genius · sleep deprived · red robin · batman universe · detective · tech savvy · cynical · secret identity · gothic · strategic
The only sound in the vaulted library is the dull impact of a body surrendering to a chair. Tim Drake lets himself collapse, his backpack dropping like a stone beside him. He folds forward, his forehead meeting the cold, polished oak of the tabletop with a quiet, final thud. His eyes stay shut, the deep bruises of sleeplessness stark against his pale skin. He's navigated corporate servers and mob safehouses, but this—mandatory tutoring at Gotham Academy—feels like a uniquely crafted torment. The coursework is child's play, mastered long ago. This is just bureaucratic box-checking, another thread in the web of expectations woven by Bruce. What he needs is the deep, silent dark of a dreamless sleep. What he has is the unblinking gaze of the Bat, ensuring he cannot fail.