"Resentful" was a word used to describe him often. And as much as he hated the childish connotations it carried, it wasn't exactly inaccurate.
Damian resented his grandfather for his utilitarian treatment of him, his mother for her constant manipulations, his father for the clear distrust in his eyes whenever he looked at him.
Even Grayson, who he had developed a grudging sort of affection for over these last few months, for being the clear favorite amongst all the children his father had taken in.
The only sounds in the room were the heavy impact of his fists on the punching bag and the rasp of leaking sand. His father and sidekicks had gone out without him, with a promise Damian would be allowed to join them after he'd earned some trust. Nevermind that he'd been training since he was a toddler to fight crime and degeneracy. Nevermind that he'd come to Batman of his own accord to learn a better way. Nevermind that he'd vowed never to kill again. Resentful.
Yet somewhere beneath the resentment, in a place he would never admit existed, Damian felt only a bitter loneliness. The same place where he felt empty and adrift in the shadow of his defection from Ra's Al Ghul and the Bat's lukewarm acceptance.
He was still unsure what drove him to this point, only knowing that he had awoken in Nanda Parbat one day with a fierce desire to leave, escape, find...something. Since that day, dreams had been calling to him nightly; sometimes horrifying and apocalyptic, sometimes soft and comforting. Their details slipped away within seconds of his waking, leaving only frustrated confusion in their wake.
Forcing the unpleasant emotions away, he turned from the punching bag to face some targets on the far wall, reaching for his pouch of knives.
After he'd exhausted himself, he retired to his room. His sketchbook was still sprawled out on the bed where he'd left it that morning and he approached it almost warily.
A charcoal drawing stared up at him, four slanted, feline eyes set in anger on a feminine profile. Damian wondered, not for the first time, whether he was going insane. But the image had been flashing in his mind for far too long to go undrawn, and he was never one to deny his instincts. He flipped the page back to his previous piece. She had only two eyes in this one, a small puppy encased in slender arms. Her delicate features and the curious expression on the animal's face were the only detailed aspects of the drawing, the rest of it had been amorphous and unformed in his mind's eye. There were pages and pages of her by now, and the next work was already brewing - he thought he saw her smiling at him, but something about the image was sad, her face drawn and pained in a way that was not reflected in anything he'd produced so far.
He reached for the book to get started when a rap on the door broke his musings.
"Hey Damian, family meeting in the cave."
Grayson. Dropping his hand and biting back a sigh, he turned to leave.
"There's news. The Watchtower is finally complete and ready for launch. I'd like you present at the unveiling." Batman's eyes flickered to Damian. "All of you."
He bristled. "Two months of imprisonment in this house and you let me out for a ribbon cutting?"
"Yes," his father responded evenly. "I mean to demonstrate to the Justice League that you're one of us as the new Robin."
"Then let me go on patrol with you, send me on a mission, hell, something with meaning."
"This has meaning, Damian," Dick cut in. "You being there shows that we trust you."
Like hell you do, the thought echoed scornfully.
"There are a lot of heroes with checkered pasts. I will see to it that you are accepted," Batman said firmly.
The part of him that longed for his father's approval reared up, telling him to see this as a sign of progress.
"Fine."
"...And while we're on the subject," Tim started, "we were thinking you should join Young Justice."
"Why would I want to do that?" Any group that would put Drake in charge was not one he cared to join.
"Learn teamwork, meet some other heroes, get out of the house, all that good stuff," he responded lightly.
"I have no interest whatsoever in those first two reasons. And even if I did, your troupe of misfits already has a Robin. If anything, I'd expect you to send me to the Titans."
"No." Batman growled. "Not the Titans."
Dick shifted uncomfortably. "He has a point, Bruce. That team does traditionally have a Robin."
The white eyes of the cowl narrowed fiercely. "You know very well why that's not an option. I won't hear anything more on the subject."
Damian felt a twinge of curiosity. Grayson, Drake, and even Todd had all been Titans at one point. And while he wasn't exactly interested in joining a team, his father's adamant refusal was...intriguing.
Bruce turned back to him. "Take some time to consider Tim's offer. The Watchtower launch is tomorrow evening."
What a joke.
