etrayalogs | ( closed ) bred, born, and raised to kick your ass

Batman has always needed a Robin, even if you haven't yet found yours.

( that may change things, but given the amount of robins currently running rampant around etraya, he sincerely doubts it'd be kept under wraps for long. bruce isn't wrong - damian declared he's fine on his own, but bruce isn't. perhaps bruce doesn't see it that way, but he'll understand. he may have brought grayson on for grayson's own good as he saw it initially, but robin's job has always been to balance out batman. )

And I am not the only Robin here. If you try to avoid my following you, I can assure you that you'll only have more annoyances on your tail.

( though he does offer what he is assuming may be a comforting, )

I am your only blood son. ( that any of them are aware of anyway. ) But not the only one who has occupied space under this roof.

( again, he huffs. much as he would to alfred and his nagging at him to go out and be bruce wayne for a bit. )

I don't need to be followed and I don't need a Robin. I've done just fine on my own.

( he takes his cowl, gloves tucked under an arm, and eyes damian before he walks away from the computer there. well. "computer" as it stands. letting himself focus on the cave itself and how much different it is than what he has back in his own gotham, he keeps walking. just through it. taking it in. )

( he keeps moving, but damian doesn't. he has no need to restlessly wander around the cave, instead choosing to conserve energy and watch bruce as he does. )

Pennyworth isn't here. ( his voice is still steady, gaze focused. ) Who is going to patch over your injuries when you recklessly jump into battle? Who will remind you that you're human when you choose to pretend you aren't? You're one man. Maybe it hasn't yet by your time, but by mine, Batman has become much larger.

( he's only a little ways from damian there. stops in his wandering to look back over to him. still holding his cowl by the tips of his fingers. )

You think you're going to do that? You're a kid.

( wrong move, and it's clear from how irritated it makes damian the moment he hears it. he reaches down into his pocket, pulls out the domino mask he had taken off before bruce's arrival. eyes don't leave bruce's own. )

We're playing, Goliath, there is no need to interfere. ( his voice doesn't raise any, but the dragon bat's ears twitch and he gives a soft, low growl of acknowledgment. it's all damian needs as he sticks the mask back onto his face. looks back up to bruce once it's on. )

Say that again, I dare you. Call me a child. Tell me I'm incapable.

( he watches the way damian reassures his creature friend. the way he places the mask back over his eyes and his own narrow some as he stares the kid down. playing. right. because that's what's about to happen here. )

You want me to fight an eight year old?

( he knows damian's not eight. )

You're trying to anger me to throw me off. You can drop it, I'm not falling for it.

( but he is grabbing the grapple gun from his belt and launching the hook at the cave wall behind bruce before he's quickly yanking on it so it begins pulling him forward quickly and - raises a leg, intent on shoving his boot straight into bruce's face. )

( so they're going to do this. fine. might as well get it over with.

he anticipates the attack. drops the cowl and gloves. twists back. reaches out to grab damian's leg there with both arms. he doesn't want to hurt him. for... a number of reasons. but he's also not about to let damian wail on him however he so pleases. so he intends to be a little more defensive than offensive with his movements. at least for the moment. )

( his father takes the predictable route. catch the flying ""child"" and hold onto them so they can't do more damage. good. it's what damian wanted. which is why he lets bruce have his ankle, yanks a little harder on the grapple gun. and twists himself around so bruce either has to let damian dislocate his own ankle or loosen his hold.

he's assuming bruce won't let damian injure himself, because his father isn't a monster. and damian has yet to prove himself to be a danger to bruce himself even if that is his intention here. or part of it. because the moment bruce lets damian twist, he's going to shove his other leg over bruce's other shoulder, one arm sliding down to press under his chin while he releases the grapple gun and pulls batman into a headlock with damian sitting on his shoulders. )

( is this what is to come in his life? to have a brat of a kid putting him in a headlock while sitting atop his shoulders? he was never like this with alfred at his age. granted, while bruce wayne might have died that night his parents were murdered, the batman wasn't yet fleshed out at the time like he is now. like he's still coming to be.

