Soulmates are a funny thing. Words on your skin that match another. Aife was no different. The words written on her wrist are 'Two Demons' in Arabic.
(I have added this story to Ao3 so if you see it there, that's why)
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3 weeks had passed since the French class joined the Gotham ones. The Waynes had grown fond of Aife. She one made Damian more calm and two she just managed to get along with everyone. Through throw out the past weeks the family had been worried about her twice. The first time it happened Damian investigated. Aife had locked herself in her room to the point where Damian had to break in throw the window.
He found her in a corner crying. After panicking, because his girlfriend is not the type of person to just cry, when he went to talk to her it only made her state worse. He then put two and two together and figured she was having a sensory overload. So he left and came back with noise-cancelling headphones. Which, helped a little bit.
The second time was at the start of the second week. It was another sensory overload. After it was over Damian urged her to tell him what was wrong. So she did. Her sensory overload often happened after her not sleeping for a couple of days. They had a little heart-to-heart about nightmares and how they needed to figure out a healthy way for Aife to deal with them. Together.
That night Damian and her slept in the same bed. Aife having a semi-good sleep for the first time in ages. The two for how observant they are, didn't put two and two together until Damian had a nightmare and went to Aife. When the two finally realised that with each other the nightmares were less and they had immediate comfort if they did have one. So now Damian would sleep in Aife's room after patrol and on the days he didn't have it she would sleep in his room.
The Sunday of the 3rd week was different. The whole mansion felt off. Everyone felt like they should be worried. But no one knew why. No one but Damian who had been comforting Aife for the past two hours.
Aife had had a really bad nightmare. Like still shaking after an hour bad.
Damian had been awoken at around 5 by crying. Confused, because he had just woken up, he turned to Aife to find her crying in her sleep. 10 minutes into him trying to wake her up she did. Damian just held her as she continued to cry whispering comforting things. Once she cried all the tears she was there shaking. A little after 6 she finally stopped shaking. Damian knew asking now what happened was not a good idea. So he simply helped her get ready as he slowly watched Aife shut down her emotions.
By 7 the two were sitting down for breakfast. The whole family was worried. Aife was just staring at a random spot on the table expressionless. Dick tried talking to her but she only gave short answers or a sound to show she was listening. It worried the whole family.
Tim took action next. He texted Chloe. He got an answer almost immediately. She told him that she probably had a nightmare and to be careful because this could lead to a sensory overload. She then said she would be over with some things to help. Tim was confused. A sensory overload? Could Aife get those to such a degree that you could feel the worry from Chloe's text? Tim simply texted the family group chat about what Chloe had said. Worrying the rest of the family more.
Just as they finished breakfast Chloe texted Tim to let her in. Just as Tim got up to let Chloe in Aife left for the library. She finally looked at her phone to find texts from Chloe. More asking if she is good and telling her she is coming over. Aife stopped at the door of the library. She knew that she would never be able to tell the family her shit if she was like this. She knew it would be better if they knew about her past. She knew she should tell them.
She knew she could never tell them.
Not her telling them.
So she texted Chloe telling her to tell them if it comes up and if she wants to.
Not the best and she knows that but in her mind it was the only option.
"Chloe what is wrong with Aife?!" Dick said the second he saw her. "Relax Dick, this happens from time to time," Chloe says calmly. Chloe's phone then buzzed. She cheeked it. She inhaled sharply, catching the attention of the group. Tim spoke next holding onto Chloe's arms. "Chloe what is wrong," He said. "Aife had a nightmare, she is now more susceptible to having a sensory overload because of the panic and tiredness," She explained. "A nightmare about what?" Jason asked. Chloe sighed. She knew she had to tell them. "Look the thing is..."
Chloe exsplaned Aifes past. Well, all she knew. Chloe knew the most out of the group. She knew this. However, as close as the two were, she only knew the overview. She could put what she knew into dot points. Horrific dot points.
The Waynes were shaken. However, it made sense. All the skills she had, the scars. In the light, Chloe was making it all make sense.
"Please, please, PLEASE, don't treat her differently. It would crush her." Chloe pleaded. She honestly looked like she was about to cry. Tim came up and held her. "We won't," He said. "We couldn't,"
