Chapter Text
Tim continues to fight. Dodging and landing hits, though he does get hit sometimes. He can barely feel it due to the adrenaline.
He managed to knock the Joker down, kicking away his can and placing a foot on the clown's chest. He pants, looking to his sides as Nightwing and Red Bird came up beside him.
“Toxin is secure and the hostage is healthy. No sign of the toxin being injected.” Nightwing reported, looking down at the Joker with a slight sneer.
Crow nodded and huffed, trying to calm himself and get his adrenaline down.
“Damn Crow, didn't know you had that strength in you.” Jason smirked and looked over at him, arms crossed.
“Thanks. Adrenaline is to blame.” He spoke in short sentences. Still looking at the clown under his foot.
Adrenaline is such a wonderful thing, Tim thought. He's a lot smaller than the Joker and yet he was able to take the man down.
Tim then froze as he heard laughter and the movement of a chest under his foot. His eyesight finally fully focused since the adrenaline was not helping.
The Joker was laughing.
“Why are you laughing?” Crow sneered, adjusting his grip on his staff. He reaches into his belt, pulling out some zip ties.
Thanks to the adrenaline strength he was able to man handle Joker onto his stomach, giving a soft ‘oof’ from the laughing man.
He ties the Joker’s hands before backing off. Tim lets out a breath. Finally the manic was captured.
He pressed his coms, hearing the slight click to know he was connected. “Batman. The Joker is in custody. It looks like based on the crates around his hideout he hasn't placed the bombs yet, so no buildings are compromised.” Tim did a quick debrief, he could feel the adrenaline draining from him.
Tim heard an affirmative grunt and Bruce saying that the police are on their way to pick up the rogue.
He turned off the com and sighs. Falling back on his butt as he felt a huge wave of exhaustion washed over him. Finally the adrenaline was fully leaving him. He felt his hands shaking quite a bit.
“Crow!” He heard both his brothers say and rush over. He felt Dick's hands holding him up.
“Yay….Adrenaline crash. I haven't felt one of these in a while.” Tim sleepily slurred out. He tried to wave both of them off but it didn't work. “I'm fine.” He huffed.
“Fine??? You collapsed!” Red Bird said with a slight growl in his voice. He looked over Tim's body, very worried for any injuries.
“What Red Bird said. While fighting I heard your heart beating way too fast, is that the reason for this?” Nightwing said, being quite a bit calmer than Jason. But he could still hear the worry.
Tim just rolled his eyes under his domino. “Kinda. I'll explain more later.” He said before tilting his head towards the door. “Police are gonna be here soon, we should probably leave. One of you is going to have to carry me, I'm too tired to safely swing.” He explains, sirens wailing in the distance slowly coming closer.
They both nod. Jason starts heading towards the door they entered from as Dick scooped him up. He should be embarrassed but he was too tired and still crashing. Tim just rests his head on Dick’s shoulder.
“Just rest Baby Bird, we have you.” Nightwing said in a soothing voice.
Tim didn't even respond, he just nodded softly and dozed off to sleep.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim blinks awake and yawns. As he blinks away the sleep he sees a familiar white ceiling, ah the medbay.
He stretched and sat up, noticing that he was changed into his pajamas. He reaches up and ruffles out his hair. Looking around he saw no one waiting for him.
He just shrugs and gets out of the bed, padding his way out of the medbay and into the main cave. That's where he saw his brothers and adoptive father relaxing around the Batcomputer.
Walking over he stretched again, even though he rested he still felt all spent. Like he got no rest while resting. Probably just a side effect from his adrenaline crash.
Dick looked over and brightened as he saw Tim. The older walked over and picked up Tim, bringing the teen over. Tim just sighs, already used to the vampire's antics.
He was placed in a desk chair. Tim adjusted himself so he could sit cross legged in it. Bruce looked over and turned to face him.
“Nice to see you awake Tim. I was just finishing up to report on the Joker. You, Dick, and Jason did well.” He said with a barely there yet soft smile.
Tim blushes out of embarrassment and looks down at his lap, even though he’s been living here he's still not used to praise. “Than-Thank you.”
“Now you need to explain what happened, since you were passed out when me and Damian arrived. You gave everyone a bit of a fright.” Bruce spoke, turning back a bit to the computer, finishing typing a sentence before saving and closing the tab.
Tim took a breath and calmed himself down from his earlier embarrassment. He knew this would come up eventually since he started to go out in the field. His adrenaline response is a big reason why he can keep up with the others.
Tim started to explain what is known about adrenaline, what it is, what it does, how it unblocks a part of the human brain that is normally blocked for the human body's safety. How humans are a lot stronger than they look but the brain puts up a barrier to these abilities doesn't destroy the body.
It took him over 20 minutes to word vomit all he knew about the human brain, adrenaline, fear responses, and other things. His brothers and adoptive father were quiet as he spoke, following along with each word nodding softly as he did. He even ended with how when humans were alive they were still researching it, as the human brain is one of the most mysterious parts of the body.
When he was done he took another breath and sighs. He looks around at the others.
Damian had his natural stoic face but his eyes were shining to curiosity. He will probably go dig in the remaining archives of human research later.
Bruce had a similar look. Actually, it was nearly identical to Damian. Father like son. He'll probably join Damian. Tim will have to tell Alfred so the two get proper sleep and not stay up.
Jason sat with his arms crossed, processing what was said. It was a given as he didn't just ramble and word vomit everything out. He then snaps his fingers and points at Tim with a smile, more like a smirk. “So you're about as strong as a young vampire without that natural blockade.”
Tim snorted softly and nodded. “I guess? Without the block, the constant use of that strength will tear my muscles and damage my bones. So I'm glad for it.”
Dick hums and leans over the back of Tim's chair, resting his hand in the human teen's hair. “That makes sense. But you never really explained why you passed out afterwards.”
“Oh.” Tim said simply. Right, that was one thing he forgot to explain. “Right. It was because the adrenaline drained out of my veins. It upped my energy levels while also consuming the most energy. And with adrenaline being a survival and danger response, once my body deemed it ‘safe’ it no longer needed it. Thus it draining and the wave of tiredness hitting me.” He said with a shrug.
Dick blinked and nodded, “That…makes sense. As much as I understand it.”
Dick then clapped his hands softly and stood up properly. “Welp! It's been a busy night, how about a movie?” He suggested.
Jason hopped up with a smile. “The first one there gets to pick the movie!” He runs to the stairs.
“Hey!” Tim yells after, squeaking as Dick quickly picks him up. He laughs as Dick chases after.
Dick also managed to drag Damian along too, the youngest vampire hissing as he did.
Jason did manage to get to the movie room before them, already having a movie up. He looked over at Dick with a shit eating grin.
Dick playfully groans as he drops Tim onto a fluffy bean bag, causing the human to squeak and laugh. Damian gets put on the couch, Dick flopping between the two Tim on the bean bag in front of them.
Tim smiles and curls up in the beanbag, reaching over, tugging a blanket off the couch laying it over himself. He then looked at the screen, tilting his head.
“What movie is this?” Tim asked, ignoring the sound of fighting over the remote he heard behind him. He didn't recognize this movie.
Damian leaned down. “It's a new one. It came out just a couple weeks ago.” He said simply.
Tim hummed and nodded. Soon the movie started, it was interesting to say the least. Not like anything he's seen before.
Granted, he's mainly watched human era type shows and movies. Not much vampire media.
It was barely into the movie when the remote gets thrown across the couch. He looked back to see Dick and Jason rough housing. Tim just shakes his head and turns back to the movie.
He sighs softly Tim is happy to finally have a family.
A full, complete family. Even if they are vampires.