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[ merry christmas, damian. he knows you'll hate it, but here's a check for $5,000 that you'll find laying on your bed, inside a generic holidays card. ]
[ hafid al ghul.
well, damian's not been subtle. and it answers the question of who his mother is. ]
Damian? This is Dick.
I just got here.
well, damian's not been subtle. and it answers the question of who his mother is. ]
Damian? This is Dick.
I just got here.
[ don't mind him spitting out a mouthful of tea. unseen, startled from reading the news.
the first thing he wants to say is how dare he fucking leave. that quickly dies when he registers the 'anonymous' -- something those who return never are.
oh.
the response is a little delayed. curt when it finally comes. this dick knows his name, so that has to be a good sign, right? ]
What one are you?
the first thing he wants to say is how dare he fucking leave. that quickly dies when he registers the 'anonymous' -- something those who return never are.
oh.
the response is a little delayed. curt when it finally comes. this dick knows his name, so that has to be a good sign, right? ]
What one are you?
seriously?
[ he's tempted to type back a silly answer. the multiverse is well beyond his imagination. does each one have numbers assigned to it?
other than that, he's himself. ]
come over here and let's talk. I'm still figuring this place out.
[ he's tempted to type back a silly answer. the multiverse is well beyond his imagination. does each one have numbers assigned to it?
other than that, he's himself. ]
come over here and let's talk. I'm still figuring this place out.
yeah. I've got the general idea, but I still have some questions.
I'll find us a spot.
[ he realizes he might not know damian by sight. but the other jason had known him, right? ]
you'll know me when you see me.
I'll find us a spot.
[ he realizes he might not know damian by sight. but the other jason had known him, right? ]
you'll know me when you see me.
[ because he really can't resist. ]
i'm the handsome one. obviously.
see you soon.
i'm the handsome one. obviously.
see you soon.
[ god. it is him.
damian'd lived nearly ten years without his brother at this point. having him back, however brief it had been, had been both a blessing and a curse. there was so much he was hiding. so much. ]
I'll be there in twenty.
[ he's lost his appetite. packing everything up and shoving it in the fridge, scribbling a quick note to kate that there's leftovers in the fridge. he's up and off.
he's there in fifteen. could've been twelve, if he hadn't paused outside the safehouse to steel himself. this? this is hard. people not knowing him is hard. but dick had known his name, right? right, so....
who is he kidding? it didn't matter. unless the one waiting down there was the one he'd accidentally murdered, it didn't matter.
so he walks in, all confidence. easily recognizable as the hellspawn of bruce wayne and talia al ghul, but the way he carries himself isn't much like either of them. he has bruce's confidence, talia's grace, but it's clear that he's not modeled himself after either of them. his hair - long and a little beyond his shoulders now - is dark, and there's a wicked scar trailing from the bridge of his nose to the right side of his jaw from a murder attempt that didn't quite stick.
he recognizes dick. he recognizes him immediately. there's still a flash of something across his face. grief? relief? but it's gone before even he can figure it out. ]
Grayson.
damian'd lived nearly ten years without his brother at this point. having him back, however brief it had been, had been both a blessing and a curse. there was so much he was hiding. so much. ]
I'll be there in twenty.
[ he's lost his appetite. packing everything up and shoving it in the fridge, scribbling a quick note to kate that there's leftovers in the fridge. he's up and off.
he's there in fifteen. could've been twelve, if he hadn't paused outside the safehouse to steel himself. this? this is hard. people not knowing him is hard. but dick had known his name, right? right, so....
who is he kidding? it didn't matter. unless the one waiting down there was the one he'd accidentally murdered, it didn't matter.
so he walks in, all confidence. easily recognizable as the hellspawn of bruce wayne and talia al ghul, but the way he carries himself isn't much like either of them. he has bruce's confidence, talia's grace, but it's clear that he's not modeled himself after either of them. his hair - long and a little beyond his shoulders now - is dark, and there's a wicked scar trailing from the bridge of his nose to the right side of his jaw from a murder attempt that didn't quite stick.
he recognizes dick. he recognizes him immediately. there's still a flash of something across his face. grief? relief? but it's gone before even he can figure it out. ]
Grayson.
