the things we couldn't say in the cold light of day

[BATMAN] happy birthday

relics — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:55:33 GMT

happy birthday
damian and colin [mentions of dick, bruce and alfred]
batman and robin post reboot
a/n: Birthday present for tealgeezus. You're amazing and I love talking to you! Hope this is worthy of your awesomeness and doesn't suck horribly.

It's not really his birthday, but there are balloons and a cake in the corner of the warehouse he'd given Colin for Abuse's use that he knows are meant for him. Colin has done this every year since Damian had given him a fake date for his birthday. Colin knows the actual date now, Damian is sure he weaseled it out of Grayson because the former acrobat still has a thing for red heads. But even though this isn't his birthday, Colin still celebrates it on this day, something about it being special was what the boy had muttered when Damian had finally thought to actually voice the question some years ago.

He and Colin are not quite dating but Grayson coo's and grins like he's being privy to some ancient ritual whenever he sees them together, a grin stretched over his lips as he passes through the bunker that they still use. They're not Batman and Robin anymore, at least not together. It was jarring at first but something he'd learned from Grayson was that all members of the 'bat family', as he called it, needed to be experts in adaptation.

Looking over at Colin, the red head motions him over to the small cake and few red and green balloons, usually there's yellow as well because Colin always thinks of Damian when he sees them, or so he's told Damian once when he'd taken a friends dare and tried one too many beers.

"Sorry about it being small, busy and all. The guy at the party store wouldn't open a new box of yellow for me because I came late," Colin explains, his cheeks taking on a hint of pink as he babbles about how rude this attendant was but then of course it wasn't all his fault because Colin had went last minute and all. Colin babbles when he's nervous, Damian has learned from his father that if you stay silent long enough when someone's nervous they tell you everything you need to know. Colin tells him everything and then some. How the cake is red velvet this year because Damian had mentioned once he'd never had it, and the ice-cream was actually gelato which was something Colin had become obsessed with over the past few months.

Damian isn't sure it's going to taste very good with the cake but Colin is too excited. When he's excited he's like Grayson and like with Grayson you can't really stop him without being cruel.

"Uh.. here! Your present!" A few years before Colin had gotten him something from some artists site he'd found online. It'd been a robin statue, the bird not the comic book character based on the persona he became every night, and while it was very well made he'd had a hard time really liking it, though it still found it's way onto his shelf of things from other past birthdays. Killer had almost knocked it over once when the cat had decided to crawl up onto areas not allowed to him, Pennyworth had given Damian a very strong lecture about how animals were not people and yelling at them wouldn't solve anything.

Which he'd known, of course. But when Pennyworth lectured him it always made him feel small and naive even if he was arguing and glaring the whole time.

The wrapped thing in his hands now is the shape of a bracelet box, and he hopes that Colin isn't into accessories now that he works at that indie store down near the art district because Damian refuses to wear a beaded bracelet or whatever is in fashion now.

Colin is watching him like a hawk now, the freckles on his cheeks standing out more from the pink tinge that's quickly turning red before Damian looks back to the box and peals the black wrapping paper from it. The box is black as well, something cheap and stamped with the company's logo that Colin worked for. Fearing the worst but keeping a straight face like all Wayne's were good at, he removed the lid and stared down at a paper envelope. "Sorry to make
you unwrap it, the envelope just felt kind of thin and not birthday like enough... right? Cuz unwrapping gifts is one of the best parts and-" Damian doesn't so much tone Colin out, as he filters through the babble for the important parts as he opens the envelope and stares at plane tickets.

There's no destination, but the small print says it can't be outside of the U.S. He's frowning now in confusion, Colin biting his lip in another display of nervousness before Damian meets his eyes. "You got me tickets?" He's not upset, but his voice sounds a bit rough. Too many late nights on patrol so he clears it when Colin flinches.

"Yeah, uh. I know you could fly anywhere on your private jets or bat mobile or whatever but I kind of hoped we could go together, somewhere. If you want of course." Colin isn't usually shy or embarrassed like this. Sure he blushes at anything, even now that they're teenagers and not ten years old. So this obviously meant a lot to him, or that was what Pennyworth's explanation which was just barely hidden advice had taught him after he'd upset Colin when they were twelve.

"You could.. I can return them. I saw a watch I thought you'd like, could go really far into the ocean which is cool right?" Colin reaches for the envelope and Damian pulls his hand back, keeping them.

