Melted Gold

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Waking had been a different experience when a man twice your size was using you as a pillow. Jack was barely able to shimmy out from under him without falling flat on his face to use the bathroom and then make himself more acquainted with the Wayne Family Manor. 

He slipped out of the bedroom and headed down the hall, he was barefoot and could feel the money spent on the soft rugs. He touched the railings with gentle fingers, the polished wood should have been aged but these looked new. Jack wondered if he had been the reason for the replacements, or maybe the rowdy boys that lived there. He stepped into the grand entrance and stood on the stairs and just stared, looking up at the crystal chandelier sparkled in the light it gave off.

How lonely Bruce must have been in this giant house with nothing but memories to keep him company.

"Jack?" Jason's voice was soft and Jack sighed and turned to face the boy, offering the kid his hand. Jason rushed him, throwing his arms around his middle and nuzzling roughly into his ribs, Jack was half expecting the kid to bite him from the sheer force the kid was using.

"Missed you too kid," Jack rolled his eyes and continued his walk, Jason gluing himself to his side, one hand latched on to the back of his shirt as they walked. They were quiet as they moved through the manor, a couple of ghosts just wandering from room to room, admiring the beauty of it all. Jason knew most of the place by now, but he never took the time to actually look, and much like Jack he was experiencing much of the place for the first time.

"The kitchen is my favorite," Jason whispered, as if speaking too loudly would call something wicked to them.

"Mine too," Jack said, his voice just as soft as turned his gaze down to the boy, "Do you think old Alfred is down there?"

"Yeah," Jason perked up, a flush decorating his cheeks and a full smile on his lips that warmed Jack down to his toes. He pulled at the ears of Jason's bunnyhug and their steps quickened as they made their way down to the kitchens. They peeked inside and saw that Alfred was already on task for dinner and the smell of freshly cooked meats and steamed vegetables brought a growl from Jason's stomach, giving them both away.

"I told you to wait for supper Master Dick...Oh, well," Alfred turned to see the innocent looking pair and gave a patient smile. "What can I get you both?"

"Hot Chocolate!" Jason was up on his toes in his excitement and Jack just gave a nod of agreement and headed for his little corner that was still set up. Jason hopped up on the chair that had once been Jack's and Jack found himself seated on a stool that had been added to the set up. Alfred appeared and set down a small platter of cookies and two mugs, vanishing back behind the island and turned on the radio. Jack closed his eyes as soft Christmas carols started to fill the air.

"It's Christmas?" Jack asked, and Jason nodded, "Since when?"

"Well, according to the radio, the last week," Jason said, "Or haven't you noticed the snow?"

"I don't feel the cold, kid, an advantage to the nerve damage," Jack reached across the table and flicked the boy's nose. Jason snorted and flicked a gumdrop off his cookie and into Jack's face. The two of them had a standoff before dissolving into a course of laughter.

"Christmas is next weekend, Master Jack," Alfred informed him, setting down a hot chocolate kettle and a bowl of miniature marshmallows. Jack looked up at the man and just smiled at him, an upturn of his mouth and closed eyes, a genuine look without teeth or murderous intent.

"Thanks old man," He breathed before he picked up the kettle and poured his own and waited for Jason to add his marshmallows and watched the boy's intense look as he poured the sweet beverage over his mountain of puffy candies. They enjoyed their cookies and hot chocolate with the sound of Alfred and the smell of dinner, keeping their voices to themselves as they just existed in the moment. They finished up and headed upstairs, waving at the butler and trying to find their way to the sitting room, they didn't know what day it was but the idea of cartoons was a good one.