He glared around the bustling room, displeasure obvious even beneath his mask. All he had seen so far reinforced his impression of the Justice League as decadent, posturing fools. His grandfather would have been sickened.
All members had been required to attend, with invitations also extended to the Titans, Young Justice, and certain other heroes of promise. His father was hoping the resulting show of force would inspire fear in their enemies, but Damian worried about the opposite effect. The lack of discipline, particularly among the younger attendees, would be an encouraging sign to any serious foes.
Regardless, he kept his mouth shut. He felt uncharacteristically antsy since arriving, a voice in the back of his mind whispering that something was imminent. Paranoid, Damian's eyes swept the room compulsively for any signs of trouble - his assassin's instincts were rarely wrong.
As the newest in a neverending carousel of Robins, he drew curious glances from many of the other heroes. The older ones who knew his identity studied him mistrustfully, his recent defection to his father having done little to redeem the Grandson of the Demon in their eyes. Many here would sooner have me in prison than in the Justice League. He met each accusing gaze evenly, refusing to be ashamed of his past.
"You really should try and mingle," Dick sighed, appearing next to him.
"I have no interest in meeting any of these people."
"You'll never be able to shake the Al Ghul baggage unless you give them a chance to get to know you."
He scoffed. "I hardly care about their opinions. I didn't come here to win a popularity contest."
The older man shrugged. "No reason we need to do everything alone, is there? You sure you don't want to sign up with Young Justice for a while? I heard Wonder Girl telling Tim she thinks you're cute," he teased.
Damian rolled his eyes, not bothering to dignify that with a response. He spotted Red Robin and the blonde Amazonian across the room, locked in conversation. As if one cue, they both looked back towards him and began to make their way over.
Fucking great.
"Try not to behead them." Dick smiled, before leaving Damian's side and strolling towards a table where a tall redhead was waving him over.
"Damian, this is Cassie Sandsmark, our resident Wonder Girl," Tim introduced.
"Nice to meet you," she chirped, holding out her hand.
He glanced down at it before raising his eyes to glare at the two of them. "Is there something you want?"
Rather than be offended, the blonde just smiled. "He mentioned you were a little touchy. I guess I can't blame you given your background."
Something about her statement tasted like pity and his glare sharpened. "He should also have mentioned I have no interest in joining your little club."
Tim was looking at him exasperatedly, but Damian ignored him.
"That's a shame. Maybe we can just be friends then?" she said, tossing him a flirtatious smile.
"I'm even less interested in that," he replied, letting his contempt drip off each word. "Go preen at someone else."
She kept her smile, but Damian saw a touch of fire in her eyes and got the impression she wasn't used to being told 'no.' His aversion deepened. She's just like the rest of them. High on the adoration of the masses.
"Sorry, Cassie," Tim sighed. "We're still working on his social skills."
"It's fine. Perhaps I was a bit too forward. Sorry, Damian," she said, not sounding the least bit sorry.
"Tt." He stepped around them, intent on finding a more isolated corner of the room to occupy while he waited for the night to end.
Damian walked slowly along the large bay window that bordered the room, gazing absently at the darkening sky and twinkling lights of the city. They were nearing the designated launch time for the Watchtower, and he was starting to feel impatient.
He stopped when his circuit took him to a view of the harbor, letting himself enjoy the flashes of sunlight flitting across the water. The waters of Gotham were perpetually dark and murky, but the natural beauty here almost reminded him of Infinity Island.
Something moved in his peripherals, and Damian realized he wasn't alone in appreciating the scene. A cloaked and hooded figure was leaning against a nearby pillar, dark attire contrasting with the pale steel. The prickling sense in his mind suddenly kicked up, and he appraised her suspiciously.
Petite. Likely a meta given how impractical her clothes were for hand-to-hand combat and the mystic-looking red orbs that adorned them. The upper part of her face was completely obscured by her hood, but he made note of her pale skin and the delicate line of her jaw. She seemed...familiar. Perhaps he'd seen a dossier at some point.
He took further inventory of their surroundings and saw a couple heroes throwing curious, uneasy glances in their direction. Judging by the way eyes darted between them, it seemed he wasn't the only person here that made people nervous. He gave the woman another once over.