"Ttt- I don't need a watch." Damian starts, steam rolling over the hurt expression Colin gets because Damian knows he's just nervous and taking things too sensitively, he'd known Colin for too long to not read him like an open book. "I thought you were saving up for a new apartment." Colin gives him some stupid excuse about liking his 6th floor walk up that is about the size of Damian's shower stall he knows it's a bullshit excuse to refuse to let Damian buy him a condo with elevators and glass walls like the one he'd lived in when he'd first met Colin. "Where did you plan on going?" He finally asks, cutting Colin's retort off, the other's cheeks blazing now that he was asked.

"Florida I think. Or California, though you'd probably want to go to Washington D.C. or New York right? That could be fun, I'd have to arrange-" Damian cuts Colin off again, this time by stepping forward a bit to set the tickets down on the table next to the cake that says in green frosting 'Happy Birthday Damian'. He could picture Colin turning as red as a lobster in Florida and the only time he'd been in California was for Titan business back when he had tried being a member. He didn't have fond memories of the state because of it. "Why Florida or California?"

Colin blushes again, but takes a seat and toys with a yellow plastic fork. "Disney."

It's muttered and despite the amount of times Damian has taken blows to the head his hearing is perfect so he can't help but kind of snort, covering it up with a hand to his lips to hide his smile. Colin was still such a child. "Look I've never been and I know you haven't.. unless Dick took you which I doubt cuz I'm sure you'd run away and call him crazy or something." Colin retorts with an angry frown causing Damian to actually laugh at the image of Grayson trying to fly him to Disney World or Land for some 'brotherly bonding'. It's something he'd do too.

"Besides both places have a lot of other cool stuff and-"

"Fine." Damian replies, counting the seconds it takes for Colin to realize he's spoken.

"I'm sure we could still do work or something if you wanted though I- wait what? Fine?" Twelve seconds, Damian arches an eyebrow. "You're okay with going to Disney with me?" Colin asks as if he's expecting Damian to cackle at him like the Joker and say it was all a joke.

He doesn't say anything for a bit, just nods his head with a half hearted shrug that Colin ignores in favor of launching out of his seat and hugging onto Damian in one of those shows of affection he's still not used to. Colin is buzzing in his arms, squeezing him tight before pulling back and pressing a kiss onto his cheek a blush quickly following. "I promise it'll be fun, or not boring or yeah. You'll be able to go for a while right? A few days? We have to do everything!" Colin is excited beyond measure and all Damian can do is hold on around his waist, vaguely feeling like he's trying to keep Superman from taking off into the sky.

Finally though, Colin calms down and wraps his arms around Damian's neck smiling into the folds of Damian's hoodie. "You'll be able to get off right?" Colin asks again, red hair all Damian can see now that Colin's turned his head into Damian's neck. "Ttt- Batman can work alone a few nights." Damian says as an answer, resisting the urge to blush when Colin kisses the skin at his neck.

"Happy Birthday Damian." Colin says on a soft whisper, his breath ghosting over Damain's neck.

Making a sound through his teeth, Damian ruffles Colin's hair getting a wiff of the shampoo the teen has bought since he moved out of the orphanage. "Your gelato is getting warm."

They eat the cake, which Damian decides is actually good and the gelato which goes pretty well with the cake even though Damian refuses to admit it after teasing Colin at the choice in flavors. It's night time and getting close to patrol time when they're done, Damian leaves Colin to mess around with his four wheeler, and finds Pennyworth outside with the car waiting to pick him up even though he drove here on his bike. Which meant Robin was needed somewhere quickly.

Reaching into the compartment that a spare of his costume was always hidden away in, Damian changes in the back without any fear that anyone will see through the darkly tinted windows. Pennyworth gives him a run down on the situation, general bad guy doing bad things as Damian pulls out his phone and smirks at the text Colin had sent him.

'you're going on something girly and princessy, you have no choice.'

'My birthday present, I think I am allowed to refuse.' Damian replies, getting a response so fast, he shakes his head in amusement.

'bull. gifter gets to choose. c'mon you know you'll like it. we can ride rollercoasters after for your manilyness.'

Rolling his eyes, Damian looked up when they stopped, Pennyworth had stopped them in an alley so he could get out without people seeing. The butler is watching him in the rear-view with an amused look on his face as Damian sends a quick reply before shutting his phone off and slipping into a hidden section of his costume.

The last thought of Disney and Colin is pushed from his mind when an errant kick from some lackie in blue spandex fills his mouth with the taste of blood instead of cake and gelato. They're not winning but Damian's head wasn't in the game, he'll get a lecture from his father later for it and probably some concerned looks from Grayson because Nightwing is with them, bouncing around like he never could in the cowl.

