The atmosphere in the Batcave had been… strange lately.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJQhf1pMpI
Not because of a new mission. Not because Gotham was hit by some disaster.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyIX4qT9Lh
But because—Tim was acting weird.
He often disappeared without warning, claiming it was for “patrol,” but he’d just vanish.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjkGAQ7AlM
He’d sit alone at the table, staring at his phone with a dopey grin, sometimes even mumbling replies to messages—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKz6NXWjT5j
And his smile was unusually soft. Unusually dumb.
Sure, once he was on duty, he was still the most level-headed tactician in all of Gotham.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGw5c5SgP8
But the subtle change was impossible to hide.
At first, the rest of the Batcave observed quietly.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9CrPG9afW
But soon, they all said the same thing, almost in unison:
Dick: “He’s in love.”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wfyMcAOjg
Jason: “Totally in love.”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGyKbN1Aur
Damian: [Frowning so hard he looked like Gotham’s weather map] “….”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTabbtBwhm
Steph: “He's definitely in love!”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQslTn1r1Z
Barbara: “And it’s going really well, too.”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9gBGXmtLw
Lyla: “Yep, Tim’s in love. It’s real.”
Then, everyone turned to look at the one person who hadn’t said a word—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTDiM8mwFN
The one still waiting for Tim’s investigation report.
Batman: “…”
Bruce looked up, just in time to see Tim climb in through the window, still texting, so distracted he bumped into a chair—and pretended it didn’t happen.
Regardless, it was now universally acknowledged in the Batcave:129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqkxG8QaZ0
Tim Drake had fallen in love.
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That night, Tim moved through Gotham like a ghost, gliding expertly from shadow to shadow.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipNtIex5cO
His shift had ended, his daily report was submitted on time, and he didn’t linger.
Just as Batman walked into the command room holding the last file Tim had handed in—
“Tim, that report you—”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl3Q8p9fQ2
The chair was empty. The only thing left was the low hum of the computer fan.
Alfred walked past calmly. “Master Wayne, young people have lives too. You should get some sleep.”
Batman paused, staring at the empty chair for a long moment.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAiHdXDz6q
His frown deepened as if realizing something—and not liking it.
—Meanwhile, Tim had already vanished into Gotham’s night.
He vaulted silently across rooftops, landing without a sound. He knew this path like the back of his hand.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RRQWnF2xw
Because he’d been here more than once.
This wasn’t a mission.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlxZEAHBGu
It was his own destination.
In front of a small apartment, he didn’t need to hack the lock anymore.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RWjOFJIus
He no longer snuck in—he keyed in the passcode openly.
That was his access.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvaKicIvyf
Part of his current life.
He opened the door. The entryway light was off, but a soft, warm glow came from the living room.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4igJf5oFr
And just like always, someone was lying on the sofa.
Tim sighed. “Nora… Why are you sleeping out here again?”
He walked over, unsurprised to see her bandages loosened, with the skin around her wound faintly red.
“I told you, I’ll take care of the sheets. You should be sleeping in your bed.”
Nora opened her eyes, raised her arms, and said nothing.
Tim didn’t need to ask.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstDxBmDFDZ
She curled her fingers, and he leaned down, letting her hand rest naturally on his shoulder.
They kissed quietly—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3tUdPHDjV
A silent ritual, an unspoken goodnight.
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Time passed. The quiet in the room remained.
Tim gently picked up a cotton swab, carefully wiping away the old scar cream.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXoSkQ4G8X
His touch was soft—like he was afraid of disturbing something fragile.
Just as Nora said, the wound was healing fast.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdITmaNbHf
Though still a vivid scar, it was a mark of survival.
Three days ago, he’d already removed the stitches. Following doctor’s instructions, it wasn’t against the rules.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1eEhYQ2Wn
Still, he wasn’t at ease.
He even bought special scar cream—not from the Batcave, but from a medical supply store he went out of his way to visit.
Nora muttered, “A little more pressure. It tickles.”
Tim looked up at the blonde woman lying on the sofa.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW2i1jXPzX
She was his girlfriend.
Just… not the way he imagined.
This woman, in private, was a total gremlin. 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJAzvX27bH
Every time Tim started lecturing, she’d shut him up with a kiss.
She undid her bandages whenever she felt itchy.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWq1PN8aPq
She’d drag him away from his coffee, demand he come to bed and sleep beside her.
And somehow, he actually listened.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH5f5Q9b62
He’d put down the files, turn off his comms, and get in bed like an obedient boyfriend.
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Tim lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Nora had already curled into the blanket beside him—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0L0VBOYrTX
And was now shamelessly acting as a human lullaby machine, gently patting his chest and humming a tune.
This wasn’t the kind of relationship he’d envisioned.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VlD4SvQQF
It was harder than criminal interrogation.
The first time she did it, he looked at her in confusion.
“…Nora?” he asked quietly, as if checking if she was being serious.
She didn’t answer. Just kept humming the nameless tune.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1xSSEaSHG
Then she looked up—green eyes meeting his blue.
She reached out and covered the dark circles under his eyes with her fingers—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjR8kL3z5v
Rubbing them gently, like mocking his sleep deprivation… or maybe, just a soft form of scolding.