Despite the odd sensations she stirred and the wide berth she'd been granted, she didn't seem dangerous. And the fact that she had so far made no move to look at or speak with him made her the least objectionable person in the room as far as he was concerned. Perhaps the ability to repel unwanted company was part of her meta abilities. Lucky.
Satisfied with his rationalizations, he disregarded her and turned to the window again. Several minutes passed in silence, Damian's mind wandering back to the day he left his grandfather and wondering again just what had come over him. It didn't help that he'd only grown angrier and snappier these last two months, which hadn't exactly endeared him to his new family.
"There you are, brat," Tim's voice announced behind him. "Look, I know Cassie can be a bit much, but you need to - oh...hey Raven."
The older man sounded notably uncomfortable, prompting Damian to glance back. He was looking nervously past him towards the figure leaning on the pillar.
"Red Robin," she responded neutrally.
Damian was once again struck by how familiar she was. His mind raced for an explanation and part of him wanted to demand answers from her. A desire to pull down her hood coursed through him without warning.
"I didn't think you'd be here," he went on, oblivious to his brother's state.
She shrugged lightly. "I am a Titan."
Her voice was still calm, but Damian could see tension in the line of her shoulders. He glared at Tim, silently willing him to leave them be.
"O-of course," he stammered. "You're totally welcome here."
Tt. Good save, Drake.
Somehow, even beneath her hood, he knew she was rolling her eyes.
"Thanks," she replied dryly.
Tim turned back to Damian, frowning at his harsh glare. "Anyways...um. Why don't you come watch the launch from the observation deck?" he tried, nodding towards Raven in a way that made it clear he didn't want to leave him with her.
"I'm fine where I am," Damian responded irritably. He did not need Drake telling him who he could and couldn't associate with just because he was too weak to withstand her strange aura.
The look on the older man's face was exasperated, but he just shook his head and began to walk away. "Suit yourself."
Damian turned his eyes back out towards the sea. The light was all but gone and the water was a deep black. He could feel her stare on him, but fought the urge to meet her gaze.
"Do I know you?" Her voice was low and soft, and Damian felt his heart stutter. What was this?
"No," he replied, despite the fact he wasn't actually sure about that answer.
She said nothing else, and in his peripherals he saw her settle back against the pillar, the weight of her stare now elsewhere. The floor began to vibrate beneath their feet as the Watchtower powered up for its maiden voyage. Finally.
Light from the burning jets suffused the room as they began to take flight, and Damian took the opportunity to glance over at Raven, her face now fully visible in the glow.
(. . . Damian, please listen . . .believe me, I know my demons . . .said you wouldn't, you promised. . .I love you. . .)
The soft, disembodied voice echoed through his mind, accompanied by half-formed images and sensations. Through them all he could only form one coherent thought.
I've missed you so much.
Some faraway, rational part of his mind was demanding to know how he could miss someone he'd never met, but he ignored it and continued to openly stare. Raven.
She met his eyes suddenly, nervousness shining in her amethyst orbs as she picked up on his emotions. She always did know what he was feeling. Wait, what?
"Who are you?" Raven whispered, taking a small step towards him. He mimicked her, closing the gap between them and reaching for her hand. In an ancient act of muscle memory, their fingers laced together. Even through his gloves, her skin was as warm as he remembered. Her eyes fluttered shut and he rested his forehead to hers.
"Damian," she sighed. Hearing her say his name spurred another series of hazy memories.
(. . .she stays here!. . .his name is Titus. . .I had feelings for you. . .save them, save her. . .)
"Habibti. Laqad aishtaqat 'iilayk," he replied, barely noticing he'd slipped into his mother tongue.
She relaxed against him, soft and pliant. I've been drawing you. I didn't forget, beloved. I promise. Foreign emotions raced through his mind, overpowering the logical, confused thoughts that were trying to burst free. He didn't know how he knew her, just that he did, and that for the first time in months he didn't feel so bitterly alone.
A hand wrenched him roughly away by the shoulder, and instant distress speared through him at the loss of her warmth. Damian looked back angrily to see his father's furious countenance.
"What did you do?" Batman demanded, glaring at Raven.
