Hello! I'm back. My life has been super crazy, but here I am. :)
I have been feeling super huggy lately.
This takes place in a world where the New 52 never happened. New 52? What's the New 52?
THERE WILL BE A DAY WHERE I DON'T WRITE BATFAMILY FLUFF, BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY.
Without further ado, Nearly Normel presents Five Hugs Damian Wayne Gave.
I don't own these characters. I just wind them up.
...
Five hugs Damian Wayne Gave:
1.
Gotham never slept. The city glowed with light every hour of the night. There was always a villain to bust and a bad guy to capture. Criminals were like virus's that would just spread and spread. You would catch one man and then another would fall ill. An endless cycle that was never broken, with too many sick and hardly any cured.
The batmobile rolled into the cave at four thirty six a.m. The bruises weren't bad, but it was still a bad night. It was a very bad night by usual standards.
For once in his life Grayson was tired. Damian was tired as well, but he, the blood son, would never slump into the Batcave in the manor Grayson did that night. The current Batman dragged himself out of the car and pulled himself into his chair. Dick tugged off his cowl and ran his hand through his sweaty mess of hair, mumbling incoherently.
It was a very bad night.
"Master Grayson, Master Damian, Ms. Stephanie why so glum? Was patrol not as fruitful as hoped?" the butler inquired as he walked down the Batcave steps to meet the duo. He was carrying some medical supplies and sandwiches with him.
Batgirl's head poked out of the batmobile and she gave Alfred a halfhearted wave. The usually big mouthed blonde slipped off towards the showers without so much as a word.
"Tt. Out of my way Pennyworth," Damian replied, brushing past Alfred. Robin decided to retire to his bed chambers for the remainder of the evening, and didn't want to waste any breath on the butler.
But Damian was hungry. He slowed his steps a bit pondering how bruised his ego could be if her turned around and grabbed a sandwich.
Alfred raised his eyebrow at Damian's gruff demeanor and turned towards Grayson waiting for a reply, but non came.
Alfred continued his decent toward Batman. "That bad I assume?" Alfred placed the sandwiches and first aid kit on a nearby table.
It was really a very bad night.
Dick lifted his head up slowly as Alfred began to stitch up a cut on his shoulder.
Grayson managed to flash a weak smile. "Oh, it wasn't too bad."
Damian turned around, surprised at what he heard. He knew Grayson was lying.
"Is that so?" Alfred mused. Dick let out a groan as Alfred wiped antibiotic on the cut.
"It's so." Grayson sighed. Dick ran his hand through his hair again, and stared back at the ground.
"Hmmm," Alfred pondered out loud. Damian decided the sandwiches weren't worth it and began to make his exit. Robin walked up to the top of the Batcave steps and was about to enter the manor when-
"It was awful."
Grayson spat the words out like they were contaminated. Damian turned around and saw the pain faced of his partner far down below.
"There were hostages, of all ages. We didn't save a single one." Dick moaned. The young man looked broken. Alfred placed a reassuring hand on Grayson's shoulder, attempting to comfort him.
"I'm sure there was nothing you could have done." Alfred assured.
"There must have been something." Dick said.
Pennyworth drew back and began to pack up the medical supplies. Damian knew that the butler could not brighten Grayson's mood.
Dick Grayson closed his eyes hanging his head. Those deaths were his fault. Grayson pulled himself out of the chair he collapsed into. Then he suddenly felt someone grab him around the waist.
Dick peered down to the small boy with his arms laced around Dick's body.
"Damian- what are you doing?" Dick asked.
"I am making a feeble attempt to brighten your mood." Damian responded. Dick's eyebrow rose.
"Are you hugging me?"
"Yes."
"Where did you even learn how to hug?" Dick asked.
Damian pulled away as abruptly as he came and began to walk away. "Good work tonight Grayson," Damian said, ignoring Grayson's question.
Dick's face began to light up.
"I didn't know you cared so much." Dick laughed.
"Nonsense," Damian scoffed. "I was just coming back for one of Pennyworth's sandwiches."
"You weren't good with words." Dick sighed.
"My vocabulary is very adequate." Robin replied. Damian regretted using physical contact to cheer up his partner, when a rousing speech would have been much more effective and less embarrassing.
And with that Damian Wayne grabbed three of Alfred's BLTs and stalked off towards his room, while Dick shook his head with a soft smile on his lips.
