I was stuck on the rest of my stories so to get my writing gears working, I decided to work on part 2 of the Diabolical AU. Plus I was rereading the story and really wanted to write about Tim and Jonathan again. I hope you guys enjoy reading it too. I just miss this slightly unhinged duo so much that I might end up posting Intangible | J. Crane a little earlier than I planned.

Anyway, let's get on with the one-shot.

~•~

Jonathan didn't sign up for this.

It had been a week since he had taken Tim to be his apprentice but all that he had been doing so far was to find out what was wrong with the frail little boy. 

A week had passed yet Tim was still paranoid about getting murdered in his sleep so he stayed painstakingly awake all night. Even if he did go to sleep, he wouldn't use the room Jonathan had given him. Instead, he curled into a ball under the shabby living room couch and stayed hidden there until he woke up.

He freaked out upon physical contact and even though he managed to stay cheerful and lively normally, he had trust issues and doubted everything around him, including himself.

To Crane's experience, nothing about Tim was normal but then he no longer had the credibility to state him insane either as his license had been confiscated.

The former psychiatrist must have thought that having an apprentice would lessen his troubles but his decision seemed to have backfired on him. Instead of getting his work done quicker, he now had the added responsibility of looking after Timothy Drake who was both a caffeine addict and a hyperactive individual who had gotten too used to self-starvation.

"Timothy, I will not let you even an inch closer to my lab if you dare to waste your food," he threatened, holding his spectacles at the bridge of his nose as he watched the boy fork around aimlessly.

"I can't eat. I told you I am used to eating nothing for weeks but you are feeding me up as if you want to roast me this Thanksgiving."

His face scrunched in disgust, "I may be a criminal but I am not a cannibal to roast you instead of a turkey."

"Oh good. At least I can cross off my suspicion of you only keeping me around to roast me like that evil witch from Hansel and Gretel," the boy piped in cheerfully as if he had just made a very relieving discovery. "How amusing, instead of a house made of candy, your trick to lure me in was your chemical-filled lab."

Jonathan knew he would never shut up still he tried to stop him from wandering away with his thoughts and forget about dinner altogether. "Stop talking nonsense and eat."

Tim tried to focus on his food but the pull of the scattered thoughts was much stronger than the desire to eat further.

"Although with your alter ego as the Scarecrow, you could totally be a villain from a children's fairytale. You know there was a scarecrow in the story of the Wizard of Oz? He was looking for a heart, I think so he went to see the wizard with Dorothy."

"He wanted a brain, the tin man was looking for a heart," Jonathan remembered that old story, and the words were out before he could stop himself.

"Ah, that's exactly what I am talking about! You're right, I forgot the details, it was definitely the Tin Man who asked for the heart and the Scarecrow wanted a brain." 

"Whatever."

Tim's dull blue eyes flickered in amusement as he pointed at him, "But you know, this Scarecrow right here has a stellar brain, all he needs is a heart and then he's good to go."

"Shut up."

"But your get-up is inspired by the Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger, right? It looks hauntingly familiar to that character. I am very sure-"

He got interrupted and couldn't complete the sentence as Jonathan's blue eyes pierced through his in a warning glare, "Timothy, I am warning you for the last time. Do not say a word until you have eaten your share. Understand?"

A spark of rebellion flickered in the boy's eyes, "What are you? My Dad?"

"I can be worse," he hissed and left the table but the statement seemed to have quietened Tim.

When no sound came from the boy, Jonathan left the dishes in the sink and came out to see what was wrong. Much to his surprise, he saw Tim finishing his food silently but it was clear from his face that eating it all up was hard for him.

Tim brought the empty plate to the sink and began washing it without another word. The sudden silence was starting to make Crane worried so he spoke up, "Boy, I am not angry at you. I just said that so you would stop wasting time and eat."

"I know," he mumbled, "sorry."

The abrupt mood change was also quite alarming. And then Jonathan realized what could have triggered that swift behavior flip in Tim.

He had said he could be worse than his Dad. And from all he knew about Tim by then, his parents had at one point tried to get rid of him for the insurance money.

So hearing something like that from Jonathan must have made him upset.

He clearly didn't sign up for this, he thought, considering how to make Tim realize that he didn't mean to scare him. It might be the first time for him to look for a counter to fear instead of inflicting it upon the person himself.

Child psychology was not his area of expertise but there were a few tricks he could try to get Tim to feel safe around him. He knew that was very necessary if he wanted to make full use of the boy as his apprentice.

He had to get him to trust him and considering Tim's habit of not trusting anyone whatsoever, it was certainly going to take a lot of time.

When he came out, he saw that Tim was clearing up the living room with the mop.

"Do you like ice cream?" He asked and Tim paused, not expecting that question at all.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Would you like to have some ice cream?" He repeated the question, assuming that like all children, Tim would also have a fondness for the dessert.

"Goodness, you're turning into the Hansel and Gretel witch! I knew I shouldn't have mentioned it." Tim threw his hands up with an alarmed gasp and even though Jonathan couldn't tell if it was a joke or a dramatic gesture from him, a very slight smile threatened to crease his features.

The boy was anything but normal. 

But who was Jonathan Crane to judge anyway? Even if he had been a psychiatrist professionally, at the moment he was a convict on the loose from Arkham Asylum, a place where the incorrigible lunatics were kept.

His opinion on whether Tim was normal or not would hardly make a difference.

***

Let me know what you guys think. Also, shall I continue with a third part?

Maybe I will.

~•~