Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"This is something that should be discussed," he says pointedly. "Not something you decide in the middle of the night while I'm halfway across the world--"

Damian, always keeping his back to his husband when these sorts of "discussions" come about, is fiddling with a tracking device. It's ancient -- probably one of Cassandra's considering Damian's determination to use nothing less than the latest models -- and a terrible guise for the Batman's attempt at stalling.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"London is hardly halfway across the world from Gotham," Damian says at last, cracking open the device. "What, did Drake superglue this?-- in any case, London is only 75 degrees away from Gotham, that's at least fifteen short of being half--"

Chris throws up his hands. "You're being ridiculous!"

"You're the one shouting over something you will drop by midday tomorrow."

With a sharp breath, Chris rubs at his temples. "Damian, you are ridiculous. You brought home another human being and called up my mother -- my mother -- about needing my adoption records for some harebrained scheme to forge documents."

Finally looking at Chris, Damian's brows slowly lift, as if everything's making sense for the first time since they began the conversation. "Ah. You're upset over Lois knowing."

"I'm upset because you planned on adopting a child without even consulting me," Chris begins before groaning and rubbing his face. "Oh my god, you're just like my father --"

"And Lois ended up being fine with it," Damian says with a shrug. "The only reason you're yelling at me instead of looking in on her is because you know you'll drop this conversation the second you see her."

"My mother was only 'fine' so quick because Bizarro attacked me," Chris points out, following Damian up the stairs toward the Manor, trying desperately to restrain the need to just grab his husband and hold him still.

"I can arrange that."

"That's not funny."

"Why aren't you yelling at Cassandra? She found the girl first," Damian asks, honestly seeming mystified with Chris' entire point of argument.

"Did I get married to Cassandra? Or did I get married to the asshole who drives me up a wall?" Chris asks, matching Damian's hushed tones as they head up toward the east wing.

"Beloved, you're throwing insults," Damian remarks before opening the door to what was once Helena's room.

"Your baby sister is going to kill you," Chris comments in a whisper before entering the room, halting and feeling his breath catch as he looks at the young girl. He chews on the corner of his mouth before continuing in, ignoring the cockney smirk of his lover.

Sitting on the bed's edge, levitating just enough to not disrupt even the sheets, Chris reaches over and brushes the hair away from the girl's mouth and forehead. Gently, he takes the thumb from her mouth.

He turns and looks to Damian and can only feel himself melt even more.

Damn him.

Chapter Text

“I’m not sure I understand what’s bothering you about all of this,” Chris admits, fully perplexed in that way that crinkles his nose and furrows his eyebrows with almost concern. He pulls on the Christmas sweater that looks like a cat could tear it apart in five minutes.

A part of Damian wants to test that theory…

“Not everyone celebrates Christmas, Kent,” Damian reminds him pointedly. “This entire party is presumptive.”

"You do,” Jai snaps, frustrated with Damian or with his pig in a blanket, or with Damian’s judging looks for every time Jai grabs one of the pigs in a blanket. It all runs together at some point. “I know you do because my dad leaves presents at your house every year for your sister.”

Chris gasps. “What does Santa leave then?”

Stock still, Jai and Damian look to their fellow Titan in horror. There’s nothing that gets the ire of the girls more than ruining some of Christopher’s never ending supply of innocence and both Jai and Damian have been guilty so many times of this. And Maxine, but it’s hard to stay mad at her for… reasons.

After a beat that carries on a moment too long, Chris smiles and waves his hands. “It’s cool guys, I know about Santa. I… have full access to the North Pole. I checked for a workshop. Like. Five times.”

Jai and Damian continue to stare.

“That’s so sad, dude,” Jai says flatly.

“When did you first look, Kent? Last year?” Damian asks, grinning in vile victory when Chris’ tell-tale sign of lighting up to the color magenta proves true still. Damian then turns back to Jai. “Helena and Grayson’s need to be humored aside, I don’t participate in many traditionally Christmas activities. My household has multiple celebrations on the solstice. It is a holiday occasion. Not a specifically Christmas—”

"Okay, Christ, Damian, It’s a holiday party we’re throwing.”

