Falling Slowly

Meeting your stalker

      "Ugh" Bruce groaned as he started to come to "Alfred I had the strangest dream-" he cut himself off as he looked over to see a pair of bright blue eyes in the corner "Alfred?"

     "Ah, you're awake sir" Alfred stated as he entered the medbay.

     "Uh...Alfred who is that?" Bruce nodded over to the small figure in the corner.

     "That would be the lad that saved your life, you master Timothy Drake," Alfred said motioning for the boy to come over. The kid took a hesitant step forward just enough so Bruce could make out his face.

     "You're Jack and Janet's kid right" Bruce grunted trying to sit up.

     "Don't you dare undo my hand work" Alfred said making Bruce lay back down "Pop so much as one stitch and I'm putting you on bed rest for a month"

     "Yes, Alfred" Bruce frowned as though the old man had slapped him on the wrist.

     "Good now then how about I make everyone something to eat" Tim stared at Alfred in wonder. What kind of man did he have to be to make the Batman squirm?

Time skip

     "Here you go young master," Alfred said sitting down a plate of French toast and Bacon in front of Tim.

     "Thank you," Tim said not taking his eyes off the plate. The rich aroma swirled through the air making Tim's stomach down. Tim picked up his fork ready to rip into the food when his mother's voice popped into his head.

     'Remember dear no one like a pig' Tim sighed silently as he cut his toast into smile pieces and slowly ate them.

     "What good manners" Alfred commented "If only some people in this house had such manners" Alfred added glaring over as Bruce picked up his French toast and ripped into it like it was the last food on earth.

     "So Timothy" Bruce grunted as he swallowed the last of the toast.

    'Is this seriously the same guy that was eating pizza with a fork at the children's charity fair?' Tim wonder.

    "Why were you put in Gorham last night," Bruce asked.

     "I was taking pictures," Tim said sheepishly.

     "At night?" Bruce frowned.

     "Batman only comes out at night" Tim stated.

     "Of course" Bruce sighed "Look Timothy-" Bruce was cut off by the young boy.

     "Tim" he corrected him "I go by Tim"

     "Look, Tim," Bruce said firmly "you can't go running around Gotham at night"

     "You do" Tim pointed out. Alfred let out a small cough as he fought to keep from laughing.

    "That's different" Bruce responded.

     "How?" Tim asked tilting his head.

     "Because I'm Batman," Bruce said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

     "That's a terrible argument" Tim responded bluntly.

      "..." Bruce sat there silently unsure what to say because no one had ever argued with that line.

     "I believe what Master Bruce was trying to say is that he has had years of training and thousands of dollars worth of weaponry that make it much safer for him to go out," Alfred said as he started cleaning up the empty dishes.

     "Uh yeah," Bruce said staring at the kid 'How can a little kid outsmart me, that line even worked on superman.'

     "I'll go ahead and take Master Tim home his parents must be worried sick" Alfred offered.

     "Thank you," Bruce said finishing off his breakfast.

     "So you can do these" Alfred said laying the stack of dishes in front of Bruce before taking Alfred outside. Bruce sat there dumbfounded within two hours he had woken to find out a kid had saved him, said kid knew his secret identity and didn't fall for his iconic line. And now he had been tricked into doing dish this was not his day.

Timeskip

      Over the next couple of weeks, Bruce had caught his little stalker sneaking out of the house twice a night.

     "Seriously lad" Bruce groans carrying Tim under his arm like a sack of potatoes "Do you have a death wish or something?"

     "You need me" Tim protested trying to squirm free.

     "What are you going to do, hack into the mob's headquarters?" Bruce rolled his eyes.

     "No, but I can If you want me to," Tim said as he continued to squirm.

    "Then why do I need you," Bruce said tightening his grip as he got ready to swing.

     "Because even Batman needs backup," Tim said as he swung to the ground "What if you get hurt again"

     "I've got Alfred" Bruce grunted.

     This went on for months. Tim would keep sneaking out and no matter how hard Bruce tried he couldn't seem to stop the kid. Finally, he decided to make a deal with the little pest.