right.

"I still have some photos to give you. And you have something to tell me. I think this is the moment" and Tim couldn't hide how anxious he was. Jason was standing very close with that stupid mask, which Tim had gotten rid of a long time ago.

"Yes," he feels a weight on his chest and takes a deep breath, "I have certainty I know Batman won't like this at all, but I want to take the risk anyway.”

Tim glanced at him quickly, worried about this dangerous insinuation about whatever the subject might be. 

“Robin, whatever you want to tell me, if it's going to get you in trouble, you don't have to—not because of me!” the boy says seriously to Robin, trying to sound more mature than he really was. Well, he was very smart, had an incredible talent for putting pieces together, and didn't want to see someone like Robin taking risks for him. “I don't...” 

“Tim,” he calls out to the younger boy, with the same serious tone. If you could see his eyes right now, they were shining with a confident flame without any hesitation. Tim shuddered at the voice. “I want to do this, regardless of what B thinks about it. I don't have to tell you, but you might find out, so he can't get mad at me if you find out on your own. Or something like that.”

And what Tim could tell was that Robin had been planning this for a while. As if he'd wanted to tell him the only secret that no one in Gotham had discovered until now. Maybe there were suspicions, people can't be that ignorant, James Gordon shouldn't be, for example, but what would a boy like him gain from knowing this? Knowing something so important?

"You're an idiot," was all he managed to say, with a small, affectionate smile. "You know you could get in trouble, and yet you still want to take the risk."

"It's worth it if it's you!" Robin said confidently. Tim's cheeks flushed red and he huffed, nudging the other's shoulder lightly.

"You don't know that!" he chuckled softly. "What guarantees that I won't sell the information to some bad guy?"

"Okay, first," Robin rolled his eyes beneath his mask, "You're not crazy enough to talk to a supposedly bad guy; second, you're an idiot; third, if you really If he had wanted to harm me, he would have done it already for years with the photos you have of us.”

"You're very naive," he smiled brightly. Jason almost acts on impulse.

"I'm just saying that I trust you, Tim," he says with seriousness and affection, fondness, fondness, passion, whatever you want to call it. "I want you to know." 

“Even if I already know?” the boy asked Robin, who nodded. 

“Even if you already know...” He paused for a moment. “Wait, what? You...?” 

Tim let out a weak laugh, bringing his hands to Robin's mask, asking for permission to remove it. When he received it, he simply removed the mask and set it aside, seeing Jason Todd's confused blue eyes staring at Tim as if he were a giant elephant in the middle of the room.

“I can't believe you were jealous of yourself” He flashed a huge grin, and Jason snorted in disbelief.

“I wasn't there!”

“You were worried about me dating Jason Todd… but I've been dating him for months already. Idiot.”

There was no way for me to know that, did you know!” He was as red as a pepper. “I just embarrassed myself, damn it.” He hides his face from Tim, who starts laughing loudly. It was a genuine laugh that made Jason's heart race.

"I've known ever since Dick was Robin," he grinned, proud of himself. Jason turned his head quickly to the other boy, his eyes wide. 

“Since Dick?” he was stunned “You mean you know that B…”

"Yeah. It wasn't that hard... not after witnessing Dick's biggest trauma and the catalyst for Robin ever since," he says with a hint of sadness. "I saw you take over and I've been following you ever since. I never told anyone about it, I couldn't... but I started observing from afar, since I'm very good at that."

"So that's how you became a little stalker," Jason laughed, and Tim rolled his eyes.

"That's right!" he smiled slightly. "I don't regret anything!"

"And I was worried about whether you'd like me…" Jason suddenly felt pathetic. "I thought you only liked Robin. So I figured if I tried to get close to you as Jason, you wouldn't like me as much. It's stupid, I know." 

“Jason” hearing his name spoken in such a sincere and affectionate way made his heart race “Whether you're Robin or just yourself, I like you.” 

