#bruce quest

So we know that the Titans of Tomorrow came to be because of a crisis that wiped out many big heroes. Like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, right? Well, I give you this:

When Bruce disappeared into the time stream, do you think Tim went looking for him, not only because that is his dad, but also because he was worried? As stated, Tim couldve thought that Bruce disappearing, or "dying", would be the start of everything. Maybe it would've been the catalyst for their supposed future. We know that not everything is set in stone. Tim himself knows that as well. Perhaps that's why Tim worked hard, he doesn't want his future self be him.

Idk, thought it was neat that above everything else, Tim also worked hard because he was worried over becoming evil in the future again.

That's an interesting take, and the lack of a 'proper' Batman, as Tim might see it, could lead to a future like that.

I don't know how likely it is for Tim to have truly gone down that path since he already had his major warning not to. But that's because there would still be a capable Superman, Wonder Woman and Justice League to handle and evil Tim.

But...

The cloning thing wasn't really in his favor as we know in an alternative future, Tim brings back Kon and Bart, but through clones. And well, 99 cloning attempts isn't looking really good for you Timmy.

I don't know how far grief could push him and Cassie in specific and if they might become those evil future versions of themselves, but it is possible.

Tim's Bruce Quest did have him doing...questionable things. Leading the LoA, getting a name as an Art Thief, maybe or maybe not blowing up those assassins (or at least the bases tech and shit).

part 2 of this

"He's not mad at you." Dick's voice reaches her in Titans Tower, Cassie doesn't turn around and waits for Nightwing to sit next to her in the kitchen balloon "He doesn't seem to be mad at anyone actually."

Cassie isn't surprised, Tim has always been good at this kind of thing, he holds his grudges deep inside and waits for them to fester in forgiveness, a forgiveness that is never truly sincere in Cassie's opinion, Tim is spiteful, he never forgets an offense, but he seems to think that family is the exception to that rule. Tim thinks he has forgiven them all, Cassie is not going to be the one to burst that bubble.

"I know he's not mad at me."

A pause

"So he's mad at the rest of us?"

"Who knows, he's always been a strange little boy, swallowing a lot of stuff until it rots inside." Cassie shrugged, she smiled a little at that "I thought that's what they taught you guys, you know, to suck it up and pretend everything's fine, for the sake of the mission and all that shit."

"I guess so."

"Then you can't expect anything else from him now, Tim always learned his lessons. The ones that were taught on purpose and the ones that weren't." Cassie looked at Dick "You want to know why he's so cool with me while he seems to have sucked a lemon in your presence, right?"

"Yeah, you didn't believe him either and he doesn't seem to have a problem with that."

Cassie thinks about the roof, about their conversation, about how whether she believed Tim or not didn't matter, it wouldn't change his mind about going, she thinks about the pieces that were left of him after those months away, she thinks about the fall from the window, she thinks about how her heart shook when she saw the footage, how Conner turned white and grabbed her hand and Bart cowered against her as if he'd been punched.

"Because it didn't matter." Cassie told Dick and added just to make it hurt "I don't care about any of you, frankly I didn't doubt that Tim would bring Bruce back, whether it was the right version or not, whether he was alive or not, a Bruce would come back with him without a doubt. My belief in Batman was never a problem, because he never mattered. Tim knows, he always knew that I hoped he was dead, not because I doubted his sanity, but for personal reasons. Batman coming back was never important, the important thing was that Tim came back."

Dick is silent for a long time, digesting the last part, finally he lets out a long sigh of exhaustion, Cassie doesn't envy him, it must be hell to be the oldest son of such a shitty family, seeing those people made Cassie thankful for being an only child.

"Do you think he'll ever forgive us?"

Cassie thinks Tim will suck it up and pretend until it becomes true in his crazy little head, he'll go on with his life like that, because otherwise there would be screaming and conflicts and God forbid bats have conflicts to solve their problems.

In a moment of pity, she doesn't tell Dick this, she says:

"He got Conner and Bart back, that will clear his mind of brooding over his grudges against all of you."

I have now!

Well, I'm still reading it and am only at ch. 3 rn, but I wanted to reply before tomorrow and rec the fic before then too.

I typically don't rec or read unfinished works (unless it's a series) but I am *loving* it and I still have 9 chapters to go, so I'm probably going to subscribe if I like where I think it's going (*^^*)

He is, as Dick would say, tripping balls.