#batfamily fic prompt

“It’s okay to cry,” Tim said; ignoring the searing pain burning through his left knee as he knelt on the ground in front of the small child. “You’re allowed to be sad. It’s okay.”

The kid clung to him in response but didn’t so much as whimper. He did dig his nails into his suit however and bury his face into his kevler.

“It’s okay,” Tim kept whispering; gently patting the kid’s back in what he hoped was a soothing motion. “It’s going to be okay. Just…. just take your time.”

For a second he allowed himself to get angry at Bruce. Sure this was a different universe and Bruce might not even exist in this timeline but God, this was so out of his wheelhouse and Bruce was supposed to be here and he wasn’t and Tim really couldn’t just—-

Taking a deep breath, he hugged the kid tighter and murmured soft reassurances into his ear.

It can’t be helped, be told himself firmly. Bruce wasn’t here, sure. But Tim was and he would be damned if he left his older brother to fend for himself during the most traumatic night of his life.

So when Dick Grayson finally broke down. Sobbing wetly into his chest, shoulders shaking uncontrollably and arms tightening even harder around his neck, all Tim did was hug him closer and force his stinging eyes to remain dry.

He’d been here before. Once upon a long time ago.

A little kid sitting far away, staring up at the eight year old screaming for his parents and he’d felt helpless.

He was here again now and he felt just as helpless but this time—

Pushing himself back on his feet, he picked up Dick in his arms, folding the tiny child into his cape and tucking the little head securily under his chin.

This time he could do something.

And that, that was an opportunity Tim Drake would never pass up.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said gruffly to the exhausted child in his arms, walking over to the Batmobile. “You are not alone Richard Grayson. I promise you never will be.”