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Sep. 26th, 2010 09:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
munninTitle: Nightly routine
Author: Munnin
Verse: Band!AU
Rating: PG
Characters: Alfred, the band
Disclaimer: No ownership, no profit and no offence meant. Everyone is of the age of consent in their country and period of history
Author’s notes: 100% organic. May contain minor flaws and imperfections that beta-treated slash wouldn’t.
Bingo card: band!board meme – master list here.
Summary: every night, Alfred checks in on each of his Robins.
Watching over them was part of Alfred’s nightly ritual. As they had as disciples of the Bat, the Robin’s still kept ridiculous hours, often not stopping to sleep till close to dawn.
Young Damian was, not usually, asleep on the sofa. The youth often stayed up as long as he could to listen to his siblings play and talk and joke. One of the other’s, Dick or Tim most likely, had laid a blanket over the youth before going to bed themselves. Alfred bent to shake the youth by the shoulder, careful and aware of the young man’s reflexes. “Time for bed Master Damian.” Sleep dazed and groggy, Damian so resembled his father that Alfred couldn’t help but smile and remember the first boy he raised as he ushered Damian to his bed.
***
Steph was next, fussing over her clothes. She had several outfits laid out on the bed. They could carry so little with them, the necessity of their nomadic lives reducing her wardrobe to a pair of small suitcases. He eyed her selections, all too aware of how her moods were reflected in her mode of dress. The clothes on the bed were dark and baggy, indicating the young lady wasn’t feeling terribly confident in herself. “Miss Stephanie?”
She looked up at him with surprise, clearly not realising he was there. “Yes Alfred?”
“Do you have any particular plans for tomorrow? I was considering a trip into Manhattan. Perhaps an opportunity to refresh our wardrobes?”
A grin broke out across Steph’s face. “Sounds like fun.”
***
Tim was still up, his face glowing blue with the reflected light from the screen as he bent over his laptop. Alfred rested a hand on the young man’s shoulder and squinted at the screen. Tim was going over the information for the next few performances, checking and rechecking the bookings.
“You should really get some rest, Master Timothy.” He said gently, squeezing the youth’s shoulder.
“I just...I want to check...” Tim’s voice broke with a yawn.
Alfred rested a hand on the laptop’s lid. “It can wait till morning.” He soothed, lowering the lid as Tim pressed save. “You need to rest.”
Tim relented, leaning back in the chair and scrubbed his eyes. “Can you help me go over the distribution notes in the morning?”
As competent as Tim was as a manager, he always doubted himself. “I certain your numbers will be perfect, Master Tim but I would be glad to look over them with you. After you’ve slept.”
Tim smiled at the gently chide and let Alfred push him towards his room.
***
Jay came in late, the smell of bourbon and cigarette smoke heavy on his clothes. Alfred said nothing but had a large glass of water and some aspirin waiting on Jason’s bedside for the morning. There were bruises on Jay’s cheek from yet another bar fight but again, Alfred said nothing. Master Jason had his own way of coping and his inclination to keep his stress release away from the others was both a blessing and a curse.
Jay shrugged off his jacket and laid it over the back of a kitchen chair. He tapped Alfred on the arm lightly as he passed. “You’re a good man Alfred, you look after them good.” There was a slur to Jason’s speech, just a slight one.
“I do my best, Master Jason.” He said gently as Jay closed the door to his room. “I do my best.”
***
Dick was always the last one to bed. He took the longest to winding after a gig and like Alfred; Dick too looked in on each of them before going to sleep. Alfred sat up reading till the eldest of his charges stuck his head through the door and greeted him with a smile.
“Everything battened down for the night, Alfred?” Dick called, perching on the arm of Alfred’s chair.
“Indeed, Master Dick.” Alfred returning the young man’s smile with a soft one of his own as Dick draped an arm around his shoulder in a gently hug. “Sleep well dear boy.”
“You too Alfred.” Dick whispered, slipping of the arm of the chair. “Sweet dreams.”
Alfred watched as Dick flitted away, bright and cheerful despite the lateness of the hour. They were functionally homeless, displaced from the city they called home. And yet, even without the man who brought them together, they were by no means rudderless or lost. They had a purpose and they had each other. A fact Alfred was eternally grateful.
