Fill: Round RobinslytherinblackOctober 25 2011, 22:58:32 UTC
Dick senses Damian coming up behind him before he’s settled next to him on the ledge. Dick is watching some suspicious activity that may or may not be a major deal involving something illicit in a building across the street. Damian is supposed to be with Bruce figuring out what the cause of the latest gang war is.
“Did you fight with Batman again?” Damian and Bruce’s relationship makes his own with the man look downright soporific.
“He doesn’t trust me.” Damian smacks the bottom of his fist against the ledge. “I was taking down men like them when I was three.”
Dick’s never positive whether Damian is exaggerating when he says things like that. “Does Batman know you’re with me?”
“Possibly.”
Dick sighs and hits the button on his comm. “O, can you let Batman know that Robin found me again? I’ll take him from here.”
He can hear the amusement in Barbara’s voice. “Face it, N, the baby bird imprinted on you and he thinks you’re his mommy now.”
“Not funny. Do you have anything productive to say?”
“Hang on.” There’s a pause on her end of the line. “Red Robin says he’ll take over the surveillance; he’s got a situation developing that might benefit from an extra set of hands.”
Dick suspects that Tim could handle the situation fine on his own, but Damian has surveillance down and doesn’t need further training and there’s nothing less efficient than having two people watching a building with only one exit. “Tell him thanks.”
Barbara gives him the address and he and Damian swing off to check things out.
Damian likes to pretend he doesn’t ever have nightmares. Dick knows it’s a lie, though - everyone has bad dreams, it’s simply the content that differs. Young kids have nightmares about dinosaurs and clowns and horrible natural disasters. Normal adults have nightmares that they forgot to pay a bill or woke up late for work. And in their community, the nightmares are about the ones they didn’t save. Much as Damian doesn’t act like it, he’s still ten years old, and Dick can’t imagine that being raised the way he was gave him the best coping skills.
Damian’s not going to admit it, though. There are nights (early mornings, really) where he shows up in Dick’s room in the predawn light with a flimsy excuse about his mattress being too lumpy, or his room being too cold, or the cat came into Dick’s room and he’s just following her. Dick doesn’t comment, just slides over and makes room for Damian to crawl into bed next to him. The kid needs a lot more cuddles anyway. Dick is fairly sure, in fact, that he’s the only person that’s ever hugged Damian.
So Dick fakes sleep and rolls over and throws an arm around Damian; Damian knows he’s awake but goes along with the script and pretends he doesn’t. He’ll close his eyes, fake sleep himself, and cuddle closer, head tucked under Dick’s chin, knees tucked up a little so they bump against Dick’s, and then they both fall asleep for real.
Re: Fill: Round RobinmithenOctober 27 2011, 06:37:06 UTC
I am filled with desperate warm fuzzies; this was gorgeous. I love Dick sitting there wondering how much Damian is kidding when he says he was fighting people at three (I suspect not at all).
Re: Fill: Round RobinslytherinblackOctober 27 2011, 18:17:46 UTC
Thank you for the comment. I made myself sad a little when I was writing this because it's probably true that Damian's never been hugged by anyone but Dick. (Alternately, as my friend points out, he's never let anyone else hug him, but still.) Unrelated but true: I have your AO3 account tabbed right now (I'm FridaysChild over there, I think I was good and remembered to hit the kudos button at least a couple of times) and am reading through it so I was excited to hear from you.
Re: Fill: Round RobinmithenOctober 30 2011, 04:37:50 UTC
Yeah, Damian's a tough one to figure out, it all works in painful cycles. He pushes people away, yes, but in part because he's learned that if he doesn't it only hurts when they let him down. But he's still a prickly, difficult kid, there's no denying that.
And aw, thanks for the kudos on AO3! It means a lot, it's a nice mood-lifter on a dreary and busy day.
Re: Fill: Round RobinslytherinblackOctober 30 2011, 18:26:56 UTC
Good thing Dick's both patient and stubborn enough to hang on when Damian's pushing. Like a leech, only without the bloodsucking tendencies. Also they can both pretend that Damian doesn't need people, and Dick can let him fake it.
Re: Fill: Round RobinslytherinblackMay 1 2012, 03:34:39 UTC
Awww, so adorable!
And totally true that Damian doesn't get hugged by anyone else. His parents, guardians, and assorted family members aren't exactly big huggers except for Dick.
“Did you fight with Batman again?” Damian and Bruce’s relationship makes his own with the man look downright soporific.
“He doesn’t trust me.” Damian smacks the bottom of his fist against the ledge. “I was taking down men like them when I was three.”
Dick’s never positive whether Damian is exaggerating when he says things like that. “Does Batman know you’re with me?”
“Possibly.”
Dick sighs and hits the button on his comm. “O, can you let Batman know that Robin found me again? I’ll take him from here.”
He can hear the amusement in Barbara’s voice. “Face it, N, the baby bird imprinted on you and he thinks you’re his mommy now.”
“Not funny. Do you have anything productive to say?”
“Hang on.” There’s a pause on her end of the line. “Red Robin says he’ll take over the surveillance; he’s got a situation developing that might benefit from an extra set of hands.”
Dick suspects that Tim could handle the situation fine on his own, but Damian has surveillance down and doesn’t need further training and there’s nothing less efficient than having two people watching a building with only one exit. “Tell him thanks.”
Barbara gives him the address and he and Damian swing off to check things out.
Damian likes to pretend he doesn’t ever have nightmares. Dick knows it’s a lie, though - everyone has bad dreams, it’s simply the content that differs. Young kids have nightmares about dinosaurs and clowns and horrible natural disasters. Normal adults have nightmares that they forgot to pay a bill or woke up late for work. And in their community, the nightmares are about the ones they didn’t save. Much as Damian doesn’t act like it, he’s still ten years old, and Dick can’t imagine that being raised the way he was gave him the best coping skills.
Damian’s not going to admit it, though. There are nights (early mornings, really) where he shows up in Dick’s room in the predawn light with a flimsy excuse about his mattress being too lumpy, or his room being too cold, or the cat came into Dick’s room and he’s just following her. Dick doesn’t comment, just slides over and makes room for Damian to crawl into bed next to him. The kid needs a lot more cuddles anyway. Dick is fairly sure, in fact, that he’s the only person that’s ever hugged Damian.
So Dick fakes sleep and rolls over and throws an arm around Damian; Damian knows he’s awake but goes along with the script and pretends he doesn’t. He’ll close his eyes, fake sleep himself, and cuddle closer, head tucked under Dick’s chin, knees tucked up a little so they bump against Dick’s, and then they both fall asleep for real.
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Unrelated but true: I have your AO3 account tabbed right now (I'm FridaysChild over there, I think I was good and remembered to hit the kudos button at least a couple of times) and am reading through it so I was excited to hear from you.
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And aw, thanks for the kudos on AO3! It means a lot, it's a nice mood-lifter on a dreary and busy day.
Reply
Also they can both pretend that Damian doesn't need people, and Dick can let him fake it.
Reply
And totally true that Damian doesn't get hugged by anyone else. His parents, guardians, and assorted family members aren't exactly big huggers except for Dick.
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