"Not everyone worships—”

“I’m going to haul off and punch you, you miserable Grinch.”

With mild concern, Chris steps between his two friends and sips idly on his punch glass. His shoulders are already tense to block blows either way. “I’m sure there’s a very secular thing we could do to pass the time. Peacefully,” the Kryptonian suggests.

Both Damian and Jai fold their arms and stare at him expectantly.

Chris sighs and shifts feet. “Like… uh… mistletoe? Mistletoe is pretty harmless.”

They look at him like he’s growing scales. Chris recoils like a turtle.

“If you two are honestly so desperate to make out, go do it in the corner. Don’t pull me into it,” Jai growls. Both Damian and Chris splutter in response. 

From across the room where the majority of the others are gathered, Cerdian comes with zir usual huffing and hands on hips. “Hey, what are you guys yelling about?” ze demands. “You’re pestering everyone at the party with your reek of nonconformity and holiday spirit.” Ze can barely contain zir own grin at the delight of having said something so ironic.

“I suggested friendly festivities,” Chris mutters. “My mistake.”

“You suggested a mistletoe!” Jai and Damian screech in unison.

“What’s wrong with that? You guys too afraid of not getting smooched at all?” Cerdian asks before appraising the three of them. “Yeah. That’s a pretty valid concern.”

“Watch it, gill lips,” Damian hisses.

“Yeah, the only one who has to be concerned about that is Damian,” Jai says with a smirk.

Damian leers. “Are you unfamiliar with my bloodline, West? I ooze with appeal and finesse. You can’t get a single person in this room to look you the other way, let alone impart a kiss. Siblings don’t count.”

“You piece of— I can barely keep girls off of me at school!”

“Only because they want to strangle you.”

Chris asserts himself more prominently between them and glares at Cerdian for starting even more arguments. Cerdian grins like a cheshire.

“There’s only one way to settle this,” Damian decides, sounding almost forcefully resigned. He straightens his collar, unhooks his cufflinks, smooths back his hair, and struts toward the other side of the room.

Jai stares after him, jaw clenching and unclenching before he lets out an animalistic snarl and messes up his jelled hair, bulls out his tucked shirt, and follows suit.

Chris frowns. “This will only end in tears.” He pauses. Adds, “And possibly blood.”

“Yup!” Cerdian remarks, grinning as ze saunters toward the other side of the room. “Theirs!”

The young Kryptonian moans.

*~*~*

Cerdian wins, it’s not even a competition.

Chapter Text

“We’re concerned.”

Which… is a warning flag if Chris has ever heard one. He shifts in his seat and looks around the Founder’s Room. At the emblems of the original Justice League, at the seats they all choose to inherit. It’s really… such a breathtaking honor, and yet it’s gotten to the point that they so rarely take it in —

"Pay attention, Superman, we’re talking to you, too.”

[[MORE]]

Chris sighs and looks exhaustedly at his oldest friends and teammates.

Then he looks to his partner who has been sitting, arms crossed, leaned back in his seat, since this began. Damian is going to be a pain tonight, as if he wasn’t going to be already. Chris wonders if his friends even care to consider these things before dragging him along into these.

Iris laughs and puts her head in her hands. “I can’t believe this has to be a discussion.” There’s a flicker of movement as the Flash has no coffee and then suddenly does. Everyone cringes as she takes in caffeine. A terrible combination, really.

“It’s a discussion of concern,” Cerdian reminds everyone. “Among friends.”

"About our personal lives,” Damian snaps at last, theatrically pointing at the table. “Something we agreed years ago to never do in this facility under our uniforms.”

“We did say we wouldn’t bicker over personal matters in here,” Lian agrees. “But this isn’t… bickering. It’s concern.”

"We just think… it’s odd that the two of you are adopting… again… so soon,” Lyta comments calmly. “Is everything alright at home?”

Which is then Chris’ turn to start feeling less than neutral. He glares at his friends. “Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They think we drown our sorrows in paperwork and legal entrapments otherwise known as the United States Adoption Services,” Damian growls.