a glance down, one hand claps on damian's thigh. holds to him. the other reaches up and blindly goes for his mask. intending to yank it off his face. even as he takes a step or two back, mostly in an attempt to get his footing. )

( only sometimes. not all of his children are fond of leaping up onto others, but damian finds forcing others to hold up his weight while he antagonizes him tends to work well for him. which is why he's laughing, heels of his boots digging into bruce's chest plate to make sure he doesn't fall, not that he suspects bruce would let him, but. the goal had been for bruce to scramble for him, which he is. it frees up damian's hands from needing to choke him out. )

There are numerous pressure points on one's head. I'm sure you're plenty aware - one day, you may even try to inform me of them. I had already learned them years prior, all except for one technique Father hadn't even wanted to teach me. I won't use it on you. But I could.

( a spot on his forehead, where if he presses perfectly it would paralyze bruce temporarily. damian isn't going that hard, because this is playing.

he's not even going for the pressure points he's discussing. no, instead, damian is suddenly releasing bruce's neck, and slamming both palms directly against bruce's ears as he leans back to avoid the hand going for his face. )

Edited 2024-04-05 21:48 (UTC)

( he could flip them. land on his back and shoulders, hitting the ground, but. he worries about his weight crushing damian. or some part of him because, again. he doesn't want to harm him. regardless of his capabilities, he's still just a kid.

he throws another quick glance down. gives himself no more than three seconds to consider it. then damian's palms are slamming against his ears and he's grunting. loud. screw it. he's going for it.

one hand still holds to damian's thigh as he spins down onto his knee, grabs the end of his cape with his other hand, and throws it over damian — pulls it around him — as a means to obscure his vision. there's another spin, rotating around on his knees before he plucks a glove off the ground and pulls it on. )

( he doesn't need to see. but he's still laughing. it's bright, amused; if bruce is struggling with the fight, damian doesn't seem to mind at all, he's clearly having fun. even when bruce's weight shifts down, damian seems rather confident and comfortable where he's at. he could cut the cape, could release himself from it, but he knows how difficult it'd be to get another cape of that quality here, and this is a game.

instead, there's the sharp press of blades against bruce's cheek when damian curls his fingers in: they're coming out of his own gauntlet over his knuckles. )

You're dead. Thrice. Once when I could have slashed out your throat, once when I could have severely injured your eardrums. Once now, when I could pluck out your eyes.

( and he has to be hurting bruce's neck, given damian's now leaning forward, abdomen pressing against the back of bruce's head as he leans over it, taking away bruce's vision just as he had done to damian's own.

the leg that bruce isn't holding onto shifts, moving to dig his heel in under bruce's arm. he could flip them. he could drop damian down to the floor, but damian's now attempting to trap his arm with his leg and really - bruce can't drop all his weight onto damian, not with how they're positioned. he'd win regardless. )

( he's willing to risk getting his cheeks accidentally nicked by those blades that unexpectedly come out of damian's gauntlets. he's had worse. a lot worse than a couple cuts to the cheeks. so it's fine if it happens because he can't very well keep up these shenanigans of having a kid on his shoulders, attempting to wear him down with his weight on him from behind like it is. he's not heavy by any means, it's just... he's not exactly used to having someone on his shoulders like this. alfred would never.

another low grunt, he glances down to his hand, glances to the one glove he's managed to pull on since his other is still on the ground with his cowl somewhere, but. it's enough. it'll do. he just needs the one.

straining his neck some in an attempt to free some of the pressure off it, he huffs. )

I died a long time ago and you're grounded.

( that's when he reaches up with his other arm — the one that isn't trapped — grabs to damian's exposed neck, and presses the button on the inside of his glove, activating the taser within the fingers to shock damian. )

Edited 2024-04-05 22:17 (UTC)

( it's a good move. because as damian had said, he doesn't know this suit. he was unaware of the taser's existence within the glove, and with his head covered by the cape, he's incapable of seeing what bruce is reaching for.

fingers wrap around his neck and it's fine because this is nothing, he knows how to force a hand to release him, he had come up here prepared for bruce to swat at him. the hand he has against bruce's cheek raises to do just that, removes the pressure of blades against skin--only for the taser in the glove to go off.

