"He is something else, isn't he?" Iris remarked to Lois as they assisted to a Wayne Gala as reporters together. They were both watching Damian, who was across the room entertaining a conversation with a group of businesswomen from Switzerland and Austria. Lois could hear that the conversation was in fact in German. Iris continued, "He's quite a charmer like his father, that's like his default mode, but when he puts his mind to it— when he really wants people to pay attention—no one can escape his pull."
"I know," Lois replied, observing as he was slowly surrounded by eager businessmen and animal advocates. The gala was a success to celebrate Damian's fight against animal abuse and illegal trafficking- the cherry on top was that he had convinced Diana to be the face of the campaign. "My son fell for his charms after all. He could not resist the pull, what's worse he did not want to. That's what makes him so dangerous, he is like the flame and we are the moths that will inevitably get burned."
"So, gloomy Lois," Irish chuckled, her pregnancy had her quite giddy lately. "Did you forget that Flamebird was the one to save Superman?" She whispered, using codenames just in case.
"I know he did," Lois hold on her champaign flute tightened.
"Lois, I do not know what is your issue with Damian," Iris sighed, turning to her friend with a stern and dissapointer look on her face. "But the simple fact that his life choices don't agree with you it's not good enough. He is within his right to have freedom of choice... a right that was withheld from him long enough."
"I know..." Lois looked down angrily. "I just know he can do more."
"Are you hearing yourself?" Iris huffed. "No matter how good and capable he is, he is also a 15 years-old-boy!"
"I know, which makes me feel even worse," Lois confessed with shame.
"Oh, Lois," Iris sighed, pulling her friend in her arms.
Meanwhile, the topic of their conversation had escaped the Wayne Hall and made his way to the Wayne Manor, in a comfortable silence with his half-brother.
"Do you want to meet with him?" Damian suddenly asked one day, weeks after Dick and Kory had moved into the Wayne Manor- so, Dick would have his family after the Mirage episode. "Your father I mean?"
"I had already guessed that," Alec replied dryly.
"I know it might seem as if we do not care about how you are feeling after Desthstroke's visit, we got sidetracked by Dick's... situation," Damian grimaced. "But we do, my promise still stands if you are ever interested in meeting him you can."
"I... I don't want you," Alec frowned. "I mean, after the way Ra's treated me and how Talia raised you, it is normal to be afraid of forming familiar bonds with others. It took me a while to open up to our family, and even more before I started considering them family. But with father... I just don't want tl see him period. Not after the stories I've heard from Rose and Jericho." He turned to his older cousin with a rare vulnerable look on his face. "Does that make me a bad person?"
"No! Of course, not!" Damian was quick to assure him. "I can understand that feeling, it's the same feeling that made me cut off Talia from my life for good. We need to prioritize ourselves and our safety, both physical and emotional. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Good," Alec sighed. "I just... I don't want him coming again and hurting any of you."
"I won't tell you that will never happen, we are both smarter than to delude ourselves," Damian replied. "But I can assure you that whatever happens we will face it as a family."
Alec smiled at his brother and bid him goodbye. Seeing as on mission was completed, Damian headed for his second one.
Dick.
"Hey," Damian said softly, smiling gently at his letargic brother, who was hiding from the world in his fiance's arms.
"Dami!" Dick greeted him with a beaming smile, though not one as bright he was capable of.
"Fire Bird," Kory greeted his future brother-in-law warmly, making way on the bed for him.
Out of all the siblings her beloved has, Damian is the one she likes the most. Not simply because Dick's balant favoritism, but out of a sense of comradeship. Damian was a being of fire, just like her... it made her feel closer to home. Not to mention, she did not have to be afraid of burning him, as he runs hotter than even her.
"So, baba bought you a present," Damian cuddled between two of his favorite people.
"Yeah, a car," Dick chuckled waterly. "He tried to hide the fact he was trying to cheer me up with a luxary car, by buying everyone with a licence a car." He no longer sounded angry at Bruce, believing he was trying to buy him. Dick knew better now. "He can be so awkward sometimes."
"Sometimes?" Damian replied playfully, making his brother bark a laugh. Kory looked at Damian warmly and gratefully. "I still have not seen them, I was too busy with the last details of my campaign."
