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Karen Keller. 42 years old. Couples therapist. Suspected of murdering four men. All four were her clients. It's always the toxic partner in the relationship. There's no conclusive evidence, just patterns.
Bruce pointed at the file, his gaze moving over each page, lingering just long enough to memorize the details.
"We have to verify it," he said, gesturing toward Jason and Tim. "You two will go one way. I’ll go with Dick."
Jason let out a low growl and folded his arms across his chest.
"Why with Tim?"
"We need to cover more ground. And the power imbalance between you or Tim and me is too obvious," Bruce replied evenly. "It wouldn’t feel credible or significant to her. Besides, you two have a better chance of making her believe you—and of provoking a reaction."
Jason muttered under his breath but didn’t argue further. The tension stayed in his shoulders, coiled and restless.
Tim bit the inside of his lip. Why did it bother Jason so much to be paired with him? They had worked well together lately. This undercover assignment was no different from the others.
They would draft a script, follow instructions, play their roles, and wait for the therapist to slip—to say or do something that would expose her, if she was the one responsible.
There was no reason for Jason to feel uncomfortable about this. Tim had been careful with his feelings. He had shown nothing but camaraderie, treated him like a friend, kept everything within safe boundaries. He had never called him brother, never crossed a line he wouldn’t be able to step back from.
He had always been careful.
Their feelings had no reason to interfere with the mission. He only had to pretend Jason was his partner—something he wished were real—and pretend he loved him—something that already was. That was all. They would walk out of this assignment like any other.
And afterward, they would share a late dinner in a rundown diner, trading quiet glances over chipped mugs and greasy plates.
Nothing had to change.
Nothing was supposed to change.
Right?
The sound of the clock filled the room, keeping pace with the therapist’s pen as it moved steadily across her notepad. Tim glanced sideways at Jason, who remained expressionless, arms crossed, posture locked. Not a single word had left him since they arrived, and the silence was starting to bore Tim.
The woman—Karen—cleared her throat, a cordial smile settling into place. "Anything you’d like to add, Jayce?"
Jason exhaled sharply without shifting his stance.
"Anything I say will just start an argument with him," he replied, pointing at Tim without hesitation.
Tim shrank slightly, edging back in his chair. "No, that’s not true," he murmured. "You know I just want to fix things."
The words slipped out in a soft, almost cloying tone. Nearly pleading. Karen jotted something down quickly, peering over her glasses to catch Jason’s reaction.
"If you wanted to fix things, you wouldn’t have signed us up for this damn couples therapy, Theo," Jason growled, his voice deep and raised just enough to fill the space.
Tim recoiled again, lowering his gaze. "I wanted to help. To help us work through our problems."
Jason let out a low, humorless laugh. Tim shuddered and tightened his hands in his lap.
"Why?" Jason pressed. "Are you thinking about breaking up with me?"
Tim looked up immediately, eyes widening. "No, of course not. I would never want to leave you."
The truth slipped through without effort; he didn’t have to fake that part. He swallowed down the surge of emotion and held firmly to his role.
"You know I love you. And that you’re everything to me," he added quietly.
Jason blinked once, something unreadable passing through his eyes before it disappeared.
"If that’s true," Jason began, extending his hand. Tim stiffened but kept his posture steady and submissive, allowing Jason’s palm to rest against his cheek. "We don’t need this. Therapy isn’t necessary. The only thing that matters is that you love me. Don’t you think?"
There was weight in his voice—low, rough, deliberate. Tim felt the words sink into his chest like a beautiful lie he wanted to believe.
"Yes, you’re right," Tim conceded. He gave in sooner than the script required, unable to resist the intensity in Jason’s stare.
Karen tapped her notebook, clearing her throat to draw their attention back.
"Feelings are important," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "But it’s also important to talk about what bothers us. Even small things can grow into serious problems if we carry them for too long."
She made a brief motion with her hand, signaling Jason to step back from Tim.
