So many sights to see, so wake up like an early birdie

[isitablurred]

Who: Superman isitablurred and a Robin birdthright
When: October 20th, morning?
Where: The batcave, and then the city.
Summary: After receiving a mysterious message about Damian's cat, Clark comes to investigate.
Warnings: Stroppy littlest Robin is the stroppiest. Warnings added if necessary.

Comments

[birdthright]

"Superman."

The voice that responds is a subtle one, not unlike the one he uses as a civilian. That personality was another facet of his own, after all. Underneath the arrogance, the sarcasm, the defensive bluster, and the need to prove his worth to all around him, Damian was a quiet child. There is a questioning in his tone, as if surprised, but it is near-undetectable. While Damian was asking for help in his own indirect way, all he did was make a statement; he did not expect Superman to come in person. It starts to sink in that he is no longer alone, and his demeanor immediately takes on something more familiar.

"That was enough to make you come all the way here?"

Around him, Clark will see numerous bat corpses -- a normal sight by now -- and a small, restless cat. Damian sits cross-legged on the floor, and the cat is hankering for a few things he's tucked securely between his arm and chest. Batarangs. Sharp ones. A trickle of blood laces the edge of the cat's mouth. It's quite clear what it's been doing for the past few minutes.

[isitablurred]

"Well to be fair I'd have come out here for far less, Damian, but you sounded like you were in need of some help, and today's been a slow saving day."

Not true; he was actually here because it actually sounded like Damian needed him, and the first opportunity to bond with a Robin at their request was not to be taken lightly. Even though Damian hadn't explicitly demanded his presence.

"Has he... That's one determined cat." Chewing batarangs; and Lois thought Maskie was bad with her shoes, this was a billion times worse. "He's really been at those bats, too."

Clark pauses long enough to pick one of the dead things up, which only ends up with the cat leaping on him as though to say 'How dare you steal one of my toys.' The cat gets scruffed, and Clark raises one hand up to challenge the creature's sharp claws, blunting them easily. The cat looked utterly puzzled as it gave in, only temporarily defeated, if the scowl it gave him was anything to go by.

"Where do you keep his toys?"

[birdthright]

"I didn't need help." He clarifies, very mechanically. He's noticeably less adamant about this than he would be if Clark had come help with, say, crime-fighting. That was what he knew; taking care of a kitten was not.

At the mention of toys, Damian raises an eyebrow, as if he had never even considered such a thing, "He doesn't have toys."

[isitablurred]

Well that...explains some things, but Damian's nonchallent surprise it, to him, not that surprising at all. He nods, a plot formulating in his mind, and quietly heads over to Bruce's desk of - as yet untouched - scraps and things that he'd been working on.

Plucking a piece of almost invisible monofilament from the table, he ties it securely around what looks like a spare bat ear, and then, motioning for Damian to come over, places both cat and bat ear down on the floor.

"Young cats need to play; that's how they learn to hunt, and socialise. The dead bats? They're just a part of that. You see, any young animal needs an outlet for all the urges that they feel, and if they don't have a safe outlet--well then they go for a dangerous one. What would you do if you didn't have Robin to occupy your time? That's a rhetorical question, by the way."

He flicks the little bat ear across the ground, and the cat leaps on it like a parched man on fresh water.

"See? Now you try."

Offering the other end of the filament across to Damian.

c-changes post style

[birdthright]

[ The whole scene is odd to him. Firstly, that was the last thing he would ever think to use a bat-ear for. Secondly, the cat ... seemed to be enjoying it. ]

Did you just compare me to a cat? [ Arms crossed, and being intentionally difficult as usual. He registers the concept, but somehow something as simple as 'I understand' is the most difficult to say. ] You must not be looking to get on my good side.

[ Nonetheless, small, curious fingers pinch the end of the filament. As he takes it, the bat-ear drags across the floor and the kitten follows with. ]

we were in present tense anyway <3

[isitablurred]

I don't get on people's good sides by sucking up to them, Damian.

[ And he grins, because like it or not he was talking about Damian a little. ]

Cats are playful, and boundlessly energetic when they're not sleeping. That's why there's thousands of cat toys on the market--all of them a little better made for the purpose than bat-ears on string. These things have like...radio receivers and trackers in them right?

[ At which point something falls out of the ear. ]

Lock picks. I knew it was something like that.

/o/

[birdthright]

Some do. They're not all the same. [ Pause, as he remembers something. ]

Grayson used his as projectile weapons. [ There's a vague hint of amusement in his tone. Naturally, watching someone be stabbed by bat-ears is hilarious. Damian picks up the lock pick, keeping it on his lap. Then, he mimics what Clark had done, flicking the bat-ear around with considerably less enthusiasm. With the ear empty, it no longer made the same sound when it bounced off the floor, and the cat is slightly disappointed. ]

[isitablurred]

[ Clark laughs. ]

He definitely has a sense of humour, I'll give him that. I thought that was what the gauntlet spikes were for; they didn't make any sense to me otherwise.

[ He leans forward, stilling Damian's hand, and the cat catches the ear and rolls with it for a few seconds before deliberately letting it go. ]

You've got to let him catch it sometimes, otherwise he'll get bored, but this is what cats do--they catch their prey then let it go, catch it, let it go. If he gets bored, try jerking it in a different direction, or flicking it over his tail so he feels like it's coming at him.

[birdthright]

[ They're not, but ... that idea is intriguing. Damian frowns, not liking when people touch him unnecessarily. The reason, however, is clear in seconds. He does as Clark says, curious to see the reaction. ] I don't see how this can amuse him so much.
[ Drawing the ear nearer to him, he swings it and touches the cat's back. Immediately, it makes an almost-180 turn, pouncing and nibbling against the ear. It's distracted, so Damian takes this opportunity to reach out and run a finger down its head. ]

[isitablurred]

[ Clark is impressed. The touch shows initiative, taking advantage of a given situation so as to get the cat used to being touched. He smiles to himself rather than say so out loud, and lets go of Damian's hand after a moment himself, amusement at the whole situation buzzing just beneath surface.

I touched Damian and he didn't claw my hand off.

Bruce is never going to believe a word of this if he comes back, is he?]

You're dressed for outside--want to come shopping with me? Buy him some toys that don't have sharp edges?

[birdthright]

[ Rubs the Clark off his hand, his wrist going limb and the bat ear falling out of it. He takes a moment to think the offer over. ]

Will it stop the cat from destroying my tools -- [ Crinkles his nose at the few bats that are littering the floor. ]

and stinking up the place with bat-corpses?

[isitablurred]

It will. Speaking of--

[ Clark whisks around the cave at high speed, and then there is a gust of cold wind that blows through, taking with it the last vestiges of dead animal stink. He's dressed in a normal suit by the time he reappears. ]

That's better. Shall we, then?

[birdthright]

[ The gust of wind blows his hood right over his head. Only the lower half of Damian's face can be seen, and his upper lip immediately curls in irritation. It looks quite silly. ] Don't ... do that again.

[ But yes, he's ready to go. And somewhat grateful for the clean smell. ]

[isitablurred]

[ Clark has to do his best not to be seen laughing, but that's easy because he's pretty sure Damian doesn't have X-ray vision to see through that hood. He brushes it back down as he passes, heading for the main exit. ]

Welcome to Living With a Super 101. Every little Bat has to learn how eventually.