They didn't speak for almost the entirety of the journey home.
The engines of the sophisticated car his father drove did not help. They were almost entirely silent. Like the night itself.
They had not began the journey home far from Gotham, it would not take long to arrive at the household Damian reminded himself. It would be easier once they arrived.
"I'm proud of your decision Damian"
Validation! Yes, of course. Damian was proud of his decision too, or at least he thought he should be; Not proud enough to voice it to his father though, he remained silent.
"Leaving your mother and the league can't have been easy for you-" Bruce hesitated. "But I'm sure in time you'll be more comfortable at the manor than you were with the league."
His father's misdirection was obvious, comfort meant less training, less duty, less combat. This was not what he trained for.
"But I'll be part of it father?" Damian said in a small voice. "Your mission, I will be allowed to assist?"
The awkward silence returned for a few short heartbeats. The city skyline appeared as they veered away from the buildings towards the route to Wayne manor.
"In time Damian, but you're young, there are more important things you should worry about"
"I'm trained father"
"You can keep training, but at your age I don't want you in the field Damian."
Drat, the Todd boy had ruined it for everyone. Damian pouted. Why should he be punished? He'd never gotten himself blown up. His scowl thickened as he remembered Drake.
Drake would be allowed to patrol with father. Drake would be allowed to operate alone. Drake would be trusted. He wanted to scream, but assassins don't scream.
As they neared the waterfall entrance to the cave the batmobile stopped.
"Why are we stopping father?"
"Damian listen." Bruce took the cowl off. Turned from the wheel and placed a hand on his sons shoulder.
"You are my son. I'm incredibly proud of your choice."
Damian could sense the but coming, grandfather would always offer praise before voicing room for improvement. Father was the same.
"But you are not my only child, and I hope you realize you don't need to act like an only child"
"tt" Play nice with the pretenders, that's what he wanted. He couldn't hide his scowl.
"Damian."
"Father I will not attempt to kill Drake again. I understand" Damian shrugged the hand off of his shoulder and looked away, scowling.
Bruce scowled as well, but said nothing as he turned the car back on.
"Good, because he's in the cave with the others, waiting for you to apologise for the last time."
The pretender could have a pretend apology if father wanted.
The car lurched forward, the waterfall gave way to a metallic checkpoint. Scanners briefly checked the car and then a fate opened. The car proceeded into the cave.
Damian knew Drake was a package deal when he'd chosen father over mother. A life of saving people over a life of killing, a life as a hero, as those of the ever admired Justice League over that of his father. It had been his aunt who sealed the deal. Burnt alive in a vehicle, for all her bluster when grandfather came to take the league back from Aunt Nyssa he took it with cold vengeance.
Father would never do such things, family mattered to father, even stupid pretend family like Drake. Perhaps someday mother would see that too.
There was a circular pad where the batmobile stopped, in a huge dark cavern fitted with scaffolding and beeping lights. The hood opened and the father son duo exited. There were people waiting for them.
One old man, one young man, one stupid child wearing a red suit that was rightfully his, and one girl.
Damian had met Alfred before, the butler was polite but refused to serve him as his mothers servants had. He'd met Grayson and Drake too, both in combat, both fake sons, they needn't be here, the real son had arrived. Grayson stoop tall with a big grin on his face, Damian scowled, Drake scowled back.
The girl was new to him, slender in frame but her arms were muscular, he shoulders were scarred, but the scars were old and stretched out. Batgirl he supposed.
There was silence as Bruce brought him to the group. Then all of them stood awkwardly for a moment. The butler cleared his throat.
"Master Damian, it is good to see you again." He smiled a kindly smile. "Trust that last times shenanigans have been forgiven"
That was good. he harboured no ill will towards Pennyworth, but upon his last visit to the manner he had accidentally sliced a lot of things in the attempt to slice Drake.
"It's good to have you on board kid." Grayson seemed genuine enough. "I guess we're brothers now huh?"
Hardly.
"Thank you Pennyworth" Damian ignored Grayson. Making eye contact with Tim.
Two very obvious decisions filled the air. Tim could demand apologies and cause an argument, or Tim could as Alfred did ignore the past and let Damian get away with it. Tim left his scowl behind him and chose the latter.
"If we're going to live together, we should at least agree to tolerate each other's presence." Drake made a point.
"Brothers?" Tim offered his hand.
"Tt" Damian could have slit his throat for that at home
"Brothers in formality?" Tim offered instead.
