The first time they had met was at a business expo over at Dublin.
Artemis Fowl II was already eighteen then, fashionably late too, as he had to shake his younger brothers off his back so he, his father, and Butler could leave already. It took them some bribery, and promises of sweets to be let go, but at least they had made it just in time for their presentation.
The function hall was filled with business men of different nationalities and specialties. They come in hopes of partnerships, and gains for both parties.
It happens in the bathroom.
Artemis Fowl II excused himself to the gents' room, with Butler hot on his heels. He shook hands with the host of the event, who had clammy hands, to say the least. Inside, he finds another person who sported his raven black hair long and somewhat unruly.
The man was bent over the sink, washing his face rather vigorously. He seemed to be around Arty's age, and he was wearing a suit as well, so he must be the son of a business man as well.
Waving a hand towards Butler to stay outside, Artemis enters the rest room.
Tim wasn't used to doing this sort of thing. But Bruce had insisted that he get used to presenting in front of businessmen, if he were to inherit the company one day, as he was running it now from the inside.
He was only seventeen years old, and Bruce had come along too.
And for what reason? To glower at him as he presented both Drake Industries and Wayne Enterprises?
So now he's in the rest room, washing his face to wake up at least, and not drop dead no thanks to his sleep deprived state.
And to make matters worse, his brothers have decided to tag along, but for a different purpose.
They stowed along the jet, surprisingly even managing to convince Jason of all people to come along, haggled their stay by putting on their uniforms, and acting as security for all the attendants of the event.
Of course, Tim would want to patrol too, but Bruce had been adamant on making the presentation.
While listening to the other businessmen talk about their companies, Tim had been drowning himself in coffee, occasionally groaning towards Bruce, who paid him no mind. Only hmm-ing and nodding at whatever who's presenting was saying.
He would also scribble down something every now and then, while glancing towards Tim every so often to send him warning looks that may have been signs that he should slow down on the coffee intake.
They had been seated not so conveniently by the coffee machine, much to Bruce's chagrin.
Over at the intercomm, Tim can vaguely hear his brothers arguing about which businessman wore the ugliest suit.
Surprisingly, Jason had been the one to start the debacle. Dick was trying to suppress his laughs, while Damian had an eye for looking at people's flaws, or for this occasion, people's lack of good taste in fashion.
After what seemed the umpteenth sigh Tim had let out, Bruce looked down at him."What's wrong?" He had asked.
"I think you should go freshen up in the wash room first. You look like you fell into a pit of despair." He added in a heartbeat.
"Because I did, ever since you told me I was to do the presentation!" Tim hissed.
"Well, who else should I have gotten, then?" Bruce challenged, raising an eyebrow at his son.
The intercomm in their ears crackled to life.
"Anyone but Drake would suffice," Damian suggested, followed by Jason's snickering.
"I think you should really head to the rest room. We're coming up next," Bruce waved Tim off towards the direction of the rest rooms. He even grabbed for Tim's coffee cup before the younger could even get another gulp in.
"Fine." The young CEO huffs, and his brothers' laughs just annoyed him more.
Artemis coughs into a closed fist to alert the other occupant of his presence. The other man jumps in surprise, turning off the tap before he shuffles to the side to give way for the newcomer.
"Thank you," he absently mumbles, as the other heads towards the hand dryer.
"You were uh, great out there. Your company sounds promising," the other fumbles with his words, which to Artemis, was quite endearing.
"Oh, that's a relief. I was afraid we had come off as condescending," Artemis replies, facing the mirror to arrange his person.
"Ah, no it was quite interesting, really." The other answers timidly.
"Well uh, this turned awkward real quick." He adds, head looking up towards Artemis.He noticed how blue his eyes were, full of mystery and depth, yet the bags under his eyes seemed heavy with stress.
"Oh believe me, I have been in much more awkward situations," Artemis chuckles at the thought.
The other man, who has yet to introduce himself brought up a hand to his right ear, as if listening intently to something.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way. Stop arguing already," He says to no one in particular, rubbing the bridge of his nose in distress.
"I have to go. Uh, see you later at lunch?" He says to Artemis, who was surely looking bewildered and confused.
"Hurry the fuck up, already!" Artemis could hear come from the other teen's ear.
