Shakespearean - JayTim - Camp NaNoWriMo - July 2017

Chapter 7 - Welcome to Wayne Manor

Jason was most definitely not nervous. He was excited to see Tim, definitely, but certainly not nervous. There was nothing to be nervous about. Tim was picking him up at his dorm, taking him to his house, they were going to spend a lot of time together, probably alone, and then Tim was bringing him back home.

Nothing about that was remotely date-like.

So how come Jason spent the whole time he was getting ready to leave feeling like he was going on a date? What he wore, how he did his hair: everything was exactly how he would do it if he was going on a date. He didn't even pack any books to read. Well, he packed a bag with his copies of a few different Shakespearean works, but that wasn't for recreation or to be used as an escape from social situations, so that didn't really count.

He ended up being completely ready to go with over an hour left of time to kill. He decided to suck it up and spend that time doing some more last minute research and beginning to write his paper for his journalism class. Though he had several other classes at the same time, including another one that morning, none of them really had homework, and any assigned reading Jason had accomplished fairly quickly. He hadn't realized how lucky he was to have such a high reading speed until he got to college.

It happened again that he got so lost in his research paper that he didn't watch the clock. He was actually really surprised, and grateful, that it had managed to distract him from his previously incessant thoughts about Tim and their impending study date. Er- study session. Not a date. At all.

If only...

Jason was glad that he had had the foresight to set an alarm on his phone for the time that Tim would arrive outside the dorm. Tim was perfectly punctual, sending Jason a text announcing his arrival seconds after Jason turned off the alarm on his phone. He smiled at his phone before rolling his eyes at the ridiculous amount of cheesiness that he was exuding like sweat from his pores. Then he picked up his messenger bag and strode out the door, down the stairs, and right up to Tim's car. Jason was surprised and not surprised at the same time to see that Tim didn't have any kind of fancy car. It also wasn't really all that sporty. It was a simple 2005 black Tahoe, in good condition for it's age. When Tim unlocked the car and Jason climbed in, he saw that Tim took even better care of the inside than he did on the outside.

Jason also noticed that, while the car itself was simple enough as far as make, model, age, etc. went, Tim had way upgraded the inside. A special radio with a screen, designed for music videos and easy song selection but ended up getting mostly used for watching movies on car trips, an iPod doc hidden in the glove box, nice leather seats with seat warmers, etc. Jason figured the engine was just as upgraded. Tim might not be showy, but he enjoyed quality. Bigger, or better, on the inside, Jason guessed, was the way Tim looked at things.

Tim smiled at Jason as he plopped down in the passenger seat. "Welcome aboard."

A grin stretched Jason's lips as he nodded in reply. He dropped his bag on the floorboard between his feet and buckled his seat belt. "Thanks, Captain. And thanks for the ride."

Tim looked back at the road, but his smile didn't leave his face. As they pulled away from the curb and headed back onto the busy streets of Gotham City, Tim said, "I only know a couple of the bands you like, but you seem to have pretty good music taste so far. Play whatever you'd like."

Jason felt something mushy inside warm up at the huge amount of trust Tim must have in Jason to allow him to pick the music. Smirking at the thought, he decided to play it safe and play an album from one of the bands Tim had seen him wear merch for. Tim nodded his approval and they drove in silence for a little while. 

"How far is Wayne Manor from GCU?" Jason didn't actually care much, except that he liked to have a good idea of where he was so he could make a hasty escape if needed, but he asked mostly because he just wanted to talk to Tim.

"It's a good couple of miles away -  we should get there soon. It's a good distance for running, if you're a fan." Tim glanced over at him, a humorous grin on his face. "I drive my car, so clearly I'm not one."

Jason took that moment to take a good look at Tim's physique. He hadn't really noticed before, not caring much, that Tim was actually pretty well built. He was short, and he wasn't exactly thick, but Jason could see long cords of muscles beneath the nerdy button up he was wearing. Tim was strong but lean, and Jason doubted he could get those muscles without devoting a portion of his regular routine to working out. 

Jason got so caught up in admiring the view that he didn't notice that Tim had noticed. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

Jason snapped out of his thoughts and looked up into Tim's eyes, frozen in embarrassment from being caught in the act. "Um..., I was just..." Shit, Jason, say something. Anything really, except for the truth. Telling Tim that he was admiring how hot his muscles were probably wasn't the wisest thing to tell a new friend (they were friends, right?) on the way to his house for a study session when you didn't even know their sexuality or if they were even interested. "I was just observing the fact that your lack of running doesn't seem to have had any consequences. So far."

Tim snorted, but Jason thought he might have seen a blush on his cheeks as he turned back to face the road. "Well thank goodness for that. I'd hate to think all those salads were in vain."

Jason grinned. "They weren't. Trust me."

Yeah, Tim was definitely blushing.

They continued to chitchat for a little longer until they reached the gate to the Wayne's property. Tim punched in the code to the gate and drove on through. Jason kept waiting for the driveway to end, but it just kept going. "Geeze, Tim, how the hell long is your driveway? 10 miles?"

Tim chuckled. "It's only a quarter mile, Jay. Don't be ridiculous."

Jason rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Only a quarter mile, my God." He could tell Tim had heard him, but the younger man didn't say anything or move his eyes from the road.

After a small forever, Wayne Manor finally came in sight. Jason's mouth ran dry at the grandeur of it. Three stories high, perfect condition, real fancy, what appeared to be a nine-car garage, etc. Stereotypical billionaire mansion, no big deal right?

"Your mouth's open, you know."

Jason startled, jerking his head around to look at Tim. "Uh," he said, before realizing the smartest thing to do would be closing his mouth and pretending he wasn't fazed at all. Or, at least, that would be the smartest thing for his pride.

Tim pulled into the garage and parked. They hopped out of the Tahoe, but before they could reach the door to the rest of the house, it opened. Jason's first thought was that the house was haunted. Then he mentally slapped himself out of disgust at his stupidity. Obviously, the door had not opened of its on volition, but in response to the actions of an elderly man in a very nice suit. An elderly man who appeared to be a butler...

Really? A fucking butler?

Jason hadn't meant to say that out loud, but when Tim started cracking up, he realized he had. "Yes, Jason, a butler. But he technically is Bruce's butler." Jason swiveled his head around to look at him, giving him a disbelieving look with his eyes wide. "And he doesn't approve of that kind of language, so watch your dirty fucking mouth, Jason."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw the butler smirk, which perfectly matched Tim's expression. Jason rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. The butler's smirk quickly morphed into a look of complete innocence and submission. "My name is Alfred, Master Todd, but you may continue to refer to me as 'The Butler' if you'd prefer."

Tim was doing everything in his power to conceal is snickering, but he was failing miserably, and Jason absolutely refused to blush. He swallowed sheepishly and nodded. "Alfred it is. Sorry about that, sir."

Jason thought the corner of Alfred's mouth quirked up, but he must have been mistaken because a half-second later the butler looked as impassive as ever. Alfred nodded and motioned the way through the door. Tim went first, and Jason followed in his footsteps as closely as possible, wary of what kinds of crazy things were sure to great him in the interior.

"Welcome to Wayne Manor, Master Todd."