Timothy Jackson Drake

A man of science, master of technology and one of the world's greatest detectives but also, the leader of the Teen Titans. However, coordinating the young superhero team could prove to be an exhausting task, even when he had help from Victor or Rose

Sometimes when he wanted some space for himself, the former Robin would go out and patrol the city from time to time, just admiring the urban landscape and helping those who needed his particular set of skills

He was a hero after all

Interestingly enough, just about ten minutes into the city, a family requested his assistance as he was patrolling nearby. They seemed desperate, so he attended them immediately

The family was terrified, something was very wrong with the father, but they didn't know what, so it was up to him to figure it out

Tim Drake always loved a good mystery, but this was not the kind he was prepared to handle

...Is this it?

Under the identity of Red Robin, he stood before a door, asking while looking back at the woman standing near him and the one who called him in the first place

???: Y-Yes, but please be careful. There's no telling what he will do

While the woman was worried, her behavior earned a confident smile from the vigilante

R.Robin: Don't worry, ma'am. I can handle it

Without saying anything else, he proceeded to open the door to one of the rooms. Upon touching it, the door creaked open as it allowed Tim to see the man inside, the one that had his entire family so panicked.

He was curled up into a ball, with blood coming out of self-inflicted wounds and laughter to cover it up. Experience suggested that this was the work of the Joker, but he was in Gotham, fighting a war or something like that

The thing was that this man didn't show any of the villain's calling cards, in fact, the victim's mere presence seemed...weird

And yet, Tim chose to step closer to him, but when he did, the wooden floor below him started to creak, immediately making the laughter stop

Instead, the man looked back at him and just... stared. It was disturbing, to say the least, but seeing as he had been spotted, Tim might as well try to keep it civilized

R.Robin: Mr. Williams, I'm here to help you, please just-

He was interrupted stopped mid-sentence by the victim as he continued his nonsensical laughter while slowly managing to get up. His movements appeared to be uncoordinated, forced and even his head was tilted sideways as if his neck had been broken

The vigilante recognized this as a potential threat and got into a defensive position, ready for whatever might happen next.

His mind was analyzing the elements of the man, going through his memories in search for anything that could be useful to identify the menace

R.Robin: Mr. Williams, don't do anything you'll regret

???: You talk too much, boy

The man finally spoke, but two voices answered instead of one. This was already getting out of hand

???: But to me, you're just another snack

Without wasting any more time in words, the creature launched itself at Tim, who used his staff to kick it back into the wall

The young hero threw some customized boomerangs to nail it to the wall. This action caused it to let out a twisted laugh

R.Robin: I believe you owe me an explanation

He sat on the edge of the bed, confident that his enemy could not escape

???: Oh yeah? What for, birdie?

His foe continued to show a smug attitude, clearly not taking him seriously

R.Robin: Know what I'm talking to, for starters

His question brought laughter to the creature yet again, almost as if it were taunting Tim

???: Oh, you couldn't possibly hope to comprehend it!

Provoked by this, the young man stood back up and barely approached his captured enemy

R.Robin: Try me, pal

???: The only thing you need to know is that I'll tear you apart, child. Your soul is asking for, maybe I'll-

The demon sniffed the trace of his soul, but his eyes went wide and his mouth was shut the moment he discovered something unusual, something so frightening to it, that the demon began to stutter

This sudden loss of confidence was what caught Red Robin's attention

R.Robin: What? Do I smell bad or something?

???: Y-You got his scent!! L/N's scent!!

The demon's eyes began to glow and his voice started to sound less human as he spoke

This sudden response was beyond intriguing. He would sometimes find a criminal too bold to be afraid of vigilantes, sometimes not even Batman made them talk...But Y/N? He wasn't even trying to be scary! What does he do to scare beings such as that one?

...And what did it mean by "having his scent?"

Effortlessly, the demon freed himself from the trap and grabbed Tim by the shoulders, but in his gaze, only fear could be seen

???: P-Please don't t-tell him about me! I-I swear I won't do it a-again!!

R.Robin: What are you talking abou-

???: Fuck this! I don't wanna go through that again!!

His mouth opened beyond human limits, allowing for a black cloud to emerge out of the man's body in a violent way and escape through the wall

Shortly after it did, the man started to cough violently. Upon coming to his senses, Tim rushed to help the victim, who had apparently just been exorcised

Mr. Williams would have fallen down if not for his help. It wasn't long before he opened his eyes again, groaning silently and staring at the young man in confusion

Mr. Williams: What...what happened? W-who are you?

???: Harry? Is that really you?...

The voice of the wife could be heard behind the door, hope being sparked upon hearing her husband's voice again

Mr. Williams: Sally?...

He tried to register what was going on. It was normal to be quite confused, but right after he answered, the door was opened and his wife came rushing in

Sally: Oh my God, it's really you!

She hugged her husband with all her might, tears could also be seen streaming down her eyes

Sally: Thank you so much for bringing him back!

