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Tim’s pretty sure his wrist is broken. He’d landed on it badly when he’d been thrown into the van with his hands already tied behind his back. It’s making his escape attempt more difficult. And he has to escape, or Bruce will come to rescue him without knowing it’s all a trap. Tim can’t be responsible for getting Batman badly hurt or even killed, not after all the pushing and arguing he’d done about preventing just that to become Robin in the first place.
But the ropes binding him were tied well (and tightly) by someone who knew what they were doing. He hadn’t been able to create any slack when he was being tied up, and he hasn’t managed to create any since, despite all his wiggling and straining against the ropes. He’s tied so tightly he’s not even sure if dislocating his thumb would let him slip a hand free. The knots are all positioned out of reach of his teeth (assuming he could get the gag off) or fingers, so the best he can do is pick at a bit of the rope itself and hope to fray it enough to break it. So far it’s very slow going.
He doesn’t know how long he has before Bruce finds him, but he knows that if he comes into the room, some kind of mechanism will set fire to the accelerant poured all over the floor around the edge of the room, and the whole room will go up quickly. At least he can count on Gotham’s criminals to brag about their schemes. His captors had given him a quick monologue on the whole death trap thing rather than leave him to figure it out himself from the smell of lighter fluid. Hopefully his escape won’t set it off when he tries to leave.
He’s becoming less confident in that happening, but he keeps picking at the rope with one gloved hand. There’s no way he’s getting the glove off to give his nails more bite, and he’d have to be a contortionist to get anything from his belt. He’s already looked around the room for anything he could use to cut or fray the rope faster, but the place is empty.
He doesn’t start to panic until he hears a commotion outside the room. They must have left some guards outside in case he got free before the trap could be sprung, and now Batman must be here fighting them. He starts writhing against the ropes again, even knowing it won’t do him any good. He has to get out of here right now.
The bit of rope he’s been picking at feels a little strained with the stress he’s putting on it, but it doesn’t break. The door opens, and Batman stalks in. Tim shakes his head frantically, trying to dissuade him.
“Mm! Mm m mmm!” He can’t speak through the gag, Bruce won’t understand him!
Bruce comes to kneel at his side, untying the gag. As soon as it falls away from his mouth Tim tries again to warn him-
“It’s a trap!”
But it’s too late. The door slams shut. Something clicks, and with a rush of air and a loud fwoom, the accelerant catches and flares up. The heat hits Tim like a wall, stealing his breath for a moment. A sharper, closer heat licks at the back of his thigh, and he looks down to find the edge of his cape, wet with accelerant, burning. He rolls back and forth over it in an attempt to put it out, sending pain shooting through his wrist each time his weight presses down on it.
Bruce picks him up, standing with Tim in his arms and surveying the room. Tim feels useless, like he’s just dead weight, but he knows there’s not time to waste untying him.
“Hold still, and hold on if you can.” Bruce says. He pulls his cape around Tim like a shield, blocking his view. Tim can still feel the heat getting more intense as they get closer to the flames, followed by the motion of Bruce shifting his weight to kick at something. He hears it splinter, and a second kick brings crashing noises- was that a wall? And then they’re passing through Bruce’s DIY doorway and away from the suffocating heat.
He keeps still and quiet until he feels the cool night air outside the building. Bruce pulls the cape away and looks him over before setting him down and beginning to untie him.
“Are you hurt?” He asks, but Tim’s a little preoccupied with the way the Batsuit looks singed. Bruce’s face below the cowl is red, mildly burned from walking through the fire. And yet Tim himself is fine, shielded by the cape. It makes him feel a little off-kilter, to be protected even at a cost. He knows it’s what Batman does for his Robin, but it’s different to experience that himself. Bruce seems to be able to read some of his feelings on his face.
“I’ll be fine, it’s no worse than a sunburn.” He says, reassuring. “Right now, I’m worried about you.”
“I think my wrist is broken.” Tim admits. Bruce is careful untying his hands with that in mind. When he’s done inspecting the injured wrist, Tim cradles it close to his body to keep from hurting it further.
“I think you’re right. We’ll take care of it back at the Cave. The fire department can handle things here without us.”
Tim nods, and Bruce picks him up again even though he can walk now that he’s untied. When he tries to point that out, Bruce doesn’t put him down. He doesn’t even respond right away, but Tim can see his jaw working, so he waits.
“Indulge me.” He finally says. There’s an odd tone to the words, and Tim suspects he knows what (who) Bruce is thinking of. He can let himself be carried like a little kid if it’ll make him feel better. It’s not really that bad. It’s comforting, even.
“Okay.” He settles in, relaxing a little. Bruce’s gait is smooth, avoiding any jarring of Tim’s broken wrist. He can see the Batmobile parked nearby.
“I’m sorry you got hurt, but thank you for protecting me.” He says quietly as they approach it.
“Always.” Bruce says firmly.