2.
It was father's day, June the 21st at five four six p.m., when Damian Wayne hugged his father.
It happened after much pressuring from Grayson. After the little incident in the cave that proved that the demon spawn had a heart, Dick had been trying to get Damian to open up even more.
"But it's father's day, Dami!"
"I am aware of this Grayson. I have already found a suitable gift for father to show my affections." Damian informed. He did not understand why Dick was spending so much on this trivial matter. It was foolish and Damian would not tolerate it much longer.
The two boys were hovering outside Bruce's study. They both were both out of uniform and Damian had to admit he felt uncomfortable without his katanna at his side. Dick had caught Damian just before he was to present a silk tie to Bruce, when they were rudely interrupted.
"Brat Boy has feelings?" laughed a voice coming down the hall.
Damian groaned. "Oh, great she's here."
"Is that anyway to treat your bestest big sis in the world!" laughed Stephanie Brown. She was carrying some sort of dish hidden underneath a layer of tinfoil. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a sloppy ponytail, and, like always, she wore a purple t shirt.
"Bestest isn't a word you uneducated swine." Damian spat back, "What is she even doing here?"
"I invited her for Bruce's dinner." Dick said shrugging.
"Brown is not one of father's children. None of these people are father's true children." Damian said remembering that Tim and Cassandra had already arrived and were helping Alfred set the table. Barbara had decided to be with her own father this evening and had turned down the invitation. Jason was invited as well, but hadn't shown up yet. Not that Todd probably would.
"They are Bruce's kids. And I thought Steph would enjoy spending time with her extended family." Dick explained.
Damian snorted. "Tt. I still don't understand why Brown must be here."
"Hello guys," Steph called waving her free hand in the air. "I'm right here."
"And what's this about Damian having affection." the blonde added.
"I want Damian to-"
"Quiet Grayson."
"-hug his father, because-"
"Wait Damian knows how to hug?"
"-Yes, and he hugged me-"
"Damian hugged you?"
"-Yes. And I want him to-"
"Damian hugged you without being forced to?"
"-Yes and-"
"He willingly hugged you?"
"-Yes, Steph-"
"Will both of you imbeciles stop?" Damian interrupted.
"Interrupting- how rude." Stephanie snuffed. Dick opened his mouth to point out how Stephanie had just been doing the exact same thing, but he decided against it.
"What did you even get Bruce?"
"A tie," Damian replied to the blonde.
Stephanie snorted "That's so cliché."
"Silence wench." Damian retaliated with.
"Your face is a cliché."
Damian was unaware of this form of insult and frowned in confusion and irritation.
"What does my face have to do with this conversation? And how is a cliché an insult to my face," He asked. Stephanie just laughed at Damian's confusion which made him even angrier.
Dick rolled his eyes.
Stephanie asked (once she had finished laughing of course), "When did you even hug Dick?"
"A few nights ago, the night of the hostage situation actually." Damian said dully. He really didn't understand what the big deal was.
"When I was in the shower?" Stephanie exclaimed.
"Yes."
"No way Boy Blunder! Now you totally owe me a hug!" Stephanie said very loudly, "I was there too and I deserve a magic Wayne hug too!"
"In your dreams Fatgirl." Damian hissed.
Dick sighed, "Damian are you going to hug your father or not?"
"No."
"Fine."
And with that Dick grabbed Stephanie's dish and stalked towards the kitchen.
That left the Batgirl and the Robin alone.
"Huh," Stephanie said as she watched Dick walk away, "I guess he was really serious about that hug You're at least going to tell him you love him or something right?"
"Tt." Damian responded.
The two stood there in silence for a few seconds, before Damian turned towards his father's door.
"Wait," Stephanie said.
"What do you want Brown?"
"Go and give Bruce a hug. Material gifts like ties mean nothing next to a gift from you." Stephanie began. She paused for a moment and her eyes became sad.
"Plus Bruce is a pretty great dad. I wish Bruce was my dad. You're lucky to have a father that cares about you. Trust me," Stephanie almost whispered.
Suddenly Damian understood why Dick had invited Stephanie.
"I will consider your advice Brown."
Stephanie's face lit up and she skipped, yes skipped, down the hall towards the kitchen where everyone else was.
Damian opened the door to his father's study.