She took a minute to thank him, smiling with her eyes still wet. The family had finally reunited  and they clearly celebrated it

As for Timothy himself, he just stood there, speechless mainly because he didn't really do anything

...This was the work of a man who wasn't even there

Yes, he had heard of Y/N being capable of incredible deeds, his comrades describing what they had seen, from Rose Wilson to the Batman himself. It was one thing to hear about the stories, but seeing the effect that he caused on his foes it was another thing entirely

And if he could scare a demon without being anywhere near, then there was something else going on with him, something bigger

Tim Drake always loved a good mystery

...And he had just found one

Titans Tower, 1:35 p.m

With an astonishing amount of thoughts going through his mind regarding the recent incidents, Tim returned home, where he was waiting to find answers to the many questions he had

Along the way, he came across Rose Wilson, a friend and fellow Titan who had successfully completed a training routine. When she saw him, she showed a smile despite her being slightly tired

Rose: Hey, Tim, what's up?

Tim: That's what I want to know too

He answered without stopping nor looking at her, something not usual from him, and as a consequence, he drew her curiosity as well

Rose: What's wrong this time?

She chose to follow her friend down the hall until they arrived at Y/N's room, which was empty. Tim did not find himself pleased by that sight, but not surprised either

Tim: ...Where is Y/N now?

Rose: He said something about tea, I don't know

Her answer earned a sigh from the young man. He was growing impatient but then again, nobody likes to not being given an explanation to a mystery

Especially when your life was practically saved by said mystery

Rose: Don't get me wrong, Y/N's pretty damn awesome, but why do you need him so much?

Finally acknowledging the girl leaning on the wall near him, the former Robin turned around to face her

Tim: I ran into a demon about an hour ago, he was threatening to eat my soul and such until he sensed something about Y/N on me

Rose: What, like a protective spell or something?

Tim: Whatever it was, it made a demon run away, Rose, a demon

The white-haired's eye went wide when she heard that, soon putting the pieces together, thus understanding Tim's concern regarding their mutual friend

Rose:...A-And what are you going to do about it?

Tim: I have to see it for myself, maybe I can finally understand why does he scare spirits so much

With that same serious posture, he looked at Rose

Tim: And you're going to help me

This last part was what the girl found the most surprising

Rose: You need my help? Well that's new

Tim: You're the best operating the tower's monitoring systems

She gave him somewhat of a sympathetic smile, reinforced by a hand placed on the young man's shoulder

Rose: Look, I'm flattered and all, but that's Cyborg who you're talking about

Tim: But Victor isn't used to missions of high discretion. This investigation is between you and me

This comment took away her nonchalant posture towards the issue, engaging fully into this conversation

Rose: Alright, but the others will find out sooner or later, what do I tell them? That we are suspicious of our friend and need proof to confirm that?

Tim: What? No, just tell them that you're helping me supervise a mission, you know, for the archives and all

Rose: *Sigh*...Fine, so what now?

Before any of them could say anything, footsteps could be heard at the distance, sometimes accompanied by laughter quickly approaching the scene

Tim: That must be him talking to someone

Startled, both Titans stepped away from the room's door and proceeded to act "natural" as to not raise any suspicion.

Soon enough, the chatting across the hall revealed itself to be a conversation between Rachel and Y/N himself, the very same man who made a habit out of using portals to get in and out of the tower they lived in

One could even say, he had a thing against doors

Y/N was wearing a cast on his arm. He was still recovering from the last harsh mission they had, but went on three more as he didn't think it was a "big deal"

And Rachel, on the other hand, was wearing regular clothing instead of her usual cloak.

In a matter of seconds, Y/N spotted both Tim and Rose, he proceeded to stop his conversation with his friend to talk to them

Y/N: Allo, guys

Timothy greeted him with a nod, not wasting any time in non-useful chatter

Rose: How's the arm holding up?

Y/N: Good enough to cast a spell, no pun intended

Tim: Where were you?

Y/N: Oh, just drinking tea with aunt Zee

While his answer was carefree, the young Occult detective was not fooled by them at all.

He subtly looked behind his allies to see if his room had been tampered with, then he returned his gaze to meet them

Y/N: So, can I help you, mate?

He sighed, seeing little to no ways to ask what he was about to ask

Tim: This might sound weird but...Have you done something to me?

Both Y/N and Rachel's response to this was logical, giving his team leader a weird look and also, a chuckle from Rose herself, who found the situation quite amusing

Y/N: Excuse you?

The former Robin facepalmed upon realizing what he had just said, sounding even worse than he thought

Tim: Sorry, that came out wrong, but I really don't know how to explain it. Look, I faced a demon but it ran away saying that I had your "scent". Care to explain?

Y/N: Well, we do spend some time together as the Teen Titans. Maybe some of my charm rubbed off on you

The young man soon found himself chuckling at his own statement but failing to amuse Tim

Rachel: But in all seriousness, Y/N and I placed some spells around this place.

