" Shit, Damian!" I screamed, " At least knock!" I had just woken up from a nightmare and was trying to compose myself. It was another dream with the Joker and the boys. It was horrible, they were being beaten and they were scared and hurting. Damian was beaten so bad, he looked nothing like the boy that was in front of me now.
" You need to work on your senses." Damian leaned on the wall.
" I saw you the first time." I offered.
He looked around my apartment, " This is sad."
I slumped on the mattress, " Hey, I'm working on it. Maybe I'm minimalistic? But why are you even here?"
" I need your first aid kit." He stumbled over to the mattress but tripped. In a flash, I was over there and held him steady.
" Damian?" I almost snarled. I led him over to the mattress and pushed him down. Slipping off his cape and his shirt, I see that his wound opened up and tore more, " Didn't I say I didn't want to stitch anyone up?"
Damian didn't say anything but averted his eyes. I lightly pushed on his shoulders to keep him down. Then walked over to the cabinet to get the kit. "Since you were being a reckless idiot, I have to stitch it up. Since your underage and I'm not a doctor, I don't have any pain medicine. So it's gonna hurt."
" Do you even have alcohol?" Damian asked in his usual bratty tone.
" I'm underage."
" That's not an answer."
I smirked but didn't say anything. I began to prep the needle and then sterilize the wound. I only knew how to do this because camp started teaching a class for quests when you run out of nectar or ambrosia.
" So, where's Bruce. Does he know where you are?" After I warn him, I start stitching him up.
He winced, scrunching his nose, " He got called to deal with the league. He's on a mission."
" Why aren't you there?" I asked, just trying to distract him from the pain.
" It's not safe for me. Tch. It's a stupid reason."
" So how did you open this?" I bit my lip as Damian winces, " I'm sorry."
" Father had sent me home but I found an attempted robbery." Damian explained.
I sighed, knowing that I can get him in trouble since he was helping someone. I half hoped for him to trip on a sidewalk so I could scold him. " The league of assassins, what's that? Jay said something about that."
I listen as Damian explains the league. He would stop every now and then to wince or suck in a breathe. He also explained his mother and Grandfather, Ra's al Ghul. Someone was after the league so his other sent him to live with Bruce. Then decided to stay.
By the time I was done, he had finished his story. I made sure I had stitched it up tight and cleaned it again. I put a bandage on it like I had done earlier then wrapped his whole chest, " Also, just so we're clear, no patrol until this is fully healed up."
" Tch. Jackson, I am-"
" No. no patrol. I will tell Bruce about it. But until then, I'll call you a ride since your not walking." I stood up and pulled out my phone, " Hey, Dick? The little one's over here. He needs a ride home."
" I'm not little, Jackson." Damian growled.
" Just go to sleep." I rolled my eyes, Dami seriously needs to learn how to take a joke, " So can you come pick him up?"
" I'm almost done with my shift. After that it's a forty minute drive, but sure." Dick informed, " I get out in an hour or so."
" Okay, thanks." I smiled and hung up the phone, " So, we never really talked about why you followed me in the fist place."
" I had to make sure you were smart enough to make it home." Damian mumbled.
I sat on the mattress near his head, playing with his hair. He tried to swat me away but I kept going, " Go to sleep, your tired."
" I'm not a child, Jackson." He grumbled, trying to sit up.
I pushed him down, " Yes, you are. And you don't have to act like nothing bothers you. You are ten years old, and I know that you were born and raised to be this tough shell of a boy, but emotions are good. And I know you won't admit to any of this, so just lay here. Cheesecake?"
Damian sighed. He repositioned, putting his head in my lap. " Fine. Only because you stitched me up."
I smiled, playing with his hair, " Thanks, Dami."
Since I couldn't move, I dozed off. Waking up to my phone ringing. I quickly answered it so it wouldn't wake Damian up, but if he was truly raised by the league of assassins, he would have. " Hey."
" Hey, Perc, I'm downstairs." Dick answered.
" Yeah," I was trying to make a fast decision. Wake Dami up a bit earlier or let Dick see my apartment and let him sleep two maybe three minutes longer. Sighing, " Yeah, just come on up. It's the first building, 4C."
" Alright, I'll be up in a minute." Dick sighed a bit, probably seeing that the elevator was out of commission.
" You know, so you don't have to walk all the stairs, I can walk down there." I said.
" No, it's fine. I really don't mind." Dick said, " Anyway, I'll be there in a sec."
