Chapter Text
The first proper family breakfast with the demon child occurred the very next day after he arrived. No one was willing to miss it, as in Alfred said they all had to attend, and no one was going to tell Alfred no.
Though, Jason would argue that they all would have shown up anyway.
Alfred would be there because it was his job, and he was a good man.
Bruce, obviously, wasn't going to be leaving Damian’s side for a while. The reasons for that were endless. At least some of them were out of love for the boy who was his blood. Bruce would have taken in Damian anyway after Talia left him behind, genetic connection or not. He was drawn towards fatherhood. Jason, Dick, and Tim could attest to that. Bruce was, however, a cautious man as well, and Damian was a walking, talking, bright red, deafeningly loud danger sign if ever Jason had seen one. Bruce was more stressed than usual with someone so unpredictable in his home. Jason recognized the signs.
Dick, then again, was obvious. He had some strange biological need to be a good big brother, and to be liked, or at least useful, in all situations. He’d fought those instincts at times, but they always won out. Once again, Jason would know. So, Dick was never not going to be at breakfast. If not to liken himself to the little demon, to be there as support for Bruce.
Tim, now, his motivations were more complex. He had no previous experience as a big brother, and so no ingrained big brother instincts to push him towards Damian. Though Jason hadn’t had a little brother, and yet he always wanted one. He liked the idea of being able to care for someone else because it meant he could care for himself, and that he was useful, and fuck he was somehow always more like Dick than he thought. Jason didn’t get the feeling that Tim was one of those people born with the desire to be a big brother. Nope, Tim was always going to come to the demon’s first breakfast because he was an anxious fucker that needed to have as much control over every situation as possible, and that meant having as much data as possible from the best sources. What better source on Damian, than Damian? Tim would need to observe the object of his most recent anxieties.
Jason, well, Jason had those big brother desires as previously mentioned. The pit had buried them so deep within himself that he had forgotten, but Tim dragged them up and made them blossom. That wasn’t the only reason, though. Jason knew Damian. Not personally. Talia had never let them near each other at the League of Assassins. Jason took no offense. Had she let him near Damian in the state he had been in he would consider her an even more awful person than he already did. Talia had a lot of pain coming if she ever crossed Jason’s path again, that was for sure. Jason had known she had a child, but that was all. Now, Jason sat across from a boy raised by the same people that turned him into a weapon of pain, anger, and misery. He couldn't help but feel bad for the kid. He understood, somewhat, what Damian must be feeling, because he knew how hard it was to be around a group of people that behaved and believed so differently from what you were used to.
Jason had experienced it when trying to fit himself into Dick and Bruce’s dynamic.
He’d felt it again when trying to behave at the gala’s Bruce brought him to.
He experienced it while at The League.
And he experienced it again when he left and rejoined his family.
Bruce may understand some of what being trained by The League is like, but Jason understands what being a child in that environment is like. That’s what he was at the time, a child. And he wouldn’t dare even insinuate he knew what Damian experienced, because he couldn’t imagine all the torture they put him through in that place and justified as training. He’d like to help Damian learn how to integrate into the family without feeling like he was losing integral parts of himself, and to understand that what The League taught wasn't gospel, but that could only happen if the boy could get off his high horse long enough for them to have a civil conversation.
“I just don’t see why my presence is needed any longer.” Damian said. “I have finished my scone and tea. They were sufficient sustenance. I must now go and engage in meditation while I digest before completing my first set of training for the day.”
Bruce tried not to sigh, but Jason saw his neck move. He knew a hidden Bruce sigh when he saw one.
“Damian, I understand. I know that The League ran on a tight schedule and I’m sure you want to maintain it, but all I’m asking is that you stay and have breakfast with the family so we can get to know each other better.”
“I already know everything I need to know about you all. You are Bruce Wayne, Batman, and my father. You are the owner of Wayne Enterprises and everything that running the company entails gives you your resources to be Batman, which is why it is important you maintain your Bruce Wayne image, even if it is far more fictitious than your Batman persona.”
Bruce’s eyes widened. He didn’t get a chance to reply because Damian turned his eyes on Dick.
“You are Richard Grayson, creator of, and the original Robin, now Nightwing. You are a formidable fighter, but you’ll let your emotions get the best of you. You also put forward your own persona of great confidence, and it is quite convincing, yet there is a deep insecurity in you that you cannot be rid of no matter how hard you try. It is a ruining achilles heel.”
Damian turned his eyes onto his next target. Oh yay. My turn.
Damian sneered. “Jason Todd, second Robin, now Red Hood. Killed by the Joker after being tricked by your birth mother, which exemplifies your inadequacy as a Robin. Resurrected and improved by the League of Assassins and a Lazarus pool. Your recent training makes you a formidable opponent, and I much prefer your approach to crime over the other’s, but you are still too soft. You have let this family blunt the blade The League made you into.”
Jason couldn’t help but bristle. Then he realized Tim was next and had to fight the urge to stop Damian from continuing his tirade. Tim wouldn’t appreciate it.
“Timothy Drake. Current Robin. Orphan in all but actuality until you forced yourself into a different family. I respect your determination. Your fighting is insufficient, though your brain is something to be admired, I’ve been told. Mine is as well, and with my superior fighting skills and blood relation to the Batman, I am obviously the only logical person to be Robin. You will need to be replaced.”