Y/N: You know, to keep you out of mystical shenanigans

Tim thought about this, trying to find a logical explanation with the information that he had been provided, but then, that same voice that gave him the answers interrupted his thoughts

Y/N: Well, we're going to leave now

He proceeded to walk into his room, Rachel stood outside waiting for him

Tim: Already? But you just got here

He disguised his frustration with ease, Rose helped keep the tone friendly

Rose: Busy man, huh?

He chuckled as he walked out of the place, holding a small bottle

Y/N: You know it, luv

Tim: And where to this time?

Y/N: We're going ghostbusting, want to join us?

While the young man was joking about the idea, Timothy was actually considering it. Seeing as theory had proved itself not so useful, a field investigation might be in order

Tim: ...Actually, yeah, I do

This caused an insane amount of silence in the hallway, nobody was believing what had just taken place. Tim didn't either, but he was well aware of what he needed to do to get that information

Y/N:...You sure about that?

Tim: Yeah, I'm curious

Y/N: Right...well, get yourself into some civies, we don't want to get unnecessary attention in this one

Tim: Sure, I'll be right back, then

Before anything else could be said or done, he walked away from the scene and left the three alone to talk with each other. After a couple seconds, it was Y/N who broke the silence

Y/N: Rose, you're the most rational here, what just happened?

Rose: I wish I knew, Y/N, but you know Tim

Rachel: He can be really curious sometimes

Her voice made the young man look at her with an intrigued expression on his face

Y/N: Is that so? I mean, I knew he would hop in eventually, but not so soon

Rose: Well, maybe he finally gave in, you've given us some pretty fucking solid evidence that magic does work

Y/N: ...I doubt it

The sudden way he said it caught Rose off-guard. Rachel, on the other hand, preferred to remain silent

Rose: What? Why?

Y/N: I'm not saying that I'm not blinding, but come on, you've had Rachel in the team for...

He then subtly looked over his shoulder to consult the goth, who couldn't help but smile at this

Rachel: Three and a half years

Y/N: Right, thanks, luv

Then he shifted his attention back to Rose to prove his point

Y/N: If Mr. Red Robin wasn't convinced during all that time, there's no way I did it. Rachel does some pretty hardcore things sometimes, you know?

Tim: Have some faith in me, Y/N, it won't kill you

His voice confirmed the return of their leader, this time wearing semi-formal clothes but bringing his utility belt along if he ever needed it

Y/N: I said civies, mate, you don't strike me as an innocent bystander

Tim: That's coming from the man who practically wears a suit while beating monsters

Neither Rose nor Rachel could contain themselves and let out a short laugh, even Y/N himself chuckled

Y/N: What can I say, I've never been a fan of them capes and thighs

Tim: Right, everything ready?

Y/N: Yes, come along

A portal was opened in front of them with a house visible on the other side. Y/N said goodbye to Rose before walking into it followed by Rachel

Tim, however, didn't go through it right away. Instead, he tossed a communicator to Rose and gave her a nod, a gesture that she returned upon receiving it

After doing that, he crossed the portal to rejoin with the others, it closed as soon as he did it

And now, they were outside a regular house, Y/N was already knocking on the door

Tim: Why are we here?

Y/N: Got a contract in this place, says a ghost is haunting the place non-stop

Tim: Contract?

Rachel: That's what he calls a mission

Shortly after, the door was answered by a young man about the same age as them. He had the appearance of an aspiring rock star

???: Yeah?

Y/N: I'm Y/N L/N, heard you had a ghost problem

???: Oh, right! You with Jen, right? Yeah, I sure do

He opened the door completely and stepped away as an invitation

???: Please come in, man

Followed by Rachel and Tim, the Occult detective walked into the house, starting to inspect the place right away

Y/N: So, what can you tell me about this ghost?

???: Well, it likes to toss things around like a madman, sometimes I even hear a couple screams or just plain gibberish, the usual

Tim: You don't sound so scared of it

He turned to face the teenager with suspicion, but he got an answer shortly after

???: Oh, I AM scared, it's just easier to talk about during the daytime

Then, the goth girl motioned them to be quiet, talking again shortly after

Rachel: I sense something, it's the spirit

Y/N: Where to?

She pointed at a room with a closed door next to the kitchen. They all slowly approached it, but then Y/N noticed the "victim" joining them

Y/N: Stay here, mate. Things might get weird in that room

Before opening the door, he looked back at his allies

Y/N: Don't let it touch you, it's going to get worse if you do

They nodded in confirmation and proceeded to enter the room. The place itself was nearly empty, just a window leading to the back of the house and a few paintings

Rachel: It's here, I sense it again

Y/N: Listen whoever you are, we know you're here, no point in hiding or spooking

Rachel: We're here to help you

A painting fell down behind them, alerting the trio but suddenly, Tim gasped and fell to the ground

Rachel: Tim!

She kneeled down to help him, but he slapped her hand away and angrily stepped back up, with eyes glowing white

???: You fellers get the hell away from me!

The magic users were caught off-guard when they heard his change in voice and even worse, the way he was talking

Y/N: Alright, no need to possess my friend. We're the good guys

???: Like hell you are, you stink of black magic!