He won't admit it to anyone, but he's a little excited at the idea of going somewhere with Colin. When he's in the shower later wiping off the grime, sweat and blood that cakes onto his person after a night of patrolling, he wonders if that's something left over from Grayson's attempts at humanizing him. Probably.

He goes to bed when the morning light is peaking through the windows to a text Colin had sent him through the night which simply said.

'princess and pirate party, it is a must'

What the hell had he gotten himself into.

[Young Justice] Bedtime Story

relics — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:06:34 GMT

bedtime story
kon, bart, tim
young justice
a/n: inspired by a picture drawn in last nights Julie's livestream.

Tim isn't a stranger to being hurt. It's a necessary evil that comes with the job. He knew this when he came up with the plan to become the new Robin. Now sometimes it hurt more then others- he'd gotten used to bullet wounds but broken bones still made him woozy. He wondered what type of person he'd be when he finally could deal with even that.

The fall had been a mistake all his own, Tim had never been the type of person to blame anyone needlessly. It was easier to accept his own faults, his own mistakes and work to either fix them or make sure they never happened again. It's what kept him sharp, kept his logical mind working.

He'd been lucky that there had been a lake or he'd probably have broken more then just his collarbone from the stray swipe he should have dodged. It had hurt, but it hadn't killed him and wasn't the saying 'That which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger?'

Tim had already analyzed the fight when he'd woken up in his bed, bandaged and sore. He knew when he should have dodged and what he'd done wrong which would help him never do it again. With the hard part over, he'd resigned himself to an evening of catching up on reading or notes. Bruce had forbade him from touching anything Robin related until at least the bone had set properly. There was a stack of books next to the bed within easy reach, some that Alfred had left and others that Dick had added to the pile when he'd come to visit with that strained look on his face. Everyone always treated him just a bit more careful, they tended to get a little more worried. Tim understood this was all because of Jason's death, which had hit them all hard.

It was a special surprise when Kon had appeared at the window of his bedroom, carrying Bart who had been waving at super speed, their expressions had been a mix of excited and worried.

Just one look and Tim knew Kon blamed himself. The rebel hero couldn't hide his emotions nearly as well as he thought he could.

Before they're settled onto the bed with him, Alfred has brought up a plate of cookies and cocoa proving that he really was the best butler in the existence of butlers. Alfred was able to convince both Bart and Kon to spend the night with the suggestion that the company would do him good.

There's no personal bubble with them, Bart is pressed close to his side with his head resting comfortably on Tim's shoulder as he reads from the book in his lap. Peter Pan, not one of his favorites but a classic that he had enjoyed as a child. It's taken on a new meaning since he met Kon'el, which is why he pulled it out for them when they'd finished watching as many movies as they could find that didn't have a rating above PG-13.

"I can turn the page for you!" Bart announced with a smile, looking from the page back up to Tim. "I've got it Bart," Tim answered him, flipping the page carefully his voice calm as he read. When he was younger his father had read him books, it had been an exciting adventure right before bed with his father voicing pirates and even damsels in distress. Dick had tried to read to him once but had ended with them both nearly choking on laughter when Dick did the voice of a Princess in desperate need of saving; Dick had even raised his voice to seem more feminine.

Tim doesn't try to do the voices, but it doesn't take away from the look of excitement on Barts face as Tim reads out the adventures of Peter and Wendy. Bart moves closer as they get trapped on the rock, frowning when the kite can only save Wendy and looking more then a little pleased when Peter manages to survive by using the nest as a boat.

As he turns pages, Tim notices how Kon's not really paying attention like Bart is. Not that he expected the rapt attention that Bart is giving the story but one look out of his peripheral vision and he can see Kon's expression which is a careful mix of concern, annoyance and some other emotion that floats in and out of the hero's blue eyes.

He really does blame himself, Tim thinks when Bart's head finally rests fully on his shoulder, his hands stilling on Tim's chest. The boy falls asleep as quickly as he runs which brings a smile to Tim's lips.

Without Tim having to ask, Kon takes the book from him and sets it aside while Tim moves Bart so that he's resting on the third pillow in the bed, pulling the covers up to the speedsters shoulders. Snug as a bug, was the saying.

Kon has a hand on his shoulder as Tim shifts carefully so that he's facing Kon, the hand never leaving even as Tim ends up laying his head against Kons's arm. The hand travels down to his shirt front, undoing the buttons carefully as Tim watches Kon's head come to rest against the pillow the longer pieces of hair flaying out onto the soft surface.

