This chapter is dedicated to emily_shurley because talking to her is like talking to an awesome idea generator. This one shot is a result of those midnight conversations and I will not give you all any spoilers before the one shot.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

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Red Robin was tired of all the shit he had to deal with almost every night.

There could never be peace in Gotham as long as the infamous maniacs such as Joker, Scarecrow, Riddler and Two Face were running around. He had lost count of how many times they had put those criminals behind bars because Batman believed in a no-killing rule yet each time they had broken free and caused havoc again.

In that case, Tim slightly agreed with Jason's philosophy. If you kill one killer, the number of killers remains the same but it you kill a hundred killers, it went down by 99.

Joker had escaped Arkham again and caused a city-wide destruction program that the vigilantes had to deal with to save the citizens. With a multitude of bombs placed all over the city, the entire team of Bat vigilantes was busy tracking the bombs and deactivating them, or in cases where they couldn't deactivate them, they had to make sure the civilians evicted the targeted area before the bomb went off.

It was one hell of a job, Red Robin sighed, thinking back to the time he had pestered Bruce into letting him join the team.

Pestered could also be translated to blackmailed in his case but that was a totally different story.

Right then he was helping the civilians to evacuate the public square in Central Gotham. It was the busiest and most crowded spot in the city and having a bomb go off there could cause heavy damage.

The bomb disposal squad was working on deactivating the bomb at Robinson and the one dispatched to Central Gotham hadn't yet reached. So the only option left was to make sure that everyone safely evicted the area before it could go up in flames.

Property damage aside, they had to make sure that no mortal damage would be caused.

Red Robin had matched his watch to the timer on the bomb and as he hoarded the citizens out with the help of his partner Signal, his eyes stopped on a dog barking at the monument under which the bomb was placed. 

Signal, or rather Duke Thomas under the black and yellow suit, was leading the citizens to safety and as Red Robin looked down at his watch, the bomb was about to go off.

He might not be an animal lover but that didn't mean he was heartless. Knowing the dog wouldn't move by itself, he made a reckless but totally necessary decision.

He used his grapple gun to propel himself close to the monument, scooped the dog up and anchored the cable to another building just in the nick of time. Right as he swung away, the monument went up in flames.

The dog was staring at the orange cascade erupting from the monument then back at the vigilante in red and black who had just saved it.

Once Red Robin was at a safe distance from the fire that was being put out by the fire extinguishers Oracle had sent their way, he placed the dog down and hoped it would go on its way.

"Good job," Signal remarked, coming to stand beside him, "no lives compromised."

"Yeah but look at the square, it's ruined. It will take months to rebuild it, all thanks to Joker and his useless shenanigans."

"There's only so much we can do, Red, and you did the right thing," Duke replied, looking down at the dog in amusement who was staring up at Red Robin still.

It was no doubt that the dog envisioned Tim as a savior and it resorted to licking his boot to show gratitude. Tim recoiled immediately, keeping his feet away, "what are you doing?"

"Oh come on, it's just licking your feet to say thanks," Duke laughed, "it's a very dog thing to do."

"Well, I am not comfortable with anyone licking my feet. Anyone," he stressed on the later word.

The dog barked in reply but was intent on following Red Robin from then onward despite the fact that he wasn't having any of it.

"Dogs are very friendly creatures," Duke prompted him, "perhaps if you acknowledge its affection, it will let you go."

"Where's Damian when I need him? He's good at this, I am not," he rolled his eyes, dodging the shove that came from his patrol partner upon using names in the field.

But Duke's suggestion held merit and Tim felt he could give it a try, perhaps the dog would then leave him alone. So he bent on one knee and saw that it sat up straight, letting out an affirmative bark. Tim turned to look at Duke again to make sure he wasn't filming it and then back at the dog he had to get rid of.

"Okay Dog, you're welcome," he mumbled, reluctantly patting its head and hearing a content bark from it, "now go. Be safe. And let me go too."