[ in bat speak, that's much earlier than twenty minutes. dick was already prepared. he wants somewhere with space. the safehouse is crowded. too many people a step away from something explosive.
even him. he's been reining in his darker impulses. telling himself there'll be time to practise his power. and find a gym.
he's waiting near the door for damian. he has to study him, but it's undeniable. that's bruce's bio-son. his eyes and talia's nose. just how many are there? across all the timelines. bruce tends towards being a father in all of them.
dick's left his only child life behind. and it doesn't bug him as much when he has a family of his own now.
dick comes up to him. he looks at the scar. ]
Damian?
even him. he's been reining in his darker impulses. telling himself there'll be time to practise his power. and find a gym.
he's waiting near the door for damian. he has to study him, but it's undeniable. that's bruce's bio-son. his eyes and talia's nose. just how many are there? across all the timelines. bruce tends towards being a father in all of them.
dick's left his only child life behind. and it doesn't bug him as much when he has a family of his own now.
dick comes up to him. he looks at the scar. ]
Damian?
[ there's so much to get into. so much he isn't certain of. bruce was dead in dick's time before, their fights over what sort of man he was and what his legacy was worth had been explosive.
He's not shy about studying him in turn. Not speaking as he does, taking in the differences. The little tells that tell him this isn't someone he's familiar with, but all the similarities that automatically make him family.
He'll never not have a soft spot for Dick Grayson. ]
You're taller than I expected.
He's not shy about studying him in turn. Not speaking as he does, taking in the differences. The little tells that tell him this isn't someone he's familiar with, but all the similarities that automatically make him family.
He'll never not have a soft spot for Dick Grayson. ]
You're taller than I expected.
I've been getting that. [ the other one is broader. he's not jealous. it doesn't matter. dick's body is enough for him. he doesn't want to be anybody else.
even another himself.
he's satisfied with his first check over damian. he'll get to know more as they go. ]
Come on. [ he leads damian to the spot he chose. as private as it gets in here.
turning around, he stays nearby. he was warned about the empathy bond. but it's a double-edged sword. dick could find it useful if he tried to soothe anyone.
he also doesn't want to be too far away from damian. when trying to establish a bond with him. some kind of bond. he'd wondered if he could work with jason. but damian's body language towards him is very different. ]
Okay. I'm guessing you know me. [ everybody else seems to. ] I'm the oldest in the family?
even another himself.
he's satisfied with his first check over damian. he'll get to know more as they go. ]
Come on. [ he leads damian to the spot he chose. as private as it gets in here.
turning around, he stays nearby. he was warned about the empathy bond. but it's a double-edged sword. dick could find it useful if he tried to soothe anyone.
he also doesn't want to be too far away from damian. when trying to establish a bond with him. some kind of bond. he'd wondered if he could work with jason. but damian's body language towards him is very different. ]
Okay. I'm guessing you know me. [ everybody else seems to. ] I'm the oldest in the family?
All right. [ he's now the oldest everywhere so this gives him bossing around privileges. you heard it here first. ]
There's a lot of timelines and none of us are the same, but there's overlap. [ clark had felt like clark. jason had treated him like dick. ]
So. Tell me about you.
There's a lot of timelines and none of us are the same, but there's overlap. [ clark had felt like clark. jason had treated him like dick. ]
So. Tell me about you.
[ he lifts his eyes to the ceiling, like he's about to roll them. but then thinks better of it. ]
My name is Damian Wayne. My mother is Talia al Ghul. I have a younger sister, Athanasia. In my world you're the oldest, second is Tim, third is Jason, and then myself.
I was raised by the League of Assassins until the age of eight. At which point I left to live with my father and learn from him. You served as my mentor, Jason served as a distraction, Tim as an annoyance. You were briefly Batman and I was your Robin.
[ god how much does he get into? his world is a nightmare. ]
I don't get along with my father.
My name is Damian Wayne. My mother is Talia al Ghul. I have a younger sister, Athanasia. In my world you're the oldest, second is Tim, third is Jason, and then myself.
I was raised by the League of Assassins until the age of eight. At which point I left to live with my father and learn from him. You served as my mentor, Jason served as a distraction, Tim as an annoyance. You were briefly Batman and I was your Robin.