"In formality" Damian took the hand for the briefest amount of time possible.
Damian looked to the girl who was presumably batgirl for his final welcome so he could move to his room.
"Glad you're here Damian." She bent her knees so she was on his level, as if he were some misbehaved toddler. He surprised another 'tt'.
"Damian this is Cassandra. Like Tim and Dick she's another child of this family" His father spoke up, introducing them as the girl was apparently too inept to introduce herself.
The girl, who was apparently Cassandra smiled.
So there was another one, a third pretender. Father must like collecting them. He couldn't wait to get to his room.
"Actually you and Cass might have a lot to talk about" Grayson chirped up.
He very much doubted that.
"Cass was taught by the league too, but decided it wasn't right."
The girl's face shifted a little sadly.
"People change" She shrugged.
Yes they certainly do, but grunts will always be grunts and an Al Ghul did not need to chat about his life decisions with some runaway foot soldier of his grandfathers.
"Yeah what did they call you Cass?" Drake playfully elbowed her in the side.
"Nothing." She'd gotten visibly annoyed with Drake now. Good. If the pretenders fought themselves perhaps some criminal would take the opportunity and kill them all so he could have father to himself.
"Ah, sorry great 'One Who Is All' I meant no offense'" Tim made a playful bow to his sister.
Damian's heart skipped a beat. He looked to his father and back to Cassandra.
Cassandra visibly sighed.
"Father is that true?"
Bruce groaned and rubbed at his temples.
"Yes Damian, Cassandra learnt from the league" Like you did
"Hardly." Damian sputtered out. "The One Who is All is the legendary warrior said to lead the League Of Assassins to greatness."
Cassandra visibly flinched.
Damian's face went red, he'd upset her.
"Well, little D." Dick patted his shoulder as he went to leave for the back of the cave. "Now she's your sister."
The One Who Is All was his sister. This almost made up for Drake.
"See Damian? We're not so bad" Drake spoke, as if summoned by Damian's thoughts.
"No, I suppose only you are Drake."
"Damian." Bruce warned sternly.
"Perhaps it's time I showed master Damian to his room" Alfred offered, beckoning Damian to follow.
This must have been a signal, because the family began dispersing. Grayson had suited up and was mounting a motorcycle. He must need to return to bludhaven. Father had taken position at the huge computer. Cassandra had taken the opportunity to walk to a lower level where training dummies were located. Only Drake stayed in his smug position.
"It's Wayne." Drake said, referring to himself.
Anger boiled within Damian. If he had his swords this would have been the end of his nuisance fake brother.
"Master Damian." Alfred called again.
Damian gave Tim a huge helping of stink eye as he passed him to walk up the stairs. Hopefully the fool would die on patrol. As the thought crossed his mind his attention drew to two glass cases at the top of the stairs. Two red uniforms, two yellow capes, both read 'A Good Soldier'.
Well they can't have been good if they'd gotten killed.
Though he was only aware of Todd. Was there yet another pretender he hadn't heard of?
They exited through the clock.
"It belonged to a miss Stephanie Brown" Pennyworth said. He must have noticed him staring. "A protégé of master Bruce's to be sure but you can rest easy knowing you've met all your siblings for the day."
Ah good perhaps father wasn't such a collector after all.
The manor was adorned with finery. Not unlike his mothers residences. However mother liked artefacts, master pieces of ancient craftsmanship. It was all Chinese dynasties and trophies from her enemies. The manor was full of paintings and sculptures that held no meanings. The world's fanciest knickknacks. Though he supposed father kept the better souvenirs downstairs.
His room was small. Well large for regular people, but for an Al Ghul, a Wayne? It was terrible.
"Tt"
"Yes yes master Damian it's all very 'tt' but it will have to do. The only larger room is master Bruce's."
Well, perhaps father did deserve the biggest room. As long as his was bigger than Drake's.
"It actually belonged to Richard, but he insisted he could make do with a guest bedroom since he owns his own apartment now."
Ah perhaps Grayson was suitable enough to keep around. At least he knew to step aside for the true son. Damian fell backwards onto the bed.
"Give him my thanks next time you see him Pennyworth." He said happily. "Oh and fetch me some green tea."
Pennyworth cleared his throat in a rude manner, as if expecting something. A moment passed.
"Please" Damian added, realizing his mistake.
"Of course young sir." Damian caught the butler rolling his eyes as he left.
Perhaps father was right. It would be more comfortable here than with the league.