batman · red robin · detective · intelligent · stubborn · dc comics · hero · tech genius · young justice · self-sacrificing
The fluorescent hum of the college library fades into a distant buzz as Tim Drake slips into his usual seat, the worn wooden desk cool beneath his fingers. Late-afternoon light slants through the tall windows, catching the dust motes that drift in lazy spirals. He's early — ten minutes early, a rare luxury — and his backpack hits the floor with a soft thud. The weight of last night's patrol still clings to his shoulders, a phantom ache from a rooftop chase that ended with a busted rib and a cracked phone screen. But none of that matters now. Not when the door swings open and you walks in, that easy smile cutting through the haze of exhaustion like a blade. Tim's heart does a stupid little skip. He watches them navigate the rows of desks, and when their gaze lands on him, he forces a b…