Chapter Text
“I’m going to do research at the library for the case. Want to keep me company, Conner? I can use an extra pair of eyes to help look through the old records. Your labour will be generously compensated with a free dinner.” Tim cradled his phone between his ear and shoulder as he rummaged through his bag. Between school, caring for his father, and being Robin, Tim’s life was a whirlwind. He didn’t have time to pause for even a moment. He only stopped by his home to pick up a few files that he forgot.
“Free food is how you bribe Bart. You should know that. Lucky for you, I’m still willing to help you. Of course, you have to call me your partner in crime since Superboy isn’t a sidekick. Should I pick you up at the usual rooftop?” They laughed at the secret joke that only they would understand. Even though they spent a lot of time together as Superboy and Robin, Tim cherished the seemingly mundane time they could share as regular teenagers. First, he needed to get the case folder hidden in his room.
He walked through the door and the lighthearted conversation came to an abrupt end. His father was sitting at his desk with a deep frown. Tim recognized the grim expression and he took a deep breath to brace himself. After his mother died, his father had been more temperamental. Their family had been through a lot in the past few months so Tim tried to be understanding and supportive.
“I’ll call you back, Conner.”
“Something wrong, Tim? Your voice—”
Tim ended the call. There was a chance that his father would immediately start his lecture. He didn’t want Kon to overhear Jack’s yelling and become concerned. As unlikely as it was for his best friend and father to meet, Tim wanted them to get along. Both were important to him. Once again, he felt a stab of guilt that he needed to keep his two lives separate.
“Hey, Dad. Were you looking for a book or photo album in my room? If you called me, I could’ve told you where it was.” He asked him casually but the question held a subtle accusation. Tim loved his father so he did his best to avoid anything that could lead to an argument. Despite his best effort, anger and frustration slipped into his tone.
When he was a child, he would chase his parents’ approval. That simple wish became more complicated with age but he still carried it. Their relationship had been slowly improving yet secrets and guilt made conversations with his father a tightrope walk. He needed to choose each word carefully so his father couldn’t discover he was Robin.
The way his desk and shelves were uprooted, one would assume that a tornado had ravaged it instead of Jack. Tim kept his room carefully organized so he would know the moment something was out of place. He took the precaution because it was a habit trained into him by Batman. He never expected that his own father would be the one to go through his things.
With the mess, it was impossible for Tim to guess whether Jack was searching for something specific. His deeper concern was what motivated him to go through his things and caused his current anger. Had his father discovered his Robin equipment hidden behind the false wall in his closet? Tim wanted to push away the possibility with the reasoning that his father would be more worried than angry if he knew.
“I could tell that you were keeping something from me, Tim! I never knew the extent of it until now. You’ve been skipping school and staying out past midnight. You told me that you got a black eye playing football but Coach Hawkins said you never even tried out for the team.” Years of lies crumbled beneath Tim and left him in freefall, waiting for the crash.
Tim’s mind was racing for an explanation or excuse that he could give his father. He prided himself on his intelligence and quick wit yet he found himself stumbling over his words in that moment. Would those lies be enough for his father to connect him to Robin? Were those lies the only ones that his father knew? Could more lies salvage the situation or make it worse?
“Dana was putting away your laundry when she found something in your closet. When she showed me… I never expected something like this! Why didn’t you tell us about this? Do you understand that you’re endangering this family? Did you think you could keep something like that a secret from me?”
He knows I’m Robin.
Dread seized his body. His secrets were unravelling and their threads slipped from his control. The anger and accusation directed at him made it all the more painful. His lips parted to reply but he couldn’t force words past the lump in his throat. What could he say? He had always struggled to keep Robin hidden from his father. Tim didn’t know when – if ever – he would’ve told him but he always hoped that his father would encourage his choice. This was the last thing that he wanted.
“Wait, Dad, I can explain. I know it’s a lot to take in and that’s why I was waiting for the right time to tell you about everything.”
“Did Stephanie pull you into this kind of life? I didn’t raise you to run into trouble at night or lie to your parents. What would your mother think—”
“Don’t bring Mom into this!” Tim snapped back at him. “And you can’t talk down to Steph. Even if we broke up, she’s still my friend. She was given a bad hand in life but she turned out better than others in her position would. You can’t blame her for any of this because it started long before I met her.”