Jason had heard enough, he leaned forward to make sure he had Damian's full attention. “I don’t know what you think you walked into, kid, but we don’t do that League comparison and evaluation bullshit over here.” Jason said. “Everyone’s got their assets just like everyone's got their weaknesses. Like, say, your abandonment issues and holier than thou attitude could be easily exploited in the field, could they not? So accept the fact that you aren't royalty over here, and keep your mouth shut if all you're going to spew is hatred and lies.”
Damian’s face reddened, only slightly. Anger and embarrassment were surely rising in his little temperamental body. Damian stood up, "Nothing I said was a lie." and left the room without a backward glance at the family.
Now Bruce did audibly sigh. “Jay, did you have to?”
“He needs to learn early on that his attitude will not be tolerated here, and having a past League member reject his behaviour should make him re-evaluate.”
“I’m also a past League member.” Bruce said.
“And his father. I’m sure your opinion of him means even more to him than my own, but he doesn’t know how to listen to what you say to him. He’s never had a dad before. You’re nice in your criticism. That…that’s confusing when you’ve never experienced it before.”
Bruce looked tired. “Okay, just don’t be too hard on him. He needs to know he’s welcome here, when he’s ready to accept it.”
Jason nodded. The others followed.
Jason stood from his chair. “I’m going to head home for the day. I’ll see you guys on patrol?”
“I’m heading to Blud for patrol, but I’ll be back here tonight to help out with Damian.” Dick said.
Jason felt the instinctual pull to poke at his brother and ask how he planned to help out with Damian, cause that would be fascinating he was sure, but now wasn’t the time. Everyone was too tense.
Bruce shook his head. “I can’t go out until Damian is settled.”
Tim looked at Bruce in shock. Clearly, Batman hadn’t clued Robin into their patrols being put on hold due to the baby demon.
Bruce noticed it too. “I’m sorry, Tim.”
“I can take Tim out with me.” Jason shrugged.
Bruce and Dick looked surprised.
“Please?” Tim asked, hopeful.
Bruce looked hesitant. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I don’t want Tim put in any…compromsing…no, uh–”
“You don’t want me bringing Robin to a shoot out where I kill a bunch of people to send a message. Bad for PR.” Jason interrupted. Bruce gave him a look that could best be described as avid agreement with an undercurrent of embarrassment. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep it to recon tonight. Maybe stop to check in on the working girls in the East end of my territory. Nothing you haven't let him help me with before.”
“I felt more comfortable with it when I was also out on patrol. What if you have to take care of something and leave Tim alone?”
Tim looked so affronted that Jason had to laugh. It only made his little brother bristle more.
“I am literally a trained vigilante! I can take care of myself!”
Bruce sighed. Jason knew he’d only let Tim go off with him on those few patrols because he was relieved they were getting along. Batman had been pretty close to The Alley those nights, ready to intervene if needed. Now, it’s hit him how bad it could look for Robin to be regularly seen with a known murderer.
“I would also like to remind everyone that I kill way less people these days! I use blanks unless it’s rapists or child abusers” Usually. Sometimes, other people just hit his every nerve and have to go. “To Gotham, it really looks like Robin is reforming the Red Hood, not that the Red Hood is corrupting Robin.”
Bruce sighed. “Okay. Just be careful. Both of you.”
Jason laughed. “Always am, old man.” Jason turned to Tim and ruffled his hair, and Tim frowned even as he leaned into it. Jason saw Dick’s eyebrows raise in his peripheral. Ha! Who was the favourite big brother? “I’ll text you where to meet me and when.” He told Tim and left.
Damian was in the cave when Jason entered. He was surprised Bruce was letting the kid have free access, but then he noted Alfred cleaning the dinosaur. Babysitter protocol. Classic.
Damian looked up at Jason, glared, and returned to sharpening his throwing knives.
Jason was going to just walk past Damian and ride his bike back home, but stopped before putting his riding helmet on. There was a chance here, he couldn’t pass it up.
“I know it’s confusing, and stressful, and uncomfortable, being around them. They’re so different from what you know. They’re so good and you feel like they must be fake because how can they be real? Their morals feel unattainable and then so does their approval, so you’re telling yourself you shouldn’t even try to change because it will never be good enough.” Jason didn’t turn to look at Damian as he spoke. He wanted Damian to hear his words without the distraction of controlling his physical reactions. “But you know my story, and you know what I’m still up to. They all love me anyway. They will love you, too. Bruce and Dick already do. The only thing they need from you is to show that you want to be your best self and that you’re taking what they say seriously.” Jason laughed. “You don’t know how many fights and conversations Bruce and I have had, but we had them, and continue to have them, and we understand each other. Sometimes, even, he makes a good point and I change. Sometimes, I make a good point, and he changes instead.”
Jason turned to face Damian, he was looking right at Jason with wide eyes, then shuttered his face to a blank expression. “If you ever want more advice, or just to talk to someone who understands, I’m around here pretty often these days.”
Jason felt his heart sore at Damian’s small nod of acknowledgment. He left on his bike before the moment could be ruined. Damn, I’m getting good at this big brother thing!