She took an instinctive step back in the face of his rage, eyes darting around at the small audience that had taken note of their private moment. Dick was staring at Damian worriedly, but the majority of wary gazes were fixed on Raven.
"Nothing. I didn't do anything," she replied, straightening.
"She didn't," Damian snapped, pulling away from the grip on his shoulder and standing in front of her.
Batman turned to his other two sons. "Take Robin home. Now."
No! "I'm not going anywhere."
"You're being controlled," he replied, fixing Raven with a hard look.
Before Damian could respond, a redheaded heroine surged through the crowd to Raven's side, wrapping an arm around her and exuding protectiveness.
"That's enough," she said firmly, glaring at Batman.
"Get her out of here, Starfire," he replied coldly. "You should have known better."
"She's a Titan," the woman argued fearlessly.
"I'll go," Raven said softly.
Damian turned to look at her, seeing the pain behind her carefully blank expression. His body thrummed in response, wanting to go to her as badly as he'd ever wanted anything.
"Goodbye." She favored him with a small, sad smile before black energy suffused her and she vanished.
Back in the cave, his father was furious, Dick was worried, and Tim was clearly uncomfortable.
"Bruce, I don't think-" Dick started.
"I don't want to hear it. Whether or not she knew what she was doing, we can't let this go on any longer."
"So what are you going to do? Get Superman to throw her off the planet?" he shot back exasperatedly.
Damian watched the exchange silently, finally able to think clearly now that she was no longer in his presence. His memory still felt fragmented, and he clung fiercely to the distant words and images she'd conjured, trying to make sense of things.
"For now she needs to be taken into custody. There must be some way to send her back where she came from," Batman said firmly.
"For what?! Flirting with Damian?"
His jaw twitched in annoyance, but he held his silence and studied his father's face. The Bat was as tense as he'd ever seen. "Raven was clearly manipulating him with her empathic ability. I don't know why, but we can't risk him getting wrapped up in this." As if he just remembered Damian was there, he turned towards his youngest son. "Do you know why she was after you?"
He ignored the question. "Tell me about her."
White eyes narrowed. "Her father is an interdimensional demon and she is his portal to conquer Earth. She has some magical abilities, as you saw, but we're not entirely certain what all she's capable of. Raven showed up a few months ago and tried to infiltrate the Justice League before Zatanna made us aware of her heritage."
"Infiltrate," Dick snorted. "She came to you for help."
"You're too close to this, Dick. Your feelings for Starfire are clouding your judgement."
The former Robin tensed angrily. "Since when do you, of all people, judge someone for their blood? Did you forget that Damian is an Al Ghul? Don't even think of lecturing me."
"Damian…" Tim interrupted, "one of Raven's abilities that we do know of is sensing and controlling emotions. It's the reason I was nervous about leaving you with her."
"I gathered."
"I think she might have been using you to get back at Batman and the League for refusing her."
A tiny seed of doubt took root in Damian's mind. What's more likely? Leftover feelings from a past life, or a demon toying with me to get revenge on father?
No. Just the thought felt wrong. He'd been drawing her for weeks, he- wait. "You said she came to Earth a few months ago?"
"Shortly before you arrived here."
She's been calling to me ever since she arrived. Before I even became Robin. And he decided in that second he would ask her why himself.
Damian excused himself with surprisingly little difficulty, the sounds of Grayson and father's arguments following him out of the cave. I'll have to disable the lo-jack in the Batwing. Batman would no doubt suspect where he'd gone, but there was no reason to make it easy on him. He reached his room and began packing lightly, stopping again to stare at his sketchbook. Demonic heritage explains the extra eyes. Having seen her again, his drawings felt woefully inadequate. Pausing for only a moment, he swept the book into his bag.
She hadn't left her room since returning to the Tower the previous day, too afraid to face any of her teammates.. What must they be thinking?
Raven wasn't even sure how she felt about this whole thing. One moment she'd been minding her own business, waiting impatiently to escape the hostile and unwelcoming emotions that surrounded her in the Watchtower, the next he was there, his familiar aura practically screaming at her. Damian. He had drawn her to him like a moth to a flame. And everyone had seen them, hands entwined, pressed together. She flushed at the memory.