The goth stepped forward, with her hands up as a sign of surrender

Rachel: That's because we're magic users, but we aren't here to-

???: YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!!

Not much could be done after that was said since the charged at them but targeting the window and immediately running away from the scene

Y/N: Bloody hell, I said not to let the ghost touch him!

He sighed before jumping off the same window followed by Rachel, who was flying in a hurry to catch their possessed friend

Meanwhile at the Titans Tower, Rose was operating a special room used to monitor special operations. Currently, she was laughing out loud at the scene of Tim being chased around by her friends

Rose: I have to record this!

???: Record what?

The girl's amusement was cut short when she heard the voice of one of her teammates at the door

It was Conner, also known as Superboy. He was standing outside the open room, holding a bowl of popcorn and some soda

Rose: Umm... What are you doing?

She chose to avoid the question by making one herself, referring to the supplies the boy was carrying

Conner: I was preparing to watch a movie with the guys, want to join us?

Rose: Nah, last time I did Wally cried over that cliche drama

She then motioned at the monitors behind her

Rose: Besides, I'm kinda busy

Conner: Doing what?

She then realized what Tim said about the mission being secret and all that, but Rose being Rose, didn't really care about secrecy and trusted Conner

Rose: Helping Tim to make a file on Y/N. He wants to know why is he so damn scary to monsters

The half-Kryptonian placed the things on a table and entered the already open room

Conner: One time I talked to him about it, Y/N said he acts as some sort of regulator for the magic world

Rose: Well, yeah but aren't you curious to know what makes him so different from the other magicians we've encountered?

The girl stopped looking at the screens to look at her friend, who remained impartial to this

Conner:...Not really

Rose was surprised to hear this, her own expressions gave it away

Conner: It is simple, Y/N can access a reality that we can't and adapts it to his own routine

She was about to argue against that but remained silent upon realizing the truth of that statement. Y/N was many times indifferent to the mayhem the Titans faced on a daily basis

He did help but was never stressed as everyone else was

Rose: You know? You might be right...Since when did you become so wise?

Conner: Since I saw him work

Rose:...Fair enough

???: Hey Conner, you found the popcorn or what?

Wally's voice could be heard from across the hallway, interrupting their conversation. The girl gave him a smirk

Rose: Guess that's your cue

Conner: It is

The young man then grabbed his supplies and walked out of the room again

Conner: Good luck with your mission

With that said, he walked away from the room and into the hallway, leaving Rose with her own thoughts

While Conner was right, the fact that their friend was so used to the crisis only made it worse. Rose could understand perfectly how was it to be raised in a less than healthy environment

But that was what lead her to become a villain at first. If someone with the skill set of Y/N was set to a similar path, what kind of destruction could that cause?

...Guess Rose had just found a personal reason to take the case seriously, or at least with an approach of her own

Central Park 2:48 p.m

Capturing the possessed Tim Drake proved to be a bigger challenge than the Titans were expecting, every single time that they were about to capture, there was either an obstacle or something in his utility belt that just prolonged the chase

Rachel: Why didn't you just seal the room!?

Y/N: Because I didn't think he would escape through the sodding window! Who does that?

Currently, she was flying as fast as she could, while he was being transported by a magic disk. Being possessed brought superhuman speed and reflexes to the former Robin

But now they were chasing a man in an open space and fortunately, with no witnesses around, it was now or never

Y/N: Hey Rachel, you thinking what I'm thinking?

Rachel: Yes, do it now!

The hand of his healthy arm began to glow and suddenly, a small crowd appeared in Tim's way. They were all illusions, but too many to keep him busy

So busy that it provided an opening for Rachel to act. She raised her hands and began to chant

Rachel: Azarath Metrion Zinthos

Then, her black energy wrapped around the former Robin's legs, making him fall and even roll due to the speed he was using, but he was not running anymore

Y/N: Finally, well done, luv

She smiled at the compliment but they shifted their attention to the mission immediately. Y/N was the first to approach the possessed man, while the girl remained in an alert stance

Y/N: You done running?

???: Let me go you rascal!

Y/N: I will, as soon as you understand that we're not going to hurt you

???: Bullshit! You've been chasing me around for fifteen minutes!

Rachel: Because you made us

Y/N: That too, but just think about it, mate, if we wanted to destroy you then we would've done it in the room

The spirit stopped struggling to free himself when he heard that but was still not quite convinced

Y/N: My name is Y/N L/N

???: Y/N as in that feller who helps them unfortunate ghosts?

There was a hint of hope in his voice as he said that, Y/N himself smiled at this.

Y/N: The same, you believe me now?

The ghost took some time to consider this, but then Tim's eyes opened wide and his mouth too, releasing a now visible spirit

It was the spirit of a cowboy, something that could be guessed just by his way to talk

???: Sorry for the inconveniences, Mr. L/N

The man was sitting down, no intention to get up at the moment

Y/N: It's fine, Mr...