It was father's day, June the 21st at five four six p.m., when Damian Wayne hugged his father.
Bruce was rather surprised and returned his son's gesture with a pat on the back. Damian then presented Bruce with the tie, and Batman said it was very nice. They both exited the study and went to the dining room, where the rest of the family greeted them.
It only took a few minutes for Damian to want to stab everything in the vicinity, when Grayson admitted he snooped on Damian and Bruce hugging and was so proud of his baby brother.
Tim was so excited that by the end of the night he got everyone (except for Bruce and Alfred of course) to chase Damian around the mansion begging for cuddles.
In retrospect, Damian should have said that Bruce was satisfactory and sufficient and have given the tie.
3.
It had been years since the incident at Bruce's dinner. Damian was older, sixteen to be exact. It was at a funeral when Damian hugged again.
Alfred's to be exact.
It was an attack on the mansion that did him in. Bane had broken into the Batcave and managed to make it up into the manor. He destroyed so much. Alfred had fought him and lost.
Damian remembered Grayson beating Bane senseless, while Bruce desperately tried to bring life back into the empty shell that used to be Alfred Pennyworth.
Alfred died a hero.
Too many die as heroes.
So many people attend the funeral. Kathy, Jim, Helena, Tim, Nell, Barbara, Selina, Stephanie, Cassandra, Luke, and so many others were there. Superman, Green Arrow, and Wonder Woman all attend as well, just as Clark, Ollie, and Diana.
Even mother showed up to pay her respects to father and his family.
There was a lot of hugging and displays of affection going on. Damian had never seen Stephanie cry before. And her she was balling her eyes out.
Damian wanted to say something to her, but couldn't think of anything to say. He couldn't think of anything to say to any of these people. Damian really wanted to say something to them, but didn't know how.
Stephanie did say that he owed her a hug, but Damian quickly dismissed that thought because there was no way was he ever going to come in physical contact with that wench.
Many people were coming up to Damian, saying kind words or placing a hand on his shoulder attempting to make him feel better.
Damian didn't want to feel better.
Then Damian noticed a lone figure standing far away on a hill that was unmistakably Jason Todd the Red Hood.
Sneaking up on the Red Hood wasn't an easy thing to do. Damian was ten feet away before, sword drawn, when Jason spoke.
"Get out of here demon spawn." he said, "I'm not in the mood."
"Get off my father's property Todd." Domain shot back. He was not going to allow Jason to ruin the funeral.
Damian lunged forward and Jason quickly maneuvered out of the way. He knocked Damian to the ground with lightning fast speed and drew a gun on him.
"I thought you understood that I was not in the mood." Jason said.
Damian scowled at the black pistol aimed at his head. He then lifted his gaze to the Red Hood. Jason's mouth was clenched tight and his brow was soaked in sweat. His eyes were angry.
And full of tears.
"Get out of her punk." Jason drew the gun back into his coat, letting Damian pull himself out of the dirt.
Damian pulled himself off the ground and before Jason could threaten to shoot him again, Damian gave the man a hug.
"Todd, I apologize."
"Woah," was all Jason was able to say. "Where did you even learn how to hug, kid?"
"Tt. No get out of her before I unleash the dogs on you." Damian said as he began to retreat down the hill.
Jason let out a deep roaring laugh. "You always were never good with words weren't you?"
"My vocabulary is perfect Todd."
Maybe there was something Damian could have said to get Jason off his property quicker.
"And besides," Jason added, "I'm not afraid of no dogs!"
Damian couldn't help the small smirk that escaped his lips. "Then I will release Cassandra on you."
And then Todd was gone.
4.
"Babs! This is so amazing! Congratulations!" Stephanie exclaimed grabbing her mentor into a big bear hug.
"Stephanie please!" Barbara begged pulling the blonde off her. Stephanie was determined to hold and clawed her way back into Barbara's arms.
"This is such good news," Tim said as he grabbed the computer mastermind into a hug as big as Steph's. Stephanie giggled and kept holding one to the bewildered Oracle. Dick then swooped and grabbed all four of them into a giant embrace laughing as he did.
"Can you believe it Damian?" Cassandra smiled. "Barbara and Dick are getting married."
"It was about time!" Stephanie exclaimed from within the mass of Bats.
"Aren't you going to say something nice to Barbara and Dick?" Cassandra whispered to Damian.