Author: Munnin
Verse: Band!AU
Rating: PG
Characters: Alfred, the band
Disclaimer: No ownership, no profit and no offence meant. Everyone is of the age of consent in their country and period of history
Author’s notes: 100% organic. May contain minor flaws and imperfections that beta-treated slash wouldn’t.
Bingo card: band!board meme – master list here.
Summary: every night, Alfred checks in on each of his Robins.
Watching over them was part of Alfred’s nightly ritual. As they had as disciples of the Bat, the Robin’s still kept ridiculous hours, often not stopping to sleep till close to dawn.
Young Damian was, not usually, asleep on the sofa. The youth often stayed up as long as he could to listen to his siblings play and talk and joke. One of the other’s, Dick or Tim most likely, had laid a blanket over the youth before going to bed themselves. Alfred bent to shake the youth by the shoulder, careful and aware of the young man’s reflexes. “Time for bed Master Damian.” Sleep dazed and groggy, Damian so resembled his father that Alfred couldn’t help but smile and remember the first boy he raised as he ushered Damian to his bed.
***
Steph was next, fussing over her clothes. She had several outfits laid out on the bed. They could carry so little with them, the necessity of their nomadic lives reducing her wardrobe to a pair of small suitcases. He eyed her selections, all too aware of how her moods were reflected in her mode of dress. The clothes on the bed were dark and baggy, indicating the young lady wasn’t feeling terribly confident in herself. “Miss Stephanie?”
She looked up at him with surprise, clearly not realising he was there. “Yes Alfred?”
“Do you have any particular plans for tomorrow? I was considering a trip into Manhattan. Perhaps an opportunity to refresh our wardrobes?”
A grin broke out across Steph’s face. “Sounds like fun.”
***
Tim was still up, his face glowing blue with the reflected light from the screen as he bent over his laptop. Alfred rested a hand on the young man’s shoulder and squinted at the screen. Tim was going over the information for the next few performances, checking and rechecking the bookings.
“You should really get some rest, Master Timothy.” He said gently, squeezing the youth’s shoulder.
“I just...I want to check...” Tim’s voice broke with a yawn.
Alfred rested a hand on the laptop’s lid. “It can wait till morning.” He soothed, lowering the lid as Tim pressed save. “You need to rest.”
Tim relented, leaning back in the chair and scrubbed his eyes. “Can you help me go over the distribution notes in the morning?”
As competent as Tim was as a manager, he always doubted himself. “I certain your numbers will be perfect, Master Tim but I would be glad to look over them with you. After you’ve slept.”
Tim smiled at the gently chide and let Alfred push him towards his room.
***
Jay came in late, the smell of bourbon and cigarette smoke heavy on his clothes. Alfred said nothing but had a large glass of water and some aspirin waiting on Jason’s bedside for the morning. There were bruises on Jay’s cheek from yet another bar fight but again, Alfred said nothing. Master Jason had his own way of coping and his inclination to keep his stress release away from the others was both a blessing and a curse.
Jay shrugged off his jacket and laid it over the back of a kitchen chair. He tapped Alfred on the arm lightly as he passed. “You’re a good man Alfred, you look after them good.” There was a slur to Jason’s speech, just a slight one.
“I do my best, Master Jason.” He said gently as Jay closed the door to his room. “I do my best.”
***
Dick was always the last one to bed. He took the longest to winding after a gig and like Alfred; Dick too looked in on each of them before going to sleep. Alfred sat up reading till the eldest of his charges stuck his head through the door and greeted him with a smile.
“Everything battened down for the night, Alfred?” Dick called, perching on the arm of Alfred’s chair.
“Indeed, Master Dick.” Alfred returning the young man’s smile with a soft one of his own as Dick draped an arm around his shoulder in a gently hug. “Sleep well dear boy.”
“You too Alfred.” Dick whispered, slipping of the arm of the chair. “Sweet dreams.”
Alfred watched as Dick flitted away, bright and cheerful despite the lateness of the hour. They were functionally homeless, displaced from the city they called home. And yet, even without the man who brought them together, they were by no means rudderless or lost. They had a purpose and they had each other. A fact Alfred was eternally grateful.