What You Do To Me: Chapter 05
Chikorita-Trainer1
T
Disclaimer: I don't own Batman.
The next morning, actually, more like noon, Damian decided to talk to his father. Being the Batman left Bruce Wayne with pretty abnormal sleeping hours, but he was still awake for most of the day.
He was sleeping in his room with all the curtains pulled when Damian padded over to the bed and climbed up. The king-size bed was like an island to the little boy.
"Father?" he asked softly, pushing lightly at his father's sleeping form.
"Mmm?" groaned Bruce. "What?"
"I just wanted to let you know I understand."
"Damian?" Bruce said groggily, turning over and sitting up. "Oh. I didn't know it was you."
"Who'd you think it was?"
"I don't know, I was asleep." said Bruce. "What were you saying?"
"I understand why you yell at me so much, and why you always want me to do exactly as you say," Damian admitted. "I didn't know I was capable of causing you so much pain. It was hard for me to believe that you were doing it out of love."
"Why was it hard for you to believe?" asked Bruce.
"Why do you think? You never…say nice things to me," said Damian. "All I ever hear from you are orders, corrections and criticisms. How am I supposed to get the idea that you care about me when all you do is berate me?"
Bruce sighed and looked away.
"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at that," he admitted. "You're right, I don't give you very much praise or affection. But that doesn't mean I don't care about you."
"Well, how am I supposed to know?" Damian argued. "I'm not a mind-reader. How am I supposed to come to the conclusion that you love me if you never say it?"
"I do say it, Damian. Every night when I put you to bed," Bruce corrected.
"Yeah, but, like…that's a formality," said Damian. "That's just what you DO. Like turning off a light when you leave a room, or locking the door behind you."
"That's not true, Damian," Bruce insisted. "I say it because I mean it, and I want you to hear it."
"It just feels mechanical," said Damian. Bruce sighed.
"I'm sorry, son. I don't know what more I can do. But I'm glad you understand the pain you've been causing me all this time."
"Yeah," Damian muttered.
"And Titus is going to be alright. They caught the bloat early. It's because you paid such close attention to his behavior that we were able to know something was wrong. You may have saved his life, Damian."
"No, I'm the one who caused it!" Damian suddenly cried, pulling the sheets of the bed up to his eyes to absorb his tears. "Colin and I fed him people food from the table! And then we immediately took him out to run around! And that's what caused it!"
"You didn't know," said Bruce, drawing Damian closer.
"I looked it up! It's a common condition in large breeds, and as his owner, I should have known all the potential health-risks that Great Danes face!"
"Damian, if anything, it's my fault. I bought him for you, as a gift, but I didn't do all the research either. We both screwed up on this one."
"I don't feel that way, Father," Damian sniffed. "I feel like I failed him."
"Welcome to my world," Bruce shrugged. Damian chuckled. "I guess self-blame runs in the family."
"Hmph," Damian laughed, sarcastically. "Um, do you think the vet will call today?"
"I hope so. Maybe they already have. We should get up," said Bruce, peeling the covers off of himself and getting dressed.
"Let's ask Pennyworth," said Damian.
"Alfred, has the vet called?" asked Bruce, as he and his son entered the dining room, where Alfred had already served breakfast.
"Indeed they have, Master Bruce. Apparently the surgery was a success. Titus is sleeping off the anesthesia now."
Damian's face lit up and he breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"When can we go get him?" he asked.
"They said they'll call again when he wakes up. He's in no condition to travel right now. And yes, he will be wearing the Cone of Shame," Alfred added.
"Cone of Shame? What's that?" asked Damian.
"You know, the plastic cone dogs have to wear around their neck, so they can't chew on their stitches?" said Bruce. Damian raised an eyebrow, but accepted the answer.
"Never heard that," he said with a shrug.
"It'll only be for a few days, while he heals up," said Bruce.
Meanwhile, at the orphanage, Colin was doing his homework in his room when his phone dinged. He reached in between the mattresses and swiftly got it out. The text was from Damian, of course. It said
Damian: Titus is ok
Smiling, Colin quickly texted back:
Colin: YAY! THAT'S GREAT! GIVE HIM A HUG FOR ME!
Damian: will do
A minute passed, and then Damian texted one more thing.
Damian: when you have the time, call me.
END OF CHAPTER 05
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