Gunpowder And Cocktails | J. Todd ✔

[23]

By next morning, Jason was feeling much better so he asked Alfred to let him leave the med bay. And though the elder man agreed, he insisted him to at least stay for breakfast.

Jason didn't refuse as no matter what, he still respected Alfred a lot so he followed him up to the manor. Ever since he had gained consciousness, Bruce had kept out of sight and only Alfred and Richard had stayed with him and kept checking on him frequently.

Much to his disappointment, the boy with the soft angelic voice hadn't turned up again either such that Jason had almost believed he was dreaming back then and just imagined his presence. But when he had asked Richard about the boy he had briefly seen when he gained consciousness, he had only replied that he was Timothy Drake; sole heir to Drake Associates who had been adopted by Bruce after his parents had died.

Jason was intrigued to find out more about the Drake boy, recalling how gentle he had been to him, almost like an angel. But then he was also slightly bitter that Bruce had found a replacement for him too when he found out that Tim was currently operating in Gotham as Robin.

Breakfast was laid out already on the kitchen counter and thankfully Bruce wasn't there, instead Richard was pouring coffee into the mugs aligned in front of him from a thermos while a girl with blonde hair and bright green eyes was sitting on the stool beside him, eating her share of waffles.

She had turned to look at Jay curiously, whereas a smile spread on Richard's face to see him.

"Jaybird! Come have a seat," he called him over, his smile widening as he pulled out a stool for his brother, "how are you feeling now?"

"Much better," Jason sat down, ignoring the girl on his far left.

"Hi," she spoke up, "I'm Stephanie."

He nodded but didn't look at her, feeling her curious gaze on him still as he filled his plate with food.

To be honest, he was a bit disappointed not to see Tim there.

"Stephanie and Tim became part of the family around the same time," Richard was keeping up the conversation as usual and Jay's ears perked up when he mentioned Tim, "she's not technically adopted by Bruce, but will be staying with us for as long as she likes."

"Yeah, I don't do foster families," Steph added, "I might put up with Bruce as a guardian but as a Dad...? No thanks."

A small smile flickered on Jason's face to hear that remark and he finally tilted his head to look at her, "wise decision I'll say."

Steph gave him a friendly smile, "I've heard a lot about you, Jason. Mostly from Tim since he's such a fan. And then Dick and Barb have some pretty awesome to tell as well."

His attention was back, stuck on what she had told him about the boy, "a fan?"

"I think you should ask him that yourself."

He felt like asking Richard where Tim was at the moment but there was no need as a boy in Gotham Academy uniform trudged up to the breakfast counter.

"Hi," he mumbled, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he tossed his backpack aside and climbed up on the stool right beside Jay, though it seemed as if he hadn't noticed him just yet, "can you pass me the coffee, Dickie?"

Richard looked at Jason then at Tim, realizing that the fifteen year old was still half asleep to confuse Jason with Dick.

However, Jason passed him the coffee cup, watching closely as the boy chugged it down then signaled for a refill. Richard was about to take the flask to him but Jason gestured him to stay seated and refilled the cup instead.

Jason could see very well by then that the boy was a caffeine addict. 

Four cups of coffee later, cerulean blue eyes peeked open at last and Tim gulped, realizing the person sitting on his right wasn't Dick but Jason who Bruce had clearly warned him to stay away from.

"Hi," Tim spoke up, the same angelic voice pouring out from him softly, "I'm Tim."

"Jason," he replied vaguely but took his time to see his replacement up close.

The boy had the brightest shade of cerulean blue eyes he had ever seen, wide and innocent. His skin was very pale and there were somewhat dark rings around his eyes from lack of sleep. He had fluffy light brown hair that fell over his head in soft tufts, Jason could tell his hair would be very soft just by looking at the tufts on his head.

Soft. 

That was the first word he had associated with Timothy back when he had just gained consciousness too. Soft voice, soft hands, soft hair and even softer eyes. 

Jason judged that his replacement was as opposite from him as possible. Not only was he frail and delicate, as compared to Jason's built stature, he was also very innocent. 

No wonder Jason had mistaken him to be an angel the first time he had met him.

He was definitely not someone who could handle being Robin and though at first Jay had felt terrible about being replaced, right then he felt a strange sort of sympathy creep into his heart.

A scar peeked out from beneath the fabric of his messily buttoned up collar but Tim seemed to have noticed Jay's inquisitive gaze trail down to his collarbone and his cheeks turned a bright red as he hastily fixed his buttons.

Tim felt queasy under the intense stare so he spoke up in a slightly louder voice, "Steph, if you're done with breakfast, we should be going to school, right? We'll miss the bus otherwise."

"Yup, I'm done but you've eaten nothing."

"I'm not hungry," he was about to leave but Jason pushed a plate of waffles in front of him, giving him a death glare.

Tim's eyes widened as he looked into those cold bluish green irises but Jason hadn't dropped the stare. Eventually, the boy gulped and lowered his eyes but took the plate and started eating. While both Steph and Richard were looking at the scene in shock.

"Dick, can we keep him?" Steph nudged him and spoke in a low voice, "it will be so much easier to keep Timmy in line then."

"We would if we could," he replied back with a slightly wistful glance towards Jason, who was still staring at Tim and silently making him eat those waffles.

Jason retrieved the glare when Tim was done eating. Unexpectedly, he spoke up, "coffee isn't food, kid."

Tim's head bobbed slightly in a nod as he stood up, "alright I'm done now. Steph, can we go?"

"Bye guys, we'll see you in the evening," Steph had picked up her bag and flung her arm around Tim who was hastening to get out. Though before they could leave, Steph turned back, "oh and Jason, keep visiting us. It's great to have you around."

"Steph, we will miss the bus! Come on," Tim broke free from her grip and dashed for the door, with the girl following close behind.

"Wait for me, caffeine hoe!"

Jason couldn't stop the very faint smile that tugged up on his face but turned to see Richard looking at him as if slightly shocked, "what?"

"You're smiling?"

"Death didn't rid me of the ability to smile, Dickiebird."

The smile that lit up his face upon hearing that term of endearment was priceless, "thank heavens... What are you thinking though?"

"Where did Bruce find that kid?" Jason asked all of a sudden.

"Who? Steph?"

"No, Timothy. How did he end up here of all places?"

Richard shrugged, "now that's a very long story and here I thought you would have to leave right after breakfast."

Jason considered, "no, I'll stay." But seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, he added, "only until all my questions are answered."

A soft sigh escaped him as that faint ray of hope extinguished, "fair enough."

***