Close As Strangers

Close as Strangers

Tim hurts Stephanie a lot

Or: soulmate au that none of you asked for where any injury inflicted upon your soulmate is also inflicted onto you

Stephanie flies up with a scream breaking through her lips, ripping her bedsheets off and clasping her side. The heavy metallic smell of copper floods her nostrils, and Stephanie bites back the pain ripping through her.

Already there are more bruises blossoming on her body, purple and blue covering her like a painting.

Her hand comes away sticky and she sighs, blinking in the dim light casted in her bedroom by the moon. The sun isn’t up yet and Stephanie resigns herself to another sleepless night.

She stares at her hand, blood staining it slowly as it runs over the lines on her hand, bleeding through her fingers and onto the bedsheets- Oh hell no.

Stephanie flings herself out of her bed, wincing slightly at the pain that burns in her right side, observing her bedding with horror. The blood is spreading already, blooming out like a wave, consuming everything in it’s path. She swears silently. This is the seventh one she’s ruined ever since she’s moved out of her mom’s house and into Gotham University.

And this one was her favorite too.

Rubbing her eyes, she makes her way slowly to the bathroom and lifts her bloodied shirt to check on the injury. She groans, pain beating into her skull. Her breathing starts getting labored, and it hurts to draw in a breath. When she finally meets this soulmate of hers, she’s actually going to kill him.

Stephanie leans over to grab her first aid kit, which was already starting to run low on supplies.

She just restocked it last week.

She cleans her side as quickly as she can before expertly wrapping the wound, with deft fingers who’ve had years of experience behind them.

Her soulmate’s a pain. It is his fault that she’s now majoring in the medical field. She wasn’t going to have her mother wrap her wounds for the rest of her life, and someone was going to have to care for her idiot soulmate.

Although it did seem like someone did, seeing how he wasn’t dead yet. Her soulmate must be a huge daredevil because there hasn’t been a day since she’s turned 13 where she hasn’t woken up with a multitude of bruises and cuts on her body.

(Steph tries not to think about the amount of times she’s woken up with broken bones. One of the biggest mysteries in her dorm is the topic of her soulmate. Who’s so daring that their soulmate would end up covered head to toe in wounds?)

“Soulmates are a gift and should be treasured, they said,” she grumbles under her breath, moving onto the other cuts still opening up on her body, “it’s a blessing, they said.”

At this point, it’s better they don’t meet. She’s not sure if she’ll be able to restrain herself from killing the idiot herself.

Rolling her eyes, she throws herself back onto her bed. Her soulmate might be determined to get himself cut to pieces but she sure as hell isn’t looking forward to facing her test without sleep.

As it turns out, the test isn’t an issue, curtesy of Two Face invading.

They all watch with bated breath as he flips the coin.

“Tails,” he announces. “We wait for the Bat.

There’s a collective sigh of relief. With Batman, they have a chance of salvation.

Stephanie feels something start to build up, like something important and life changing is going to happen, and it’s going to happen soon.

Robin comes in first, bursting in the door with his bo-staff in front of him. Batman quickly follows suit and Steph watches with bated breath as they engage in battle.

Even when everyone else runs out, she stays in the corner, fixed onto the battle. She stares in horror as one of Two Face’s grunts drives a knife into Robin, burying it to the hilt and blood gushes out and-

Steph doubles over as pain erupts from her own abdomen and a small scream escapes from her lips.

Two Face doesn’t see her, and but Batman and Robin do, and in her pain-induced haze she thinks their eyes may have widened.

And then everything goes dark.

Stephanie awakens slowly to the familiar beeping of a heart monitor. The rest slowly washes over her, the slight murmuring of voices, the tapping of keys on a keyboards and- Where those bats?

Her eyes snaps open and she flies up, cringing slightly as her body screams in pain.

“Hey, take it easy,” she hears, and the curses she has ready die down in her throat.

Turning over, she studies the male who’s to be her soulmate. He’s a cute one, hair blacker than night, eyes bluer than the ocean.

Stephanie wonders what she’s done to be blessed with a man who basically won the genetic lottery.

And then she remembers that he’s the reason why she’s been in constant pain everyday for six years and her mood sours quickly.

“Just my luck,” she grumbled. “I meet my soulmate and I can’t even get out of bed to strangle him properly.”

The boy cracks a hesitant smile and Steph tries to ignore the fact that her heart (and the heart monitor) skipped a beat before flying into overdrive.