Kon's fingers are warm when they gently touch the skin around the bandage, a frown on his lips. Kon doesn't say anything for a long time, his glance traveling over the bandages before Tim lifted a finger to push a single piece of Kon's hair from his forehead.

"I'm fine." It wasn't the complete truth, Tim knew, but he would recover in time.

"Dude," Kon starts, "Batman won't let you patrol; on a scale of one to ten on how bad you are... that's gotta be a-freakin' million!" Kon complained, that frown almost turning into an angry pout.

"Kon," Tim starts, voice barely above a whisper. "Shut up and go to sleep." The smile on his lips is hinted in his voice and Kon frowns more because of it but he doesn't complain anymore. The fingers on his shirt smooth the fabric down before glaring at Tim till he chuckles and closes his eyes.

He's vaguely aware of Bart curling closer to his back, a hand reaching out to grip the back of Tim's night shirt but he's warm and comfortable. The pain meds he took earlier when Alfred had checked in on them between movies having finally took their full effect. He'd sleep well tonight.

Before the heavy weight of unconsciousness took him, Tim was almost positive he heard Kon whisper something into his hair. Something about never not catching him again and he's sure the smile comes back to his lips.

He dreams of Flying through the air with Bart and Kon, fighting Indians and Pirates.

[BATMAN] unexpected

relics — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:04:47 GMT

Unexpected
dick & damian
Batman and Robin
a/n: Thank you so much to tealgeezus for being my fabulous beta. Best in the world I swear!

It's a wonderful idea, really, so of course it's Alfred's idea and not his own. Never mind how simple it could have been for him to come up with or how smart and even ingenious it is, Dick Grayson had no claim on it.

Dick knew he needed to bond a bit more with his youngest brother, who incidentally sometimes felt more like an adopted son or even a ward rather than the family they were supposed to be but that was neither here nor there right at this current moment. They were working better as partners recently, and Dick was sure he could trust him a lot more than those first few times when he'd been introduced to Bruce Wayne's son- the loud mouthed aristocrat with a bad attitude problem.

His first nickname for the boy had been very fitting at the time. 'Prince.'

Lately though, it wasn't as apparent. There was more trust there. The kid wasn't crawling into his bed at night or sharing his favorite bedtime story (though really, Dick was sure he'd scream bloody murder and grab for his first bat gadget nearby for fear of an invasion of the body snatchers, should that actually happen; but Dick could almost see the difference in them.)

He was still 'Grayson' rather than 'Dick' to the boy, but Dick was starting to understand that it wasn't an insult, but rather, just Damian's way.

So when Alfred had broached the idea of, perhaps, attempting to bond with the boy, Dick had been at a loss on where to begin.

"It's not like I could take him to a mall and chat it up," Dick had said, running hands through his hair in frustration.

"No, I do not believe Master Damian would at all find that interesting," Alfred had agreed, a tray with a cup and pot of tea at the ready. "However. I was looking through this morning's paper and saw a rather fascinating ad that might interest you."

The ad in question had been for a new exhibit at the Museum, one featuring the art of weaponry throughout the ages. They even boasted over their collection from the darker ages, all graciously donated of course. "Alfie, this is brilliant!" If this didn't get the kid interested then he was a lost cause; it was right up his alley.

Now Dick wasn't expecting Damian to jump for joy when he asked, no actually he was assuming he'd get a barely interested glance with a few insults and then maybe that sound he liked to make through his teeth. Which was all his own and then come along with only minor complaint.

What he had expected, however, was that Damian might give him a heads-up or a farewell or something when he left the damn house. Dick honestly had no idea when the kid had even left, which probably says more about their relationship than he’d like to dwell over.

Dick was pretty sure he always had told Bruce where he was going, or at least Alfred, on those occasions that Bruce and Dick were having one of their many 'disagreements'.

Standing in the middle of Damian's room, Dick ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, a smile crossing his lips haphazardly. Ah well, he thought. He tried.

The kid doesn't have enough personality in his room, Dick thought after a cursory glance around. Sure he had some new games scattered around the various gaming systems that Dick was pretty sure hadn't come with the room - a few Dick actually wanted to try. Overall though, the room didn't give any indication to Damian's personality.

