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Gotham had a lot of bats, and for once, Tim wasn’t referring to Batman. New Jersey as a state was home to nine bat species, although three of those only resided in the state on a part-time basis, choosing to migrate further south in the winter instead of finding somewhere warm to hibernate. Tim didn’t blame them. Jersey winters could really suck.
But it was summer now, and the bats were out. It was a little impressive how large Gotham’s bat population was considering the city’s rampant pollution. He supposed it was because there were a lot of old and empty buildings they could roost in. There were also rumors of some underground caves just outside the city, but Tim wasn’t entirely sure about those.
Not that it really mattered. The important thing was that bats were a normal part of Gotham’s landscape. So normal that no one would look twice at a lone little bat fluttering through the streets at night.
Tim’s parents would be disappointed. They hated their bat forms and would prefer if he never used his.
“We may be vampires, Timothy, but we’re not animals.” His mother had explained once when he asked about it after watching an old-school vampire movie. “Our transformation abilities may have been a useful adaptation in the past, but with modern technology, they just aren’t necessary anymore. Not to mention how bats are filthy disease-ridden creatures with ugly little faces. No, dear, you’re better off never using that power, and staying as my adorable darling boy.”
Tim had agreed at the time, although he remembered privately thinking that he found bats rather cute. Still, he had listened to his parent’s instructions and refrained from ever shape-shifting until about a year ago.
It had started when he grew tired of secondhand reports and decided to try following Batman and Robin’s patrol on his own. Everything had gone fine at first, but after a couple of dangerous incidents, he had realized that perhaps wandering through Gotham at night wasn’t the safest idea. At least not as a defenseless 11-year-old.
His skills were rusty from disuse so it took a while for him to master switching forms and even longer to relearn how to fly, but he eventually figured it out. Gotham looked a lot different as a bat, but he was safer flapping through the air than walking through the streets. And once he managed to get the hang of transforming with objects, he could even bring his camera with him! He couldn’t use it as a bat, of course, but he could find a rooftop perch to shift back into a human and snap a few photos. It was practically perfect!
Tim hummed happily to himself as he captured one last photo of Batman and Robin before they slipped into the Batmobile.
It had been a good night. Relatively quiet with only a few thwarted muggings and other small-time crimes that the dynamic duo had handled with ease. They were perhaps wrapping things up a little earlier than usual, but that was fine. Tim had gotten quite a few good shots and perhaps even one great one. Plus, it was a school night, and if he remembered correctly, Jason had a test tomorrow.
Tim waited until the Batmobile’s tail lights were faint specks on the horizon before slipping his camera off his neck and into its case. He made sure it was zipped up all the way before putting the whole thing into the front pocket of his oversized hoodie, a faded black baggy garment that he had bought specifically for his nightly escapades. Rising to his feet, he walked to the edge of the building, took a deep breath—careful not to look at the ground below him—and stepped off. For one adrenaline-inducing second, he felt gravity take control. Then, everything changed.
There was a deep tug in his chest as a tingling sensation washed over his body, just the wrong side of painful. His vision blurred a little as his hearing sharpened, and his arms were replaced with wings. He shrunk down and down until he was only a few inches long.
With a reorienting shake of his head, he began to fly.
The first few flaps were a little shaky like they always were until muscle memory kicked in and he steadied out. He flitted between buildings and danced among the clouds of smog, a near-invisible shadow in a city full of them. He should go straight home. That would be the responsible thing to do especially since he had school tomorrow. But there was a freedom in flying that was hard to replicate on the ground.
Tim’s stresses melted away as he let the wind choose his path, chasing the breeze out of the city limits. He followed the Robert Kane Memorial Bridge from above until he reached the edge of Bristol. Then, his peace was shattered as a car backfired below him. He flinched at the sudden noise and missed a flap or two, plummeting a couple of feet before he regained his senses and balanced back out.
Yet it seemed he wasn’t the only one who had gotten spooked. Tim didn’t see exactly where they had come from but the next thing he knew a cloud of bats was rising into the sky around him. Their shrieks filled his ears like the lyrics of a song set to the beat of hundreds of wings flapping in unison.