"Sorry about skipping on that," Dick apologized, looking so guiltily at his adored little brother.
"Think nothing of it, I just sneaked out of it myself. It's as boring as every other gala," Damian waved his apology away.
"Liar, you love running circles on rich-dumb people," Kory teased. "Milking them dry for every single peny for charity or your plans."
"Well, someone in this family has to be competent with dealing with people," Damian pouted adorably, ignoring Dick's cooing. "It won't be baba or any of my siblings, and shido can only do so much. Also, it is so much fun watching them realize what they had just agreed to do after they signed the check." Damian laughed with Dick and Korry. "Going back to the cars, what cars did he buy?"
"Dad bought me a blue Bugatti Chiron," Dick informed him cheekily. "Little Wing got a red Ferrari Stradale, Cass a black Lamborghini Huracan, and Baby Bird an orange McLaren 765LT."
"Nice!" Damian whistled impressed. "Baba went all out."
"You should have seen Little Wing and Baby Bird's expressions!" Dick gossiped excitedly. "They were awestruck!"
Damian and Korry shared a fond smile as Dick continued to gossip with excitement. Mirage was completely forgotten in the warmth of loved ones.
At least, that was until the next morning when he woke up by a someone's whisper of 'It's done.'
Shit! Damian cursed internally, as he jumped off bed and left his brother's bedroom in a rush.
"Dami?!" Dick exclaimed shocked by his sudden parting.
The details in the hall as he passed, pictures of family and drawings collected with famous art and tables placed neatly around. The kitchen was more modern but still so very beautiful. It's marble counters so elegant, like nothing you'd see in anything modern with white and grey. No, the house had character, charm, and warmth like his own new home.
It was dark yet kind, filled with shadows yet they were welcoming, as if used to the company. The decor must have been old, it felt so lived in yet so timeless.
This was Damian's home. The home of his family.
Yet, he was not looking at any of those decorations as he rushed through the hallways and into the Batcave. He ignored everything and everyone as he changed to his Flamebird form and used the Zeta-Tubes to get him to the Watch Tower.
He groaned as he saw the mess.
He had been too late.
"Flamebird!" Superman turned to the young hero in surprise. "Is everything ok? Do you need help?" The kriptonian paused his search to pay attention to the boy, his guilt was still eating him alive.
"Mirage! Is she dead?!" Flamebird demanded to know with urgency, making every Justice League member in the room freeze and turn to look at him stunned. "She is... shit!"
"Language!" Superman scolded him automatically.
"Young Warrior, how do you know that?" Diana asked Damian, focusing on the task at hand. Lately, she seem to be the only one capable of that- perks of being over 5000 years old. "Do you know who has done it?"
"Yes," Damian sighed, receiving intell via telepathy from his great-grandparent. "It was Karma, a demon afiliated with my faction in Hell. They saw it as an insult that Mirage hurt a member of my family and killed her." Everyone flinched at the reminder that they were talking at the heir of Hell. Well, everyone but Diana and Clark. "Don't worry, Lucifer took care of it and punished them for getting involved with issues of the Living Realm. The rules of Hell have changed and do not allow for demons to get involved with the living mortals."
"What is their punishment?" Flash asked the Fire-base hero.
"They will not be able to go to Earth without being in my presence," Damian answered. "They are still one of knights, so great-grandparent made sure I would be able to summon them in case I need them. Other than that, they are practically exiled from the Living Realm."
"That's fair," Green Arrow said, pleasantly surprised by the Ruler of Hell's judgement.
"My great-grandparent has grown a lot lately," Damian agreed, before wincing. "I just do not want to tell baba about this, he had only just started to see the good in demons and Lucifer."
"Leave it to us," Diana offered rapidly. "We will tell Batman."
"Are you sure?" Damian asked surprise by the offer, telling Batman bad news is something no one ever wanted to do.
"We are!" Superman shouted, blushing at the knowing looks he got- as always, Diana did not blush and stood tall and proud.
"If you are sure," Damian agreed with an amused smirk. "I leave it to you!" He turned around to the Zeta-Tubes, before he was transported away, the heroes were able to hear his startled realization. "Shit! I still need to tell Nightwing and Agent A!"