“I, for one, think it’s beautiful that you’re taking in a new life to your household,” Maxine coos. “When do I get to see it?”

“Thank you,” Chris mutters, just as Damian’s replying,
“Probably after you stop saying ‘IT’!”

"I’m sorry, what’s the concern again, I missed it,” Chris asks a little haughtily, earning a satisfied chuckle from his partner.

Which is about when the entrance doors open and Jai walks through.

“I can’t believe you almost missed an opportunity to judge me in open audience,” Damian calls over his shoulder.

Jai mutters incoherently over his own coffee as he walks over to his seat by his sister. Chris thinks they must have both been on the last 12 hour. It almost makes him feel sorry for the twins.

"What’s this about?” Jai asks after sitting properly.

“Our third child,” Chris chimes in before anyone else can redirect.

“Huh,” Jai sighs. “I thought you were on six. Hell, with your two’s families you probably have ten more to go.”

“Gee, thanks, Jai.”

Chapter Text

The video game marathon is continuing, the majority of the team sprawled across the various rugs and couches while Maxine and Lian button mash in the current digital brawl.

Jai is sitting, legs to his chest, in the computer chair nearest the window, watching the thundering rain outside the tower. He wonders if it’s even worth all of them coming out to the island this weekend, or if it’ll ever let up now.

He’s not necessarily surprised when Damian returns to the room, pale as a bleached sheet, but it is cause for an alarm of sorts. Something the rest of his cohorts seem to be in agreement about as they all equally turn to look at Robin with some fair amount of suspicion.

The Titans look to each other. The video games turn off. Jai gets up from the computer chair.

“Let’s find that ghost!” Irey announces in delight.

~*~*~

After her fourth lap around the facilities, Irey lets out an aggravated cry and emerges from the speed force to walk by Jai’s side. He is simply sweeping his flashlight across the hall, back and forth, methodically and painstakingly slow.

There’s a twitch, Irey flickers, but that’s all the evidence Jai has that his sister ran off from him again before rejoining.

It’s been so long that they’ve been doing this that he almost can’t feel the twinge of jealousy deep in his own gut. They continue walking down their assigned hall.

“Do you miss running?” she asks, attempting to have this meaningful conversation with her twin for the nine hundredth time.

“I miss not having that question asked every day,” Jai responds, eyes staring straight ahead.

“Why are you so against answering that question?”

“Why are you so determined to ask it?”

The twins stare nose to nose, faces pouting exactly the same, just before there’s a flicker ahead of them.

They turn and blink, the poster on the wall is waving to them due to a sudden breeze.

“The ghost?” Irey asks, a little in shock.

Jai stares at her, surprised. “No… didn’t you see it?” he asks, a little more befuddled at his sister’s confused glance. “The flicker?” She blinks, Jai continues, “It had to be a speedster.”

His sister gives him an alien look. “You can see people using the Speed Force?”

He bristles. “Of course I can!” He pauses. “Can’t you?”

“Not without using the Speed Force, no?”

Jai’s mouth audibly shuts with a pop, his eyes wide.

For the first time in a while… he feels hope. Hope about something he’s so long pretended didn’t matter. Even though no one believed him.

"I can. And there’s a speedster here.”

~*~*~

With the knowledge that the threat was probably not supernatural, the atmosphere of the team changed from curious fun to indignation and concern.

Someone was breaking into their sanctuary. If their parents or the League found out there’d be sooooooo much drama.

Jai barely had it in him to protest when Irey set him in charge of the security cameras. It was just to keep him in the safe room while they checked every inch of the tower.

Instead of helping, Jai watched. As usual.

Of course, even the protective, impenetrable shield of the safe room must have had their weaknesses.

The young West twin turned in his chair and faced the door as the blue silhouette came through. Jai turned his head.

“The vibration frequency you would have to use to get through that door is… phenomenal,” Jai says out loud, hoping he sounded more impressed than frightened. 

The figure did not stop vibrating, simply facing Jai attentively.

"When you vibrate enough to pass through time,” the shaky voice called from the faceless mask, “you learn a few other tricks too.”

