Judge me not. Or do, I don't really care.

@books-netflix-and-pizza asked for a continuation of  Fly, Firebird

A/N: The Firebird stories have a special place in my heart. Enjoy!

You groan, throwing your head back and tossing your pencil down on the desk with a loud clatter. Tim chuckles from the desk behind you, stacking his papers and standing up. He grabs yours as he passes, delivering both tests to the teacher as you pack your things.

He flashes you a brilliant smile as he joins you outside the classroom. You fumble for something to say so he won’t notice you staring at those perfect, sparkling eyes. “Feels so weird right now.” You mentally facepalm and backtrack. “I mean, I’ve never seen the halls so empty before.”

“Yeah. It sucks that we had to make up that test after school.”

“Uh-huh. Hey, why did you have to make it up too? I thought you went back to the classroom.”

Tim runs a hand through his hair, and it looks positively adorable. “Oh yeah, heh, I helped someone clean up a spill in the hallway and didn’t have enough time to finish it.”

“I’m surprised that genius Tim Drake didn’t finish his test. Are you sure you don’t hold a world record for ‘fastest test finished’ or something?”

He laughs, and you break out into a broad smile. You promised Red Robin that you’d confess to Tim, but it’s so easy to just...let it go and stay friends. What if the confession makes things awkward? Even if Tim doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, you don’t want to lose his friendship.

Come on, you got this. You promised Red, right? You’d be letting him down if you didn’t at least try. You open your mouth, determined to blurt everything out, consequences be darned.

“Tim, I--”

“Firebird, come in. Captain Cold has taken hostages at the Waffle House downtown. We need you there immediately.”

You groan. Of all the times, why now?! You send Tim an apologetic look and say, “sorry, Tim. I just remembered I have an appointment I gotta get home for. See you!”

“Yeah, see ya.”

You wave to him as you dash out the school door and into a portable toilet at the construction site across the street. You suit up and burst out, flying toward the Waffle House. Captain Cold picked the wrong time to cause trouble.

Cold tries to make his demands when you arrive, but you’re too angry to listen. He howls as you aim blast after blast of fire at him, melting through his ice before knocking him out with a well-placed punch. 

After so long, you’d been so close to confessing. And Cold ruined it. You don’t even know if Tim is still at school anymore, so going back is out the window. Maybe you could call him...

“Earth to Firebird, you alright there?”

Your eyes snap back into focus on Red Robin’s mask. He stops waving his hand in front of you when you look around for Captain Cold and see him loaded onto a Belle Reve van.

“So, Firebird. How did things go with Tim today?”

You bury your head in your hands with a loud groan. “Horrible. I’ll tell you once we get off the street.”

Tim cocks his head but grapples after you as you float onto a nearby rooftop. “Was he that mean about it?”

“No, no. It’s just, I was so close to confessing today and then--then freaking Captain Cold decides to take over the Waffle House and Batman calls me to save the day and I missed my chance and I can’t go back and confess because he’s not there anymore and I don’t think I can get the courage to do that again and Idon’tknowwhattodoandI--”

Red Robin places his hands on your shoulders and stares into your eyes. “Whoa, there, Firebird. Calm down. One at a time now, you’re hyperventilating. Deep breaths.”

You slow your breathing back to normal, taking heaving gulps of air before you fold in on yourself and collapse against the side of the roof. Red Robin settles himself beside you, waiting for you to speak.

After a while, he pipes up. “You know, Firebird, it’s not too late to tell him.”

You throw your head back and laugh. “Yeah, because he’d totally be fine with me popping up by his window and screaming ‘hey I really like you we should go out!’”

You both lapse back into silence.

“Hey, Firebird?”

“Yeah?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?’

“I’m...Tim.”

“...what.”

“I’m Tim Drake.”

“Ok then.”

He glances at you, eyes wide. “You’re not surprised?”

“Not really. I mean, I am, but the shock hasn’t set in yet. My brain hasn’t fully comprehended.”

Red Robin nods, and you both settle back into silence. He counts the minutes in his head until--

“HOLY CRAP YOU’RE TIM!”

Tim winces a bit, chuckling. “Yeah, I am. But please don’t shout that or Batman’s gonna make me clean the Batmobile for a month.”

“Holy crap. I can’t believe it. Holy crap.”

He laughs. “Get it now?”

“Yeah, it’s just...holy crap.” You smack your forehead. “Well now I feel dumb.”

“Don’t. It’s really cute.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He takes your hands in his, rubbing the back of your hands with his thumbs. One hand goes up to his comm, and he frowns a bit as he listens. “Sorry, Firebird. Penguin’s men are running a heist by the docks and I--”

You shush him with a finger over his lips. “I’m going with you. Firebird and Red Robin, the amazing avian duo, teaming up to save the day and take down villains everywhere. Penguin doesn’t stand a chance.”