Tim Drake Gets the Love he Deserves

1.

And yet, she still aches for the ones she used to stare up at. The ones covered in fog and almost drowning in the bright lights of the city. Where only the brightest could be seen in the disgusting city that was Gotham.
Because despite the fact that those stars often were hidden, she knew they were there. And she knew, each night, that Tim was staring up at those very same stars.

But not anymore.

..........................................

"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

Sarah Williams

..........................................

"Okay, I'm absolutely positive that's not how it works." Tim said, laughing.

Steph quirked an eyebrow, "Are you sure, boyfriend wonder? I think it'll work."

Tim shook his head. "No. No way."

Steph grinned, letting go of the balloon string and watching in sadness as it immediately sunk to the floor.

"Toooold you." Tim crowed, smirking.

"Yeah, yeah. You were right." Steph rolled her eyes. "Ya gonna tell me what I did wrong?"

Tim walked over to her and picked up the balloon, "2 things. Firstly, the watch is too heavy to be lifted by just one balloon. You'd need, like, 9 more to get it to float, at least. Secondly, you used your own breath to fill up the balloons. You needed to use helium. Balloons won't float if the air density inside of them is larger than the air density of the room."

"Huh." Steph said. "Impressive, Timmy."

Tim just smiled at her, kissing her cheek.

Their moment was interrupted by a familiar beeping of Tim's comm.

Tim sighed, looking over at his girlfriend apologetically.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he whispered.

Steph smiled. "I know, boyfriend wonder. You always do. Now, go save Gotham."

Tim nodded, kissed her once more, and disappeared out the window.

...

The next day at school, Tim came in sporting a decently hidden limp if you didn't know him well. And seeing as how only two people actually knew him (Steph and Ives) nobody noticed.

"Are you okay?" Steph whispered at lunch, glancing over at her boyfriend in worry.

Tim nodded, smiling at her. "Yeah, just tripped going down the stairs. I'll be fine."

His eyes said I'll tell you later.

Ives snorted. "Only you. You're so clumsy sometimes, dude."

Tim laughed along with him, squeezing Steph's hand.

...

That night, Tim would tell her that he was stopping a mugger on his patrol route when the mugger hit his leg with a large pipe and left a big bruise.

"Where was Batman?" she'd asked.

"Taking a different route." Tim whispered, glancing away.

Steph had been angry when she heard that. Her hatred of the big Bat grew a little more.

...

It was raining. The harsh kind of rain only Gotham could have, and Scarecrow was on the loose.

She hadn't seen or heard from Tim all night and Steph was worried.