A Little Birdy Told Me (Bat Family)

A Kitten and Baby Bird

Michelle

I stroked the fat Siamese cat, Fox, who was curled up in my lap. The sleek black cat, Jax, was at my feet on the limo floor. We were waiting outside of Damian's school. There were hoards of students in the same uniform all around the campus. All the faces kind of overwhelmed me so I slumped in the smooth leather seat, even though there were tinted windows. I bit my lip watching Alfred stand outside in the cold waiting for my brother to show up. I looked around, searching for him, wanting to leave the crowded place as soon as possible. I finally spotted him, his dark hair and bright blue eyes accompanied by a frown, he walked quickly out of a building, avoiding any type of contact with the other students. He seemed so cold; the exact opposite of me. 

He got to the car and I saw him greet Alfred with a short nod. The old man opened the door for the boy and he stepped in. He didn't notice me in the front seat but I kept watching him. He took off his messenger bag and threw it on the seat across from him, sighing and slouching in his seat. His eyes closed as he pushed his hair out of his face.

"Hello, Wayne." He greeted, his eyes still closed. Well, I thought  he didn't notice me.

My eyes widened in surprise and confusion. "Uh, hi, Damian." I responded. Alfred got in the car then and we were off into the rush hour traffic. I turned around to face the front, choosing to watch him from the rear-view mirror instead. "Um, how was your day at school?" I asked quietly.

His eyes shot open and met mine in the mirror. "It was very tiring, actually." He said bluntly.

I pursed my lips. "Well maybe you can take a nap when we get home?" I suggested.

"I have homework."He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

"After that?" I tried.

"After that I'll be going out with Father." he sighed.

I dipped my head. "Oh," I said simply. I felt bad for him. no wonder he was always cranky, he never got any sleep. While I was thinking of solutions to his sleeping problem Fox took it upon himself to climb over my shoulder to the back of the limo. I watched him try to crawl in Damian's lap. "Oh, no! He's going to get fur all over your uniform." I said, hoping the boy wouldn't get too mad.

To my surprise Damian lifted the fat cat to his chest and started petting him. "It's perfectly fine." He smiled down at the kitty. "What's his name?" He asks.

"Fox." I answer quietly, earning a chuckle from my brother. "What? I think its a good name." I defended.

He laughed again. "It's a great name, I approve." He spoke lowly like he was telling a joke to himself. It was silent for a while, my eyes flickered from watching him stroke my cat and Alfred driving. 

Damian

It was only natural she had cats, it was expected from the daughter of Catwoman. As I the son of an assassin was expected to deal with death as a normality. We were both Bruce's children so what was our legacy? What did we have in common? Our sense of justice? No, she doesn't seem to want to join our second lives, if she really wanted to she would have shown at least an ounce of interest by now and she hasn't even asked to see the bat cave. We were very different in that aspect, the first day I met Bruce I was trying to prove my worth to him, I wanted to be apart of both of his lives. Maybe our durability, our tolerance for stress. That had to be it. I have school and my other life to worry about; Bruce has a company, countless kids, and a city he has to watch over; Michelle, Her mother is missing, she was kid napped, and she was hit by a car just yesterday, and here she is acting normal. Maybe its not our tolerance for stress as it is our ability to attract it like a magnet. Its not like we ask for it or even want it, but I think we wouldn't be able to function without it. But who knows, maybe we would function better.

I promised my- our father that I would be nicer, treat her like family; whatever that means because I have no real basis for comparison, I don't really know how I would treat family or how I am supposed to be treated by them, not by my father's standards anyway. In the league, who you were related to just identified who would lead and who would not. If you were Al Ghul you were in charge, everyone else was beneath you. My mother never showed me affection unless you count the approving nod after I made my first few kills. Maybe a proud hand on my shoulder every now and again, but no hugs, no 'I love yous'. I stepped foot into a whole other world when I came to live with my father. Not to mention Grayson treated me like real family even after I treated him like dirt.

I would like to have a nice sibling relationship with Michelle, we were blood related after all. She wasn't too bad, I hear people at school complain about their younger siblings, Michelle seemed to have a level of maturity I could respect. Sure there was room for improvement but she's alright for now. I remember myself at her age, probably Wayne manor's worst nightmare, although the nest was practically empty when I got there. Grayson still checked up on Bruce, now he doesn't even bother to call. He told me I could go visit him whenever I wanted but how could I leave when Bruce needed me. He needed more stress. I glanced at my sister, she added to his stress just like I did. Though neither of us meant to, by walking into his life we weighed him down more.

I debate with myself regularly on weather I should convince my father to pass down the cape to Grayson, I know it would be no use, no one would ever talk me into retiring either. And I know my oldest brother was fine as Nightwing. I look at my sister and wonder why she doesn't want in on the other side of our lives. Even if we would deny it, and she knew this, it seems whoever Bruce let's in on his little secret wants to help out in some way, so why is she different? Doesn't she want to help find her mother? Doesn't she want to make the people who wronged her pay? I know I would.

We finally get home and I sigh in content when I see the manor. Alfred gets out to open the door for Michelle but she's already opening it herself, I do the same on the back door. We step out into the winter air and I find she has another cat, a skinny blue eyed, black one.

"Damian could you help me bring in some of Michelle's belongings?" Pennyworth asks me. I nod, there's nothing better to do. I hand my sister back the cat I was holding, who seemed reluctant to go, and went to the trunk of the limousine with Alfred. He handed me a purple suitcase and a blue bag, they weren't so heavy. "These will go to her room." He pulled one more bag out then started to close the trunk.

"This is it?" I ask and and the old man nods. I catch up to Michelle who was walking in the door and we make our way up the stairs to her room. She holds the door open for me and I walk past her to set her things on the chair closest to the door.

"Thank you." She says and smiles at me.

For some reason my face gets hot, I don't let this faze me. "Of course." I said politely. "If you need anything I'll be in my room, down the hall the last door on the right."

I leave her and follow my own directions to get to my room. I open my door and shut it behind me. I stride over to my desk and set my book bag on top of the hardwood. I pull out my homework with a sigh. I struggle to keep my eyes open as I finish math problems. I yawn almost ten times in one minute until I give in. I get up from my desk and go to sprawl out on my bed. I pull out my phone and set an alarm. A.. Twenty minute nap couldn't hurt right? Better make it thirty.