"Looking good, akhi," Jason teased as he leaned against the door of Dick's room in the Wayne Manor. Though, maybe he should start thinking of it as Damian & Dick's room. "Gold and green are truly your colors."
They were both wearing Armani black suits, but while Damian's was accentuated with emerald-green details and a golden dress-shirt with an emerald-green tie, Jason's was accentuated with golden details and wore a ruby-red dress-shirt with a golden tie. One spell from Constantine and everyone, who does not know about the Lazarus Pits, will see Jason's eyes a deep sky-blue, the way they used to be. The whole Wayne-Zumarus family was getting ready at the Wayne Manor for the welcome back from the dead and engagement gala held to celebrate Jason and Roy. With the Queen family as special guests of honor.
"I'm not talking to you," Damian spoke without looking away from the mirror he was using to tie his tie. Jason strutted until he was behind him, and his image was reflected in the mirror. "Leave."
"I will not, akhi," Jason smirked. "Are you truly angry I kept it from you? Or that I was able to keep something from you?"
"You were able to keep it from me because I trusted you to be honest with me!" Damian snapped, glaring at Jason, which made the younger one flinch. That caused Damian to feel guilty, his glare softened, and turned around to face Jason, who was looking to the ground like a scolded little boy. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I honestly forgot," Jason confessed.
"How do you forget that you reunited the two Amazonian tribes without there being bloodshed! Or that you were one of the few men invited into Themyscira!" Damian exclaimed exasperated.
"Look! The Justice League was in outer space for a mission and you were in Markovia aiding the families of metahumans to settle down. There was a spike of a strange energy in Egypt, so Roy and I went to check it out." Jason began to explain. "None of us was expecting to find an alien princess there! Then she kissed me, because of course there's a specie out there that learns languages like that. Then Roy got angry because I did not push her away. But I was too stunned to do anything! Then we got captured by the Egyptian Amazonians and thrown into a cell where Bizzaro was. I honestly don't even recall how we ended up in Themyscira, or how I ended up aiding the two tribes to reconcile. By the end of it all, I was just too fucking relieved my relationship with Roy was saved. He was furious Kori had kissed me and I had allowed it." Jason sighed tiredly. "Then, when we came back we had the whole Gotham FIasco, and I had to keep the Pit Madness from controlling me before I killed... the Joker!" Jason growled, eyes shining green. "Then I had to gain confidence to come back to B... with kori having decided to stay in Themyscira with Artemis and Bizz leaving for Smallville, I had no one to remind me that I had not told you about the whole fiasco Egypt was."
"So, when they contacted you to join The Renegades, you just forgot that we were unaware of your connection?" Damian inquired in disbelief. "Only you Jason, only you," he shook his head, chuckling.
"Forgiven?" Jason gave him his best puppy eyes.
"Forgiven, akhi," Damian answered, hugging him.
"Am I interrupting something?" A hesitant voice asked from the door, there is a Gucci black suit with a white dress shirt and a red tie, stood Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne.
"No, I'm already leaving, gotta find my fiance before he decides to escape," Jason chuckled, clapping Tim's shoulder as he left the room.
"Do you need something?" Damian asked uncomfortably.
Out of all his siblings, the one he was more uncomfortable with was Timothy. Jason, Maya, Suren, and Rachell lived various life and death experiences with him. That served as a good ice-breaker and bonding experience. Richard and he were not siblings, but lovers. Sex is also a very good bonding activity. Cassandra and Damian had the shared experience of having been raised as an assassin, and wherever Cassandra goes Stephanie follows. Not to mention, the blonde has no filter and is very outgoing. Damian did nothing to befriend her, she did all the work. Then there's Timothy who is not very social, just like Damian, and the only common ground they found was art. Which normally would be awesome for Damian. However, Timothy was only interested in photography, the area of art Damian was the least interested in, and he only ever used it for its practicality, his stalking tendencies, not for the pure joy of art. So, the two of them were not able to bond. It does not mean their relationship was bad... just very uncomfortable.
"I would like to ask if I can join The Renegades. At least, until you guys finish with The Court of Spiders and The Ghost Dragons!" Tim asked him flustered, shocking Damian. "I graduated a year early, and everyone thinks I'm taking a sabbatical year before college. There are even talks of me following Bruce's steps to travel the world, via the Gotham Gazzette." He babbled nervously. "The Outsiders and Batman know I'm taking a year off, and gave me the ok. So... can I?"
It was then, when Timothy looked up, hope sparkling in his eyes, that Damian realized how young Timothy was. No matter how smart and mature he was, he was still an underage boy.
"Why?" Damian finally broke the silence, once he had gathered his thoughts.
"Because I need to grow, to evolve," Timothy told him solemnly. "Jason did so in the League and with The Renegades, Dick had the Young Justice and his solo time in Bludhaven before coming back to Gotham, the girls have The Birds of Prey and Black Canary. The Outsiders are a good team, they helped me gain independence, but..."
"You need a master to be able to evolve into something more," Damian interrupted him. "You'll leave Robin behind, just like your brother."
"It's time, I've outgrown it," Tim affirmed confidently.
"Ok... The Renegades' roaster has changed this year. You joining them won't affect the teamwork." Damian agreed, smiling when Timothy's face lit up in excitement. "They'll be based in Hong Kong and the Middle East for the whole year. Richard Dragon owes me a favor, I'll contact him to train you... if you don't mind I'll take your weapon training myself."
"Really?!" Timothy asked surprised. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course, you are family," Damian smiled at Timothy, gaining a beaming smile in return. "Have you chosen a new hero name already?"
