I had yet another idea and as Diabolical | T. Drake is already complete, I thought of including it here.

In the starting chapters of Diabolical, we see Tim had abducted Jonathan Crane (aka the Scarecrow) and the man offered him to become his apprentice in exchange for his own freedom. Obviously, in the story, Tim said no to that offer but for this one shot, we will be looking at how things would have turned out if he had accepted the offer instead.

Besides, I simply can't get enough of writing about Tim and Jonathan as they have such an interesting dynamic. So I couldn't resist exploring this possibility of the story too.

Consider it an AU of an AU if you will.

Happy reading!

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He looked around the place in astonishment, taking in every single thing he could see, and increasing his curiosity about every other thing that he couldn't. Jonathan Crane had brought him to his apartment after Tim had agreed to his offer and let him go in return for becoming his apprentice.

He knew Crane had access to chemicals and information that he couldn't get from anywhere else so it didn't seem like a bad deal to him. And now that he had agreed, he was in the infamous Scarecrow's apartment, looking like a child going into a candy store.

"Do not touch anything," Jonathan warned him as it was obvious that the boy was excited about everything he could see. "I won't be responsible if you cause yourself any rashes or burns."

He only nodded in reply, looking under the kitchen counter where a crate full of toxic materials was stored.

"Timothy, do not touch it," somewhat alarmed, Jonathan pulled him back by the scruff of his neck, "I will let you experiment with these only when I am sure that you won't get hurt handling them."

The boy pouted like a petulant child, "oh come on... I know how to handle chemicals, I just made the antidote for your feared gas too, in case you forgot."

"Yes I remember but right now, you're being reckless. I don't want you to die before you are of any help to me."

"Ouch, how selfish. But kinda expected from you," Tim rolled his eyes but his attention soon diverted to a box behind the shabby couch, "what's that? Can I see?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking about how to deal with the current situation, "no, you can not. Not until I clear this mess up and find something to eat."

True, back in the basement, he had thought offering Tim to become his apprentice was a good decision in exchange for his freedom. But currently, seeing him get hyperactive and all excited was getting on his nerves.

He was just a child, of course, it was expected from him to get on Crane's nerves.

"I brought a rat just in case..." Tim had put his hand in his pocket as if he was going to pull out a rat. But in fact, he was only kidding as there was just a stolen wallet in his pocket, nothing else.

"Heaven's sake, Timothy, I am not going to feed you rats!" He checked the pocket of the baggy coat himself but didn't find any rats there, much to his relief. Realizing that it was a joke, his frown deepened, "do not pull such nonsense on me ever again. And stop with your rat jokes."

"Or else?" Dull blue eyes sparked mischievously as Tim teased him further.

"Or else no experimentation for a week. Could be a month too so better watch yourself," he mumbled, for the first time in his life, feeling the weight of being a parental figure.

A parental figure... He paused, why did he just think that?

He had made that deal only out of convenience. He could see Tim had a knack for toxicology and he had needed a ticket out of the Drake Manor's basement. Of course, he was not going to be like a parental figure to that lost little boy.

He could not be.

"If I didn't know you, I would have thought you were just now looking at me with pity in your eyes," Tim piped up, trying to assess his expression.

"Of course not, why would I feel pity for you?"

He smiled, unoffended by the former psychiatrist's cold behavior, "exactly, why would you?"

There was a short pause between them until Jonathan decided to stop wasting more time and get to cleaning the mess inside his apartment. It had been quite some time since he had last been there so he could see that it needed a lot of clearing up.

"Are you good with a mop, boy?" He asked, handing Tim a floor mop as the boy nodded his head eagerly, "don't touch the drums and the crates, only stick to sweeping the dust. I will be in the kitchen and I don't want you to come there unless I say so."

"Geez, you're so bossy, Doc. Wonder how I will manage to put up with you for as long as I have to be your apprentice."

Crane's eyes narrowed slightly so Tim chuckled, managing a light salute as he picked up the mop.

"No worries, I will not disturb you and I will try my best not to cause any trouble."

"Good."

Jonathan retreated to the kitchen so Tim got to his work of sweeping the dust-covered apartment. He felt if he did his best, it would be easier for him to convince Jonathan to let him check out his chemical stock sooner.

About an hour passed as such. Tim had swept the living room and kept true to his word of not touching the many boxes and crates full of dangerous chemicals. He could hear sounds of washing dishes coming from the kitchen so it was safe to assume that Doctor Crane was busy fixing them something to eat.

He was tired after all the sweeping too so as he was waiting for Crane to come out of the kitchen, he flopped down on the floor by the couch, resting his back against it. He didn't realize when he fell asleep and the mop fell with a light clatter close to him.

Hearing the slight sound, Jonathan came out of the kitchen to check on his newly hired apprentice. He expected him to have stumbled over a chemical crate and caused a mess by then but saw an unexpected sight instead.

He found Tim asleep with his head balanced against the couch and his posture quite askew. His lips parted to call him and wake him up but then he paused, considering that the boy looked extremely tired.

He could let him sleep for the time being while he focused on making something edible for both of them. So he went back to the kitchen, deciding to go to his neighbor Miguel and ask him if he had some groceries he could borrow.

Tim didn't even stir as Jonathan took his coat from the stand and was about to step out to go to Miguel's place. But then he paused, considering whether he should leave the unhinged boy alone in his apartment for even a second or not.

He knew that Tim was very unpredictable and he did not want to give him any opportunity to trick him again and cause any destruction to his property.

But seeing the boy asleep like that, he decided against his superstitions. He was just a boy who had gone through a lot no child his age should, Crane thought and despite his usually cold nature, he relented.

Before stepping out of his apartment to meet with his neighbor, he discarded the coat and dropped it over the frail figure of the thirteen-year-old. He was so tiny that the coat covered him perfectly and he snuggled into the warm fabric, holding it closer to himself.

Seeing that he didn't wake up, Jonathan sighed softly, checking the time as he finally left his apartment. But he was still slightly dubious about the guest he was going to leave unattended for the time being.

He could only hope that he would find his house intact by the time he returned.

***

Do you guys want a part 2?

Because I can totally write more about this unhinged duo.

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