The first person who asked me to put my writing on AO3, thank you for your appreciation and I'm honored to have a piece of my work considered so highly... but also count your days bc I genuinely believe my life spiraled after posting that first chapter. The curse is real, and that website is like moldavite istg.
Tim made a miscalculation.
He wasn’t aware of the true nature of Deathstroke’s tension with his older brother until he witnessed it first hand.
Creep. He thought uncharitably, nay, spitefully.
No. Absolutely the fuck not.
He ruined Catalina’s life. Considering Deathstroke had no life, Tim will just have to go the extra step to end it. So what if the man was Ra’s former student and one of the best assassins around? Tim used to foil League plots for shits and giggles. Maybe the 8 year old Tim of old would never have considered going against a big baddie, but 24 year old Tim ran circles around bigger fish.
Tim scowled, stowing away his binoculars before shimmying down the fire escape. He counted at least three propositions! In the five minutes they were duking it out! His big brother was too bright for those losers! Maybe he could get Sandra Wu-San to do something about her fellow student? Or Tim could hit two assassins with one Robin and get David Cain to murder Deathstroke while nabbing Cass?
Ooo, he likes that idea. Maybe he'll get lucky and they'll kill each other while fighting and then Tim won't have to worry about how to keep Cain away from Tim's sister.
Bruce would have been disappointed about how cavalier his approach was in terms of preservation of life, but Tim had always thought that ideology applied to his days as a Bat-affiliated vigilante. And since Tim was an itty bitty civilian instead of an (older, taller) ass kicking vigilante, Tim has concluded that Bruce's mildly irritating morality didn't apply to him in his current state. Besides, it wasn't like he was an angel during his tenure as Robin anyways.
"Guess I gotta embezzle some more money." Tim grimly put his backpack to his front and ran to catch the first bus home. Too bad. Deathstroke had proven useful.
David Cain leaned against a transport cargo box, breathing heavily from wounds. His commission was done, and the amount promised would allow him to buy an island and then some. His fellow student laid at his feet. His bank account was fuller than Ra's, he was sure.
He never sees the tranquilizer dart coming.
And really, Tim’s had enough experience to hide the mark from the dart and more than enough to murder the man and make it seem like he bled out.
“Tell me about it.” Nightwing crouched, his sparkly costume hidden partially in the shadows. “Why’d they have to duke it out here?” He whined. Honestly, he’s been down in the dumps with what happened to Jason but having Deathstroke dead and gone for good was a balm to his soul.
“Hn.” It’s true. Bruce knew that it was weird Ra’s al Ghul’s students would murder each other like this. He searched the bodies, lifting up a burner phone and a bunch of weapons.
“Can’t you say something other than monosyllabic grunts, B?”
“…No.” Bruce made a funny and seemed rather proud of himself.
Duck stared at him. He lifted a hand, watching Bruce’s face fall into dread.
Dick pulled the zipper down on the top of his costume down to his navel, flaring the collar and exposing his mesh covered chest.
“Fuck you.” Dick flips away, leaving a despondent Batman behind with two dead bodies.
In the distance, the girl who would be come Cassandra Cain took the hands of a boy who would become here brother.
Tim Drake grinned, like an adorable, blood frenzied baby shark.