God he’s handsome.

Stephanie blinks when she feels a hand gently encase her own, rubbing it apologetically. She fixes her gaze onto her soulmate, the one who’s very soul was carved out to fit hers perfectly, and feels her checks heat up.

Stephanie tries to think of something to say, something to kickstart the conversation.

What does one say to the person whose soul is tied so closely to their own that their body can’t stand it when the other gets hurt?

Stephanie squirms slightly under his intense stare, the way his eyes seems to be worshiping her.

“Hi,” he finally says with a crooked smile that she loves already. “I’m Tim.”

She smiles, warm as the sun.

“Hello Tim, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Stephanie.”

And then the silence is shattered and their fate is sealed.

tangled and stretched (but never broken)

Timsteph Soulmate au take 3: the red string of fate

Stephanie remembers the first time she saw the red string. 

 She was six, and her grandma winked at her before making a cats cradle with the string connected to her pinkie, stretching out to the kitchen where her grandpa stood. 

 This, she murmured, placing Stephanie on her lap, is the red string of fate. Those connected by it are destined lovers, and are predetermined to always meet at some point in their lives. It can tangle and stretch, but never break. The one on the other end of the string will always the be the most match. And one day, you will find your other half, my sweet little Stephanie. 

 Stephanie nodded eagerly, imagining the time when she would find her own soulmate, her own love. 

 Bah! Her grandma’s voice suddenly changed. But your mother is stubborn. She insisted on defying the red strings of fate and marrying someone who is not her better half. This marriage will not end well, my little Stephanie. Be careful around that man, my sweet. You will have to face a hard future. 

 Years later, Stephanie can not say she is surprised when her father starts falling deeper into his criminal schemes and when her mother starts embracing her pills more than she ever embraced Stephanie. 

 Still, Stephanie is unprepared for how far her father would go to be recognized, how far her mother would fall down the abyss.

 And she slowly recognizes that she has to stop her father. 

 When she meets Robin, it’s insignificant. 

 Well, as insignificant as hitting someone with a brick. 

 When the brick cracked across his face, Robin and her ring finger jerked and she realized with that the string on her finger, the one that never seemed to end, was connected to the pinky finger of Robin.

She only saw Robin’s shocked face before she ran.

He was her soulmate, she would realize in shock when she got home and could finally think coherently.

My soulmate, she whispers to herself at night. Soulmate, the night would whisper back to her. Soulmate. 

 It took three days for Robin to track her down. (I followed the string, he whispered to her when they’re curled up together on the bed. I would’ve followed it forever to meet you.) 

 They carve out their spaces in each other’s hearts, with soft whispers of love and gentle caresses. They smile at each other under the moon, lost in each other’s warmth. 

 Then he is torn from her. 

 (I am no longer Robin, he says stiffly. And you can not visit me or else my father would grow suspicious.) 

 She becomes Robin. Then she “dies”. 

 She comes back. Then Batman dies. 

 Tim looks at her with betrayal. 

 (Don’t let me catch you in that suit again, he snarls, and her heart breaks as he tries to tear down what she worked to hard to protect.) 

 But then he’s back and she’s Batgirl and he’s Red Robin and Batman’s alive, He exclaims to everyone.

They work on a case together and she can’t help the shiver that runs up her back as his eyes drink her up in her purple dress. 

 But Batman’s back and Tim turns away from her again and she smacks Batman (her!! Stephanie Brown, normal girl who has to scream for her words to be heard.) 

 When everything settled down, she could only look from afar and feel the chasm between them, feel her string burn with an intensity at being in such close proximity with the one who completes her heart. 

Still, with the string, it’s only a matter of time before the found each other again.

 As she stands across from him, she can’t help but to remember that time, ages ago, when she was Spoiler and he was Robin and they were young and in love. Looking across at him, she can’t help but feel exactly she did at the young age of 15, looking shyly across at Tim with a soft smile. Under the moonlight, everything feels new and she feels young and innocent and ready to conquer anything with her love. 

 It doesn’t take much for them to find nirvana in one another, tangled up in sheets whispering sweet nothings to each other, feeling years of separation disappear like nothing as they giggle with each other. 

 They’ve changed but that’s okay because she still fits perfectly under his arm there and he still touches her like that and they’ve changed but they’ve also stayed the same. 

 Grandma, she whispers out to the night. I found him, the one on the other side of my string, can you see? 

