I'll be good

Epilogue

Two Years Later...

"Why did you need my help with this again?" Jason asked, perplexed as he stood over twelve-year-old Damian, watching him fiddle around with the pieces of material scattered about the living room.

"You're the only one I know who's home this time of day on a Friday evening," the boy replied, barely paying his older brother any attention as he attempted to fit two odd pieces together.

"Right," Jason replied with a huff, knowing very well that he wasn't the only one home, "and you couldn't have asked anybody else-- Alfred, perhaps?"

"Nope."

With a dramatic roll of his eyes-- why god, why?-- Jason sighed in defeat and heaved himself into the oversized armchair behind him, letting out an over-theatrical exhale that one would expect from a child who had just been told to tidy their room.

Damian, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration, continued to fidget with the two pieces of equipment, trying every single combination to see what would work. He was having no such luck. "You're the one who said you'd do it."

He did say that, and he was regretting it more and more with every annoying clang of metal as Damian continued to bash the objects together futilely.

"Give me that!" Jason proceeded to snatch the things-- whatever they were-- out of Damian's grasp, much to the boy's irritation, and attempted a much more patient, more rational approach of fixing the two objects together.

"You know, when you said you needed help, I figured it'd be somethin' to do with the family business, not..." Jason trailed off as he motioned towards Damian's unfinished science diorama on the floor.

"Father said it's important to complete my schoolwork if I want to go with him on patrol tonight," Damian shrugged.

"Ah, the ol' blackmail manoeuvre," Jason smirked as he finally managed to get the two pieces to slot together with a click, "so you thought you'd get this thing done quicker with a partner."

"Mm-hmm"

"And you asked me?" Jason laughed.

"Like I said," Damian began to gesture to the otherwise empty room, "the only one here."

"Well then, don't I feel honoured."

"So you should," Damian replied reaching his hand out for the missing piece in Jason's grasp, "and you better do good on your part-- I'm going for an 'A' with this," he cautioned as he wiggled his fingers impatiently in the air.

"Whatever you say, short-stack," Jason smirked, his stomach giving a little jolt as he laughed at the little nickname, handing Damian the object back and letting his brother slot it into its rightful place on his layout.

***

When dinner rolled around that evening, the house was full again, everyone having returned to the manor right on time, eager to partake in the splendid meal Alfred had prepared for them.

Of course, with the whole family being present around the dinner table, there came the inevitable boisterous laughter and endless chatter and overall disorder as the family ate. But Alfred didn't mind the chaos, for once he rather enjoyed it-- seeing the smiles on each of their faces, and hearing the side-splitting laughter-- it felt like Christmas.

Like the best thing in the world.

Later on, after everyone had settled down for the night-- the boys scrunched up together on the comfy couch in the living room, a blanket slung over them all, watching some scary movie-- and Alfred had made his signature hot cocoa, Bruce took a moment for himself, sitting at the kitchen island across from the butler, sipping away at his warm drink.

It had been a long and tiresome day for everyone, but it was worth everything if it meant he could come home to what he had. What was once a broken and deteriorating household, was now a close-knit, loving family-- nigh inseparable, as Dick would say. And Bruce couldn't help but feel like Damian was the piece that was missing from it all along-- the glue holding them all together.

"Will you be going on patrol tonight, Sir?" Alfred asked, now wiping clean his own mug of cocoa.

Bruce let out a yawn in response, taking a mouthful of his drink and relishing in the warmth as it ran down his throat, "I promised Damian," he said but not before letting out another short yawn into the back of his hand. "But, I think just for tonight it would be a better idea if we all catch up on some sleep, Gotham can survive without us for one night."

Alfred couldn't help but chuckle in agreement.

He was the last awake, of course. Bruce had gone up hours ago, and Dick and Tim, having become bored of the stupid jump scares, decided to pack the movie in altogether and retire to their rooms, leaving only Jason and Damian left.

Both boys were fast asleep when Alfred decided to check on them-- at first, going to say goodnight and reminding them to turn off all the lights when they went to bed, only to find them both passed out, cuddled up against each other in a manner Alfred could only describe as precious-- Jason would hate being called that. And if Alfred were to tell him about the scene he stumbled upon that night, Jason would absolutely deny it ever happening, though everybody knows how much of a soft spot Jason has for Damian-- has had it ever since the boy first arrived.

Once he had managed to shake Jason awake, letting him know what time it was and sending him to bed, Alfred lifted Damian into his arms, carrying the feather-light boy to his room.

Damian stirred slightly but didn't wake when he was placed gently onto his bed and the covers pulled up to his chin. Alfred placed a soft kiss to his hair and left the room quietly, a warm smile on his face.

It was a nice feeling-- having a child in the house again.

Alfred had been there from the moment Bruce was born, had practically raised him even before his parents died, and Alfred had been there when Dick was young, and Jason, and Tim. It was hard to believe how grown up they were now, and sometimes, Alfred found himself wishing that he could turn back time and do it all again. Because he would most definitely do it all again. In a heartbeat.

Damian was twelve going on thirteen-- only a few more days left-- and as much as Alfred wasn't looking forward to the teenage years, wasn't excited for the adolescent rebellion and neverending fights between parent and child, he was willing to brave it all again. Because he loved that boy, he loved all of his boys, and he wouldn't trade what he had for anything in the world.

The End

A/N:

Thank you so much for reading! I truly hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Damian has always been my absolute favourite bat-child and I know I put him through some shit in the story, but I was just so desperate to write an angsty/fluffy AU where he thought/acted a bit differently compared to his canon self.

Thank you so much to everyone who left comments and voted for the story, it truly means everything to me to know that people are enjoying what I write, so thank you so so much :)

I don't know if I will ever return to the DC universe, but I do plan to continue writing in the future so if any of you would like to check out any other works I will be doing in the future then please feel free to do so! :)

As always, and for the final time, please let me know what you think, I'm grateful for any and all feedback.

Once again thank you all for reading, voting, and commenting <3

Until next time,

-Sunset536