Damian: “Father that was horrid. How could you allow yourself to get to this state!?”
Bruce: “…”
Bruce: “ It wasn’tthatbad.”
For some reason Bruce needs to learn the violin for a mission or something and he recruits Damian to teach him.
I headcanon that Bruce would have learned some instrument at some point but, never kept up with it do to lack of interest. I do like the idea of him being able to sing though.
Marinette ignored the harsh glow of the screen on her eyes as she scrolled through her laptop, looking at websites that would probably get her arrested.
In her defence, she was doing it for a good reason. Which usually meant it was for the safety of the miraculous.
But no one needed to know that.
“Marinette,” Tikki said, floating by her owner. “I’m sure whatever you’re searching for can wait for a few hours, while you sleep.”
The fashion designer groaned, running her stiff fingers through her hair that was sticking out in various directions.
“No, Tikki, it can’t because if it goes too far,” Marinette said, closing a tab furiously. “It’s going to destroy our planet as we know it.”
Tikki stared at her, completely unfazed. “Well then take a break. I’m sure the world is not going to end in the next few seconds.”
Marinette paused her blindingly fast typing, considering Tikki’s offer.
Her answer was an immediate and resounding no.
The other kwamis who had come to support Tikki’s point sighed in annoyance.
“Really, Guardian,” said Wayzz, floating next to Tikki, “I would very much like it if you listened to Tikki; what you are doing is nothealthy. Also, Master Fu once told me, if you take a break, sometimes what you’re looking for appears right after.”
Thatmade Marinette pause. And her rumbling stomach, but we’re just going to ignore that for now.
“Well,” Marinette stretched the word out, her eyes flicking from kwami to kwami. “I supposeI could take a few minutes break.”
The cheers of the kwami echoed around the penthouse.
Marinette sighed in bliss as she took a sip of her coffee, feeling a little less tired than before.
“Coffee,” she announced, carefully sitting on her couch. “Is god’s gift to Earth.”
“Nah, Pigtails,” Plagg said, floating in front of her. “It’s cheese. Always and forever.”
He groaned in delight as he gobbled up a large piece of cheese.
Giving him the stink-eye, Marinette turned back to her laptop, continuing her search.
“If I could just find the name…” Marinette took another sip of her coffee before typing furiously again.
“If I may ask,” said Nooroo, blinking his large eyes. “What exactlyare you looking for?”
Marinette stretched her back, cringing at the loud crackit let out. “I’m looking for an alien. His name is Thanos. Or something like that.”
“Then I suppose we can help each other.”
Marinette froze as the familiar, smooth and silky voice of Damian Al-Ghul rung in her ears.
She turned around slowly, cringing at her state, slipping her confident mask on.
“Al-Ghul,” she said coolly, straightening her back. By now, all of the kwamis had flown into their respective hiding places, knowing who Damian was. “What are you doing here?”
Currently, Damian was perched upon her windowsill, which, for your reference, was quite high up in the sky.
“First,” he asked smoothly, deep voice rippling. “May I come in?”
At her suspicious look, he held his hands up, leaving him in a precarious position. “I don’t have any weapons. I have not come here, intending to fight with you.”
At Marinette’s signal from behind her back, Plagg and Wayzz flew around Damian, scanning him for any weapons.
Plagg flew in front of her after a few seconds, casually saying, “He’s clear, Pigtails.”
Toocasually.
Marinette saw the look in his eyes and mentally pinched her nose because it meant that Plagg wanted to tell her something.
It could wait.
“All right,” Marinette said, suddenly aware of her hair and how it must be looking. “Come in.”
Before she had even finished her sentence, Damian was already leaping inside, like a cat.
Oh kwami, Marinette thought, suddenly having an inkling of what Plagg wanted to tell her.
She really hoped she was wrong.
Once Damian was standing in front of her, Marinette stalked towards him, eyes cold as ice. “Now answer my question from before, Al-Ghul. Why are you here?”
Damian gave her that infuriating smirk, the one she still remembered from when he kidnapped her two weeks ago.
“I assume we are both looking for the same…alien,” he said, looking slightly annoyed at the thought. “Thanos.”
Marinette raised her eyebrows, unwilling to believe him. “I suppose we are. Provided you are telling the truth.”
“I am,” Damian said, looking more annoyed now. “Some of my assassins are going off track, assassinating people who they shouldn’t be. I have been forced to dispose of them, their actions drawing too much attention to the League. I did my research a week ago and came across the same name you did, as well as the word ‘miraculous.’ I suppose that explains your involvement as well.”
Marinette was intrigued now, Wayzz’s confirmation that Damian was telling the truth reassuring her. “Well, did you come across the term infinity stones?”
“I did.” Damian looked and soundedcompletely confused, proving to Marinette that this was something out of their world, something that none of them knew.
“Well,” Marinette knew she was making a terrible decision and she should probably stop herself but two minds were better than one right?
“How about working together to figure this out?”
Marinette would remember Damian’s expression for the rest of her life because it was thatpriceless.
A shadow came rushing and stumbling down the cavern with another figure in their arms. When the flickers of the fire reached the two figures it was then clear who had arrived.
Damian Wayne- or Al Ghul, whatever it is he carried as his last name, looked frightened for his life. He had scratches and flesh wounds around his body, blood trickling down his forehead. But it was the woman in white robes that was stained with blood and dirt in his arms that looked far worse than him. In fact, she looked a tinge blue and she was holding onto her stomach trying to stop the bleeding from a wound there, but it clearly wasn’t working as she was dripping blood on their tracks.
She coughed blood as she tried to talk, Damian looked down at the woman. Her black bob hair was wet from her sweat mixed with blood.
“Please, Raven, don’t try to talk.” Came Damian’s shaky voice as he continued to stumble as he carried her. “We’re almost there.” His eyes locked at the green liquid that was too many paces too far from them, it might as well have been a mile. But he had brought her here, he was so close.
“Please just hold on.” His tone was begging, desperate.
Raven tried to pick herself up, pull herself by his shoulder, and he froze for a second as he looked at her with wide eyes.
“N-no, we-we don’t know how it will affect me.” She struggled as she tried to get out of his hold. His eyes darkened as he firmly held her in place, he looked ahead at the goal clearly in front of him.
He continued to walk, “I don’t care.” His paces were heavy as he was extremely weak, but he would not lose her, not when the Lazarus Pit could help her. Not when it was clearly in front of them.
“Da-damian.” She begged and then coughed blood.
“Stop talking.” His always firm voice was weak and begging, scared and hurt and so very afraid of losing her. He was afraid his name would be the last words she said, and barely with any strength. She never spoke his name so weakly until now and this fact alone made his heart ache deeply.
“Almost there.” He mumbled more to himself than to Raven. He had been mumbling encouraging words to himself, it was all he could do to keep himself sane.
“We don’t know how this will affect me or the pit.” She begged as the tears fell from her eyes and she clenched his chest.
“I don’t fucking care!” He yelled; the pain he didn’t want to manifest came as hot streaks of water from his eyes down to his cheeks.
He will not lose her, not when that vile pit existed. He continued to walk with a reignited desire to save her. The only goal in his mind, the only option, whatever comes after he would face head on as long as she was breathing and alive.
“Damian.” Raven wept but he could not be stopped. He will use the pit to save her from this fatal wound, from death’s door.
Raven wanted to call out his name again, but found that she was growing weaker, and saying his name only hurt in more ways than one. So she endured as tears fell down her cheeks too.
Who would have thought that she would see Damian cry like this? She never thought she’d see him this broken because of her.
Raven hurled and blood came out of her mouth as she coughed. Damian could only squeeze her in his arms. Almost there was the thought that made him power through the pain.
Raven’s eyes were shut as she tried to cough the blood out of her throat and willed herself to make it till he placed her into the pit. At the very least, she should try and make herself conscious till then. She didn’t want him to put her into the pit, but he wanted to– he had to, she felt his desperation as if it was hers. And so she will let him, it wasn’t like she had the strength to fight him anyways.
“Raven.” He stared at her for a second as they stood before the pit.
“I love you.” She said in reply to him calling her name as he walked into the pit and he held her closely to his chest and submerged her into the waters.
“I love you.” She whispered again as a tear slipped from her eye before her face was fully submerged. But he never said the words back, even when she repeated them.
Damian concluded that his wounds didn’t matter, they were nothing but flesh wounds and so he stepped out of the pit and waited for her on the side. She would need him in case she turned insane because of the pit’s after effects.
And so, Damian waited, in the quiet cave with flickering torchlights for the woman he loved that was dying to be fully revitalized.
But the wait was agonizing and longer than he expected. He then became too worried; he couldn’t look at the pit that had no signs of life so he turned his back on it.
Why was it not working? Was it because of the pits’ origins? Raven did warn him– they didn’t know how it would affect her.
Damian felt helpless kneeling on the floor, his back against the pit and his palms on the ground as his eyes burned due to the tears.
He couldn’t be without her. This had to work. He found himself praying to whatever entity that would hear him to– at least make it work.
Please.
But the wait continued on and the quiet cavern was now filled with a sickening silence that Damian hated more as the minutes passed.
He didn’t know how long he waited but enough time passed that he finally felt hopeless and resigned.
The Lazarus Pit probably couldn’t cure her. He wasn’t even able to tell her that he loved her, tears fell from his eyes and it did not stop. He didn’t want to say them because he thought he still had the chance once the pit healed her.
Damian squeezed his eyes and sobbed.
Raven was gone.
“Damian?” Hearing Raven’s careful voice was indescribable. Damian gasped at the sound and turned to look at her, the surprise in his face disappeared and quickly matched the confusion she had.
Raven stood in an empty pit. The vile green liquid he knew as the Lazarus Pit was gone.
“Damian?” She called out again, this time her voice tinged with fear and he too was frightened. Raven coughed and that made him rush to her side. Damian slid down the pit even more scared than a moment ago.
Damian’s shaking fingers cupped her cheek and his other hand wiped her hair off her face. He was so frightened that the pit really didn’t work, but was cruel enough to give them this moment.
Raven continued to cough. The tears streaming down his face felt nonexistent. He was so terrified.
What if the coughing was the side effect of the pit working?
What if at the next second she will just fall and turn into a lifeless corpse?
Raven coughed again as she tried to pull away and Damian’s hand froze as he saw the familiar green liquid trickle down the corner of her lips.
Was it really just a cruel trick the Lazarus Pit was giving the couple, like a cruel last miracle to haunt him after?
“Damian?” Raven called his name again, but this time it was as weak as when she had called him moments before she entered the Lazarus Pit.
Raven’s knees gave in and she fell towards him and he frantically caught her but fell on his knees too.
“No, no…” The son of Batman heard his desperate cry. The tears on his face felt searingly hot once again.
But Raven, his beloved Raven, continued to cough green liquid from her pale lips. He propped her up with his knee and cradled her.
“No…” His voice was so soft and in pain that anyone who would have witnessed such a sight would wonder if he really was the heir of the Demon’s Head.
In Raven’s weakened state she attempted to lift her hand. Damian felt the movement and looked at her shaking hand that was midway towards him. He captured that hand and let it rest against his cheek. He couldn’t let her suffer anymore.
His green eyes stared at her ashen face.
There were no words that could be said now, they were both clearly in pain.
Raven’s eyes fluttered and Damian’s heart squeezed inside his chest.
No, he didn’t want her to close her eyes. Before his objections could be said, Raven’s eyes had closed.
Her breath soon followed and came to a stop.
And he heard his sharp inhale pierce through his ears as it bounced around him within the cavern.
His body automatically crouched over her head as he cradled her lifeless corpse. He found that his voice was hoarse. He wondered if he had been screaming in sorrow when she didn’t emerge instantly from the pit. Or maybe when he approached her in the empty pit, perhaps he was screaming.
Or maybe it was now. The ‘I Love You’, the ‘Don’t leave me’ and ‘This can’t be happening’ were not registering in his head. The phrases he kept repeating despite his hoarse throat and aching heart.
At one point, Damian just knew that he couldn’t find his voice and strength to vocally scream his pain anymore.
Raven was really gone. The pit was gone and she wasn’t even saved. Her body was cold and so was the space inside the cavern, it was so terribly cold. In fact, Damian could feel the chilliness inside his body too.
The useless piece of liquid didn’t even bring her back. The liquid disappeared but didn’t even return anything to him.
Damian’s sorrow was turning into anger and then suddenly a sharp inhale from lips that wasn’t his resonated through the empty cave and more importantly his ears.
He gasped as he looked down and stared at the lips of his beautiful lover.
Raven was gasping for air like she was a fish out of water, violet eyes open. Damian’s green eyes were wide as he saw green lines all over her face. He studied her briefly and found that it was her veins all over her body that were protruding and glowing a familiar shade of green– the Lazarus Pit’s shade. Aside from green veins there were similar green lines reaching into her eyes and he felt her body heat up.
She gasped loudly again and then silence. The green lines in Raven’s eyes disappeared along with her green veins as a faint greenish glow surrounded her entirety.
Then Raven became slack again.
Damian was left confused. He couldn’t hear her breathing for at least five seconds and then– soft even breathing.
Raven’s eyes opened and it revealed the same green as the Lazarus Pit instead of her usual violet hue. Damian was very perplexed and then she blinked and her green eyes were gone. Damian was now staring at the familiar violet shade that he knows and loves.
“Hello.” She sat up studying him, a small sly smile on her lips. It was like she wasn’t injured or in pain a few seconds prior, her tone was calm and collected. It somehow eased the agitation Damian was fighting within himself.
Did he want to know what happened?
Did he want to know the consequences of his actions?
Did it really matter?
Damian cupped both her cheeks and steadily held it in place as he studied her new found vitality. She smiled back at him with a tint of mischievousness and held his face in her hands by his jaws.
He had so many questions.
“I feel– very much alive.” Raven said with a sinister smile on her lips.
He should be afraid. But Damian was the son of Batman, a trained assassin who is the son of Talia Al Ghul and grandson of Ra’s Al Ghul, afraid was only a moment he felt when he thought he had lost her.
When he thought he lost his beloved Raven?
Clearly, she was alive perhaps altered a little, but alive and that was all that mattered.
Damian leaned his forehead against hers as he exhaled, his eyes locked on her eyes. With the same smile on her lips, she inhaled his breath.
It was clear that his future is now altered too.
How can he be a hero when villains would and could take everything from him? They had already tried taking Raven away from him permanently.
He often wondered why he was holding back when he had the Lazarus Pit and could save the love of his life at any time. If needed, Damian could use the pit to resurrect her. He didn’t imagine that he’d have to use the Pit to actually save his girlfriend that could heal virtually any wounds– except the one they were faced with that night. But now, there was no reassurance that he could use the pit if anything deadly was to happen to her.
Damian might have put her into the green waters of the pit as a hero but he emerged from this incident as a different man. He noticed the darkness in Raven’s eyes and he brushed the corner of her eyes gently.
He could not be Damian Wayne, not when he used the pit like this. The League of Assassin’s would not allow it anyways. He would also need the League’s resources and data about the pit now that the situation has become like this. Now that they were on an empty Lazarus Pit. He’d also have to pay the price for this.
He can clearly see that Raven was changed because of the pit. He wondered how the pit changed his lover.
“I’m still the same.” Raven replied in a steady manner as if she had read his mind, but there on her lips was still a sinister smile.
He knew she wasn’t the same.
“I love you.” He brushed her nose with his. Whatever has transpired here, he will stick by that decision. He decided that it is the best decision to become the next Demon’s head after all.
They were both changed that day.
The decision to become the next Demon’s Head proved to be the right thing to do in the coming days after Raven was revived.
Raven was the same for the most part, however, when she bled, she bled green liquid. The color of the Lazarus Pit and her wounds would instantly heal without using her magic to heal.
It didn’t take long for them to find out that all the Lazarus Pits were now nothing but empty pits.
She did warn him that they didn’t know how it would affect her or the pit. However, who would have thought that it would affect the pit itself in this way?
Raven was also more attuned to her demonic side and took pride and joy in extracting information for the League with whatever skill or method she has in her disposal. In a simple word: torture, she had come to marvel at such a dark thing.