 Beside her, Tim shifts and pulls her closer.

Waltz of Love

I was requested by @accio-fist to write about Stephanie dancing and Tim walking in on it.

Merry Christmas and I hope this lives up to your expectations!

Stephanie first sees it when she’s refining stealth techniques with Damian in the Wayne Manor (read: playing Hide and Seek). She’s in an obscure closet when she sees it, tucked away in the corner.

She wondered if it still worked.

But then Damian barges in and she has to leave it alone.

When she does get to come back, she immediately grabs it and finds the nearest empty room, setting it down. She carefully inserts a record, placing the needle on top of it.

The vinyl starts playing, and Stephanie can feel the music as it washes over her, beckoning her to dance.

And dance she does.

Stephanie doesn’t follow any set pattern, just moves with the beat. She flows with the soft and slow music, leaps with the loud and eccentric songs, and loses herself in the lyrics and rhythm.

Tim has no idea why there’s music coming from one of the older wings of the Manor, but he can’t help but try to seek out its source.

He stops in front of a door he remembers vaguely from his childhood, back when he was curious and tried to map out the entire manor.

Tim carefully opens the door and peeks his head in, expecting to see Cass or Dick or even Jason.

He did not expect to see Steph.

Tim watches with wide eyes as Stephanie dances, body gracefully twisting and turning as she moves, hair swirling around her like a halo.

When could Steph dance?

Tim’s eyes follow her legs as she twirls, one leg flung up as a guitar riff plays in the background. She’s wild and graceful, frenzied and dainty, and so beautiful.

Tim doesn’t know what comes over him but before he can stop himself, his legs carry him to her, hands slipping gently around her waist.

He feels her stiffen before turning around, and they face each other as the music transitions into a slower tune.

Steph places her hands on his shoulders, he wraps his around her waist, and they dance, entrapped in their own world.

They move as one, twirling around the room, stepping in unison. He loves the feeling of her waist under his hands, feeling her muscles flex under his fingertips. He loves looking into her eyes, seeing the peacefulness and concentration shining there. He loves every piece of her, head to toe, as he gently twirls her. Looking at her in front of him, he can’t help but think that he never wants the moment to end.

When the music starts to fade out, he thinks it only feels right to press his lips against hers, bodies melding together as the euphoria fades.

Under His Nose

It’s a completely normal day when Tim finally realized it. He had woken up like normal, brushed his teeth and got dressed. He drank the coffee that Stephanie made for him and listens to her endearing reminders to remember to lift his head up and remember to eat.

She’s out the door and he feels strangely lonely. His coffee no longer holds any appeal for him. He’s bored beyond belief without her.

Sighing, he pushes away from his table and starts to walk out and–

Wait.

He blinks.

One.

Two.

Three.

Since when did Tim own a waffle iron? Especially a purple one that still has a scratch on it from when Stephanie hit a burglar with it?

Tim looked around his kitchen, and notes with horror that he does not remember owning over half of the kitchen appliances in there. In fact, at least half of his kitchen is now purple.

Eggplant, his mind supplies helpfully.

In fact, Tim distantly remembers Stephanie doing her homework on the counter while eating cookies.

He blinks again.

Did Steph move in to the second greatest detective’s home right under his nose?

He cursed.

No. Freaking. Way.

Except, that’s the only way to explain the second toothbrush and cup in his bathroom. That’s the only way to explain the worn cartoon towels that have entered in towel closet, a contrast from the plain white towels he favors. That’s the only way to explain how a frozen waffles and popsicles have entered his fridge. That’s the only way to explain why only half the stuff in his closet is his own because he doesn’t remember owning dresses or shoes or–

Oh wait.

Yeah, thats the dress that Dick accidentally bought for him, his mind only registering on the robin red part and not the floor length gown part. And those are the heels that Cass had left in his house after a party and never came to retrieve them. And those are the necklaces his mother once owned.

Phew. Okay. So she hasn’t completely moved it in while he was unaware.

Except.

Tim has more than one closet.

Resisting the urge to hit his head on the door, Tim opens up the door to what’s supposed to be his closet. He’s resigned, he already knows what he’s going to see and yep. There it is.

There’s the tattered red hoodie she could never bear to part with. There’s the black leggings she always wears because they’re comfortable. There’s the purple dress she wore when they saved Leslie. There’s the row of heels and sneakers and flats all lined up. There’s the diamond necklace he got her on a trip to France.