Resistance was futile.
While Tim initially tried to escape, he quickly found that the bats were pressing in on him from all directions. No matter which way he went, he couldn’t find open air. Fortunately, they seemed to be unaware, or at least uncaring, of the interloper in their mix. With seemingly no better options, he decided to follow the flow of the crowd until they either landed or thinned out.
It was easy to get lost in the bats’ rhythm. He soon found himself zoning out, letting his thoughts wander as he pumped his wings in time. Up and down, up and down, he mindlessly copied their movements as they banked right and began to descend. It was delightfully peaceful until Tim realized they were heading straight for a rocky wall.
Tim frantically tried to slow down, but the other bats wouldn’t let him. They just kept surging forward. Squeezing his eyes shut, he braced himself for collision. But the impact never came. Instead of the painful crush of flesh against stone, he found himself embraced by cold moist air.
His eyes slipped open, but there was only darkness. Not the ordinary darkness of the night, where there was always still the faintest hint of light, but complete and total darkness. The kind that even his eyes needed a moment to adjust to. Not that it made much of a difference once they did. The only things he could see were more rocky walls. It seemed the cave rumors were true, and that these bats lived in one.
The tunnel they flew down was long but not neverending. Eventually, it began to widen out and the darkness began to lighten a suspicious amount. Perhaps there was some sort of natural skylight up ahead? Another opening? Or—
Holy shit.
Tim’s train of thought screeched to a halt. The cavern they entered was enormous but it wasn’t its size that truly caught him off guard. No, it was its contents. A giant penny. A wall of computers. A life-size dinosaur. The literal Batmobile. Tim had heard mentions of a Batcave, but he had always assumed the name was metaphorical. Never had he imagined this!
He was practically vibrating with excitement and desperation to explore. And another night he might’ve. But he could hear voices coming from just out of sight, getting closer with every second, and he knew it would probably look strange and suspicious for a bat to be erratically flitting around the space. Not to mention, it was already pretty late and even if he wasn’t feeling too tired yet, he knew he’d regret it tomorrow if he didn’t go to bed soon.
No, he’ll have to come back another day.
Breaking away from the rest of the bats as they flew up to roost on the cave ceiling, he circled back around to the entrance and flew out into the night.
— — —
Tim probably shouldn’t have made it a habit, but he found himself returning to the Batcave as a bat several times over the next few weeks.
Sometimes he would get there and find Batman and Robin sparring. Other times Batman would be there alone, sitting at the computer with his cowl off, or on one memorable occasion, in a hot pink robe. There were even a few times when he arrived and no one was in the cave beyond the bats. He often used those days as opportunities to explore, but once, when he wasn’t feeling great, he stayed up on the ceiling and roosted among the bats. It was nice to feel all their warm soft bodies pressing against him like a giant hug.
Tonight, however, he had fluttered into the Batcave early, after he finished his homework and dinner but before the vigilantes normally headed out on patrol. He wanted to see how they suited up, and how they decided which route they were going to take because while there was a general pattern, they also semi-randomly switched it up.
He flew up and over the dinosaur, swirling around its tail, and then, oh wait, what was that? That was new.
He ducked down to get a better look, and oh! He recognized that. It was Nightwing’s bike! But what was he doing here? Tim hadn’t seen Dick in town since he and Batman had that big falling out.
He fluttered around the vehicle taking in the glossy blue paint and the sleek metal frame. It was a beautiful motorcycle; the kind that he longed to someday own. He was half tempted to transform and try to sit on it, but that was probably tempting fate a little too much. Besides, he doubted he could even reach the pedals.
He settled for laying on the seat, gripping the leather with tiny clawed fingers as he imagined what it would be like to drive such a beauty.
His daydreams turned into real dreams as he drifted off into a doze, deep enough that he didn’t hear the vigilantes enter the cave until one was right above him.
“Aw. B, look! There’s a little baby bat on my bike.”
The yelled words filtered into his tired brain and Tim twitched, letting out a sleepy chirp. He may be small but he was hardly a baby.
A snort. “Nice alliteration, Dick. Do you think it’s ok? I’ve never seen a bat just laying down here.”
