Fic: "Confusion" by kyrdwyn [PG, Batman Comics AU]
Title: Confusion
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, (Tim/Jason), Talia al Ghul/Slade Wilson
kissbingo Prompt: cheek
Summary: "That is not Timothy."
Warnings: AU. Dark AU.
Beta: None
Jason stood at the window into the infirmary's isolation chamber, watching as the doctors, and Cass, treated the Tim Drake they'd retrieved from the Batman's compound. Jason had ordered the patient restrained, just in case this Tim had the same skills his Tim did. Cass was the only trained fighter in the room, and the few seconds it took the patient to get out of the restraints would give her time to get the non-combatants out and Jason in to join the fight.
"Jason."
The familiar voice made him turn to see his mother striding down the hallway, accompanied by her long time lover. The green and gold cloak of her father's that she'd inherited flowed around her as she came to stand at Jason's side. "You have him in restraints? Do you think the Batman compromised him mentally? Or are you worried about the effects of the Lazarus Pit?"
Jason shook his head. "That's not Tim."
Talia al Ghul, Head of the Demon, looked at her son sharply. "Jason, that is clearly Timothy."
Slade Wilson came up on Jason's other side. "You think the Bat used plastic surgery on someone?"
"I don't know what happened," Jason said. "But the man in that bed does not have Tim's tattoos on his shoulder or ankle. The Batman would not have been that careless if he were replacing Tim with one of his own agents. Additionally, his body has more scars than Tim's does, also a sloppy job for the Batman or Raptor as the scars are older than whatever they just put him through. And . . ." he glanced at Slade. "His right eye is real. No sign of it ever having been removed or replaced with an artificial one."
Slade didn't react, but Jason knew that had to touch a nerve within the man. Tim had sought Slade out as a teacher after his eye had been destroyed by Batman. Slade had an obvious affection for his student, if one knew how to see Slade's brand of affection.
"So where did this Timothy come from, then?" Talia asked, putting a hand on Jason's shoulder. She and Slade were the only two who knew Tim had died from the wounds Raptor had given him, and who knew where Tim was buried. Jason had wanted to avoid the Bat trying to torment them with a resurrected Tim Drake. But somehow, the bastard was anyway.
"I don't know, Mother," Jason said. "My contacts in the Batman's organization are looking deeper, but as far as they knew, this Tim Drake was my . . ." Jason swallowed and leaned into his mother's touch before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Raptor is rather upset we rescued this Tim before the Batman returned from his business trip."
"He would be," Slade growled. "Batman will be pissed."
"Unless this is a ploy, in which case he's just pretending to be upset that we rescued their faux-Timothy," Talia said. A carefully manicured fingernail tapped on the ledge of the observation window. "Are you going to interrogate him, or shall I have someone else do it?"
Jason considered the situation. "I'll do it. I know Tim's reactions better than anyone other than Slade. I'll know if they aren't right."
"Have Cassandra watch from the observation window," Talia ordered as the medic in question and the staff left the isolation room. "She will be able to tell if he's lying, no matter how good it might be at faking Tim's mannerisms."
"I'll be watching as well. But don't go unarmed, kid. If he's a plant of the Bat and his pet Raptor, we don't know what kind of skills he has." Slade hadn't turned from the window as he said this.
"I won't," Jason said. If this was a trap, a ploy to kill the Head of the Demon or her son, then Tim or no Tim, Jason would kill the man himself.
"What game are you playing, Beloved?" Talia mused quietly. On Jason's other side, Slade very obviously didn't stiffen, but Jason knew he was as disturbed as Jason was that Talia still referred to the Batman as her Beloved, despite everything he'd done to the al Ghul family.
Inside the isolation chamber, the patient who looked like Tim shifted on the bed, coming back to consciousness. His forehead creased as he tugged at a restraint, and his eyes opened. He frowned as he took in the isolation room, the restraints on his ankles and wrists.
Talia turned to Jason. "You'd best go in soon, my son."
Jason nodded, not really looking forward to this. Talia reached out and cupped his cheek in her hand, drawing him in so she could press a kiss to his free cheek. "If that is truly not your Timothy, we will raze Wayne Manor to the ground to avenge this wrong," she promised. "In the meantime, I will investigate Timothy's resting place, to ensure he is undisturbed."
Jason leaned into his mother's touch. "Thank you, Mother," he replied. He pulled away and bowed to her before heading to the door into the isolation room. He paused for a second, hand on the door handle, and ran through a calming breathing exercise before he opened his eyes and the door and faced the man who was not his Beloved.