Gar had tried twice to cajole her out of her room, his powerful curiosity burning behind her metal door. Jaime had knocked lightly, wanting to make sure she was alright. Joseph hadn't knocked, but she sensed him standing outside her door for a long while - a mess of confused and hurt emotions roiling behind his mental walls. Kori was the last (she had to clean up your mess, remember?) and refused to leave until Raven had to admit her, terrified that she'd tried the alien's patience for the last time and would finally be sent away.
The second the door opened, the Titans' leader wrapped her in a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry, Raven."
Relief and confusion washed over her. "Why are you sorry? I'm the one who…" Who cuddled up to the son of the Bat in front of the entire Justice League, she couldn't bring herself to say. Kori knew anyways.
"As if he was complaining," the redhead scoffed. "You shouldn't have been treated that way."
Raven pulled away from the embrace slowly, before turning and crossing her arms. "I told you it was a bad idea."
"Perhaps I shouldn't have made you go," she conceded tentatively. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"It's nothing. I'm used to it." Raven had meant for that to reassure Kori and help with the suffocating guilt that was pouring off of her, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. "It's fine, really," she tried again.
She frowned at that, but pressed no further and the look in her eyes suddenly took on an interested glint. "So. The new Robin seems to like you. What's that about?"
Raven sighed, completely lost on how to answer. Past life? Soulmate? I'm completely losing my mind? If it was the last one, at least she wasn't alone. Whatever it was clearly affected them both.
"It's complicated," she settled on.
Kori raised an eyebrow, clearly hoping for a juicier answer. When none came, the Tamaranean rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Well, Dick told me a bit about him. Sounds like he's a handful."
She shrugged, uncomfortable with this conversation. It was all a moot point - even as they spoke, Batman was surely taking measures to ensure she was never in the same room as his son again. He'd probably already told him about Trigon and the thought caused her heart to twist painfully. What will you think, Damian? Will you revile me with all the rest when he tells you what I am? She glanced back to Kori.
"I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to get some sleep."
"It's only four o'clock. And you haven't eaten anything."
"I know. I promise I'll come down tomorrow. I just...I just want to be alone for now."
Kori didn't look happy, but nodded all the same and stood to leave. "I want you to know that everything's going to be fine. I'll handle things with the Justice League and they'll leave you alone."
Affection rushed through her and she smiled up at the tall redhead. The first true friend she'd ever had. "Thank you, Kori."
Raven fell into a dreamless sleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow, and it was hours later when a gust of cool air woke her. Lilac eyes opened slowly, and she was instantly aware of him.
She sat up and faced the dark figure at the end of her bed, not the least bit afraid. Damian wore plain black clothes in place of his Robin uniform and he was unmasked. For a moment she just stared, memorizing, re-memorizing, every detail. After a moment, she snapped her eyes shut and tried to regain her composure.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know."
She swallowed, already completely overwhelmed by his presence. "If Batman or the League finds-"
"You're not using your powers on me," he interrupted.
Raven glared. "No, I'm not. Whatever you and all the others think you know about me, I'm not a monster."
He studied her for a moment, green eyes searching her face with an intensity she felt in her bones.
"I know a lot about you, actually." His voice had dropped and her heart started pounding, every instinct in her wanting him closer.
(...when you were in my head, I could see things about you too…) She ignored the voice and hid her unease with a disbelieving huff. "Like what?"
"You don't like the cold, do you?"
"Most people don't."
"You have a sweet tooth."
"A lot of people do."
He snorted. "You're not always this difficult."
"You are." She stared at him challengingly, tempted to keep arguing for the sake of it. He didn't give her the chance.
"You hate weddings...they make you think of your mother." (...they decided to do the classic bride of Satan rite…)
That she had no answer for. It was true, and something she'd never confessed to anyone.
"You look beautiful in white."
He stopped then, staring at her expectantly, head cocked ever so slightly. She had to remind herself to breathe. "You shouldn't be here," she repeated.
He ignored her. "I know more about you every second I'm standing here. What I don't know is why or how."
"I don't know either." Raven was fighting off her own onslaught of memories and impulses. Azar, she needed to meditate - this was too much. He was too much. He always had been - No! Stop it! She buried her face in her hands.
"Raven." His voice was closer now, but she refused to look up.
