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When Peter found out that Tim had become Robin, he felt a mix of emotions he could barely process.
He didn’t hate Tim—he was sure of that. He had no reason to. The kid was smart, dedicated, and, most of all, genuinely good. But with Bruce… with him, it was different. Peter couldn’t help but feel betrayed, even when he tried to rationalize it.
He knew Batman didn’t make decisions lightly. He knew there were reasons behind everything Bruce did. But that didn’t mean Peter could just accept it. Not after Jason. Not after everything that had happened.
At first, he tried to stay out of it. He didn’t want to get too involved, didn’t want to let those feelings take control of him. But then Dick came back.
Dick’s return was a surprise, but also a relief. Not just to train Tim, but because his presence helped restore some balance within the Batfamily. Still, Peter avoided any contact with them at first. Seeing Tim in the Robin suit was too much. Not because he thought Tim was unworthy, but because it reminded him too much of Jason.
But inevitably, he found himself growing fond of him.
Tim had something different—yet familiar. He was calculated and analytical, sure, but he also had a courage and sense of justice that made him stand out. He wasn’t like Jason—not exactly—but he had that same kind of determination that made him impossible to ignore.
Before he even realized it, Peter started worrying about him. First silently, watching from the shadows, making sure he was okay. Then more directly. It didn’t take long before he became his shadow.
He joined Bruce’s patrols, not because he trusted him, but because he didn’t trust that history wouldn’t repeat itself. He couldn’t let Tim end up like Jason. He wouldn’t allow it.
At first, Bruce didn’t say anything. Maybe because he understood where Peter’s concern came from. Maybe because he knew arguing with him wouldn’t change anything. Dick, on the other hand, noticed the change.
“You’re hovering too much,” he told him once, while they watched Tim train.
Peter crossed his arms, eyes never leaving the boy.
“I don’t trust Bruce.”
Dick sighed. “I know. But Tim isn’t Jason.”
Peter clenched his jaw. “I don’t want to find that out the hard way.”
Dick didn’t argue. Maybe because, deep down, he understood too.
As the days went by, Peter became Tim’s silent guardian. He watched over him, made sure he didn’t get into anything he couldn’t handle, and, most of all, defended him against anyone who doubted him.
Bruce, Dick—even Alfred at times—knew that if someone questioned Tim’s abilities, Peter would be the first to jump to his defense.
“He’s capable. He’s smart. And he’s not a replacement,” he’d say, with a firmness that left no room for argument.
But no matter how much he tried to convince himself that everything was fine, no matter how skilled Tim proved to be, Peter couldn’t help it. Every time he saw him heading out on a mission, every time he saw him in that suit, his mind betrayed him.
He remembered Jason.
He remembered his carefree laugh, his stubbornness, his need to prove he was more than a street kid.
He remembered the last time he saw him alive.
He remembered the pain.
And most of all, he remembered what it felt like to lose him.
So yes, maybe he was being overprotective. Maybe he was too close. Maybe he was holding onto something he shouldn’t. But he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t let history repeat itself.
Because if it did… he wasn’t sure he could survive it again.
Tim, for his part, knew what was going on.
He wasn’t dumb. He noticed how Peter watched him, how he always made sure to be close, how he stepped into every potential danger before it even reached him. At first, he said nothing. He understood. He knew Jason had meant a lot to Peter—knew his death had left wounds that still hadn’t healed.
But he also knew he couldn’t live in that shadow forever.
So one night, after a particularly rough patrol, he decided to confront him.
“I’m not Jason,” he said firmly, pulling off his mask.
Peter looked at him, but said nothing.
Tim took a deep breath.
“I’m not him. And I never will be.”
Peter looked away, jaw tight.
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep acting like you’re waiting for me to…” Tim trailed off, unable to say it out loud.
Peter closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly.
“Because I don’t want to lose you too.”
The honesty in his voice made Tim’s throat tighten.
He wasn’t angry at him. He couldn’t be.
But he also couldn’t let Peter live with that fear forever.
So he stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re not going to lose me,” he said.
Peter looked into his eyes, searching for doubt. But he found none.
Tim spoke with the same resolve he brought to every mission. With the same conviction that had made him take on the mantle of Robin.
And in that moment, Peter understood something.
He couldn’t stop him. He couldn’t keep him in a bubble and protect him from every danger. Tim had made his choice.
But that didn’t mean he would stop looking out for him.
“You better not,” he said, trying to sound lighter than he felt.
Tim smiled. “Always.”
And even though Peter still felt afraid, even though that sharp worry remained every time he saw the suit, he also knew he wasn’t alone in this.
This time, he would do it right.
This time, he wouldn’t let history repeat itself.
Because this time, he was ready to fight for it.