I'll be good

Gotham

It was around four-thirty in the morning when the first light of the sun hit the earth. Damian woke immediately, not having much sleep through the night, but he didn't move from the piece of fabric his mother called a bed. She would be here soon. Preparing him for the day ahead. She would tell him that he is the heir and he cannot fail.

Truth be told, Damian had never failed. No matter what his task was, no matter how difficult, he would always succeed. This time would be different though. This time wasn't to show how much his body could endure or how talented he was with his weapons, this time he would have to kill someone.

"You will one day lead the League of Shadows, you must be unbeatable." His mother would always remind him every day before he left on his missions never knowing if he would return.

He always did of course. Not always in one piece but he returned.

Damian thought back to when he was younger, he must have been four or five, at this point he couldn't remember. But he remembered the mission, he remembered the cold wind and how it froze his skin to the state of numbness. He remembered how icy the rocks were and how he would nearly slip with each step he took. He remembered how high the mountain was, the peak hidden by clouds and whirling snow.

He remembered how close he was to the top, so far from the ground. And how he carelessly misplaced his foot and fell. He didn't fall far, he managed to catch himself on a snowy ledge, snapping his wrist on impact. He remembered the pain and the determination to keep going. But most of all he remembered how proud he felt when he made it to the top and how hurt he felt when his mother didn't share in that pride when he made it back.

Damian shifted in his blankets, staring out of the open window in his room. His mind wandered back to his current mission, he didn't know who the target was or why they were marked for assassination, he just knew he had to get the job done. He was Damian Al Ghul, grandson of Ra's Al Ghul. He was unbeatable.

The door behind him opened, startling him out of his thoughts. He sat up but remained facing the window.

"Damian." A female spoke, her voice monotone. He closed his eyes and stood up, leaving his bundle of blankets on the floor.

Damian turned to face the door, eyes trained on the figure standing in the doorway.

"Mother," he answered back, his voice equally as toneless.

She walked towards him, setting a fresh pair of black clothes down on the table beside his 'bed'. He watched her every movement, only after she had placed the clothes down did he dare look into her eyes. She said nothing, only placed her hands upon his shoulders, closing her eyes as she sighed.

Damian refused to look away from her, he wanted her to say what she had to and then leave. He just wanted to watch the sunrise from his window, to hear the birds sing as they woke up. Not have to worry about the League of Shadows anymore.

Talia lifted her head to look at him once more, "I need you to be perfect today. No mistakes." She moved her hand from his shoulder to his cheek, her thumb caressing it gently. Damian didn't answer her, there was nothing he could say to please her. He looked down at his feet at an attempt to avoid her glare, but it was useless. Talia quickly lifted her son's chin so that he was looking at her piercing eyes once again.

"Did you hear me?" She asked softly, her hand still on his chin. "I need you to be perfect."

When Damian didn't answer her, her grip on his shoulder tightened, and he winced slightly at the pain, bowing his head in submission, "yes, mother," came his whispered answer.

Talia's grip loosened until Damian was free to back away. She was smiling at him, Damian could sense it even without looking at her. "This is a big day for you, my son," she said. "The league is counting on you. I'm counting on you." Talia's voice echoed through the small, dark room. Damian still didn't look at her, instead, keeping his gaze on the black clothes meant for him to wear as he ended someone's life.