No Nuance November

Expectation and Reality

 Damian had always preferred quiet. He liked solitude and silence.

When he'd first come to Gotham to learn from his father, he knew Batman wasn't known for being chatty. He'd stayed because Grayson would absolutely have drowned if he hadn't stuck around to help.

So when Grayson had picked up the mantle in his Father's absence Batman was no longer a stoic silent creature of the night. He was much more charismatic and emotional. Most of the low levels didn't know the difference but the big guys like Two Face and Joker, they knew. They knew Nightwing had stepped in.

They all were too familiar with Batman.

Damian had adjusted to it. He had to. If he was going to stick around he needed to be reasonable about how much could realistically change for him and what he would need to change for.

He couldn't change Grayson's very nature.

So he got used to a quippy Batman. He always had something to say. Damian would never admit it out loud but he'd grown fond of it. It did take a special skill to always have a comeback ready. It's not as if it can be prepared beforehand.

Then his father came back.

It was everything Damian had ever wanted and nothing like what he'd expected.

He'd grown used to Batman speaking his mind, he couldn't read his father the way Grayson or Drake could. He'd grown used to one liners and quips and smart remarks. He'd grown used to Batman always going high because Grayson always fought above ground instead of on it.

Batman was grounded and unmoveable. He didn't quip, he didn't fight like Grayson. They couldn't be more different. And it made Damian feel weird.

Grayson had stuck around for the adjustment which was nice. It helped them both figure out how to work with each other. Until Grayson decided that he was no longer needed and went back to his own life.

Damian couldn't help but feel like there was something he could've done to convince Grayson to stay. He couldn't decide if he left because Damian was too good or wasn't good enough.

It kept him up at night.

He'd gotten used to Batman being able to read him. Know what he was thinking. How he was feeling. Grayson had developed the habit of cornering him into talking.

His father didn't do that. He worked independently.

It was everything Damian had wanted. A partner who didn't talk endlessly about nonsense and focused on the work.

Why did it feel wrong?

Damian stood at his father's side, hands clasped behind his back, while the Batman worked.

They'd just gotten back from patrol.

He'd told Damian to hit the showers and go to bed. But he hadn't, neither of them had.

"I thought I told you to go to bed?" His Father finally acknowledged that Damian was standing there after about thirty minutes.

"The case is unfinished." Damian explains simply.

"It won't be finished tonight either. You're done for today."

"You're obviously not done. I am useful, I can help."

Father turns to look at him. "I know you're useful but I don't need your help right now. Now go to bed."

Damian jutted his chin out defiantly. "Is that an order?"

"If you want it to be." His father replied, sounding almost helplessly.

Damian turned on his heels and stepped into the changing rooms. It'd been this way since Grayson left. Neither of them really knew how to interact with each other and Damian found it endlessly frustrating.