Raven didn’t even affiliate herself as a hero anymore, she would kill without a second thought. She wouldn’t allow anyone who could possibly bring Damian’s demise to be alive. But her love for Damian was the same, be it him as a Wayne, an Al Ghul, a Titan– she still loved him the same.
The same thing could be said about Damian’s feelings for Raven. Maybe at first, he felt trepidation over her change but ultimately accepted them because it was simply the price that came in exchange for her life.
Since the fact that there is no more working Lazarus Pit, Damian could understand her willingness to kill. Without the pit, if he was heavily injured, he could not be healed, in fact he cannot prolong his life like what his grandfather did.
But Raven is the Daughter of Trigon, she will surely find a way to preserve her lover for as long as she lives. After all, the two would spare no expense for their partner.
The empty pits in multiple places that used to house green liquid that could heal and revive the dead is a clear proof of the kinds of lengths they were willing to go for one another.
Damian will live as long as Raven would, being Trigon’s daughter had its merits after all.
THE END.
~.~.~.~.~.~.
Author’s Notes:
This is actually not how I initially wanted to make this AU. I only realized AFTER I finished it. With that said, I plan to make the right one, entitled: Eternity (that’s the plan at least) Details would be different from this, if you are interested keep posted on my profile or something.
Raven was a woman who came out of nowhere. A full-grown woman of unknown origins that had power that could not be explained had abruptly entered earth.
The Justice League saw her for what she was—a threat.
Raven, however, simply affiliated herself as neutral but on occasion helped the Justice League when faced with an extinction level threat. Even though she fought by their side she would make it evidently clear that she was not good nor was she evil. And because she has helped The Justice League a few times; The Justice League became lax in keeping an eye on Raven and labelled her as an antihero instead.
Damian Wayne or as he is now known as– Damian Al Ghul had a different kind of story. He was more bad than he was good and he now leads the League of Assassins. However, there was a time in his teens where he allied himself under the Justice Leagues’ guidance and closely with and directly under Batman and their version of justice. Now Damian fought for a different kind of justice, one which painted him black in the eyes of the Justice League.
But on occasions, when the world faces possible extinction, he would step up and put his differences with the Justice League aside and maybe that was how the two crossed paths.
The Justice League wasn’t quite certain if that was how Raven and Damian met, but it is a fact that they are rather uneasy with this development.
Raven and Damian became known as lovers and the Justice League was even more worried over this progression when it was revealed.
They were dangerous. And even more so for Raven, who they recognize as a being who could level the planet, who also regularly threatens them to do so if any harm comes to Damian Al Ghul.
So, when news of Damian Al Ghul’s demise reached the Justice Leagues’ ears, it felt as though the entire earth was holding in its own breath.
“I told them, didn’t I? If anything were to happen to you, I would destroy this planet.” She mumbled to her dead lover, whose head was resting on her lap as she caressed his pale cheek. “So, tell me, why didn’t you take my threat seriously? You loved this planet more than I, so why would you allow yourself to turn out like this?”
And as natural as it is, as the dead could not speak, her lover did not respond to her.
A man running towards Raven screamed ready to swing his sword on the woman on the ground, who thought she was preoccupied with her loss.
And oh, how wrong he was.
He stopped from his advance as he was engulfed in purple flames. Raven’s eyes that were violet had started to glow.
The man didn’t even have the time to scream, or maybe she couldn’t hear his wails of pain, it didn’t really matter– not even a body was left of the man in the following second. She exhaled and purple flames circled her and it stretched for a meter in width.
“How noisy.” Her eyes glow brighter, the same shade as her violet eyes. She cradles her lover on her chest with vacant eyes that continue to glow a steady violet. And then everything around her seemed to slow down and turn grey. And Raven’s violet eyes slowly turned red.
The red in her eyes matched the sky as she grew horns. Her skin slowly turned red. The grey sparrows that were flying and the grey leaves that rustled around them slowed to the point that they were close to being frozen in time.
“Raven!” Someone called out, and the transformation on her skin halted, but the earth still remained close to being frozen. Raven’s skin reverted back to its usual paper white hue, but her horns remained, her violet eyes red and the whites were now black. She turned her head to see Batman still in color and moving perfectly fine, a grim smile on her lips. Wind blows and an unkindness of ravens caw and fly overhead.
Batman covered himself from the sudden strong gust of wind and dust by using his cape as a shield. When the wind stopped and the cawing subsided, he placed his arm down. Raven and Damian were no longer where he had seen them.
The sky was still red, everything was grey except for batman. His Justice League comms started ringing, there was color on the flashing screen.
Raven and Damian reappeared in front of the Lazarus Pit in Nanda Parbat. She looked down on Damian whose skin was blue.
“We shall reunite my love.” She said, as he was lifted up gently by her magic in a purple hue as he floated in front of her. With a small wiggle of her fingers, Damian hovered above the green liquid and slowly went down to the waters of the pit.
Raven watched quietly as the green liquid consumed him. And an ache in her chest that she could not fully describe was felt as she stared at his body being swallowed by the Lazarus Pit.
Damian had told her the properties of the Lazarus Pit.
And she waited. And waited. And waited.
Until instead of kneeling with her legs folded underneath her, she sat on her butt. Her knees were bent in front of her as she waited by the edge of the pool.
And she waited.
She brought her knees closer to her chin as she continued to wait. She started to become agitated.
Was the Lazarus’ Pit not working? Could it not revive the dead?
Was Damian wrong?
And the black in Raven’s eyes turned white again, her eyes no longer red but purple and her horns resided until they were gone. Perhaps Raven reverting back to her actual appearance emphasized the pain she was feeling. It was so painful that she took the form of the woman he loved.
If she has to, then she will put the whole human race at stake to bring him back from the dead. Her iris turned solid red with the decision as she clenched her fists.
A tan hand finally came out of the green liquid, followed by screaming and a deranged Damian aiming towards Raven with an outstretched hand. Before his hand could even touch her throat, Raven’s fingers were already outstretched towards her lover’s forehead, a violet glow emitting from her fingertips.
She shushes him gently, and his eyes slowly dims. Damian blinked and gulped down saliva, swaying a little. After a few more blinks his eyes cleared up and he looked at his lover with a gentle gaze.
“Raven…” Damian called her name out, as his face showed his confusion. His hand that was awkwardly outstretched towards Raven, cautiously touched her cheek. Raven placed a hand over his hand that was on her cheek and with her freehand she gripped his wrist. Her eyes closed as she leaned onto the hand on her cheek.
She had almost lost his touch, his body temperature that was certainly not there anymore– but now that is just a thing of the past.
Damian Al Ghul was now alive and breathing.
“Welcome back, my love.” She softly whispered to him with a loving tone. Her red eyes reverted back to normal when she opened her eyes again. And the earth felt like it could finally breathe. Time went back as it should be, and the grey tone of the world reverted back to its original colors and hues.
“What did you do?” He asked as he too felt the shift of the entire planet, his free hand splashed on the water. He looked down, and realized where he was. He was certain that he was killed but now that he was gazing at the waters of the pit, he knew he really did.
He knew he was killed. He knew his last thoughts were seeing her one last time. He wanted to hold her and tell her he loved her so much.
He knew he had died. And yet, here he was breathing and alive.
“Raven—” His eyes locked onto hers.
“Do not worry about it.” Were her final words as she edged near him and rested her forehead against his. “I have told you this before, there is no price I am unwilling to pay for you.”
He couldn’t respond because he too would do the same if it was her, but– he stared at her and cupped both her cheeks.
He wondered how much pain she felt seeing him like that. He knew that she didn’t care much for this planet and its people, after all she had not grown up here on this planet. In fact, when Damian and Raven met she didn’t care much for anything but she then started to deeply care for him and only him.
“I would have done the same thing.” He whispered as he knew that he would. Damian leaned down to kiss her and she closed her eyes.
If Damian had died she would have destroyed this planet. She would not want this earth to remain to haunt her due to the loss of the man she loved. But she would also do everything in her power to return him to her side.
If Raven had not done this, he would not feel her warmth again.
She wouldn’t feel his warmth again.
The thought was something she could not accept, even when she was so very close to having that as her reality.
Raven had seen the devil, lived and grew up in hell with the devil as her father. This earth– him– Damian, was the only thing that linked her to being relatively normal. She knew she was part human, and it was him who made her really feel that part of her.
She wasn’t going to allow herself to lose him.
“I love you.” She whispered to him, holding his head against hers. Tears falling from her eyes, this was the first time she cried and this was the first time Damian had seen her tears.
“I love you too.” He replied back sincerely.
They shared a tight hug after and Raven’s violet eyes turned red and the whites were black as she gave a sly smile.
The beauty of this earth was only Damian, if he was not here– turning this place the way her father wants wouldn’t be a problem.
‘There she was again at the foot of her bed, in her room in the Titans Tower—weeping. It was like she was grieving. But knowing her—she probably was.’ Damian couldn’t help but think as he stood unmoving by her bedroom door.
Raven’s head was buried into her hands as she cried.
This again. How many times has Damian seen Raven like this? How many times had he come and comforted her?
Raven noticed someone’s presence inside her bedroom. And she knew that there was only one person who would come into her room in the state that she was in.
Damian Wayne.
Damian Wayne who is the leader of the Teen Titans at the age of nineteen, which Raven had been a member for seven years and at twenty-one she has been one of the longest active team members, alongside Garfield or also known as, Beast Boy.
'Garfield. It has to be him again.’ Damian thought bitterly as he gazed down on the floor with a darkened gazed. And how many times had he comforted her over him? Of all people, how many times had he comforted her over Garfield?
“Damian?” Raven called out in a broken sob as she wiped her tears and glanced to her left side to find, and to no surprise, that it really was Damian who was inside her bedroom. Garfield would never come to comfort her after their arguments, she came to realize at some point, the one that did that was Damian. When she met his blank gaze after he looked up from the floor, she couldn’t help but give a faint smile and cried again.
“We broke up again.” She cried into her hands and in response to her words, Damian just clenched and unclenched his right fist. Of course, Raven would not feel the turmoil he was feeling and had not seen his reaction. She always failed to notice him.
He wandered very frequently, like right now, if his existence held any weight to her at all. If he was someone that would make her react the way she was, about a man who didn’t see her value the way he did.
“And what? This is for the nth time. Am I supposed to be surprised?” Damian said in a rather cold voice laced with something else he couldn’t identify at that moment. But his breathing was uneven and yet Raven still didn’t notice as she stopped crying and stared at him- and he regretted his tone. He regretted making her look so broken and hurt and he simply just wanted to undo how he had said his words. But the thing was—he meant it, with every beating of his aching heart.
“You don’t understand.” Her voice comes out so weak that his heart sunk for her or maybe for him. “This time—” Raven’s eyes widened a bit. “This time—it’s for real. No more do-overs. No more makeup. This time—” Raven started to hyperventilate. “This time we’re really done.”
And saying the words aloud—despite it not actually being loud enough perhaps because of how broken and in pain she was, made Raven realize how true the situation really is. Only a tear slipped down her left eye as she sat there frozen and very unmoving. The situation sinking deeper into her soul.
This time it’s for real. The words echoed in both their heads, and yet their emotions towards those words were quite different, almost opposite.
How many times had he heard that-was he supposed to believe it? But seeing her empty gaze and unmoving body—he knew—that this really was for real. And in Damian’s mind he had already reached out to caress her face to comfort her.
There was a small amount of happiness in the back of Damian’s mind as opposed to Raven’s sheer grieve over those words: This time it’s for real.
'Until that 'for real’ becomes another lie.’ Damian’s mind couldn’t help but whisper to his heart, the small glimmer of happiness damped just as quickly as it came. He shouldn’t even find happiness in her sorrows.
“He says he’s leaving the team— he’s going to join Young Justice.” Damian was surprised to hear this as the information had not gotten to him yet. “He told me not to follow him—because this really is the end of the line for him and I.” She pressed her lips together.
He didn’t know what to say, how to comfort her at this moment. He stared intently at her but with as much a gentle gaze he could offer. If what she said was true, perhaps this was his chance. He shook his head, to shake the thought out as it should not be the priority now but he couldn’t help it. His heart has become so weary.
“Raven.” He called out to her as he approached her slowly. Her eyes flickered to meet his gaze and as she did so, silent tears fell from her eyes again. “Maybe that is a good thing.”
And Raven did not take it well. What did Damian mean? Her tears fell faster as she broke into a sob, she covered her mouth with her right hand, unaccepting of what he had just uttered to her.
“Raven.” He called her again, as he sat beside her and touched her left hand with his right hand. “This could be a good thing. You can finally let someone take care of you the way you deserve.”
This wasn’t what she wanted to hear and it wasn’t what she expected to hear from him.
Of all the times Damian had comforted her over her numerous break-ups with Garfield he had never—ever—said such a thing to her. And she felt as though he had punched her yet all she could do was wept loudly in response.
Damian sighed and hesitated to hug her, but eventually was able to wrap his arms around her shaking form. It was not the tightest hug he could give, but it was all that he could muster to give to her. And this time he couldn’t help but wonder if she could hear his aching heart from such a close distance.
“I love him, Damian.” She wept as she gave him a tighter hug and Damian flinched at the words she spoke. But of course, Raven failed to feel it, just like the pain that he was clearly resonating from deep within his bones and soul.
Love? Damian wanted to snicker at her and yet it was also something that would be directed at him.
“Have I not tried everything to please him? Where have I failed?” She pulled away from his embrace, the distance between their faces only a mere two feet away. Her hands were on Damian’s chest as she looked up at him. “Am I not enough?” She sobbed as he furrowed his brows at the words he knew to be so ridiculous to hear.
Not enough? He felt the anger that he had buried a long time ago shimmer from very deep within him.
“Is my love not enough? Is this why he never chooses me? Didn’t I try everything to please him? Do I not deserve love? Is this why I’m always—just—I’m never chosen?” She ranted as her left hand wrapped around Damian and her forehead rested on the back of her right hand that was on Damian’s chest over his heart. And Raven continued to cry. Her words reflected the way he had been living for how many years now.
He silently bit his lip. Even though her hand was already resting so firmly over his heart, she still couldn’t feel or hear his heart breaking at that very moment. How many times had he let her break his heart over and over again?
“You call this love?” He whispered unexpectedly. And when Raven pulled away to look at him with confusion on her face—Damian understood that he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He can’t take it back now. He looked down at her, mirroring her confusion but water was pooling on his lower eyelids.
“How can you call this love?” He said in such a low voice with plain disbelief and confusion. “How many times have you cried over Garfield? How many times have you said you two will never get back together—and yet somehow you get back together—despite how many times he has hurt you. But you hurt him too—but still—the pain you two inflict on each other—when will it be enough?”
Raven felt like he had dumped cold water on her and as Damian looked at her expression- even, he had felt that he had dumped cold water on her.
His mouth quivered as he contemplated whether he should take it back-of how he should take it back. But he had meant every single word and Raven’s face was ashen from his words. She took in three long breaths controlling the ache in her chest. She found that at this moment, she was more hurt over what Damian said than over her breakup with Garfield. Damian wondered when his cycle would come to an end.
“How could you say that?” It came out barely as a whisper and her grief over her break up had become forgotten. She wiped the tears off of her face, as she completely pulled away from Damian by standing up from her bed.
“How could I?” He asked with a broken laugh as he stood up to face the door, Raven behind him as he secretly wiped the tear that slipped out of his eye. “How could you not? How many times have you two broken up in the span that I have been a part of the team? Let’s not count when I wasn’t part of the team! How can you—” A pause as he controlled his temper and the tears that wanted to fall. Damian closed his eyes as he deeply inhaled. When his green eyes opened there was a coldness befitting a son of an assassin and he turned to look at her.
“You two—not respect one another enough to just call it quits the first time—or maybe by the third time of your break ups. Why would you—you two—drag out this pain for all these years?” Damian’s voice had a hint of suppressed tension in it. And Raven laughed at his rant, but the laughter sounded so resigned that Damian’s heart couldn’t help but flinch. She had looked away from him as she continued to laugh.
“Of course, you wouldn’t understand how I feel!” Raven paused from laughing to stare at his green eyes coldly trying to compete with the indifference he was showing her. “I can’t believe that I had thought you understood me—I can’t believe I expected you to understand!” Another fit of broken laugher. Damian clenched his fist at her words. The disdain she had for Damian—he felt. And yet she still did not see his feelings- she still did not feel his feelings. How his heart at this moment was aching because of the love he had for her that he could never say out loud.
