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Sometimes, Tim’s life was so fucking unfair.
He should be working, out helping the rest of his family with their joint patrol, but instead he was doubled over on the couch seven episodes of Gilmore Girls deep.
He hugged his heating pad closer and tried to think about literally anything else but why he was experiencing that pain in his abdomen.
And though he knew it was ridiculous, he felt almost resentful to the other men in the house. Dick Grayson didn't spend a week stuck on the couch in pain instead of working. Jason didn't have to send his (clueless) best friend on emergency tampon runs because he had forgotten to do it the month before.
Tim knew he had it fairly well for a trans kid. But that didn't mean this didn't still suck. He had a monthly reminder that he wasn't just like Dick or Jason. That no matter how hard he tried, he would never be exactly like them.
Tim was remarkably lucky to have the family he did, even if they did have their flaws. But that didn't erase his longing to be just like the rest of the men in the house.
Noise behind him pulled him out of his spiral. Cass was shuffling into the living room with the comforter from Tim’s bed wrapped snugly around her shoulders. She looked like death warmed over in the bright blue Nightwing sweatshirt that she must have stolen from Dick and sweatpants that looked suspiciously like the ones that Tim had taken from Conner months ago.
She paused behind the sofa for a moment to assess what Tim had on the television before plopping herself down next to Tim, close enough that she could wrap her arms around his midsection and lean her face into his shoulder. Tim startled at the sudden contact but didn’t pull away. Cass didn’t usually initiate physical contact unless she was upset.
She pulled at the heating pad that was still against Tims stomach, and oh. That made much more sense. They had been together all month, of course they would sync up.
Wordlessly, Tim pulled the bottle of Midol from the coffee table and handed it to her. Cass smiled silently at him and shook the pills into her hand.
She squeezes his arm and he turns back to his show.
They stay like that until hears a door open somewhere in the manor he didn't even bother to move when Stephanie barreled into the living room, takeout bag in hand. “The only bakery in Gotham that's open at 3 in the morning, so you’d better enjoy it.”
They all had a nasty habit of hitting up whatever food establishments were open after patrol, but it was nice to know that Steph had thought of him.
“Are you seriously rewatching Gilmore Girls,” she asks, the judgement evident in her voice.
Tim turned to look at her. “Yes i am, and i won't hear a word of judgment about it”
She rolled her eyes, but didnt say anything else.
Steph pulled out her phone “Also,” she says “you have about thirty seconds before Jason comes upstairs to complain about Bruce.”
Tim shot her a sorry excuse for a thumbs up in lieu of a thank you.
And right as predicted, Jason Todd stomped upstairs and threw himself onto the couch next to Cass. Following behind him is Duke, who looks like they’re tired of being around everyone.
“How was it,” Tim asks
“I think I undervalue the joys of patrolling by myself during the days”
Tim laughs lightly, and he can see Jason flip him off out of the corner of his eye.
Duke smiles, and something about it makes Tim feel a little bit better. After a minute of mostly pleasant conversation about the night's patrol they make their way to the kitchen to raid whatever Alfred left in the fridge.
Tim finally turned his attention back to Jason.
“So,” he says, choosing his next words carefully. “I assume that didn't go well”
Jason threw an arm out earning him soft smack from Cass who had thrown her feet into his lap at some point.
“Ten points to the gentleman in the front”
Steph lets out a soft laugh at this, the kind that warms Tim’s heart.
Jason went about complaining about everything Bruce had done that night, and Tim tried his best to look like he was paying attention.
Eventually, Steph drags herself out of the armchair and plops down onto the floor between Tim and Cass. She leans her head back onto the couch in front of Tim’s knees and mutters something about his choice in comfort television.
Tim pointedly doesn't react to this, and reaches down to pull the hair tie off of her wrist. His hair is getting just long enough to make him uncomfortable and he really doesn't want to deal with that on top of his cramps.
She shoots him a dirty look but doesn't say anything about it.
He can hear light conversation drifting up from the cave. He catches snippets of Damian getting reprimanded for reckless behaviour for the third time this month.
Cass does finally manage to pull the heating pad away from Tim’s stomach and hums as she places it on her own. He doesn't complain, just lets her press her face back into his bicep.
When Duke finally returns, they are somehow carrying three mugs of tea. They set two of them down on the coffee table in front of Tim and Cass and Jason let out a false offended huff.
Tim chooses to ignore him in favor of taking the warm mug into his hands and smiling at Duke. Words felt a little too overwhelming at the moment. Cass mumbles a thank you for both of them, and Duke smiles again.
God Bless Duke Thomas, and really everyone else who decided to spend the evening watching trashy television with Tim.
Tonight sucked, and every other night like it in the future would suck, but if these people decided to stick around, Tim figured he would be okay in the end.