cresseliamp4

[cresseliamp4]

Unspoken Things

“I don't mind if there's not much to say, sometimes the silence guides our minds."

a/n: this genuinely started off as a joke but i've committed to this bit too hard and i'm now obsessed with them.

This is a fic based on an Gotham MOTW Actual Play called "The Heritage Collection"!! This AP has been an incredible watch and I'm so honored to be able to be apart of it!!

So here is my very self-indulgent fic about Tim and MJ (one of the OC's from this campaign) that is dedicated to the wonderful people that I've been able to meet through this project and especially dedicated to my platonic soulmate (and creator of MJ) Seriniteacup. <3

Make sure to check out this incredible campaign over at Arc's youtube channel, and keep an eye out for Chapter 2 starting in June over on his twitch!

Enjoy everyone! <3

MJ was overthinking.

Well, more than usual.

It had been a week or so since that moment together— an unspoken tension lingering in the air.

Tim had texted her a brief thank you at around noon the next day, probably after sleeping for over 12 hours. She tried not to think about what probably led to that. The conversation had felt stagnant on both ends, leaving dry responses to each other.

She had a feeling Tim was avoiding her, but to be fair she wasn’t doing great either. It had nearly been a week since he had ghosted her and she was trying (keyword: trying) to not let it bug her.

MJ didn’t really think much of him when they first met. She waved him off as just another rich kid. He was snarky and he was honestly a bit of an asshole.

And then Bruce Wayne went missing and MJ found herself a part of this weird found family (that consisted of a grumpy old man and his three not-so-teenage daughters) that she had grown to love.

And then she met the elusive Batfamily and learned more about Tim, not just Tim Drake-Wayne or Red Robin— but the blend of both that was just: Tim.

And they were friends.

Right?

They talked whenever they saw each other on campus, whether it be passing by or whispering jabs at each other in O-Chem. He even started visiting the shop, saying he needed his caffeine fix, refusing to go visit the Moonbucks across the street. They would talk whenever they bumped into each other on patrol, leading to random discussions about the meaning of life and dumb memes that they had sent each other in the wee hours of the morning.

And as much as MJ wanted to ignore his existence, he lingered in her mind.

She tried to ignore it, to ignore the memories that would resurface during more quiet moments of her day. Her mind was overrun with regret, sadness, but most of all guilt.

Would he still want to be her friend when she told him the truth? Would they still have those easy conversations— the ones where she didn’t have to hold back her bite and he would give her the same energy back? Would he still drop by the shop, lingering around the counter to keep her company until her shift ended?

Would he still be her friend at the end of it all?

Everything happened so fast— her heart broke and unbroke a million times in just a few moments. Watching the bullet ricochet off his chest— relief and fear flooding her as she watched the Talons close in on him. She desperately wanted— no needed, to save him.

She hadn’t realized that her twisted illusion would ensnare him too.

And Tim’s scream still haunted her, her stomach turning whenever she thought about what she did. Watching him fight against the cruel, unyielding threads, wrapping around his body and tugging at his limbs like a sick puppet show.

But what hurt her most was the aftermath, feeling his body trembling against hers, his hands balled so tight they were going pale. Had he always been so cold?

Tim Drake-Wayne seemed unbreakable, with a wit and energy that she couldn’t help but be drawn to.

Watching that mask fall— seeing the pure fear in his frozen gaze—

That ugly feeling had clawed at her soul for what felt like weeks, the guilt practically eating her alive.

She knew now that she couldn't bear the thought of losing him, but she knew if she did, it would be her fault.

In Tim's defense, he did not expect a minor fear toxin bender so soon after the attack on the manor.

It was fine. Totally wasn't him reliving what happened with the Talons, only much worse because instead of just his screams he heard his families and his friends and...

He hadn't lied to MJ, it wasn't the worst he's ever seen. But he knew this one made his chest ache more than others. It's sad to say he had grown used to hearing his family in pain, but hearing her scream like that? He never wanted to hear it again.