The young man tried to keep the conversation by sitting down as well

???: Thompson, Clay Thompson at your service

He shook Y/N's hand as a greeting. The ghost could make itself tangible or intangible at will by the looks of it

Y/N: A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thompson. This here is my friend Rachel and the fellow you just possessed is Timothy

The spirit's eyes went wide when he remembered the body that he had just escaped from

Clay: Oh my, I'm terribly sorry 'bout that!

The Occult detective asked Rachel to help their friend get back up before he continued to talk

Y/N: Don't worry, he'll be fine. Guess you had fun running away in the body of an athlete

The man couldn't help but chuckle at this statement

Clay: I won't deny it, it was pretty damn funny

The girl chanted something to wake Tim up, who was coughing for a few seconds but was fine overall

Y/N: Now, Mr. Thompson, can you tell me how did you recognize the scent of black magic?

This question almost erased the smile from the cowboy's face

Clay: It's a long story, but I guess that won't convince you

Y/N: You guess correctly

The ghost sighed before adjusting his hat and finally spoke

Clay: Well, the thing is, when I was alive, I came across an old hag, she accused me of killing her children

Tim: And did you do it?

They both looked at a still recovering Timothy, who in turn was looking at him

Y/N: You feeling better?

Tim nodded as he sat down next to Y/N himself, with Rachel sitting on the other side

Clay: Sorry for taking your body, pal

Tim: Don't worry about it. Please continue

His words were nice, but one could tell he was interested in the story Clay had to tell

Clay: Well, I didn't kill her children, I just turned them over to collect a bounty, they swung a day later, but that woman soon found out that I captured them

Rachel: What did they do?

Clay: Murder, train robbery, stealing from the church, you name it. Those bastards had no limits and I ain't regret what I did

Y/N: Fair enough, what did the woman do to you?

Clay: She might have hired some of Satan's very own demons to go after me. They have been haunting my entire existence

Rachel: How so?

Clay: They make sure that everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Even now that I'm not around anymore since 1892, those things still chase after me

Tim: So you sheltered yourself in that man's house?

Clay: He's part of my family, good to know my bloodline is still going, but I don't know if them demons are after the family too

Rachel: And you tried to warn him, that's why you moved things around and such

Clay: Something like that, at least he was smart enough to call you

Y/N: This curse isn't that hard to lift, first we have to defeat the demons that are after Mr. Thompson

Clay: And how do we do that?

Rachel: We lure them to us

Y/N: Exactly. Curses appear at a certain time, what time was it when the hag's children died?

Clay: Around 6:05

Y/N: What time is it?

Tim: 3:15 p.m

Y/N: More than enough, then

Tim: Alright, what do you need?

Without answering, Y/N stood up and began to walk away

Y/N: To work, excuse me

A fireball appeared from his hand and was thrown into the area where they were sitting, acting as a fire

The young man used the bottle he brought along and started to draw a line around the area, a considerably large one. Once that was done, he returned to the fire with the others

Y/N: Alright, this is how we'll lure those tossers: Mr. Thompson, I need you to remember your old life, the bounties you collected

Clay: Including the one that got me cursed?

Y/N: Especially that one

Clay: Alright, I'll see what I can do

With a serious attitude, the Occult detective looked at Rachel

Y/N: Darling, make sure to keep him in line, don't let him be consumed by the negative emotions and if possible, amplify the positive ones

Rachel: I'll start now, then

Shortly after that, Tim decided to ask him something

Tim: I know it's none of my business, but what is the purpose of that?

Y/N: By amplifying Clay's emotions, we'll lure the demons faster

Tim: Alright, what do you need from me?

Y/N: You can relax for now. Your turn to shine will come soon

The young man walked away yet again, only taking a couple of steps before he kneeled on the grass, folding his legs underneath one's thighs while resting his behind on his heels. His back was straight and his eyes closed as his free hand rested on his thighs

Y/N: I'm going to kill time my way

Without much effort, he began to meditate, effectively disconnecting from the world for a moment.

Still, that didn't change the fact that the detective was acting in a rather sober way, very professional and slightly off-character

Another thing that stood out the most was the fact that he could have healed his own arm but still hadn't. It was like if it were like a challenge to him. It was either that or he shared those self-destructive tendencies with his father

While Y/N took the time to meditate, Tim took it to study his teammate, gathering as much information as possible

This case had given him plenty of information to work with, but he knew very well that this case was still just beginning. Yet, with magic in play and evil spirits lurking around what he thought was an unstable person, Tim was very uncertain, he even found himself wondering:

"What will happen next?"