“I don’t know but—wait, don’t touch it! Bats can carry a lot of diseases. Right, Bruce? Tell Jason not to touch it.”
“Don’t touch what?” A deeper voice said from further off overlapped with a younger, higher pitch saying, “Eh, don’t worry I’m wearing gloves.”
Something brushed against Tim, and he shuffled a little, grumbling to leave him alone and let him go back to sleep. But the thing persisted, poking him harder. Tim blinked his eyes open and—holy shit!
He scrambled away from Robin’s giant face, accidentally plummeting off the side of the bike. It took a second for his brain to catch up with his body but once he got his wings under him, he was flapping hard, flying up and up and up. Only to smack straight into a wall. No, not at a wall—a chest.
He tumbled tail over snout until he could rebalance himself. Even blinking back stars, there was no mistaking that logo. Blue wings stretched over a black background, Tim squeaked at the realization that he had just run face-first into Nightwing.
He turned tail fully intending to escape the cave before he could experience any further embarrassment but it wasn’t meant to be. Between the sheer panic and desperation, his slow-to-wake-up brain, and the jostling from the crash, his sense of direction was nonexistent. He was flying blind, just relying on experience to guide him in the right direction as he flew as fast as his little wings could take him.
Tim regretted not paying closer attention when he collided hard with a limestone column.
He screeched. This time there was no distinguishing between up and down. Black spots danced across his vision as pain shot through his entire body. He dropped fast, wings flailing uselessly against gravity. The only thing he could do was squeeze his eyes shut and brace for impact.
“Gotcha!” Soft-gloved hands snatched him from the air.
Tim squeaked as they shifted beneath him, raising him up to press and cradle against a warm chest. He clung to the hero’s suit with itty bitty claws, heart still rabbiting from adrenaline. He tried to take a deep breath and calm himself down but it was no use. He couldn’t stop trembling.
“Is it alright?” He heard Robin ask.
“I hope so,” The words reverberated deep within Nightwing’s chest, sending rumbling shockwaves through Tim’s body. He flinched, and then settled, ultimately finding comfort in the vibrations as Dick continued to talk. “I caught him before he hit the ground so hopefully he’s just scared, but I don’t know. He crashed into that rock pretty hard.”
A thumb stroked the soft fur of Tim’s spine and he shivered in delight, pressing into the soothing touch. It was firm but gentle at the same time, reminding him of the rare occasions his dad ruffled his hair.
“Hey, little buddy, would you mind looking at me?”
Tim hesitated. His eyes weren’t screwed shut as tightly as before but they were still closed and as long as he kept them that way, he could pretend this whole thing was a wild dream. Opening them would mean returning to reality, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted that.
But on the other hand, opening them meant he could see his heroes up close and more personally than ever before. And besides, Nightwing would probably be disappointed if he didn’t.
Slowly Tim slid open his eyelids and tilted his head up, making eye contact with the blank white-out lenses.
“Awww,” Nightwing immediately cooed. “You’re so cute! Just look at those baby blues.”
“I wanna see!” Robin’s voice was loud in Tim’s enhanced ears as he crowded forward, presumably standing on his toes to peer over Nightwing’s shoulder. “Oh, he is cute! I didn’t know bats could have blue eyes.”
“They can’t.” Tim jerked. He had forgotten Batman was here. “Can I see it?”
Tim trembled as dark fingers appeared in his periphery. “I don’t know. He seems a little scared of you.”
“Nightwing,” Batman growled, "Give it over.”
“Fine, but only if you promise not to hurt him.”
Batman paused before saying in a flat tone. “I promise that I would never intentionally hurt any of the bats.”
“That’s not quite what I asked but alright. Just…be gentle.”
“Hm.” Tim tried to cling to Nightwing’s costume but it was useless. He was too small to make a difference. The world shook under his feet as he was carefully pried free and transferred to a set of bigger hands.
Batman lifted him higher so they could be face to face. Tim squeaked and ducked his head.
