My name is Domino

33.

The new year's gala of New York ended up being very different from the one we attended in Gotham. Firstly the only way to donate money for x cause, was to bet on a silent auction. Unlike at the Gotham new year's gala father just had to hand a check of million or two to some lady with fake tits and botox. Now dad gave me and Peter budget of million dollars each and told us to go nuts. So... obviously we made a bet on which of us won the stupider thing.

The other major difference was that in New York all the young people here except for me, Peter and few others who came with their parents,  were actually the ones invited because they were either influencers, actors or something along the line.  When in Gotham it was the other way around. But no matter what, all young rich people are enoying when they let it get to their heads. Like this one guy who had to be around 18 years old and must have thought that I was older, because he was trying to hit on me by asking me to go on a ride with him in his new Ford Mustang. But I shut him down pretty fast by just yelling one thing to dad.

- Dad!

-Yes dear?

He called for me somewhere near.

- Can I have a Bugatti for my 16th birthday?

- Sure if you want to. But isn't it to bit early to decide on that?

And as I turned back to this guy he had realized who was the little lady Stark-Strange who had been the most gossiped person  during this gala from the moment we entered. Which was exactly like in Gotham. From the first event me and Damian entered the Gotham city social circle, we were the topic of the most interesting discussions. Either because we were not like the most children of the social elite or it was something general in our family that made the cut. Though as of now it was quite handy to get rid of unwanted company, it used to be a pain. Especially as we had been trying to lay low.

Remembering Damian and the rest of her family in Gotham made my eyes sting and I had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom where I sat down in front of one of the makeup tables and looked at myself from the mirror. Small tears were falling from my eyes smudging the slight makeup I had on. Only now had I realized how much I missed them. Which made the tears fall even harder.

- Domino? Are you here? I saw you leave the- Oh my- Are you alright? Why are you crying?,

Pepper had walked in the bathroom and was now standing behind me, her eyes looking worriedly at my crying eyes.

- I-I just remembered that I really hadn't missed my father, nor any of my brothers not even Damian. And he is my twin. I don't mean that I love and care papa, dad, Peter and well you know.... any less. It's just so different. I gave them up to protect both of these realities but I still wish I wouldn't have had to.

I was now openly crying out loud which ironically would have made Damian scoff or something. But he wasn't here. Instead  aunt-Pepper turned me to face her, hugged me tight and said,

- It is okay to feel like that. You have been through so much more than a girl your age should have, from the moment you were born. And yet you have become so awesome and caring in your own way. It is okay to cry. It is not a weakness, rather it shows that you are strong enough to show your emotions. Okay? 

I nodded she was right. Gosh... If Damian was here he would tell me I had become too soft. I had probably cried more during this half a year than I had in my entire life before.

- And by the way the silent auction has ended. and I just want to know what made you bid on a Luis Vuitton skateboard and a Supreme brick. And you used million dollars at that. I swear you and Peter both had some weird bids. Peter won a weeks trip to LA and you guys have a house there and then he also won a cameo in some you tuber's video. 

- Oh no- that means Peter won,

I said as I wiped away my tears. Aunt-Pepper just shook her head in amused disbelieve on our stupid competition. 

***Damian at Gotham city New Year's ball***

It was weird for Damian to stand alone in the huge ballroom. Well- it was the same as every year but this time he wasn't with his twin but actually alone. This was the first event he had agreed to attend with the rest of the family after Domino had died. 

In the late November he had finally fully given up on the hope she would have survived and had let his father prepare a tombstone for her next to where their grandparents had found their final resting place. 

Damian felt a weird emptiness within himself. He and Domino had never been that effective  with each other but the time they had spent living with their father had molded them to be the sort of twins they were meant to be. Codependent and loyal to each other.

- Hey, lil' bro. Don't be such a party pooper. It's new year's eve have some fun,

Richard had walked down to Damian's side. He scoffed ad him and walked away to face the window but couldn't get rid of his eldest brother who followed.

- It's okay to feel sad about Domino not being here. But to be honest she never seemed to like these things and you know it as well as I do.

Damian didn't say anything but he new Dick was incorrect. Though Domino had never showed it, to be fair she didn't really show much of any emotion, she actually liked to play her part as the little miss Wayne she needed to be in front of others.  She never acted cute or anything but rather let her inner charisma, which she had been thought to hide, shine. In that sense she had been just like their father. Charismatic in front of those who she had to wow to her side but more rational and reserved on the inside. And at times had acted as Damian's voice of reason.