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

( it's been over a month, and damian has been attached to bruce's side more here than he has been any other time. when damian had been new to the wayne manor, he had been. . . haughty. defiant, used to living a specific way which was not how bruce intended on keeping him. then he'd died, damian had stayed, and it had been grayson had been the one to - stick by him.

bruce's return had been equally rough, they had a significant time to adjust to each other, learn to be batman and robin together, but there hadn't been a need to watch over one another as closely as he has been watching bruce here. trackers and bugs had been used in place of physically being near one another, but they're less reliable, here. here, damian had wandered off on brief excursions but often returned to bruce's shadow to ensure the very young, very new bruce hadn't bitten off more than he could chew on his own.

leaving bruce's side to catch grayson up is a necessary step. he can't fill them in while bruce is near enough to listen, it's too much of a risk. which is why he waits until bruce has gone down for the morning before he tracks grayson across etraya. the robin uniform is missing, replaced with an oversized hoodie and shorts as he climbs up and through the window of the room dick has settled into. there's a notebook tucked into the large pocket of his hoodie, which - is a good place for it, because it leaves a hand free as he holds onto the window. one he can raise to press his index finger to his mouth.

shhh. )

[ Shhh, Damian warns, like he hasn't been running his mouth all over the network for everyone to see. Dick sets down the plate he'd been washing — one of two plates, just like there are two glasses in the dishrack and two sets of silverware — and gives his youngest brother a silent, exasperated glance.

Nice to see Damian's out of the Robin suit, at least. Dick had been worried the thing was going to merge with his skin.

He waves Damian in, eyebrows raised. Well? ]

( eyes look back out the window, then - over to grayson with his raised brow. squints for a moment, before he does climb his way the rest of the way on through. the notebook gets set down on the counter close to the sink, before damian starts towards the door. )

I can't carry Titus in through the window. He's too big.

( but he's down there so guess who's walking the long way around now. )

Titus is here— ?

[ And Babs had already mentioned Goliath... had Damian arrived with his whole menagerie?

But Dick's just as quickly lifting his hands, shaking his head: this is not important. ]

Never mind, he'll figure it out. Damian, what the hell are you doing, getting into fights on the network?

( he probably should have saved that for somewhere where grayson wouldn't have caught it, shouldn't he have.

(damian's betting drake thought it was great. even if he hadn't done it for him.)

but the question gets him to stop before walking out the door, instead raising both arms to cross them over his chest. )

He started it.

When was the last time that excuse worked for you?

[ Desert-dry; they both know it wouldn't fly with Bruce. Or, at least, Dick knows: he's tried it himself on multiple occasions.

But that Bruce isn't here, and just like he had back then, Dick does his best to step in, to be what Damian needs. Even if, at the current moment, what Damian needs is to be admonished. ]

I don't care who started it. [ It's all he can do to keep from cringing at himself. Later. ] You're better than that. You didn't think, you just reacted to someone who wasn't even talking to you to begin with.

( ugh.

he'd wanted to get kent to shut up about bruce and his habits. didn't want them to be out there in public where others could see. same with. . . the deaths of his ward as clark had put it. and damian had gotten him to be quiet, even if the entire basis of kent's statement had been focused on bruce and potential secret children of which--well. damian was one. even if damian had also been a secret from bruce himself. his expression twists into something closer to irritation, but it's--not as angry as damian may have been before over grayson scolding him.

(damian missed it, in a way.)

arms stay folded over his chest, but he turns back towards grayson a little more. scrunches his nose up. )

Drake would have done the same if he had been given time to react.

So now you're just doing what Tim would do?

[ He needs more coffee for this, but he's not sure there's enough coffee on this entire new planet to help him brace for Damian picking fights with Clark Kent over the network. And whoever Hawkeye is. Dick turns, leaving Damian to his irritation and his folded arms, and goes to fill the coffee maker on the counter with more water.

Babs will probably want some more, anyway. ]

Antagonizing the others here isn't going to get us anywhere. We need allies, Damian, not enemies.

( he knows dick is right. that damian had been striving to make allies when he had first arrived, too. to find those who could be useful, to make friends as best as damian is capable of. it doesn't mean he likes it being pointed out any. his tongue clicks against the roof of his mouth, and he drops his arms back down to his sides. )

I wanted to shut him down before he continued talking about Bruce Wayne on a public forum. My method may have not been ideal, but it was effective.

[ Dick is immune to your tts, Damian— ]

It certainly was. [ He's not denying that. But he'd really rather not have the ends and means conversation a thousand more times while they're here. ] But you know what's less effective? Threatening to shoot somebody who doesn't have the first clue who Robin is.

[ Coffee. He shovels it in, hits the button to start the brew, and turns to lean back against the counter with his own arms crossed. ]

Are you gonna tell me Tim would have done that if you hadn't, too?

The other Hawkeye started it.

( there's a lot more context there that damian knows wouldn't make sense to most people but grayson would probably get it. but he's not getting into it. instead he's just--pressing his lips together, holding back the sniping he really wants to get into. because he doesn't actually want it, not now.

right now he wants to stomp his way across the room, figuring titus is probably fine on his own for a little while, and instead--shoves his forehead right up against dick's chest. it's not a hug, it's not even close to one, but it's semi-close for damian. )

Don't.

[ He drops his arms as Damian comes marching up, reflexive, which means his hands are free as Damian's forehead comes thudding against his chest. He can curve one, immediate as a breath, at the back of Damian's head, put the other on Damian's shoulder. As he breathes out a sigh and his shoulders lower, Damian sways with the up and down motion of his chest. ]

Okay.