“I knew him for seven years Damian! Seven bloody years! And I love him. I love him so, so much.” And Raven could not help but start to cry again. “I love him- for seven years.”
It was a fact, it was undeniable. It simply is. He smiled brokenly at her, the indifference gone.
“Time does not guarantee that you are meant to be with someone.” Damian said it so simply and when the words fell on Raven’s ears—she froze.
“Why are you doing this?” She whispered not expecting an answer, as she simply had just spoken what was in her mind. She really did not expect this from Damian.
“Just because you know someone for a long time and love them just as long—it doesn’t mean you could not love someone with the same intensity even when you just met.” He continued on his voice soft and in a very resigned manner, and yet Raven wanted to scream at him and ask why he was continuing on.
Why was he doing this?
Her heart was aching enough already. Why were you adding to that? She wanted to say but found her lips could not form those words.
“Get. Out.” Raven heard herself say after a minute had passed, it came out softly and with no weight to it. Damian looked at her with evasive eyes. “Get Out.” She said a bit more firmly to which Damian stood unmoving with furrowed brows in front of her.
He seemed like he wanted to tell her more, but Raven did not allow him to. She wouldn’t let him break her heart again. Why did this feel even worse than her breakup?
“Get Out! I said get out!” She yelled. Damian glared at her with his jaw clenched and hands in a fist. She tried to match his anger as she glared back. But Damian knew he was at a loss, he would give anything to make her happy. And so he concedes and leaves quietly out of her bedroom. Before the door was fully closed, he heard Raven fall on her knees and wept again, muttering something he couldn’t quite catch.
“I love him- for seven years…” She whispered and repeated. She wondered for a split second if she was trying to convince herself of this fact. And she continued to grieve alone in her bedroom.
~.~.~.~.~
Damian was in the gym room of the Titan Tower. He was punching a sandbag with wrapped hands. He had been at the gym for a few days straight to vent out —in fact since his first failure at comforting Raven over her break up. He had tried to be unbiased, but everyone had a tipping point and Damian Wayne simply hit his tipping point on the matter.
Even so, he tried to act accordingly as the leader of the Titans. He had started comforting Raven in the pretense of his obligation as the team leader. But maybe it wasn’t a pretense—and if so—when had it started becoming a pretense? When did he start convincing himself that it was part of the duty as the leader? When it was clear-looking back- that he had a weak spot for Raven and that he gave her special treatment.
Raven and Garfield appeared to be as civil as they could around each other after their recent breakup. And finally, Garfield had talked to Damian about leaving the team. Something about moving up the ladder. And God hearing that made Damian want to punch the man.
What did that entail 'moving up the ladder’? Did Raven not fit Garfield’s desire—is that why they broke up this time around? She wasn’t too high up that ladder? But Damian never voiced out the thoughts that invaded him as he heard Garfield say what he did.
In fact, Damian tried not to comment about Raven and Garfield’s relationship, or lack thereof, just as he always had but the same could be said with anyone else. He tried to be as much of a team leader as needed be—and he did not—absolutely did not mention their personal romantic relationships with one another unless it was to remind them that he does not wish for it to affect the group dynamic. And maybe that was what led him to comfort Raven the first time around.
Damian valued the team dynamic too much just for a couple to ruin it. But when it was Raven who was so upset over her relationship, he would find himself in front of her door and then in her room, comforting her the best he could and with more effort than he would if it was someone else.
After Raven kicked Damian out over what hopefully was the last break-up of Garfield and Raven, Damian went out of his way to avoid Raven in the most casual and indifferent way possible. It almost bordered normalcy and yet it was clear that something had changed.
“Damian.” A familiar voice called out to him, but he did not hear it as he was focused on his punches.
“Damian.” He paused and Damian steadied his sandbag and turned to look behind him with furrowed brows.
“Raven.” He greeted simply and was about to continue punching the sandbag again. But she called out to him again and he sighed.
“What is it?” He asked indifferently and with a sharp edge, his hands on the sandbag, keeping up the appearance of steading it.
“I’d like to apologize.” He raised an eyebrow, shook his head and mock punched the sandbag and it swung a bit.
“You don’t have to—” He steadied the sandbag. “I should be the one apologizing.” His eyes do not look at her though.
“I suppose.” She said quietly after what felt like a minute had passed in silence with no apology from Damian. “But you made a good point.” He stiffly nodded, the apology he has been meaning to say was at the tip of his tongue. Another minute passed in silence.
“I know you’re looking out for the team. Thank You.” She said quietly, waiting for Damian to respond but he just nodded again and another minute of silence.
“I—I think I will take your advice—” Advice. She had called it advice; Damian’s eyes looked up at her. He was surprised to see her violet eyes look at him intently with patience. “I—I should move on—close that part of my life. Start a new book.” Damian’s right eye twitched in surprise. The apology he had been meaning to say still stuck in his mouth.
She smiled at him and she nodded and then did a 180 turn on her heel.
“I’m sorry.” He finally said but it was only a whisper. His disappointment and anger in his own inability to apologize properly made him clench his right knuckles against the sandbag, as his eyes followed her back. For a moment he thought she froze on the spot, but she continued to walk away.
'No. She had heard. But she did not give me a hard time over it.’ Damian thought as a faint rueful smile found itself on his lips.
She deserved so much better. He sighed aloud as he looked up at the cieling.
~.~.~.~.~
'Why was I back in this situation again? Had she not said that it was over for real then? I guess today is the day it finally became a lie.’ Damian stood inside of Raven’s bedroom as if he had seen a ghost.
Last time he was here—she was twenty-one. Now he is the twenty-one-year-old and she is twenty-three. Two years had passed since the last time he was in this situation—in her room—watching her cry herself raw on her bed.
And yet Damian knew—it has to be about him again.
Garfield.
His right eye twitched at the thought. An empty smile on his lips as he looked at Raven sob.
'Didn’t you say it was over—so what is this.’ The words never came out of Damian’s lips, but it almost had but she felt his intentions. And if Damian had known that his thought had been conveyed to her through his emotions—then maybe he’d think: for the first time she finally noticed my feelings.
Raven noticed that Damian had entered her room—how could she not with what he was emitting. It has been so long since the two were in this situation. It had been two years to be exact. And she felt guilty—because the last time he had comforted her in here—she said her and Garfield were really done.
And here she is—the proof of a lie.
“I—” Raven tried to muffle her cries but failed. “Him and I—we hooked up.” And to Damian those words were crushing but not as crushing as what the word 'hooked up’ entailed. Was she—she couldn’t be— “And so we secretly dated after that.” Damian couldn’t help but sigh when he heard her say that.
It wasn’t as bad as the thought of Raven being pregnant. He thought that he must be an awful person for thinking such a thing.
“But then… does that mean—” Damian looked at Raven in confusion, piecing something together in his head. How long has she been lying?
“For almost a year.” She softly sobbed as she wiped a tear away. Damian felt like he had been punched. A year. He had been trying to make her happy for two—but that one year—that half time he placed in effort, even when it was masked mostly as group activities—was happiness that Damian was not able to give her—but Garfield had.
And Damian simply saw the truth of the matter, the recent year when Raven seemed even more happier than the last—it was not because of him. He should have known. No—he must have noticed—Ah. That is right. He had seen the signs but chose to ignore it.
“Isn’t he with that girl named Terra?” Damian asked softly, quite blindsided by the truth. Raven nodded in response and he felt that same old anger he had not felt since that time two years ago—in this room, seeing her nod to his question- return to the surface. A symbol of agreement resulted in an anger that had been buried which was now reignited.
“But they had taken a break when Garfield and I got back together.” She quickly added before he could say something and oddly enough that subsided a bit of Damian’s anger. “It was just a hookup, no attachment. He was upset and hurt and I was lonely—and we knew each other well.” Raven had stopped crying at this point and was picking on her fingertips looking for hangnails with furrowed brows.
She sighed as she looked up at her ceiling as she let her silent tears fall, “It wasn’t supposed to mean anything—”
“But the love you had for him was reignited, right?” Damian couldn’t help but cut her off with a bite in his tone. And he chuckled—it was empty and shallow. “So, what is it this time? Am I supposed to be surprised you broke up again? Well this isn’t the first break up you two had—and last time surely wasn’t the last!” A hollow laugh came from Damian as he ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“God, how stupid!” Damian suddenly yelled and Raven stood up to glare at him.
“How can you call me stupid! I loved him whole-heartedly for seven years and I continued to love him for two more—you don’t forget that. Even when it’s muddled—it’s a fact that I have loved him for so long and invested so much into him—into me—for him and me- us. And even when we broke up—I will always love him. He will always have a special place in my heart.” Raven paused to calm herself, the words she was spilling felt as thought she was stabbing herself too. “Even when he broke up with me now—because he realized he loves Terra.” She bit her lip and Damian looked at her like she was the stupidest person on earth.
Damian suddenly laughed, it was a rather wholehearted laughter and yet it held such muted grief.
“You think I called you stupid?” He looked at her in the eyes, and something about his stare hinted to a degree of insanity. “You actually think I called you stupid?” He shook his head with a faint smile on his lips as he glanced at the space beside her. “I’m the one who’s stupid!” Raven took a step back in confusion as she studied Damian with a knot in her chest—she thought that Damian looked a little mad.
“I like you! For the longest time, I have liked you!” Raven looked at him as if he had grown an extra head. “I might even actually love you—but what do I know—after all—you said it yourself: I don’t know what that is like!” Raven looked at him thinking when had she said that, and she realized it must have been the last time they were in this room together when he was comforting her. She had opened her lips to tell her that: that was not what she had meant, but Damian continued on.
“But you never noticed my feelings for you! I was just a fly in comparison to Garfield. Maybe if I wasn’t three years younger than you—then maybe you might take me seriously! Or maybe if I had known you first than Garfield—then maybe you would actually look my way!” Damian’s stare had started to become a hateful glare. “You know when you two broke up for reals-” He said mockingly. “I thought that maybe—maybe—this was it. This was my chance to get you to notice that I have liked you for the longest time. Maybe this was the moment you would let Garfield go and let someone else show you—just how much you deserved to be treated. How special you are to that one person—how important you are to at least one person.” Damian’s angry glare softens into resignation.
“It didn’t have to be me. It could be anyone.” He paused as he pressed his lips and squeezed his eyes shut for a second and he looked at her again. “That is fine. I don’t think I deserve that kind of special someone to dote on—and love me.” He paused again, but Raven didn’t know what to say as he looked down on the floor. “But I wanted you—” He looked back at her again with mournful eyes. “I wanted at least for you, to be happy. I wanted to know that all the years you spent crying over some stupid guy over a stupid little thing because of a stupid relationship—is happy. I wanted that for you.” He pressed his lips together as he shook his head and evaded her shock eyes.
And then the silence allowed the two to think of what had just happened. It gave Damian the time to really process what was happening—what he had said and he was shocked at what he had done.
No.
He had just confessed to her.
No.
He looked up at her with a shocked expression, his eyes so wide in realization. He had said aloud the thoughts that have been plaguing him for years, the glimpse of how his thought process has changed as Raven’s relationship with Garfield became a bane of his existence—of what he thought was also her’s and Garfield’s.
Damian’s face paled, wishing he could take back what he had just said and done. The secrets and frustration he had held in was finally said. And it sat between them rather heavily.
“I—” They had both spoken at the same time and a pause followed. Damian stared at Raven, unsure who had spoken—was it her or him. Before anything else could be said and done, Damian stormed off with his fist clenched and with long strides close to a dash.
Damian had been punching the sandbag aggressively for almost two hours now following his confession. He was embarrassed and frustrated. And thinking of so many ways to take back what he had said and done. Prior to those thoughts, he had evaluated how he could have handled the situation better.
Damian gave the sandbag a very powerful right punch that the poor weakened sandbag gave in to the hit. His fist was inside the sandbag and as he was about to pull his fist out, the sand spilling out from the hole, he heard Raven calling his name. He turned to his left to look at her with furrowed brows, and her eyes shifted from him and the sand pouring out from the sandbag, her expression worried.
Raven had been calling out to Damian a few times already before he had noticed her. If Damian knew he would be greatly disappointed with himself.
“Damian…” She started at Damian’s fist that was still half inside the sandbag.
“Look—forget what I had said. I said it to distract you. I did it as my obligation as the team leader.” He said coldly as he fully retracted his fist from the sandbag, more sand poured out from his action. He looked away from her as he checked his fists for damage. He was surprised to see that he had bruised and had cuts on his hands. His right hand had the most damage.
“No.” Raven said as she took a step forward, he turned his head at her with a glare. Raven does not back down. “We need to talk about this.”
Damian was contemplating how to bolt from this situation and Raven could tell his intentions. So, before Damian could act about his thoughts, she grabbed his fists and he flinched.
“Seriously, we can’t have our leader’s fists injured.” She said as she checked his injuries up close, turning his fists in her hands, taking her time. He was quiet but his jaw was locked and his brows so closely knit to each other.
“I—” Raven looked up at him, straight into his eyes and Damian was startled as his eyes met hers. “I had noticed your feelings before.” She softly confessed and Damian’s fists clenched, before he could yank his hands away from hers- Raven firmly held his hands in hers. “I had noticed.” Her expression seemed to have glazed over and she sighed aloud and dispelled her thoughts.
“I had noticed. But it became overlooked as I was more focused on—other things—” And for a moment her eyes glazed over again. “On Gar.” A sad smile on her lips.
“His love overshadowed your little crush on me. I—focused on him and me so much that anything else was just white noise. I forgot that you had a crush—it was just an afterthought that was forgotten.” To Raven, Damian looked as though he wanted to yank his hands off of hers and storm off, but with clenched jaws he fought not to. “And I am truly sorry.” She said as she healed his hands.
Raven licked her lips and pressed it together but her eyes looking at the ground, “And—yes—our age had been a factor – why I didn’t take you seriously. There was one time that I considered the possibility of dating you. And our age gap-” Raven made a displeased face. “bothered me. And three years, I know it isn’t much,” She glanced at Damian. “But it’s undeniable that at some point I was of legal age and you weren’t. And that—that unsettled me. But mostly—it’s because of my love for Garfield- that made me always overlook your crush. And—I really am sorry.”
Raven was looking at Damian with wavering eyes, she felt guilty, but she was also very sincere on her apology.
'This,’ She thought. 'is the final push I needed to really move on from Gar.’ As she lets go of Damian’s hands.
“I hope, everything said and done today—doesn’t affect our relationship—in fact I hope it clarified the things between us.” Raven said dispelling the guilt she had. “You are a great leader Damian, you always think of everyone, and I guess that is why you never said or did anything that could be permanently damaging to the team.”
With that Damian buried the thoughts that he was having, like did he have a chance to be with her now? No—Raven is right—he couldn’t risk the team dynamic. But he also came to love her a little bit more. She seemed to always see something more in him, things he could never see in himself.
'It’s probably why you never attempted to confess to me—to not add to the mess that was Garfield and me.’ Raven had mulled over in silence with a smile that was neither sad nor happy. Which made Damian curious if it was a smile out of happiness or sadness because then he would know the meaning behind her smile.
~.~.~.~.~
Three months after Damian’s sudden confession, Raven took the initiative to go to Damian who was in his bedroom.
It was rather late at night but she had made a decision already and wanted to tell Damian at that very moment. The room was rather dark but they were both used to it, their eyes adjusted well or maybe even better at the dark.
After Damian’s confession, their relationship was rather strained- how could it not be with such a revelation? But the two worked hard to flatten out the strain and finally they were in a position that was back to normal but never quite the same. But it was perfect—in the oddest way—it was perfect and they were content.
“Damian, I know it’s late…” Raven rubbed her left elbow with her right hand. “But with everything that has happened these past few months—I know I have to tell you this now.”
Hearing this Damian was worried. “Please Raven, continue.” He said as he pats the space beside him, on his bed. But she shook her head in rejection and she avoided his gaze. He understood that the words she was going to say were difficult on her part, and he waited patiently. He quietly observed her as she chewed on her lips and finally sighed.
