They had a great dinner. Tim had to admit it.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1H4UKW1km
That kind of time—without reconnaissance, without surveillance, and definitely without pressure testing—actually made him feel… relaxed?
They talked about many things that had nothing to do with Gotham.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcQ1uRUdma
Tim mentioned his current work assisting corporate transformation, green energy development, and financial strategies.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIhjK11X2y
Nora responded with thoughts on budget allocation in education, and how recent childcare legislation updates were impacting frontline teachers.
The conversation branched into child safety and social cases—especially a few child abuse incidents that had come to light in recent years.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGuKDSo6dz
Tim hadn’t previously been deeply involved in these topics, but Nora’s insights were precise, calm, and sharply articulated—without emotional blackmail.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3YDDzEU94
He quietly noted every case number and keyword she mentioned.
Nora’s eyes shimmered in the candlelight dancing across the table.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAia5236K5N
Tim wasn’t sure if it was the effect of the red wine,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqeHeqHXbp
or the way she spoke—so gentle, yet uncompromising—that left him a little dazed.
Until Nora suddenly paused, her gaze shifting to the floor-to-ceiling window, a momentary stillness washing over her.
“What’s wrong?” Tim turned—
A little face was squished up against the glass.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZesJz5GuMJ
His entire face flattened against it, bright blue eyes wide with excitement as he stared inside.
Tim’s heart clenched—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dznhDRHhX
Then his gaze shifted just a bit further.
Standing next to the child was a face far too familiar—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMpj1oTTHV
One he had hoped not to see.
Bruce Wayne.
Looking into the restaurant with a disapproving expression,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQx2BrYKYCh
like he’d just stepped off the front page of the Gotham Times.
Tim suddenly felt like the utensils in his hands had doubled in weight.
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY1o6o5IvT
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyjCsK1YpP
Tim stepped out of Finn’s room, gently closing the door behind him.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgp8pe9QlpQ
He exhaled and leaned against the hallway wall, closing his eyes briefly as he replayed the absurd sequence of events in his head.
He’d thought dinner would be about gathering intel—maybe even an in-depth probing conversation.
Instead—
“Got caught red-handed by my own nephew,” he muttered under his breath.
Dim lighting, two layers of glass—Tim had thought it was absolutely secure.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡig8lrThy3k
But the kid had eyes like a bat.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckr2CedxhS
He’d spotted Nora in a second, and then, like a bullet, burst into the restaurant.
Nora had smiled naturally, without a hint of awkwardness.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHE13yyogl
She’d crouched down to talk to Finn, gently patting his messy hair.
Tim had stood beside them, eyes inevitably falling on Bruce.
That look.
Bruce hadn’t said a word,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePbvJ1bIiq
but the “you better explain this later” expression weighed heavier than a hundred pages of briefing notes.
Tim could almost hear Bruce’s brain opening up cross-referenced files, auditing the risk logs for the event labeled Timothy Drake and Kindergarten Teacher Nora.
“Finn, this is my grandpa!” the kid said gleefully, as if showing off his favorite armored tank.
Bruce seamlessly switched into CEO mode, giving a perfectly polished smile.
Nora had calmly spoken a few standard lines about how well Finn behaved at school.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jCXc8lUGB
Tim took the opportunity to interject, “It’s getting late—I’ll give the lady a ride home.”
Bruce shot him a look.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk27uKLN8JD
A look packed with a hundred unspoken messages.
Tim didn’t want to translate it.
Finn had begged to come along, insisting “If teacher’s in the car, I want to be too!”138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyO7K4H64W
In the end, Bruce went home alone, and Tim scored some alone time.
Thinking of Bruce’s expression, Tim chuckled silently.
“I have a lot of explaining to do,” he murmured.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvudMHG0g0
This night had only just begun.
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyabTt3fFR
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFcr1mcLJQ
Back home, Tim tried to spin a story for Finn.
He knelt by the bed, his tone sincere as he tucked the boy’s scattered blanket back into place.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21ZIZdNLzU
“Today, Nora and I were talking about a very important children’s public welfare project.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNT0hXZdsq
It’s something that helps kids grow up safer and happier. You understand, right? It’s important for kids.”
Finn tilted his head and thought for a second, then nodded.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdjvHPTVs3
His small hands still clutched that dinosaur plushie—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sYRPyToH9
as if it helped him judge whether the world was still safe.
“So… you guys weren’t on a date?”
Tim gave a tight smile, one that looked like it was holding up a house of cards.
“No, we were talking about serious stuff. Really.”
Finn nodded in satisfaction, buying the story.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvifYyKc6s
Tim looked at his face and suddenly felt like a terrible adult.
