Chapter Text
Tim is bent over his laptop in the living room nursing his headache. He’d been trying to focus on his university assignment for an hour but he might as well change into a swimsuit from how much his head was swimming. Maybe he shouldn’t have had 3 cans of Monster? Or maybe it was the fact that he only had 3 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours. Or both? It could be both. No, that can’t be it, Tim thinks. I’ve functioned on less sleep with the same amount of energy drinks before. Unless…
“I think I’m cooked,” he murmurs under his breath, eyes squeezed shut and hands massaging his temple despite knowing full well that at this stage there will be no relief for the pounding happening in his cranium. “My body is finally falling apart at the ripe age of 20.”
A quiet scoff comes from the doorway. An eye squints open to peek at the direction of the noise. Damian leans in the doorway of the living room, rolling his eyes at the pitiful state of one Timothy Jackson Drake. “Your lack of self-care is astounding Drake,” Damian says. “You should give up while you can, you are clearly in no state to be doing any work.” He quietly pads towards the table and closes the laptop, much to Tim’s annoyance.
“Hey–” He starts, shooting Damian an annoyed look.
“I have a proposition, Drake.” Damian crosses his arms. Tim’s eyebrows shot up. A proposition? Damian famously hates to ask anything from Tim. He would rather jump off the top of a building than owe anything to Tim. “Go on?”
“I will provide you a chance for a break, if you will drive me somewhere.”
“Why do you need me to drive? Can you not take public transport? Or ask Alfred to drive you?”
Damian’s face is unreadable. Tim watches as his eyes narrow minutely, his lips pressed firmly into a thin line. Many thoughts are going through Damian’s mind, Tim can see the cogwheels in his head moving, and god knows he is curious about what he’s hiding. Patience is a virtue though, and Damian is a flighty little thing. Tim knows not to be pushy, and he’s sure if he gives him the space and time, Damian will open up eventually. Or he won’t. Although, if he is coming to Tim for a favour, he definitely has weighed his options before and this is his last resort. It all comes down to whether he will chicken out or reveal his true intentions.
After a minute of silence, Damian sighs and his hands drop down to his sides. “There is a cat cafe I would like to visit. Jon has mentioned before that he would like to visit one and I think this one might be suitable.”
“I appreciate you telling me, but my questions from before still stand.”
Another minute of silence.
“I… would like to have a companion.”
“Why?”
“It’s…” Damian’s face starts getting a little pink. He continues, quieter than before, “I would like your opinion on the cafe as well, as a person who enjoys cats and the occasional coffee.”
Tim’s eyes widened. Damian seeking his opinion on anything at all? Tim so desperately wants to tease him about it but his heart squeezes a bit at how heartfelt Damian was being. Their relationship wasn’t a typical sibling one, not that they were typical siblings to begin with. It was definitely rocky at the start, but after a couple interventions and a few heart to heart talks it was slowly getting better. Damian wanting to spend time with Tim was a nice step forward, but Tim couldn’t help but still have slight suspicions. “I’m really happy that you value my opinion Damian, but would Dick or Jason not suffice?”
Damian pouts a little bit, which Tim finds absolutely adorable considering by default his little brother is a menace with a tongue about as sharp as his swords. “Grayson is too chatty, I would spend too much time entertaining conversations about anything under the sun. Todd is too loud, I am afraid the cats might be apprehensive to approach.”
Tim hummed. The scenarios that Damian described played through his head. He could definitely envision his little brother locked into endless conversation with Dick, who is always happy to catch up with his siblings and wants to know everything and anything that is happening in their lives. The cats and the cafe would be long forgotten within the labyrinth of Dick’s conversation topics. Jason on the other hand was definitely a bit boisterous than average and it doesn’t help that creatures tend to be more… cautious towards him. They can sense the supernatural afterall.
Naturally, Tim’s appreciation for the feline kind and the caffeine kind puts himself quite high up the list to consider. If he was Damian, he probably would choose Tim too. “Okay, I’ll bite. I could use a break and I’m curious to see a cat cafe that you have picked out,” Tim says after a moment of consideration and Damian perks up. “We leave in half an hour?”
A toothy grin sprouts on Damian’s face. “Excellent. We will kill two birds with one stone. Efficiency is always ideal.”
“Okay minmax supreme lord,” Tim rolls his eyes, “Go get ready and I’ll meet you at the car.”
Quickly turning on his heel, Damian quickly heads towards his room. Tim sighs and gets up, doing the same. He shuffles up the stairs to his room with his laptop in hand. I guess the essay will have to wait. I got about slightly more than a week left to do it, I’m sure I’ll be able to finish it by then, Tim thinks. He washes his face, hoping it will help ease the pounding and slides into a pair of jeans and pulls on a red hoodie. A lazy and comfortable outfit should do for a quiet and cozy outing.
Tim pauses and tilts his head, running some considerations through his brain. Maybe he can at least start on some readings or research for his essay while at the cafe if he brings his tablet. Damian promised to facilitate a break but he can’t imagine Damian would be doing much talking when he is there to observe. While not so keen on scouting, Tim would at least be away from the comfy confines of the manor. The cafe could prove to be a productive environment, if he didn’t get distracted by felines. Since he was going to get caffeinated he might as well get working. If not his essay, at least he could make some progress on his current ongoing case with Penguin.
Now that I think about it, the fact that Damian is doing all this for Jon.. Hmm.. Tim smiles to himself. Mayhaps, this might grow into teasing material if all goes well. He might be wrong, but his senses are tingling. It is June after all.
Tim chuckles. “Happy Pride?” He theorizes to himself out loud. The nervousness, the idea that he would come to Tim for assistance, and the eagerness to fulfill Jon’s wishes. He’s about 70% sure.
He quickly checks himself in the mirror, pats down his pocket to make sure he has his phone and his wallet, grabs his tablet and keys, and heads out to his car.