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Being Batman is an obligation to the city, and being Robin is an obligation to Batman. Tim had known that going in, had accepted it and internalized it and embodied it. But that wasn’t all Batman and Robin were, he was coming to learn. There had been a near miss in a fight that night, and Bruce was looming above Tim with a disappointed anger in his voice.
“You need to be more careful. The actions you took during the fight were reckless, and they put you in needless danger.”
Tim knew how to be quiet, knew it well, but he also knew how to harness his own anger into words that could cut deep. “If you had given me more clear instruction, or allowed me to give input, then I wouldn’t have gotten hurt. We’re supposed to be partners.”
“And you’re supposed to be safe, Jason!” Bruce’s eyes widened and he swerved to save himself, “He- Jason died. I can’t let you die.”
It was pointless to pretend that Bruce hadn’t just called him Jason, except to maintain the illusion and the status quo. “And I can’t let you die. That’s why I’m here, remember?”
“Robin is not Batman’s shield!” Bruce roared, slamming his fist down on the desk beneath the Batcomputer. “Robin is a protector of Gotham, the people’s hope, he’s my son!”
There it was. The heart of it all. Robin was Batman’s son, and Tim could not be Bruce’s son. “Fine. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Tim left before Bruce could stop him. He didn’t know if Bruce would even try to stop him. Wasn’t this his goal, driving Tim away so that he could spiral and die through his own actions? Too bad that Tim wasn’t deterred that easily. His own parents were still alive and would not be willing to give up custody to Brucie Wayne, but if Bruce needed to feel like Tim was his son to trust him as Robin then he could play into that.
Managing to avoid Alfred as he stormed out of Wayne Manor, Tim grabbed his bike off the front step and headed off into the night. Not a bad start to his new plan. Bruce had been known to have explosive fights with both Dick and Jason, and surely an easy return after a fight would make Bruce feel like Tim had settled into his life and routine.
Dismounting and stashing his bike in the garage, Tim entered his house. It was quiet, of course, as his parents were currently on a very interesting archeology trip that they had waxed poetic about in their last phone call. He climbed the stairs and cast a longing glance at his bed before settling down at the desk with his laptop. It was time to do what he did best: plan out his own life and relationships to an obsessive degree with a healthy dose of manipulation.
See, Tim knew that he didn’t have the most conventional relationship with his parents. They hadn’t been the most interested in raising a child outside of the concept of having one, but they had showered him in love and gifts nonetheless when they were around. It was easy to use their lingering guilt and desire to play house to get himself what he wanted. A trip abroad for his birthday, an extra bedtime story, gymnastics lessons, a high quality night time camera perfect for action shots. He had always been fascinated with the city’s vigilantes, but he hadn’t expected that particular interest to cross paths with his devotion to Richard Grayson. But cross paths it had, and his interest doubled.
When you grew up without your emotional needs being met, you learned how to make them get met. Tim knew all about well placed confessions of loneliness and finding connections to share and listening when people talked. He had never thought that he would have to use such tactics on Batman. But, well, Tim really did believe that Gotham needed Batman, and it was Robin’s obligation to make sure Batman stuck to the proper path.
So Tim searched for patterns, for pictures and articles, for research on paternal instincts, for every scrap of information he needed to craft his plan. Brucie had always expressed an interest in extreme sports, and people liked to point out how he had continued to encourage Dick’s death defying circus stunts. So perhaps he would like Tim to have some alternative outlet for physical talent and adrenaline chasing. There were a couple of articles about how Bruce had loved Jason sharing his favorite books with him, and he had seen the small section of the library dedicated to the teen. Some kind of nonphysical hobby, one related to personal interests that he could cautiously share with Bruce and let him marvel at being included in. Yes, Tim could pull it off.
Step one. Slowly start to agree to having meals and sleeping over at Wayne Manor. Start off with it being out of convenience, seem shy and embarrassed and project him feeling like he’s intruding. Gradually increase the frequency until Bruce finds it normal to have Tim at his dinner table and sleeping in his house.
Step two. Bond with Bruce. Tim would draw parallels between himself and Dick and Jason. Hobbies and extracurriculars that were similar enough to enact nostalgia, but not identical. Maybe lean into the visual similarities with the eyes and the hair, make more eye contact and perhaps change his hair style to resemble one of the other two. Find ways to make Bruce laugh, to make him see Robin as more than a colleague.
Step three. Increase physical affection. Dick had never been shy with physical contact or hugs, but such a shift would seem unnatural on Tim. Jason had been more cautious, but once he’d opened up more he was fond of surprise touches. Sudden brief hugs or knocking his shoulder into Bruce on patrol. Tim could start with reprimanding touches, then start to seek out comfort after injuries or bad patrols, eventually expanding into it becoming reflex.
Step four. Seal the deal. Accidentally slip up and refer to Bruce in some kind of fatherly way. Waffle around a bit and say that he thought of Bruce like a father figure. Maybe do some dramatic running away until Bruce comes to find him and then confess how he felt.
Step five. Dynamic duo. Batman finally accepts Tim as Robin, allowing him to save Batman from continuing his mental health spiral and potential death by rogue or murder of innocents.
It was a good plan, if Tim did say so himself. Sure, it would take a little time to come to fruition, but this wasn’t the kind of thing you could rush. And it would be worth it in the end. Bruce would look at Tim in the Robin suit with pride, they could really be partners, and they would fight to save Gotham and each other. After all, it was Robin’s job to look after Batman. No matter what it took.