Tim has no idea how he did not notice Steph move in. Some detective he was.

He resolves to immediately speak with her about her living arrangements because under no circumstances was she to move in without his permission-

There’s a sinking feeling in his stomach when he remembers that oh right they share a bed.

And the suddenly Steph’s home and he automatically walks over to greet her and she beams at him and he wraps his arm around her shoulder.

For a minute he wonders when this has become what’s familiar to him.

Then Steph leans up and he leans down and all his former thoughts drift away…

His eyes fly open.

Is that a hamster he sees in the corner of his living room?

Hoggy-Warty Hogwarts

Grab some popcorn, this fic is long.

Stephanie Brown remembers the day Tim leaves for Hogwarts, the third son to do so. She remembers forcing on a smile, cheering him on, even when her heart ached and she wished for more time. She remembers hugging him carefully, clinging onto the boy who has been her friend since forever. 

Stephanie Brown remembers the coldness that followed her everywhere when he left, the way all color seemed to have drain out of her life. She goes through her everyday life numbly, counting down the days until he’ll be back for summer.

Stephanie Brown remembers flying downstairs everyday to check if there’s an owl waiting for her. Sometimes there was, sometimes there wasn’t. The wasn’t’s slowly increased, until she finally accepted that no, he was not going to write. Then her days turned grey, and her eyes turned to stone.

Stephanie Brown remembers running down towards to Drake’s residence when summer begin, only to be told by the sympathetic woman at the door that Tim was going to be staying at his friend’s house over the summer. Just like that, her bright warm sunny days turned cold, and she walked home.

Stephanie Brown remembers her delight when she received her letter for Hogwarts, excitement boiling as she imagines the roof that reflects the outside surroundings, the candlelit halls, the beautiful dorms. Stephanie remembers Diagon Alley and its stores teeming with people. She remembers glimpsing Tim and calls him. He turns, looks at her briefly, and turns back towards his friends, laughing. She stared at him, stunned. Eyes smarting, she lowers her hand and quickly walks away, a shooting pain running through her heart.

She remembers getting Waffles, the owl whose feathers were the perfect golden brown, eyes blinking carefully at her. She thinks she loves him already.

Stephanie Brown remembers shivering with the rest of the first years as they watched the hat sing its song. She briefly scans the room and is surprised to see Tim’s intense blue eyes piercing into her souls from the Ravenclaw table. Heat rises up on her cheeks, but she doesn’t look away, not until Brown is called and she moves forward with a confidence she never possessed. She remembers the hat’s voice, flipping through her brain, asking her questions as it works. She’s holding her breath, hoping for-

Hufflepuff, the hat calls and the table erupts. Applause rings in her ears as she dazedly walks to the table, greeted with shoulder pats and handshakes. She only has eyes for the blue ones across the room, that have disappointment written all over them. Steph can’t help what wonder what he wants from her. Fat Friar tells her to cheer up, at least she was never denied the chance of becoming a cardinal. She stays quiet the entire meal, nibbling on a piece of pie as she watches Tim, smiling as he gulps food down with his friends. She can’t help but feel a little bitter.

Stephanie remembers the first time she bumps into him afterwards, lost in the seemingly endless hallways. He gently grabs onto her elbows to steady her, voice soft when he asks her if she’s okay. He’s looking at her with that look that sends warmth shooting down to her toes. He walks her to her dorm before disappearing, leaving her dazed and confused.

She remembers when she finally makes it onto the Quidditch, a Beater. She flies on her broom, feeling the air rush passed her, hearing the satisfying crack when she swings the bat and it connects with the bludger. For a second, she feels free, away from all the troubles on the ground.

She remembers her first accident from Quidditch, where they’re going against Ravenclaw and Tim flies at a certain angle that the sun hits him perfectly and her breath catches and she’s so- 

Pain. Falling. Air rushing by her. Is that screaming? More pain. 

Later, she’d get told a bludger had slammed into her ribs and knocked her off her broom, causing her to hit the ground. But now, she drifts away, mind half delusional from pain. She thinks that’s Tim rushing down towards her.

She remembers waking up three days later, informed by Madame Thompkins that her ribs were broken, that she’d successfully almost broken every bone in her body from the fall. She thinks, as she’s drifting under to the send of muffled voice behind the door, that she hears Tim’s voice.