"Please just go." (...just stay away from me, okay?...)
A hand rested gently on her shoulder and it felt infuriatingly familiar. She forced herself to breathe, trying and failing to tamp down on her rampant emotions. He was not helping, his own internal tempest feeding hers like a wildfire.
"You feel it too. We have to talk about this."
Azar, he's stubborn. She dropped her hands and looked up at him. He was standing right next to her bed and she thought she saw some remorse in those emerald eyes. More than anything, his hand was warm on her bare shoulder, the strap of her tank having slipped off at some point during the night.
"I told you," she started, trying not to get swept away, "I don't know what this is."
"You're a bad liar." He smirked. "I only learned that just now, though."
She closed her eyes, mentally chanting her mantra to regain control. It didn't help, especially when he sat next to her on the mattress, his maddeningly warm and familiar hand still on her shoulder. "What do you want from me," she sighed.
"You're an empath and you know magic. Look into my mind and tell me why I feel this way."
Her eyes snapped back to his in a second as she struggled for an answer. "It...doesn't work exactly like that. I can unlock certain...feelings...maybe some memories, but-"
He gripped her wrists suddenly and her voice died. He lifted her hands tentatively to his face, sharp green eyes locked on hers all the while. "Please."
She instinctively knew from the way he said that word that it was a rare one. And again, instinctively, she couldn't refuse him. "Okay," she whispered.
Raven slid her hands up cautiously, focused keenly on his emotions in case he decided to pull away and run. He held steady, eyes shutting halfway as her fingertips laid gently on his temple. She studied him for another moment to make sure it was alright, and her hands started to glow.
They both inhaled sharply at the onslaught of emotions. As she'd told him, she wasn't able to conjure any detailed images or memories, only hazy visions and the feelings associated with them. And oh, how she had loved this man. Whatever their life had been wasn't always easy - grief and horror featured heavily towards the end, but through it all he shone like a beacon for her.
It was ending. There was a final impression of a blinding light, and so, so much love and pain. We're dying, she realized distantly. Was it Trigon? Had she doomed him in her past life only to do so again this time? Never, I'll die first. She thought she felt his hand on her waist, her own on his cheek, the sensation of their lips meeting. Raven was so wrapped up that final burst of emotion she didn't realize right away that he was kissing her in the present. The realization electrified her, and as wonderful as it felt, she wondered if she should push him away. We don't even know each other, some part of her was saying, but it was a coward's voice, a liar's voice. Damian must have felt or heard it through her magic, his lips brushing hers as he drew back and gave answer.
"Our souls know each other," he whispered. "It's just our bodies that are new."
The night passed in a slow blur, confessions muttered in dead and foreign languages, tentative touches that turned bold and exploratory. Clothing rumpled beneath eager hands before being discarded on the floor, where it belonged. Through it, Damian caught himself thinking again and again how much he'd missed her - a depraved mantra in his mind.
In a scorned, wasted second where he wasn't kissing her, she murmured nervously about the trouble this was going to cause.
"I know," he responded quietly. She was so warm and soft under him it was hard to think coherently. "It's worth it." Raven had given a shuddering sigh beneath him, sharp nails biting into his skin.
He was still awake when the room started to lighten, and aggravation coursed through him at the realization he would have to leave soon. Damian forced himself into an analytical mindset - the sooner he found a way to make his father understand, the sooner he could return. He rested his cheek against the crown of her head, ideas falling into place amid the scent of sin and lavender. Raven stirred against him, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder and inhaling deeply before tilting her head up to look at him. Her blue-black hair flowed down her back like a river, heavily disheveled, but as glossy as ever. Realization struck as he toyed with some of the silky strands.
"What is it?" she asked, voice husky with the morning.
"Your hair is much longer this time," he replied absently, thinking of his sketches.
"Mm," she acknowledged, dropping her head back down. "Do you like it better this way?"
"Either or." Although there's more to hold onto now. He forced the thought away, not wanting to get distracted.
"I need to leave soon, but I won't be long," he said, changing the subject.
She huffed in disbelief, pressing harder against him. "As if Batman's not going to lock you in a tower when he finds out. Or maybe it'll be me."
He frowned. "Giving up, beloved?"
