Tangled And Stretched(but Never Broken)

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.

but then it doesn't matter because something comes along and

"Shoot shoot shoot guys what do we- where did you pull that gun out of??"

MY FAVOURITE trope is the 

“leave all your weapons” *takes out far more weapons than expected (or logically able to carry)*

youtube/vlog au part 1

waking up with steph

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.

Hogwarts

How would everyone feel about Hogwarts AU Timsteph?

Tim Meets Ice Skating

Tim follows a specific schedule.

At 6, he gets up, gets dressed, and brushes his teeth.

At 6:30, he runs out of the house to go to work at Wayne Industries with a cup of coffee in hand. At the age of 17, he’s their youngest official worker (and he basically runs the company.)

At 12:30, he stops for a quick lunch break.

At 7, he saves all changes and leaves the building.

And at 7:30, he goes to one of the many indoor ice rinks of Gotham owned by Oswald Cobblepot. And he’s not there to skate, Time doesn’t even like skating.

No, he’s there for the blonde skater who’s always there at 7:30 helping kids out.

She’s certainly not the best skater there (but this rink is for enjoyment, not professionals), but she’s the only one who’s has that positivity just radiating off of her. She’s the only one who truly looks content, just skating gracefully while the other groups whiz by her, laughing and cheering. She’s the only one who doesn’t laugh when a kid falls but squats in front of them, coaxing them to skate, gently leading them through the rink.

She’s the only one he’s there to see.

Tim first saw her when Dick dragged him and the rest of the family there, insisting that they go for “family bonding” and “joy that can only come from gliding on ice.”

Jason had told him he was full of shit, and Tim agreed whole-heartedly.

When he did go though, he saw the blonde skating by herself and nearly fainted.

The light had been hitting her at just the right angle, highlighting her cheekbones and showing off the contours of her face. She moved languidly, legs gracefully gliding on top of the ice and no Dick he was not staring.

Somehow, he’d learned that she comes around at 7:30, there to skate by herself but also willing to help the little kids out.

Those times when she does help the children skate, compassion written on her face, they’re nice to watch. But his favorite times are when she’s left alone to skate. There, she starts to loosen up, relaxing until a small smile graces upon he face and she moves freely, like there’s not a trouble in the world.

He’s content to just watch her on the side as she laughs and spins.

But she’s not.

“Hey you, what’s the deal?” She snaps, glaring at him from the rink. “You’ve been watching me skate for weeks. Do you have anything to say?”

Blue, he realizes, staring at her. He’s never been this close to her before. Her eyes were blue, like the sky on days where clouds are nowhere to be seen and there’s a light breeze and-

“Well?” She demands, eyebrows arching. “Are you going to answer me?”

Tim flushes and offers her a flustered compliment on her skating (it stills earns him a smile though, and Tim goes him that day with spirits soaring.)

Afterwards, she always makes sure to greet him with a cheery “hello” and a blinding smile. They’d sit on the side together and just talk, first about ice skating, then about their day, their lives, their families.

Tim would watch her talk, her hands moving animatedly, her cheeks flushed, and feel this unknown sensation bubble up in his chest.

He’d still come everyday, watching her skate. She got a little more daring, executing more spins and jumps than normal (he’s not complaining, strangely enough he finds himself liking the way her legs flex, her back arch, her arms stretch.)

He loves seeing the delight and cheer on her face when she perfects a spin (his favorite is when she mastered the flying sit spin, she was so excited that she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. He went home with his head in the clouds.)

It’s December 31st and he’s walking by the ice rink when he notices the light inside (he’s pretty sure the ice rink shouldn’t be open on New Year’s Eve). He’s surprised to see Steph there, getting ready to start a spin before the door slams close.

She starts and her feet come out beneath her, crashing onto the floor.

Tim is by her side in seconds, gently helping her up and spewing out apologies faster than she can understand.

He pulls her up, careful to not hurt her and she stands up and oh.

She’s close to him. Like, really close. Like if he just tilted his head he’d be able to kiss her close.

Like Steph standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips up against his mouth close. Like Tim kissing back with all he’s got while fireworks herald in the new year close. Like Tim’s hands sliding down to fit perfectly onto her hips close.

They break apart, breathing heavily.

“Happy New Year Tim,” Steph whispers, gently leaning up to kiss his lips one more time before walking away, humming one song or another.

Tim just stands there, dazed.