You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
It's that time again Bat-fans. When last we saw the Bat-family Robinson, it had been overrun by teeny Titans. This time, we tune in to find our favorite furry rodents engaged in continuing domestic drama.
We pick up with Dick, worn out from carrying not one but three teeny Titans around the island and worn down from abusing his special first-Robin powers of sunshine and affection. Tim, Robin that he is, takes matters in hand, insisting on a soak and a massage for 'big brother'. As they will, they tease, flirt - well, Dick does, and Tim puts up stoically until Dick decides to narrate the epic romance of Dick Grayson Wayne and Timothy Drake. It's downhill from there, starting at fan fiction and ending at weddings. But what's a good brotherly outing without some unexpected Bat-emo? Bruce comes up and Dick's walls (never very thick to begin with) come down. A stricken Tim witnesses a sobbing Dick saying goodbye to his one true thing.
A few days later, big sister ex-fiancee Babs is having trouble working things out. Since she's trying to keep some distance from Dick, she tries talking to Tim. That goes moderately poorly until she makes the mistake of asking how Dick is and Tim clams up, as he will. Nothing's broken - they're family, after all - but nothing's fixed either, and neither of them is telling big brother ex-fiance about it.
The fifth has Tim and Bart saying goodbye to what, if not their one true thing, has been their one constant thing: each other. It's mutual, except that it's not. Both agree the relationship hasn't been working lately, but only Tim doesn't think it can be worked out. Bart lets go, because he doesn't have a choice, and because the friendship is more important.
Later that day, big brother finds Tim hovering at the threshold of the room he's been sharing with Bart. Of course, he doesn't want to talk about it. Of course, Dick cajoles the information out of him. Dick Robins for the Robin, or tries, but the Robin who needs a Robin isn't having it. He does, finally, consent to be comforted for a little while, provided Dick agrees to let the talking drop. For now.
The thing about Robins is, they don't just Robin for other Bats. No. Dick's worried about Bart, too, and goes to find him the next day. They talk a little about the past, a little about the present, a lot about the future - both their past which is Tim's future and Bart's future on the island, and not very much at all about Tim. Bart's surprised that the elder Robin (Nightwing, but who are we kidding? Once Bruce's Robin always a Robin) has comfort to offer him too. There's not much progress except that there is, and Bart comes away knowing breaking up with Tim doesn't mean he's on his own.
Of course, Bart's not the only person he's worried about, and Tim and Bart's break-up isn't the only one on his mind. There's big sister ex-fiancee Babs and the re-ending of their engagement to be considered. Dick-n-Babs has been her one true thing for years. Dick drops in for a chat to see how she's doing and what he can do to help make this easier for her. Oh, Dick. Robining for your ex. Really?
That night, Tim's not sleeping. Naturally, big brother's been listening for it, and comes out to talk with him in the kitchen. An hour later, the next night, Dick comes out to find Tim pacing and lures him to the couch to sit and talk. Somehow it's Dick's sex life - or lack thereof - they end up talking about. Tim's worried, because Dick not having sex is a lot like him not thinking; Dick reassures him it just hasn't been the right time yet. On Saturday, Dick doesn't lure Tim to the couch so much as order him there. Conversation turns to saying goodbye to people you love, and even though Tim doesn't mention his other true thing (since Dick was the first), Stephanie's everything he's not talking about. On Sunday, Dick stops playing Robin and starts playing Bat. Tim's ordered to bed. Dick-style. With Dick. At 4 am Monday, Tim finally sleeps, wrapped up in big brother's arms. And at 5 am Tuesday, after his first full night's sleep, Tim wakes, sweet and sleepy, to learn being an octopus runs in the Bat-family.
In the meantime, one of Dick's other redheads, best friend Roy Harper arrives on the island - from more than two years in Dick's past, when things were...we'll say tense between them. Being dumped on Tabula Rasa without his one true thing, his daughter Lian (Dick's god-daughter, Bat-fans, this is family, don't forget) overshadows any lingering issues he might have with his Outsiders' field commander, and later that night the boys trade insults, Dick catches Roy up on the two years he hasn't lived and gives him a lot of good news. But he still hasn't told him where "Red Arrow" comes from. Watch it, Shortpants. He knows where you sleep.
Monet doesn't, but she does know where to find him when Paige disappears: the training grounds. She's due for morning training anyway, but her tough chick act doesn't fool Dick. She's hurting and he does what he does best. The ice queen thaws, just a little, but makes Dick swear he won't tell a soul. He's used to it. His Titans swore on their childhood nightmares to be there not just for the world but for each other.
Nightmares are the order of the day, it seems. After talking himself into letting himself have one more night in big brother's room, Tim wakes screaming from the worst of his. Dick's got him, and apparently he's got Dick, too. Right person, right place, right time, transmutes years of flirtation, Tim's first love, Dick's need for someone who knows him, and the deep bond between them into comfort given and comfort shared in ways we can't show on TV, Bat-fans. (But you can read about it). Morning's glorious for Dick, and awkward for Tim, but negotiation saves the day and gives them two perfect minutes before Tim has to go back to being Tim. Oh, Timmy. Do you really think you can out-stubborn the original Robin?
That's all for now, Bat-fans. We leave you to ponder the meaning of 'family' and whether, in fact, it means what the original Robin seems to think it means. Tune in next time for the Adult Swim edition of the Bat-family Robinson.
All threads completed. The six-day through the hours vignettes with Dick and Tim is rated R for implications. And obviously the final thread is rated NC-17. Please keep in mind that the use of 'family' is metaphorical. None of these people are actually related, except that in Dick's time, Bruce has actually adopted them both, and Dick is legally Lian Harper's godparent. Otherwise...the family that plays together stays together!
