Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Sapphire
Chapter Text
“Selina, please,” Bruce tiredly said, as he looked at the small kitten in her arms. It was small with gray fur and blue eyes.
“Haya bats,” Selina greeted. She slipped into the house, kitten in hand.
She looked around as if looking, as if deciding whether or not the place was good for a kitten. He had come back from patrol when an alarm sounded, letting him know someone had entered the perimeter. He had received a text from Barbara saying, “ You’re girlfriend is here, ” which he chose to ignore. He walked up to the kitchen to see Selina sneaking in through one of the living room’s windows. She opened the bag she had with her to take out a small kitten that began licking its paw to clean its ears.
“Father, what is with this noise?” They heard Damian walking over, with Titus next to him. His eyes landed on the small kitten. “Is she for me?”
“Sorry, kid, I already have a bird in mind,” Selina admitted, placing the kitten down on the ground so it could try to walk. She looked down for a bit, checking if it was ok on its own. When she was sure it wouldn’t be hurt, she looked up.
“Father, I demand the kitten be mine,”
Sighting, Bruce looked at Selina. “Who do you have in mind?” he asked, much to Damian’s protests.
Selina smirked a bit, which widened when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. They turned to see Tim, banana in hand. He was dressed in red and black pajamas with a hoodie. His hair was a mess, and he had eye bags. He walked towards the kitchen for a moment before coming back with an apple in his hand. He finally looked up to see them standing in the living room. Damian had his arms crossed while Selina had a small, amused smile as she looked at him.
“Oh, Selina, I didn’t know you were coming over,” he said
“Hi there, Kitten,” Selina walked over and hugged Tim.
Tim smiled at her for a bit before something caught his attention. He looked down at the floor where it had gotten a ball had appeared out of nowhere, most likely one of Alfred the Cat’s. He silently walked over slowly, and they watched as he leaned down, catching the kitten’s attention. Tim placed a hand out for the kitten to smell before petting it slowly.
He smiled, looking up at Selina, “Who is this?” he asked before turning to Damian and Bruce and then at Selina, “Did you get them for Damian? What’s their gender?”
When Damian turned away, Selina chuckled and leaned over next to Tim to pet the small fur ball. “It’s a girl. She is about four weeks old and very energetic.” She looked at Tim, whose eyes were on the kitten. He had fallen in love with her just like she knew he would. “I brought her for you.”
“What?!”
Tim looked up at her with wide eyes. “She…she’s for me?”
“Of course, Kitten,” she replied softly, running a hand through his hair.
“But…but I can’t,” he said with a bit of panic, “we already have too many pets with all of Damian’s and B wouldn’t be ok with his house being a zoo,”
“Oh, I’m sure Bruce wouldn't mind,” she turned to Bruce with a raised eyebrow, “Right?”
Bruce looked at Tim, who wouldn’t turn to look at him. He smiled sadly at the small kitten purring lightly against Tim’s hand. Bruce had gotten Ace for Dick; he had planned to get a pet for Jason before that day, and now he had gotten a lot of pets for Damian, but never for Tim. Tim, who has been around Bruce even on his worst days. Who never complained and who never asked for anything. Bruce has given and done many things with a lot of his children, but with Tim, he can’t remember anything. He looked at him and saw how the small kitten had already begun to be comfortable with Tim. Saw the moment Tim’s eyes landed on her and walked over to her like she had been a magnet.
“Keep her,” Tim turned to Bruce with shock, as if he were expecting Bruce to deny him this gift. Bruce walked over and kneeled; he allowed the kitten to sniff him. She was a treasure, “Keep her.”
Tim kept looking at Bruce before turning to the small kitten, whom he picked up. He smiled softly. “Yeah, ok,”
“What will you name her?” Bruce asked.
Tim frowned a bit, and he looked into her curious eyes. Blue eyes in a Russian Blue kitten would eventually turn into a green hue color. Selina was the one who had brought her to him, and Russian Blue cats are smart too, “Sapphire. Saph for short. Her eyes are blue right now, but then they will change to a green color. Sapphire's are both,”
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Three days later, the manor seemed full as they all gathered in the kitchen. Damian was already there when Dick walked in, a smile on his face. He was looking forward to seeing the others after being gone for a month. Wally, Donna, Kori, Raven, Beast Boy, and he went on an undercover mission to track down some group who was experimenting on both animals and children. He had been looking forward to some of Alfred’s food and a good shower at the Manor. He was about to walk into the kitchen when his leg was bumped into by something. He looked down and saw a small kitten had fallen into its behind.
“Oh, did Dami get a new pet?” Dick questioned, looking at the small kitten. She had a teal collar with a bow and a bell in the middle.
“Unfortunately she is not mine,” Damian replied. He sat on the table with his sketch pad and some sliced fruits in a bowl.
Dick looked at him in surprise. He had been so sure the small kitten was his. He picked her up and read the name on the collar, which read Sapphire, before looking at his brother. “Who’s is she then?”