While he was studying him, so was Rose Wilson herself, who could see what he did

What she found the most interesting about the scene was the technique Y/N was practicing to meditate, one that hardly anyone even used anymore

Maybe it was part of Y/N's training with the Amazons of Themyscira. Maybe they taught Y/N how to deal with his very rage

...Or maybe being the warriors that they were, they fueled his desire for conflict

Every action he did was worth looking at according to Rose since anything could lead to a clue

...So that was the infamous "Bat-paranoia" that family of vigilantes was known for, it was contagious

However, Rose's very own concerns about Y/N becoming anything like her were the same things that kept her from doing a proper job, as her emotions constantly interfered with logical thought

Fortunately or unfortunately for the girl, her concentration would find itself broken by a knock on the now-closed door of the room she was in. Disconcerted about it, the white-haired stood up from her seat and walked up to the door, opening it to reveal her friend and fellow Titan: Koriand'r

Rose: Kori? What are you doing here?

Kori: Garfield is organizing a tournament for his games of video and wished to know if you would like to participate

The mercenary chuckled at this declaration, remembering just how normal and even silly things could get in the tower. It was almost like a break she didn't know she needed

Rose: As much as I'd love to kick their ass again, I'm busy right now, I'm sorry

The alien nodded as an understanding of her decision, but being as perceptive as she was, Kori knew something was wrong with her friend

Kori: What's troubling you, Rose?

She was surprised by her abilities, but Rose knew too that lying to her wouldn't get her anywhere

Rose: *Sigh* Oh what the hell, I could use your insight for this...

Rose walked back inside, asking Kori to follow, a petition that she eagerly accepted. Once inside, the door closed again

Kori: What do you need?

Rose sat on a couch nearby, placing one hand on her thigh and the other on the side of her head, but her gaze remained low

Koriand'r had spent enough time with Rose to know her emotions. She had seen her angry, sad or even drunk...but never worried like that

And yet, she chose to remain silent and listen to what her friend had to say

Rose: I just had a talk with Conner and it left me, well, thinking...

Kori: About what?

Rose: About Y/N

She was taken back by this, obviously unaware of the investigation that was taking place

Kori: And what happened?

Rose: I discovered something pretty messed up. Do you know how he's always "cool" and calm during a mission? Even when all hell breaks loose

Kori: Now that you mention it, I have

Rose: Well, that left me thinking. Just how much has he been through to be so indifferent about every single time we prevented the Apocalypse?

Kori: Well, maybe he's learned how to control his emotions like Rachel does? They do spend quite some time together

Rose: But if that were the case, Y/N would be shallow even when we're not on a mission

While she was a patient listener, Starfire also knew when someone was just rambling

Kori: Where are you going with this?

Rose understood it right away and sighed, regulating her breath in order to calm down

Rose: The thing is, Kori, I've seen too many people like that, all of them my friends. At first, they hold up just fine, they get used to the violence but...

The teenager found herself attacked by a rush of emotions, mainly sadness and guilt, a sting from her past

Rose: I-It always happens, ...they all fall one way or another

The princess felt empathy towards her and didn't hesitate to approach her and sat next to her, embracing her. Normally, she would reject the gesture, but not this time. 

This time, she returned it

Rose: I'm worried about his health, what if he's just one bad day from becoming someone like...like me? How can you come back from that?

There was a brief moment of silence in the room, Kori could feel Rose getting closer into the hug, even some sobbing was there despite her best efforts to contain it.

Rose Wilson was not the type of person who was comfortable showing her emotions outside from the occasional flirt

But for that very same reason, one could tell that her feelings were genuine and strong. As someone whose existence was powered by emotion itself, Koriand'r was very aware of that

Kori: Do it the same way you did, Rose. Your past does not define who you are now, it's your actions in the present

She then placed a hand on her cheek, making the mercenary look at her

Kori: If Y/N ever deviates, it is you who knows how to help him. There is no better option than you for redemption

Rose was shocked by this. She knew Koriand'r was wise when it came to heart issues, but not that wise

The burden she felt, the heavy responsibility of keeping her friend in line had suddenly become something bearable. All it took were a couple of words

Rose: I...I don't know what to say...

She broke the hug to look at her friend

Kori: Don't say anything, when the time comes, it is your actions who will speak for you

The white-haired found herself smiling, no more tears. The tension was no longer there either

However, seeing her strong reaction to the possibility of Y/N going array, sparked curiosity in the Tamaranean, who chose to express it

Kori: ...Rose, may I ask you a question?

She got a nod in confirmation

Kori: While your concern is quite appreciated, I can't help but wonder, what's your relationship with him like?

The teenager was taken back by that question, almost forgetting her previous emotions entirely. She even sat straight the moment that was brought up

Rose: I...I don't know

She couldn't look at Kori in the eyes. Those gestures gave her the answer

Kori: I see... Now, I'm going to ask you one more thing, it's completely fine if you don't answer

Rose: *Sigh* Go ahead

Kori: Do you, perhaps...

"Love Y/N?"

Central Park, 6:05 p.m

The time has come to face the spirits who were chasing the ghost of Clay Thompson.

The wind began to blow over the place, carrying the leaves fallen from the trees under a grey, dead sky. The only sounds remaining to be the breeze and the fire that Y/N himself had conjured earlier

A sinister whisper entered the field, followed by another, and another until a crowd was gathered in the area. The whispers belonged to black, robed figures that never touched the ground, yet floated surrounded by mist

These were the creatures responsible for the man's inability to rest in peace

However, when they arrived at the scene, they found only Clay himself, sitting by the fire and looking at it with expressionless eyes

Clay: Hundred and twenty-one years, a hundred and twenty-one years you've been after my soul...