Jai furrows his brows. “I have a friend who works closely with the time police. Pretty sure they’d be interested in this infraction on their jurisdiction,” he says, reaching for the communicator to Rani and Time Lab.

“They won’t interfere,” the figure says confidently. “They know I’m supposed to be here.”

Jai scowls. “Why would you say that?”

“Because. You sent me.”

Chapter Text

“Iris, if you straighten my tie one more time, my head will pop off,” Jai warns between chokes.

Iris’ grin widens and she does the same action again, Jai hacking. “Maybe that’s the point, brother dearest.” She looks over her shoulder and whistles at the crowd. It’s hilarious — and so Mar’i — that the invitations didn’t specify whether it was costume or suit. There’s an excellent mixture of the two in the hundreds of people crowded into the Watchtower’s main hall as a result. Never before has Batman looked more uncomfortable. Which is a feat. 

“I hope I get married to a Wayne or a Queen,” Iris comments idly. “The money they threw at this for their "favorite granddaughters” —"

“Well it’s not like there’s exactly a shortage on either side,” Jai mutters. He holds out his hand. “Check your breath.”

Iris purposefully hacks, making her brother recoil. “Is it minty?”

“You’re a disaster in a bridesmaid dress,” he sighs, holding out his elbow to her.

“In a beautiful bridesmaid dress,” she comments cheekily. “You know, I almost asked Lian to bully Damian into walking me down the isle and you with Chris.”

"You’re a monster,” he reiterates. “What, do I not get enough jealous looks from Daemon Wayne as it is?”

“It would’ve made the after party even more fun,” she preens as they start down the isle.

~*~*~

Damian scowls at the scuff on Chris’ shoes. “You drag your foot one more time and I’ll make you eat that shoe. That’s a good shoe.”

Chris stops slowly, huffs, and drops from where he had been idly levitating to being prone to the floor. “Sorry. I just… don’t think about things sometimes.”

That earns a quirk of Damian’s eyebrow before he drops on one knee and begins rubbing a handkerchief over the tips of the dress shoes to clean them off. Chris watches.

“Should we get married?” Chris asks.

“That,” Damian says without ceasing his activity or even looking up, “is the absolute worst proposal—”

"I’m just asking.”

“And that, beloved, happens to be the problem.” Damian stands up and glares at him. “Are you being serious right now?”

“I never thought it was weird that we weren’t,” Chris admits slowly. “I don’t know why. I guess because your parents aren’t. But… now it looks like we’re not as committed as the girls.”

Damian pinches between his eyes and mutters incoherently before at last responding, “You’re a moron.”

“I know,” Chris sighs. “Sorry—”

“Yes.”

“Yes?” Chris blinks owlishly.

“But we can’t announce anything yet. If we do, Mar’i will believe I’m attempting to "steal her moment” and then I will have another family feud.“ Damian scowls darkly. "That last one did not end in my favor.”

Chris shudders. “I remember.”

~*~*~

Lyta wrings her hands as she paces, earning glares from Rani, Milagro, and Cerdian all at once. They are standing at the entrance to the teleporter room to guard and greet.

And nothing is less greeting than Lyta “Bad Omen” Milton muttering and looking worriesome.

“Would you stop?” Cerdian asks with a growl. “You’re going to make people break out into hives. Again.”

“It’s the rehearsal dinner all over again,” Milagro stage whispers to the other two.

“Don’t say that,” Rani warns, color draining from her face. “I can’t live through it a fifth time.”

Everyone stares at the time traveler for only a moment, all unanimously deciding they don’t need to know what she’s talking about this time.

“It’s just… this is about when I start to get bad vibrations,” Lyta mutters, running her fingers through her long purple curls. “Oh, Hera, please don’t let me—”

"I can solve this,” Cerdian announces. “Lyta. Do you feel anything right now?”

Lyta pauses. “No, but—”

Cerdian then smacks her forehead. “Then stop it!”

~*~*~

Mar’i turns around quickly and holds up her hands, starbolts forming in warning. “Stop, stop stop! Get away from me until you clear that up. Oh, X’hal! Mom, make him go away I can’t deal with this right now!!!”