[ This is all going to be a lot. A Bruce who's not at the level of a Titan, let alone a Leaguer, a Clark Kent he doesn't recognize, Damian having been here for way too long trying to handle way too much, Tim and Jason running around who knows where—

at least there's coffee. ]

( at least there's this. dick wraps around him and damian doesn't return the favor, but he does smash his face into him. leans against grayson as he holds onto him. gordon isn't here, despite the clear signs she has been here, so it's - safe. for the moment. )

I will apologize to Kent in a less public space later. ( not hawkeye. damian hasn't decided yet whether or not he deserves it. ) He and my father have met. From what I can tell, he's still newer to being Superman, too. But not nearly as new as Father is.

Thanks.

[ Damian doesn't hug him back, but Dick curls around him, the hand on his shoulder turning into an arm wrapped there as Damian presses his face into Dick's chest, mutters words into his shirt. It never feels good, scolding Damian; it feels rotten and awful. He thinks about sitting together, high above Blüdhaven. We're still the greatest.

They're going to have to be better than they ever were to make it out of here, to save everyone along the way. ]

Any indication on whether he's the Clark from our world or not?

He isn't.

( grayson curling around him is plenty. damian keeps still for another few moments, before he raises a hand to fist fingers into the back of his shirt. holds onto him tight. it's not quite a hug, but it's close enough. and it's enough to keep grayson close, which is what he needs. )

He's too old and his uniform doesn't match up with what it should be. He doesn't recognize me; his timeline is roughly after the loss of Todd, as far as I can tell. Ours would be younger.

Well, that's not ideal.

[ It won't be the his first run-in with a Superman from another universe, but it's sounding like this one won't be as familiar as the other one was. Is. But if he's from around the time Jason died, he might know Dick. It's possible he could be a bridge between this Clark and the Bruce he's only just met.

Unlikely. But possible.

Or maybe all a moot point, given the fact that Clark can hear them even now.

Damian clutches at the back of his shirt, and Dick lets him; if he's being honest, he needs this as much as Damian does. ]

I'll talk to him. How was Bruce with him?

Cautious. His response to Kent was--ideal by his standards. I hadn't given him much information before having him call out to him. I threatened Kent to see how he would respond, and Father responded by telling me to stop antagonizing him. ( another fight damian had started on purpose. but he does tighten his fist in grayson's shirt, pulling gently. ) I was testing his temper. Despite having several openings to attack me, he hadn't tried to.

( points in this superman's favor. damian is leaning towards him being an ally, given kent has had not one, but two reasons to target damian and has chosen not to. )

Good.

[ Which he'd say anyway, but he adds a little extra emphasis after Damian tugs on his shirt, wanting him to understand.

Needing him to understand. And Dick does. Sometimes you need to press a little, push a little, to get people to show you who they really are. ]

The last thing we need right now is Batman and Superman at each other's throats. I know it's a normal Tuesday for them in our world, but I can't be the only one a little nervous at the thought of those two going at it in this fishbowl with the rest of us.

Batman lacks the resources to go at him as strongly as he would need to damage the city.

( at this point anyway. if bruce does get the resources needed to pick a fight with a kryptonian, they'll need to find a better method to keep them from going at each other.

for now, damian--hesitantly releases dick's shirt. takes a step back and shoves off of him. it's not gentle, but when is he? )

I'm going to get Titus.

You say that, but I'm willing to bet he'd find some way to destroy at least one building.

[ He lets Damian go, his hands falling back to the counter behind him, and chuckles. ]

Guess I better stock up on some doggy treats. Go get him, I'm gonna finish making my coffee.

( bruce is capable of taking down a few buildings, but he doubts those would be the steps he takes here. they could go into the hypothetical, what ifs regarding bruce and clark starting fights with each other, but it's pointless.

so damian scrunches up his nose, before heading out the door to the apartment. so he can go down the staircase, back outside, and call titus in with a whistle. titus, who had been patiently waiting like the good boy he is just outside the complex. who perks up his ears the moment he hears damian and starts in after him. so damian can go back up the stairs, over to grayson's door, and let himself back inside.

next time, he's bringing goliath. goliath can fly them in. this time, damian's just - letting titus wander off wherever he would like inside grayson's apartment, and moving back into the kitchen to grab onto the mug dick isn't using. his mug now. )

I am. . . glad you're here. ( drake and todd are alright, but handling his father on his own this long has been stressful. )

I'm pretty happy to see you, too.

[ Better if he were to see Damian somewhere that isn't another world where they're fighting for the survival of their own, but there's no denying what a relief it is that, since they are here, they're here together.

Damian's been dealing with so much on his own since he got here. Too much.

Dick offers out a hand for Titus to sniff before the dog ambles over to the couch and gets up with a squeaking protest of cushions and springs. ]

How're things over at the Manor?

( titus has good taste in furniture. damian almost considers climbing onto the couch to shove his body between titus' and the couch's back cushion, but doesn't.

instead, he puts the mug under the sink to fill it with water, then shoves it into the microwave for a couple minutes. )

I've given Father an overview of those who have arrived. As you can imagine, he's. . . overwhelmed.

Well, we're a pretty overwhelming bunch.

[ His memories from the time when he was Ric are... dicey, to say the least, but he remembers that. The overwhelming sense of frustration. The inability to picture himself as a puzzle piece that fit with all the others. It had been a relief when they started leaving him alone. ]

Big personalities, plenty to say. And he's only been at this, what, two years? The Teen Titans have more experience than that.

( damian - sifts through a few cabinets, until he finds a box full of swiss miss and takes out a packet. sets it down on the counter before he's going for the spoon that dick had just washed.

he's making himself hot chocolate. )

He's very young. I don't blame him for being overwhelmed. But he has been getting used to me, which is. . . good.

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

returning son.

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