“But your mother…”

"Well, it's true that she thinks it's advantageous that I have a friend who's Bruce Wayne's son, but I don't care about that. I don't care where you come from or whose son you are or if you go around wearing green underwear and a yellow cape (although I quite like that last part), I like you because you're you." He pauses for a second to breathe, because he'd forgotten to do so until now. "I've only known you for months, but I've known who you are for years. And I… well, I just wanted to say that."

Jason was in love. 

And now he knew it.

I mean, he doesn't know when it started or why, but he knew there was something different about it Tim, and whatever it was, he liked it.

I liked how animated he seemed in his presence, I liked listening to him chatter about something very nerdy and teasing him about it—even though Jason was just as nerdy as he was—I liked seeing the passion Tim had for photography, I didn't like seeing him sad, but I wanted to be by his side in those moments.

Every second they shared was special to Jason. Every smile, every tease, every sigh, every laugh, every tear, every tiny thing about Tim Drake drove him crazy for him. And damn it, he was going crazy right now.

And knowing that this feeling was reciprocated—he didn't care if it was just platonic or romantic—made him happy, relieved, calm, and increasingly cheerful. Calm. Lucky.

"It's good that you found out," he admitted with a sigh and a crooked smile. "Otherwise, Dick wouldn't have told me about you, and we wouldn't be here now."

"I still can't tell if it's a dream or real," Tim scratched the back of his neck.

"It's very real!" Jason said with conviction.

“I'm glad to have found out as well.” 

And whatever was happening at the party now, none of them cared. Gotham's usually cloudy sky was clear at that moment (just that one measly moment) and had little dots shining in the sky, the moon illuminating that piece of roof where they stood. The light illuminated Tim and his face, his huge blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Jason sighed. 

He sighed and acted without thinking twice, leaning slowly and gently against Tim's lips, just a quick peck that could hardly be counted as a kiss. A soft, light, simple touch. 

He pulled away just a few inches and Tim smiled, leaning forward too, to join his lips for another five seconds. Jason felt like he was going to die, because his heart was going crazy inside him. It didn't stop beating for a second.

"I think my mother would like this," he commented jokingly, and Jason continued. 

“You're dating Jason Todd?” He raised an eyebrow as he suggested the absurdity, which made Tim burst out laughing. Jason laughed too, even though he was nervous about the whole thing.

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” 

“If I can be anything of yours, I'm happy” — because Jason was like that, corny and passionate. Tim couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

“I should be the one who's happy to be something of yours, not the other way around!” he says indignantly, and Jason squeezes his cheek.

"I'm the lucky guy, Timmy," he says. "You have no idea how happy I am to meet you. You're like, my best friend and my first crush."

"You talk a lot of nonsense!" Tim blushed, and Jason took the opportunity to pinch his cheeks.

"I don't care if you reject me now, just having you is enough for me." He spoke from the heart. Tim became thoughtful. 

“We can't date,” Tim says, and something inside Jason's heart breaks into pieces. “Not publicly, at least. My mom would be happy to have you as a friend, but I don't know how she would react if you were my boyfriend. We can try something simpler to deal with for now.”

“I'm fine with whatever you decide!”

Tim smiled. Dating was too soon, but if they kept things as they were, it could lead to a serious relationship in the future—who knows.

"Here," he rummages through his pockets, pulling out the developed photos Jason took the other day, "Your photos."

Jason received them with great affection. He liked them and knew exactly where to store them, because he was sure they would have more time together to accumulate more photos together.

"Damn, Tim, you're really cute," he puts the photos away after looking at them more closely. Well, but the real-life version, in full color, next to him was much more beautiful than just the photo.

"Stop talking nonsense," Tim said, hiding his face behind his hands, and Jason let out a laugh.

He took the opportunity to move even closer and embraced Tim's waist, while looking at the sky which was returning with the clouds. Tim laid his head on Jason's shoulder and so they remained, in silence, simply enjoying each other's presence.

Jason was confident that this relationship would bear good fruit; they grew up with the idea that they would always be together. Jason still rolls around Tim's waist, I would say how handsome he is and distributes kisses all over the face.

Tim would still blush with embarrassment, but he would love every second. Every second with Jason was worth it.

For now, they're enjoying the fact that they're just two idiots who are too young and hate gala parties.