Kory glares at Dick. “Turn it off, Dick!”

"I can’t!” he sobs, grabbing the entire box when Helena attempts to hand him only one. “My Starshine—”

“Will incinerate you if you make her cry and mess up her makeup!” Kory warns. “Go out to the boys and come back in when you can woman up!”

“I’m starting to tear!!! Mom! Mom, stop him!” Mar’i begins to sniffle.

Helena hackles, so Nell steps in, gently (though firmly) grabbing Dick’s shoulder and directing him toward the door. “Sorry, Mister G, I’ll let you back in as soon as you get the fountains off.”

~*~*~

Ella is shaking the package as Jon examines the cakes. He sighs longingly at the buffet line. Surely no one would notice if he snuck a…

Lois Lane glares across the room, and for the hundredth time in his life Jon is certain that his mother has superpowers they’ve not been told about. Jon drops the potato skin, Ella drops the package. Both huddle together innocently.

Looking over, Jon sees one of the original Titans — Maxine — standing at the first package table. Ella and he wander over curiously.

“Trying to figure out where to place your prize?” Jon asks cheekily.

Maxine sighs woefully. “No,” she mutters. “This is where all of us Core Titans are supposed to put our gifts.” She points at an empty spot. “That’s where I’d put mine. If they’d let me bring one.”

Surprised, Ella walks over and puts a hand on Max’s shoulder. “Oh, Maxine. I’m sorry. Why won’t they let you bring a present?”

Jon grabs her and pulls his sister away. Whispering, “Didn’t you hear about the bridal shower?”

Ella shakes her head.

“She thought it was romantic to bring a beating heart,” Jon mutters.

His sister looks mortified. “I thought that was just a rumor.”

“First, do you want to risk it, second… she’s the totem for all living animals, I think the simple fact that she could do it says enough.”

~*~*~

Lian takes her father’s arm, reaching over with her veil to gently brush the tears off his cheek. He returns the favor by lightly kissing her forehead.

"You’re going to make it,” Lian laughs.

“Without utterly making a fool of myself today, probably not,” he says. “I had Ollie order more drinks for the reception, by the by.”

“A decision I’m sure no one will regret, certainly not you,” she muses. “C’mon, Dad. Let’s get me married.”

She looks to Sin and Robert and the two smile comfortingly before opening the doors wide.

~*~*~

“Oop!” Traya mutters just as the cue gets started and Hope is about to waddle down the isle. She grabs the corgi by his waist and pulls her back.

Traya bites her lip as she pulls off the blue lantern ring and instead replaces its spot on the corgi’s tail with the two Nth metal bands.

Before Hope can whine too loud, Traya releases her and lets the ring barer free to run to the front as rehearsed.

The engineer smirks. “Almost perfect. She pulls down her goggles and, just as everyone takes their places where J’onn presides at the podium, Traya flips two switches — the first turning off all the station lights, the second to open the windows of the Tower, letting the light of the millions and millions of stars shine in.

“Now it’s perfect,” Traya coos.

J’onn begins.

Chapter Text

Jai knows that the smart idea is to ignore this supposed future speedster, contact help, and sit back in wait. He also knows that if a speedster with that amount of power and control wanted him dead, Jai wouldn’t even have time to blink.

He holds off on contact. The vibrating mass in front of him stays put. It’s almost like they’re at a stand still.

On the screens around them, Jai can see how his friends and sister are trying to get to him. They know there’s an attack within their own fortress.

Without even a second thought, Jai starts up a timer. It’ll be a good exercise for his fellow Titans regardless.

Jai narrows his eyes.

“Okay, let’s say I believe that I’m the one who sent you through time... I’m guess that makes us related somehow,” he hypothesizes out loud.

The person doesn’t deny it. It’s a small comfort to Jai’s deductive reasoning.

“How come I can see you moving at light speed?” Jai asks directly instead.

“You know the answer to that already,” the shaky voice responds.

Jai taps his fingers on his armrest. “When do my powers become actively useful again then?”

