AWAKENING

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Jason fell asleep sitting in the armchair, he seemed to have finally calmed down; Bruce fell asleep sitting on the floor, looked at his son until he fell asleep; Dick was the only one who slept in bed next to Damian, he was also the only one stretched out in an uncomfortable position with his cell phone draped over his face; Alfred, who despite all his concern for young Master Damian, retired to his quarters and slept soundly — this after leaving the tray in the kitchen, with his cucumber sandwiches ready to be heated when the child woke up.

Damian was sleeping, too, but he was in the middle of a nightmare. Such a nightmare that he had already stirred, murmured words and now screamed in panic, waking the others:

Jason tripped over his own feet when he got up, yet he felt the walls until he found the switch — although it was already close to dawn, Gotham is dark. Dick shouted together with his younger brother, taking a few seconds to understand that it was the cell phone that was pressing on his face.

Bruce was the first to do what should be done, maybe he was the first to actually wake up: he grabbed his son in a hug, said it was okay, warned him it was just a nightmare and that he was not alone. The other two boys watched them near the bed.

After holding on to his father and continuing to cry for a few minutes, Damian was already calmer: there were only his father and his older brothers, there were no people dressed in green making everything go in shades of red. There was also no gray, but everything was clear.

— As long as I'm here, with me, nothing will happen — Bruce promised as he loosened his hold. Despite sobbing, the son was better off wiping his own tears.

— It must have been a very bad dream, but it was just a dream.

In response to Richard's kind comment, Damian just hid his face as he managed, hugging his father again. He was shy and thinking he was pathetic, after all, he was already 13 years old and he shouldn't cry like that for a bad dream. He was even more uncomfortable when Jason asked:

— And how was the nightmare?

— Leave him, soon he forgets that dream...

— But, but...! — Damian protested even in a choked voice — There were horrible people, everything was red, there were strange things and in the end everything was destroyed! — At the end of the short story, he was crying again. At least he managed to give the impression that there were reasons to cry, he thought.

— I like red — Todd smirked, sitting on the bed next to them.

— Holy patience… — Dick murmured before yawning, repeating the rebellious brother's actions.

— I hate clowns. — Finally drawing Damian's attention to himself, Todd continued: — Sometimes I dream of a weird clown with a crowbar that wants to hit me.

— And you are afraid of him?

— No, not anymore... — He yawned and stretched before continuing: — Because when everything starts to get scary, I know it can only be a nightmare. You know, when you find out you're in a dream, you start to control it.

— I think I knew that, more or less. — Again, the child ran his hands over his face without shedding any more tears.

— I bet you never tried to make a scooter turn into a giant clown exterminating robot! — The boy winked, smiling from the corner.

— I'll try next time... — Damian smiled.

Noticing that the son was finally calm, Bruce tucked him into bed again. He almost made a nest of pillows to make the little one comfortable.

— You must be hungry — he commented, already walking to the door.

— Not! — Dick and Jason shouted in unison, the two practically jumped to stand and reach the "father".

— No what?

— I get something edible for Damian, you can leave it to me! — Dick smiled and ran out of the room.

— Are you implying that I don't know how to do anything in the kitchen, include using the microwave!? — Outraged, Gotham's night watchman put his hands on his hips and faced the other boy.

— I'll get something drinkable! — Jason warned, running from the question too.

Didn't have to be the greatest detective in the world to know that Bruce Wayne's talents spanned several areas, but gastronomy was not one of them. At least that undo was worth it as a way to get some laughs out of Damian's hand.

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NOTE

According to the book Batman: You Choose (ed. 01, pg. 79), which is available on Google Books, Batman made a great stew with the cure for laughing gas, at the cost of spending a week taking antacids.

In the Lego Batman movie, he knows how to use a microwave. Although I put the wrong time on the first attempt.

They were the only things I found about him doing something "edible" in a kitchen, of course, using a Google search guide (I don't remember seeing him cooking anything in the animations or in the comics).