It was one of those nights Gotham liked to pretend it was something more than it was—silk gowns, polished marble, and the sound of champagne glasses clinking under chandeliers brighter than most of the city’s streets. The Wayne Foundation Gala was in full swing, all glitter and goodwill, with half the city’s elite pretending they weren’t terrified of the man hosting it.

Tim Drake’s parents had come, of course—they never missed an event that might earn them another mention in Gotham Elite Weekly. They’d left him to “mingle” while they networked. But Tim wasn’t interested in the guests. He was interested in them.

From the balcony above the ballroom, his camera clicked softly—click, click, click—each sound swallowed by the music below. Through his lens, he followed Bruce Wayne, watching the subtle control in his movements, the careful mask of a man pretending to be shallow. The way his eyes scanned the crowd, always knowing more than he should.

Then there was Dick Grayson, laughing effortlessly as he shook hands and posed for photos. Perfect posture, perfect charm. Tim’s finger lingered over the shutter longer with him—he studied the warmth in his eyes that didn’t quite match the bruises Tim had once seen in an old newspaper photo from years ago.

And then Jason Todd—older now, sharper, harder than the boy he’d once read about. The way he stood slightly apart from the others, half in shadow, hands in his pockets. Tim zoomed in on him, memorizing the way his jaw tightened whenever Bruce looked his way.

They were fascinating. The world saw a billionaire and his sons. Tim saw patterns—familiar stances, identical injuries, the way they moved when they thought no one was watching. He knew. He’d known for months.

But seeing them all here, in one room, under the glow of false civility—it made something in him tighten. The detective in him wanted to understand them. The part that wasn’t just curiosity anymore wanted to be near them. To be part of it.

Another click. Bruce turned slightly, his eyes scanning the upper level. For one heartbeat, Tim froze, the camera still raised. Then Bruce’s gaze moved on.