Real (bat boys)

Preparing

Jason's pov:

I nudge Tim to get his attention on me.

"The chick is coming with us already, we group hugged and everything." I say, filling him in. He looks a little deflated.

"Oh, well sorry I missed it." He says, just a small bit quieter than when he first spoke. It hurt my heart.

"Aww, it's okay Timbers, look I'll hug ya!" I say, picking him up and hugging him. He's way too light for someone of his age. Even Dick beefed up when he was 18.

Tim and me start laughing, we were just horsing around like we usually do. I start shaking him like a ragdoll. I hear the others start laughing too but I don't care about them. Tim's laugh is so much better.

"Better?" I say, setting him down, his legs a little wobbly. He can't speak through his laughter so he just nods.

"Anyways Timmy, you said you finished the calculations?" Dick said, Tim's laughter dying down.

"Whew, yeah, I did. Now I just need some parts to build a mini Zeta tube. Is there a junk yard around here by any chance?" He says, eventually turning to Cora.

"I think so. As far as I know there's one just outside town." She says in response. She pulls out her phone, it's purple and has a small pocket on the back with bandaids sticking out.

"Yep! North end just past the town sign." She says after some typing.

"Cool, do you wanna come Jay? I might need some help carrying stuff." Tim said. How can I not say yes? A chance to see Tim excited over nerdy stuff?

"Count me in." I say, answering my own rhetoric question.

"Cool, can we go like right now?" He says excitedly. I can't help my smile.

"Sure Timbers." I say, chuckling slightly. I think back to our earlier conversation, Tim acts very boyish, but when he's serious he shows his maturity.

That's the part that I love. His duality. I've seen him literally jump for joy when he found out about coffee flavoured ice cream. And then in the same day he ruthlessly took down an entire crime syndicate from the safety of the Batcave.

Tim practically races to the door, I stay behind just for a little bit.

"Hey, you got bags or something we can use?" I say, wanting to catch up to Tim quickly.

"Yeah gimme a sec, I'll grab them." Cora says, finishing her disturbing drink and walking away from the island she was sitting at.

As soon as she's out of sight Dick gets really giddy.

"Jay bird! You and Timmy are going on a little scrap date." He says teasingly. It stings. He knows Tim likes someone else.

"It's not a date if the feeling ain't mutual Dickhead." I say, letting my voice portray a little of the sting I felt.

"Who said it wasn't mutual? Tim didn't even ask us if we wanted to go, he wanted to go with just you." Dick says, trying to be reassuring.

"Or I can just bench the most? I mean you heard the way Tim talked about the guy he likes. There's literally no chance for me. He probably just sees me as his big brother." I say, it's hard to keep the doubt I feel from my voice. I am older, only by 2 years though.

"Wait you like Drake? As in romantically?" Damian says, I almost forgot the little brat was still here.

"Yeah? So?" I say, feeling just a bit defensive. He was raised by pompous assassins, he may not be all that accepting.

"Why Drake? He's, Drake." He says with disgust and confusion. I can't tell if it's because Tim is a guy or if it's because Tim is his 'Rival'.

"I have my reasons pipsqueak. And you can't talk, not with that huge crush you got on Cora." I say with a shit eating grin.

Damian is about to pounce, I can tell, but he pauses when Cora walks in, holding a couple collapsed boxes and some old shopping bags. Point proven.

"Here ya go! Whatcha guys talking about?" She says, eyeing me and Damian suspiciously

"Nothing at all kiddo. Thanks for these." I say, winking at her just out of habit. Demon spawn growls lowly.

As I walk out the door I hear Cora ask if 'Dami' is okay. I chuckle to myself. Demon spawn doesn't deserve that girl, she's a total sweetheart, and he's a little gremlin.

When I spot Tim at the end of the driveway he's bouncing from his toes to his heels. Well someone's excited.

"Hey Timmy, ready to go? I got some stuff to help carry all the stuff you need." I say, gesturing to the boxes and the bags.

"Of course! I can't wait to get home. All the sleep I've been getting is making me miss my bed." He says casually, just making idle chit chat I suppose.

"Makes sense, you've still only gotten 5 hours from last night. So maybe have a power nap before the build." I say, I sound like Alfred.

As we walk and talk I can't help but feel comfortable with him. His blue eyes are shining with the late afternoon sun, his hair is in its usual style and his voice is calming as always.

I have to enjoy moments like this. Tim may never be mine but I can still appreciate him, stay with him, and protect him when I can.

Not that he always needs it. He may be kinda small compared to me or Dick, but he can still kick ass and keep himself safe. For that I am grateful.

"Hey I think that's it!" Tim says excitedly. He's been a big ball of excitement since he came rushing down stairs. Maybe this is what happens when he sleeps instead of chugging coffee.

We increase our stride and Tim starts scouring as soon as we hop the fence. His hands are pulling things apart with speed and efficiency. He rips some wire from a very old fridge.

The man practically dives into a pile of computer parts. He tosses the wire, now in a small coil, and a couple circuit boards at me. I catch them and put them in a bag. The heavier stuff will go into the boxes.

He pops his head up from behind a different scrap heap.

"Hey can you find some magnets? They should be around the fridges, you'd be surprised how many people throw them out with magnets still on them." He says, gesturing to a multicolored pile of fridges.

"Sure thing Timbers, bags and boxes are right here." I say, setting them down by my feet. I make my way over to the pile and start picking up any magnet I can find. I test them on a scrap piece of metal I found.

We continue our search for seemingly random parts. The sun getting lower and redder as it starts to sit on the horizon. I peer around to find Tim.

"Hey Timmy, we should start heading back now." I say, tapping him on the shoulder. "You got everything?" I ask.

"Yeah I just need one more thing. I just need-aHah!" He says quickly, holding up a small coil of oddly coloured wire.

"Okay then, we good to go?" I say, extending a hand to help pull him from the rusty pile he is standing in. He takes it and comes free after a solid yank.

"Alright, let's go home."