“I’m planning to leave.” The oxygen in Damian’s room felt like it wasn’t enough for him to breath. And Raven instantly became worried seeing him in a mix of shock and fear. She approached him cautiously, her hand extended towards him. Raven was two steps away from Damian when he suddenly shot up to his feet and she froze as she studied him.
Damian was ashen, his jaw clenched and his fists flexing, but his eyes that were on her—seemed to go through her and in his green eyes she saw him shredding his initial reaction into oblivion. He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath and when he exhaled, that was when Raven found herself unfrozen and had touched Damian’s arm. She looked up at him, a fear in the base of her throat that felt like it was going to burst, but he only glanced at her in silent confusion.
“I don’t plan to leave now—I was just making you aware that I will—maybe in a few months.” She blurted out, in order to speak before Damian could. “I think it’s for the best—it’s still kind of hard to see Garfield. Especially now—no maybe particularly now—because I really want to move on from him.”
“He will always affect you.” Damian whispered with the smallest hint of resignation. And before Raven could acknowledge it, he added, “It can’t be helped, our team and Young Justice cross paths now and then—and recently it seems to be more frequent.” His tone was that of a firm leader that Raven completely forgot his previous remark.
“Yes, that is exactly it.” She softly agreed. In the silence that followed she realized that she was still resting her palm on Damian’s arm, she pulled away quickly and looked away from his general direction.
“I’m not planning to leave anytime soon—so you really don’t have to worry about my replacement yet.” She said jokingly but he only quietly nodded as he observed her.
Not even a week after Raven’s revelation of leaving due to the difficulty of seeing Garfield, the three found themselves in a room in the Titan Tower. Damian was standing in front of Garfield while Raven stood by Damian’s left side with her arms crossed over her chest. A rather strained triangle was formed between the three.
“We need your help on this Damian, I’m here to try and convince you.” Garfield said as Damian took notes on Raven from the corner of his eyes. She looked as neutral as she could, but he knew that she must be having difficulties seeing him so soon— with Garfield acting as though him and her were not a thing a few months ago.
“I don’t think I need convincing, Garfield. If it’s an order from the league I cannot say no to it.” Damian simply responded.
“Well, that is true, but I guess I am here for formality’s sake.” He replied but his eyes glanced at Raven, who had caught his eyes and so did Damian.
“Raven is my right hand, and she has been in the team the longest. We will discuss how we can best assist and inform our team.” Damian firmly decided, Raven nodded her head, arms still crossed.
“Oh—well—” Garfield glanced at Raven then Damian, “I thought maybe I could—”
“We need to discuss how best to help as soon and as quickly as possible.” Damian cuts in, and Raven nodded again silently. Garfield at this point is blatantly looking at Raven. He had intended to try and talk to her, but it seemed that she did not want to.
“I—” Garfield had begun to say.
“We will contact you Gar.” Raven quietly said before Garfield could say anything else.
Maybe she did want to talk to him, it’s just that they were more focused on the mission and intel he had just provided. Garfield thought as he nodded absent-mindedly.
Damian turned to leave and Raven followed before the conversation between the three could be dragged out by Garfield.
Damian walked quickly to his room and Raven followed absent-mindedly. When they arrived in Damian’s room, Raven just stood in the center blankly. Damian cleared his throat.
“I know this isn’t the best place to bring you in—” She heard him say and she glanced at her surroundings, realizing where she was. Damian had led her to his bedroom. “But you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to.” Raven simply shook her head.
“No. I am a part of this team; I am just as responsible as you are Damian.” And he knew her well enough to know that Raven had made up her mind, and that she will not change her mind. If only he had known then, what would happen in the mission- because he had allowed her to go, then maybe things would be different for him and her.
“I know you wanted to leave because of Garfield—and this happens—if you ever want to leave this mission half-way, I totally understand.” Raven looked at him with a gentle gaze, glad for Damian’s thoughtfulness. But this was work, she should be able to do this mission. And maybe—this should be the last. And she nodded as she responded to his offer, little did Damian know that Raven was thinking of having this as her last and final mission as a Titan.
A good way to end a bad relationship she supposed—working one last time with an ex she was trying to avoid.
“I need to call in for a team meeting.” Damian sighed while shaking his head and putting a hand on his forehead. And she smiled faintly at him, but her mind steered back to a green skinned boy, she still knew she loved.
~.~.~.~.~
Damian did not expect things to turn out like this. They were pushed in a corner, the creature facing his direction trying to spot anyone on his side. Tim was somewhere behind the creature tending to a team member who had fallen. Damian was unsure if Tim was tending a Titan or a member of the Young Justice team from his hiding place behind a car.
Terra attacked the albino twenty-foot creature. And Raven who was on the far side of Damian’s general left area, heard Terra’s battle cry. The next thing Raven knew was a knot in her heart as she heard Garfield who was in vulture form, screaming Terra’s name.
Raven instantly stood up from her hiding place and ran to the center still very far from Damian. Raven saw Terra’s body flung towards her general direction and Raven catched her by putting a shield around Terra which slowed and protected her from a dangerous fall. But the act left Raven extremely vulnerable.
Garfield had landed near Damian and shifted back into human form. Raven’s eye caught the black eyes of the creature—if you can call them eyes. And she realized what it was about to do, she placed a force field around herself quickly as she reprimanded herself for her stupid move of going out of her hiding place to help Terra out. She knew completely that her decision was impaired due to Garfield screaming Terra’s name with such fear. She hated herself for being affected by it.
She hated that she still places him in high regard.
Suddenly—it was quiet. Raven’s face twisted into confusion. The shield around her was up, so why did she feel the blood drain from her? She felt rather weak. She heard Garfield screaming her name—she couldn’t help but smile. Thinking that Garfield could still scream her name the way he did when he screamed Terra's—was oddly comforting. She turned to look at her left where Damian and Garfield were, confused as she could hear another male call her name.
Raven’s eyes landed on Damian’s face, a contortion of shock and fear and maybe five other more emotions that she could not quite place. He was screaming her name, looking as though at any moment now, he would run to her. And she was even more confused. She turned back to look at the creature, but with her gaze that was casted down, she noticed what had happened.
Yes, her shield was up. But there was a black spike that passed through her shield. No—it wasn’t that it passed through, it seemed that her shield allowed it to—or to be exact her shield couldn’t close onto the black spike. She followed where the spike continued on after passing her shield, and she was in a state of serenity to see that it hit her- just below her sternum.
The mix of screams from Damian and Garfield was something she tried to focus her mind on.
Her shield dissipated as she found herself coughing blood, and the black single spike on her chest retracted. She stared at the creature blankly as the spike entered its palm. Raven slowly dropped to her knees; her brows furrowed. She could not think straight.
They were still screaming her name. She turned her head, initially planning to look at Garfield, finding it so very odd to hear him call out her name the way he was. She never knew that he would be worried about him like that after everything they had been through. But when she turned her head to the left, as her body tilted back—it was Damian who her eyes laid on.
And her eyes widened as she realized the truth. She could only hear Damian’s screaming now—but she was aware that Garfield was screaming her name too because he was in clear view from where she now laid. But her eyes focused on Damian.
For the first time she had seen and felt Damian’s fear, something she was certain he couldn’t express prior to this moment in time. She could just feel him telling her not to give in, but her eyes were droopy. She felt tired.
And for the first time she truly felt his feelings for her. The rawness—the intensity. How could she have missed it?
Raven tried to extend her hand to Damian, feeling rather guilty—and hoping she was at least able to convey her apology though the act. But it was so very difficult to keep her eyes open.
'I should have known.’ Raven thought as she tried to keep herself conscious. 'I shouldn’t have taken you for granted. I should have given you the chance—I should have taken the chance sooner to move on from a relationship that did me no good.’ Raven thought she saw Damian running towards her—but maybe it was just an illusion.
'If there is some other life—I wish to give you a chance. I wish to be happy with you.’ She swore to herself.
And her eyes fluttered shut. Raven was unsure if she indeed felt her body being lifted up from the ground. Damian held her gently in his arms as he glared at the creature’s back who was currently distracted by Tim on the other side.
'I should have seen and felt you. I am a pathetic empath for missing such an important thing. It was clearly so obvious—and clearly in front of me. You do love me Damian, I wish I could tell you that. You had loved me for the longest time—and I did not notice.
It’s pure and true—it is still love; The love I have been wanting—I’m glad I got it from you.’ Raven silently confessed to herself, the words she wished he could hear, she wished that she could have confessed it to him.
When Damian Al Ghul reached the side of his beloved—Raven. She had exhaled her last breath a long time ago. All he could do now was hold her lifeless blue corpse in his hands. He did not understand and could not comprehend—no, it was simply denial—what has happened to his beloved Raven who was in his arms.
He was kneeling down on the ground, a hand resting on the back of her neck. Her head limp and eyes closed and lips so terribly blue, his other arm under her legs. She had died a long time ago, had he come a minute earlier; nothing would have changed.
Time felt awfully too slow for him at that very moment. And yet, he was so very aware of every breathing, moving thing or person around him. And it made the non-existent breathing and moving of his beloved’s chest so sickeningly deafening in his ears.
His lips opened, and his inhalation was slow. “I want them all dead.” He heard himself say, his head spinning. “No—I want their limbs pulled apart, and I want them to suffer.” He heard himself continue on.
“Yes, my lord.” An assassin in black replied.
The heat from the flames around Damian reached his skin.
For a moment, he thought that maybe the heat would warm the cold body in his arms. He pulled her closer, but she was still freezing. He looked up at the sky, imaging a life without the woman he was cradling. And soft splatters of water fall from the sky.
It was like heaven was agreeing: that a life without her, was not a life worth living.
The rain drops pick up, and it felt like pellets against his skin. The cold from the rain quickly settles against his skin, and a small part of him longed for the heat. And he pulled her tightly against him, trying to protect her from the rain.
“You’re already so cold—no more…” He whispered brokenly; his eyes closed tightly as his back arched to shield her from the rain. But her body was so stiff against his, and it just made his heart ache even more.
Behind Damian was chaos. There were orange flames licking everything, his assassins catching those who aren’t a part of the league. Dead bodies littered all around, some people trapped inside the flames. And there was a lot of screaming. And because the rain was strong, the flames were contained but not enough to put the flames out. And Damian screamed and wept. His screams mixed with the harsh sounds of the rain and the chaos behind him. His tears blending with the painful rainfall against his face.
Eventually the flames were quelled by the rain and the screaming of frightened people disappeared. And even the pellets of water weren’t as painful and strong anymore. In front of Damian, the eerily dark, empty and silent forest seemed to mock him.
He too, stopped grieving. He couldn’t even tell if his throat was hoarse from screaming, or if his eyes burned after weeping so much. All Damian knew was emptiness now.
His assassins were hidden, too afraid to even approach him in such a state. They could see very clearly how broken their lord has become. They could see that he had fully entered into the darkness. This was something they have wanted collectively, and yet they feared the day that it would come—of the change necessary—and here it was.
The day they had feared the most.
A death they feared more of happening then their master’s.
Raven was an existence to them that was almost rather vile. It wasn’t that she was a bad person, it was because she was quite the opposite that they recognized the danger. The implication.
The weakness a Demon’s Head should not be having. And yet, it was also the same reason why they would go out of their way to ensure her safety. They could see clearly the kind of man their lord can be when she is taken off the equation. And they feared that kind of man even more.
Sometimes the assassins of the league would think that there really was no right or wrong between a Damian with or without his Raven. But they are Damian Al Ghul’s underlings, so of course, they would just follow. And since they knew he wanted her safe, following that would be easier than deciding who to fear more.
Him without her, or him with her.
Her clothes were no longer white. Her robes were always so pristinely white, thus she always stood out amongst the assassins with their black garbs. Now, it had the tinge of brown, and there was blood, dirt and rips everywhere, and mud on the parts that touch the ground. The assassins felt awful seeing her in that state. It was simply unfamiliar.
And Damian suddenly stood up. The air around him grew lifeless.
What would their leader do?
“Let’s go.” He said in such an empty tone. His voice is slightly different from what his assassins were used to.
His assassins reappeared around him. “Let’s return to Nanda Parbat.”
When Damian arrived at Nanda Parbat, the assassins who were not with their lord previously, upon seeing their lady’s lifeless corpse, understood the situation quickly. And they found that they were holding back their shivers of fear. Soon, the entire place was filled with lifelessness and trepidation.
“Prepare a basin of water, a wash cloth, sponge and every kind of essential oils we have.” Damian ordered as he continued to walk through his palace. The echoes of his footsteps are very eerie.
“Prepare the best silks we have too.” He added quietly.
He brought Raven into a room. “This was supposed to be my surprise for you.” He mumbled looking at the walls and decorations in the room. “I painstakingly prepared everything for you.” He mumbled, setting her down gently on the bed. He kneels by her side, holding her hand and resting it on his forehead. And he wept silently.
Her fingers were so stiff and cold against his skin. And it made his heart ache again.
Soon his subjects placed all that he asked for in the room. They did not say a thing about their own master kneeling on the floor by the side of his dead lover. And they quietly left just like how they entered– in complete silence.
Minutes passed before he pulled away from her lifeless body. His heart ached as he tried to remove her clothes off of her. He was so careful, he had to be. He was so afraid he’d hurt her more. And when all the dirty clothes were off her, his eyes twitched at the bruises and wounds all over her body.
He couldn’t save her.
Silent tears fell from his eyes as his shaking hands reached out for the sponge and water with some lavender oils. He gently cleaned her with the sponge and dried her skin with the washcloth. And with all the dirt and blood off of her body, he could see even more clearly all the wounds and bruises.
He was late—too late.
But as he cleaned her, he had made up his mind. He has resources.
“You might hate me for this. But I am willing to take the consequences.” He slipped in a white silk dress on her. And he picks her up, his eyes full of resolve.
The next thing Damian knew was the brown walls of the cavern illuminated by torches. And the green liquid of the pool in front of him. He was very familiar with this place. He could hear the sound of the flickering torches around him, and the sound of breathing from his own lips.
The woman in his arms, must have been dead for a few hours now. The pool looked very inviting, despite its disgusting color.
“There have been a few people that the Lazarus Pit revived—and the consequences, my beloved, I am willing to take.” He stroked her cold cheek. “Forgive me.” His apology was simply lip service. He actually didn’t care if he would hate her. He wouldn’t care if she would not be the same.
A life without her—was really—a life he was not willing to live.
As long as her heart was beating, and there was breath in her lungs, then everything was worth it.
He kissed her forehead gently and then looked at the Lazarus Pit. His eyes were cold and determined. He took a step near the pit and continued on. His hold on her was gentle, her head resting on his shoulder. Soon the water was around his waist and he lowered her. He waited for a moment, his heart aching at having to fully submerge his beloved into the green liquid, but he cannot hesitate now.
Damian kneeled and so Raven was submerged under the water, his head above the water.
He waited and waited. And it felt so long that it hurt.
She had already died because he was too late and here he was drowning her dead body. It felt like he was killing her ten times over. But he closed his eyes, his jaw clenched tightly.
And finally, he felt her twitch against him and arms wrapped around him. He quickly pulled her up by standing up. There was a lot of screaming from her, her entire eyes black.
“Raven! Raven!” He called out but she kept screaming. “It’s me!” And he felt a sting on his left shoulder. She had bit him hard, he was bleeding.
“It’s me.” He coaxed her as he patted her head. “It’s me.” He hugged her and she whimpered, teeth still on his shoulder.
“My Lord!” It was the familiar voice of a woman he had become friends with when he was twelve. The worry in her voice was so unlike her. He turned around, and for the first time, her face was not frozen in the expression that he was used to—indifference. Her facial expression matched the tone of her voice.
It was so clear on her face and in her tone, the fear and the pain she felt.
And when her eyes landed on Raven whose teeth were still on his shoulder, her body winced. She gulped down her messy thoughts. And suddenly fell to her knees.
“I should have been there!” She said her head casted down.
“Raven is perfectly fine.” Damian replied, and the woman before him, who was his shadow, his right hand—among other things, just clenched her fist silently.
“I should have been summoned back. I should have gone back.” She made her mind up. She shouldn’t have waited for a summon.
“Everything is alright. Raven is fine.” He caressed his lover’s black hair. “You had a mission to complete. And my Raven– my beloved Raven is completely safe.” Damian insisted as he continued to caress the hair of the woman in his arms who had growled at him like an animal.