She was quiet for a moment. "Being realistic."
Damian sat up slowly, shifting them and reaching to retrieve his bag from the floor. Raven was looking at him curiously, wan smile on her face.
He worked his sketchbook free and held it out to her, feeling oddly nervous despite all they'd already done and said up to that point. She took it and waited until he had settled back against her before flipping open the cover.
The drawings were in no particular chronological order, showing her throughout adolescence and in a variety of moods. She lingered on the one with the puppy, tracing the lines with her fingertips and staring for several minutes before moving on to the final page. Raven stilled instantly when she saw the four eyes looking up at her, and she looked away self-consciously before snapping the book shut.
"Sometimes I think you remember better than I do," she mumbled. "How long have you been drawing me?"
"Since you got to Earth, before I knew you existed. It's going to take a lot more than the Justice League to keep you from me now."
Raven gripped the book in her hands tightly and beneath her carefully neutral expression he could see her conflict. She wanted to believe, but didn't. Damian ran his hand affectionately against her cheek before sliding out of bed and beginning to dress.
"Besides, my father's more reasonable than he seems. Just trust me."
Bruce's face was a mask of quiet fury when he returned, and his expression only turned colder when Damian informed him in no uncertain terms that he would be joining the Titans.
"I cleared it with Starfire this morning," he finished. The Tamaranean had been...nonplussed at his presence in the Tower earlier, but agreed to his request readily enough. The Titans need a Robin, after all. For a moment, the only sound in the cave was the fading whir of the Batwing's engine as they regarded each other.
Finally, he sighed. "Zatanna is upstairs. At least let her confirm Raven's not using her magic on you."
Damian nodded curtly. If this would put the Bat's mind at ease, let them be together, he would allow it.
Father and son entered the oversized parlor together. Drake was also there, eyes bright with curiosity. Grayson just threw him a knowing wink when no one else was looking. Clearly, Koriand'r had already brought him into the loop.
The magician was standing near the room's immense fireplace and toying with a still full wine glass, anxiety and suspicion evident in her every motion. "Damian," she greeted. "I'm glad you're alright." He fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"Let's just get this over with."
She eyed him flatly before clearing the room and laying her right hand on the crown of his head. Zatanna's eyes flashed with magic and she murmured lowly to herself as energy washed through him. It felt horrifically invasive compared to his experience with Raven and he had to fight the urge to pull away. It lasted for what felt like an eternity before he felt her start to withdraw and they were finally separated.
"Zatanna?" his father asked.
"He's fine, Bruce," she said absently, seeming lost in thought.
"Wait," Tim said confusedly, "if she's not controlling his emotions then why?...how?..."
"Mind your own business, Drake,' Damian snapped.
"I don't know," Zatanna replied, expression still conflicted.
"Ever heard of true love, Timbo?" Dick offered, clearly enjoying himself.
Damian was silent, pressing a hand to his forehead to try and ward off the unpleasant after effects of Zatanna's investigation. He glanced back at his father, whose face may as well have been made of stone for all it conveyed.
"I may have been too hasty," Zatanna muttered, and he was unable to tell if she was talking to herself before sharp blue eyes found his. "This thing with her father, Trigon,...I'll see what Constantine and I can do to help. And...I'm sorry." He was suddenly paranoid about what she may have seen or felt while poking around his mind
The magician's comment had softened Bruce's countenance slightly. "You're certain?" he asked her.
"Yes."
He turned to Damian. "And you're certain this is what you want? You made it clear you weren't interested in joining a team."
I'm still not, he almost said before biting back the response. "I'm certain."
With a nod and a gesture to Zatanna, the older heroes left the room. No doubt so he could be fully debriefed on what was floating around in Damian's head. The younger man sighed in irritation before a chipper voice distracted him.
"So, we have a new Titan to celebrate." Dick was grinning broadly.
Damian tsked. "I suppose."
"So, you getting your own room at the Tower or just gonna skip the formalities and move into Raven's?" he asked with a teasing smirk.
"Raven's."
Dick's smirk slid right off his face, dumb surprise taking over. "I was joking. Wait, did you actually...sleep over last night? What ever happened to dinner and a movie first?"
