"Now," Bruce started firmly as their limo pulled up in front of the banquet hall. "We are going to a high society party where people are going to pinch your cheeks and talk to you as if you're stupid. What are you going to do?"
"Behave like proper gentlemen," Dick recited. "Who have been raised with manners." Jason added, already tired of this whole event. "That's right. And what will you not do?" Bruce asked, brow raised.
"Roll our eyes or make rude comments," Tim answered. "No matter how annoying they get." Damian finished. "And why?" Bruce prompted. "Because we know better." The boys chorused, and their father smiled. He knew they were good boys. They just needed to be reminded to act their age.
The Wayne family strode down the red carpet and into the hall. They stood in the doorway for a second to admire the view. It was the same old same old, yet somehow the glittering chandeliers and guests in outfits worth more than some houses were still sights to behold.
III
After finishing the standard first go around the room, Dick split off to talk to Barbara. "Ohh, they got a chocolate fountain." Jason grinned gleefully and made a beeline for the dessert table. "I'll watch him." Tim said in response to his father's creasing brows. "That's my boy." He smiled, his face relaxing now.
Damian looked around the room for some excuse to leave his father's side and hide away in a corner somewhere until it was time to go home. "Wayne!" Someone called from across the room, and Bruce and Damian turned to sound.
A blonde woman in a sapphire dress and heels was sweeping through the crowd towards them. Damian vaguely recognized her but only from reading through Wayne Enterprise files.
Gwendolyn Lancaster. Gotham philanthropist and spokeswoman for just about every noble cause ever conceived. More to the point, she was considering a million dollars donation to the Wayne Foundation. Damian put on what he hoped was a charming smile. Whatever it took to help his father reach that deal.
"So good to see you again." Ms. Lancaster gushed, pulling Bruce into a hug. She smiled down at Damian. "And who's this little cutie?" Bruce introduced his youngest son, and the boy extended his hand to shake. Ms. Lancaster's hand slid past it and pinched his cheek.
"I see you have an extra shadow as well tonight." Bruce commented as Damian noticed the little girl standing just to Ms. Lancaster's side. "You've started a trend." Ms. Lancaster smiled as she pulled the girl in front of her.
With her blonde curls and knee-length sapphire dress, she could have been a child ringer for Lancaster. "This is my dear niece, Olivia. It's her first big party."
"Well, I'm sure Damian would be happy to do the honor of giving her her first dance." Bruce offered, nudging his son forward. Damian clenched his jaw but extended his arm, which Olivia daintily took.
Aside from the older couples occasionally whispering about how cute they were, the dance passed without incident. "That was nice." Olivia smiled sweetly as they moved off the dance floor. "Maybe we could go again a bit later."
"I'll have to respectfully decline." Damian told her. He had done his gentlemanly duty and danced with her, but now he was ready to tuck himself into an unseen corner for the rest of the evening. "Then we could head over to the dessert table." Olivia suggested and started to pull him with her.
Damian yanked his arm away. "Again," He said with forced calm. "No, thank you."
Olivia grabbed Damian's arm and dug her nails in. "Now you listen to me." The girl hissed. "I may be new in Gotham, but I know my stuff. I know your Daddy wants a deal with my Aunty, but I doubt he'll get it if she thinks you hurt my feelings."
"And why would she think that?" Damian growled. Olivia's eyes filled with fake tears. "Oh, Aunty Gwen, the rumors were true. He was so mean!"
"You little fraud." Damian muttered through his teeth. "You and your brothers have a bit of a reputation for causing scenes. I'd stay in line if I were you." Olivia threatened and guided them to mingle.
III
Somehow in the span of one hour, Olivia managed to take the absolute worst part of civilian life and make it ten times worse. Under her orders, Damian dragged his feet through two more dances, forced laughter at three old geezers' rambling stories, and had his cheeks pinched until he was sure they were bruised.