“We will be alright.” Damian finally said as he walked out from the waters of the pit. The lady outside the pool silently kneeled with clenched eyes and fists.
Raven was never the same, but Damian welcomed the change with open arms. After all, she was still breathing and alive.
In a timeline wherein both or either one of Damian or Raven are anti-heroes, Phoenix would be born. Depending on the timeline, there would be subtle changes in his character, but it is constant that he would grow up as an anti-hero too.
His hair is black, his skin is caramel and his body built like his father. Naturally his eyes were so blue it looked purple in some angles. But as proof of his mother’s origins and a sign of the power he holds, his eyes that were blue had become red, an unnatural color for an inhuman being. He would normally be seen with red eyes, but people say there were times his eyes were purple or maybe it is blue?
His name was Phoenix, the same name he uses as his anti-hero alias and perhaps to maintain a form of continuity Phoenix preferred using fire, notable cases are when he is bored or angry. Phoenix would often be seen creating fire and manipulating it with his hands.
Everyone knew who he was, who his parents were and he did not have a double life. He was Phoenix, son of Raven and son of Damian, and with the respective titles his parents have depending on the timeline. At a young age he became a master of all forms of martial arts and any weapon imaginable thanks to his father’s guidance and became very well-renowned with the mystic arts due to his mother’s great effort and teachings.
He was seen as the perfect hero by the Justice League, it was very unfortunate when he decided to walk the path of an anti-hero– although it was preferred than him being a villain.
Any information about him was rather superficial yet true. Some people would say tracing his parents life would be easier than getting anything meaningful about Phoenix and that the only life worth using to dangle over Phoenix was his parents. However, using his parents as hostages to get him to cooperate would be a great feat in itself. Simply put, he was indifferent to most things and thus seen as bland. But the reality was, he is the type who would openly hand out personal information himself, not caring much about the repercussions. After all, he is a master in both mortal combat and weapons, and the mystical arts and with his grey morality, anything and everything was possible. Even so, Phoenix would rather give information about him that wasn’t harmful in any way, thus the superficial yet true statements.
He was not the type who takes an eye for an eye, he will take bodies over bodies just for an eye. And so yes, the Justice League sees the threat, but he doesn’t do anything to agitate the League.
He is often at Nanda Parbat training to be The Next Demon’s Head, and when he’s not he would go out and find things to amuse himself, like villains the heroes can’t seem to deal with because of their foolish morals.
Raven was in her room in the Titan Tower sleeping peacefully. The full moon’s light being the only illumination in her bedroom. Suddenly her breathing became shallow. She pushed her comforter off of her body as she struggled with some kind of phantom. Her black one-piece sleepwear riding up her legs due to her movements.
She clenched her sheets in fear, “Damian…” She mutters breathlessly, sweat starting to form on her face, but her entire body ashen. She calls out for Damian again.
“No…” She struggled, tears forming and falling onto her mattress. She awoke with a jolt, his name at the tip of her tongue. She was close to screaming. Her irises under the moonlight looked redder than it should be, and when she blinked it turned back to its familiar violet hue.
Raven felt like she was choking as she gasps for air. She could still vividly see the nightmare she had. Damian was in her arms dying. And she froze as the thought sunk in, her breathing had stopped.
Damian Wayne was all she could think of.
She found herself in front of his bedroom door. She looked at his door confused as how she got there. But still lost in the emotion that her nightmare had caused her. Her breathing still shallow. She had to know he was safe, something inside her was screaming so miserably to know that he was safe.
The knocking didn’t register to Raven as she was still lost in her emotions. At first it was barely audible, but realizing that there was no sign of life on the other side of door, her raps on the door became a little too hasty, a little too paranoid.
When the door finally opened, she was still ready to knock on the door obsessively. When her absent eyes registered Damian’s form, she couldn’t help but put a hand over her chest where her heart laid and clenched it in relief. The breath she exhaled seemed so loud in the empty hall.
Knowing he was safe made her relax a bit. When she studied his expression and was about to explain herself, she was surprised to see Damian wrapped around his blanket. His hair was a mess and looking haggard, but also very much worried.
“What- why are you dressed like that?” She couldn’t help but ask. Her fear over her nightmare completely replaced by confusion due to Damian attire. His blanket over his shoulders as he tightly wrapped it over his chest. A blush slowly crept its way to his face as he looked away not able to meet Raven in the eye.
“I—I sleep naked.” He mutters a confession softly. And with that said, Raven realized how she had knocked on his door. The urgency and suddenness must have confused Damian. And due to the knocks progressing rapidly, he did not have time to wear anything.
He was completely naked underneath that blanket.
“I had a nightmare—you died in my arms, and I was so scared.” She blurted out, her face turning ashen as the words sunk in again. There was something in her mind that clicked. Her eyes for a moment vacant once again.
“Do you want to talk about it inside?” He offered almost instantly, completely forgetting his naked state underneath the blanket. He clears his throat. “But if your uncomfortable, I can stay in the corner and I swear I won’t approach you.” He mumbles, his thoughts not coherent.
“I mean I could change first—” He tried to correct himself, but Raven shook her head and forced herself inside his room. Her eyes wide from recalling her awful dream.
“Oh… okay.” He mumbles as he took a peek at the empty hall and cautiously closed the door. He re-adjusted his hold on the blanket and made sure it was snug around him before he turned to look at Raven. After turning to face Raven he found that he could not look at directly.
“I sleep naked too.” She suddenly said and he choked on the revelation.
“Raven—” He called out, and turned his head to her but when his eyes landed on her—she was already naked before him. And he found himself choking again as he quickly looks away.
“I—I don’t think this is a good idea…” He mumbles, looking anywhere but at her. They were already at the age of twenty, seeing one another naked, really wasn’t a big deal. But this was different.
“That dream made me realize something—I don’t want to take any more chances.” She said as she took a step towards him, and Damian stiffened as he felt her presence a little bit too close for comfort. Her brows furrowed at his reaction.
“I—I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have.” She mumbled, starting to feel embarrassed at what she had just done. Not completely understanding why she did it in the first place.
“No-no it’s not like that.” He tried to explain and had looked at her accidentally. He froze seeing Raven pick up her nightwear.
She was completely butt naked under the nightgown; he came to realize.
Their eyes met, and for a moment he thought that her irises seemed a bit too red than normal. Her body bending over to pick up the piece of clothing, and a lump formed at the base of his throat among other places. His eyes tracing the outline of her body. Before he could mention her eyes, her face was already two inches away from his, and he inhaled in surprise.
Her scent entering his lungs and making his thoughts muddled.
“Then, what is it?” She asked softly—rather– alluringly. He held his breath, her eyes not the right shade.
“Then what is it, Damian.” She asks again, the space between them even less now. His mouth opens to respond, but she slipped her right hand under his blanket, and her hand rested on his left pec. Her touch felt like electricity. The words he was about to say—gone. Forgotten.
Her lips met his and his green eyes widened in shock. Her eyes still a bit redder than it should be, and his eyes turning yellower than it should be too. And Raven gently pushed the blanket off of Damian’s shoulder as his grip on the blanket disappeared due to her kiss. The blanket slips off his body seamlessly.
Since his hands were free now, his right hand reached for Raven’s waist, his fingers tracing her spine. And he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. There was shock between the two when they realized what was happening and their eyes revert back to its normal colors.
But they didn’t stop. Their hands roam each other’s naked bodies, their lips not parting.
The moonlight hit their eyes and for a moment, both eyes were certainly a different shade.
~.~.~.~.~
“We are lacking a butterfly.” A lady with black hair that was tied in a tight bun near the base of her neck said. She was wearing a lab gown over a pencil skirt, a cream blouse paired with black stockings and black heels. She was in a bright white room. A laboratory.
A man in a black suit with black hair approaches her from behind and wraps his arms around her waist. The girl narrowed her grey eyes that had the faintest hint of blue in them behind her thinly framed glasses. She scrutinized the violet liquid in her hands which was inside a vial. The man in the suit glances at the liquid in her hand, his dark green eyes uninterested in what she was holding onto, or the missing subject.
The pair appeared to be younger than thirty. The male lays his head on her left shoulder. He was significantly taller than her but both frames were on the thinner side.
“It’s harmless anyways…” He mumbles onto her skin.
“You should still be concerned, after all it is your money being wasted here.” She replied swatting the man off of her with her free hand, and he lets go.
“And you shouldn’t be doing that in a sterile lab.” She scolds gently as she walks around the table and put down the vial. The man approaches her but she turned to walk to the glass enclosure a bit on her right.
“There is supposed to be two of them in here,” She taps the glass. “One is missing.”
He attempts to wrap his arms on the woman again.
“Leo, I am working.” She sighs, this time not even attempting to push him away.
“It’s harmless, you don’t have to worry about it now. Let’s just go home, Cami.” He mumbles into her shoulder and she sighs again.
“Alright.” She concedes and he pulled away as he waits for her to pack up her things. But he walks to an enclosure that seemed to have about eight sparkling butterflies in them. And Camilla noticed Leonardo observing her latest project.
“It’s just a love bug. It pretty harmless,” She says double checking some paper works. “It looks pretty, but once it bites a subject, it slowly dies. A one bite-kind of life.” She sighs as she signed the paper before her and takes her glasses off and sets it on the table.
“Its effects—is as what it is called—a love bug.” She says approaching Leonardo Killian Sawyer, the current CEO and founder of the Sawyer Conglomerates. “But it only enhances what is already there, it cannot give what is not there.”
“It is also easy to know if it is in effect, the infected will have their eyes change into a slightly redder undertone. People aren’t really aware what each eye color looks like if it’s just a tinge bit redder, and the change isn’t really evident unless they have some keen eyes. Thus, this symptom would likely go unnoticed by those infected and those surrounding the infected. If an infected were to exchange body fluids with another, they would infect the other. But like you’ve said, your love bug cannot give what is not there. If the other party has no mutual feelings with the one infecting them, nothing will happen. But if they are both infected, what exists will be enhanced and the chemicals the bug gives while the bug slowly dies. The bug is dead with no carcass, and the chemicals disappear into their own accord, leaving virtually no trace.” Leonardo finishes off with a smug face, and Camilla crossed her arms over her chest.
“You think I wouldn’t read your report?” He asks her with a sly smile to which she playfully rolls her eyes.
“Of course. You’re never interested in what I do.” She says as she turns from him and remove her lab coat. “You’re only interested in funding whatever projects I want to test out.” She places her lab coat over her left forearm.
Leonardo wraps his left arm around her waist as he takes her lab coat with his right hand.
“Nonsense, I’m always interested in anything you do.” He whispers beside her left ear, and her face slowly turn red.
“That’s the only reason you opened up this research laboratory.” She muttered, and suddenly her face was facing his. His right arm holding her lab coat around her waist as his left hand tilt her head to face him. His green eyes were cold as he stares down at her, and her back shivered against his chest.
“The lab is my engagement gift to you.” He said simply and Camilla refused to rebuke, knowing his personality well. She would be in deep trouble if she says anything at this point. He leaned in closer to her and kissed her, her lips opened and he deepened the kiss. She gently pushes him.
“There are cameras here.” She mutters her face flushed.
“I’m their boss, they will ignore it.” He says caressing her right cheek with his left hand. “I wonder if you’ve used those bugs on me.” He mumbles, and she takes a step back from him with wide eyes.
“I wouldn’t!” She says, but he took a step closer to her to keep their distance the same. And she exhaled breathlessly at the maintained closeness.
“Of course, you wouldn’t.” He simply said and captured her lips, this time not allowing her to breath and think. When he pulled away, she was left in a daze.
“If I didn’t come by here, you would be sleeping in this laboratory. It’s time to go, Cami.” He whispered her name so alluringly beside her ear, that she was entrapped by him. And all she could do was nod silently.
Before she completely disappeared from the door, she stole a glance at the glass enclosure with only one butterfly left.
Later that evening way pass midnight, in their mansion, Camilla awoke. A hypothesis in her head. And she had to write it down. She looks at the man beside her who was peacefully asleep. With pressed lips she quietly slipped out of bed trying her best not to wake him up.
She tip-toed to the table a few meters in front of their bed. She was chilly as she stood in their bedroom naked, but bared with it because had she taken a blanket, she was sure he would wake. Her back facing him, her body filled with red spots. She picked up the pen and wrote on the paper.
She heard his throat clear, and she froze.
Camilla had no choice but to turn to her fiancé, and she sees him propped up against their bed’s headboard with crossed arms over his bare chest. She smiled wearily as she cleared her throat.
“I have to write this down. Before I forget.” She said and he sighed.
“The butterfly is a mixture of magic and science. What if there is a way to figure out if someone is infected. What if there is a reason why the butterfly got out of the enclosure. It is likely because of its magical properties. But then how would that butterfly find its subject. What if it has a similar magical property? A similar magical signature. And then what if it doesn’t bite but infuses—”
“I don’t bring work to the bedroom.” He tells her, and she raised an eyebrow at him.
“You and I know for a fact that you do.” She said as she crossed her arms over her chest. His eyes gaze at her body adoringly and she felt her face flush.
“I do not pass 8pm.” He corrected and she pressed her lips.
“Just let me write this, and this will be the only time.” And she turned around to write on the paper as she heard him sigh again.
“Honestly…” She heard him mumble. “You know I don’t like you dabbling with magic.” He adds but she was consumed in writing all her theories.
He got up from bed and walked towards her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face on her black hair for a moment.
“Aren’t you cold? Let me warm you up.” He mumbles as he slowly kissed her right shoulder.
“I have to write.” She insists, as she continued writing even with his distraction. “I never got to test the butterfly on a human subject. There is so much more I could learn from this. And your restrictions make it difficult.” She mumbles as she jots down other possibilities.
“Come back to bed.” He mumbled as he kissed her neck. “Do that later.”
“You know how important this is to me.” She turned her body to face him, her expression serious and yet weary.
“I know. But you are important to me too.” He stroked her black hair. “I do not want you dabbling with magic, but I indulge you even when you go against my wishes.”
With closed eyes as Cami touched her hair she nodded. “I know, let’s go back to bed.”
And he smiled at her tenderly.
~.~.~.~.~
Raven’s room in the Titan Tower was empty and cold, as the owner never came back from her little trip. A butterfly with beautiful dark blue wings glittered atop her dresser. It slowly flapped its wings, the moonlight causing it to glitter even more. But as it continued to flap its wings, the tips of its wings slowly fade and blend into the moonlight, until there was no more butterfly to mention anymore.
Meanwhile in Damian’s room there was life and heat that was stifling. Panting and mumbling and moaning. And two bodies atop the bed exploring each other. Raven laid against the mattress while Damian was atop of her.
“I’ve liked you for so long…” Raven mumbles her chin on top of his head. Her right hand running through his hair while her left arm hooked over his right shoulder. Damian was kissing and sucking on her clavicle.
“I have too.” He confessed as he pulled away to look at her. Who would have thought this night would come to the two of them. As the two continue to taste and explore one another, it felt as though their taste had permanently locked onto one another. And that no one else could compare to their partner tonight.
~.~.~.~.~
Author’s Notes:
So, this is the other version of MIDNIGHT RENDESVOUS. Keeping this all PG.
Hope you like it!
Camilla and Leonardo actually have a small background story. If you are interested, I could dabble on that a bit.
Damian stood in front of me, and I was at the verge of tears over the loss of our teammates and the emotions of those killed around us due to the parademons. It was suffocating and overwhelming, everything was too much. I could feel so much anger and remorse, and sadness– and the simple realization that this was it—this was their death. The intensity of it all made me rather self-aware, that this was happening to the entire people of earth at this moment. And I couldn’t help it anymore, because it came so suddenly and with such intensity, I found myself crying.
“Raven…” Damian said, he was dripping wet as he had just come out of the water just a moment ago. I found my outstretched hand shaking as I tried to approach him because I had to heal him. But I found myself stumbling, Damian noticing my situation and ran towards me despite his obvious injured state and held me on our knees.
“Raven.” He says my name so firmly for a moment I was able to contain my emotions.
“Little girl, you and I both know your will is slipping, just let me out now and ease your pain.” My father whispers to me, but I just bit my lip to maintain my concentration.
