GARDEN
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— I already said you did a good job, son... — Bruce murmured for the third time between a sip of coffee and another.
He and Dick were seated at the large dining table, set with the best variety that the Wayne family butler managed to gather after almost a week away: candied fruit, coffee, milk, toasted bread and anything else that survived the Alfred's absence.
— And also said that I need to stop being so impulsive! — the eldest son rested his head on one hand — B, I am not impulsive: I would investigate and, if I didn't find anything, I would ask Tim to locate them both in some way.
— You would not... — the elder sighed and lowered the newspaper — Dick, you would despair.
— I don't despair for anything! — He raised his hands as if it were a severe accusation, then he calmed down and raised his eyebrows — ... I do?
Bruce preferred to finish his coffee in silence, paying attention only to the newspaper. The truth is that no one there was acting as he used to.
— Should I assume that child playing alone outside is Damian? He seems to me very well-disposed, for those who haven't had breakfast yet... — Alfred said as if he wants nothing, carrying a tray in one hand. There was a dessert bowl with a kind of porridge on it.
Richard looked out the window at once. There, sitting on the grass and throwing a red ball, was the child of the house. Damian seemed to be having fun with the pet, which did not rule out that he needed more specific care, especially after what happened in the past few days.
— Left him alone outside!? — Dick got up — He could fall! Or get hurt! Or have a crisis! Or...!
— Dick, sit down — the father practically sent in a serious tone. He was obeyed with a little reluctance, but obeyed — Damian is not alone, he is playing with Titus. I can see them both from the window perfectly...
— I did not know that Batman also had X-ray vision — the butler murmured.
Again, Bruce continued to pay attention only to the newspaper and the cup of hot, extra-strong coffee. After all, it is difficult to take care of a child and read the news of the day at the same time.
Richard and Alfred looked out the window. Damian was now lying on the grass trying to deal with Titus' "raw affection". The dog wagged its tail, jumped and there was little left to trample the owner with that welcome explosion. When he finally calmed down, the boy threw the ball for him to fetch again.
— Bruce, is that child lying on the grass Damain? — this time it was Selina who asked, pulling one of the chairs next to him to sit— Did you leave him outside alone?
— He is already thirteen, he has the dog and I can see him through the window! Will someone else try to call me "irresponsible father" or will I be able to finish my coffee in peace this time? — he mumbled. He was already in a bad mood.
— Did he eat anything before going out to play, Mr. "Father of the year"!? — the cat almost snarled, throwing herself sitting on the chair and willing to behave in the same grumpy way as her boyfriend.
— No, but it was because he didn't want to!
— Just as you don't rest because you don't want to! — she replied.
— Bruce, he can't go without eating just because he doesn't want to eat... — Dick said in a mild tone, trying to appease everything — And he may be thirteen, but it's not like he really has it all... and even if he did, he's not the "little adult" Damian he was before.
— And what do you want me to do? Force him to eat? I already forced him to do too many things! — Bruce left the newspaper aside — He just wanted to be playing outside and I just wanted to have my coffee in peace!
— I can stay with him and... — Before Grayson managed to complete, Bruce interrupted him:
— Nobody's going to be with Damian! I can see him perfectly from here: he is happy doing whatever in that garden! What does it cost to let my son play!? What does it cost to let me read the newspaper !?
It exploded.
It wasn't because of Damian, the news in the newspaper or anything like that, but because of the accumulated stress that was finally finding a way to get out.
He was so enraged and inattentive that he only realized that Jason was also joining them when the boy muttered one of his jokes as he finished eating toast:
— This newspaper there, from last week, costs nothing. But if you want today, it's only five dollars — He smiled.
Bruce folded the newspaper and then put it on the table - during the process he mumbled a few things, which could only be understood "give me patience". Selina and Dick looked at each other in an attempt to maintain their seriousness, when they were clearly almost laughing out loud. Alfred cleared his throat and held the tray out to Jayson, some excuse to get him out of there before Master Wayne had a full heart attack.
— Is it to make Damian eat this thing? — the rebel asked, putting another toast in his mouth — Did they let him play without eating before?
— He was not hungry! — Dick answered as fast as he could, he wanted to avoid stressing his father further.
— If it was for that, I wouldn't be hungry either... — he murmured taking the bowl — ... no offense, Alfred, but it looks horrible — He moved the spoon from side to side, looking at the porridge as if it was some kind of monster.
— It is the best for him — the butler justified.
Todd just shrugged his shoulders and went out into the garden with the "monster".
Damian was still playing with Titus, throwing the ball for him to catch. He only noticed that his brother was close when Jason sat next to him and ruffled his spiky hair - which by now was covered in grass and dirt just like the rest.
— I think B will get infact when he sees you like that... — the older man smiled.
— But he let me play in the garden... — the little one looked at himself — Wasn't it for me to get dirty?
— Is not it. It's just that you don't usually behave like that...
— Am I misbehaving? — Damian's green eyes got teary just by imagining he was doing something wrong.
— No, you behave too well! — Jay let a muffled laugh escape — It is that before you did not behave so well. And he didn't behave like a child, know? Of those who are still playing... How old are you?
— Thirteen?— he asked, wasn't so sure anymore.
— But do you think you're really thirteen or feel less? You... — the older boy tried to find some way to explain himself. Damian was short for his age, in addition to the loss of muscle tone contributing to him looking a few years younger, as well as that more "childish" way — ... It is as if the "you of before" were seventy years old and that of now had... six? No, maybe eight... Damn it, I'm not good with these things.
— This is bad? — The little one raised his eyebrows. He was visibly concerned, with teary eyes.
— In fact this is pretty cool! — Smiled — We didn't get along before. You didn't get along with anyone other than Dick or Alfred... You even argued with B from time to time, a real plague! — He ended up laughing a little, remembering the completely nonsensical discussions that Damian created, especially those that involved his height — And now you...
— ... Do I misbehave?
— No, you are a well-behaved, fearful child and... Ah, stop with that crying face! — Messed up the hair of the youngest, which did not have much effect: there was already a tear and another running down Damian's cheeks — You are cute. It makes you want to be close to you now... Damn it, Dami! Stop that crying face, I told you that you're cute and behaving! — As a last alternative, he stuck a spoonful of that strange porridge in his brother's mouth.
— But Jay... — the little one tried to contest.
— Without speaking with your mouth full, brat! — And, to make sure that they would not continue with that conversation, Jason barely gave his brother time to swallow the porridge to make him eat more.
When that porridge finally ended - a mashed cooked apple and cinnamon that looked more like porridge - Damian was already calm and Jason already had a new subject to talk to the little one:
— I bet Ace catches the ball faster than Titus.
— I didn't see him today...
— I'm going to look for him to do a competition... — Jason smiled as he finally stood up with the empty dessert bowl. Damian also smiled, eager to have more company.
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NOTE
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Does Jason like bread? When he was a child, he had a very difficult life on the streets and even broke the window of a bakery to be able to feed himself - until then it is canonical depending on his origin. However, in this modern marvel that we call the internet, people made tons of fanarts and even fanfics where Jayson's greatest love is bread. He also likes a lot of hamburgers (there are several scenes where he is eating one).
In fact, there was even a time when he said that the Bat-cow should be called Bat-steak, but he was kidding. It was in Batman Corporation 6 edition (where there is also a lovely scene of Damian winning a kitten).
A curiosity: by the news that I saw on the internet, baked apple helps with immunity. If it's true I don't know, if it's not tasty either...
