It was a hot summer day when Tim met her. He wasn’t on patrol, just a walk to clear his head.
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Sure, Damien had replaced him as Robin for years now, but he wasn’t nearly as accomplished as Jason or Dick. In costume or in matters of love. Heck even Barbara was in training to be the next commissioner.
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It was when he was fighting those thoughts when he heard a scream followed by a man running past him carrying a small backpack that obviously didn’t belong to him.
On impulse he was chasing after the man, once a hero, always a hero.
With his speed and training it was easy to catch the man and zip tie him waiting for the cops to take him away from attempted robbery. He saw a woman running his direction.
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Dressed in a grey skirt and pink sweater with thigh high white boots and a white scarf with embroidered blue flowers on it, the only thing normal about his girl was her hair color. It was the color of wheat.
Her heavy breathing got him to focus on her; though, when she finally looked up at him he was taken aback. She had heterochromia with her left eye blue and her right eye brown.
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“Thank you for getting my bag back.”
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She brushed one of her ponytails back behind her shoulder before continuing,
“Most people here… wouldn’t do that.”
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“Well, I’m not most people.”
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He handed her back the bunny shaped bag with the best recreation of the smiles he’d seen Jason give girls when he had them at the manor. The mystery girl took the bag from him with a sheepish smile.
“If you have the time, I’d love to get you a drink at that shop over there to thank you.”
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She pointed to Moondoe. A coffee place that was local to Gotham and prided themselves on their…. unique drinks designed with certain heroes and villains of the city.
“You don’t need to repay me, miss. I just did what anyone would.”
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With a shake of her head, she disagreed.
“But you were the only one that did. So please, let me get you a drink. It’s the least I can do.”
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Well he had politely declined so now he could take her up on her offer and they headed into the cafe.
It smelled sickeningly sweet inside and because of the time of day, besides a few people working on laptops, it was empty.
The barista squealed excitedly as they walked into the cafe calling out to them. Tim locked eyes with her and quickly shook his head to have her not call out his name.
“Bianca! Welcome back!”
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The woman he was with waved and walked up to the counter.
“Hi Lindsey, oh whatever he gets, I’m paying for it okay?”
Lindsey looked between the two of them before her eyes widened.
“Oh, are you on a date!?”
“What? No! No. He… he just helped me get my bag back!”
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Tim was happy to notice the blush creeping up on Bianca’s cheeks even while she looked at him for more help.
“That’s right! Some thug tried to steal her bag in broad daylight. This is just a thank you drink!”
He waved the embarrassment off with his hands as he felt a blush creeping up his face too as he willed it away.
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“Ok, ok, sure. I’ll take your words for it. You getting your usual, Bianca?” With a nod, Lindsey turned toward him. “What about you, handsome?”
“Lindsey!”
“What? I’m just trying to get good tips, scouts honor. Besides I thought you said this wasn’t a da….”
“It’s not! Just take his order!”
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With a laugh, Lindsey turned back towards him. “What’ll it be?”
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Shit. He hadn’t been using this time to think about a drink that would impress her…
“Oh can I just get an iced coffee, black?”
“No flavoring?”
“No. And a uh a medium please.”
“Sure. What’s the name?”
“Tim.”
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Lindsey looked at Bianca with a smile.
“Okay that’ll be $11.76. For Bianca and Tim.”
He saw her playfully frown at her friend before paying.
“Thank you Lindsey.”
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They went and sat down at first having some dead air between the two of them before Tim spoke.
“So that was lucky I was there to help you.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t gotten it back eventually… but I do really appreciate the help, Tim.”
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He felt his heart rate quicken as his name came from her lips. He saw their drinks were ready and quickly stood up.
“Ah, I’ll go get them!” He took a breath and tried to turn up the charm to ignore how quickly he had said that last part. “It’s the least I can do, you did pay for them after all.”
She flashed a smile at him before reaching into her bag for something as he went and picked up their drinks from Lindsey. Who smiled at him knowingly.
“Two drinks for Bianca and Tim~”
“Thank you.” He quietly quickly added “...for not ratting me out.”
“Anything for a customer.”
She winked as he smiled and turned, drinks in hand, back to where Bianca sat, still going through her bag. He was about to ask her about it when he felt his phone go off. That pattern, it was only used for Bruce. He put the drinks down and pulled out his phone.
“Excuse me for a second.”
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The text just said:
‘Stuck in a meeting, Joker sighted downtown, need you to do recon’
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Tim started to walk out of the cafe still looking at his phone.
“It was really nice to meet you Bianca. I uh… gotta go. It’s urgent.”
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He looked up just in time to see her small frown and the drink in her hands as she quietly said. “Oh… you too Tim…”
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She watched as he raced out the door, finally having pulled a notebook and pen out of her bag.
“Oh well… next time I guess…”
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______________________
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Tim had followed Joker ALL afternoon, and the most he had done was grabbed a guy off the street that seemed to know him personally. Then give said guy a makeover before driving back to the Lounge.
