Silence Speaks Volumes

A Young Assassin's Smart Big Brother

Tim wasn't sure what he and Damian were. He was pretty sure Damian saw him as a rival, all of them really, but sometimes the boy would hang out with Tim. Like, when Dick and Jason were gone, Damian would come around Tim. He wouldn't start conversation. He'd just come sit by him and do his own thing. Tim wasn't sure what to think of it.

Damian wasn't sure what he thought of Tim either. On one hand, the boy was supposed to be his enemy. He was supposed to be at his father's side, not Tim. On the other hand, Damian found Tim's intellect fascinating. He talked about things Jason and DIck never did. Damian would never admit it, but he found Tim's take on how Hitler inspired generations riveting.

One day, when Jason was in Hong Kong helping Cass and Dick was in Bludhaven, Damian came into Tim's room. Tim was sitting on his bed planning a mission for the Titans. Damian didn't bother knocking since the door was open. He came and planted himself at the end of Tim's bed on the floor. Tim didn't comment. He just gave Damian a quick 'Hey' and kept working. About an hour later, Tim got up and headed to the cave to sharpen his birdarangs.

As he did the first time, Damian followed Tim and sat down on the training mats a few feet away from Tim. Tim was going to ask, but neither he nor Damian was good with emotions and he didn't want to start a talk he wouldn't know how to finish. So, Tim and Damian practically ignored each other and did their own thing once again.

Alfred came in about half an hour later. "What are you boys up to?" Damian and Tim both shrugged. Alfred, seeing a prime opportunity for brotherly bonding, decided to get the boys to do something together. "Why don't you boys go upstairs and watch a movie while I clean the cave?" Damian and Tim both froze. Alfred went up to Tim and touched his shoulder. Tim got the message and stood up.

"C'mon, Damian," he said kindly, offering the boy a small smile. Damian stared at Tim for a minute, so Tim held out his hand. Damian jumped up and grabbed it. Though the boy wouldn't admit it, Damian liked to be around someone older than him. He was his mother's shadow whenever she was home, and Ra's when she was absent, so he adjusted accordingly and always took to following someone. The holding hands was just instinctual with being a kid.

Tim didn't mind holding hands with Damian or letting the boy follow him. He could tell it reassured the boy. Tim led the boy upstairs and to the screening room. "What do you want to watch?" Damian shrugged. He'd only ever seen a movie twice. Jason took him shortly after he first came to Gotham and a movie night they had.

Tim looked through the movies until he found one about a cartoon animal. He figured Damian would enjoy it. Tim put the DVD in the player and pressed play. Then he went to sit by Damian on a sofa that was in the middle of the room. A few minutes into the movie, Alfred brought a blanket for the boys. As the movie progressed, Damian shifted closer and closer to Tim, by the halfway mark, Damian was in Tim's lap. Tim realized that he kind of liked being a big brother. Damian realized that Tim's lap, though no where near as secure as Jason's, wasn't too bad and that following Tim was enjoyable.

...

When Bruce got back from his banquet, he noticed that the house was quiet. His boys were well behaved enough, but never quiet. Even with Jason gone, he figured the young man would have given Damian some pranks to pull. Damian, being a kid who always strived for success and approval, would do them even better than Jason planned. But, there was none of that. It was quiet, and that scared him even more. "Alfred," Bruce called. Alfred came from the kitchen.

"Yes, Master Bruce?"

"Where're the boys?" Alfred smiled warmly.

"I instigated some well needed quality time." Bruce smirked.

"How?" Alfred pointed down the hallway.

"I'm sure the world's greatest detective has the ability to find that out for himself." Bruce chuckled and went down the hallway. He found Tim and Damian asleep in the screening room. Damian was in Tim's lap with his arms to Tim's chest, and had his head in the crook of Tim's neck. Tim had his arms around Damian and his head laid limp against the back of the couch. Bruce walked in quietly, but Damian still woke up. He looked at Bruce with droopy eyes, then went back to sleep on Tim. Bruce pulled the blanket up on them and turned the TV off. Bruce left, but not before snapping a picture.