"So let’s try a small exercise," she announced. "Each of you will say two things you like about the other, and one thing you don’t. Trust is essential in a relationship."
With another subtle gesture, she indicated Jason.
"Jayce, would you like to start?"
Jason made an uncomfortable sound under his breath. He couldn’t back out now. He had already thrown two small fits; if he kept pushing, they might lose any chance of getting somewhere with her.
Tim turned toward Karen, offering a shy smile.
"I can start, if Jayce doesn’t want to."
She shook her head. "I’d like him to start. I can see he’s the one struggling most with his emotions."
"That’s not true!" Jason shot back, doing little to support his claim.
Karen remained composed, unaffected by the outburst.
"Then allow me to hear two good things about Theo, and one you consider negative."
Tim drew in a slow breath, watching Jason as he turned toward him. There was something tight in Jason’s face now, something restrained, as he locked his gaze onto Tim’s.
"I like… that you’re enthusiastic, and that you never give up on anything," Jason said.
A simple answer. Direct. Not rehearsed. Certainly not agreed upon. Two reasons that should not have made Tim’s heart start pounding the way it did.
"And I don’t like…" Jason hesitated, lips parted, breath briefly held. There was too much honesty in his eyes. "That you don’t think about yourself enough. You matter too. To the family."
Tim let out a quiet, uneven breath. That was not in the script. It would not help them. But he couldn’t correct him. The words settled heavily in his chest, anchoring themselves there, claiming space in his mind.
Of course, Jason knew what was at stake here.
"If something happened to you, who would handle everything at home?" he continued. "You should learn to take better care of yourself. You’re a pain when you turn yourself into a burden."
Tim lowered his gaze, forcing himself back into the rhythm of the performance. He couldn’t let Jason see the effect his words had on him. Not the harsh ones. Not the sincere ones.
Were they sincere, or just part of the act?
Karen clicked her tongue. A small, unprofessional sound. That was a good sign. She needed to resent Jason for this to work.
They needed her to react.
"That was unnecessary, Jayce," she remarked. Her tone remained formal, even if something sharper edged beneath it.
Jason straightened, a faint, mocking half-smile pulling at his mouth.
"You said to be honest. To say what I like and what I don’t," he retorted. "Isn’t that what I did?"
Karen did not answer. She simply wrote something down in her notebook. "Theo, would you like to talk about what Jayce said, or…?"
"I want to say what I like and what I don’t," Tim replied quickly.
Jason turned toward him, confusion flickering across his features. Tim didn’t care. He might never have another opportunity like this—one where he could speak honestly and still hide behind the excuse of performance. He wanted to take it. Just once. Even if everything had to be framed as a lie.
"Well, if that’s what you want," Karen said, glancing at the clock, no doubt calculating whether starting this exchange was wise with only fifteen minutes left in the session. "Go ahead, Theo."
Tim turned toward him with steady resolve. Jason hesitated for a fraction of a second, leaning in slightly, irritation flickering across his face. It didn’t matter. All Tim needed was to see that uncertain warmth in his eyes.
“You’re funny, bright, an amazing partner, and a better person than you give yourself credit for. You’re so good it almost feels unreal.” Tim took a deep breath. “You’ve helped more people than you admit. They remember it, even if you pretend they don’t.”
Jason pressed his lips together, holding back whatever reaction threatened to surface. Tim continued before he could interrupt.
“I like how kind you are with children. You connect with them because you understand them better than anyone I know. Jay, you’re going to be an incredible father.” Tim smiled, small and shy, feeling the weight of those words—the hope of a future within them.
Tim didn’t want to stop. There was too much in his chest, too much he had kept contained for far too long.
“You’ve forgiven everyone, and you never received a real apology. Not the one you deserved,” he said. “And yet you remain strong, refusing to be crushed, and—” he swallowed. “I love you for that.”
Tears gathered at the edges of Jason’s eyes. It would ruin their cover. Tim no longer cared.
Jason drew in a shaky breath, his voice unsteady.
"I love you too," he said. "But I also slept with your brother."