They began to yell over each other. He doubted his father heard a single word he said. Tim wanted to explain that being a vigilante was a choice he made for himself. While it was a dangerous life that most parents wouldn’t want for their child, he wished his father would simply take a moment to listen. As their argument spiralled, it became more apparent to Tim that it was pointless. No matter who won in the end, he would lose his already fragile bond with his father.
His father stood and threw something at his feet. Tim looked down, expecting to see Robin’s trademark colours. To his surprise, it was a black jacket. His anger shifted to confusion. He immediately recognized who it belonged to but that only led to more questions. The jacket belonged to Kon.
Tim knelt down and picked up the jacket. Out of habit, he rubbed the leather between his fingers and used the familiar texture to ground himself. After Young Justice disbanded and Kon changed his costume, he gave one of his many jackets to Tim. He claimed that it was a souvenir of their time together and a reminder of how they would always be a team.
“You’re in a gang. I read in the papers that punks have been recruiting teenagers to push drugs. They wear leather jackets just like this. You should know better than to work with criminals, Tim.” The accusation pulled him back to the present. Briefly, he felt relieved that his father didn’t know he was Robin. When his father took a firm step towards him, Tim rushed to think of a lie.
“This jacket belongs to my boyfriend!”
Tim didn’t know who was more shocked by the declaration: his father or himself. He only reached for a lie that would surprise Jack and make him pause long enough to listen. Silence stretched between them and it made his own heartbeat ring louder in Tim’s ears. He dropped his eyes to the floor, afraid to face his dad and his reaction. He hugged the leather jacket against his chest as though it were armour. After a painfully long heartbeat, Tim took a deep breath. He spun a story from his impulsive lie.
However, the words didn’t feel like a lie to Tim. “I’m bi. A part of me always knew but I never gave myself the chance to… be myself. It has been overwhelming sorting through how I feel and what I want. I was hoping that I would have everything figured out before I told you. What would Mom think if she was still alive?”
“Oh, Timothy.” The name was spoken softly mixed with care and regret. He didn’t know what the hitch in his voice could lead to. Then, he felt his father’s hands rest on his shoulders. “Your mother would tell you how much she loves you and nothing can change that. Then, she’ll kick me for jumping to the wrong conclusion and yelling at you. Shit, that was a terrible thing to do. I thought you were in a gang. Wait, is your boyfriend in a gang?”
“Of course not! This is a vintage Superboy collectable. Would a gang wear something with a Super’s emblem on the back?” Tim turned the jacket so his father could see the insignia. Then, he took out his phone and showed Jack a picture of Kon. It was from one of their outings in civilian clothes. “We met in school but he recently moved back to Smallville. It has been hard to make time to meet and go on dates.”
“Is that why you’re been skipping school and sneaking out late? Even if you love this boy, you can’t neglect your responsibilities, Tim. I would tell you this even if you were dating a girl!” Watching his father stumble over a lecture, Tim relaxed into a chuckle. He could see that Jack was trying even if it wasn’t in the most graceful way. That was all he ever wanted from his father.
Tim was taken by surprise when his father gathered him into a tight hug. “You’ll always be my son and I love you. I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. You can come to me with anything.”
The rock that sat heavy on his chest disappeared and he could breathe again. Earlier, he had been terrified that his father discovered that he was Robin. That identity was something he believed he needed to keep secret and hidden. He still didn’t know how his father would react but at least he could trust him with another part of himself.
“Thanks, Dad, but I’m going to Dana for dating advice.” With the lighthearted quip, Tim slipped out of his hug. “I have to call Conner and tell him that I’ll be a little late for our study date. I want to clean my room first.”
“You should invite him to dinner. I want to meet this boy.”
“He… Conner… I’ll talk to him about it as long as you promise not to scare him off. I really like Conner.” The confession came surprisingly easy for Tim. He looked down at the leather jacket and thought of everything they’ve been through together. “He has always been there for me and protected me. Even if we’re facing an alien army, I know he’ll never leave my side.”
“An alien army? Teenagers like to make everything so dramatic.” He laughed. Tim didn’t correct Jack with how he knew from personal experience that Kon would protect him from aliens. Instead of saying that, he smiled and nodded along with his dad.
Tim had intended to tell him a lie but he unintentionally discovered a truth he had been denying himself: he was bi and falling for his best friend.
Library basement. Back corner with the microfilm readers. The moment he received the text from Tim, Kon made his way through the lobby. He stopped at the stairwell and looked over his shoulder. Once he was certain that no one was watching him, he flew down the steps. With his superspeed, he seemingly vanished. He knew that Tim would chide him for being reckless but he needed to see him.