We pick up with Dick, worn out from carrying not one but three teeny Titans around the island and worn down from abusing his special first-Robin powers of sunshine and affection. Tim, Robin that he is, takes matters in hand, insisting on a soak and a massage for 'big brother'. As they will, they tease, flirt - well, Dick does, and Tim puts up stoically until Dick decides to narrate the epic romance of Dick Grayson Wayne and Timothy Drake. It's downhill from there, starting at fan fiction and ending at weddings. But what's a good brotherly outing without some unexpected Bat-emo? Bruce comes up and Dick's walls (never very thick to begin with) come down. A stricken Tim witnesses a sobbing Dick saying goodbye to his one true thing.
A few days later, big sister ex-fiancee Babs is having trouble working things out. Since she's trying to keep some distance from Dick, she tries talking to Tim. That goes moderately poorly until she makes the mistake of asking how Dick is and Tim clams up, as he will. Nothing's broken - they're family, after all - but nothing's fixed either, and neither of them is telling big brother ex-fiance about it.
The fifth has Tim and Bart saying goodbye to what, if not their one true thing, has been their one constant thing: each other. It's mutual, except that it's not. Both agree the relationship hasn't been working lately, but only Tim doesn't think it can be worked out. Bart lets go, because he doesn't have a choice, and because the friendship is more important.
Later that day, big brother finds Tim hovering at the threshold of the room he's been sharing with Bart. Of course, he doesn't want to talk about it. Of course, Dick cajoles the information out of him. Dick Robins for the Robin, or tries, but the Robin who needs a Robin isn't having it. He does, finally, consent to be comforted for a little while, provided Dick agrees to let the talking drop. For now.
The thing about Robins is, they don't just Robin for other Bats. No. Dick's worried about Bart, too, and goes to find him the next day. They talk a little about the past, a little about the present, a lot about the future - both their past which is Tim's future and Bart's future on the island, and not very much at all about Tim. Bart's surprised that the elder Robin (Nightwing, but who are we kidding? Once Bruce's Robin always a Robin) has comfort to offer him too. There's not much progress except that there is, and Bart comes away knowing breaking up with Tim doesn't mean he's on his own.
Of course, Bart's not the only person he's worried about, and Tim and Bart's break-up isn't the only one on his mind. There's big sister ex-fiancee Babs and the re-ending of their engagement to be considered. Dick-n-Babs has been her one true thing for years. Dick drops in for a chat to see how she's doing and what he can do to help make this easier for her. Oh, Dick. Robining for your ex. Really?
That night, Tim's not sleeping. Naturally, big brother's been listening for it, and comes out to talk with him in the kitchen. An hour later, the next night, Dick comes out to find Tim pacing and lures him to the couch to sit and talk. Somehow it's Dick's sex life - or lack thereof - they end up talking about. Tim's worried, because Dick not having sex is a lot like him not thinking; Dick reassures him it just hasn't been the right time yet. On Saturday, Dick doesn't lure Tim to the couch so much as order him there. Conversation turns to saying goodbye to people you love, and even though Tim doesn't mention his other true thing (since Dick was the first), Stephanie's everything he's not talking about. On Sunday, Dick stops playing Robin and starts playing Bat. Tim's ordered to bed. Dick-style. With Dick. At 4 am Monday, Tim finally sleeps, wrapped up in big brother's arms. And at 5 am Tuesday, after his first full night's sleep, Tim wakes, sweet and sleepy, to learn being an octopus runs in the Bat-family.
In the meantime, one of Dick's other redheads, best friend Roy Harper arrives on the island - from more than two years in Dick's past, when things were...we'll say tense between them. Being dumped on Tabula Rasa without his one true thing, his daughter Lian (Dick's god-daughter, Bat-fans, this is family, don't forget) overshadows any lingering issues he might have with his Outsiders' field commander, and later that night the boys trade insults, Dick catches Roy up on the two years he hasn't lived and gives him a lot of good news. But he still hasn't told him where "Red Arrow" comes from. Watch it, Shortpants. He knows where you sleep.
Monet doesn't, but she does know where to find him when Paige disappears: the training grounds. She's due for morning training anyway, but her tough chick act doesn't fool Dick. She's hurting and he does what he does best. The ice queen thaws, just a little, but makes Dick swear he won't tell a soul. He's used to it. His Titans swore on their childhood nightmares to be there not just for the world but for each other.
Nightmares are the order of the day, it seems. After talking himself into letting himself have one more night in big brother's room, Tim wakes screaming from the worst of his. Dick's got him, and apparently he's got Dick, too. Right person, right place, right time, transmutes years of flirtation, Tim's first love, Dick's need for someone who knows him, and the deep bond between them into comfort given and comfort shared in ways we can't show on TV, Bat-fans. (But you can read about it). Morning's glorious for Dick, and awkward for Tim, but negotiation saves the day and gives them two perfect minutes before Tim has to go back to being Tim. Oh, Timmy. Do you really think you can out-stubborn the original Robin?
That's all for now, Bat-fans. We leave you to ponder the meaning of 'family' and whether, in fact, it means what the original Robin seems to think it means. Tune in next time for the Adult Swim edition of the Bat-family Robinson.
All threads completed. The six-day through the hours vignettes with Dick and Tim is rated R for implications. And obviously the final thread is rated NC-17. Please keep in mind that the use of 'family' is metaphorical. None of these people are actually related, except that in Dick's time, Bruce has actually adopted them both, and Dick is legally Lian Harper's godparent. Otherwise...the family that plays together stays together!