“Hmm,” Batman repeated and then his grip tightened, enveloping Tim in a warm dark cocoon as he began to walk, each step jostling him like a speedbump. He stopped, and then shuffled Tim in his grip until he was resting solely on one hand, which he raised up and pressed against his chest so Tim still couldn’t see. There was some rustling and then the sound of a drawer opening before the hands drew back.
Tim looked up and oh. Oh.
He should have known that the World’s Greatest Detective would see right through him. Both figuratively and literally.
Tim stared at the mirror before him. In it, he could see the perfect reflection of Batman’s gloves and behind them, part of the iconic emblem splayed across Batman’s chest. However, none of that mattered. Not when he couldn’t see his reflection. Where there should be a tiny brown bat staring at itself with wide blue eyes, there was only blank space so that Batman’s reflection looked as if it was just cupping empty air.
“B, what’s wrong?” Robin asked from somewhere behind them.
Tim hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself an even smaller target for Batman’s ire.
“I was right to be suspicious. Your little bat friend is actually a vampire. Now, are you going to transform back willingly? Or will I have to force you?”
Tim shook his head. How could he have been so stupid? Briefly, he wondered if he could make a break for it, but there was no way. He was still a little disoriented from his crash, and even if he could fly in the right direction, he probably wasn’t faster than Batman. Not to mention it would just make him look guilty. No, it was probably better to just comply with his demands.
Maybe if he told the truth Batman wouldn’t yell at him too much? Or call his parents?
Tim’s shaking increased. “Well?” Batman snarled, and Tim flinched. Right, he probably shouldn’t try his patience. He had seen what Batman did to criminals who refused to cooperate.
Taking a deep breath, Tim called upon that tugging sensation deep within his chest. Practice had made the transformation less painful but not this time. Now, his anxiety amplified the pain, and what was normally a quick shift seemed to take forever.
Tim was still shaking by the time it was over. Thankfully Batman had set him down once the transformation started, so he wasn’t embarrassed by the Dark Knight holding him but that didn’t stop Tim’s face from burning with shame as he wobbled in place, almost tipping over for a second before he found his balance.
“A kid?” Nightwing asked, grip relaxing on the escrima sticks that he must have drawn when they realized Tim’s true nature.
Robin laughed. “No wonder he was so small! I guess you were right about him being a baby bat!”
Tim’s cheeks burned impossibly redder, anxiety morphing into annoyance. “I’m not a baby! I’m barely younger than you.”
“Oh, yeah, and how old is that short stack?”
“Robin,” Batman cut them off before Tim could reply. “Quit antagonizing him. Kid, what’s your name?”
He hesitated before replying, halfway tempted to lie before realizing Batman would probably find out the truth one way or another. “It’s Tim.” He said with his head bowed, only a little proud that he didn’t stutter.
“Alright, Tim, are you here alone?”
“What do you mean?” He asked, looking up at Batman. He still looked stern, but not quite as scary as before. Maybe it’s because he was no longer towering over Tim quite as much, unable to squeeze him to death with just one hand.
“Are there any other vampires here right now? As bats or otherwise?”
“Oh, not that I know of. I think all the other bats are just plain bats. I mean I guess a few of them could be vampires in disguise, but if so, they’re really good at fitting in because I haven't noticed. Plus, it’s kinda hard to find this place. I only found it because I got swept up with the bats, and even then, I had to follow them back the first few times before I really learned the way.”
“So, you found the place by yourself? No one else knows about it?”
Tim nodded. From his place beside Batman, Nightwing cocked his head like a bird. “Wait, backtrack a minute, you said the first few times. Just how many times have you been here?”
“Ummm, I don’t know.” Tim rocked back and forth on his heels. “I didn’t really keep count but probably at least twice a week for the past two months? Sometimes more if I don’t have homework.”
Nightwing’s eye lenses widened as he turned towards Batman. “He’s been sneaking into the Batcave for months and you never noticed? And you were saying my observation skills needed work.”
“Hm,” Batman tactfully didn’t respond. Tim glanced between the trio, and as he did, his eyes happened to alight on the teacup resting on the desk behind them.
“Oh!” He said, without really thinking. “If we’re still talking about vampires, there’s also Mr. Pennyworth. Although I guess you probably already know about him so really I shouldn’t have said anything…” Tim stopped his rocking to trail off as Batman turned to glare at him.