"I said I'm coming, sheesh. Keep your helmet on, Dead Hood." Hissed the teen.
"Call me 'dead' one more time and someone won't make it back home in one piece!"
Then the teen heads out.
A knock follows soon after the door closed back.
"Everything alright in there, Arty?" He hears Butler ask from outside. "Some kid just came out looking like he's seen a ghost."
Artemis straightens his tie and brushes his hair back up, away from his eyes.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, Butler. I'm alright." He replies.
"The next company is up to present. I think your father would want you to see this with him," Butler says back, this time coming in the rest room.
"Oh yes. Let us head back," and with one last check in the mirror, they head back to where his father was seated, sipping on a cup of what Artemis presumes would be coffee, since that was the norm around businessmen, he noticed.
"And now, let's all welcome the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Mister Bruce Wayne! Let's give him a round of applause."
Everyone applauds politely, even Artemis and Butler. The younger Fowl was rather taken aback when the said presentor stepped up the podium.
"Good morning gentlemen, my name is Timothy Drake-Wayne, CEO of Drake Industries and Wayne Enterprises, and on behalf of my father, Bruce Wayne, I stand here in front of you all to present our business report, and a couple of proposals I have come up with, as well."
The mysterious gentleman from the bathroom was standing onstage, showing a well organised powerpoint presentation.
"Hey, isn't that the kid who came out the rest room before you?" It seemed like Butler remembered him as well.
"So it seems," Arty hums, as he leans back in his seat.
Over the intercomm, Tim could hear an exchange of insults and cajoling from over at Nightwing's end.
His eldest brother had convinced their adoptive father to use the Batman cowl for this mission, much to Robin's chagrin.
"I don't take orders from you!" Tim hears Red Hood growl at whomever he was arguing with.
"You don't take orders from anyone for the matter!" Damian had yelled back.
"Hey now, come on you two. Keep a cool head, it's Timmy's turn to talk now." He hears Dick tell their other two brothers.
"Tim, just do as we rehearsed. Don't mind your brothers too much," Bruce had said. At that, Tim glances over his father, whose right hand was on his ear, while his left hand was holding up a phone, as if he were documenting him.
"Aww, widdle Timmy isth doing gweat, isn't he, daddy Bwoosie?" Jason started speaking in a gross imitation of baby talk.
Tim continued his presentation despite the many distractions. He looks over at his audience, who all seemed to absorb every word he was saying.
He even, by accident, made eye contact with the guy he had met in the rest room earlier.
The guy gave Tim a nod of approval, as if to tell him he was doing great, and that he should just continue talking.
That was the only boost he needed.
Artemis, both he and his father, had become interested at the Wayne Enterprises' business report. The presentation itself was concise and factual. The graphs were easy to understand, and the speaker was
"Cute," Arty mutters under his breath, careful not to let his coompanions hear him. The gentleman, Timothy Drake-Wayne, as he had introduced himself at the beginning of the presentation, was a good speaker.
His voice was clear and easy on the ears. He sounded more like a man, than a teenager like himself, which still surprises him even now.
Timothy looked worried for a second, eyebrows meeting in confusion, but in the next second, his face was calm again. 'Perhaps his internal conversations like earlier?' Arty wondered. He follows to where Timothy was looking.
One table over, one tall, broad shouldered man was holding up a smartphone, recording Timothy's presentation.
'I suppose that is Mister Wayne, his father, then?' Unsure of his suspicions, he decides on searching the man's name up on his father's smartphone.
(He left his with his brothers back at home, claiming their big brother's phone had games in it.)
True to his guessing, the man was indeed Bruce Wayne. But, if he were here, why wasn't he the one doing the report? This question was then answered by his father, who absently leaned into his son to tell him:
"One of these days, I'm making you do the business reports too, like this little guy. I'm sure you'd do swell too, eh champ?"
Ah.
It dawned to Arty that that must be Mister Wayne's reason too. Timothy now looked warily at the audience, as if scanning their faces for reactions.
In that moment, Arty decides to look directly at the presentor, who has both metaphorically, and literally caught his eye.
He gave him a nod that he meant to say: "You are doing amazing, and you shouldn't worry because I am, all of us here are listening to your every word. Keep going."
Arty was glad Timothy had gotten the message.