“I have to heal you, Damian.” I simply say as I brought my hand to his face. He looks down at me and he closes his eyes with a sigh. And I healed him, but the contact made me focus on his emotions. It was similar to what I was already feeling, but this was undoubtedly his, and not a collection of emotions from a multitude of people. My tears continue to fall, as his anger, sadness and helplessness begin to blend into the sea of emotions from the entire world.
“Little girl.” I bit my lip harder.
“Raven!” Damian called out to me, a hand on my cheek, my eyes wide in shock.
“What are you doing?” He says angrily, and I look at him confused. “Your drawing out blood!” He says his voice laced with worry; his eyes seemingly focused on my chin—no my lips, that is why it felt numb. I had bit down on my lip so much to injure it.
“Slipping…”A chuckle echoes through my ears.
“I…” I glanced at our surroundings, at our dead teammates and dead parademons. “I can’t take this!” I shoved my face against my shaking hands. It’s just too much, I sob. And I could feel him stay so still. He was dealing with this too; he must think me selfish for acting like this. He wouldn’t understand—no one could understand this knot I was feeling right now.
I felt arms wrapped around me and it caused me to stop crying out of shock. And I looked up to see the setting sky. Damian’s head on the nook between my right shoulder and neck.
“Everything will be alright, Raven. I promise you.” Hearing him say that, made me feel centered again. And I was able to block the external emotions I was feeling. But one final tear slipped from my eye, as I slowly return his comforting hug. And yet knowing, so fully well, that even he was unsure how to proceed after this disaster. Knowing fully well, that everything was not alright.
When all my emotions settled in, all that was left was his and my genuine emotions. Damian now felt that he had a responsibility, I couldn’t help but wonder what he felt responsible for. And I realized that the helplessness Damian felt before, was mine too.
“You won’t be so lucky next time” A light growl from father echoes in my mind.
“We need to find a safe place.” Damian says as he pulled away from me, and I nodded. I absently looked at our team members, and so did he.
“We can’t even bury them…” I whisper softly, and Damian looked down on the ground as he shook his head and after stood up offering me his right hand.
“We can’t afford to waste time, the parademons might attack again, we need to hide now and rest properly.” I look up at him as I placed my hand on top his right hand. I know that he was right.
We had been hiding and killing parademons here and there for a week now. Three days ago, we found out that Conner was alive and joined us in hiding. We were so happy to find that there was someone else who had survived the attack.
“So, what’s the plan Damian?” Superboy asks, we were at a dark abandoned building—our current hide out.
“Nothing, we just have to try and survive now.” Damain glares at Superboy. “This is all Superman’s fault.” He gritted his teeth, and I saw Superboy ball his fist in response. Despite being together for three days, the tension between them had not dissipated. They would fight over this topic.
“Enough!” I say knowing fully well that this could start a fight. “There is no plan Conner, you’ve seen the state of the world already. What can three barely superheroes do? We only fight parademons when they attack us, we have never actively fought them, we can’t risk a horde after us, you know that!”
A faint amuse laughter comes out from my father, and I lean against the broken table for support. I felt their eyes on me.
“Perhaps it was wrong of you to come here Superboy. I did not expect that you were hoping for us three to do something against Darkseid.” Damian says and I look up at him, the tension between the two felt stagnant for a moment. The look on Damian’s face tugged on my heartstrings.
“Perhaps it is better for you to return to your family and protect them,” He looks away from Connor and sighs. “Be thankful you still have them.” Damian’s fist clenched.
When Connor found us, I recalled the relieved look on his face. When we got to a safe place, he told us that when we were attacked, he was hit and flew far away from the tower. When he came to, he had attempted to go to the Titans Tower to collect our dead; but he could not find himself to look at them so closely. So, Conner stood from a very safe distance and left. Afterwards he went to his parents, hoping that they were safe. Thankfully, Superman had implemented a safety measure for them, so they were safe. Damian was very angry when he found out Superman had safety precautions for his parents.
Conner was devastated but with his parents help, he was able to find strength again. And so, he went back to the Titan Tower, planning to bury his fellow members as that was what they deserved, but there were no bodies to be found. And that was when he deciding and hoped that just maybe– somewhere out there– was at least one Titan member that survived. And he found us.
I had opened my mouth to try and comfort Damian but Connor cut me off with a very loud sigh.
“You’re right, Damain.” A pause. “I am grateful that they are safe, and I should probably go and make sure that they will always be safe.” I felt Superboy’s resignation, there was really nothing we could do now. We knew for a fact that the justice league members that went to Apokolips are mostly dead, so what hope and chance did we really have?
Connor approaches Damian and placed a hand on Damian’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” He whispers sadly, Damian looks down on the floor.
“Yeah, me too…” He responds faintly, and Connor slowly walks out of our hideout. He glances at me and gives a weak smile as farewell, and I couldn’t help but feel like crying, because I felt them. They were just trying to be strong, but the reality was—they weren’t. They were trying to look for hope in a place that provided no form of comfort. They had felt the resignation long before this moment—this moment that they finally acknowledged their hopelessness.
When the door closes behind Connor, I stood up and slowly approach Damian.
“Raven…” He calls my name in the darkness and I was startled, I look at his green eyes my brows etched in worry.
A gasp from my father.
“I have something I must admit to you.” He tells me and I can see and feel how difficult this is for him.
“I get it now,” My father laughs.
“What is it Damian?” I look at him and gently urged him with a faint smile. He turns his back around me and walked a couple steps.
“You like him.” A fact.
“I have been in contact with the league of assassins,” I stare at his back. “I am thinking of going back.” He crossed his arms behind him, he turns to look at me, his eyes gentle.
“I would like you to join me in leading them.” I stare at his lips as he says those words.
“I will kill the boy if you don’t release me, daughter!” My heart was beating so loud and it felt as though it sunk to my stomach, and I must have looked ashen.
“No…” I whispered breathlessly. Damian was startled—hurt. He took a step back unconsciously and turned around.
“I… I understand.” He mutters to himself, not sounding like his usual self.
A laughter from my father. Damian looked as though he was preparing to leave now.
“No!” I ran towards Damian and grabbed his left wrist pulling him to me, and he turns to look at me. But I just crashed my lips against his, and I placed my right hand on his right cheek.
“You will regret this daughter!” My father screams. I felt Damian wrap his left arm around my waist and his right hand cupping my left cheek as he kisses me back.
Shut up, father.
“Yes! Yes, I want to go with you!” I say frantically, worried that the kiss was not obvious enough. But he had kissed me back—so this means its mutual right?
I hear him sigh and placed his head on the nook of my right shoulder.
“You worried me, Raven. I’m glad you changed your mind so quickly” He chuckles. I hug him and clenched his cape.
You will not win father, I swear it.
When we arrived at Nan Parbat, the first thing Lady Shiva said was about Dick.
“You used the Lazarus Pit on Dick?” I grabbed his wrist and look at him. We were at an empty hallway within the compound.
“I have to try— his my brother!” Damian says not looking me in the eyes.
“Damian…” I took a step forward, placed my hand on his cheek and stood on my tippy toes, understanding what I was doing he places his forehead against mine. “I trust you. I trust your decisions; I might have done the same.” And he wrapped me around his arms.
“Just so we are clear…” Damian clears his throat and pulled away; he looks away from me. “We are together right?” And I laugh and he glares at me with a slight pout.
“Of course,” I cup both of his cheeks between my hands and I felt his relief. “I trust that you trust me too?” He smiles and closes the distance between our lips. A soft gentle and loving kiss.
“Yes, I do.” He says and I could hear my father growl, but I smiled. I will enjoy my moment with him, for as long as I can.
Two years had passed and in those two years, I felt so happy. Happier than I have ever been, but sadly my father has become a little bit too loud and my healing is not as it used to be. But I was at least able to return Dick’s sanity, it was a very long and tedious process, and with my waning healing abilities, there are times that he slips into madness again.
“There is an intruder! Inform the demon’s head!” I heard someone yell, I asked where the commotion was coming from and ran towards the courtyard.
“You!” I heard Damian call out in fury. I had a bad feeling about this, when I stepped out of the doorway, I saw Superman with Constantine and behind them Etrigan fighting assassins. Damian had unsheathed his sword and was ready to attack Superman.
“Damian!” I called out as I use my powers to block Damian’s attack on Superman. He turns to glare at me.
“He wouldn’t be here without good cause, let us hear him out.” Damian sighs and sheaths his sword.
“Your lucky my wife saved your ass.” He glares at Superman whose eyes widened at the information while Constantine chokes.
“I’m sorry… aren’t you two too young?” Constantine was at the verge of laughing but I glared at him, a silent warning not to.
“I already have a lot of regrets, starting from allowing father to follow on your idiotic crusade, Clark.” When Damian said Clark there was nothing but hatred there. “I will not add another one.” He gestures for the uninvited guest through the door and he glances at me.
“You have seen the state of the world, Constantine, at least there is this piece of happiness between us.” I finished for Damian our eyes locked. We had talked about it before.
“And its not like laws matter at the state the world is in.” Damian couldn’t help but comment bitterly.
We had settled the intruders in a room. Damian was not happy with the situation but I give him a look to remind him that they’re purpose here must be important.
“So, why are you three here?” Damian says trying to contain his anger and hatred.
“To the point, I like that.” Etrigan says. And Superman tells us how he thinks Damian could get across Batman, and that when Batman found out Nightwing died there was a reaction from the big bat. Damian and I exchanged a knowing glance. The silence in the room was chilling. Before Damian could respond I interrupt.
“We will think about it.” I glance at Damian and walked out of the room. This is bad. I went to our bedroom, and sat down on a chair facing the door.
I was nervous, or perhaps it was the external factors of it all making me feel so— What am I saying, of course it’s the external factors.
I kept picking on my purple robe out of sheer nervousness, and chewed on my lips, I felt awful. What would they think, what would he think? Why does it matter what he thinks—of course it does, why am I even lying to myself. This inner turmoil I am feeling was just eating me up whole.
The door opens revealing Damian, he looked exhausted.
“I told them that we should sleep it off first, and that we will come to a conclusion tomorrow.” He says as he slowly removes his armor, I stood up to help.
“Raven, you don’t have to, you seem exhausted.” Damain tells me gently and I smiled at him. I look into his beautiful green eyes, and…
“There is something I have to tell you…” He looks at me patiently.
“Do you recall when you offered me to lead the league with you?” I ask him our bodies just two feet apart.
“Of course,” He says as he folds his cloak. “You looked so terrified and disgusted and…” He sets his cloak down and looks at the floor. “It was painful, I did not know you hated me that much to the point of disgust.” A bitter smile as he cups my cheek.
“But you kissed me, and changed your mind quickly.” The bitter smile was replaced by a warmth that we shared over the last two years.
“Yes, that moment, my father decided to threaten me with your life.” His eyes widened with the revelation. “And I decided no more. And so, Damian, my love.” I cup his cheek this time.
“I have something to tell you.” I whisper as I put my forehead against his.
We awoke the next day with loud screaming that we were both very familiar with.
“Dick.” We say as we look at one another, I used my magic to change clothes and ran towards the screaming, Damian following suit.
“It’s all your fault!” Dick says scratching and thrashing toward Superman in Etrigan’s arms. His eyes had come back to that after he was dumped into the Lazarus pit.
“Dick!” I called out firmly, and he stopped thrashing and looked at me with hollow eyes.
“How could you, its all his fault! HIS!” He yelled and I smiled at him.
“I know, I know…” I placed my hand against his temples and soothed him and he fell asleep.
“Bring my brother to his chambers.” I heard Damian command from behind me, and I moaned in pain.
“Raven what’s wrong?” Damian approaches me worriedly as he saw my pain. “Is it your father again?”
“Maybe I can help.” Constantine says as he did a spell and my father’s voice echoes faintly in the hall.
“I don’t believe you! You brat! You ungrateful daughter, you dare!” I couldn’t help but smile. I see a few members of the league bring Dick back to his room.
“You heard that didn’t you Constantine?” I say as I stood up straight. “He says he doesn’t believe me.”
“Yes, well I do not know of the context but…” He eyes me suspiciously.
“Check if my soul is bounded to Damian.” I look at Damian and he just stood still. I could feel Constantine’s disapproval.
“You wouldn’t—you couldn’t.” Constantine says and he looks between Damian and I.
“Well, only you can disprove it.” I look at him sternly, and he did a magic circle in front of me and then moved in to Damian and did so back and forth. But you can tell from his shocked eyes, to his ashen face that it was true.
“That is one nasty, nasty spell, Raven.” He comments his lips tugging into a proud smile.
“Damian’s fate is my fate. If he dies, I die. We are one and bound together for all eternity.” I simply say as I glance over Damian who gave me a supportive smile.
“NO!” I hear my father’s furious voice echo in my head.
I remember the first day I met you. You looked at him with glittering eyes and a smile that was so very enchanting.
The distance between you and him was less than a foot. It looked as if you two were so close to kissing one another, but the two of you were holding back in such a gentle manner. At first, he looked nervous looking at you, but when he saw you smile, he couldn’t help but smile back.
I completely understood why he couldn’t hold back his smile. And you said the words he patiently and nervously waited for.
“Yes.” A soft whisper from your pink lips. “Yes. Yes, Damian. I would love to marry you.” You reiterate, the softness of your words and gaze oddly suffocating for me. It seemed your heart was going to burst from happiness. And oddly enough, I was afraid.
You gazed at me with those gentle violet eyes as you felt the coolness of the metal on your ring finger. You were so ecstatic, so happy that one day you will be called his wife. I could see it in your eyes. The smile not fading even once. You look at him, violet eyes meeting green. Under the sun, it felt as though the sunlight had turned and settled around you two like glittering orbs.
The two of you were a couple that was blinding.
That was the kind of effect you two had towards one another. And, as it was my first time seeing such a thing, it was quite honestly breath-taking.
Your fingers holding his jawline as if you were afraid to put too much force on him. His fingers at the base of your back as he pulled you into his embrace. The smiles you two gave did not waver one bit as the distance between your lips closed.
The kiss looked quite soft and I assume it resonated the kind of love you two shared. It was pure and gentle and yet, so very firm.
So, you probably wouldn’t understand how confuse and hurt I felt when your love turned stale. When the arguments came more often and it started to get louder. This was probably why I was afraid for you. But that fear wasn’t just for you, it was also for him and maybe, just a little bit, for me.
“Raven…” He would call out to you, and you would turn your back towards him. And you would stand there unmoving in his living room.
I had forgotten that I had felt fear the first time I met you Raven. Because I think I had settled into the thought of you two being a happy couple. I had seen it myself, the kind of connection you two had. It was special. But now looking back, I probably should have been more mindful.
Now looking back, I wish you had changed your answer. Then maybe things would be different.
“Damian, just please tell me if I did something wrong.” You beg him. You miss the look on his face because your back was facing him. And I could tell that he was hurt. It was raw and it was clear, he was aching so much.
“You did nothing wrong, beloved.” He whispers to you as he embraces you from behind. I did not understand why you two would become like this. I still recall so vividly how you two were after you said ‘Yes’.
“Then why is it that we are no longer the same?” You wept onto your hands and he buried his face on your shoulder. “Why is it that I can feel you have changed. You’ve become colder.”
I would like to know so too. I listened so patiently for a response, and maybe perhaps, a conclusion to all these arguments. I still had hoped that you two would fix this. I waited and I waited, but I heard nothing.
And then one day, I heard you tell him. “Maybe it’s better if we call it off.”
He looked so heart-broken when you said that, mirroring the exact same expression you had on your face.
I did not understand.
I could not understand.
It clearly hurt for both of you, so why did you say that Raven? And since it hurt, didn’t that mean you two still love each other? So please make me understand.
Why are you two like this?
“You’re not serious right?” He asks, his voice was barely audible as it broke within the walls of the living room. I found it ironic that it was called the living room, and these past few days it seemed that you both were not even alive—not living. His knees were shaking as he looked like he wanted to let his knees give in at what you had just said. And you refused to look at him. You gripped your arm so tightly whilst avoiding his gaze.
I wish you knew that it hurt me too.
It’s clear to me that you two still love one another. Why can’t the two of you see it? I wanted to intervene so badly and just make you two see clearly, that you two still love each other, like that day I met you.
