It started that summer

Better, Stronger, Braver

*4 months later – Christmas break*

I stood in the middle of Damian's room, surrounded by clothes and the delightful chaos of packing for Disneyland. The air was thick with the scent of fresh laundry. He was focused and folding his clothes with the precision of a miniature soldier. "Do you really need all these shirts?" I asked, holding up a bright green t-shirt emblazoned with a cartoon cat. "You can't wear them all at once, you know."

"Of course I can. I must be prepared for all scenarios," Damian replied, his voice dripping with seriousness as he snatched the shirt from my hands and tucked it neatly into his suitcase.

I raised an eyebrow. "Right, right," I said, smirking as I tossed a shirt out of the suitcase. "Just trying to help my little brother. You'll thank me later when you have room for souvenirs." We continued to pack in a comfortable silence, a gentle rhythm developing as we sorted through clothes, shoes, and random accessories. I felt a surprising sense of ease with Damian. We started doing everything together. After school, he'd swing by my room, and we'd dive into whatever project he had going on. I was always impressed by his talent for drawing, he has a way of turning his thoughts and feelings into art that amazes me. One day, he surprised me by sketching my portrait. When I first saw it, I was honestly blown away. It wasn't just a drawing. I was so honored that he thought of me that way and it touched this guy's heart. I framed it and hung it on my wall. It's the first thing I see when I wake up. Every time I look at it, I'm reminded of how far we've come and the bond we've built. It's kind of funny when I think about it. We started off as two kids from completely different worlds—growing up together but wanting nothing to do with each other. Yet here we are now. I never expected this little tater tot to mean so much to me, but he's become such a huge part of my life. I wouldn't trade our relationship for anything. "Hey, what about this shirt?" I asked, holding up a bright yellow T-shirt adorned with a picture Dick's face. "Is this going to Disneyland or what?" Tim thought it'd be funny to wear to the ugly Christmas sweater contest and put it in the white elephant game last year. Damian had the honor of winning it.

Damian giggled. "Definitely not!'"

I tossed it into the suitcase, and we both laughed. "I think it'll fit right in with the rest of your questionable choices." Since the incident, I'd been taking my training seriously again now that my cast was off and I was healed. Damian was incredibly helpful, always pushing me to go harder and focus more. I never thought I'd enjoy training with my little brother, but here we were, sharing tips and cheering each other on. It was ironic how things had shifted. I'd never seen Damian so nervous to fight someone. He used to jump right in, with no hesitation, but now he looked at me like I might break the second he touched me. Now, I wished he'd ease up again.

The kid is gonna break my damned arm all over again at this rate, but I can live with that. Whenever I think I've got you figured out you show me another side of you.

The more time we spent together, the stronger our connection grew. He believed in me. It was just amusing to think about how the tables had turned. I used to worry about him, and now I felt like I was trying to convince him that I could handle it. "Hey kiddo, have you finished that book I lent you?" I asked while he was digging through a pile of shirts.

"Not yet, but I am almost there!" he smiled.

"Make sure you finish it before we leave. I want to hear your thoughts on the ending," I said.

His eyes sparkled with interest. "I promise, I'll read it tonight."

"I know you can't resist a good cliffhanger." I turned to find Damian staring out the window, his expression softening as he watched the snow drift lazily down from the gray sky. I stepped beside him, leaning against the wall, and we both took a moment to admire the view. "It's beautiful," I said softly, watching the way the snowflakes danced in the air before settling on the ground. "It reminds me of when I was a kid. I used to love running outside to catch snowflakes on my tongue."