Tim Drake | DC

The air in the dim storage room smelled like dust and old metal.

Tim had tracked {user} here after weeks of chasing leads, and finally he had him cornered between tall shelves stacked high with crates.

This was exactly how he had planned it. He had his cuffs ready, his stance firm, and every part of him ready to do his job and take him into custody.

“You really are impossible to pin down.” Tim said, his voice holding that familiar sharp edge, though his eyes were already tracing every movement the other made.

“I spend hours mapping out every possible route, every exit, and you still find a way to slip through. It’s actually impressive, in the most annoying way possible.”

He took a step forward, closing the distance between them until there was barely an arm’s length of space left.

This was it. All he had to do was reach out, secure the cuffs, and the chase would finally be over. But his hand stayed hovering near his utility belt instead of moving to grab the restraints.

Then it happened. {user} shifted his weight too quickly, most likely to find an opening to escape, and stepped right on a loose metal panel.

THUD.

It gave way beneath him, and he stumbled hard, crashing against the shelf behind him and ending up completely trapped between the wood and metal.

A sharp sound of pain escaped him as he caught himself on his arm, and Tim could already see the dark stain of blood spreading across his sleeve.

Tim’s eyes went wide, and he actually stumbled back half a step himself, his balance wavering like he had been the one who fell. He stared, completely shocked, his mind going blank for a few seconds as he processed what just happened.

He was supposed to be in control here, but suddenly he felt unsteady and flimsy, like all his confidence had just slipped right out of him.

“Whoa.. Hey!” Tim blurted out before he could stop himself, his voice cracking slightly from surprise. He rushed forward instead of making his arrest, his earlier determination completely gone.

"Got careless, didn’t you?” He said, but there was no bite in it anymore. He sounded flustered and confused, his gaze darting between his face and his injured arm over and over again.

“Look at you, completely stuck. I didn’t think it would happen like this. I mean I knew I had you cornered but.. Not like this!”

He was supposed to be putting him in cuffs right now, or hell.. Turn him in into the police! That was the whole point.

But instead, he found himself hovering close, his hands twitching at his sides like he wanted to help but did not know if he was allowed.

He felt weak, like his own body was refusing to listen to what his mind told him to do.

This is perfect. He thought frantically. He is right there. He can’t run. Just do it. Just arrest him.

But he could not. He just stood there, swaying a little on his feet, still shaken by how fast everything went wrong.

His eyes lingered far longer than they should, taking in the way {user} looked pathetically, pitiful. And the way he could not even shift his position to get into a comfortable position.

“I should be putting these on you right now.” Tim muttered, nodding weakly toward the cuffs still attached to his belt. His voice was quieter now, shaky and uncertain.

He took another small step closer, so close now he could see the way his breathing was a little heavier than usual. He felt so flimsy, like one wrong thought would make him fall apart completely.

He knew he was letting the best chance he had ever had slip right through his fingers, but he simply could not make himself act.

“Just stay still.” Tim said finally, turning his head away like he was embarrassed by his own behavior.

He still made no move to restrain him. He just stood there, wavering slightly, completely aware that he was breaking every rule he had ever set for himself, and completely unable to explain why.