Robin one shot part 3!

I bet on losing dogs

Damian was decidedly a worst patient than Bruce was. Most supposed he took it after his father and his training only made it worse. One night, he'd missed a jump because he was fixing his grappling hook and smashed his foot against the side of the building. He'd then fallen down to a fire escape and would've fallen further had Dick not been there to catch his hand before he could tumble further. The older pulled him up and took him to Leslie, cutting their patrol early despite the protests. Since taking over the role as Batman, Dick had become parental towards his younger sibling even though every time he tried to state they were siblings Damian got a sour look on his face and made a cutting comment. Luckily he knew he was just struggling but the comments still hurt. Leslie said he'd gotten off with a few deep cuts that needed to be sewn up and a fractured big toe. Damian reacted to the recovery time as though he'd never be able to walk again and Dick knew at that moment that he was going to have to fight the teen every step of the way. 

And fight they did. Dick kept having to get up at all hours to snatch the boy back up and get him to bed. No matter how hard he shouted or how often he reminded him, Damian was up and about as soon as his back was turned. At the end of his rope, he decided to try one last thing that he prayed worked even if he didn't think it would. After all, Damian was refusing to refer to him as a sibling even after months of looking after him so he doubted he'd really care about what happened in his life but who knows? Maybe the kid would surprise him.

After once again grabbing the kid and plopping him back down on his bed, Dick sat with him for a moment before noticing that he'd messed with his bandages. He tutted to himself and got a first aid kid then began with his new approach. One he hoped would work. "When I was little, I thought whatever I did wrong was reason enough for Bruce to kick me out," he began quietly as he redid Damian's bandages. He knew the job was more suited to Alfred but he'd been doing his own patch-up work for long enough that he was confident he could do a good job whilst trying to make the kid feel more at home. "So, when I did something wrong, I would apologize profusely or I would act out even more. Go out with a bang so then I felt in control if he did kick me out. I'd feel like I'd be kicked out because I wanted to, not because Bruce decided to."

"Did you ever want to be?" Damian asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.

"Never. I just wanted that control," he answered honestly. He didn't look up at the younger because he felt their disconnected gaze was getting them somewhere. "That's because before I was with Bruce but after my parents died, I was put in juvie." He felt a jerk and he winced himself at the words coming out. No one knew about that time between being orphaned and being fostered aside from a select few, one of whom had died and put him in this mess. Not even Tim knew and he was pretty sure Tim knew everything about him which was unnerving as it was kind of sweet. In a creepy way. He hoped Tim was safe out there. Maybe he should try to get word on him after he dealt with the matter at hand. 

"Why were you in juvenile detention?" 

"Because there were no more orphanages that could take me. That night they died, I spent it in a cell. I think in some way that's made me feel like it was my fault they died." He pulled himself together before his mind could wander down that road. He'd done it enough in his life and he didn't fancy breaking down about it now. "Point is, in juvie, you couldn't show weakness. It didn't matter that the boys beat me up in the showers or that they stole my food because the bigger the fuss you put up, the worse it gets."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I suspect that before you came here, pain and injury were treated like it was in juvie. It was a sign of weakness and the more you showed how it affected you, the worse it got." Finishing up his work, he directed his gaze to connect with the younger's. He could see that terrified child beneath the facade Damian put on to protect himself. Despite what some might think, Dick wasn't stupid. He was naive sometimes, oblivious to others, but he wasn't stupid. His intelligence was the exact same as his fellow heroes, there were just some differences in where it was placed. Namely, he was emotionally intelligent. He knew an angry kid was a hurt kid and he could usually figure out a way to help. "I got angry too, yknow? See there was this one kid, Jimmy Cent. Don't ask about the cent part, I still have no idea if he just liked 50 cent or if it was to do with why he was behind bars. He comes up to me one day and he takes my lunch. By now, I've gone about two days without a full meal and I was a skinny kid already so safe to say I'm starving by now. He takes it from me and I'm so upset I scream and yell and I punch him and beat him. I ended up in isolation."

"What was the point of it then?"

"I learned that day that I had to fight for basic things now. The right to eat. The right to exist."

"Mother never made me fight for my right to eat," Damian pointed out defensively.

"But your family made you fight for the right to be loved, didn't they? You climbed that mountain as a child, even broke your arm during that journey, and you came down a child only now knowing you had to fight for your right to be loved by your family." He was silent after that so Dick continued with the story. "When I came to the Manor, I carried that thinking. I snuck food and yelled when people tried to take anything away from me even if I didn't want it anymore. I was a terror. Still am in some ways." He gently put a hand on the younger's cheek and was surprised to find he didn't pull away. God, this kid needed so much from him yet couldn't ask for it. There was so much pressure to just know what to do for a child that needed you to know all the answers and he wondered if this was what Bruce felt when he first took Dick in. All the confusion and worry to look after a child that was grieving who was unable to handle emotions like an adult. "That experience was a few months and it changed me. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to go from one ideology you've spent your whole life knowing to another you're still unsure about your place in but know this. You don't have to fight to be loved here Dami. Not with me at least."

As he pulled away, Damian grabbed his hand in a vice-like grip and sniffled as tears began to line his eyes. He stared at Dick as though he couldn't be real and it broke the man's heart that his kindness was being questioned or taken as false. He'd come to look after the kid knowing that it wouldn't be easy but this moment made it feel worth it because he was finally getting through. He found himself wanting to sacrifice everything he had if it meant this boy staring at him would find some comfort. In some way, he already had. Nightwing was on the back burner for a title he never wanted and his city had once again become Gotham. Everything he didn't want had been handed to him and he was expected to handle it which he was but moments like these meant all he did had a purpose. "Would you like a hug Damian?" Hesitantly, the teen nodded and was immediately pulled into a warm embrace. He wraps his arms around the acrobat and burrows his face into his chest, finally letting out everything he had pent up. Then something hits Dick. It hits him harder now than ever. He remembers sitting on a rooftop with Jason and he knows the kid is struggling to adjust. He thinks to himself to hug the kid and it works, he melts into his touch and they just sit there. Damian reminded him of Jason and whenever he thinks of Jason at that age, he remembers the crushing guilt of not doing more for the boy. He regrets so much because he was so mad at Bruce that he let it stop him from doing more and here he is with Damian who he has to protect because there's no Bruce to send him home to and there's no way he's sending him to a boarding school. He doesn't realize it until Damian has pulled back and dragged a thumb across his cheek that he's crying. He got a hold of himself and put on a brave face. "You are loved, Damian. You are so loved and I need you to know that."

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm being silly," he placates. "Always cry when I see others cry."

"You're emotional," Damian states and it sounds like it should be a dig but the tone is wrong. It's a compliment. One that was worded poorly but thankfully Dick knew how to look past it. He felt a sense of nostalgia come from the comment, remembering how Bruce also struggled to deliver praise. He remembered arguments sprouting from the attempts as praise. "Do you miss him?"

"Every single day." The younger bit his lip nervously before he continued.

"I'm sorry you lost your father. I'm sorry I made it harder."

"I'm sorry you lost your dad. I'm sorry you felt like you had to fight." They held onto each other tightly. In this world, it was them against it all and although that was terrifying, it felt right. Dick understood Damian better than Bruce had and Damian needed him more than anything right now. They had Alfred of course but there was something between them that Dick always wished he had with Bruce and he wasn't sure he ever had it. "Since you've finally admitted you view me as Bruce's son, can I call you my brother now?"

"You've always been allowed to call me your brother," the younger admitted. "You are as much of a Wayne as I am." He pressed a kiss on top of Damian's head with a small smile. Yeah, they were gonna be okay.