#ipwp

For a second Bruce looked back at him, inching away, wary, as though he was expecting Jason to pull the gun out and shoot him point-blank in the face. Then, in a blink, the worry lines on his face became visible. He took Jason’s face in hands.

“What’s wrong?”

Jason shook his head, pulling away from him.

“Just. Not how I expected to wake up, that’s all.”

“Should I leave? If I overstepped, staying the night…”

The hesitation in Bruce’s voice sounded wrong to Jason’s ears. He pulled boxers on, turning away from the man, and crossed the floor to his kitchenette, turning the coffee pot on. Belatedly, he responded.

“No. It was, um, nice. That you stayed. Let’s do it again sometime.”

“Yeah?” Bruce asked, coming closer.

Now, he didn’t sound unsure. His hands were still gentle when he hugged Jason from behind, so Jason could escape it without a fuss. Jason leaned back into him, though. Breathed in his smell. Turned his head a little, just to touch Bruce cheek to cheek. It burned a little. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was new.

“You need to shave,” he murmured without thinking.

Bruce probably needed a lot of things. Like take a shower and go home, to tend to whatever billionaires without a job did if they weren’t serving food at a homeless shelters. Which, to be fair, Jason didn’t think billionaires normally did at all. 

"You don't," Bruce traced his face with his finger. Jason playfully bit him but let go when Bruce spoke next. "This is going to sound awkward. But how old are you?"

"Seriously?" Jason asked incredulously. Only a little of it was played up as he tried to remember what year it was on his ID. “Isn’t it something you ask before you sleep for someone?”

"I mean, I know you are at least eighteen, otherwise you wouldn't be able to participate in Big Brother program."

"I don't look that young."

“No,” Bruce agreed, and Jason didn’t know whether to be offended or amused.

“I’m twenty-two,” he said. “You?”

“Fifty, apparently. Which boggles my mind. When I woke up six months ago, I thought I was not even twenty.”

“So, you’re mentally younger than me? And here I was worried if I’m your mid-life crisis.”

“No,” Bruce answered simply, kissing his hair. “You’re not that.”

The coffee was ready, so Bruce had to let Jason go, with some reluctance. When Jason passed him the cup, he was worried for a second that Bruce was going to kiss him. That’s what people did, right? But Bruce just smiled gratefully and took a seat beside Jason’s.

“So,” Jason said. “What were you doing at not quite twenty?”

Bruce took his time to answer.

“Not much,” he said eventually. “I dropped out of college not so long ago. Wanted to travel the world. Learn things that way.”

“School of life, huh?”

“You told me you were away from Gotham for a long time. Have you tried something like that?”

“Probably not like that,” Jason smiled into his cup. 

He didn’t think that what rich boys like Brucie Wayne must have been in his teenage years were like anything Outlaws did. Then again, there was Elysium Island.

“Why did you leave?”

“Why did you?” Jason says because he can’t answer. “You could have finished your degree. You don’t, okay, you’re not exactly hurting for money,” Bruce snorted. “So you don’t need a job. But that’s, still. College couldn’t be so bad, could it?”

“Did you attend?”

Finally, something Jason was sure about.

“No. But I would, probably, if I could. Maybe I wouldn’t have to work nights in seedy bars, knocking heads together.”

“Why do you work there, if you don’t like it?”

That startled a genuine laugh out of him.

“That’s such a rich boy answer, Bruce, I swear to god.”

“You’re smart. You can get into community college at least. Or, maybe some software engineering online classes. There are free resources.”

“Yeah,” Jason drawled. “I also can learn how to draw, and start working for commissions. Or in digital design, maybe.”

“Sure. If that’s what you want.”

Jason did a double take, but no, Bruce seemed sincere and earnest. So he tried to answer in turn.

“I don’t think it works like that. I can’t just do what I want. I don’t have time to learn new skills, when I have a job already, and also tutoring sessions at the community center. Plus, someone has to cook dinner, do laundry, clean the flat, go grocery shopping. After all that, not much time left, you know? I have to sleep, and some rest is nice as well.”

“But you could skip the tutoring, at least. Or rearrange chores so you don’t do it every day. Or…”

Jason put his cup down.

“I feel like you are judging me.”

"No, I just meant..."

"What, to encourage me? Give me advice from the point of extremely sheltered young adult in middle-aged body, who didn't have to work a day in his whole life? I mean, thanks, I guess. I don't think it's customary to be so far in someone's business after one-night stand, I almost flattered."

"Really?"

"What? No!"

"I mean, was it just a one-night stand for you?”

“That’s what you’re zeroing in on?” Yeah, it wasn’t going to work. “Look, I don’t think this is going to work.”

“I’m sorry,” Bruce said, helplessly.

And seeing his face open like that, Jason couldn’t even stay mad. He didn’t want Bruce to look like that.

“For what it’s worth,” he said. “I don’t think you’re a bad guy. We’re just… different, you know? You won’t be able to understand me. And you’re not in a hurry to let me know more about you. You asked me more questions than you answered.”