A waste of time. Time he could’ve been spending with Bianca… trying to get her number, or at least something more than her name. The others would’ve said they were busy. They wouldn’t have gone. But he wasn’t Dick, or Jason, or even Damien for that matter… He was Tim. The good, obedient one. The one so eager to please…
He found himself getting back to the Manor at the same time as Bruce, in tow was his personal bodyguard, Elliot. Making sure he got back inside before departing for the night.
His white hair had always made Tim uneasy for some reason, though no one could argue that Elliot wasn’t an outstanding guard for Bruce, even if he could defend himself.
He was quick enough to over hear Elliot tell Bruce that he’ll ‘see him tomorrow.’
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“Hello Elliot.”
“Mr. Drake. It’s good to see you.”
“Same to you Elliot. Keeping Bruce safe?”
“Of course. Excuse me though, I’ll leave him in your capable hands for the evening.”
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Elliot turned on his heel, leaving the room though Tim noticed the marks on his wrist. So that was the meeting Bruce was caught up in… Tim was pretty sure he was the only one that had noticed their… relationship so far. Bruce deserves to be happy though, and if that'swhat makes him happy then so be it. He needed someone after Lindsey. They were good for each other sure, but the whole Batman thing made issues no matter who the partner was. Something without strings worked for Bruce. And the bodyguard left him alone at night, or Tim had noticed, when Bruce asked nicely. Still, if Bruce needed that then who was Tim to intervene?
He walked into Bruce’s study and gave his report.
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“I didn’t get much information. Still don’t know who Yancey is. I tried to put it into the database but nothing came up.”
“It wouldn’t. Yancey’s a good kid. But what is he doing in Gotham? I doubt his family knows either. But it isn’t my place to tell them…” He paused before looking back at Tim.
“Thank you Tim. Oh, Dick told me you helped a woman get her purse back today?”
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Time felt his face heat up.
“Yeah. It was nothing much. She bought me a coffee at Moondoe. Did… Lindsey tell you.. about her?”
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Bruce smiled.
“No..? Should she have?”
“No! I mean… no. It’s nothing. I didn’t even get her number. Besides, I don’t have time for a relationship. It would get in my way as Red Robin…”
“Tim… you can take a break. No one expects you to…”
“I expect me to Bruce. It’s who I am.”
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With those words, Tim went to his own room, sleep wasn’t an option so he was going to train.
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_________________
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Bianca sighed and put her notepad and pen away, where it would soon fall to the bottom of her bag, no doubt.
“Tough break, Bianca… you picked a tough one for sure.”
“Oh hi Lindsey… I just wanted to ask him for his number… but that didn’t work out…”
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With an arm around her shoulder, Lindsey patted her.
“It’s okay. You want me to give him your number the next time he comes in?”
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Bianca turned to the other woman.
“I didn’t know you knew him.”
“Yeah he comes in like twice a week. He’s a sweet boy though. You guys would be a cute couple…”
She said the last part in a sing songy tune while Bianca pulled away from her.
“Oh come on, you know my dad. There’s no way he would…” Bianca stood up as she remembered what day it was.
“Oh shoot! It’s Thursday!”
She began cramping things into her bag as Lindsey looked on.
“I gotta go! I’m late to visit him! I’ll take that drink to go Lindsey!”
“Already done. Your Red Robin to go.”
Mouthing ‘thank you’ Bianca took the warm coffee and ran to catch the 5:15 metro to Arkham.
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She barely made it there before visiting hours were over but as she was a regular they let her in.
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She picked up the phone and grinned as her father sat on the other side of the glass.
“Hi Papa! Sorry I’m so late… a guy tried to steal my purse… then I ran into…”
“Wait. You were robbed? By who!?”
“Papa, I don’t know. Besides I got all of it back.”
“What did he look like? No one steals from my sweet daughter!”
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She sighed.
“Papa. It’s fine. A very kind gentleman got it back from me.”
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This made him pause before he started to talk again.
“Excuse me? A gentleman? What did he look like? Should papa be worried? When are you seeing him again?”
“I didn’t even get his phone number. I bought him a coffee before he had something he needed to attend to.”
“WHAT!? This gentleman didn’t even have time to sit and share a coffee with you?”
“I’m confused, are you mad I want to see him or mad I didn’t see him?”
“Both! No one turns down my daughter's advances.”
“There were no advances. Papa. I bought him a drink as thanks, then we went our separate ways.”
“As long as you are happy dear.”
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She looked at him skeptically.
“You aren’t going to try to find him?”
“I have no reason to.”
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She sighed as the guard tapped his watch.
“Okay Papa, I’ll see you next week okay?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world my sweet Bianca.”
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She waved as the guard took her father back to his holding cell.
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She left signing out at the front desk.
“See you next week Miss Fries!”
“You too Mrs Angela!”
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And with that, Bianca Fries went about the rest of her day, still lamenting the missed encounter with Tim earlier...
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