but, see, being tased causes muscles to seize up, which means the leg he has around bruce's arm only tightens, the hand with the exposed blades quickly curls in, causing a few nicks against the side of bruce's face even if damian hadn't meant to.

he doesn't drop off. instead, damian curls in tighter. most would drop after the shock. damian remains immobile for a few moments longer than anticipated, but it's because he's intentionally keeping himself tense. )

( it's enough of a reaction for him and even with the way damian curls in tighter against him, he still throws himself forward, taking damian with him. it's a one-handed flip of a move he makes, twisting his body in a way that allows his other arm to free itself and grab onto damian's back. he doesn't look to try and pry him off — to throw him to the ground or even drop down onto him. maybe later, he would. but he's still not looking to hurt him — not looking to let his anger out on him as he would faceless thugs on the streets of gotham. it's different when he... not knows him, but. blood is involved here and again. he's still much younger than him.

a quick spin on his knees, he reaches up. again. presses the heel of his palm against damian's chin and pushes his head back. a means to try and pry him off. )

( goliath shuffles with a soft noise, because he's a poor listener at the best of times - but as soon as damian has gotten enough control to turn his head up, to look towards his friend, the beast gets the message: he's fine, there's still no need to come between them. it's what gives bruce the opening to shove his hand against his chin, forcing damian's head back.

fingers loosen, and he's lost the advantage of having bruce's arm trapped, too. but that's alright. damian doesn't need it. a breath in, and damian drops his upper half down easily, but shifts his legs (or, one leg, bruce still has his grip on the other so damian only moves that one as much as he's able) to wrap around bruce's neck. it puts him upside down, but he's just as comfortable like this as he is right side up.

his head twists to the side to spit out the blood from biting on the inside of his cheek, and damian drops down the hand with the extended claws. )

You haven't earned the right to ground me.

( his back arches, and damian drops his claws down to where he can see a break in bruce's armor. he's not going for a significant amount of damage, just enough to hurt. )

( when the claws pierce through the break in his suit, he bites down on the angry noise best he can that spills from his lips. he doesn't want to let that anger take control of him — doesn't want to treat damian as if he's some thug on the streets of gotham. he knows he loses control sometimes — knows he can't always hold back. so it takes everything within him from reacting out of anger.

frustration, on the other hand, well.

movements swift, he gets to his feet. twists hard. unsheathes his grapple gun and fires it off to attach to a crate there in the cave. he pulls at it. hard. ducks himself down to let damian take the brunt of the crate coming in. unless he doesn't want to. he could always let go so he doesn't. )

( he sees it for what it is: an attempt at getting damian off of him. the crate won't hurt bruce much, given the body armor he's wearing. it also won't harm damian too much, given the armor he's also wearing - but the impact would be worse on him than it would bruce. damian's armor is made for movement, bruce's is made to take damage.

the gauntlet yanks out of batman's side, hard, and damian drops down to his hands on the ground, flipping backwards and out of the way of the crate before it can drop down onto bruce.

pulls himself upright, cloak settling back around his shoulders. )

Most children my size would not have been able to handle a shock of that strength. ( just a statement, as his hand raises to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. ) The crate could have easily fractured a couple of my ribs.

( as an fyi. damian doesn't sound bothered. )

You are only human. You can't tend to that wound by yourself, ( the one that damian had just given him, you know, on his back. ) nor do you seem to have learned to control yourself.

( maybe it says something that damian chose not to take the brunt of the crate. it's true that his own suit is built to withstand a lot — takes numerous rounds of fire to it without even having him flinch. the impact would have smart a bit, but. ultimately, he would have been fine.

with damian finally off him, he lets out a breath. drops hands down to bent knees. hangs his head with blue eyes squeezed shut. he takes a moment for himself — tries to reel himself in while ignoring the blood there on his cheek and that he can feel beneath his suit where he'd been stabbed. he normally doesn't have this sort of ordeal with gotham street thugs. he's typically fired at— maybe attempted to be stabbed, but. it's never been anything like this. because they're just punks that he can take his anger out on. knows they're not really a threat. this with damian was different and it has him feeling a mix of things.

