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Damian barely gets past the threshold before being accosted by Richard.

The hug is tight and nearly suffocating.

He hadn't been gone for that long but felt the boy had grown another few inches.

"You're back." Richard tells him before releasing Damian.

"I am, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school? It's the middle of the day."

"Okay, first, I'd be home regardless because it is four in the afternoon and second it was a half day."

"A half day?"

"As if Alfred would let me skip."

"Fair point. How were things here?"

"Boring." Richard stepped back bracing himself against the wall. "B let me run comms last night."

"He shouldn't have let you do that."

"Well he did, so, yell at him. He offered. I didn't ask."

Damian shot him an unimpressed look at the obvious lie. Richard asked every single night.

"Fine, I only asked once. He said no, and then offered a few nights later."

Damian rolled his eyes.

"He actually was wanting to see you in the study as soon as you got back." Richard instructs as Damian puts his coat in the side closet.

"Is he up there now?"

"I think so."

"Do you know if it's important?"

"Based on his tone and demeanor. It's something heavy."

"Great." Damian grumbled. "Fine, don't eavesdrop."

"I would never." If Damian didn't know him so well, he'd be convinced.

"Stay down here."

"Rude." He calls out as Damian goes upstairs to the study.

He knocked lightly before stepping inside. "Richard said you had something important to discuss."

"I never told him it was important." his Father provided as he closed his laptop.

"He read between the lines."

"There really is no lying to him."

Damian shook his head. "Not usually. What's going on?"

Father sucked in a breath, leaning back in his chair. "I take it the mission went well."

"It was very successful. Per usual. But that's not what you wanted to discuss."

Father nodded affirmatively. "It isn't. I've been doing some thinking. I wanted you to go on this mission before I made the final decision."

Damian narrowed his eyes. He suspected where this might be going but he hadn't expected it so soon.

"I have decided to retire from Batman."

"Really?" Damian was rightfully skeptical.

There have been a few times when Father had to step away from the role but only once had it been voluntary. That had lasted a whole week, the other times he had been too injured to be useful. It hadn't stopped him from trying to sneak out.

This wasn't something Damian was sure he actually meant.

"Yes, really." Father answers. "I know in the past, me relinquishing the role was… difficult."

"Impossible." Damian supplies.

"Sure. But, I think now it's time."

"Why now?"

"You're ready. It's time for younger blood. For the next generation to start. Clark, as you know, has already pulled back significantly. Jon has been essentially the only Superman for about a year now, and of course Cassandra Sandsmark has taken over the role of Wonder Woman allowing Diana to return to Themascura for a prolonged period of time. Kyle Rayner and Jessica Cruz are the Green Lanterns for the League now. It's time for me to step back as well. You're ready to take over."

"Me, I would be Batman? Father I don't-"

"I know when you initially became Sparrow, your goal had been to replace me. I don't know where you stand now. I can see you taking the role as easily as I can see you letting it die with me. But you're ready to take my place in the League, however that may look for you."

"You really think I'm ready?"

"Damian, you've been ready for a while."

There's a warm feeling deep in his chest. It's unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.

"What will you do then?" Damian asked him.

"I'm going to refocus my efforts in WE. Lucius is wanting to retire, he has for a while. His only hold out had been me. I'm not as young as I used to be. One day I know you'll take that over too, but for now. You will be Batman and I will be the company. I understand if you need some time to think on it. This is a-"

"Of course I accept." Damian cuts him off. "This has always been where this path led. Why would I ever say no? Sparrow was always a starting point. I'm ready for the next phase of my life. I'm ready for the opportunity to be Batman."

Father's smile was filled with pride. It amplified the warmth in Damian's chest. "You know Dick will want to help you."

"He's not ready."

"That is up to you, but he will become more insistent now. You know he will."

That couldn't be more true. He was surprised at how fast he caught on to everything he learned. He'd long gone past basic self defense. He'd already perfected fighting with his preferred weapons, escrima sticks, and was excelling with the bo staff. He'd helped Damian on the back end with a variety of cases. Richard's detective skills were nearly matched with his own.

He was probably more ready than Damian wanted to admit.

"I'm sure he's standing in the hallway." Damian comments, a little louder for Richard to hear more clearly.

"With his ear pressed against the door." Father added on, his smile turning from prideful to an amused smirk.

"Did you talk to him about this beforehand?"

"Of course not. But I'm sure he suspects."

"I haven't been able to keep a secret here since he moved in."

"Not from him."

Damian stands to open the door, more than a little surprised that Richard wasn't there. There wasn't the sound of retreating footsteps. Maybe he hadn't eavesdropped.

He makes it to the top of the staircase before he sees Richard braced against the banister.

"Did he ask you to take over as Batman?" The excitement in his voice isn't contained.

"Why would you think that?" Damian steps down the stairs until the only thing separating them is the banister.

"What else would he ask you?"

"About the mission I just got back from. Maybe about the top secret stuff."

Richard narrows his eyes. "There was no top secret stuff." He correctly concludes.

"Tt." Damian rounds the banister heading towards the library.

"If you're going to be Batman you need a partner." Richard jogs to walk at Damian's side.

"So you would be Sparrow."

Richard wrinkled his nose. "No, Sparrow doesn't make any sense. We would be Batman and Robin."

"And how does Robin make any more sense than Sparrow?"

Richard cuts him off, standing in front of him. "Batman started this mission because of a promise he made to his family that no one else would have to go through what he went through. That's why I want to do this, for my family, and Robin was something my mother called me. All the time. This would be for her. For all of them."

He's thought more about this than Damian initially realized, he also realizes that him becoming Sparrow was always going to end with him becoming Batman, but taking Richard in was also going to end like this. At some point, Richard was going to make an argument that Damian wouldn't be able to counter.

Sure he could say that Richard was only eleven but that would be countered with Damian had been ten. Then of course there's the training but Richard had been trained by not only Damian himself, but also by Batman and Wonder Woman and even The Red Hood on the sly (that he thought Damian didn't know about, and Damian would probably take more issue with if Todd hadn't pulled back on the organized crime front.)

"I'll make you a deal." Damian offers. "You excel in your bo staff training, to the point you can beat me in a sparring match, and then we can talk about you joining me on patrol."

Richard considers it.

Damian doesn't voice that Richard could beat him now. It wouldn't be easy but he could do it.

"Deal."

Damian knows that this will be a bad idea but at the same time. The excitement of Batman and Robin, when Richard is ready, thrums in his veins. He can't wait.

Thanks to all who came along. I think there's some serious potential in this AU that I'm going to look into. Stay safe and don't burn down any houses along the way. Bye!