"I was thinking of following Dick's example and annoying B while I'm on it," Timothy confessed, chuckling. "I chose Flamebird."
"Ha! That will do it," Damian laughed. "Another Bat wearing a Kryptonian name. I like it!"
Both brothers laughed, and for the first time since they met, they were completely comfortable in each other's presence. They got back to get ready and joined their family on their way to the Wayne Hall, a venue built over one hundred years in the Wayne State, built specifically for balls (fundraising galas nowadays), engagement parties, and wedding receptions. Which worked perfectly for this occasion. The Wayne Hall was located in the Wayne State but apart from the Wayne Manor, a red carpet was spread in front of the entrance, with various journalists waiting to interview the creme of the creme. The Waynes, the Zumarus, and the Queens got there together, and as expected it got the cameras going crazy.
The Wayne Family was not only rich, but they were also old money with noble blood from Europe running through their veins. They are a founding family of Gotham, the founding family. One of the only two still standing. Not only standing but strong, with the most powerful company in the world. So, it is not a stretch to say they were the royalty of America. Heck, if Gotham would ever have a king that would be Bruce Wayne.
There is no denying it anymore. No matter how many front-page tabloids he makes for his playboy tendencies, there's no doubt that Bruce Wayne had brought the Wayne Family to its golden era. Taking a millionaire company to a billionaire one, and then to a trillionaire one. Making the Wayne name the most important one, not only in Gotham City but all over the world. While raising various children to become respected and famous members of the community.
So, it was no surprise that the sudden resuscitation of his second son brought the world into chaos. Especially, his engagement to the heir of one of the richest men in the US. The gala to celebrate such an occasion was filled with the creme of the creme. Not only for Jason and Roy but also to see if the news were right. If Bruce Wayne's first son, Richard Grayson-Wayne, Chairman of the largest charity foundation, and playboy, was taken.
Taken he was. Not by anyone, but by one of the most connected and famous artists out there. They did not take their eyes from the couple all night, analyzing and judging them behind their fake smiles. Searching for a weakness, for an opening to take advantage of. While fuming at not finding a single one, and secretly admitting that they looked good next to each other.
However, they were not the only ones observing the new couple.
"This is unbelievable, dude!" Wally murmured, as he leaned against a wall of the Wayne Hall.
The place was bursting with the elite of the elite, and almost every superhero and sidekick out there in their civilian identities. Though, it did not surprise the retired hero. This was, after all, the event to celebrate the return of a dead hero, the son of the founder of the Justice League, and the union of two heroes and sons of the richest men in the US.
"I can't believe he is alive... or that my sister has known about this and kept it a secret!" Artemis grumbled next to her husband. She glared at Jade, who was laughing with Jason, while their partners chatted beside them. "I mean... we all know how much his death meant to Dick. It broke him! How could she join us and claim to be a good now, while keeping this a secret!"
"It was Jason who kept it quiet," Jon corrected the blonde. "All Jade did was respect her teammate's privacy."
"He did go through a lot, we can't blame him for wanting to take time to process it in peace," Zatanna commented, coming to join the team after she had finished her magic performance.
"We should be glad for our friend and his family," Kaldur spoke, being the voice of reason like always, while his boyfriend stood next to him looking hot. "This is a miracle."
"Talking about miracles, I can't believe Dick has finally decided to get into a serious relationship," Wally commented, looking at his best friend, who was ballroom dancing with his new beau. A worldwide famous artist and violinist. "Ever since he and Babs broke up, he has been going from woman to woman, and he ended up with a guy. Since when does he like guys? Why did he not tell anyone?"
"Why did he not tell you?" Artemis interrupted her husband's rant with a gentle smile. "You know Dick, he likes to keep things close to his heart. He most likely simply thought we already knew, it's not like he hid his attraction to... anyone."
"He did say they only reunited recently," Kaldur reasoned. "All that there was before was attraction..."
"That's love, not just attraction," Conner scoffed bitterly, interrupting Kaldur. "It does not matter what lies Dick tells us and himself, he has been pinning over that artist for over half a decade."
The rest of the group did not say anything, knowing that this was hard for Conner. Seeing so many couples happy and in love, after Megan broke off their engagement and left for Mars, saying she had a duty to go and aid her home planet in her times of need.
"Guys! You came!" Dick finally approached them, stopping his act, as Damian's arm candy, to throw himself on them. "I'm so glad, you can finally meet Dami!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Damian greeted them from a polite distance while smiling fondly at his beloved, who was clinging to Wally. "Richard has told me so much about you."
'Richard?' Zatanna mouthed, grinning when she heard her friend purr like a cat.
"Well, he told us nothing about you," Wally grumbled, still gloomy about that fact.
Dick tensed in his friend's arms, his honest beaming smile turning into his show smile, as he stepped back and hide in his lover's arms. Damian wrapped one arm around his beloved's waist, his polite smile never leaving his face, but his eyes flashed with something akin to danger- making the young heroes tense in preparation for an attack.
"Maybe we should take this elsewhere," Wyynde advised nervously.
"Wonderful idea," Damian purred sophistically and seductively, tightening his hold on his beloved. "Let's leave the Wayne Hall for the Wayne Manor, it will be much quieter there." They followed him to the manor in silence, easily evading the journalists, and then down to the Batcave, which gained him various startled gasps. Once they were settled, Damian finally spoke again. "I'm Delphi."
"Wait... WHAT?!" Dick's friends exclaimed in shock.