JEALOUS
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Two days had passed.
More specifically, two days and nine hours.
Exactly: two days, nine hours and fourteen minutes since Jason stayed away from his younger brother for more than a few steps.
In terms of too much protection, all members of that family were going over the edge to take care of Damian - except for Tim. However, Jason had already exceeded any expectations.
The "rebellious son" became the older brother that anyone would want to have: he played with Damian, made him eat every meal, made him take his medication at the right time... he even risked making some drawings with the little one, a kind of friendly competition. Bruce was more than satisfied with that change, mainly because he had more free time to devote himself to his investigations; Dick, the previous holder of that prestigious position as a favorite brother, tried to hide his jealousy with increasingly frequent rounds...
Speaking of the firstborn, when he was not out wearing his uniform - tight to the body, brand new -, he locked himself in his room and engaged in a hobby that was even morbid: spending hours in long conversations with Barbara, Starfire, with whom wants you to be willing to "remember" Damian and suffer with him. Suffer, because he had already accepted the death of the old brother. Now, this new Damian did not see Dick with the same eyes - nor could he, since talking about the real past was forbidden until further notice.
— I miss him so much running to give me a hug... — Dick said trying to look happy, but his voice was already choked — When I came back, you know? He came running and hugged me... — He sighed, feeling his eyes prick up — The kiddo won't do that anymore...
— He is strong, I'm sure he will wake up soon... — Starfire tried to sound hopeful, but that ex-boyfriend's depressive state was contagious.
— There was that time when we were waiting for Bruce and Selina, before the wedding. We sat there for so long, just waiting... you know, I think I saw an "end" for Robin in him, but not like that.
— Are you still unable to find out what happened? — She tried to pretend to be interested when in fact she just wanted to get away from the heavier subject, Robin's "death".
— They are more concerned with other things... — He stared at the ceiling. They were more concerned with the present than with the past.
— I am still in favor of alternative methods.
— No, B would not let Raven come near him...
— And why not? If nothing has worked...!
— It would only make it worse, you wouldn't understand! — Dick interrupted, covering his face with his arms — Anything just gets worse, like bad things we laugh about when it passes, but it never goes away... it just got worse, worse... worse...!
Kori, who was taking advantage of that moment to untangle the long strands of hair, put the brush aside and stared at his old boyfriend. One of the advantages of the technology is to provide video calls in real time, where the two people can come face to face despite the distance... one of the disadvantages is that comforting hugs are not possible. The Tamaran alien even opened his mouth, muttered something low enough not to be heard and then shut up - he had nothing to say.
When another of her former romantic interests appeared in the room, Jason Todd, almost putting the doors down, she was sure that the best to ignore them and untangle her hair again.
— Dick's head, think fast! — It was everything Jason said before the older man was hit by something relatively heavy, right in the stomach, making him lose his breath completely — I will have to go over some things, take care of the brat there for me.
Richard slowly uncovered his face, only to feel even worse when he saw Damian walking away from him and trying to reach Todd, managing to grab him by the end of the Jacket just in time. The youngest had ignored Dick completely, because the only person he wanted to be with was Jason:
— ... I can go too? — Damian asked with a voice showing the anxiety to go along.
— We already talked, Dami... you stay with Dick today, okay? I'll be back tomorrow ... — the rebel smiled, ruffled his hair and made him loose his jacket.
— But Jason...! — He tried to hold it again, with even more tension in his voice this time.
— I already said no — Jason replied in a more serious tone, without even looking back as he left - he didn't have the courage to look into tears-filled green eyes.
And then, when there were only two D's in the room, the older man finally had the courage to face him closely. He had the courage to see that child who clearly preferred the other brother. To his surprise, Damian remained silent looking at the door, with a foolish hope that it was just a little joke from Jason.
— ... He won't be back, kid... — Dick murmured.
— He's gone? — Damian looked at him clearly worried — Forever?
— No, he just won't be back today. Maybe not tomorrow either, but it is because he is always getting into trouble... — He smiled.
— My father didn't send him away, did he?
— Not that I know — The older man lifted his shoulders, not even he could be sure about that — But if he left, Jason would insist on coming to irritate him...
— ... Are you sure? — The boy continued with an excessively worried tone.
— Hey, little D... — Dick pulled him close, starting to touch his hair as if that affection could calm him down more — Why all this worry? Did something happen? Did someone say something?
