Judgment
[All standard disclaimers apply.]
Damian worked his way through the training program. The holographic enemies provided little challenge besides their sheer number. He worked on regulating his breathing as he executed a difficult backward slice to take out the final opponent.
"Nicely done, Dami."
He turned to find Dick watching him from the doorway of the training room. It was still early. Damian doubted that anyone other than he and Raven were up at this time. He had left his girlfriend meditating on the roof. He was too restless for that exercise this morning.
"You're up early," Damian said in way of greeting.
Dick shrugged. "Thought I would get a work-out in. Though I shouldn't be surprised to find you here. Feel like sparring?"
Damian took a moment to wipe his face with a towel. Dick was up to something. His older adopted brother usually wasn't up this early and definitely wouldn't be seeking him out. He feigned indifference as he dropped the towel back on the bench. "Why not? I was getting bored with that program anyway."
Dick chuckled. "I will do my best to provide a challenge."
"See that you do, Grayson."
Damian went over to the weapons cabinet. He quickly made his selection and tossed a training staff to Dick. The older man raised an eyebrow as he caught the familiar wooden weapon.
"No swords?" he asked as they took positions on the training floor.
"I'm feeling generous today," Damian remarked.
"You may regret that."
"Please," Damian scoffed. "I took out Superman. I think I can handle you."
Dick chuckled. "You're never going to let us forget that, are you?"
"Why would I?"
Dick shook his head. "You know they say that humility is a virtue."
"Well, whoever they are, they're idiots."
Dick was still chuckling when Damian took a swing at his head. All mirth was gone as Dick brought his staff up to block the blow. Dick tried to pry Damian's staff out of his hands but the younger man evaded the move and tried to sweep Dick's legs out from under him.
The two moved across the training floor, trading blows. While Damian had more technique, Dick countered with his acrobatics and years of experience. The only sounds in the room were the smack of wood against wood and their heavy breathing.
Damian aimed a blow for Dick's abdomen. The older man knocked Damian's staff to his side. Spinning around quickly, he used the other end of his staff to whack Damian on the back, sending the teen stumbling forward a few steps.
A starbolt suddenly appeared in between the two combatants, preventing Dick from pressing his advantage. "I think you two are going to have to call this a draw."
"Hey, hon," Dick said with a smile as he lowered his staff.
"Starfire," Damian greeted.
"I came to inform you both that breakfast will be provided in twenty minutes."
"Are you cooking?" Damian asked.
Starfire blushed. "It shall be the frozen waffles. With the beverage of your choosing."
"Sounds great," Dick said. "We'll be up in a minute."
Starfire gave Dick a look before nodding and leaving the room.
"Guess we'll have to do this another time," Damian said as he took his staff back to the weapons cabinet.
Dick came behind him and quickly returned his staff as well. "If you think you can handle me."
"You're lucky Starfire came when she did, Grayson." He began to get his gear from the bench. "Three more moves and I would have had you."
Dick laughed. "If you say so, Damian."
Damian managed a glare but kept heading to the elevator.
"Hey, Dami, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."
'Here it comes,' Damian thought as he stopped. "What?"
Dick ran a hand through his hair as he came up to his brother. "Look, there's something that has come up on Tamaran that Kori has to deal with. It's complicated interplanetary politics that I can barely understand but I'm going with her."
"I'm not understanding the relevance to me."
Dick shook his head. "With me and Kori gone, the team's going to be without a leader. We thought about asking someone from the Justice League but neither one of us want to bring someone from the outside to deal with the team."
Damian sighed. "Just get to the point."
"Fine. We're going to appoint one of the team, one of you guys, as temporary leader while we're gone."
Damian arched an eyebrow.
"We're going to appoint Jaime."
Damian blinked. "What?"
"Look, he's the oldest and he's been with the team almost longer than anyone. Kori and I feel that he will do a good job watching over you all while we're gone. Not that we plan to be gone that long."
Damian's face was a blank mask as he faced his older brother. "I don't know why you felt you needed to tell me this, Grayson."
"I just thought that you might want to know ahead of time."
"Well, consider me informed."
"Damian."
"I need to go shower," Damian interjected, cutting Dick off. He stepped inside the elevator and punched the button to close the doors behind him.
Dick watched as the elevator doors closed, sealing his brother off from view. "Well, I guess that could have gone worse."
scene change scene change scene change scene change scene change
Raven opened her eyes as she felt the wave of emotions that was her boyfriend exit the elevator onto the roof. She unfolded from the lotus position and floated down to the roof. She lowered her hood as she walked towards him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said as he walked past her to the edge of the roof. He sighed as he looked out over the bay. "Everything."
She walked over to stand by him. "Well, that's not cryptic."
He snorted. "Dick and Kori are going to Tamaran to deal with some kind of crisis. While they're gone, they're going to appoint a temporary leader of the team."
"Damian, I think you're going to be a good leader."
He shook his head. "It's not me. They're going to appoint Jaime."
"Oh, Damian."
"Dick says it's because Jaime's older and has been with the team longer. And it's true. He has." He clenched his fists. "But a Robin has always led the Titans. If Dick's not going to be here, shouldn't the next leader be me?"
Raven wrapped her arms around his arm and placed her head on his shoulder. "I think that Jaime will make a good leader, but I think you will be a good leader, too. I hope you don't take this too hard, Damian. This is just a temporary assignment. One that Jaime will have to give back once Kori and Dick are back."
She leaned back to look into his face, glad to see him looking at her. "I think that when you become a leader, whether it's the Titans or the Justice League or your own team, you'll be amazing. But it will need to be when you are ready because I don't see you giving it up once you start."
He managed to give her a smirk. "You know me so well."
"I'd like to think so."
"Witch," he teased, leaning down to give her a kiss.
She released his arm so she could wrap her arms around his neck and tangle her fingers in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly again him. Her cape flapped around them in the breeze as they deepened their kiss.
"Dude, the roof is a public space!"
Damian and Raven broke apart.
Gar stood with his hands on his hips as he glared at the couple. "Can't you two do that somewhere else? Somewhere more private?"
"It was private until you showed up," Damian pointed out.
"Well, you guys are late for breakfast and Kori sent me to find you," Gar huffed. "So hurry up and get a move on. I don't want to have find you again."
"We're coming, Gar," Raven said.
"TMI!"
"Oh, for Azar's sake!" She threw her hands in the air. "Grow up, Gar!"
The green-skinned boy was laughing as the elevator closed to take him back down to the lower levels.
"I don't think he'll ever grow up," Damian said.
"Yeah, I can't see it either."
"Well, shall we go down for breakfast?" Damian offered her his arm. "Kori was making frozen waffles. It will be interesting to see if she managed to destroy the kitchen or not."
Raven took his arm. "If she has, want to go out for breakfast?"
A rumble shook the Tower.
"Sounds like a plan."