After their conversation ended abruptly, Kon had been worried. Most would overlook the subtle way Tim’s voice had shifted. Kon noticed. He recognized the change because it was similar to how Tim would speak before an uncertain mission; stiff, wary and desperately trying to hide it to keep his friends calm. The texts didn’t ease Kon’s concerns. Reading between the lines, whatever happened was something he preferred to tell him in person.
In the back of his mind, he knew that he shouldn’t be worried. Tim was in his home during the phone call. He kept his secret identity well guarded so supervillains couldn’t find his family. If one had managed to break into his home, he would’ve found a way to tell Kon. Kon had seen how capable Tim was. He was one of the few non-metas in Young Justice and he was able to fight on par with his peers.
Nevertheless, Kon couldn’t shake the need to protect Tim.
He reached the basement in seconds and searched the room for Tim. The floor was deserted since people rarely browsed the old archives. He took a few steps towards the large computers when he heard a door fly open. Someone grabbed his shirt and pulled him backwards. Kon’s first instinct was to fight back. For someone to catch him off guard, they were either well trained or a meta.
Kon turned on the person and gripped their collar in his fist. He pushed them into the closet so he could confront them. It only took him a few seconds to recognize the person’s heartbeat and he immediately loosened his grip. In the dark closet, Tim stared back at him. He didn’t appear afraid or shocked despite the difference in their size and strength. He expertly twisted his body to slip out of Kon’s arms. Tim closed the closet door, giving them privacy.
“I know having a secret identity is still new to you but you can’t use your powers in public. Even if you think no one is watching, the risk isn’t worth it. You’re strong enough to protect yourself but what about Ma and Pa Kent? They’re who secret identities are meant to protect.” As Kon predicted, Tim gave him a lecture. He couldn’t help but grin to himself.
“I was worried about you. I thought something happened. You really need to text more than four words to explain things.” Kon took his chin between his fingers and lifted his face. Gently, he moved his face and checked for bruises or scrapes. The closet was dimly lit but he was able to make out every detail of Tim’s face. Aside from his flushed cheeks, he didn’t appear injured.
“It was an emergency and I couldn’t tell you over the phone. It’s about our… late night rendezvous.”
“This floor’s empty so you don’t have to worry about eavesdroppers.” Kon reassured him. Knowing how cautious and paranoid Tim was, he must’ve checked the closet for cameras already. Tim was still wary of the possibility of someone overhearing them. “Is this about Batman or the Titans?”
“My dad went through my room today. I was scared he had found the Robin gear hidden in my closet.” When they were younger, it frustrated Kon that Tim would keep his identity a secret from his close friends. He now understood how much he could lose if someone discovered his name. “Luckily, it was something else. Knowing my dad, he would’ve freaked out and forced me to give up Robin.”
“He can’t do that! You’re Robin and Gotham needs you.” While the mantle had been used by Dick and Jason before him, Robin would always belong to Tim in Kon’s eyes. He couldn’t imagine a future without Tim fighting by his side.
“It’s not that simple, Conner. My dad needs me more than Gotham does. Batman has trusted me as Robin less after the Johnny Warren case. With how things are going… I might not have a say on whether I keep wearing Robin’s colours.” Tim let out a heavy sigh.
He felt Kon’s large finger graze over his cheek, tender and comforting. The gesture drew attention to how he hadn’t let him go yet. He realized that he had feelings for Kon but he didn’t know whether he felt the same. Tim told himself not to read into the light touch. They were friends and Kon had always been physically affectionate and open with people.
“My dad didn’t find my Robin gear so you don’t make that face, Conner.” He redirected the conversation so he could distract himself from his own feelings. However, that wouldn’t help much when he had to explain his lie to him. “He found your leather jacket and jumped to the conclusion that I got it from joining a gang. He read me the riot act.”
“You’re the last person who needs to hear that lecture when you’ve been on the other side stopping those mobsters. Your old man didn’t discover Robin so what’s with the scare you gave me? I thought it was something more urgent because of how vague you were.”
“Wait until you hear the lie that I told him. It’ll make you laugh.” He laughed to hide how nervous he truly felt. Hopefully, Kon didn’t notice how his voice wavered slightly. He stepped out of his light grip and stood in the shadow of a shelf. Tim tilted his head slightly and watched Kon from under his lashes so he could read his reaction while hiding his own. “I said, ‘This jacket belongs to my boyfriend who collects Superboy memorabilia’.”