mostly frustration.

slowly, his head turns and he stares to damian with narrowed blue eyes before he straightens himself up. for a moment, it looks as if he might say something, but. he doesn't. instead, he slowly makes his way over to where his other glove and the cowl had been dropped and reaches down to pick them up with the tips of his fingers and just... leaves it at that. making his way towards the exit of the cave. )

( he hadn't intended on hurting bruce. not entirely. it'd been a lesson: a point to prove, that damian is capable, that he can be the anchor that keeps bruce from going too far, that he knows how to work off of him, that he's strong, smart, talented. that he is the son of the bat.

realizes, belatedly, that mostly what he's proven is that damian is the grandson of the demon. his expression falls from neutral to something more - hurt. not from the fight with bruce; his body is going to be sore later from taking the brunt of the taser, but it's nothing damian isn't used to. )

Wait, I --

( a step forward, but he doesn't move to follow bruce. stays right where he is after that first move. he's irritated batman once again, but no one is surprised at that. damian's good at it. )

I'm sorry. Let me fix it.

( damian says wait and, unlike the last time, he doesn't. instead, steps are slow and heavy as he continues his way towards the exit of the cave. he doesn't trust going back to the apartments — hasn't exactly bothered to stay there much since his arrival here. but he figures there's first-aid supplies around the manor somewhere and, if not, he'll find some elsewhere. he's had worse, he knows, it's just... different. )

You've done enough.

( is all he says as he slowly leaves in search of something to patch himself up with. )

( it's well-deserved. damian had hurt him even if it hadn't been his intention. he dug the blades of his gauntlet into this younger version of his father, just to prove a point. he's done worse plenty of times before, but he's also done better and he should have known better.

damian doesn't follow.

just waits until bruce is out of sight to drop his face into his hands. he was given a chance to redo things, and yet here he is, still making a mess of it. )

( he doesn't trust the hospital even if it would be the logical place to acquire medical supplies from. but with his being wayne manor — regardless of version — he knows there has to be a few medical kits or one relatively large one laying around the place. at least, that's what he would do.

it's one of the bathrooms he finds himself in, seated on the edge of the tub with the medical supplies he'd been able to find laid out on the toilet cover. the armored part of his suit has been removed, the suit underneath pulled down which leaves his chest bare and exposed, scars and bruises that are both fresh and still in the process of healing littered across his chest and arms, as well as his back.

he ignores the nick on his cheek — opts to address the actual stab wound near his collar bone and grabs an antiseptic wipe from the kit, hissing through his teeth as he presses it to the fresh wound. from the looks of it, he won't need any stitches — it's not deep enough, but. still needs to be cleaned and dressed. alfred would surely have words with him if he didn't, after all. so he does that. keeps the wipe pressed there to the wound and, when he pulls it away, he stares at it. stares at the blood. the very same one which is so similar to damian's and just... sighs. )

Edited 2024-04-06 00:15 (UTC)

( a few moments of silence, before damian calls goliath back down and wraps his arms as far around the massive dragon bat's neck as he can. calls him a stupid bat while burying his face into him, because goliath understands. always has. he feels awful, which - he figures is only right. damian did prove his point, but at the same time, he did push it a little too far. this isn't his father. this is a batman who has never had a robin. who doesn't understand.

with a squeeze around goliath, he releases his friend. removes the tunic, then the rest of his uniform. partially so he can wash it, partially because he doesn't want to be robin for a moment. damian has spare clothes; a large dark hoodie and a pair of dark slacks. comfortable enough, especially considering he's not planning on leaving the manor. but he does go looking for bruce.

stops in front of the bathroom doorway when he sees him, but doesn't pass the threshold. )

I'm sorry. ( he repeats himself, voice quiet. ) I hadn't meant to hurt you. ( there's no room for bruce to respond. damian is making sure to speak quickly enough to avoid giving him gaps to interrupt. ) My upbringing was not traditional. Which I am not using as an excuse, because it does not excuse my actions, but more as an explanation.

( and now there's--a brief pause. eyes lowering before they raise to meet bruce's. )

Would you please let me assist you?

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