Before anyone could reply, a voice came from behind them. “She’s mine,”
Dick turned to look at Tim, who had a box in his hands. He looked at the box, noticing that the logo was from some pet shop he had seen Damian buy from. Tim probably bought stuff for Sapphire, who seemed eager to be passed to Tim, judging by how she was meowing.
“She is very playful and fast,” Tim said, taking the kitten from Dick, who affectionately licked her owner's hand. “Selina gave her to me,”
That caught Dick’s attention even further. “Selina? Like Selina Kyle, Catwoman?”
“What other Selina do we know?” Tim deadpanned. He set the small kitten on the ground sitting beside her. He opened the box and brought out some toys, a small package with something black inside, and more stuff.
Damian did his usual ‘tt’ in annoyance, catching Dick’s attention. He was probably still sulky for not being allowed to have the small creature. “She and Father decided I wasn’t worthy of her.”
“Oh Damian, I’m sure that’s not true,” Dick reassured affectionately.
“Selina knew I had wanted a pet before, since I mentioned it to her when I took three abandoned kittens to her. She brought me Saph a few days ago, and Bruce allowed me to keep her,” Tim explained. He unwrapped the black clothing from its package and unfolded it. It was a small cape with a Batman logo on the back. He let Saph sniff it before putting it on her. He smiled as she ran around playing with a small yarn ball, the cape flying behind her.
Dick looked over at his younger brother. It shouldn’t surprise him to see Tim smiling, but it did. He looked calmer and less tense. He would usually be working on his computer, but instead, he was here in the living room playing with a small kitten. It was like seeing a different side of his younger brother. He also felt guilty for not knowing that Tim would have liked a pet. He never mentioned it before, but then again, Dick never asked. He felt even more guilty because Tim and he used to be so close, Dick used to know what Tim liked and didn’t like. Now he doesn’t even know what his brother’s favorite ice cream is. Dick was going to say something--anything--but the doors opened.
They turned to look at Bruce, who walked in dressed in a black turtleneck and some black pants. “She’s very energetic,”
“She decided that my bed was the best place to sleep last night,” Tim replied softly. He rolled the ball towards her again. She was a sweetheart, and thank god she had taken potty training quickly too. “She has a bed that is soft and warm beside mine, yet she decided to meow until I got her on mine.”
Bruce laughed lightly. He took a seat on the couch that Tim was leaning on. He enjoyed watching his son happy. The boy was a lot like Bruce in the aspect of putting work before self-care, Bruce had begun to notice. Most nights, he would wake up and hear typing as he walked down the hall. Other times he would see Tim walking up the stairs with a coffee mug. Or he would see Tim in a large shirt, some sweats, messy hair that probably hadn’t seen water in a few days, and eyes with eyebags. But since getting Sapphire, he seems calmer, more like a normal 18-year-old. Because that’s what his son is, an 18-year-old. He has been sleeping more--well, more for someone like him. He eats more, plays with her instead of working. It’s good for him. There are some changes in his behavior, positive ones.
“Apparently, cats of her breed make strong connections with their owners. She seems happy to be with you,” Bruce told him, and that was the truth.
Tim let out a small ‘mmm’ before speaking, “I made her sniff some clean clothes that smell like Alfred and you to help her know who is who. I’m also trying to get her to know where places are. So far she knows my room, the library, and the kitchen, not to mention the living room.”
Cass and Stephanie walked in to see Bruce and Tim talking while Sapphire played with a small yarn ball Tim bought. They immediately began gushing over her which made since since she was small. She seemed to have taken a liking to Cass the most since she keeps rubbing up against her. Duke came in a while after with Jason beside him. Duke had already met Sapphire since he came the day after Tim got her, but Jason hasn’t since he drops by randomly. They both walked over, curious, Jason immediately picking her up, which resulted in Sapphire trying to scratch him.
“So aggressive,” he said, putting her on the floor where she licked her paw, ignoring him.
“That’s because you grabbed her out of nowhere,” Tim said, “Let her sniff you first.”
They all watched as Jason crouched down, putting a hand in front of Saph, catching her attention, even Damian watched. They all stayed silent as Saph looked up at him for a moment before walking over and nuzzling him just like she did to Cass. That’s when Alfred walked over, reminding them they had to eat. The older pets have their own area where they eat, but since Saph is still so young, he had asked Alfred if she could eat beside him. She had begun to try wet kitten food mixed with kitten formula. It was more of a precaution; if anything, it also helped Tim’s anxiety, just in case.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: A Furry Surprise
Summary:
Tim gets another small pet
Chapter Text
Four weeks after Tim got Saph
Gods, some days, Tim really wishes he didn’t have to do work. Granted, he was working toward the position of co-CEO, but still. This was just backup in case someone tried to take over the company, like Ra’s tried. But honestly, the paperwork is gonna make him kill himself. He doesn’t understand how Bruce kept the company running before. Oh yeah, he let Lucius do most of the work. Maybe if he tries to work on cases, his head will be clearer. Yeah, maybe that can work. If the rest of the others could shut up.
