They had a great dinner. Tim had to admit it.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01GtuZxCl6
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2pUWsVebT
Tim mentioned his current work assisting corporate transformation, green energy development, and financial strategies.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZV589FHT5M
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDwUXLwNVo
Tim hadn’t previously been deeply involved in these topics, but Nora’s insights were precise, calm, and sharply articulated—without emotional blackmail.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r0Nmji7Ap
He quietly noted every case number and keyword she mentioned.
Nora’s eyes shimmered in the candlelight dancing across the table.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQkyBve8le
Tim wasn’t sure if it was the effect of the red wine,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSwBhvtUhB
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQIOQQXsrR
His entire face flattened against it, bright blue eyes wide with excitement as he stared inside.
Tim’s heart clenched—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BWENqiyqx
Then his gaze shifted just a bit further.
Standing next to the child was a face far too familiar—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxqqatYcgO
One he had hoped not to see.
Bruce Wayne.
Looking into the restaurant with a disapproving expression,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHK49q2B6p
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.
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfN5MW5Ido
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6vwjluH9U
Tim stepped out of Finn’s room, gently closing the door behind him.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOndmpEOkiV
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43ezRtRUi3
But the kid had eyes like a bat.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj1ABp8Kpa
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwFCKjJTR3
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,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7yjBINJeZ
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlp3ZJf294
Tim took the opportunity to interject, “It’s getting late—I’ll give the lady a ride home.”
Bruce shot him a look.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHqeD9E0eV
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!”70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95Ynyybcoi
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxaYnhFgzV
This night had only just begun.
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelUZjmd54a
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoyWnbmw9f
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxruW5t2WS
“Today, Nora and I were talking about a very important children’s public welfare project.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnF8wAioWSY
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9zIUKErbi
His small hands still clutched that dinosaur plushie—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3hPMXRi1I
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2IBa6T9U6
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtM7WgnVpAP
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8yggndA5R
Batman stood with his back to him, flipping through a report.
As soon as Tim stepped inside, that low voice rang out:70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNSHyoHXyn
“Tim, I need an explanation.”
Batman’s voice hit him like cold water.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58eEqhsr2Z
Tim sighed silently and stepped up to the computer, unlocking his most tightly guarded investigation file.
The screen’s blue glow lit his face—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2Kr5PuJ0y
and reflected off the Batman’s unmoving cowl.
“I just felt something was off about Nora,” Tim began, his tone steady as always.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiMdbQwgX0
“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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiT3H11IHGq
Inside were screenshots of posts, comment threads, and repost logs.
“She turned out to be Nightnest,” Tim said, turning toward Bruce.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBM3IJVcCB
“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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DtmmoXVLq
He’d known for years how people spun wild stories, imagined all kinds of relationships—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjsrtjkkwN
Bruce and the mayor? Bruce and Superman? Bruce and the Joker?70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQnMaJE1As
Even Bruce and his own split personality.
There was nothing people wouldn’t dream up.
But those had always been fantasies—fictional, absurd, harmless.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteNZB6QB4i
And fantasy, after all, wasn’t a crime.
Batman couldn’t, and shouldn’t, stop people from imagining.
But this…70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bkwxKKz62
This wasn’t just fantasy anymore.
This fantasy had a name.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5UrqLBLel
A face.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlixwfPREYv
It was now Finn’s teacher.
Tim shifted slightly, standing before the monitor, arms at his sides.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuUpmAiN1m
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,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmhuhiULW7
“I wanted to confirm whether she had access to too much intel about the vigilantes.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jm1v3TvXK
Whether she posed a risk.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZycq8rIkLU
That’s why I decided to ask her out—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrbwe0JaAc
strictly part of the investigation.”
He said it steadily.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqtpaXQ6hD
Didn’t even flinch.
But the truth was—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHk56LeAEj
yes, he’d brought surveillance gear;70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfrv6jQecY
yes, he’d tried to profile her through interaction;70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmC60UWnXe
and yes… during all those observations and conversations…
something not part of the mission70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3iiKNhOw4
had caught his attention.
So he crossed his fingers.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCpAARr8eI
It wasn’t lying.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbUBbO9ruf
Just… omitting certain details.
He didn’t mention the shooting range.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxcoA9O0aB
Or the red wine.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjDZ4SL9Xa
Or the candlelight.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdCeWGy8lP
He didn’t mention the way she knelt down that day to draw stars for the kids.
Tim thought to himself—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KsyGelbfZ
Nora should be thankful.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCEAmUvU4w
If Bruce had found out her identity from the start,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFToGdfWkHa
or if one of the other Bat-family members had gotten suspicious,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5U3oJTW6m
the outcome might’ve been far uglier.
Batman stayed silent for a moment.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLwIu6T8VF
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.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL77riEM4bT
“Her identity… for now, doesn’t appear to be a threat.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbXe03YVZz
But this stays between us. No one else can know.”
Tim nodded, exhaling quietly.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFWTWkcj9N
He’d pulled off a tightrope act, balancing on the edge of a storm.
But he also knew—70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtcLjxeLsm
if even one step in this undercover investigation went wrong,70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyKmcTlPQy
that woman who filled pages with fantasy70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Kke8tjIxb
would no longer be the subject of a romantic subplot—
She’d become someone Batman watched personally.70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiN7D64Z8kH
And that’s no love story.
70Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpEau4IgZr
and then Add to home screen.