Damian just snuggled into his arms and hid his face. The lack of answers was already starting to be distressing, mainly because little Wayne tended to believe anything they talked to him about - and Todd had a sick sense of humor.
— Did Jason say anything? — Richard asked a little lower, as if asking for a secret. When he received a negative nod, he continued: — Tim? Did he pick on you again? — Again received a negative wave — ... Bruce said something that made you sad?
— No... — Damian finally looked at him — Dick, am I disturbing you?
— Of course not, kiddo — He smiled, making little one smile too — Why did you think that?
— You are always busy... — He faced another point, giving a silly smile before completing: — Or on a date... do you have a girlfriend?
— Of course not, Dami! — Richard even let a laugh escape. He ruffled his brother's hair and asked one more question: — Jason has been making things up about me, is he?
The little one moved his head from side to side, denying. Soon after, he hid his face in the hug again and was silent... Dick had said something wrong.
— Hey, kiddo... what is it?
— ... Nothing.
— Damian, answer me: what is it? — He held the face of the youngest, forcing him to look at him — If it were nothing, you would not be with that crying face...
— Do you still like me?
Grayson stared at the youngest for a few seconds, analyzing everything that could have triggered that kind of question. The preference for Jason was something clear, so Dick decided to get away a little more and let the two enjoy that moment of brothers... maybe he got too far, since in Damian's mind he "never had time" to play in garden or to put it to sleep.
— ... Still? I would never stop liking you, lil'D — Smiled — I'm just solving some things and...
— My father says that too — interrupted him, facing another point — Everyone says that.
— We are just busy...
— Everyone says they are busy — He hid his face again, he was tired of that subject.
— It is because we are, Dami... — Dick sighed, starting to feel guilty for having left that "version" of his brother, no matter how much it hurt to see him that way. The two were silent, until Damian finally said something else:
— ... Is my mother busy too?
— Usually she and Bruce are together and...
— Not that mother... — the youngest interrupted him again — My real mother. Is she busy too?
— Damian...
— My friends, are they busy?
— Dami...
— I have friends?
— Kiddo, I know that you must be surprised no one comes to see you, but you need to understand that you still can't be receiving visitors and...
— ... Nobody liked me before, they are stopping liking again... — The little boy's voice was already crying — ... My father just keeps busy, my mother Selina... You... Now the Jason... — He looked at Dick, he was trying hard not to start crying — ... And I don't even know what I did wrong!
— You did nothing wrong, Damian, calm down... please, calm down — the elder asked, practically begged, while hugging him more. I didn't even want to imagine how that conversation would end if Damian continued to be stressed about that subject.
— So... — he whispered, taking a few seconds to continue — ... So am I behaving?
— Of course yes — He replied, which made the little one look at him with green eyes shining - he was magically calm. Now, wanting to escape from depressive matters, Dick smiled in a corner and held his brother with a little more strength — But you need a punishment for jumping on me...
— But, but... But it was Jason who threw me — Damian tried to break free.
— I'm sorry, little D, but I want my revenge... — The eldest tried to control himself not to start laughing at the younger boy's panic expression — ... tickling!
That word followed by the laughs of the two D's was all Stardire heard before finally having the courage to end that video call. She needed some time to process everything - and she also needed to finish untangling her hair.
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NOTE
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The excellent princess of Tamaran, Koryand'r, Kori for the most intimate and Starfire for all who have seen the animations of the Teen Titans finally showed up!
This beautiful alien loaded with sympathy manages to win the heart of anyone, especially birds. She almost married Dick Grayson, but when Trigon decided to show up without even being invited, the ceremony was over - which doesn't stop them from having a colorful friendship, it seems. As for Jayson, they had a kind of relationship with a large dose of "does she still like Dick?" (I don't know about that, it happened in the New 52 Outlaws).
For me, if someone should stay with Kori until death do them part, this someone is Richard Grayson; not that they don't match other characters either. Incidentally, in Kingdom of Tomorrow, they get married and have a daughter named Mar'i Grayson, Nightstar.
Note of note - for everyone who likes the Titans series, I will leave a somewhat controversial opinion registered here: I did not watch the series, I do not know when I will watch it, but since the first images leaked I simply hated that unreasonable mistake they made with the beautiful Starfire that we all know... THAT WIG IS HORRIBLE! It seems that they wanted a full hair like that of the 80s, but it was horrible! There, I said it!
Note of note of note - this is an opinion, deal with it. If you want, you can leave yours too :D
