Hidden and Silent (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 11: Part Four

"What was that?" Damian asked trepidatiously and gauged Demetrius' reaction.

"Them? They're just some classmates." Demetrius was unmoved. He even seemed lighter now that they were gone.

"Haven't you known them for a long time? I thought they were your friends."

"Mm." He grunted in objection, expressing just what he thought of that notion

"They think you are."

"Of course they do."

"You don't like them?"

"No."

". . Oh. . ." Damian had wondered about this before. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed. He'd heard Demetrius' reluctance to get involved with Forger. He'd noticed how cavalier he was about. . .well most everything. Damian had let it fade, unimportant in the back of his mind, and now it reemerged as a peaking suspicion. "Do you like anybody?"

"You." Demetrius replied succinctly and decisive, no intake of breath to continue, no moment to consider if he'd forgotten someone.

". . .That's it?" Damian asked after a full minute of waiting for him to add onto that.

"I guess?" Demetrius shrugged. He really didn't seem to care.

"What about Mother?"

The most indication Demetrius gave was a careless half-shrug.

Maybe this was normal, to have only one person that he cared about, but the way Demetrius behaved, the way he thought nothing of it was slightly concerning. And confusing. Demetrius didn't like people in general, so why did he care for Damian? Because they were brothers? Was that the only reason? He supposed it made sense. Siblings were supposed to have some sort of connection, weren't they? Maybe they were and maybe it was normal that Demetrius liked no one else, but something seemed off.

Damian snuck a glance at him and found Demetrius side-eyeing him, faint amusement playing at his eyebrow and lips. Chills ran up Damian's spine. "What?!" He said sharper than he meant, but Demetrius didn't seem to care.

"You had a funny look on your face."

"Wha—no I didn't!"

The corner of Demetrius' mouth turned up into a teasing half-smile and all traces of his earlier, bad mood were gone as he broke his dead-faced appearance. Damian had definitely noticed how relaxed Demetrius had been recently. "I'm just kidding, you always look funny."

"Wh—Hey!" Damian exclaimed angrily, but couldn't help the twinge of a smile infecting him as he swat his brother's leg. "Well, if I look so funny, that means you do too since we look so much alike!"

"You were lied to." Demetrius said. "Everyone lies to make you feel better. Why, mother cried when you were born and said you looked like a pig." His voice sounded serious, and if it weren't for the impudent smirk, Damian might have thought he was.

Damian huffed indignantly. "She did not!" He made to swat his leg again but Demetrius caught him by the head, taking a step back, and kept him at arm's length.

"Yes, it was tragic. All the doctors and nurses were called into the room to check that you were human."

Damian couldn't dislodge Demetrius' hand and waved his leg around, trying to kick him. He couldn't reach and his kite bobbed and waved in the sky at his jarring movements.

"You were cute as far as pigs go if it's any consolation."

"I don't look like a pig!" Laughter slipped through despite Damian's efforts. "You don't look cute as far as pigs go!" He threw back at him.

"Yes, you're right." Demetrius answered, now shamelessly grinning. "I look nothing like a pig, I'm much better looking."

"No! you look like a. . .a furless monkey that was. . . . .that was mauled by a bear!" Damian yelled, continuing to wave his leg at him.

"What?" Demetrius said calmly. "I think you're describing yourself."

"No! You! You look like that!"

"Ya know, now that I think about it, one of the nurses called you that." Demetrius said. "A furless monkey. You even sounded like one."

"You're full of crap!" Damian laughed angrily. He still couldn't reach him.

"No, no, it's okay. Mother said it was like we had a pet now."

Damian gaped in outrage before redoubling his efforts to land a blow and his leg waved wildly around. "Gggggng!" He growled, his face warming. When his assault continued to fail, he dropped to a crouch on the ground, forcing Demetrius to let go or come with him. His brother let go, Damian dug a hand in the soil, and threw a clump of grass at Demetrius. Bits of dirt flung through the air. Demetrius put up his hand in defence, but it dirtied mostly his legs.

Damian swat it hard.

"Okay, okay, I yield." Demetrius chuckled, holding his hand up placatingly and returned it to his kite. His smile didn't fall. "I shouldn't tease little, furless monkey-pigs."

Damian threw another clump of grass at him.

"You're so weird." He said and Demetrius shrugged. His casual acceptance of the accusation was the bane of everything fair and good, because now Damian couldn't throw Demetrius' retorts back in his face. But Demetrius held composure, and the following moments of quiet stillness led Damian to return focus to his kite as well.

As Demetrius' rare bout of playfulness wore off, Damian felt a peacefulness coming to fill it's place. For several minutes, they flew their kites, watched the clouds, and they needn't have said a word. The conversation Damian had wanted, turned to only wanting to enjoy this moment in silence. And he did, feeling the sun on his face, the breezes tussling his hair, and listening to the background noises of birds and people somewhere in the area.

It was interrupted only by Damian's feet when he decided to run around, waving the kite about as it followed him like a loyal dog wherever he went. He let more string out so it could rise even higher until it appeared a fraction of it's size. He wound it up again. Let some out again. Played however he could with the string.

The winds had gotten chillier and Damian raised his shoulders at a particularly cold gust of wind. It wasn't cold cold. He could feel it seeping into his skin, raising goosebumps and ranging slight, occasional shivers over his body, but he didn't feel it. Like only his body noticed the change in temperature, and not his brain. The sensation of being cold wasn't there.

He commanded his muscles to relax against it and came back to Demetrius after wearing himself out. They stood in pleasant silence for a while.