"No"
Cassandra frowned.
Tim then grabbed Cass into the giant hug as well leaving Damian alone. A strange feeling then began to come over the now teenage boy. He began to feel envious of the laughing group of people he began to appreciate in his everyday life having fun without him.
So he joined them.
Everyone was slightly surprised with the new addition to the hug, but continued to enjoy the happy event. He only with drew when Stephanie got to close for his taste, and that he needed to wash the filth off his skin.
Later Damian wished he had said something as well.
5.
"Nightwing!"Batman screamed.
Nightwing lay bleeding in the middle of the dirty warehouse as the joker's goons began to surround the two. Batman clenched his fist and began to fight.
Batman carried Nightwing's weak body into the Batcave an hour later. He held her frail figure close and placed her onto one of the medical beds. He pulled off Nightwing's domino mask to reveal a bruised and battered Stephanie Brown.
Batman began to clean up the girl who lay before him, while gently caressing her golden head. He stitched her up and gave her enough antibiotic to last a lifetime.
Then he sat and watched over her.
Stephanie sat straight up out of bed at four thirty six a.m. panting and out of breath. She let out groan and clutched her burning side.
Stephanie closed her eyes. "Did everyone see that? Because I will not be doing that again."
"What? Scaring me to death?" Batman asked.
"Yes, Damian, that was my evil plan all along." Stephanie said sarcastically
"Tt." A now adult Damian said pulling off his cowl and starting checking Stephanie's stats.
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I'm guessing that I'll live to eat waffles another day then."
"Unfortunately yes, and you do know those waffles are full of useless carbs?"
"Awesome carbs you mean."
Damian began to reapply Stephanie's bandages. "Tt." he replied. "You were foolish to attempt that jump Brown."
"Well I'm sorry for trying to save your life." Stephanie retaliated with.
"You could have died."
"But I didn't."
"But you might have." Damian said growing angry.
"It was my decision!" Stephanie shot back.
Damian's face became red. He opened and closed his mouth searching for something to say. "You are so irritating!" was all he could come up with.
"You're so irritating!" Stephanie yelled back.
Damian cursed and walked out of the room.
"Why are you so angry?" Stephanie screamed at the retreating figure.
"Maybe because you almost died, Brown!" Damian yelled turning back around.
Stephanie said bitterness soaking her words, "Why do you even care, you wouldn't have missed me if I was dead."
"Shut up Brown,"
Angry and upset, Damian Wayne grabbed Stephanie Brown up into a hug, bandages and all.
Stephanie placed her head on Damian's broad shoulders and grabbed him around the torso.
Damian Wayne was hugging someone that night. And for the first time, someone hugged him back
When I saw you there, Brown, I felt like I was just as broken as you. I couldn't breathe. My palms were shaking as I carried you back here. I don't know what I would do without you. You're my best friend. So don't you ever say that I don't care, because I do.
Damian wanted to say all that. But the words were too difficult to come out.
But somehow Stephanie understood.
"I'm sorry for getting so mad. Almost dying can really stress someone out." Stephanie said followed by a laugh muffled by Damian's shoulder.
"And OW!" she yelled. Playfully pushing the big Bat off her and began to clutch her side again.
Damian let out a small laugh. Stephanie's blue eyes lit up at the sound, knowing that everything was going to be alright.
"Damian Wayne hugging, wow, when did you grow up so much D?" Stephanie asked easing herself back into the bed.
"Tt. I was always was grown up," Damian informed. "Besides, I owed you a hug anyway."
"A magical Wayne hug?" Stephanie said her eyes sparkling with memories.
"A magical Wayne hug." Damian replied as he began to repair the bandages that he just ruined.
"You know, you were never that good with words." Stephanie chuckled more to herself then to the figure in the door way.
"….. I guess you're right." Damian took out some vaccinations and began to stick them into Nightwing's arm.
"Where did you even learn how to hug?" Stephanie asked closing her eyes once more.
"From watching you of course." Damian said.
Stephanie fell silent for a few seconds thinking. She closed her eyes as a soft smile graced her lips.
"You're alright Boy Blunder."
"Same to you Fatgirl, get some rest."
"Don't tell me what to do, but goodnight Damian."
"Goodnight.." Damian said as he made his exit. "Goodnight Stephanie."
And Damian knew he had said all that had been needed to be said.