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Tim is down in the cave messing around with his domino mask. B is somewhere doing who knows what and Jason is working out in the training area.
Tim has an idea and he’s looking forward to the results.
He finishes what he’s doing and all that’s left is to wait for patrol.
Tim finds a target and smiles. Time to scare the shit outta someone.
“What are you doing?” Tim asks, perched up on one of the boxes in the warehouse. The man looks up at him and freezes.
“N-nothing.” Tim giggles. A minute ago he remotely connected to the lights in the building and so he flips them off. The eyes of his domino mask glow red and the man screams.
Tim is in the shadows and waits for the bad guys to turn around before turning the leds on his domino mask on. The men scream, one of them faints.
“Demon!?” His name rings over comms. “Are you ok?”
“I’m fine Robin, just having some fun.” He giggles and knocks the men out. He hears a swoosh and turns to see B standing behind him. “Hi!” He turns the glowing eyes off with the button he has in his sleeve next to his switchblade.
“So that’s the reason you’ve been more of a menace today.” B says. “Stop wandering away, it’s not safe.” Tim pouts. “I mean it.” He continues to pout as he follows B.
Tim sneaks away again, checking the rooftops for offerings. He finds a box on one of the designated rooftops. He checks it for traps before opening it. Inside is a handheld radio sitting on top of a leather jacket.
Little Demon,
We wanted your approval on the official Protector’s design. Please give us any feedback you have. We also wanted you to have one of our radios. The main channel is an open channel that any protector can listen to. Only the leaders can transmit. The second channel is leaders only.
Sincerely,
Us
Tim smiles as he unfolds the jacket. It’s black with a gray gargoyle stitched on the back. It’s perfect. He tries it on and finds it’s a little too big but he’ll grow into it soon enough. He clips the radio to his belt and pulls out a piece of paper. He writes a quick note and leaves it in the box.
He makes his way back to B and Robin.
“What are you wearing?” B asks, looking so done.
“The protectors made it for me, isn't it cool!” Tim does a little spin to show off the back.
“Oh that’s so fucking cool!” Robin says.
“Demon.” B growls and grabs the radio off his belt.
“Hey that’s mine!” Tim protests.
“Where did you get this?”
“They gave it to me.” Tim swears he hears B mutter ‘God help me’. “Give it back.” Tim tries to get it from B, who holds it over his head so he can’t reach.
“I’m not letting you have a direct line to a gang.” B says.
“It’s a cult.” Robin pipes up.
“Robin I swear,” Robin holds his hands up in surrender.
“Come on B, it’s just a radio.” Tim and Robin make eye contact. Together they attack.
It takes a few minutes but they successfully get the radio back. B could’ve stopped them but didn’t want to hurt them.
“Haha victory!” Robin yells, holding the radio up and handing it to Tim. Tim giggles.
“Robin, Demon.” B sounds so done. “Give it back.”
“No!” “Hell no!” They both speak at the same time. B crouches down in front of Tim.
“Demon, I’m not trying to be mean, I’m worried. I don’t like how close you’ve gotten to the gang. Don't even start Robin.” Robin pouts. “I know they do good work, I know they saved you. I know you like them and they give you gargoyles but I’m so scared.” Half way through B switched out of his Batman voice.
“I’m scared that you’ll get hurt, that they will hurt you. What if they lead you into a trap or feed you bad information? That’s why I don’t want you to have the radio.” Tim’s face falls.
“Oh,” Tim unhooks the radio from his utility belt and hands it over. “I’m sorry. Can I keep the jacket?” Tim mutters.
“Of course.” Tim falls forward into his dad’s arms. B picks him up and stands. “Let's end patrol now, it’s almost over anyway.” Robin pouts. Tim lets B carry him back to the Batmobile. B can get clingy when he’s scared for his kids. It’s kinda funny how clingy Batman can get. The Big bat is a big softy sometimes.
“Tim, can you come here for a minute?” Tim puts down his bow staff that he was training with and goes to his dad. He hops up on the desk.
“What’s up?”
“Here,” B passes him the radio.
“What? I thought you said…”
“I changed my mind. I connected it to my comm line so I can listen in but I think you deserve to have it. You found a way to help Gotham while staying mostly safe. You inspire people to do good. I’d be an idiot to ignore that.”
“Thank you dad.”
“This does not mean you get to be all buddy buddy with the gang.”
“It’s a cult!” Jason yells from somewhere. Tim didn’t even know he was down here.
“Jason Todd!” B yells in response. Tim giggles. B sighs and runs a hand down his face. “I will be listening to it, I don’t want you meeting with them without back up. I need you to be safe.”
“I’ll try.”
“I guess that’s the best I can ask for.”
——
Gordon is sitting at his desk when he sees a pair of glowing red eyes in his window. He jumps up and draws his gun. The owner of the red eyes slides the window open.
“Don’t shoot, B will be pissed.”
“Demon?” Gordon asks and lowers his gun.
“Yep!” Demon slides into his office, eyes dimming till they are no longer red.
“What’s with the eyes?”
“Puberty.” Gordon sighs.
“What can I do for you?” Gordon sits back down. Demon tosses a large file onto his desk. Gordon opens it and finds hundreds of photographs. “What is this?”
“I’ve been tracking black mask activity, B said I should give it to you.”
“Thanks,”
“It’s not enough to take them down but it’s a start.”
“A big start, thanks Demon.” When there’s no response Gordon looks up to find Demon gone. The only evidence he was ever here is the file on the desk and an open window.
——
“Hey little Gargoyle,” Tim yelps as Dick grabs his legs and hauls him up so he’s hanging upside down.
“Hey Dickie,” Tim greets and giggles as his brother swings him around.
“I heard Demon got an upgrade.” Dick says, setting him back down.
“Yeah! Can I show you?”
“Yes!” Tim runs to B’s office, ignoring the man sitting at his desk. “Hey B,”
“Hey Dick,” B greets. There’s no time for more conversation as Tim drags his oldest brother down to the batcave. Tim runs off to get dressed.
Tim comes back to the main part of the cave a few minutes later, decked out in his gear. He does a slow spin and Dick wolf whistles at him.
“That’s not even the best part.” Tim says and turns on the red eyes.
“Holy shit! You really sell the demon look now demon.” Tim laughs. “How’d you get the jacket?”
“The Protectors made it for me, they said they want it to be the official symbol of the protectors.”
“That’s sick.”
“They also gave me a radio. Before you freak out, B connected it to his comm line so he can listen in and stuff. He almost wouldn’t give it back.”
“I don’t blame him.” Tim scowls at him. “Tim, you’re only 12. You have an entire cult. He’s worried.” Tim pouts.
“I didn’t mean to start a cult, it just sorta happened.” Dick laughs.
“I know, that makes it 50 times better.” Tim smiles at him. “We just want to make sure you're safe.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to train for a bit?”
“Can you do the quadruple somersault again?” Tim hasn’t seen him do it in a bit.
“Ok nerd.” He ruffles Tim’s hair and walks to the gymnastics area.