He mentally groaned, turning his head, he saw Duke and Steph arguing about some show. He had honestly lost the point of the plot at least half an hour ago. Cass was just watching them both while eating some popcorn. On the other couch, Jason was lying down reading a book, Little Women. On the other side of the room, Damian and Dick were focused on a game of chess; Dick was losing. This was the only time so far that they had all been together like this. It was noisy. Duke and Steph were still going at it. Dick and Damian were yelling back and forth. There was no way he would be able to concentrate. He was about to walk out when Bruce walked in. He stood by the doorway while Tim packed his stuff up.
“Tim?” He called out.
Tim looked up to meet Bruce’s eyes, “Yeah?”
“I got a surprise for you, come with me,” they all turned to look at Bruce, who walked out, and then at each other.
They all stood up and followed him, even though he had only said 'Tim'. They walked towards the living room, and much to their surprise, there was a small kitten playing with Saph. It was small with white fur with slight black on the tips of its ears. Both kittens were sniffing one another. Tim knew what kind of kitten it was. He knew from how fluffy, the color, and the eyes. It was a Ragdoll kitten. They were said to be very affectionate, and some kittens are hyperactive.
“Oh, how cute,” Stephanie cooed.
“I thought maybe Saph could use a companion,” Bruce told Tim, who kept looking at the small kitten. “It’s a male and he hasn’t been named yet,”
Tim looked up at Bruce and then at the small bundle of fur. “He’s mine?”
“Yeah, I thought Saph would do well with a friend,” Bruce said. He watched as Tim slowly walked over. “Do you have a name in mind?”
Tim looked at the small kitten who was jumping up and down. It was almost like he was dancing. He kneeled next to him and placed a hand out to let him sniff Tim. He looked to be as energetic as Saph. Well, slightly more. He kinda reminded Tim of Bart in a way. “Apollo. After the god of dance and music.”
“Father, what did Drake do to deserve such a beautiful creature?” Damian questioned. He looked at Tim, who was playing with both kittens. He had his arms folded, clearly displeased.
“B, don’t you think it’s unfair to Damian that you are letting Tim have these many pets?” Dick asked, and he looked at his youngest brother, who still had his hands folded.
“Damian has two dogs, a cat, a Bat-dragon, a turkey, and a cow,” Bruce pointed out. He looked at both of them pointedly. Damian frowned even more while Dick looked down at Damian. “I think if anything, it was unfair for Damian to have that many animals while Tim had just one. Plus, it would be good for Tim to do something other than focus on just work. I heard pets are good for people.”
Dick looked at Damian, who was still looking angry, but maybe feeling jealous, too. “Yeah, but Bruce, it’s still unfair for Damian,”
“Damian has to understand that his brother has the same privileges as he does. If Tim wants to have pets, he will.”
“But Father--”
“Damian, Tim is allowed to have as many pets as he wants, just like you have all those five pets,” Bruce cut him off. “Selina gifted him Saph, just like Alfred gifted you Alfred the Cat. I bought Apollo for him, like I bought you Titus. Tim is allowed to have pets. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Father,” Damian turned and walked away.
Bruce looked over at Tim, who sat beside the small kittens while they sniffed one another. They seemed to have become friendly right away. At one point, Apollo nudged Tim’s leg to sniff him, but fell down as a result. He let out a small meow while Tim laughed. As much as he loved Damian, the younger boy would have to understand that Tim is allowed to be happy and have a pet, even just one or two. Bruce didn’t get to spoil Tim as much as he does and did with his other children, so this was a nice change. He used to buy Dick multiple equipment for acrobatics, sometimes even reinforcing certain stuff so Dick wouldn’t fall from hanging on a certain chandelier. He used to buy books for Jason that he would mention or he would see at a store; he still does so now. For Cass, he made a dance room where she can practice. Duke got some new gaming setups and some games he can take anywhere he wishes. Damian has multiple pets and art supplies; he can set up his painting canvas anywhere he wishes as long as he cleans up. Stephanie may not be his daughter, but she knows that she can attend any school to study for a medical position, and he will cover anything she can’t. He was never able to do the same for Tim back then; he never got the same ability to build anything for him or buy him anything. It’s why he wants to take the opportunity now. He sees how Saph has made him seem lighter in a way; it’s nice. Seeing his son smile while the others cooed over the kittens, Jason just sat by, petting the small cat too.
They had all gotten used to Sapphire. Sometimes he would find Jason with the small kitten on his lap while he read. Other times, he would find Cass dancing while Sapphire chased her. Stephanie would dress her up or play with her. Tim had begun to train her and just lay down with her while he worked or would go to the yard to spend time with her. Dick had also taken a liking to her. Alfred enjoys having her around, and so does Bruce. Where Alfred the Cat is a loner, the small kitten is friendly. He had seen Apollo at a charity event for animals he attended. As soon as he saw the small kitten, he knew he had to take him to Tim. He had signed the papers and bought some food for him. Now, he had to see how Tim and Saph took to the small kitten.