Open

[demon_brat]

Characters: Damian and Bruce Wayne, Robin (demon_brat) and Robin (hackingyoursensors), and also Robin (demon_brat) and anyone!
Location: Here, there, and everywhere. Mostly rooftops, probably a lot in the Metal and Fire sections.
Situation: Meet Robin, if you wish!
Warnings/Rating: TW for child abuse. Because it's Damian.
A/N: Prose or actionspam welcome. Thread headers for Bruce and Dick, anyone else who wants to meet or talk with Robin, welcome after that!

It took Damian a couple of days after Grayson showed up to return to his, ah, usual levels of visibility. After that first conversation, he did his best to vanish out of sight, making sure not to fall into his usual patterns of anger at circumstances he did not welcome. Because neither Father nor Grayson would approve - his Grayson, this one had no reason to care - and the urge to not fail his Batman was suddenly double strong. Or, at least, more explicit.

Eventually, almost a full day later, he found his way to his Father's suite.

And the next night, and the one after that, he was cautiously back to patrol.

Comments

[demon_brat]

And Damian shoots him a look.

"I... don't understand you. At all."

[hackingyoursensors]

Dick, meanwhile, looks amused.

"I hear that a lot."

[demon_brat]

Wait, what?

"... not where I come from."

[hackingyoursensors]

"Let's just say some of my teammates think I'm a little strange."

Because he kind of is.

[demon_brat]

This... is as close as Damian is likely to get to a joke.

"Then consider what they would think of me."

Deadpan. And, no, Damian doesn't care what strangers think of him. But it... seems appropriate. And sufficiently mean without actually hurting anyone.

[hackingyoursensors]

"They'd probably assume that being strange is a Robin requirement. I think you'd like Aqualad, though."

He's sensible and calm. Who couldn't like Aqualad?

[demon_brat]

"... you are not strange. From what I can tell about most people's standards. And >Tt.< "

... ... somebody who generally doesn't do a lot of liking?

[hackingyoursensors]

"To be fair, your standards are probably a little skewed. And I get called strange more in my civilian identity, somehow."

Yeah but Aqualad is awesome and big brotherly? Dick thinks pretty highly of him, at least.

[demon_brat]

Damian... actually tilts his head a little. "I think I've read in the files, about not always fitting well, in the schools you went to."

More than that. But... still. Odd to actually imagine it.

Also, Damian is fine with one big brotherly type, thank you very much.

[hackingyoursensors]

"I did grow up in a traveling circus. School-- and sedentary life in general-- was a big adjustment."

Maybe feeling slightly defensive. Nobody seemed to appreciate how hard it was, outside of Bruce and Alfred.

[demon_brat]

">Tt.< I see."

Well. Of course it was a big adjustment. Not like Damian knows anything about that.

But the defensiveness amuses him.

"Still, I doubt anyone who has met me, for example, would consider you strange."

Yes, Dick, now you are free to imagine Damian Wayne at Gotham Academy. ...let's say there are many reasons he does home schooling.

[hackingyoursensors]

He does, a little. Just a tiny scowling thing in a uniform, trying his darndest not to stab someone.

"It's not really a fair comparison."

[demon_brat]

... more or less. But when he stabs people, he stabs them so well!

"No. But I have been informed that expecting fairness is likely to be unreasonable."

[hackingyoursensors]

"Yeah. But sometimes you have to fight for fairness."

There's a lot in life that's unfair. Little injustices, big injustices. They still bothered Dick a little. But anyway.

[demon_brat]

Damian... frowns, slightly, looking at the other Robin.

"Do you? Why?"

No, really. Fighting crime is confusing enough for him. This one - he is trying to understand.

[hackingyoursensors]

He shrugs.

"If I don't, who will?"

Moldy tags, or fade this down?

[demon_brat]

A shrug back.

"Is it something than is necessary? To whom?"

Probably start to end this one because wow September

[hackingyoursensors]

"To everyone. Especially the people who have the odds stacked against them."

He tries to keep the 'duh' out of his voice.

We are special like that. They had a lot to talk about. (Still do.)

[demon_brat]

Damian's head tilts to one side.

"You really believe you can change the odds." Not just... this Grayson. The one at home, too. Damian's never really considered it like this.

[hackingyoursensors]

He shrugs

"Yeah, why not? Change the circumstances, and sometimes you can change the odds with them."

[demon_brat]

"Because there are things that cannot be changed. Or have you not figured that out?"

[hackingyoursensors]

"But I won't know what they are until I try."

He stands up, stretching. He still manages to stick to the shadows, though.

[demon_brat]

"Does that not mean that you fail far more often than if you consider the situations that you can change, first? Or get - slowed down," hurt, is what he means, "on ones you can't, and then you cannot accomplish those you can?"

There aren't all that many shadows, not at night on the turtle... though, admittedly, more in some sectors than others. Especially high up, further from the glowing shell.

Damian remains still, anyway. For now.

[hackingyoursensors]

"I think it through beforehand. Weigh the odds. I'm stubborn, not reckless. Besides, failure is part of learning, right?"

[demon_brat]

"Grayson, you are reckless. And failure is a disgrace."

First part is an observation, the second - well. What he's been taught.