It was nothing like what Dick's room had looked like when he'd been younger; which had had a knack of always getting messy no matter how hard Alfred tried to keep it tidy and orderly. Dicks walls had been nearly wallpapered with college teams he liked or the next new band- it still was in areas. When Bruce had 'died' and he'd taken over the cowl, some of the posters had come down for family pictures put in there place.

Unlike Tim's room. Now his room was exactly as the boy had left it- minus the few things he'd taken with him.

Slipping his hands in his pockets, Dick nudged a book left on the floor.

Tim had been the easiest to prank, Jason being the hardest (even if Dick had, had such a short time at it). For Tim, all he had to do was mess with his books. Dick remembered one of the only failed attempts to get an early April Fool's Day joke in. Dick had tried to sneak into the others room in the wee hours of the morning with a thing of water and ice. Tim was never one to leave his room trashed (unlike Jason who'd left everything, including but not limited to, his Robin gear and weaponry on the floor like a mini obstacle course) so it went to say that of course when Dick was sneaking in like the best ninja with evil intentions Tim decided to leave a jacket and his school bag on the floor for Dick to get tangled up in.

Dick was sure Tim still had the resulting Polaroid he'd snapped of Dick on the floor soaked and laughing.

Smiling, Dick shook his head, there'd be none of that with Damian. Especially now that he noticed the boys assassins sword leaning almost demurely against the bed. Had Bruce really given that back? Dick didn't think so but he wasn't about to try and take it from the boy. Dick hadn't yet learned how to get that terrifying damn near growl Bruce could produce when he was well beyond cordial.

"Well, nothing to be done about it." Dick said with a shrug, turning to leave when a sound caught his attention.

Was that a mew?

Pausing with his hand on the door handle, Dick waited. Sure enough there it was again. There was a kitten in here! But Damian didn't own a cat, Alfred would have mentioned it to Dick at some point.

Curiosity now rising, Dick turned back toward the room following the sound until it lead him to the bed. On his knees, Dick lifted the comforter and sheets, exposing the underside of the bed and the small brown box from which the mewing was coming from.

Damian was hiding a cat. That was so unexpectedly cute it almost threw Dick for a loop. Almost.

Pulling the box from under the bed, Dick's smile widened into a true grin; the kitten who was mewing was a solid black in a sea of gray and white. All the other kittens in the box were all curled into a comfortable ball and were very much asleep.

"Bored of the box?" Dick asked the kitten, it's blue eyes watching his every move.

The kitten mewed as if answering him, a paw reaching up to bat at Dick's finger on the box edge, a claw catching a thin strip of skin at the cuticle.

Picking the kitten up, Dick carefully removed it's claw from his finger, "Watch him have named you Killer." Dick said, petting the kitten in long strokes as it explored his lap.

So Damian had a thing for kittens, abandoned ones at that. The side of the box said 'Free to a good home' in handwriting he was sure Damian would be outraged if anyone assumed as his. "You've surely found a good home. Alfie feeds the bats better then I got in Bludhaven on most nights." Dick teased, smiling as blue eyes found his own.

It didn't surprise him that much that Damian had a thing for strays. No matter how well Damian had hide the evidence, Dick had noticed the small fortune that had been spent on items that weren't for either Batman or Robin.

Which was probably where he was right now, out with Colin- the boys name he'd found out on his own because Damian had no intention of answering any of Dick's questions. No matter how many times he'd asked.

Time passed quicker then Dick had expected, soon he had all the kittens crawling around his lap and the floor around him. Some playing with the ends of his shirt, others fighting with their box mates.

Eventually the door to the room opened, Damian standing there with a vaguely irritated look on his face, his mouth open to say something probably amazingly snarky.

"I think Killer likes me!" Dick announced with a bright smile, the black kitten in question laying asleep on his lap.

"You have the worst choice in names, Grayson." Damian retorted with that sound made through his teeth. He had come into the room now, dropping a bag of what looked like pet supplies on the floor near the gaming chair. "What are you doing in my room?"

Ignoring the question, Dick stood up after making sure the black kitten was placed safely on the ground, "What's it's name then?" He asked, steam rolling over the subject of him being in Damian's room without any sort of permission expressly given. "Where'd you get them?"

"Somewhere," Damian replied, brushing off the first question which Dick took to mean he hadn't come up with a name either. "Grayson-"

Resisting the urge to ruffle hair like he would with Tim, Dick pointed to the stuff on the floor. "If you need more. I know a great pet store," he started, "If you're interested, I'll take us there."

Damian didn't jump at the invitation, but he didn't turn Dick down either, which to Dick was a start at something.