[ god how much does he get into? his world is a nightmare. ]
I don't get along with my father.
Nobody gets along with B. [ but you can be happy with him. when you're there. or constantly frustrated. there's no middle ground.
he can suspect what it is here. ]
My second is Jason. I don't know a Tim. [ more robins. his name means a lot to more boys.
he didn't want to share. but okay. it's not his call anymore. ]
At least it was brief. [ he can't imagine being batman. unless bruce was dead.
even if bruce was dead. only if damian had needed robin that much. and robin needed batman. ]
I'm not keen on the cowl.
he can suspect what it is here. ]
My second is Jason. I don't know a Tim. [ more robins. his name means a lot to more boys.
he didn't want to share. but okay. it's not his call anymore. ]
At least it was brief. [ he can't imagine being batman. unless bruce was dead.
even if bruce was dead. only if damian had needed robin that much. and robin needed batman. ]
I'm not keen on the cowl.
[ when he'd been much younger, he'd expected to be batman after bruce. he'd thought bruce was training him for that.
now he knows better. ]
Nightwing. [ what a cool name. ]
Did I pick that for myself? [ please say yes. ]
now he knows better. ]
Nightwing. [ what a cool name. ]
Did I pick that for myself? [ please say yes. ]
I like it.
[ it's from superman?
this is the best information ever. dick grins at him. if not for the empathy bond that makes others skittish, he would have put his arm around damian.
though he stops smiling. looking thoughtful. ]
You can say I'm dead. It's okay. [ the expression on damian's face when he'd come in had been confusing.
damian took his name. another one he hadn't thought he'd share, but he guesses he's that guy now. at least it's a family member. jason can have robin. so can tim. and damian can have robin and nightwing too.
dick was never going to retire peacefully.
though he'll be mad if he died wearing the cowl. ]
[ it's from superman?
this is the best information ever. dick grins at him. if not for the empathy bond that makes others skittish, he would have put his arm around damian.
though he stops smiling. looking thoughtful. ]
You can say I'm dead. It's okay. [ the expression on damian's face when he'd come in had been confusing.
damian took his name. another one he hadn't thought he'd share, but he guesses he's that guy now. at least it's a family member. jason can have robin. so can tim. and damian can have robin and nightwing too.
dick was never going to retire peacefully.
though he'll be mad if he died wearing the cowl. ]
[ oh.
damian isn't quite as good at masking his emotions as one might expect him to be. part of it is being raised by honest and true boyscout clark kent after his own father had failed him, and part of that is what came with that boyscout not being so good anymore. his gaze drops, something painful crossing his face. ]
... You died when I was thirteen. There was an accident.
[ it was an accident. ]
damian isn't quite as good at masking his emotions as one might expect him to be. part of it is being raised by honest and true boyscout clark kent after his own father had failed him, and part of that is what came with that boyscout not being so good anymore. his gaze drops, something painful crossing his face. ]
... You died when I was thirteen. There was an accident.
[ it was an accident. ]
[ there was an accident.
he doesn't feel anything. he should. but it's not sad to know. ]
As long as it wasn't stupid. Here lies Dick Grayson, run over by a golf cart. [ but it obviously affects damian.
dick reaches out to him. ]
Can I? [ hug him. ]
he doesn't feel anything. he should. but it's not sad to know. ]
As long as it wasn't stupid. Here lies Dick Grayson, run over by a golf cart. [ but it obviously affects damian.
dick reaches out to him. ]
Can I? [ hug him. ]
[ oh.
well.
he fell and no one caught him. poetic in a way.
if he doesn't ask for details, he can fill in the picture. it'll probably be better than the truth. ]
Okay. [ but it's here if damian wants it. ] I know about the empathy bond, and... anytime you want.
[ damian is welcome to reach out to him. ]
well.
he fell and no one caught him. poetic in a way.
if he doesn't ask for details, he can fill in the picture. it'll probably be better than the truth. ]
Okay. [ but it's here if damian wants it. ] I know about the empathy bond, and... anytime you want.
[ damian is welcome to reach out to him. ]
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