A/N: This ficlet was inspired by art by Fwips (the image Reboot, ~Axis33 on deviart) Everyone should go look at her art because seriously, it's amazing.
There was a gorgeous plate of somewhat fancy food in front of Dick that looked delicious, not that he could focus on enjoying it since there was a young and very sullen boy across from him. Damian was glaring like Dick had just kicked his kitten then thrown it into traffic. The boy had been extra surly these last couple of weeks and it was getting really hard for Dick to ignore, he was starting to even dream that Damian was glaring at him. Dick sighed and put his fork down with a clatter.
"Is there, something you want to talk about? I don't know what I've done to piss you off so, but I promise I'll never do it again" Dick's voice came out a little exasperated as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms; giving the grumpy and glaring boy his complete attention. Damian seemed a little put off, or maybe something else... but went right back to being angry; a scowl seemingly a new permanent fixture.
"Why would I want to talk to you? About anything? AT ALL!" The youth's voice gradually raised in pitch as he spoke until he was in an all-out yell. Dick cut in trying to sooth the younger, extremely angry, boy "Calm down, Dami... what's wrong? Just tell me and I'm sure whatever it is..."
Damian stood and slammed his palms down on the table; silverware and glasses clattering in the shockwave's wake. "I'm finished. May I be excused" He obviously wasn't very interested in whether or not he was excused, because he abruptly turned and stormed off.
Dick let out a long, low whistle and let his head fall back against the wood of the chair, narrowing his eyes "Alf, this one's broken we should return it." he looked to the family's long-time servant and his father-figure for advice and maybe a little pity. The old man's eyes who'd seen more than probably even Batman, crinkled into a kind smile,
"I'm afraid we misplaced the warranty, Sir"
"YOU misplaced something, Alf?" Dick teased lightly, once again picking at his dinner.
"I'm still good for a few things, Sir" Alfred joked as he began clearing Damian's dishes away, before he entered the kitchen he added more seriously
"Sir, If I may, perhaps Young Master is upset about your leaving"
Dick blinked, as if he himself had actually forgotten. "Oh... that is coming up, huh?" he asked it as a question but he didn't really need it answered; he already knew. He'd known it was coming. Part of him had been looking forward to it; looking forward to getting back to himself. Not that he didn't like working with Damian... sure he was a complete brat but he was a good partner and a good kid deep down. Dick rubbed a recent bruise on his ribs; at least when he wasn't totally pissed at him. Then there was that other part...
"Will that be all, Sir?"
"Hm?" Dick looked at Alfred and realized he had been lost in his thoughts, not even hearing Alfred coming back; though the man was known to be rather sneaky. "Oh. Yeah... I'm fine."
Alfred gave a slight nod and left him to his thoughts.
Dick parked the Batmobile and killed the engine. It was two days before he was to leave, and he was trying his best to fix whatever was broken but Damian wasn't making it easy at all "Look, since we're here, Dami... you wanna talk or somethin?"
Dick grunted as Damian didn't waste any time putting as much space between them as possible; an entire room's worth of space. The reaction wasn't too unexpected, it was the same response he'd been getting for a week now.
"Ok, me either...yeah. I've got... important Batstuff to do" Dick mumbled to himself snarkily as he exited the vehicle; pulling the cowl from his head. Damian was already folding his Robin suit neatly, dressed in sweats and a plain white shirt that was two times his size.
"Look, Dami... I wish you'd tell me what was bothering you. I mean, I'm leaving soon and I don't want to leave while you're still upset. Are you upset because I'm leaving? I mean... I'll still come visit and stuff..." Dick fumbled around his words and for the first time that night, that wasn't for work purposes, Damian looked up at him. He might have been trying to look angry but all Dick could see was hurt and it made the man's stomach twist painfully. "W-what's..." Dick began but Damian was having none of it and turned his back and made his way up the steps to the house.
Dick sank into the big, swivel office chair in front of the computer console and let his head fall into his hands. It was even worse when the kid didn't yell and curse at him in six different languages... when he said nothing at all it just reminded him how small Damian really was.
Dick stood by the door, bags packed and ready by the door. As much as he'd tried he hadn't gotten Damian to speak more than a few words to him and two of those words were "fuck off". Now he stared at the boy on the couch, still ignoring him, with music being pumped into his ears; drowning out the world. Anger crept into Dick's brain. There was an instant where he almost turned and left without saying goodbye, because damn if the boy wasn't the one being difficult. He was the one trying so hard... but he cut off those thoughts, reminded himself again that Damian was only a child as he stomped over to the couch; yanking out the offending ear buds.
"GRAYSON, WHAT THE HELL"
"Oh, well at least that's more words than you've spoken to me all week" Dick huffed, crossing his arms "I'm leaving, Dami. I'm packed, this is happening... TALK TO ME"
"I WON'T" Damian shouted, jumping to his feet
"WHY NOT? At least tell me that much!" Dick threw his arms in the air; now weary with the circle they had been arguing.
"BECAUSE I DON'T SPEAK TO L-LIARS!" Damian's voice cracked at that last bit. Dick heard it and Damian knew he heard it.
"Damian... what are-"
"You're a liar, Grayson!" Damian had his head down now. The boy that had been fiercely glaring at Dick for a week straight was now finding the floor very interesting. Then Dick heard it, heard the choked sob, heard him trying so hard to keep it silent. Damian had tears freely falling now; he couldn't stop them. The walls he had spent a week building, hell maybe even years, were crumbling and he couldn't stop it.
"You s-said we would be Batman and R-robin. That's what you said. Well, what now?" The boy furiously wiped at the tears on his face. "Now, you're Nightwing and I'm Robin... and..." There was a pause here where Damian's voice cracked and he couldn't continue his sentence; a wet sniffle and then "and that's NOT what you said! YOU'RE A FUCKING LIAR!" Damian stood there with his fists clenched, lost in a torrent of emotions he didn't know how to handle.
"Oh god, Dami..." Dick sat on the couch and drew the boy down into a hug; face held to his chest, letting the tears soak there and trying not to cry himself. The older man was ready for the boy to push him away, to lash out at him like a cornered animal, but he didn't. He let himself be hugged, he was far beyond fighting now.
"Dami... I'm..." Dick paused, becoming a sobbing mess was not what he wanted to do right now "It's not up to me. If I could be Batman and Robin with you forever, I would. I swear"
"You can!" Damian sniffed into his shirt, reminding Dick that Damian was only ten years old, no matter how much training he had or how old he comes off as... he was only ten. Dick sat there holding the boy, feeling like his namesake more than ever for not realizing that this was what was bothering the boy all this time. That the boy wasn't only upset he was leaving, that he felt betrayed.
"I can't... but, I'll always treasure this time with you, Dami" clearing of the throat to mask the thickness in his voice "You've become like a real brother to me..." That was it, Dick thought to himself. Good kid, good partner, good brother.
Dick sniffed discretely, "and I wouldn't change any of that for the world. I'll visit a lot... and hey, you can come stay over sometime or somethin" Dick smiled sadly, hugging the boy close until his sobs subsided; signaling the boy who never cried had cried himself to sleep and the man that had betrayed him could slip away unnoticed.