Stephanie remembers waking up, when the sun is still down and the room dark, and seeing his outline by the door, hovering over her. She calls for him, reaching out, and he disappears.

Stephanie remembers the first time she goes to Hogsmeade, feels the butterbeer shoot down to her core, warming her up. She sees the couples walking along the streets, arm in arm, hand in hand. Her mind flashes to Tim, and her heart aches.

Stephanie remembers seeing Tim with that blonde girl, Cassandra, laughing and holding hands. Her heart clenches and rips, shattering like a glass vase dropped from a skyscraper. Tim doesn’t look at her, only ushers Cassandra to a table and pulls her chair out for her. Stephanie tears her eyes away, wondering why her face was getting wet.

Stephanie remembers triumph when Hufflepuff won the house cup for the first time in a century. She thinks they may have taken it a little too far with the celebrations, but can’t find it inside her to care. Joy bumbles inside of her and she throws her arms around everywhere, people in Hufflepuff, people in Slytherin, people in Gryffindor, Tim. He squeezes her tightly, even though his team lost, and he’s so warm she doesn’t want to let go.

Stephanie remembers when she’s at the library, peeking at Tim’s group, when the chair in front of her is pulled out, and a smooth male voice greets her.

That’s how she meets Dean.

She remembers putting her book down, smiling shyly at the boy who has charm oozing out of every pore. She stops paying attention to Tim, and puts all of it onto Dean.

Stephanie remembers when he asks her out to Hogsmeade. She remembers saying yes, heart pounding. He takes her to Three Broomsticks, lavishing her with gifts and praises. She remembers laughing when Tim walks in, his blue eyes widening when he sees her with Dean. She falters when his gaze connects with hers, swirling with emotion yet so cold at the same time. Cold, angry, betrayed… was he upset? She remembers Dean gently prodding her, sending a kind smile over towards her. She remembers when he pulls her closer to him, and then closer, and closer, and closer-

Their lips connect and she thinks she sees Tim turn around and leave but she can’t focus because she’s kissing he’s kissing they’re kissing-

Stephanie remembers Tim confronting her in the hallways, voice harsh as he asks her what she’s doing with Dean. She can’t help but retort, asking why he cared when he’s done so well so far staying out of her life.

Stephanie remembers people screaming when a black robed figure infiltrates their sacred school, raises their wand and slices down. A girl screams, clutching her face. Everyone scatters. The figure turns to her, and she’s paralyzed, mind screaming at her to move. She watches as they raise the wand, closing her eyes.

She remembers opening her eyes when nothing happens, and seeing Tim in front of her, wand raised. The figure is down, body smoking, and Tim is looking at her with that gentle look that breaks down every wall she tried to built between them. He’s gone though, pushed aside by Madame Thompkins as she checks over her. She tries to find him again in the crowd, but he’s gone.

Stephanie remembers Dean staring sadly at her, asking her if her heart truly belonged to him. She opens her mouth, but finds that she can’t answer. Dean only shakes his head and walks away, and Steph understands that this means they’ve broken up. Walking back to her room, she numbly wonders why she isn’t as hurt as she thought she would be.

Stephanie remembers jolting up at the middle of the night when she realizes why she wasn’t heartbroken. Her heart had never belonged to Dean. It had long ago went to the boy with the most beautiful blue eyes she’s ever seen, and black hair dark as the night. It went to the boy she played with as a child, it went to the boy who helped her find her way back to her dorm. It went to the boy who carried her to the infirmary when she was hit by the bludger, and watched over her at night. It belonged to the boy who saved her from that dark figure (who she finds out is a supporter of Black Mask) It belonged to the boy she wanted to go on Hogsmeade dates with, to Three Broomsticks and kiss and play Quidditch with and fly with and dance with and live forever with and-

She loved Tim. She could hardly dare to say it.

She loved Tim. She loved Tim. She loved Tim. She loved Tim.

I love him, she whispers, testing the words out. I love him I love him I love him.

Giddy, she goes to bed with a smile on her face.

Stephanie remembers sitting at Three Broomsticks when a hand rests on her shoulder and Tim sits down, and her hearts starts racing because his hair his eyes his smile-

Hi, he says with a smile that sends the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy. She grins back at him and there’s a new warmth that isn’t from the butterbeer. He compliments her hair, she comments on his eyes. He talks of riddles needed to make it into the Ravenclaw dorm, she talks about the cosy, round room that makes up the Hufflepuff common room. Watching him enthusiastically chatter about his newest accomplishment in Transfiguration (which, for some odd reason, is his favorite class. She has no idea why, Charms is so much better), she thinks she can get used to this.