He had never been so glad to sit down to the banquet dinner with his family and couldn't be happier that the Lancasters had been seated at another table. When Bruce sent his boys to wash up before the main course was served, Damian saw his opportunity to get away from this manipulative she-beast.
"Who was the pretty little blonde hanging off you all night?" Dick asked his little brother slyly. After checking to ensure they were alone, Damian explained his predicament. When he'd finished, his brothers just looked at him and then each other. And then burst out laughing.
"Stop your cackling," Damian demanded. "I have a serious problem that must be dealt with delicately." "Aww, Baby's first entitled heiress." Jason cooed as he got his laughter under control. "Hate to break it to you, Damian, but it's part of being a billionaire's son." Tim shrugged. "There's no getting rid of her."
"Just humor her for the rest of the night." Dick told him. "She'll get bored. They always do."
"But she's an incessant, conniving, two-faced manipulator, and I could prove it if I just had some equipment from the Cave." Damian insisted. "Or you could put on a fake smile and suffer through it like the rest of us." Jason smirked.
Damian scowled as he followed his brothers back to their table. There had to be a way to expose Olivia for the poser she was. He just needed to think.
Dinner was over too soon, and Olivia was back at Damian's side as soon as the dessert plates were cleared.
He tried everything he could to escape her. Still, he could only excuse himself to go to the bathroom so many times before Olivia called him an incontinent baby. He'd just have to hope the few escapes he'd made had been enough to carry out his master plan.
After their fifth dance, Damian suggested they go to one of the more private benches off to the side of the room to rest. Olivia deemed his request acceptable and followed him to a quiet spot.
"I don't know what you're planning, but it won't work." She said snootily. "I'm sure I have no clue what you're talking about." Damian told her. "I simply want to get through this night."
"You think this ends tonight?" Olivia snorted. "You are mine Wayne. My free ride through the rest of these ridiculous galas and being on the receiving end of two multimillion-dollar fortunes."
"And what if I told my father about this little scheme of yours?"
Olivia cackled again. "I'd love to see that. The word of Bruce Wayne's troubled, bastard baby against the word of the darling little heiress. Who would believe you?"
"After that display?" Damian smirked. "Everyone."
Olivia only then seemed to realize that the whole party had gone quiet, and all the guests were staring at them. Damian reached forward to pull a tiny wireless microphone from her collar.
"You really ought to watch what you say." He told her as Bruce and Ms. Lancaster rushed over to them. "Olivia Lancaster, I am appalled at this behavior." The girl's aunt scolded. "What could possess you to say such terrible things?"
"But Aunty, I didn't-" Olivia stated. But her aunt launched into another tirade. Damian was relishing in the girl's takedown and just couldn't resist pushing the situation just a bit further.
He forced a stream of fake tears and ran to wrap his arms around his father's leg. "She was so mean Daddy!" He sobbed. "I didn't do anything to her, but she was still so mean!"
Bruce wasn't buying his son's act for a second, but this was neither the time nor the place to call him out for it. He lifted Damian into his arms and cradled the boy close as he continued his sobbing.
"Bruce, I am so sorry." Ms. Lancaster apologized on her niece's behalf. "Consider that donation I was going to make to the Wayne Foundation doubled." Bruce thanked her, and Ms. Lancaster dragged Olivia away before she could insult anyone any further.
Bruce watched them leave before looking down at the little boy in his arms. "They're gone now. You can cut the act Damian." Damian wiped the last of his tears into his sleeve. "I swear I did not provoke her father." He said in his defense. "She was unbearable."
"She must've been to bring the great Damian Wayne to tears." Bruce teased. "So you're not upset with me?" Damian clarified. "You doubled a donation I didn't even know I had coming. I'm quite proud." His father smiled, and Damian beamed.
"Come on, my little cry baby. I think you've suffered enough for one night. Let's find your brothers and get you home to bed." Damian rested his head contentedly on his father's shoulder. A decidedly fine end to another high society party.