But, how could I? Even though, I wanted you both to be happy together, I knew that this was necessary. At least I felt that this was something that would do you two good. Or maybe in the very least I hoped this would do you two good and that you will still find your way to one another.
“We are just not in the same place anymore.” She says. And all I can really do was hope.
Hope for the better for you and him. And I would often recall the happiness you two shared when you said ‘Yes’.
Every waking moment when you two were near each other, could rival the intensity of the Sun. There was no such thing as sadness and frowns when you see one another. There was always an uplifting aura when you two are together. And it also felt like there was a crackling of lightning in the space, because your connection was undeniable and couldn’t be restrained.
Both your hands kept finding one another as if one could not breath if the other wasn’t skin close. And when you two haven’t seen each other for even just an hour, and you find yourselves beside one another, it was like giving water to a man who was left in a desert for days.
Looking back at that kind of relationship you two had. It made my confusion on the current matter lessen. You two were a couple that was blinding after all—that it hurt. But I still had hope that you and him would still get married. Because if you don’t, I don’t know what I would feel or should feel at this point.
“We can work this out.” He tells you firmly, but I could tell that he was losing hope. And I continued to wait.
“I really didn’t do anything wrong.” He told you. Your back this time is still turned away from him. By your feet were two duffle bags.
“Then why does it feel like you no longer love me.” You couldn’t help but say in such a weak whisper, my heart ached and his must have too. But now the table has turned, I believe him.
You see, the other day he had came to me. He looked reluctant, but he approached me. And I thought that you two had forgotten about me. And I know I have heard you two say you will try and work it out multiple times already, but one of you finally came back to me.
And I was so happy.
He told me what was really in his mind.
“I love her, that hasn’t changed.” He says reaching out to hold me, but instead he found himself kneeling before me and wept. Not even touching me. “It’s me who has changed. I’m scared she won’t like what she sees anymore.”
And that was it. That was what has changed, that was what you kept asking about Raven.
And I wanted to tell him that you two have already reached a point where your relationship will shatter before the marriage. So, why do you continue to be afraid. Tell her now, before it is too late.
You should tell her.
But you kept your mouth shut. And you let her walk away. And I see how painful it was for you to let her go. And I felt—angry.
You would pace around your apartment and would come back less often until eventually you just never came. And she never came back. And my world became so dark.
I was just something anyone could forget, so it seemed. Despite your relationship turning out this way, I will remain sparkling in contrast to the dark turn of your love. Left at the spot where you left me on the first night that you accused him of changing. I will remain sturdy and clear as a diamond should, wishing that that was how your love should have been.
I would recall being apart of the happiness you two shared before all of this, to try and forget the loneliness in the present. I would hope that somehow you two will still gravitate towards each other. I would hope to be worn again on your finger as you walk down the aisle. I would hope that I could see again that scene when I first met you. When he gave me to you.
And while I wait on the same spot where you left me Raven, my sparkle will not fade.
I did not know how many days passed, but one day the door to his apartment was opened. And I was extremely excited. And you walked in Raven. You looked serene. And you approached me, and I was so happy.
You picked me up with a faint smile. I thought you had forgotten me. And you slipped me back on your ring finger. And I felt so elated. There were footsteps behind you and you turned around.
And it felt as though I had gone back into time. This was what I was waiting for. You gaze at Damian the way you did the first time I met you, and he mirrored you to perfection. The connection and love between you two were strong, and both your feet gravitate towards one another.
It really was like I had gone back in time.
Finally. You two have returned.
I recall when I first met him. He looked so anxious, so very nervous.
In front of him laid many, many different kinds of rings. When his green eyes met a certain ring, the anxiety slowly shimmered down. And I knew then, he had found the right ring. And to my surprised it was me.
When the lady asked about the woman you planned to give me to, I remember with great fondness how your nervousness completely dissipated. You described her so beautifully that I was so excited to finally meet her, your Raven.
You said I was perfect, for the most perfect woman you had the opportunity of meeting.
She stood in front of you near the entrance door of your apartment. And she wraps her arms around your neck. And I saw clearly, the same look you had when you described to the sales lady about your future wife, the same look when she said ‘Yes’.
The first time I met either of you, you both had the same expression on your faces.
Finally, you two have returned.
(FIN)
Author’s Note:
I’ve been wanting to write this since July, it was something different for me. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I would love some feedback!
Did anyone expect that it would be an object’s POV?
Raven was asleep in her room inside the Titan Tower. She suddenly woke up and sat up her bed. Her face was trickling with sweat, her eyes wide in fear, and her lips open about to scream. The blanket that was over her shoulders fall to her waist. Her breathing shallow, her chest bare. She clenched her chest, above where her heart was. The fear in her chest feeling stagnant.
The room was cold making the tip of her breast harden instantly when the blanket fell to her waist. But because of the fear running through her veins she did not notice her body’s reaction.
“Damian.” She mutters, her eyes completely blank as she stumbled on her feet. Her pale skin glisten against the moon. The coldness of her room settling on her naked body. She blinked as she realized that she was naked.
She has been sleeping naked for a while now, some research would say that sleeping naked was better for the body. And maybe it was, because she had felt her quality of sleep had increased. It was a good thing she realized at such an important moment that she was naked. And she opted put on some clothes before checking up on Damian.
Damian.
She had a nightmare about Damian. Recalling the dream made her quickly grab a random piece of clothing and pulled it over her body. She had not noticed what she was wearing, but it was a black strapless nightdress. The dress was short enough to invite danger. But with her nightmare still at the forefront of her mind, and as she was clothed as best as she could. She quickly ran to Damian’s room barefooted.
She knocked on his door impatiently, her heart beating loudly. For a moment, she thought that maybe the beating was coming from the end of the dark and empty hallway of the Titan Tower. Hearing no response or even a sign of life from the other side, she impatiently punched the code to Damian’s room without notice.
When she hears the door open, she couldn’t help but sigh in relief, but without confirmation of Damian’s safety, she couldn’t relax yet. Even before the metal door could open completely, through the crack her violet eyes quickly searched for Damian. What she sees shocks her.
Damian Wayne was completely bare while facing her direction. Her eyes locked at that which is the pride of a man. He noticed that she had opened his door and turned around quickly. His initial drowsiness now gone and his back and bottom now facing her.
He was drowsy and was contemplating whether to dress before answering the door, but she suddenly barged into his room. Thus, sharing to Raven a part of him he did not expect to show, especially to her. Well, at least not like this.
Raven stepped into the room and before the doors could even fully open, she pressed the button to close it. And Damian took the chance to grab the blanket on his bed and wrapped it around his shoulders and turns around to face her.
Raven was still standing near his door. But she does not look at him as her cheeks blush.
“You sleep naked like Garfield?” She asked as she cleared her throat. Damian looks down and crosses his arms tighter around him.
“Yes, well I feel free when I sleep naked and its relaxing.” He responses as if it was no big deal. His gaze looking over Raven’s shoulder.
“Uh, yes…I see” Raven unconsciously reply.
“Why are you here Raven?” The question makes her forget the recent development. And for a minute her eyes went dark and she was sucked into her nightmare. A tear slips as she looks at Damian.
“I—I had a nightmare.” He would have scolded her for barging in unannounced because of a nightmare, but her expression just made him sigh as he sat down on his bed.
“How about you take a seat and you tell me about it?” He says patting the space beside him, and she nodded with more tears falling on her face as she approaches him. Her dream weighing down on her.
As she approached him, he noticed how short her nightdress was. And for a moment wondered if she had anything underneath, because it did seem like she wasn’t wearing anything. When the thought came to his mind, he quickly erased it. That was disrespectful to Raven, he scolded himself in his mind.
“It-it was about you—” She wept as she plopped beside him. He refused to gaze below, afraid that the nightdress would ride up and reveal something he shouldn’t be seeing. And she explained her nightmare about Damian which lead her to going to him this late. He listen and was consumed by what she was saying, forgetting his distracting thoughts, and he became worried about her.
“I will always be here for you Raven.” He quietly says, and she looks at him as she wiped her tears away, the nightmare still real in her head.
“As will I, for you Damian.” She responded trying to give him a sincere smile, and she felt a pressure against her hand. She looks down to see him holding her hand and she looks up at him with a genuine smile.
“Is it okay if I sleep here tonight?” She boldly asks in such a faint voice. Damian was startled, he thought he was hearing things. But Raven’s small hands were playing with his, nervously waiting for his response. He smiled, and it was beautiful under the moonlit room. However, Raven had not seen it as her head was casted down afraid that he would reject her.
“Alright.” The simple reply makes Raven’s violet eyes flicker to meet the beautiful green of Damian’s eyes. His eyes had the smallest hint of playfulness. Raven realized that she was holding his hand above her crouch area.
“Then, I should make myself comfortable.” She said as she stood up quietly. Damian was confused as he looked up at her. Suddenly she slipped her black dress off, and his eyes widened to see that she was completely naked underneath. His wide eyes meet her clear violet eyes.
“I sleep naked too.” And Damian blinked in surprise as a small smirk form on his lips. He undoes the sheets on his hips. As he moves over to the other side of the bed, with the sheet over his hips, as he made room for her to slide under the sheets. She smiles as she understood his action and she slid under the bed sheet and moved close to Damian.
She hesitantly reaches out for his chest, and seeing her hesitance, Damian captured her hand with his. He guides her hand across his chest as his other hand slips under her waist. And they silently cuddled in peace.
“Well, they say sleeping naked is a good thing.” Raven mumbles, her head resting against his beating heart. And she felt him chuckle. “For health reasons.” She quickly added.
“Yes, for health reasons.” He responded and his breath tickled Raven’s right ear which made her look up at him. His eyes seemed to hold a storm ready to be unleashed.
~~
Dick Greyson was walking back to his room one evening after going to the bathroom to pee. He heard something odd coming from Raven’s room. The team was informed that Raven had been having nightmares, and that they were so bad the she would literally shake the building with her powers. Worried that she was having another episode he quickly came and opened Raven’s door as he called her name.
He was not prepared to see what he had seen that night. The first second Raven was completely naked on top of Damian’s naked lap, kissing his brother with such passion. The next second his blue eyes met that of the glaring green eyes of his younger brother, who quickly pushed Raven onto the bed space on his right and covered her with her blanked. Damian openly glared at Dick, daring him to say anything. He was blocking Raven’s nakedness from his older brother’s view with his completely naked body.
Raven properly used the blanket to cover her body, her face red as she hid behind Damian’s naked back.
“I did not expect this.” Dick laughed as his eyes looked down at Damian. “Oh, I really didn’t expect I’d have to see that too.” He adds not hiding the fact he was looking at his younger brothers’ genitals with a sneer. And Damian couldn’t help but blush, Raven quickly covered Damian by hugging him form behind with the blanket over her arms. Her hardened breasts pressing against his back, and Damian suppressed a growl.
“Please don’t tell anyone, Dick.” Raven whispers still completely embarrassed.
“Dick, indeed.” Greyson teased looking at the blanket on Damian. Damian glared at his older brother.
“I get it, Greyson!” He growled in anger this time around, and Greyson laughs.
“Fine, you’re all adults anyways,” Greyson sighs. “I hope you can protect that dick.” He says as he shrugs and turned around. Before Greyson left, he gave Damian a proud little wink.
“Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed.” Raven said as she retracted her hands away from Damian to bury her head on her hands.
“Don’t be,” Damian says as he turned to face her, pulling her hands away from her face. He cups her head gently. “What we do is just a part of life.” He mumbles as he leans in and envelopes Raven’s lips with his.
And the passion that was ruined because of Dick Greyson was not reignited.
“I-I can’t.” Raven mumbles as she pulled away.
“Yeah, I can’t after that.” Damian agreed leaning his forehead against hers, and they both chuckled.
“We can still cuddle naked though.” Raven offered and Damian smirked at her invitation.
“Yes. I’d love that.” He quietly replied as the couple made themselves comfortable on Raven’s bed.
Author’s Notes:
This was made at a request of someone. I actually have another work that deviated from this original plan; which I will post later on. The flow of this was made in consideration of the notes I was given. Hope you all like it! Took me months to make tho…
Damian Al Ghul for a moment was a hero. And in that time that he was a hero, naturally he would meet other heroes.
That was how he met her.
His Raven.
He would describe her as a very graceful woman. She was quiet, kind, generous and lovely. Despite her name sounding as if it should belong to a lonely person or an unkind being, she was none of these. But her name did befit her origins. In the sense that she is the daughter of a being synonymous to satan; and of intergalactic alien origin, the conqueror of worlds. Therefore, the name Raven as ominous as it was, befit her well, and yet also– not so well.
But that was the thing, he was only a hero for only a moment. That moment was all that mattered, since—after all, that was how he met her. As she continued on her heroic path, he returned to what he knew to be right as a child, the path of darkness.
He took upon himself, the name Al Ghul, a name synonymous to a demon, and he used it well. And thus, Damian Al Ghul was reborn anew, he became the Demon’s Head. The name became associated to a cruel, cruel man. But he changed the ways of his organization, and tread very, very strictly on a grey line. And in doing so, he keeps his Raven. And remember it well and do not forget, he only stays on that grey line to keep her by his side.
And if anything were to happen to his beloved Raven, he will cross to the darkness before one could even blink his own eyes, and will burn everything and anything in his path with his bare hands.
So, make no mistake by taking his Raven away or you will live a life even more painful than death. For Damian Al Ghul has a league of assassin as his army, who are extremely loyal to him. And him alone.
Killing for him was as easy as dropping a needle on a hay stack.
Damian Al Ghul, the leader of the league of assassins, stood inside his throne room made of beautiful marble in ivory and gold. The sun high up in the sky, its light entering the space so blindingly. The sunlight weaves through the pillars and mashrabiya* leaving beautiful intricate patterns on the marble floors. The sunlight helped give an illusion of brightness and happiness and warmth to the chamber.
Damian was facing his throne, his back against the door as he read the papers he was holding with his right hand. His left hand resting against his back, atop his green cape. He was wearing his black with gold uniform and armor with a green cape in contrast to the almost white room. And with his cold facial expression one would be reminded, that all the sunlight was giving after all, was just an illusion of warmth.
Damian Al Ghul was not kind at all. But of course, there is an exception to the rule.
The door suddenly opened with a burst and a loud bang, and Damian’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He had strictly told them that he shouldn’t be disturbed unless necessary. He coaxed himself thinking that it had to be an emergency. With narrowed eyes he tilts his head a bit to the left to acknowledge the presence of the intruder.
“My Lord!” A man in an all-black suit says hurriedly as he kneels on the floor with a thud. His left leg against the floor while the other propped up to let his right arm rest on top. His head bent toward the floor.
“What is it that you have to report?” His enunciation of every word unhurried and heavy. Damian could hear the gulp from his poor frightened little underling. Even if said underling was twenty meters away.
“It’s—it’s the Lady.” The poor man could barely say. And even though the sun was high up in the sky, and that it’s light shone brightly in the room, making the chamber look as if it was glittering, it became cold. So cold, that both people seemed frozen in place, but the poor underling was the one fighting his shivers.
“What about the Lady?” Damian asked a little too clearly, that the poor subordinate could only kneel on both knees, bend his body and rested his forehead against his hands that was now on the floor. At this point, Damian turned slowly, as his green eyes landed on the man in black.
“What about the Lady?” He repeated even more slowly than the last. And Damian saw his assassin shiver in fear.
“She-she has been missing for a few days, and we searched for her—but—but—she is nowhere to be found.” He reported as calmly as he could. The subordinate thought the room couldn’t possibly get any colder than it already was, but he was wrong. The moment he finished his report, he was kneeling there in pure horror, he was sure he will die today.
“It seems that my league of assassin who are supposed to be like a shadow, cannot protect their lady in the shadow.” It was spoken slowly that it was certain: that this was the calm before the storm. “It seems that my league of assassins lack training.” He concluded.
“You cannot even track down your lost lady, why do I even keep any of you!” Damian’s voice echoed through the chambers; his fury clear. And yet, anyone who knew their lord, would know that was not the full extent of his anger.
No, it really wasn’t.
“Lady Shiva!” He summoned and instantly a woman with black hair up to her neck in red appeared beside the kneeling assassin.