Once Finn’s breathing settled and his eyes closed, Tim gently slipped out of the room.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlGdrEF7OI
He took a deep breath, straightened his collar, walked down the hall, descended the stairs, passed through the study—
and entered the Batcave.
The lighting there was low, and the rhythmic hum of machines pulsed like a slow, steady drumbeat.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFo38jeJWw
Batman stood with his back to him, flipping through a report.
As soon as Tim stepped inside, that low voice rang out:138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxqACY6jQ0
“Tim, I need an explanation.”
Batman’s voice hit him like cold water.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3fZNwYL1w
Tim sighed silently and stepped up to the computer, unlocking his most tightly guarded investigation file.
The screen’s blue glow lit his face—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9B3GfSluw
and reflected off the Batman’s unmoving cowl.
“I just felt something was off about Nora,” Tim began, his tone steady as always.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkuHTqKfbI
“So I checked her computer. Nothing deep—just public records, cloud links… stuff she didn’t really protect.”
He clicked open a folder, labeled plainly: Nightnest.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt3bxa9PUB
Inside were screenshots of posts, comment threads, and repost logs.
“She turned out to be Nightnest,” Tim said, turning toward Bruce.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLX3HDjg51
“The famous Gotham fanfic writer. The one who writes about… you.”
Batman had his arms crossed, listening intently.
But at that line, his brow twitched, and his expression shifted.
Tim watched Bruce’s face closely and instantly regretted bringing it up so soon.
Bruce Wayne was well aware of Gotham’s... enthusiastic online fandom.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBbeKouIda
He’d known for years how people spun wild stories, imagined all kinds of relationships—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuohJKHLgN9
Bruce and the mayor? Bruce and Superman? Bruce and the Joker?138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡempvRo2vq6
Even Bruce and his own split personality.
There was nothing people wouldn’t dream up.
But those had always been fantasies—fictional, absurd, harmless.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubv1Ol6Ve9
And fantasy, after all, wasn’t a crime.
Batman couldn’t, and shouldn’t, stop people from imagining.
But this…138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTRBD3ErKy
This wasn’t just fantasy anymore.
This fantasy had a name.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡostmxM72xK
A face.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbFQKnd3l9
It was now Finn’s teacher.
Tim shifted slightly, standing before the monitor, arms at his sides.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNYQz5mL9r
His fingers crossed silently behind his back—like a private buffer against judgment.
“That’s why,” he said, looking at the screen, tone cool and composed,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnXvbmutdn
“I wanted to confirm whether she had access to too much intel about the vigilantes.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh21QYOJaK
Whether she posed a risk.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEjgNAHKpo
That’s why I decided to ask her out—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3L5WGE5gP
strictly part of the investigation.”
He said it steadily.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAi4fSOgGje
Didn’t even flinch.
But the truth was—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS6hgDkUw3
yes, he’d brought surveillance gear;138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQ2XLth18p
yes, he’d tried to profile her through interaction;138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDGvJG2l9z
and yes… during all those observations and conversations…
something not part of the mission138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTSq8gwlAs
had caught his attention.
So he crossed his fingers.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WpfFNDQQe
It wasn’t lying.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaVK4xHHs1
Just… omitting certain details.
He didn’t mention the shooting range.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4BkMcq15t
Or the red wine.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv946mhHts
Or the candlelight.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFxruJxdXR
He didn’t mention the way she knelt down that day to draw stars for the kids.
Tim thought to himself—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7L374o27nQ
Nora should be thankful.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYbuvLchbF
If Bruce had found out her identity from the start,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGtoxvlFdK
or if one of the other Bat-family members had gotten suspicious,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDGoDEFQHr
the outcome might’ve been far uglier.
Batman stayed silent for a moment.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFutywhr3S
His gaze sharp, like it could carve deeper truths into Tim’s face.
But in the end, he simply gave a slow nod.
“What you did was reasonable,” Batman said in a low voice.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbqAmCaP4W
“Her identity… for now, doesn’t appear to be a threat.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KnkomRT8V
But this stays between us. No one else can know.”
Tim nodded, exhaling quietly.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkT6eyeKJPF
He’d pulled off a tightrope act, balancing on the edge of a storm.
But he also knew—138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjTrvxpfgx
if even one step in this undercover investigation went wrong,138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNoVFOg4XD
that woman who filled pages with fantasy138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYO8iG0eNY
would no longer be the subject of a romantic subplot—
She’d become someone Batman watched personally.138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTz3En7aS4
And that’s no love story.
138Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFqs56TXlW
and then Add to home screen.