[ He doesn’t turn his head away again, but his eyes are unfocused even though he can’t see past Kon to middle distance. It’s a choice to disconnect, and it leaves Tim looking as blank as he wants to feel.

Kon’s talking about Lex Luthor, and the situations aren’t dissimilar in any way that matters. Tim knows it. Kon knows it.

Going through this kind of experience can be… traumatizing for some people. But he’s supposed to be prepared for it. After all… ]

It is my job.

[ Because no matter what Dick Grayson says, the primary purpose of Robin is to steady Batman. Shockingly secondary is the business of being a vigilante - if it were purely about saving people and do-gooding, Tim wouldn’t have to be Robin to do it. Tertiary objectives include like giving a series of damaged, driven teenagers a better outlet.

And it goes further than just Batman. It’s Robin’s job on a team, too. To be the dependable, rock-steady presence that’s well-informed and capable of guiding the course. If he’s not that, then he has no place amongst the true meta humans.

But that’s it. That’s the entirety of the argument because Kon has him fully defined. He’s right about how Tim’s feeling, and why, all the way down to the irrational fear that this is all a fever dream and, if he goes to sleep, he’s going to wake up back in the boat.

It’s stupid. He knows it’s stupid. Tim doesn’t lucid dream. Having thoughts this detailed and meta rule out this being a dream. ]

I know you won’t say anything. That’s why I’m here. I just, I don’t know. This isn’t like with my dad.

[ Tim swallows. Breathes. Composes himself before he becomes i composed. ]

This isn’t something from Tim’s life messing up Robin. This is Robin messing up Tim. Vacation doesn’t fix it if I can’t handle the mission.