Next: Revelation
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, (Tim/Jason), Talia al Ghul/Slade Wilson
kissbingo Prompt: cheek
Summary: "That is not Timothy."
Warnings: AU. Dark AU.
Beta: None
Jason stood at the window into the infirmary's isolation chamber, watching as the doctors, and Cass, treated the Tim Drake they'd retrieved from the Batman's compound. Jason had ordered the patient restrained, just in case this Tim had the same skills his Tim did. Cass was the only trained fighter in the room, and the few seconds it took the patient to get out of the restraints would give her time to get the non-combatants out and Jason in to join the fight.
"Jason."
The familiar voice made him turn to see his mother striding down the hallway, accompanied by her long time lover. The green and gold cloak of her father's that she'd inherited flowed around her as she came to stand at Jason's side. "You have him in restraints? Do you think the Batman compromised him mentally? Or are you worried about the effects of the Lazarus Pit?"
Jason shook his head. "That's not Tim."
Talia al Ghul, Head of the Demon, looked at her son sharply. "Jason, that is clearly Timothy."
Slade Wilson came up on Jason's other side. "You think the Bat used plastic surgery on someone?"
"I don't know what happened," Jason said. "But the man in that bed does not have Tim's tattoos on his shoulder or ankle. The Batman would not have been that careless if he were replacing Tim with one of his own agents. Additionally, his body has more scars than Tim's does, also a sloppy job for the Batman or Raptor as the scars are older than whatever they just put him through. And . . ." he glanced at Slade. "His right eye is real. No sign of it ever having been removed or replaced with an artificial one."
Slade didn't react, but Jason knew that had to touch a nerve within the man. Tim had sought Slade out as a teacher after his eye had been destroyed by Batman. Slade had an obvious affection for his student, if one knew how to see Slade's brand of affection.
"So where did this Timothy come from, then?" Talia asked, putting a hand on Jason's shoulder. She and Slade were the only two who knew Tim had died from the wounds Raptor had given him, and who knew where Tim was buried. Jason had wanted to avoid the Bat trying to torment them with a resurrected Tim Drake. But somehow, the bastard was anyway.
"I don't know, Mother," Jason said. "My contacts in the Batman's organization are looking deeper, but as far as they knew, this Tim Drake was my . . ." Jason swallowed and leaned into his mother's touch before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Raptor is rather upset we rescued this Tim before the Batman returned from his business trip."
"He would be," Slade growled. "Batman will be pissed."
"Unless this is a ploy, in which case he's just pretending to be upset that we rescued their faux-Timothy," Talia said. A carefully manicured fingernail tapped on the ledge of the observation window. "Are you going to interrogate him, or shall I have someone else do it?"
Jason considered the situation. "I'll do it. I know Tim's reactions better than anyone other than Slade. I'll know if they aren't right."
"Have Cassandra watch from the observation window," Talia ordered as the medic in question and the staff left the isolation room. "She will be able to tell if he's lying, no matter how good it might be at faking Tim's mannerisms."
"I'll be watching as well. But don't go unarmed, kid. If he's a plant of the Bat and his pet Raptor, we don't know what kind of skills he has." Slade hadn't turned from the window as he said this.
"I won't," Jason said. If this was a trap, a ploy to kill the Head of the Demon or her son, then Tim or no Tim, Jason would kill the man himself.
"What game are you playing, Beloved?" Talia mused quietly. On Jason's other side, Slade very obviously didn't stiffen, but Jason knew he was as disturbed as Jason was that Talia still referred to the Batman as her Beloved, despite everything he'd done to the al Ghul family.
Inside the isolation chamber, the patient who looked like Tim shifted on the bed, coming back to consciousness. His forehead creased as he tugged at a restraint, and his eyes opened. He frowned as he took in the isolation room, the restraints on his ankles and wrists.
Talia turned to Jason. "You'd best go in soon, my son."
Jason nodded, not really looking forward to this. Talia reached out and cupped his cheek in her hand, drawing him in so she could press a kiss to his free cheek. "If that is truly not your Timothy, we will raze Wayne Manor to the ground to avenge this wrong," she promised. "In the meantime, I will investigate Timothy's resting place, to ensure he is undisturbed."
Jason leaned into his mother's touch. "Thank you, Mother," he replied. He pulled away and bowed to her before heading to the door into the isolation room. He paused for a second, hand on the door handle, and ran through a calming breathing exercise before he opened his eyes and the door and faced the man who was not his Beloved.
Next: Revelation