“Boyfriend?”
“It was the first thing that came to mind. Does having a boyfriend sound… strange for me? My dad believed me when I told him that I was bi and he was surprisingly supportive. Must be Mom’s ghost watching over me. She was a modern woman for her time.” He began to ramble as he would whenever he was nervous. He expected him to be surprised but it was difficult to predict what Kon would say next.
Before Kon could reply, Tim quickly spoke over him. He was wary of how the lie could change their friendship so he tried to delay it even if it was for a minute. He quickly added: “My dad wants to meet my boyfriend. I’m going to hire an actor for the dinner. I thought I should warn you before you see someone wearing the jacket you gave me. That jacket is important and I wouldn’t give it to anyone. That’s all.”
The awkwardness between them was new and uneasy for Tim. Even when they clashed over who should lead Young Justice, they never felt a strained tension with each other. They had been friends for years so he could read every emotion on Kon’s face. He appeared surprised at first and then uncertain. Had he made a mistake using the lie to test whether Kon might feel the same?
“I should go and interview a few actors to be my fake boyfriend. The dinner’s next week so I don’t have much time to find someone and train them.” Tim said and tried to walk past Kon.
“Wait, Tim!” Kon caught his hand and stopped him from leaving. The suddenness took Tim by surprise and he stumbled when Kon pulled him back. He instinctively placed his hands on his board shoulders to steady himself. He continued to surprise him when he declared: “I’ll be your pretend boyfriend! Don’t go out with a guy who you barely know.”
“I don’t plan to actually date the actor. It’s just one dinner where nothing will happen aside from lying to my dad. Batman has a network of trusted actors and he can match me with one of them. They’re all professionals who won’t make a pass at me.” Tim assumed that Kon was mainly worried about involving a stranger in the charade. His reasoning should’ve reassured him yet it only made Kon’s frown deepen.
“I don’t want…” Kon trailed off before he could finish. A part of him knew that Tim’s plan was the logical choice but the thought of him with someone else didn’t settle well with him. “This is to protect your Robin identity. I can do that better than some random actor. I already know everything about Tim Drake and Robin. Anyways, I’m a charmer and your dad will approve of me as your boyfriend right away.”
“Well, I am in this mess because of you.” Since you’re the one who made me realize I’m bi and I love you. Tim couldn’t confess to that. Instead, he said: “It was your jacket that made my dad jump to conclusions.”
“Pa would kick my ass if I didn’t come to your rescue after I got you in trouble. So, I’ll take responsibility and marry you.” Kon slowed his voice into a farmboy’s drawl. The confident smirk matched his smooth voice. Tim relaxed into the moment and he couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped him.
“Pa Kent might demand something like that from you. My father would go after you with a shotgun. We’re old money.” Tim played along and mimicked a posh accent. “Lucky for you, I already told him that I love my boyfriend and it would break my heart if you’re hurt. But, are you sure that you want to be my fake boyfriend? It might become uncomfortable for you considering how we’re friends.”
Kon didn’t hesitate before he asked: “If we’re dating, do we use petnames? Baby, Honey, or Tim Drake-Kent? That last one will piss off your dad.”
“I’m not bringing you home as some act of rebellion against my dad. It’s quite the opposite. If he likes you, I can use our ‘dates’ as an excuse for sneaking off at night. So, you better be on your best behaviour, Conner.”
The mischievous grin that Kon gave him told Tim that he was considering it. He lightly slapped his shoulder as a silent reprimand. It didn’t hurt and only made Kon chuckle. His deep laugh made Tim’s heart skip. He had always been drawn to his laugh and how it sounded so carefree and self-assured. Tim could pick out his laugh in a room of noise. He now understood why.
“Wonder. That can be the endearment you call me for our fake relationship. You already call me Wonder so it’ll sound natural. The key to an undercover mission is to keep your fake identity simple. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself and have people question the details of your story. I told my dad that we met in school and were friends for a while.”
“No whirlwind romance for us? At the very least, you should’ve told him that I saved you from a robot and you were impressed by how strong I am. You were so in love that you followed me back to Hawaii. Very romantic of you, my Wonder.”
