Welcome to Gotham
I stared at the sign post in a daze, I couldn't help but think, I'm back
There's no turning back now
With a sigh I put my helmet back on and headed for Wayne Manor.
It was dark as it always had been, the sky remained polluted but still light, the city was bustling with noise and ploice sirens with hints of people's wild screams, the usual sounds of Gotham.
I found this both familiar yet strange, giving me a sense of nausea. Truth is, I loved Gotham as it is, although most people would think badly of it in so many ways, I see Gotham as a city of greatness hidden under layers of impurities, like a diamond in the rough, with just a little work, I believe it would be as great as metropolis, but it didn't matter since Bruce Wayne was making that dream a reality.
Damian breathed in the polluted air, the scent of, blood, drugs and alcohol were thick. The city was bustling with noise mainly from police sirens and the screams of terrified citizens.
Damian sighed, he didn't want to admit it but he really did miss Gotham, he would have loved to temporarily stay here when he wasn't active with team work, but his father didn't really make it easier for him. He got like that sometimes and Damian couldn't help but want to run away, he needed a break from it all, and he knew just the place, but first......
Damian Wayne got back on his bike and headed back to the Manor, he had to leave Dick a little gift.
The young bat was hoping to get into the Manor unnoticed, but of course he couldn't escape the sharp gaze of his Butler and his closest friend, Alfred.
Alfred pennyworth had been serving the Wayne family for years, he had been nothing but loyal and skilled, he was practically ancient but if one gave him a slight glance they would note that he didn't look a day over sixty.
"Master Damian, you have returned"
"Good day to you pennyworth"
Alfred looked around, "uh master Damian were are the others, I've prepared some snacks..."
"That's sounds great Alfred, but I have somewhere to be and the others should be arriving soon, so don't worry much about them, goodbye pennyworth"
Damian was upstairs in a flash, and back within seconds
"Master Damian would you perhaps like some.....
"Sorry pennyworth I have to go"
"... cookies-"
Alfred sighed and went back to the kitchen, the young bat was the same as always, Alfred suddenly felt like he was getting old.
Done with his mission, Damian headed out to his secret hideout.
Reaching his destination, he hid his bike behind a family of trees. He walked down to the building. Damian Wayne stood in front of a messed up bar with a bright light sign reading 'Sweet Peaches'
Stepping in, he was greeted by the bar attender who usually served him. Damian nodded in acknowledgement, the bar attender smiled "so what will it be Wayne, the usual or are you finally ready to shake things up a bit", he shakes a glass of red wine suggestively"
Damian raised an eyebrow, and the guy took it as a no "boring as always"
"I don't drink Jayson"
"I know, but don't give up on alcohol just yet, who knows when you'll be running back"
"Never gonna happen"
"Now now Wayne, never say never, I'll lead you to the cloud"
"No need",
"Suite yourself", he slipped away from the introvert boy to go check on his other customers. Glad for the sudden solitude, Damian Wayne made himself to the cloud room through the back.
The place was practically empty, just the way he liked it. He sited two copies found in a heated kiss and decided to ignore it, but the exasperated noise they were making really annoyed him and made him a bit uncomfortable having someone in mind, but even he knew that was never ever going to happen. What they had was gone, the reason nwas all Damian tried to force the into the depth of his mind.
Seeign space at the far end of the corner, Damian left the couple to bask in their company while he surrounded himself with much stuff, there was just so many things he had to think of, to be so lost in his world
Dick and the gang had just arrived seconds before Damian left the Manor. Looking out and seeing no signs of Damian, Dick was elated, secretly glad he had beat the Demon spawn to it.
Alfred came out to greet them with a smile, welcoming Dick with a small but tight hug. Offering to help unload the vehicles, Alfred's kind gesture was denied as everyone carried their own bags so that Alfred wouldn't have the trouble of lifting some heavy load for fear it would break his feeble bones.
Raven with her small duffle bag, greeted the old man with a slight courtesy and polite smile, making Alfred happy with her manners.
They all followed him in and we're all taken to their rooms respectively.
Dick almost screemed when he saw the big red graffiti sign over his bed that read Robin
Shit!?!, He lost, uh main, Damian is never gonna let this go.
When they had all settled down, he didn't force to remind them about upcoming dinner, so they could wash up with due time.
Damian who was enjoying his time by himself almost jumped when he heard a sharp slightly shrill loud voice call him.
"Damian!"
Damian turned wishing he wasn't there at the moment, but before he could make his escape, the girl had cornered him, staring with her sharp gaze, "where do you think you're going to?"