Silence Speaks Volumes

A Young Assassin's Return (Pt. 1)

Talia took Damian back. She had been trying to, but Bruce was stopping her. Finally, she besieged Gotham. Her only conditions were that Damian be returned. Bruce had to choose between his son and his city. He chose his city.

The boys were furious. Jason left Gotham. He was tired of Bruce putting everything before his family. Dick hadn't come home in months. He stuck to Bludhaven. Tim, being a minor, was still stuck with Bruce. Both Red Robin and Tim made themselves scarce whenever Bruce came around.

Eventually, Damian came back. He came back bloodied, bruised, and recluse. He kept disappearing for days at a time. Bruce ended up putting an ankle bracelet on him. Damian broke his ankle getting it off.

He wouldn't let anyone touch him. If they tried, he'd disappear for hours at a time. He wouldn't eat more than every other day either. He wouldn't sign or write anymore either, so two sided communication was cut off. The only time they definitely knew where he was when he video called Ra's to show training improvement every week.

...

Damian had went into hiding yet again. Dick and Tim couldn't find him. "We have to call Jason," Tim said.

"Why didn't we call him in the first place," Dick asked. "We shouldn't have done that."

"B's orders. You could've defied him."

"I should've." Dick pulled his phone out. Tim could hear the ring. "Jay? Hey-- Sorry for being a stalker. Anyway-- Okay, I won't call you again, but-- I promise. Jay, Damian's back... You knew? Then why haven't you been--" Jason hung up.

"Jason knew," Tim asked. Damian magically appeared at the mention of his favorite person in world's name.

"Has he been around here?"

"Not as far as I know." They looked at Damian. He kept a face of indifference. He had seen Jason since he came back. The man had visited multiple times. "Has he visited, Dami?" Damian didn't answer, but that was the usual response. Tim shifted on his feet and Damian backed up.

"Dami, it's dinner time." Dick was pretty sure he'd come since, by their observations, today was an eating day and he hadn't eaten yet. Damian walked to the dinner table and sat down. Tim and Dick followed.

Dick tried to fill the mealtime with chatter, but only Alfred had the idea to join in. "Master Timothy, how was your day?" Tim looked up from where he was playing with his food.

"It was fine. The Team had a mission--"

"He lead Gamma," Dick said excitedly.

"Yeah. I did."

"Maybe Dami could join the Team one day." Dick smiled. Damian didn't respond. He ate his food at a normal pace. Alfred would try and put more on his plate for at least a bit of supplement. Sometimes it worked. Other times, he would leave the extra food on his plate. Today, he was doing the former. Alfred smiled.

"Yeah," Tim said.

"What did you do today, Master Bruce?"

"Meetings."

"That's it?"

"Yes." Damian finished eating and sat, waiting to be dismissed. He always waited until they finished. After about five minutes, everyone began to get up.

"You may be excused, Master Damian." Damian got up and left. Dick followed so that they didn't lose the boy again.

Damian went into his room and closed the door behind himself. Dick figured he'd want to be left alone, so he exited stage right. Damian sat under the bed. An hour later, he could hear the window open. "Hey," Jason whispered. He crouched down and saw Damian under the bed. "You gonna come out for me?" Damian shook his head. "You know I won't hurt you." Images of the contrary flashed in Damian's mind. "That wasn't me," Jason said. Damian nodded. "C'mon." Damian crawled out from under the bed. Jason kept his distance. "So, how's life?" Damian didn't answer. "I brought you some things." Jason reached his hand in his jacket. Damian's hand went to his knife. Jason pulled out a Red Hood doll and he relaxed the hand. "I don't know what Ra's did with the old one." He held it out to Damian. Damian didn't take it. Jason sat it on the floor between them. The boy took it and nodded a thank you.

The doll looked about the same as the old one. It was the same material, but the jacket and helmet were now removable, and it didn't have the same scar the old one did. Damian noticed it had a zipper. "You can put whatever you want in it. Made that part myself." Damian unzipped it and gauged the size. He could put anything from candy to a small knife in there. "You like it?" Damian nodded. Jason smiled. "I also made you these." He handed the boy a small bag of candy. Damian emptied it into the doll and zipped the compartment. He trusted whatever Jason put in them. Jason walked up a bit closer. Damian let him. It was the same routine every time. Jason inches closer each time. Jason sat down, and Damian followed suit. "You shouldn't disappear too much. It scares them." Damian didn't respond. "Just stay in someone's vicinity." Damian looked down at the floor. "Nothing'll happen. If I'm wrong and something does, someone will be right there." Damian nodded.

"Done much lately?" Damian didn't answer. He looked at Jason intently. Jason just gave a small grin. They sat in silence for half an hour. "I should be starting patrol soon," Jason said as he got up. "Mind if I come tomorrow? It'll probably be in the afternoon." Damian shook his head. Deciding to try something new tonight, Jason held his fist out. He had taught Damian to fist bump before. Damian bumped the fist weakly. Jason smiled. "See you later, Demon." Jason slipped out the window.

There was a knock on Damian's door. He moved back under the bed. "Damian?" The boy heard Tim. The teenager walked in. "Was someone in here?" The window was closed, so there was no evidence of Jason's visit besides the doll. "Where are you?" Tim looked around the room until he found the boy under the bed. He wasn't going to make him come out. "We're leaving for patrol, thought you should know... good night." Tim left the room.

Damian hugged the Red Hood doll tightly. It felt the same as the old one.