"Wait—what?"
Karen wrote something down quickly and decisively. A wide, satisfied smile stretched across her face.
"We’re out of time, boys. But we can resolve everything at the next session."
A silence followed them all the way back to the manor. Jason seemed to drive on autopilot, and Tim didn’t interrupt him.
They stopped in front of the mansion’s tall walls. Neither of them made any move to get out. There was too much paperwork waiting inside, and neither of their minds was in any condition to deal with it.
"You know," Tim began quietly, "I never said it. But I’m sorry for everything you went through after you came back."
Jason let out a short, dry laugh, his hands tightening around the steering wheel. "I’m sorry I was an idiot the first time we saw each other again."
Tim gave a faint, sideways smile and turned slightly toward him.
"I forgave you for that a long time ago," he murmured. "I don’t think I ever hated you for the fight. It just hurt that it happened."
Jason glanced at him, waiting.
"I admired you a lot when I was younger," Tim added. "It hurt when my hero hit me. Even if I hit you back."
Tim let out a low, restrained laugh. Jason didn’t join him; he stared instead, clearly thrown off.
"Your hero?"
Tim felt heat rise to his cheeks, but he held Jason’s gaze. They had already said too much to retreat now.
"I had a huge crush on Robin when I was younger," he admitted.
Jason’s expression dimmed noticeably. "Oh. On Dick?"
Tim shook his head.
"I adored Dick, I won’t deny that," he said. "But you were an incredible Robin, and a great person, Jason. You still are. You know that, right?"
"Oh," Jason whispered, looking away for a moment, almost shy. "Thanks. I… I was serious when I said you should take better care of yourself." He drew in a steady breath and met Tim’s eyes again. "Don’t carry the world on your shoulders alone, Tim. That’s what family is for."
Tim’s mouth tightened slightly, the word echoing in his mind.
"What if I wanted to be… more than just family?" The question slipped out before he could stop it. He had already gone this far. He felt exposed, vulnerable, with nowhere left to retreat.
Jason inhaled sharply, a slow flush creeping across his face. "More than that?"
Tim nodded. "More."
"More than friends?"
"Even more."
"More than partners?"
Tim let out a quiet breath of laughter and reached for Jason’s face, cupping his warm cheeks between his palms, thumbs brushing lightly over the faint blush there.
"More than that," he said softly. "I want to be your boyfriend, Jay. If you want that too."
Jason froze. The pause lasted just long enough for doubt to creep into Tim’s chest—until Jason suddenly leaned in, catching Tim’s face in his hands and pressing their mouths together in a clumsy, cramped kiss inside the small space of the car.
Tim didn’t hesitate. He followed the movement, answering the pressure of Jason’s lips with his own, sinking into a sensation he had wanted for far too long.
Warm. Firm. Almost breathless. They were reluctant to pull away until they had no choice, breathing hard but still close enough to feel each other’s warmth.
"I want that," Jason said between breaths, a wide smile breaking across his face. "I want us to be boyfriends."
Tim didn’t answer with words. He closed the distance again, kissing him once more—something he had waited far too long for.
Karen Keller was arrested. Attempted murder of Bryce Walls. Caught by his partner, Ricardo Tapia.
What a scandal.
The woman was dragged away by the police, shouting at anyone who would listen that cheaters had no right to live. No right to stay with the person they had betrayed. She insisted she was doing those poor souls a favor, freeing them from the trap they were stuck in.
Unbelievable.
"And now, George, over to you for the weather."
Sunny. A rare occurrence in Gotham. Tim adjusted his cap, pulling it into place as he inhaled the city air.
A strange, warm calm filled his lungs.
"Ready to go?" Jason asked, extending his hand.
Tim smiled and took it without hesitation, without shame, with the certainty that he could now do so openly. He laced their fingers together and tightened his grip.
"Of course, darling."
A voice echoed through the courthouse as they stepped inside.
"I call Jayce Thomson to the stand. Testifying against Karen Keller."