They’re walking past Shrieking Shack when he reaches out and grabs her hand, and the flush on her cheeks is mirrored on his face. They’re walking past Honeydukes when he gives her his scarf, carefully wrapping it around her with an intensity in his eyes that has her unable to tear her eyes away. They’re back at Hogwarts when she leans up and kisses him on his cheek before fleeing inside her dorm, cheeks flaming.

She remembers the library, the steady breathing, peaceful murmuring of voices. She smiles at Tim, sitting in front of her, trying to explain the mechanisms of some wand movement. He flicks his wand and writes his name in the air. She frowns slightly and mimics his action, drawing a ’T’ before it fizzes out. He comes around the table, wraps his hand around hers, and adjusts her grip. Slowly, they write “Tim” in the air, his hand warm around hers. Her head is buzzing from his proximity, chest pressed against her back, head resting on her shoulder. He’s too close and not close enough, she thinks, and freezes when he lightly presses his lips against her cheek before pulling away. A grins breaks out and she wants to yank him in and kiss him senseless. She licks her lips and he looks away.

Stephanie Brown remembers when Black Mask invaded her haven, invaded Hogwarts. She remembers walking to the door and seeing the daunting figure in black, with his eerie mask and gaunt figure. She remembers him raising his wand at the young first-years at the doorway. She remembers jerking forward, raising her wand, and telling him defiantly that he will enter over her dead body, shooing the children in to warn the castle.

Stephanie remembers more pain than she’s ever known before, spell after spell hitting her while she tries her best to keep them at bay. Stephanie Brown remembers searing pain shredding her body as the Black Mask’s cutting spell slams right through her shield and hits her, the tipping point in the battle. She remembers the barrage of spells hitting her over and over again, and she wonders where the backup was.

She remembers Black Mask carefully aiming his wand at her, a red flash, and she falls. Stephanie remembers the resolve running through her, that she was going to keep on fighting. She remembers her trembling arms, remembers wishing she told Tim how she felt. Stephanie remembers when she finally accepted that she was going to die, that no backup was coming, that she still must fight because she can’t let the Black Mask in, even as his followers spread out.

Stephanie remembers when Black Mask got tired of playing with her, and he starts to prepare for the killing curse. Stephanie remembers thinking this is it, her broken wand dangling in her hand. She remembers hearing voices shouting, remembers seeing a brilliant green light flash at her.

She remembers warm arms wrapping around her, yanking her out of the way. She remembers lying on the ground, dazed as blue eyes, familiar yet unfamiliar, stare down worriedly at her. His mouth is moving, telling her something that she can’t hear. She thinks he’s telling her to hold on, or maybe pleading her to stay. She thinks she loves him so much, and curls her fingers around his hand. She’s glad she gets to see him before she dies.

Stephanie Brown remembers waking up to pain and a black haired boy sleeping on the chair next to her. He’s resting against his arms, and she thinks that he is the most beautiful person she’s ever seen.

She remembers when he wakes up, blue eyes that she adored so much staring into her. He says nothing, just raises his hand and presses it against her face and she realizes she’s crying, tears leaking out from her eyes. She’s so thankful she’s alive, so thankful Hogwarts is standing, so thankful Tim is here with her. Steph flings her arms around Tim and starts sobbing.

Stephanie remembers when she is finally dispatched from the infirmary. Tim hasn’t been back since the first day, and she’s determined to let him know how she feels. She finds him in the owlery, watching the birds fly in and out. He doesn’t turn around when she walks in.

She starts saying something, except he turns around and he’s crying and she’s just standing there and he’s looking at her like she’s going to disappear and she tells him she’s not and he looks at her still like she’s going to leave and-

He tells her how scared he was, that she would die. He let everything rush out, his apologies for ignoring her in the beginning, years ago, his wish for her to be in Ravenclaw, his panic when she had gotten injured from Quidditch, how he tried to move on from her but couldn’t, his pulsing fear when that dark figure had pointed the wand at her, how wonderful she felt in his arms, his growing desire for her as time went by, his jealousy when he realized he waited too long and she was taken, his heart racing when she smiles, his hope when he hears that she and Dean had broken up, his horror when he sees Black Mask point that wand at her, her battered and injured body, his-

Tim, she says, cutting him off. Get to the point.