“That’s something you have to find out for yourself,” the cryptic man responds.

Frustrated, Jai rubs at his face and groans. “Ugh. I hate time travel. Okay, smart guy, if you’re not here to help me out with anything that’s bothering me now, how about you share why you are here.”

The force nods. “Okay. Easy enough.” His eyes flicker. “I’m here to warn you that, very soon, the Titans are going to be met by one of the greatest enemies of the Flash. He’s going to be returning from centuries of racing through time, and he’s going to decide that your generation is responsible for foiling his future’s plots. The Time Masters will try to save each of you from being erased at birth, but they are going to fail one of you.”

Jai’s eyes widened. “What? Who?”

“Someone you care about deeply, someone you won’t expect,” the future traveler says. “I can’t let you know, you have to leave clues for yourself -- have to make a map that will survive the chorno shifts of replaced time, and put the pieces together yourself. Jai West, you are all that stands between one of your closest friends and non-existence. And you have to act quickly.”

Standing up, Jai grabbed at his hair. “What? How can you put that on me? And before I even have super powers!? That’s not fair! At least tell me what I have to do.”

“Sorry, I’m afraid you already know,” the traveler says as his vibrations rapidly lessen.

There’s a flash of a familiar face, and then Jai’s in the room alone.

He stares at where the figure stood, fists shaking angrily at the situation, before flipping the switch to unlock the door.

Immediately, Irey races through, the rest of the Titans bursting in not far behind.

Jai simply continues to stare as Irey checks every solitary nook and cranny in the observation room. She finally stops in front of her twin and grabs his shoulders.

“Jai? Jai! What happened in here!?” she demands.

The former speedster looks seriously at his sister.

“I was visited by a ghost.”

Chapter Text

There are more people in his ancestral home than Damian could ever really justify. He curses his siblings with every breath -- their insistence on making the Justice League’s anniversary an open invitation to any League member before or since has unleashed utter chaos.

And worse yet, there are very few of his personal invitees in attendance. So it’s mostly even older parts than himself.

About the third time he’s removed breakables from his youngest Robin’s hands and caught the eye of a few giggling Teen Titans that aren’t old enough to even be here he throws up his hands, spouts Arabic that makes only a few knowledgeable heroes begin to laugh, and takes for the kitchen.

Or, at least, that’s where his stomping would have ended if Damian was a reasonable adult superhero, but he’s having heart palpitations and possibly a hernia to attend to so, instead of anything reasonable, he cranks the old dumbwaiter down just below the kitchen level, opens the door, and slides onto the top of it.

He ignores the scrawl of siblings past and current children as he slams the dumbwaiter door closed, crosses his arms, and begins muttering.

Even the most stubborn of party guests overstaying their welcomes will not outlast the Batman’s willpower to not leave the dumbwaiter.

At least, he believes so until he hears a cautious, “Damian?”

Damian looks up, blinking through the dusty darkness, and sure enough sees Chris floating above, sitting cross legged and equally surprised.

“Beloved, you are not attending to the guests of your party,” Damian says with a wave of his hand. “And your children are rampant.”

Even in the darkness, Damian can imagine the surprised blink his partner is giving him.

“I like how all these things that are definitely yours are suddenly mine at the first sign of bitter annoyance,” Chris says, lowering closer to Damian’s position. “I’m just surprised you climbed into a dumbwaiter to avoid party guests. You’re like... thirty-nine.”

“I am Batman,” Damian defends before pointing at Chris. “What’s so super about you doing it?”

“Well, I’m just Chris Kent right now,” Chris reminds him. “And Chris Kent is known to be the wet blanket pulling down the wild and illustrious Damian Wayne’s fun wagon.”

Damian glares. “Fun wagon, Chris? I’m going to have to start calling you Captain Marvel with these phrases you pull out of thin air.”

A crash loud enough to shake the dumbwaiter occurs somewhere near the East Wing. Damian clutches to the chain of the dumbwaiter while Chris just looks around curiously until the shaking stops.

They remain silent.