“It seems that you have been lax in training the league.” He tells her and as she bends her torso to bow. Before she could start with her apologies, he continued on. “Prepare the top ten men in the league, and have them follow me. We will look for the lady.” He started walking down his throne.
“No, in fact, I will be looking for her. And if you so choose to have people follow me then so be it.” He said when his eyes landed on Lady Shiva as he approached them, the assassin up on his feet, his head bent low as to be respectful to their Lord.
“When I find Raven, I hope my league’s errors would be corrected. But that would be wishful thinking, won’t it, Lady Shiva? I will personally see to their training when I return.” Lady Shiva and the assassin gave way to their Lord.
“Of course, my Lord.” She mutters as he completely disappears.
~.~.~.~.~
Damian held a woman in blood stained and dirt-filled white robes on his arms. Her face had cuts and bruises and she looked so weak and small against his shoulder. When he looks down at her injured face, there was a softness in his glance. A gentleness unbefitting of the Demon’s Head.
But as gentle as he was as he held her, the scene behind him was not. Orange flames flickered as he walks out from the heat and the building calmly.
“I want anyone who is even remotely related to this tracked down, and I want them tortured.” He said so calmly as he held the woman he loves in his arms. His gentle glance has become cold as he looks at his subordinates in front of him. The crunch of green grass under his feet as he continued on into the night that was illuminated by the orange flames behind him.
“If done well enough, then maybe I won’t be so strict when I train you all. Prove that you all aren’t so useless after all.” His tone stone cold.
The gentleness from before must have been an illusion. Because this was the Damian Al Ghul, they all love, respected and oh-so-feared.
“Of course, my Lord.” One replied with a bow.
“No.” They pause as they wait for Damian’s final instructions. “Keep the master mind alone, I would love to capture and torture them myself.” And the shadows that was surrounding him disappeared. Raven stirred in his arms, against his chest.
“Damian?” She called out weakly. And he stood frozen as he took a peek eagerly at the woman in his arms. “They didn’t know.” She mumbles and he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes on her. She means that it wasn’t the Justice League’s fault.
“They didn’t know it was going to be a trap.” She tried to keep her head a float.
“And look at the price you had to pay.” He said bitterly as he sneered a little and continued walking to the jet.
“I—” She couldn’t even say anything to defend the Justice League, because she felt the turmoil in Damian. How could she defend the Justice League knowing what he was feeling?
“I didn’t mind that you wanted to continue being a hero. I would not take that from you.” He sets her down inside the jet. “And I know that you know this to be true, I only stay in between good and bad for you. If you are taken out of the equation, I have no qualms in being the Demon’s Head, in its truest sense. But you choose to love me, despite of who I am. And I will not have any one harm you. Less others think that the Demon’s head is weak.”
“You are not a bad person, my love.” She replied, as she cups his cheek. He closes his eye and places a hand over hers. He opens his eyes and meets her violets irises.
“But I can be, if I am without you.” He whispered so gently as his forehead laid against hers. The words completely true. They stay like that for a minute in silence, and he pulls away.
“You shall stay in Nanda Parbat as you recuperate. I will inform the Justice League.” He stares at her sternly but she does not refuse him and he turns away from her.
The Justice League has been quite cautious about Raven. They knew of her relationship with the leader of the League of Assassins. And what the risk of putting her in imminent danger would mean considering Damian’s nature. Therefore, Raven was treated as if she was glass and yet, also fire.
“I begged them to give me the mission.” She said softly, she took note of Damian’s body twitching but she had to continue on. “After you left, and made a name for yourself as the new Demon’s Head, they were uncertain of where my loyalties lie.” She found it difficult to talk due to her injuries, but she had enough strength to heal herself a bit, to keep herself conscious and stop internal bleeding. And so Raven did, as she continued on.
“And then you made a point to show that you were not like your predecessor. And yet, you also made it clear you could be far worst. And I, your beloved, was someone who they could not risk in the forefront anymore.” She moved in her seat, as she felt her insides return back to how it should be. “I just wanted to do one more mission, where I wasn’t treated like a bomb, and after that, I will be done.”
He turned to look at her with a shocked expression. Her voice was calm as her face was gentle. Despite her battered appearance, she looked like a saint to him. The words he couldn’t seem to say aloud, she felt, and she responded as she closed her eyes.
“Yes, I was going to leave the Titans, and be with you. Commit fully to you.” Her voice was soft but his thoughts were a mess. And it was clear to Raven, all of his thoughts, as if they were all written on the air for her to read.
“The Justice League thought it was a harmless mission; therefore, they could let me go. It was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission, nothing more. But we were ambushed, and I was captured.” She sighs and opens her eyes to look up at Damian. The water in his eyes finally gave way as he blinked when their met, and she inhaled a breath.
“You could have died.” He said it lightly, that Raven’s heart started beating fast in her ears. His cold eyes that had never been directed at her, has finally landed on her. “You could have died, if I was just a minute too late.” And like his eyes that could no longer contain his tears. Raven could not ignore his emotions. And she broke into a sob, as she covered her lips with her fingers. He knelt beside her, as he put a hand on her cheek.
And his face was not cold nor was it warm. The eyes she had seen him use with his fellow assassins had disappeared. She didn’t expect that the day he would look at her, the way he did his subordinates, would happen.
“Are you crying for me?” He whispered and she sniffed as she looks at him. But still, even if his cold stare was frightening. She could never be afraid of Damian Al Ghul, even if he was an Al Ghul, and the current Demon’s Head.
“I’m sorry.” She tried to contain the emotions. And she could feel the apology he was about to say. And before he could, she leans her forehead against his. Places her right thumb over his lips as her palm rested on his jaw. “But I swear to you, I am done with being a hero. I want to walk that grey line with you.”
And his lips turned up into a smile. A smile that was only ever directed at her. His gentleness and kindness only exclusive to her. His warmth only reserved for her. And she could feel it all in her chest, and in her very bones.
The love he has for his beloved Raven.
And the danger, if he loses his bird.
(FIN)
Notes:
*Mashrabiya = those wooden windows with intricate design; (wiki says: is an architectural element which is characteristic of traditional architecture in the Islamic world and is a type of projecting oriel window enclosed with carved wood latticework).
Yj Jason does not have the white streak in his hair
So far there has been no evidence of Pit-like behavior either.
My theory is he died (obvy) woke up in his grave (dug himself out) and was found comatose by Talia.
Talia, who was in Gotham to tell Bruce she was pregnant. Who wanted to leave the shadows because she didn’t want to raise a child amoung a cult of assassins. Talia, who resented Ra’s for partnering with The Light.
Then she finds Jason. Maybe she met him a few times when he was Robin. Maybe the kid cracked a few jokes that made her smile. Jason, the boy that died and took a peice of her beloved with him.
And Talia wonders how Bruce hasn’t noticed he’s alive. And then she thinks ‘Bruce will never be a father before Batman’
And now she’s scared for her child.
So she takes Jason back to Infinity Island. Demands Ra’s departs from the league, or lose Talia and his grandchild.
And Jason is still not Okay. But without the pressures from the league or the light, Jason had time to heal without the Pits. Talia cares for him and bares her child.
Damian isn’t raised within a cult of assassins. And Jason has a chance to grow with Damian - both are going to be incredibly skilled and trained ofc but shown much more compassion and love during their childhood and healing process.
Jason’s memories begin to return after fighting Dick as Nightwing. Jason does have anger, Jason is resentful but also wants to be better.
In the year after recognizing 'Grayson,’ Jason prioritizes his mental health. He trains, he’s a big brother to Damien, he meditates, all to cope with his trauma in a healthier way.
Jason isnt sure if he’s ready to return to Gotham, or Bruce. But for the first time in both his lives, Jason feels safe and given the proper resources to come into his own.
Tim, cautiously unwrapping a gift from Damian: It’s a notebook?
Damian, rolling his eyes: Look inside.
Tim, still slightly scared: “Once again Drake wouldn’t get out of my sight today. He always looks so stupid sitting at that computer of his with a cup of stale, cold coffee–”
Tim, angry: Hey, what is this?!
Damian: A notebook detailing everything I don’t like about you. There’s 15 more in my room so I don’t have to worry about your Christmas gifts for a while.
Hello Damirae Family! The day has finally come - what better way to celebrate our canon anniversary than with our second ever demonbirds fanzine!
A huge thanks to all the wonderfully talented people who participated to this 322 page beauty. We hope everyone is as impressed with the final product as we are and appreciate all the effort and enthusiasm that helped make this possible. Without further ado…
The sale will last three months and all proceeds will be donated to Humane Society International. To best support that cause, please do not share any of the works in the zine on social media or privately amongst yourselves. It will become publicly available for free at some point in the future.
If you plan on having your zine printed, just be sure to download that second “Back Cover” file so the spread comes out right.
Please feel free to dm us if you have any trouble ordering through gumroad. Thanks again to everyone who contributed, signal-boosted, and supported this project!
Damian stared at his inbox. There was an impossible email, addressed to him, in his inbox
Addressed to DamianinRobin’semail.
If this was a prank from one of his insipid teammates, Damian was going to eviscerate them.
Damian clicked on the email.
There were barely 3 lines of text, not even 20 words total.
And yet, 3 lines of text and a singular sign-off brought Damian’s world crashing down around him.
To: Robin encryption-B01
From: unknown
Damain, I’m alive.
Mother has found me.
Would our Father help me?
-Gemini
——
Chapter 2:
After fighting back and forth on if it was even worth it to reply, he settles on something small.
How?-is it really you?-
What happened?
Of course he would. What do you need?
There are few that even know of his existence.
Fewer still who would try it, try to claim to be his brother.
And there’s only one who ever called them Gemini.
“Danyal, we’re not Gemini, we were born in January. And anyways, the stars have no effect on our strength, nor our abilities as an opponent.”
“But we’re twins. So that makes us both Gemini. It can be like our secret name for each other.”
Gemini, the sign of twins. Histwin.
But then how??
A knock sounds on his door. Damian whips his head up.
“Damian, it’s time for patrol.” Grayson’s voice sounds through the wood.
Patrol. Of course.
He was patrolling with his father tonight. Not just his.
Danyal’s too.
He had to know.
“I will be down shortly.”
——
Damian entered the Batcave, stepping down from the last step with a slight sound.
It was enough that both Tim and Dick looked over in confusion.
Damian ignored them, staring resolutely at his father in the suit in front of the batcomputer.
Once he was within a few feet he steeled himself and cleared his throat, “Father.”
Bruce turned around, looking down to see Damian and then glancing around confused.
“Damian..? Why aren’t you dressed? I want to leave soon, there’s been trouble at the south side and I-“
“I have an issue I believe I need to share with you.” Damian interrupted.
Bruce shut his mouth with a click and Damian could hear as both Drake and Richard’s eyes bored into the back of his head.
Damiannever interrupted Bruce.
He clasped his hands behind his back in a rather desperate attempt to stop them shaking.
“Of course, what’s wrong?”
Damian paused, took a deep breath, tried to convince himself of the inevitability and then blurted out, “I have a brother.”
“Aww, Dami, you’re finally calling us your broth-“
“No.” Damian cut Richard off sharply, “From the league. I have a brother from the league.”
“..What?” Bruce’s voice came out thick, strangled by an emotion either anger or something stronger.
“He is- was- I- I believed he was dead.”
Bruce’s fists clench and he almost growls out, “Explain, Damian. Now.”
Damian allows himself to go numb to explain it without wavering, “We were twins. Grandfath- Ra’s had no use for both of us. When we began to advance in training individually and stagnate as a pair… We fought.” He paused and forced the words out, “To the death.”
“I won. And Danyal…”
“Didn’t,” Richard finishes for him.
Damian twitches forward but hesitates as his father nearly drops himself to one knee, supporting himself on the chair next to him.
“Danyal…” His father says despondently, “I had another son… named Danyal.. and she took him from me… Again.”
Richard is already next to him reaching out.
“Perhaps not.” Damian whispers.
Both of their heads snap to him. “What?”
“I have been… contacted..by someone claiming to be Danyal. He says Mother has found him and…” Damian grows unsure, “He asked if you would be able, be willing to help.”
“He’s alive? You’re sure it’s him?”
“He used a code I’ve never shared with anyone else and that no one else in the league knew.”
“How can we be sure? I mean, Bruce’s kid? Asking for help?”
“Shut it, Drake.” Damian snaps, Drake raises his hands in surrender.
Just as he opens his mouth to talk again, his phone gently chimes with an email notification.
It’s him.
Damian races to open it.
“He says he’ll be in Gotham tonight. And that he’llfindme.” Damian says as he looks up at his father. The panic, relief and desperation warring in his own eyes reflected back at him.
“Then let’s make it easy for him. Still up for patrol, Little D?” Richard sounds with a smirk.
—-
The night is quiet but tense between Batman and Robin.
They hop the rooftops in sync, stopping a small crime here or there. There’s been no sightings of anyone unusual, even with Nightwing and Red Robin scattered across the lower districts. Even Red Hood was called in about the situation, though they’re not sure he’s really looking as all they got in response was a scoff and a derisive “Another one? Really, B?”
Damian shoots his grapple after his father over one of the main roads, only to get yanked back. For a second, he fears he will plummet into the sea of cars below.
Then his back hits the gravel rooftop.
The shouts of his family are but white noise in his ears as he stares at the dark, hooded figure in front of him.
“Hey, brother. Long time no see and the first thing I catch you doing is jumping off a building? Not a great start.” The figure-his brother- says with a sharp smirk.
Damian stays awestruck for a second before scowling, “I had a grapple.”
“Robin!” His father barks from above them, swinging down from a water tower like a vengeful shadow.
Danyal makes a suspicious squeaking sound and vanishes from sight.
Both are immediately on guard as Batman puts himself between Damian and where the stranger was.
“Are you Meta? Who are you? Stop hiding!” Father says again, growling.
As Danyal’s shape fades into existence yet again, Damian tries to push past his own questions for the sake of them all.
“Father. It is alright, this is… Danyal. My.. twin.”
Here, his father falters. Apparently, so does Danyal if the cringe he gives is anything to go by.
“I don’t really go by- anyways, yes I’m Da..mi..an’s? twin. And I need your help. Talia’s found me and she’s trying to make me join back with the league.”
Damian tensed even more as the person in front of him stutters over his name, “Why don’t you know my name? What did you call me when we were younger? The code you signed on your email.”
Something in Danyal’s eyes went pained, “I called you Gemini, because that’s what we are, even though you always emphasized that we were Sagittarius and ‘besides the stars have no effect on..”
“On our strength or abilities as an opponent.” Damian finished for him, “It is you..” he said amazedly as he stepped closer, “But how? How are you here? How are you alive?”
“Simple answer?” Danyal pulled down the hood of his black sweatshirt to reveal a head of fluffy white hair, “I’m not.”
“And as for how I’m here? Well that’s a rather complicated answer, but it all starts with one thing. Ghosts.”
Their father made a strangled sound beside them and Damian took a stuttering step back, “You’re a ghost?” “You mean, you didn’t survive? … I killed you?”
Danyal’s eyes zoned out before flaring an angry green and then settling as he looked back up, his edges going fuzzy for a second, “Yeah, I mean.. I guess? Listen, I don’t really remember much from when I- we- were 6, and I don’t much care to. My ghostliness, I think it’s why Talia is trying to get me back. I can’t think of another reason.”
Damian scowled, “Perhaps it is because she is our mother and believed you dead and lost-“
“That woman is not my mother!” Danyal shouted, glow flaring, eyes flashing as he leaned in.
He took a breath and pulled back to collect himself, “Talia was not a mother to us. You have to know that by now at least, Damian.”
Damian looked away and scowled again.
“You barely knew her,”
“Because she sent me to my death!” Danyal flung his hands up.
Batman struggled to choose a side between the two children in front of him. He had loved Talia once too, but he had also seen the toxicity of their relationship.
“Danyal, Robin, we need to focus. If Talia came to recruit one of you, she might be coming for the other.”
“She is. She kept saying some nonsense about ‘making our family whole again’ now that she’s ‘in control.’ I came because I had a feeling she’s not gonna take my Hell-No as an appropriate answer with that goal.”
Batman froze, “The League of Assassins. She’s finally been able to regain control over all of them and become the Demon’s Head after Ra’s Al Ghul’s death.”