He gets up and walks towards her and her heart’s racing. He stops when he’s right in front of her and he’s looking down at her and she’s looking up at him and he sends her this look that makes her feel butterflies.

Stephanie, he says. I love you.

Then he leans down and she reaches up and they meet halfway, two beings merging into one.

5 More Things That Never Happened to Stephanie Brown

Part two of 5 things that never happened to Stephanie.

1. The Even Number Robins When the doors of her cell blow down and a guy in a red helmet comes in guns blaring, mouth swearing, the first thought that pops up in Steph’s mind isn’t cool entrance or even damn, this guy’s ripped.

She’s not thinking any coherent thought actually, just that she’s never coming back to Japan.

But those thoughts kind of disappeared when the guy stepped in front of her and snorts, “Who the fuck are you?”

And so, the even numbered screw up robins meet.

Her last regret before she dies is that she’s eaten less than a thousand waffles her entire life.

She likes to think she snorts back something smart but to be honest, she’s a little out of it so maybe her account is a little skewed up.

But the basics are there and that’s what matters.

Then he takes her somewhere and gets her healed and tells her to enjoy the couch, he’s taking the bed.

Who says chivalry is dead?

And years later, when she’s calling him, warbling a heeeeeey Jacion and he’s picking up with a sigh and a grunt and plea to have her extracted from his life, she knows that they’ve really formed a bond.

2. Harmony Stephanie remembers when she had a voice.

When she would skip around and laugh and joke and words would fall from her lips like water drops and all gone all gone.

Stephanie remembers when her father took them all away.

Stephanie remembers the fear, Stephanie remembers the smell of beer, Stephanie remembers the jeers.

Stephanie remembers when she had harmony.

Stephanie remembers mute mute mute.

Stephanie remembers ugly and clashing and anger and warring emotions and then.

Stephanie remembers the blue eyed boy who brought so much light into her life, who made her smile like no other, who helped her find harmony again.

When Stephanie finally steps up onto the stage to play her piano piece, her eyes only see Tim.

And when she allows her fingers to gently rest upon the keys and create a flowing melody, she remembers Tim gently encouraging her to keep playing.

When she’s done and breathing heavily and smiling with absolute delight and applause is ringing all around her–

She only sees Tim.

(Years late she’ll sit him down and start playing, placing all her emotions into the song until Tim hugs her and repeats her message back to her ten times over and she leans up and he leans down and she learns another form of harmony.

IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou)

3. Beware the Spoiler Batgirl was hers. But with her legs out of commission, Batgirl is a distant spot in the horizon.

It’s time to move on. It’s time for a new name.

She’s always liked Spoiler.

Years later when she’s ruthlessly hacking into Jason’s phone and Tim’s games and Dick’s laptop and Lex Luthor’s company, she gets a grim feel of delight as countless of people are stumped by the Spoiler.

4. Meet the Family “Are you nervous?” Tim asks her gently, as he guided her up the stairs.

“I’m about to meet my boyfriend’s family, who just happen to be one of the richest families in the world, and could buy my family without blinking an eye. No. I am not nervous. In fact, I am the epitome of not nervous,” Steph rambled, apprehensive. She knew she shouldn’t have gone for the shy boy sitting in the corner, reading.

Tim just laughs and guides her gently in and she pretends that she’s not clinging onto Tim’s hand like a lifeline.

Years later, when she screaming after Damian and chasing after Jason to get her phone back, she wonders how she could have ever been scared of them.

(And when Tim finally kneels on one knee and pulls out a ring, the only answer bursting from her lips is yes yes always.)

5. Hope Shines Bright Stephanie Brown is a dignified ambassador of the Blue Lantern Corp. She does not get angry with a little upstart named Damian makes fun of her chest, she does not throw a car at Sinestro Corp Bruce when he angers her, and her heart does not skip a beat when Green Lantern Tim Drake smiles at her.

(But damn his eyes are so blue and his muscles are just-)

She does not blush when Tim presents her with a flower, she does not get distracted by his mouth when he’s talking, and she does not feel warm inside when he wraps her up in his arms after pulling her out of the way from a life threatening hit.

She does not feel ecstatic when she and Tim are partnered up, her heart does not speed up whenever he tenderly dresses her wounds, she does not feel warm fuzzies remembering that she makes him stronger.

Stephanie is in denial and very much in love.