He looked at the creatures with anger, not even afraid of their presence

Clay: That ends today, you ethereal bastards

One of those monsters started to approach him, floating and preparing to strike. Clay remained unfazed by it

The moment the beast swung its claws at him, not a single one of them touched him, but they were scorched before they could

And soon enough, the f/c colored flames would consume the entire being, who screeched in pain by this

The rest of them backed away in shock of this. Their numbers would be reduced if they dared go near that shield again

Suddenly, a black raven made of energy emerged from the ground and in a swift motion, cut some of them in half

A small sphere was thrown into the field, soon exploding and covering it with smoke. Once it cleared, three Titans were in the way of the spirits

Tim: The clock's ticking. We got five minutes

Y/N: Stay within the line, do not let them take the ghost

Upon seeing the new obstacle, the curses roared, growled and screeched as they launched themselves at their new prey, who prepared themselves for the battle

And so the two parties engaged each other in a fierce battle for the soul of one man. Since they were monsters, there was no reason for the heroes to hold back

Tim swung his staff, stunning one of them before he kicked it away and threw one of his boomerangs, exploding upon contact.

Another one tried to sneak up behind him but was knocked by the same staff and then set on fire by Y/N. They exchanged a nod before returning to work

Rachel, in turn, created disks made or her own dark energy and threw them at her does, cutting them with ease. Although they were holding the line just fine, their enemies were overwhelmingly bast, not backing down from the fight yet

While disposing of one of them, Y/N found himself attacked when his foot was pulled and thus made him fall

The curse grabbed him by the shoulders and threatened to use its jaws when suddenly, a bullet was sent through its head. When looking for the shooter, he found Mr. Thompson himself using his own two guns

He had asked to fight alongside them but was restricted to do it from his assigned area for obvious reasons.

Y/N: We're pushing them back! Do it now!

Tim threw a set of grenades that blinded their enemies for a short time, but just enough for Rachel to cast a powerful spell that acted as a sharp barrier that not only threw away any near enemy but also trapped them all in one area

Then Y/N himself raised both arms, despite the cast and with a powerful glow in them, he chanted:

Y/N: "Det illis infernum"

The ground the creatures floated over started to shake, light snuck past the cracks and shortly after, many decaying hands violently dragged the beasts and forced them to descend into nothingness, all of them

And now, the Titans took the opportunity to regain their breath, getting to recover from a successful fight against the curses

Y/N: That'll do it...

Tim: And why didn't you start with that?

He looked at the former Robin, who was leaning on his staff to stand up

Y/N: It takes time to prepare, besides, just had one try

Clay: And now what?

Y/N: For you to get to the afterlife, we have to get rid your bond to this place

Clay: Fine, and what is it?

Rachel: In this case, your body

The Occult detective turned around and started to give orders yet again

Y/N: Luv, see if you can find it

Tim: I'll go with her

His friend nodded and started to walk away

Y/N: I'll start the preparations for the ritual

The goth opened a portal leading back to the house of the victim, much to Red Robin's confusion

Tim: Why here?

Rachel: That's where the trail led me. Come on

She opened the door, greeted by the rocker once again

???: You're back! What happened?

Rachel: We're nearly done, we just need to access the basement

???: Alright, you're the experts

He grabbed a key and walked towards the door of the basement, unlocked it and then stepped aside. The pair of teenagers went in and headed downstairs, where the trail led them

The room itself wasn't so bad. It had plenty of things but none looked suspicious enough

Tim was looking at a painting when Rachel's voice caught his attention

Rachel: Alright, Tim. Time to talk

Disconcerted, he turned to face her. Rachel had her arms crossed and did not look happy, she knew more than she appeared

Tim: About what?

The goth rolled her eyes at the fact that her friend still tried to maintain his act

Rachel: Y/N has been with us for a month now and now you're "curious" about what he can do? That's not you. Something must've happened for you to become interested, something big

Timothy found himself stunned by her deduction. Rachel was not one to intervene in others' problems but when she did, it was almost guaranteed that she had a working theory as to why was the problem even a thing

Tim: *Sigh* You know me too well...

He then leaned on a box, summoning his memories from earlier to give an explanation

Tim: The thing is, I came across a demon, but Y/N's magical signature or something like that saved me from being his snack. What worries me was that demon's reaction to it

Rachel: What did it do?

Tim: It surrendered right away, it even pleaded me not to tell Y/N about him

Her reaction to this wasn't as expressive as Rose's, but she was certainly not unamused

Tim: This is what worries me, not even Batman makes people that scared, and the guy works on fear. It made me worried because of his impact on monsters like that and to top it all, he's just so careless about it

The girl remained silent for a short while, but then sat next to Tim on that box, pulling her hood down

Rachel: *Sigh*...Listen, what Y/N does is different from what I do, a lot

She was not happy to talk about it, it was visible on her face

Tim: How so?