Tim’s mouth twitched. His expression was complicated.
Nora giggled, burrowed further into his chest, and rested her face in the crook of his neck.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjtVbxDxA7
She stopped humming—only her breathing warmed his skin.
In their quiet apartment, night blanketed everything.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3jI4ftWRg
And for once, the world was still.
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On the morning of the new school term, Nora arrived at the kindergarten on time.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnU5fbKXaG
She wore a neat uniform, her hair in a low ponytail, smiling as she greeted the children arriving one by one.
What surprised her was—no one questioned her "miraculous recovery."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsKAeQkD9u
The teachers just smiled and said she looked even better than before the break.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD8u2uS2pd
The parents merely nodded hello.
It was as if the kidnapping and gunshot never happened.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ179khRtGMf
She had no idea what Tim told them.
Standing in the sunlight, she smiled.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIcI8B8f6R
A black car quietly stopped outside the gate.
The door opened, and the young CEO of Drake Industries stepped out.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JcnhzD79A
Tim was holding Finn’s little backpack in one hand, slipping the car key into his pocket with the other.
And Finn—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDP0yrLaTN
The moment the door opened, launched like a cannonball toward her.
“Nora!” he shouted, diving into her arms, his little hands wrapping around her neck.
Nora caught him and kissed his forehead with a smile.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tjlpBUJih
“Our boy is full of energy today.”
Tim walked up with a sigh, holding up the backpack. Their eyes met.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEaMtGamDA
This was the third time this week.
The Batfamily had all voted:129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sc5LG3bSj
“Tim should be the one to take Finn to school.”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TX3r60Ti8
The reason?129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4PkMr4Z4t
Finn needs emotional security.
Tim didn’t object.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNG5xB3Ya31
But it meant his routine now was:129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOHIlYmbMs
Wake up at Nora’s → return to Wayne Manor → change → take Finn to school → see Nora again at the kindergarten.
Officially, they were just “Finn’s uncle” and “his teacher.”129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxX4JwEvgCT
In reality? They’d just gotten out of the same bed that morning.
Tim was still wondering how long they could keep this up, when—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cjJH0U7at
Nora raised her hand.
“Oh dear, Mr. Drake, your collar is messy.”
She stepped close, adjusting the collar of his shirt—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wUyOqABBx
But her fingers lightly brushed his earlobe, grazing the side of his neck like a feather.
Tim froze.
Nora’s green eyes remained calm, as if nothing had happened.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjd5INa5dD
“Finn, say goodbye to your uncle,” she said sweetly.
“Bye~” Finn waved happily, then took her hand and skipped into the classroom.
Tim stood there, feeling like his ear was on fire.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV4K1S6rk1
He quietly raised a hand to touch the spot—129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMeCE1WYH8
Yup. Still warm.
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Night fell quietly over Gotham.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlcwg1DB83
The city sank into darkness, lit only by a few lonely streetlights.
But Nora’s apartment glowed with warm yellow light.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJw0wwNDsT
The coffee table in front of the sofa was scattered with needles, fabric scraps, dissected stuffed animals, and a small bag of precision electronics.
Tim sat on the sofa in loungewear, glasses on, carefully stitching a fuzzy green dinosaur.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtACVlDxCd
He used extra-fine thread, sewing every stitch straight and steady.
A cleaning cloth rested on his knee, used to wipe off glue or thread bits.
Nora sat on the sofa’s armrest, legs swinging, watching him like she was enjoying a drama—eyes full of amusement and affection.
“Are you sure you want this kind?” Tim muttered without looking up. “It has audio monitoring, a camera, and connects to my system’s internal net… Are you sure?”
“That’s exactly what I want,” Nora grinned like a fox.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysyEnKiPGw
“I want you watching me all the time. Isn’t that sweet?”
Tim finally looked up.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLYo7fDVDT
He thought she was joking.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡca8gtO3wfH
But her eyes were so serious, he choked on his reply.
“…I really can’t tell when you’re kidding.”
“Then just assume I’m always serious,” she said, leaning in to touch the freshly sewn stitches.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI0z67wQdN
“Not bad, Mr. Drake. That’s some neat needlework.”
“I can’t believe I let you sweet-talk me into buying this from the toy store,” Tim muttered as he packed away the needle and thread.
Nora smirked proudly.
Tim flipped the dinosaur over, unzipped the back, and checked the stability of the installed camera.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVHaS8WixY
He’d even added sound detection and a safety shut-off for overheating—after all, this thing would be living on her bed.
Nora’s gaze softened as she looked at the dinosaur.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqakp9QkPJ
Her voice was gentle as the night wind:129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvXON1oBGa
“Tim, I knew you’d come looking for me.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAgpOgTyUx
Even if I vanished from the hospital…129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHOFU8EdHd
You’d still find me.”
Tim’s hand paused.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3E3k8DHpp
Then, in a low voice, he said:129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1ltEHiGux
“Because I never stopped watching you.”
Nora snatched the dinosaur out of his hands and hugged it to her chest.129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw06NJVbP45
With a wide grin, she leaned into his shoulder.
“Then I’m safe now, Red Robin.” 129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjsVf7Qap3
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and then Add to home screen.