Chapter Text
"Timothy, my boy!" Uncle Gomez greeted, boisterous enough to make the phone hiss with static. Tim pulled the phone away from his ear, and ignored the looks he got from Stephanie and Cass, who were both in the movie room with him. He had been trying to convince them to not put on Steph's old VHS recording of Cats: The Musical, but between Cass's interest and Tim's distraction of a phone call, it seemed like he'd have to make peace with it.
"Hi Uncle Gomez. How are you?" He grins, because despite this phone call damning him for the next few hours, it was always nice to catch up with his family. He did wish to see them more, but circumstances simply didn't tend to allow it.
"As agonized as ever, Timothy, thank you for asking! And you?" His uncle chuckles. Tim watches Cass put the VHS into the player- of course Bruce just has a VHS player- while Steph maintains challenging eye contact the whole time, and decides to just flop back on the couch and accept defeat.
"About to entertain a fate worse then death." He bemoaned. Steph grinned. In the low light, her glee looked positively demonic, and Tim fell in love all over again.
Whatever. Cass probably would really like the dancing. Maybe he could avoid getting roped into a duet with strategic snack breaks?
"Splendid. The Wayne's are treating you well, yes?" He checked. Always such a worrier.
"Of course they are." Tim assured easily, smiling a bit. He really loved his second family.
"Is this a social call, Uncle?" Tim asked, glancing over at the girls again. They were rewinding the VHS, but it would only take a few minutes. "As much as I love chatting with you, I am a bit busy at present."
"You're always busy, Timothy. A perk of being in the prime of your youth, I suppose!" His uncle chirped. Dork. "I'll admit it's not, though. I have a favor to ask."
"Do tell." Tim prompted without hesitation. This was his uncle. He'd do just about anything for family.
"Morticia and I...Well, you know as well as anyone that how much I adore my little terrors, but I would like to take Morticia out for dinner." He admitted, and Tim could just feel the loving warmth that his uncle always got when he talked about his family. Tim wondered if it was something he did to, if it was learned or heredity.
"What's the occasion?" He couldn't help but wonder, thinking through a calendar. No important rituals or sabbaths he could think of, no important deaths in the family. Maybe a historical date? Uncle Gomez had an appreciation for history.
"No occasion! Just my undying love, and it's demand to be expressed!" The man cheered, drawing a smile from Tim. If nothing else, his uncle could always make him smile.
"I suppose I can't argue that. And when would you want me in?" He asks, mental calendar flipping to his own. "I cleared out the weekend to spend with Steph because she's injured, but I guess...." He trailed off uncertainly. He would go, if he uncle asked him to- Steph could handle herself, even if they hadn't been able to bully her into staying in the manor. She'd be fine if Tim had to leave. She'd have Cass, if nothing else.
But he didn't exactly want to leave, especially while she's injured. it always made him feel scummy. When he was injured on patrol, he usually just tried to heal it before anyone noticed, spare himself the trouble. But even when he was caught injured and had to play the part until a more 'acceptable' healing period had passed, it wasn't all that unpleasant. Annoying at worst, keeping him from his work, but usually it meant that Dick stuck around to take care of him and Alfred made his favorite foods and Bruce sat beside him to work so Tim didn't fall too behind. Painful, sure, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing for him.
Overall, getting injured for a bit was generally a net positive for him. So when other people were injured he tended to...react disproportionately, due to an incomplete data set and tendency to err on the side of being too caring rather then not caring enough.
(Smothering, Tim. It's called Smothering. An amused voice clarified in his head. It went ignored, because it was wrong. He was just better safe then sorry, with things he didn't quite understand.)
"Oh, splendid!" His uncle cheered, seeming entirely unaware of his hesitance. "That Brown girl really is good for you, Timothy. Go on and ask her if she wants to come along! You know your cousins are dying to meet her."
Tim pursed his lips, weighing his options, then shrugged. Steph was going to meet them soon anyway- Addams were known for many things but, despite everything, paitence has never been one of them. At least this would kind of be on his own terms.
"Unless you wanted the weekend to yourselves, of course." Uncle purred, almost as an after thought, making Tim's face go red. "I suppose I could see if Aunt Hill is busy, Pugsley has been itching for practice with his magnifying glass-"
"Don't bother, Uncle." He shook his head. "I'm- I appreciate the consideration, but I'll make it. It's been too long since I've seen them anyway- I missed Pugsley's 13th during that alien invasion a few months ago. Although," Tim hesitated, biting his lip, "Could you call my dad and talk it out for me?"
"Oh, Jack? Of course! We haven't spoken in far too long, anyway. See you soon Timothy!"
"Bye, uncle. Love you." He sighed, and hung up.
Steph raised an eyebrow, but tackled him with cuddles as soon as he put the phone down, only kind of keeping stress off of her broken shoulder. It would be sweet, if she wasn't semi-subtly pinning him down, erasing any chance at avoiding the musical numbers.
Cass didn't spare them a glance as she started the movie. Steph's mildly-sadistic giggles covering his quiet, long-suffering sigh.
Oh, the things he did for love.