The simple change from ‘Wonder’ to ‘my Wonder’ caused a rush of heat to fill his chest. Even if the endearment was only to tease him, Tim couldn’t help how he felt or his reaction. He let out a huff and pouted at him. Kon was taller than him so he needed to tilt his head back to glare at him. He tried to deflect how the Wonder endearment affected him by using one of his own. “Sweetie, I hope you’re not planning to make jokes about our superhero lives at dinner.”
“I know better than that. Trust me. I haven’t been on as many undercover missions as you but I have some practice pretending to be a regular civilian. So, we met through school? Which one? You said that you’ve been to a few. Your dad might not believe that I go to the fancy ones if he sees my earring.” After he revealed his name to Kon, he also trusted him with other parts of his life. He hadn’t expected him to remember small details like the number of boarding schools he attended.
They discussed the story that they would tell his father. Tim wove a few true memories they shared into their lie so it could be easier for them to maintain the act. It was best to be prepared for any questions his dad could ask them. Kon nodded along to each partial lie Tim suggested until he asked a question of his own. “So, who confessed first? You or me?”
“I…” Even if Kon only meant to tease him with his suggestive smirk, Tim felt his heart tighten painfully. “Logically, I’ll be the one to fall in love first and therefore have to confess to you. You’re popular and handsome so you wouldn’t notice a regular student like Tim Drake. I don’t know why the popular students are approaching me more these days.”
“For the best detective of the Robins, you can be oblivious.” Kon muttered under his breath. Tim barely caught the words. He tilted a look at him in confusion but he didn’t push him for the reason behind his comment.
When Tim told him that he intended to hire an actor, he never expected Kon to volunteer for the role. He didn’t know how he should feel about the turn of events. He fell in love with Kon long ago but he was only beginning to wrestle with those feelings now. Should he read into the offer as simply a favour to a friend or something more?
Kon must’ve read the conflicted emotions on his face. “Still worried? I’m going to protect your secret.”
“I trust you, Kon. It’s just…” Tim bit his lip and debated what he should tell him. He never had much success in love. After a moment, he sighed: “Living two lives is hard. I have to hide something from everyone. No matter what I do to protect people, it’s never enough and I end up failing them. Sometimes, I wonder if I should just give Robin back to Batman. Batman never chose me and he can find another sidekick. He has three Robins now.”
“You’re the only Robin for me and Young Justice. We can’t count the number of times that you saved us. Powers or not, no one can take your place.” Kon said and brushed his hair from his crystal blue eyes. He always thought that it was a shame how Tim would hide his eyes behind a mask or sunglasses. His hand lingered after he felt Tim lean onto his touch. “Don’t hide anything from me either. There’s nothing that can change how I see you.”
“Keep saying things like that and my dad will definitely believe that we’re in love. I don’t know if you’re a hopeless romantic or just a flirt with those lines.” One of the reasons Tim was first drawn to Kon was how he wore his heart on his sleeve. Yet, that was also the reason for his current heartbreak. If he liked him as well, he would’ve asked him out already.
“I’m the best guy to be your pretend boyfriend and better than any actor.”
“Absolutely perfect for the role.” Tim meant to be sarcastic but a hesitant laugh escaped him instead.
He stood straighter and faced Kon, his expression now solemn. “You said that nothing could change how you see me because we’re friends. But you didn’t want me to hire an actor. What if I decide to date a guy in the future? Would that change how you see me?”
“That’s not my issue. I don’t want some random guy to be your boyfriend. I want… I can’t trust a stranger not to give away your secret or try to force a kiss on you.” Kon took his hands and squeezed them softly. “If you ever date a guy, introduce him to me and Bart. We’ll warn him not to break your heart.”
Tim’s lips parted to respond but only a shaky breath escaped. Kon wondered if it was relief or something else. Had he said the wrong thing? The last thing he wanted was to hurt Tim or push him away. He leaned down to look into his eyes for a hint of what Tim felt at that moment. Before their gaze met, Tim stepped forward and closed the small space between them.
Tim stood on his toes and wrapped his arms around Kon. He buried his face into his neck and said, “Thank you, Conner.”
“You’re my best friend.” He returned his embrace.
Their bodies were already pressed against each other yet Kon wanted to hold him closer. Guilt stopped him. He had lied to Tim when he said that his main issue with his plan to hire an actor was how the person couldn’t be trusted. The truth was that Kon loved Tim. Since he saw Tim only date girls, Kon never voiced those feelings.
Even if it was merely an act, he didn’t want Tim to be with someone else.