It had thrown him off to say the least. He couldn't even think about seeing her, still mulling over his feelings and how much she truly meant to him.

He took in a deep breath, the city's murmurs filling his senses as he focused on that singular moment.

The memory engrained itself in his mind, almost on a constant loop whenever things would go quiet.

Tim didn't really remember much of what he said, too busy focusing on the feeling of her warmth against his skin, her hands running through his hair. Her presence put him at ease, her relaxed breathing and gaze full of warmth. It was a look that made his breath hitch, the world falling away as he murmured the words that came to his head.

Did he scare her off? Most people found him pretty unbearable, was it that much of a stretch to believe he finally pushed her away?

His eyes snapped open as he heard the door to the roof click and he stiffened, hand poised to grab his bo staff. He glanced behind him and saw MJ, relaxing almost instantly.

“I owed you boba,” She said softly, eyes flickering to meet his gaze. She wasn't in her suit, looking relaxed in her civilian clothes.

His lips quirked up into a smile of his own as she settled in next to him.

"Two black teas with cheese foam," She said, handing the cup to him, the drink still ice cold.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Didn't the shop close hours ago?"

MJ shrugged, "Perks of having a key," she replied with a smile, though her gaze flickered with something he couldn't decipher. She glanced away from him, hands fiddling with the cup.

"You've been avoiding me," she said, trying to pass it off as a joke, but Tim could hear the hurt in her voice, "Did I do something or..."

Tim glanced up at her, "Huh? No— I— I just got busy."

The two fell quiet after that, the uncomfortable silence nearly suffocating.

MJ let out a sigh, her voice tight, "I need to tell you something."

She glanced down at her hands, fingers tracing over the veins of her palms nervously.

"When Revenant shot you, I..." She struggled to get the words out, swallowing the lump in her throat, "I wanted to help. I tried to help— and I did the first thing that came to mind."

"I cast the illusion... but I didn't realize you would see it too," she said quietly. She couldn't bring her gaze up to his, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"I was supposed to help you, and I basically incapacitated you," MJ continued bitterly, blinking away the tears that welled up in her eyes, "And I'm... so sorry."

The last words come out as a hoarse whisper, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I know."

Her gaze snaps up to meet his, an unreadable expression on Tim's face.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out, y'know," he says, "When you look at what everyone else was doing... it only could've been you."

MJ felt her heart sink at his words, her stomach turning with that sick feeling again. Her hands clenched as she bit her lip, waiting for him to continue.

She watched him carefully, her chest tightening as he watched the corners of his mouth lift into a small smile.

"I forgive you," he says reassuringly, his hand inching over to take hers. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "I forgave you days ago."

MJ blinked at him in disbelief, "I hurt you— I terrified you—"

"But did you mean to?"

"Of course not," she says quickly, "I never wanted to—"

"Then I forgive you," he says, as sure as a simple fact. "You were the only person who ever treated me like a person. Not as the heir to the Drakes or the Waynes, or even as Batman's protege when you met me as Red Robin. I remember the way you told me off almost immediately."

He chuckled to himself before meeting her gaze again, "I never had to pretend around you. Sure, there was some misdirection about my identity but... even when you found out it was like nothing changed."

"You, Maya Jain, are a constant in my life," he confesses softly, "One I can't live without."

"And you're going to struggle to forgive yourself," he continues, lacing his fingers through hers, "But I'll be here whenever you're ready."

MJ let out a shuddered breath, blinking back her tears. She struggled to reply but rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She relaxed against him, squeezing his hand back as the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.

Things weren't fixed completely, and that guilt still gnawed at her chest. But at least with him the pain dulled to a quiet murmur.

At least with each other they felt at ease. Even with their many unspoken things.

[cresseliamp4]

Tumblr??

idk i just wanted a place to post drabbles! mostly genshin, kh, bnha, marvel idk whatever my brain decides to cook up