" Okay, it's unlocked." I said
" That doesn't sound safe."
" Probably not," Dick and I laughed a bit then Dick hung up.
A couple minutes later, there was knocking on the door then it opened. Dick walked in and looked around. His face was pure shock and a bit sad. Then he found Dami and I sitting on the mattress. Dick pulled out his phone, " Oh, this is gonna be black mail."
" No, he barley did this now!" I laughed, then started to move Damian's head so I could get out from under.
" Alright, I can pick him up and take him." Duck started moving towards him but I stopped him.
" No, it's fine. I need to talk to Bruce anyway." I picked Dami up and walked out the door carefully.
" You sound like your gonna be fired." Dick closed the door with a fearful look on his face.
" You said it yourself, Bruce has to keep me closer now. And plus, I don't care if I go down like it this." I give my honest opinion.
" Shit." Grayson laughs, " You can be scary."
" Thanks." I said, then carefully descended on the stairs. Dick talked to me about his day and what he saw as a police officer.
After getting Dami in the back seat of Dick's car, I buckled him then got in the front seat. " He's adorable."
" Yeah, I think anyone is adorable when they aren't trying to fight you." Dick laughs, " But it's getting kinda sad."
I cocked my head, " Why?"
" I'm not Dami's favorite anymore." He said sadly, putting his arm on the arm rest and leaning his head on his fist.
I laughed, " I'm not his favorite. He just tolerates me, probably knows that he can't stop it."
" No, that's not it. He definitely likes you. He might even be sad when leave for college." Dick spares a glance at me.
" I don't know," I smile sadly, looking out the window, " I hope he likes me."
" Trust me, he does. He wouldn't have fallen asleep if he didn't trust you. And that's the closest thing to love as you can get with Damian."
I smile and continue staring out the window.
When we got to the manor, I got out and got Dami. Dick opened the door and let me in. After I slowly and carefully went up the stairs. Dami looked very peaceful when he was sleeping. The constant scowl was gone and it was kinda scary.
I laid him on the bed after Dick has pulled the covers back. Slipping off his boots and then pulled the covers up. Smiling, I rubbed his head and walked out of the room.
Closing the door, I turn to Dick, " Where's Bruce?"
" Probably in the cave."
" You have a cave?" My mind went black with fear since underground is not where I want to be. I send a quick prayer to Hades and hope the best, " Show me it."
After I went through the clock, I went down the stairs to the main floor. " Bruce!"
" Percy?" Bruce was confused, " How did you-"
" No." I cut him off," Damian is not going on patrol for the next few weeks. And what gives you the right, to make him come home alone when he is ten years old? Why is he even caught up in this? Kids shouldn't have fight for their lives. That's fucked up! He is ten years old and I had to stitch him up! Because you couldn't walk him home from patrol that you are letting him go on!"
Bruce stood there, watching me. He looked slightly scared but didn't show it too much. He was mostly just shocked, " He wants to patrol and be Robin."
" I don't give a shit!" I huff out a laugh, " and I don't give a shit if I get fired! But you need to know, that these are kids. Who don't know how scarring it can be. So tread lightly, Batman." I sneered. I heard pipers start to groan and creak so I took a deep breathe in, " Look, I understand if he thinks he wants to, but you need to make sure that he actually wants. Scars and all."
I huffed and walked out back to the stairs since I hated being underground. Bruce didn't call me back or chase after me. Which I was glad since I probably would have punched him. Then I really would have lost my job.
" You don't look astrous." Dick was leaning on the wall next to the clock.
" Whatever. But I might take you up on that police job, since I just lost this one." I rolled my eyes and tried to calm myself.
" I don't think so. But, since it's almost six, do you want to meet up with a few of my friends? We're supposed to get breakfast." The officer asked.
" Oh, your super hero friends? Why not?" I asked sarcastically, " But I have to be back by eight."
" You'll be with the second fastest man alive, don't fret." Dick draped and arm around me, leading me to his car.
" I would feel better if I had the fastest man alive there."
1785 words
7/4/21
Happy fourth for those Americans. So, I probably won't update for a bit since I'm helping my grandparents and then band so I will update next week or stay up late. Who knows.
Also, any song recommendations? I like anything, but I especially like sad songs or songs like Drops of Jupiter or Hunger strike. I'm going through that phase but I literally love any song that's kinda sad or slow, but I also fast tempo. Just name a song and I'll try it, so...
Pieces Angels and Stay Safe