"You're adorable with animals," Duke was laughing at the interaction still, finding it rather entertaining.

"I hate animals," Tim mumbled darkly, "we have a lot of work to do by the way. It's only a matter of time before Oracle would tell us all to round up."

"Noted."

Red Robin took out his grapple gun and left the square as the fire had been put out and there was no danger to take care of in the area currently. Duke patted the dog's head as well and left too though the little puppy with its wide brown eyes stayed there, wondering where the two of them had vanished.

***

The next morning, Tim was still tired despite not working late and actually going to bed. His head was throbbing as he descended the stairs to go to the kitchen and ask Alfred to give him some coffee. He knew he had missed breakfast too so he would accept whatever Alfred would give him to eat with his daily coffee dosage.

However, as he was crossing the living room to go to the kitchen, a bark sounded and he froze in his tracks. His blue eyes were almost shut from fatigue but flew open at that sound and he felt as if he was imagining things.

But when he turned in the direction where the sound had come from, a dog leaped up in his arms, licking his face.

"What the fuck! No! Get down!" Tim had definitely not expected his day to start with such a shock. As if the dog he had rescued last night wasn't enough.

But then his senses kicked in and he saw it was the same dog with wide brown eyes and white and brown fur.

"Look at that, someone finally likes you, Drake," that very familiar nonchalant voice added the last straw and he saw that Damian was there too, holding a box of dog food that he had probably been intending to feed the little guest.

"Where did you find him?" Tim asked, putting the dog down himself and making sure it didn't lick his feet again.

"Truth is, I didn't. I was going out for my morning walk when I found this dog at our doorstep. So of course I brought it in." 

Tim sent him a glare, "you shouldn't have."

"Why are you so bitter, Drake? It's just a little puppy and I am going to take care of it, not you."

However, it seemed as if the puppy was only interested in Tim as it denied being held by Damian and began to follow Tim to the kitchen.

"I hate my life," Tim mumbled, sitting on the stool by the breakfast counter but then pulled his feet up as well, sitting with his legs crossed under him to keep his feet out of reach. "Do not lick my feet, please."

A slight woof sounded and the dog had curled by the foot of the stool, looking up at Tim obediently. Tim sighed wearily, feeling too caffeine-deprived to deal with the antics that would follow. 

Damian passed him the box of dog food and the bowl he had brought. "Seems like it doesn't like me and I am sure it will be hungry, why don't you give it some food and see if it eats?"

"I hate animals," Tim repeated, glaring at Damian again.

"And you also hate me when I go Lazarus mode on you," the younger one remarked, the threat evident in his tone, "so each time you say something against animals, I will make sure you regret it."

Shaking his head in disappointment, Tim filled up the bowl and placed it down close to the puppy. "This is the first and last time I am doing this."

"You will get used to it," Dami remarked, controlling the urge to smile because of course he never smiled, and definitely not at Drake being annoyed by an adorable little puppy.

"I will not."

"Maybe you should think of a name for your new friend."

"Shut up, gremlin, I don't have a new friend," Tim's head dropped down on the counter, the lack of coffee making him unresponsive. But he noticed that the dog was eating from the bowl and it did seem very hungry.

"Having a dog isn't that bad, Drake," Damian remarked, "and this one is adorable."

"You take him then," he snapped.

"I would have if it wasn't clearly so attached to you," the boy replied, looking down at the cute little puppy again, "what did you, a nutcase who definitely does not like animals, do that made it go so fond of you?"

"I think I made a mistake by saving him from being blown up," he mumbled.

"You dare say that it was a mistake again and you will get blown up," Damian warned.

He paid his words no heed, "can you ask Alfred to get me some coffee? I am dying."

Damian considered but then shrugged, "die then. You'd probably deserve it."

"I hate you too," he mumbled, his eyes falling shut as he felt the drowsiness overpower him.

***

So that's all for today.

Don't worry, there's more to this one shot and I will be posting the next parts soon.

Let me know what you guys think.

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