“How do you know about Alfred?”
Nightwing smacked his arm. “Were you not paying attention? He’s been coming here for months! He probably knows all our identities.”
“Yeah, we don’t really wear our masks down here unless we’re suiting up or have visitors. Plus, I’m pretty sure we all called each other by name earlier when he was still napping on Nightwing’s bike.” Robin chimed in.
Batman’s frown deepened. “Tim, is that true? Do you know our secret identities?”
Tim kicked at the ground with the toe of his sneakers. “Are you going to be mad at me if I say yes?” He asked in a small voice.
At that, something about Batman seemed to soften, shoulders slumping as he crouched down to Tim’s height. “Of course not. I just want to know how much you know.”
Tim nodded. “Well, I know that you’re Bruce Wayne and that Dick Grayson is Nightwing who was also the first Robin. And Jason Todd is now the second Robin.! Unless you prefer Jason Todd-Wayne?”
He glanced over at Robin, at Jason, who shrugged and replied. “Either one’s fine,”
“Ok, cool.” Tim continued. “I had met Mr. Pennyworth as your butler at a couple of galas, but I didn’t actually connect him to Agent A until I first followed you back to the cave. I knew your identity before that though.”
“Really? How?”
“Oh, it was actually pretty easy! I was watching the news one night and I saw Robin—Dick, not Jason—do a quadruple somersault. I remembered that the Flying Graysons were some of the only people in the world who could do that move, and once I learned that Dick was your ward, it all just clicked into place. I kept track of your adventures after that, and then when Jason became Robin, I figured out his identity too. But don’t worry! I promise I haven’t told anyone.”
Robin laughed even louder and brighter than before. “Damn B, he’s got us all figured out.”
“Indeed. Do your parents know about this?”
“That you’re Batman? Of course not.” Tim jerked back with an offended look on his face. He wasn’t that stupid.
“What about that you’ve been sneaking out at night to visit the Batcave?” Bruce said.
“Oh no, they don’t know about that either. They’re in another country right now, and my nanny doesn’t like to stay the night, even though I think she’s technically supposed to? But it’s alright, I’m good at taking care of myself.”
Tim shrugged and then tried to discreetly rub his head. It was hurting now that the adrenaline had really worn off, and in addition to the headache, he kind of wished that he had packed a late-night snack. He always forgot how much energy flying burned until he transformed back from being a bat.
Batman and Nightwing exchanged another glance, just as serious as earlier ones, and yet with different vibes. Or at least that’s how it seemed to Tim. He looked over at Robin to see if he felt the same way only to see that his idol also had a small frown on his face. One that quickly turned into a smile when he saw he was being watched. Tim smiled back.
“Alright, great to know that Little Timmy isn’t a super villainous vampire! Does that mean we’re still going on patrol or…?” Jason broke the silence.
Batman froze and then almost as if in slow motion, reached up and pulled off his cowl, revealing a head full of dark hair that stuck out wildly in every direction.
“No.” Bruce Wayne said. “No patrol tonight, or at least not now. Dick, Jason, why don’t you two go get changed and then head upstairs? See if you can find Alfred to make some snacks for everyone, including our guest. Make sure to mention his dietary condition.”
“Sure, but what about Timmy?” Dick asked and oh—Tim blushed. He thought Jason had just been joking when he called him that. He didn’t expect it to become an actual nickname.
“Tim and I will be up there in a minute. That collision of his looked like it was pretty hard, so I’d like to check him over while we’re still in the cave. Assuming,” Bruce made eye contact with Tim, “That it’s alright with you?”
Tim shuffled under the weight of his gaze. “Are you sure Mr. Wayne? It’s probably just a bruise or two. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“Making sure someone’s injuries are taken care of is never bothersome, no matter how small the wounds may be. And please, Tim, there’s no need for formality. Feel free to just call me Bruce.”
“Oh,” Tim’s heartbeat fluttered like the hundreds of bats on the ceiling. “Alright then, thank you, Bruce.”
Bruce reached over and gently rested a hand upon Tim’s head. “It’s no problem.”