Rachel: Well, I fight to control my demons, but he...he does more than that. Y/N is not the person you call when you have a ghost problem like this one...

She then raised up her gaze and looked at him in the eye, serious

Rachel: ...He is the one you call when everything else has failed

Tim: So, like the last resort?

Rachel: Exactly

He took a moment to process this. Those words came from the mouth of Rachel herself and even she was not quite happy to talk about it

However, just as answers came in, more questions were brought in. Tim looked at his friend and chose to express them now that he had the chance

Tim: If that's the case, why is he doing this? It was just a lost soul

Rachel: He does it to take his mind off his own issues. Somehow, he finds this relaxing

The former Robin soon found a connection, a parallel between Y/N and himself. Both under an insane amount of pressure, both used to deal with absurd odds and now...both dealing with still dangerous activities to free themselves from the stress of it

Under this light, it was hard to call him a threat, let alone a strange man

Tim: I...wow

His reaction was the thing Rachel found the most amusing. She knew that look: enlightenment, the sensation of shaking off a huge fear and especially, the peace after it

Rachel: I take it you found the answers you needed

Tim: Yeah, I-

Y/N: Oi, did you find the body yet?

The voice of the detective himself through the communicator startled both of them. Even if he wasn't listening to the conversation at all, their reaction was a strong one

Tim picked up his communicator while Rachel placed a hang on a wall, making it open upon contact. While this was quite weird, the Titan just chose to ignore it

Tim: Yeah, we're on our way now

He stored his device and when he turned around, he saw the goth carrying a body wrapped on a white sheet. He walked up to her and helped her carry the body while she opened a portal back to their mutual associate

Tim: Rachel? Thanks, seriously, you took a huge weight off my shoulders

She looked over her shoulder and gave him a smile

Rachel: Don't mention it

Without further due, they crossed the portal and were now in an open field, where Y/N and Clay were waiting for them on a rock. They approached them and gently placed the body on the grass

Y/N: Alright, we can continue now

He removed part of the sheet so the body could be seen. It was more bone and torn clothes than anything else

Then, Y/N kneeled next to it and placed one hand where the heart used to be and closed his eyes

Y/N: "Ingenuus nunc"

He asked Clay to reach out for the hand that was under the cast, the specter complied

"Ab anima alia nunc patiar requies "

After this was said, he let go of both Clay's hand and the corpse, now being engulfed by flames in a peaceful way until there was nothing left, not even the sheets

Not even a minute had passed and there was another being in the place: A horse, healthy and white in its entirety. Y/N looked at the ghost and smiled at him

Y/N: There's your ride

Clay: Thank you, friend, mark my words when I say that I'll never forget this

He extended his arms and gave the young man a hug and a pat on the back. The heroes were quite surprised that Y/N himself returned the gesture

Clay: Remember what we talked about

The hug was over and they proceeded to walk towards the horse

Y/N: I will. Now, I believe you have people waiting for you

The man got in the horse, who accepted him with ease

Clay: I do, it'd be unfair to keep 'em waiting

Then, he took off his hat and tossed it to Y/N with a smirk

Clay: So long, Y/N L/N

He got the horse's attention by pulling his reins, making it "stand" on its hind legs with the forelegs off the ground for a moment and started to gallop away from the scene with excitement, as the memories of riding a horse bloomed

The Titans stood next to Y/N as they watched him leave, it was until he was at a moderate distance that the detective talked again

Y/N: This is my favorite part of the whole thing

Tim looked at his friend, only to find a rare emotion on his person: Happiness

When he returned his attention to the horse, it was glowing, without stopping nor slowing down, not even when it started to fade away

The horse never stopped, nor did his rider, who peacefully disintegrated, leaving nothing behind

They had just witnessed a lost soul finally finding the peace it craved. Even if he didn't do much, the happiness and hope were there, and for a minute...

Tim and Y/N felt the same

Titans Tower, 8: 11 p.m

An exhausted Red Robin made his way to the monitoring room, relieved to find himself back in a familiar place. He opened the door and entered it, collapsing on the couch that was there

But also earning a chuckle from the only person in that room, his partner in crime, if you will

Rose: Quite a day you had, eh boss?

Tiredly, he shifted his attention to her, giving her a nod

Tim: Tell me about it, I was possessed, attacked by a demon, possessed and even had my mind blown

Rose: Well, when you put it like that, it does sound pretty rough

But then, the former Robin leaned forward, placing his hands on each side of his head whilst looking at the ground

Tim: But the thing is... Y/N saved me twice, but not even using a spell or anything, just his words

Confused, Rose chose to speak

Rose: Yeah, I saw that too. Where are you going with this?

He sighed, placing his hands away and allowing himself to look at the girl

Tim: I left this tower thinking that Y/N was someone to be feared, a possible threat but the thing is...

"He might as well be the most human out of us"