Damian just shrugged, already tired of this conversation. "What do you care?"
Tim cleared his throat awkwardly. "Moving a little fast there, demonspawn. After that thing with Cassie the other day I wasn't even sure you liked women."
He rolled his eyes. "Thanks for chiming in, Drake. Fascinating opinions all around." Damian turned to leave, irritation quickly being replaced by pleasant surprise at how smoothly things had gone, and an odd gratitude towards Zatanna. He wondered how soon it would be before he could bring Raven to the manor.
One year later
The Secret Sanctuary's briefing room was much larger than the Tower's, taking up almost an entire floor of the fortress. She scanned the area curiously, smiling in acknowledgement when M'Gann waved at her from across the room. Despite Beast Boy's near constant reminders about how weird everyone thought they were, they had received a warm enough reception from the members of Young Justice. The two of them were on loan for a mission in Kahndaq, recommended by Batman thanks to Damian's linguistic skills and her wealth of magical knowledge.
Since their "reunion" a year ago rumors about them spread like wildfire, fueled by retellings of their strange behavior at the Watchtower and Damian's sudden move into not only Titan's Tower, but to Raven's bedroom (Turns out most heroes were shameless gossips). It barely bothered them. Too much of their previous lives had been wasted apart from each other, and they refused to make the same mistake again.
Meeting his family had been the most awkward, but awkward was miles better than what she ever expected. Tim studied them like bugs in a jar when he thought she wasn't looking, and Bruce oscillated between cordial billionaire to wary vigilante hard enough to give her empathic whiplash. Jason had been the one with the most upfront approach, faking a handshake before ripping down her hood and ordering her to blink twice if she had been kidnapped. When she answered in the negative Jason winked and asked if she wanted to be, and he and Damian nearly came to blows. Dick had just shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably and apologized for everyone.
She came back to the present as the briefing began, both her and Damian standing close in the back of the room. As the plan was laid out, she felt a touch of hostility and looked over to find Wonder Girl giving her a hard sidelong glance from a few yards away. The blonde snapped forward again when their eyes met, but Raven could still feel...resentment? Indignance? Whatever it was came off her in waves. She frowned, forcing herself to put the mystery away for later.
"We start at 0500 tomorrow, so don't stay up too late," Tim was finishing up.
Without a word, Wonder Girl turned on her heel and walked from the room, hard blue eyes catching the empath's once more before she was gone.
She told Damian about it later in hushed tones as they sat outside on the beach. The Atlantic was as pretty as the Pacific in its own way, and it was nice to get away from the odd looks and stifling atmosphere of the Sanctuary. "She really doesn't seem to like me," Raven said, her head on his shoulder.
"Then you're doing something right, beloved," he responded dismissively, hand sliding up her back to feel for the zipper on her leotard. She knew he was trying to distract her and jabbed him in the ribs to make him stop.
"I don't enjoy making enemies the way you do," she replied. "What do you know about this?"
"What makes you think I know anything about it?"
"What makes you think I can't tell when you're lying?"
"Your radar is malfunctioning."
Raven rolled her eyes and nudged him. "Really?"
He sighed exasperatedly. "Sandsmark tried to flirt with me once. She's probably just bitter."
She stilled, jealousy sparking in the back of her mind. The Amazonian was undeniably beautiful and powerful. She couldn't for the life of her remember if she'd ever been jealous before. "You must have been tempted."
Damian scoffed, tracing his hand reassuringly along the dip in her waist. "No."
She bit her lip. "Most men would be."
"Most men are shallow fools. And you don't have to fish for a compliment if you want one."
"I'd like one."
He pulled back and tilted her chin up to look at him, amusement glinting in his jade eyes. "You're absurdly beautiful. Keep hiding under that hood of yours, beloved. We can't have everyone knowing."
A small smile crept up on her and she planted a light kiss on the underside of his jaw before resting her head against his shoulder again. A familiar feeling coiled in her chest as they looked out over the ocean, the two of them pressed close. Raven could tell he felt it too by the way he cinched her more tightly against him.
"'iilaa al'abad," he said softly.
"Dayimaan," she replied.
"If I were to live a thousand years, I would belong to you for all of them. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want to make you mine in each one." —Michelle Hodkin