AN:- Remember the big fight scene I mentioned in Mantles? Well, how exactly did Damian get the Robins out of business and become Nightwing's sidekick? If there is a tale you want to read but can't find, write it. Anyways, can you believe this is the seventh chapter of this drabble collection? I can't. It's surreal. My headcanon was supposed to quieten down after Fathers and Dads, get my misery about the reboot out of my system. But Dick decided to stick around in my head and he dragged Damian in and you know how Damian is… I'm trying out his POV again, the last time I did that was the first drabble, still might get him wrong. ANYWAYS… Enjoy!
Five Years On AU (The very summarised general version)
Year 1: Comic events occur, all except Bruce's return. Substitute that with Dick, Alfred, Damian and Tim knowing that he's caught in the time stream and trying to help him. Chris Kent steps up as the new Nightwing, brings in a Flamebird. Damian turns 11
Year 2: Tim returns to Gotham. They've done everything possible to try and help Bruce. Bruce still stuck in time. He'd have to do this alone now. Towards the end of Year 2 Damian comes clean about the baby in the chamber and calls Dick "Dad" for the first time in Five Years On: O Captain! My Captain!, rescue mission staged. Terrance Wayne brought into the family. Damian turns 12.
Year 3: Beginning of Year 3, Dick realises that Bruce coming back could take a while, Talia does too. She challenges Dick for the rights to her sons. Dick fights back, custodial battle occurs. Dick wins and Damian and Terry become Grayson-Wayne's in Five Years On: Between Blood and Heart
Year 5: Terry outs Damian and Dick. Towards the end of the 5th year of Dick as the Bat, Bruce returns. Shenanigans happen. Damian pouts over it in Five Years On: Fathers and Dads. Damian turns 15 somewhere. A week after the end of the 5th year, Bruce meets Mar'i in Five Years On: The Old Stereotype.
Year 10: Towards the end of the end of this year, Leslie Thompkins bans Bruce from being Batman on account of his weakening heart. Dick becomes Batman… again… in Five Years On: Mantles, Damian continues another legacy. Terry turns 11, Damian is almost 20.
Year 15: Lex Luthor wins president… again… Terry Grayson-Wayne and Matt Wayne get hit with an amnesia ray that Luthor commissioned to erase and replace memories while forcing the body to shut down in a – no vigilante, no crime campaign. The Bat!Family work to save their own in Five Years On: Into the Beyond. Luthor gets thrown out of power when the crime rates remain high.
Moulting Feathers
"No. Dad knows I can handle myself. He worries but that's why he watches my back. You may be my father, you may take Robin away from me. But I am NOT your son." – Damian Grayson-Wayne, Five Years On: Moulting Feathers
I remember an incident like this, around five years ago. But at that time I was just over twelve and I was much, much cockier and felt more entitled to things.
Some things didn't really change though. Though Dad basically nurtured the heck out of me until I am what I am today. I can't be too bad now though. After all Mar'i wouldn't stay with me if I remain like that…
Right?
It could be the Grayson DNA though, it seems to be the only strain other than the Pennyworth line (and even he left before! Unlike Dad. Dad said the first time he took over as the Bat, he would've come running if only Bruce had asked) that can withstand the Wayne with untold patience.
If I'm not a Grayson by blood, well, I am glad that I am legally one. And that I am a Grayson through heart.
I used to dream of working with him you know? I even resented the others a little for having that opportunity, the one I never got.
I got used to working with Dad.
You know, I was afraid of this, a year ago I hoped that click would come soon enough.
That click never came at all.
Dad kept on telling me to give him a chance. T-t. Yeah, I've been trying to give him a chance. I've been giving him a chance for a whole year. I was right you know? Tim had flown the nest, a Robin he still was, but he had tasted flight.
He didn't want to stay in the shadow of the Bat.
Dad was okay with stepping into that shadow from time to time. But that's because Bruce was his Dad, and Bruce treated him like an equal. Drake, Jason, Steph and I? We're his colleagues.
The Dynamic Duo was the first father-son superhero – well, vigilante actually – team.
Actually, come to think of it, he was fine being in the shadow of the Bat too. But not this Bat. He was not okay with being in the shadow of this one.
But Dad understood. He had walked this road before. Bruce didn't. He didn't know how much it meant to me to wear a mantle I knew he once wore.
I know Dad says that I'm his son as long as I let him be. But it really means something – to me – my Dad trusts me enough to uphold his legacy.
Trusted me enough to know what I'm doing.
And he would've trusted me enough to… URGH!
So what happened? Bane caught me.
We took him down of course but Bruce went overboard. I can still remember the fight in the cave.
"See? This just proves you can't handle yourself. As my son, I'm doing this to protect you. You and Terry. No more Robins." He said in monotone. No emotion. No nothing. Just a stern 'obey me' ringing through his voice.
"No. Dad knows I can handle myself. He worries but that's why he watches my back. You may be my father, you may take Robin away from me. But I am NOT your son."
Well that was the tail end of it. I stormed out of the cave. Went back to the bunker. Talked it over with my Dad.
He understood. He always understands.
And that's why Nightwing is getting a partner.
I can hear the conversation over at the Crays.
"You banned the Robin's Bruce?"
"Yes."
"Well, what about Timmy then, you banning him too because of the Robin connotation?"
"No."
"Well then it's not fair to ban the Robins. You're letting me run around. I'm a former Robin. You gonna stop me then?"
"No."
"Bruce. Gotham needs a Robin as much as it needed a Bat."
"No."
"I can pull rights."
"CPS."
"You call them up, and you'll expose yourself. I agreed to let Damian and Terry try living with you, but it is not working out. Tell Alfred to pack their stuff at the Manor up, I'm bringing it back here."
"I'm their father."
"Well, I'm their Dad. Dad trumps father. Bruce I'm making a judgement call. We've got into many close calls the past five years when we worked together. They always worked out in the end. Expect Nightwing to have a partner soon."
"No."
"Bruce, it is not your choice. Damian is nearly sixteen. I'm letting him choose. Whether you like it or not, he is my son."
"He is."
Alfred passed me a new suit on the day Terry and I moved out for good from the Manor. It had a white cape and hood. Silver spread here and there and a large black bird, wings unfurled, triumphant stretched across the chest.
A knock on my door. Mar'i…
"So you've decided on a name yet Daims?"
"So far no good Ree."
"Hey. How about Rook?"
"Rook, the partner of Nightwing… Sounds good"
I took off behind my Dad that night. I was back where I belonged.
Right by my Dad's side.
For the first time in Gotham City. Rook took flight.
