The Demigod and The Robin

Chapter 49

————— Percy's POV: —————

It wasn't often I had to miss my weekend with Jason, but this weekend it was especially upsetting.

Jason hugged me tight, my feet off the ground as I buried my face in his shoulder clearly smelling cigarette smoke and cologne.

"I'm sorry." He said into my shoulder, squeezing me tighter.

I laughed. "It's okay, you don't have to keep apologizing! It's not a big deal, okay?"

Jason didn't seem to agree. "But it is a big deal to me." He said defensively. I smiled as I pat his back signaling for him to set me down. He did so after a few beats watching me carefully. This weekend was going to be weird. Apparently Bruce had a conference that required everyone to go, but someone needed to stay home with Alfred so I happily volunteered once they said we'd be getting on a plane. What I hadn't realized was that everyone also included Jason.

"I'll be fine, seriously. We can pick up with our binge watching next week." He smiled and nodded.

"You're right."

"I often am." I said with a small smirk.

He rolled his eyes. "Alright, calm down." I chuckled as he slowly backed up and pulled his leg over his bike, putting his helmet on. "Stay safe Percy. I'll see you soon." I nodded, waving as he began revving his engine before disappearing into the warming friday night.

With him gone I took a deep breath and walked back inside, the house suddenly feeling too empty. I instantly missed the hum of life that usually flowed through the house. I missed Damian, my eyes turning to the hallway half expecting him to walk out with a book in hand.

Instead Alfred exited the dining room, cleaning supplies in hand. Immediately relief flowed over me.

"Hello Percy, you okay?" He asked, a small smile on his face. I quickly felt a smile rise to my face as I nodded.

"What're you doing?" I asked, beginning to walk over to him.

Alfred held up the supplies. "I'm gonna go clean some of the rooms." I nodded.

"Can I help?" I asked. Alfred looked slightly surprised.

"You wanna help?"

I smiled and nodded again. "Yeah, I used to clean with mom all the time, so I figure I could be of some help." Alfred smiled warmly and nodded.

"I'll never turn down an offer of aid. Come on." I smiled as I took some of the supplies from him as we headed towards the library.

"What should I do?" I asked, looking over the massive room. Alfred smiled warmly.

"You can just wipe down any surface you can reach, okay?" I nodded, taking the spray he handed me and one of the rags before beginning to wipe everything I could see down. Alfred got to wiping the floor with a mop, his movements much more efficient than my own.

"I appreciate your help Percy." Alfred said.

I smiled as I turned back to Alfred. "It's not a problem, I feel bad I haven't been able to help more often actually." Alfred chuckled to himself.

"I'm used to doing this alone, I've been doing it for more years than you've been alive, I appreciate the help every once and awhile but you have no need to feel guilty." I shrugged, my hand sliding over the shelf slowly. I looked over the various book backs, the majority of them were black but some had dark reds and blues to differentiate. 

"So Bruce and everyone go on a lot of business meetings huh." I said quietly, looking back to see Afrd smile up at me.

"Yes, I suppose that is the life of the owner of Wayne Industries." I nodded. "Things must be done to keep up with the ever hungry public." I nodded slowly.

"I get that." I honestly did. It was a blessing really that the gods had left me alone as of late but I understood pressures that forced you to work for others. Of course my pressures were life and death but the resemblance stood all the same.

Alfred hummed quietly, "It's a hard job for Master Bruce. He's been doing it ever since he was a child." Alfred looked mournful over that fact. "I wish more than anything that I could've changed that for him but there is nothing we can do to change fate." I sucked in a shallow breath and nodded, turning back to my duties of cleaning.

After a while Alfred spoke again. "You remind me a lot of my own daughter Percy." My eyes widened as I turned to look at Alfred.

"You have a daughter?" I asked. He nodded.

"Very rambunctious girl but with good intentions." He smiled fondly. "She's off on her own now and barely has time for dear old dad but I figure the two of you would get along well." I nodded.

"What's her name?" I asked. He smiled.

"Julia." I nodded slowly.

"Why..." I hesitated. "Why doesn't she see you more often?"

He paused and sighed. "It's my fault really. I left Britain to work for the Wayne's, Julia and her mother never really seemed to forgive me." I didn't move, just watched him. This fact seemed to upset him and I felt bad for ever asking such a question.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly. Alfred's face went from being upset to holding a small smile.

"It's fine Percy. Like I said, we can do nothing to change fate, and in ways I believe it was fate that brought me here."

I nodded. He had no idea how right he probably was.

We cleaned for a few hours, the silence broken by intermittent talking from then on. By the time we'd finished I had a new appreciation for Alfred, his workload was honestly too much.

As Alfred packed away his stuff I walked over. "Would you want to watch a movie?" I asked, his head turning as his eyes met my own. "You can choose if you'd like. We could also make cookies."

He smiled, nodding. "I'd love to watch a movie with you." I felt my lips curve into a small smile.

"Great". I said. "I can start on the cookies now." He nodded.

"I'll be done soon." He said with a growing smile. I felt my smile grow in response before I hurried for the kitchen.

When I got there I immediately got to work on the cookies I knew like the back of my hand. Alfred joined me about halfway and together the two of us worked on the confections.

"I'm quite glad you know," he said as he rolled the dough into balls. I hummed, glancing over at him. His eyes were trained on the dough in front of him. "I'm glad you became friends with Master Damian and ended up here." I felt my body slow as I watched him. "Master Damian has never been all that open, it's nice seeing him act his age." Alfred looked over to me with a glimmer in his eye. "I'm also glad to call you my daughter." I felt my heart pound as my hands stopped all together. For a second I felt nothing, then something much stronger than joy filled me, my eyes reacting involuntarily with tears.

Immediately Alfred's smile grew as he set down the dough and wrapped me in a kind hug. I wrapped my own arms around him tight, making sure not to touch him with my dirty hands but feeling his warmth just as well.

"Thank you." I said quietly. I didn't have to see his face to know his smile was gentle.

After a moment longer he pat my back and I pulled back, wiping my face quickly. We talked after that, working on the cookies diligently. My smile never left my face, the evening turning out much better than I could've expected.

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