“Let’s go to the roof. More structurally sound,” Chris offers, elbowing Damian awkwardly from his hovering angle. “Just as batty.”

“Fine,” Damian grunts in return. “But don’t help me. I can do it myself.”

With that he begins climbing, ignoring Chris’ amused smirk.

It’s a fantastic night -- one that’s most likely just wasted on his siblings patrolling the city in his stead. The wind is at an adequate speed, which makes Chris’ hair blow against his face in that youthful way.

Damian tugs on Chris’ boot to leave a hint.

Chris responds by dropping from his levitated stance to the shingles of the Manor without so much as a question asked.

The horses Damian adopted from the ASPCA last summer are enjoying the back yard a bit much. Their daughters will probably be leaning out their windows to watch instead of sleeping as they should be.

Chris seems to swell with something watching over them as well.

“It’s not too bad,” he finally says out loud.

Never liking when he’s behind in conversation, Damian shifts, picking at a string on Chris’ jacket. “What isn’t?”

“This,” Chris says with a laugh.

“The night is rather pleasant, Beloved,” Damian admits with a look toward he moon for good effect.

“No,” Chris snorts. “This. Us. This life we’ve got going so far. It’s not too bad. I don’t think I’d change it much.”

Feeling red in his cheeks, Damian covers his face and mutters low. “Don’t be so... schmaltzy. It’s not good for my health.”

“I’m not being ‘schmaltzy’, I mean it completely!” Chris defends.

Damian feels the interlocking of their hands.

“I mean, I’ve got this. It’s hard not to be happy about it.”

The Batman glares at him. “Fine, be sentimental,” he responds. “But know I won’t rest until I learn what it is that you would change.”

“Always so perceptive,” Chris laughs. He looks down the sounds of erupting laughter from deep within the Manor. “Well... maybe how often we have company.”

“From seldom to never?” Damian asks.

“Yeah.”

“Consider it done,” Damian says very matter-of-fact. “Consider your life now perfect, Christopher Kent.”

He does his best to not blush when Chris laughs and leans over to kiss his cheek.

Chapter Text

As with nearly every movie night, they were a little less than halfway through the showing before Damian took off. The times ran together so much anymore that just ten minutes after he had left, Colin couldn’t accurately recall if it was a family emergency, the Bat signal, or because he got irritated with the film’s production values.

All of the were fairly valid guesses when it came to Damian.

Unlike the early years where adventuring with Robin on separate adventures seemed to be all that united Abuse and Batgirl, Colin sat rather comfortably on Nell’s other side, his feet kicked up on his moms’ coffee table while Nell was curled up around a throw pillow.

Well. Perhaps comfortable wasn’t the right word.

He wasn’t sure when he stopped watching the movie – a silly but fun Sci-Fi original that they loved to giggle at mindlessly to Damian’s chagrin – but he had for some time now been watching Nell’s reactions to the movie.

She smiled around handfuls of popcorn, snorted into her soda, and mumbled only somewhat incoherently about the poor choices the half-baked characters were making. She had her hair pulled up in a scrunchy and a butterfly pin stabilizing the locks that had since fallen free from it. It didn’t match – this wasn’t some special occasion where she was dressed up. She was just as comfortable around him as he usually was around her.

And that’s when Colin’s heart began to race. He swallowed back, hands lowering to his lap.

He really liked this look on Nell. He liked seeing her bright smile, her alert eyes, her blushing laugh. He might have even loved it.

It was such a large realization that he was taken aback when she turned toward him and raised brow at his expression.

“What?” she laughed.

Colin bit his lip, leaning forward. “I think I’m going to do something that might ruin our friendship,” he said.

“It’s not something stupid, is it?” she began to question just before Colin’s lips pressed against her cheek.

He pulled back so fast that it might’ve looked like he had burned himself on her skin, then he buried his face into the throw pillow closest to him and let out a small scream. Perhaps an overreaction, but with how much he wanted to throw up at that moment, Colin would argue for it.

During all this, Nell was quiet and still beside him until she began to giggle.

Colin barely peered out from his pillow before Nell leaned forward and pecked his cheek back.