The war cost Damian his brother, and his lover.
☀︎︎
"Damian?" You whispered as the transmission from The Hall of Justice ended.
"Yes?"
You looked down. "I don't feel too good about this."
"Neither do I." Damian turned on his heel, and marched right up to Dick.
The two got into a heated argument, which had everyone staring.
"I'm not risking everything for something already broken!" Damian yelled, clenching his fists.
"You're a Titan, Robin! That's your job!" Dick sighed. "Look, we'll discuss this after the battle. But you need to learn that there are always risks in war."
You watched as Dick exited the room, and you looked down. Slowly, everyone began to filter out, including Raven.
"Damian?" You asked again. He moved to stand next to you. "If something goes wrong, remember, justice, not vengeance."
"You're not implying that I'll lose you, are you?"
"You're the stronger out of the two of us. It's obvious. You were trained to be a living weapon." You looked at your boots. "Justice, not vengeance. Swear to me, Damian."
Damian looked down. "I swear to God, justice, not vengeance."
He was sure God was laughing now, as you pushed him into the water, mouthing "I love you", a heartbroken smile on your face. He hit the water hard, and watched as Paradooms enveloped your body.
You were gone.
••
When Bruce entered the League of Assassins' territory, Damian was already pissed. But he brought Clark Kent, and two strange women.
They introduced themselves as Estella and Rachel, previous Black Birds.
Damian scoffed. "Come. I want you to show you what this war has cost me."
He led the group down a long hallway.
"I, along with Lorrietta, were against your plan from the beginning, Kent." Damian hissed. "But Nightwing convinced me not to voice my many objections. 'There are always risks in war,' he said."
"He's not saying that anymore." Damian came up to a large reinforced door, and opened the small slit.
Inside sat Dick, wrapped in a stray jacket, rocking himself back and forth, muttering indistinctly. If you listened closely, you could hear him saying, 'Could have saved her. Could have saved Lorri, too. Could have saved them all. No! No, no, no. They're all dead.'
Dick whipped around, looking at the door, teeth bared. He had animalistic eyes, and let out a growl.
Batman gasped.
"You used the Lazarus Pit?!"
"I had too." Damian said, looking down. "He's my brother."
"With that logic, you used it on Black Bird too! Where is she?!"
"Bruce," Rachel stepped forward. "Take it easy."
"That's the other thing you cost me, Father." Damian hissed. "My love."
"What?"
Damian turned around again, making his way deeper down the hallway, and stoping at a wall of paintings. Many of them were of Ra's al Ghul, a few of Talia al Ghul, and one or two of him, but I'm the center was a painting of you, laying in the grass.
"I couldn't find her corpse." He whispered. "She saved me, and I couldn't even thank her."
"When I went home to try to salvage tech..." Estella began, running her fingers along the canvas. "Many paintings had been destroyed. I had assumed this one had burnt with the rest."
"Get your hands off it." Damian warned.
Estella stepped forward.
"Damian," she began. "We miss Lorri too. Just as much as you do."
"You could never." Damian hissed, looking down.
"We loved her."
"Did you, now?" He asked, looking up. "You miss my brother, too?"
"Yes." Estella replied. "We loved Dick as well. But there's nothing we can do for him now. We must remember, justice, not vengeance."
Damian chuckled.
"You dare?!" He yelled.
"You think you can survive in this world with those words? Fuck justice! What has it ever done for me?"
"Damian," Batman stepped forward.
"I'll help you." He began. "To avenge Lorri. If you cant understand my terms, then I refuse your offer. To hell with the world if I cant live in it with her."
Batman paused, before nodding.
••
Lois Lane had a semi-decent plan, one that he could get with. And killing the guards in Lex Luthor's laboratory felt really fucking good.
On the actual planet, they were greeted by other corpses Damian remembered going missing, including his previous leader, Starfire. Raven was getting weaker by the moment. They didn't have time for this.
Constantine managed to break Wonder Woman free from whatever had brainwashed her, and Estella stepped forward.
"I'll help you." She smiled to Diana. "This is my battle, as well."
Wonder Woman thanked her, and sent the rest of them off. Estella died nearly instantaneously. Rachel shed a single tear, and Batman didn't change at all.
Some family.
They found Cyborg, which had been fused into a wall, and he quickly began to explain that he was fully emerged into it.
"Now, listen, Black Bird-"
Damian looked up. "Lorri's alive?"
"Alive and well." Your voice cut in as you stepped out of the darkness. "Thanks to Lord Darkseid."
Darkseid levitated beside you, and you smiled.
"I knew Clark and Bruce would return one day, but never thought you would join a lost cause, Robin."
Damian stepped forward.
"I came for vengeance."
"Ah. I see." You tilted your head to the side.
"I came for you, beloved."
"You dare call me that?" You asked, stepping forward. "You isolated me from my friends so I only had you. You manipulated me, lied to me, tricked me, just so you could keep me locked up like a pet, but now, I see that I never loved you in return. I see you were only a burden holding me back."
"Damian," Rachel began. "That's not Lorri."
"And you?" You asked. "You pathetic whelp. Why are you here?"
Rachel looked down.
"I can't fight you, Lorri." She stepped forward. "I love you."
She gasped, and Damian stepped back as something protruded Rachel's neck, before it slipped back out. The corpse fell to the ground, and revealed your now bloody staff.
You looked at the corpse, before saying,
"You said they were all dead."
"They are dead." Darkseid replied. "Because you will kill them."
You looked up.
"Yes, master."
"He's controlling you, Lorri." Batman said.
"He's evil." Damian agreed. "He's a virus. A plague."
"He's means more to me than either of you ever did."
"Damian.." Raven began as Damian unsheathed his sword.
"Come, then." He said. "End your burden once and for all."
"Gladly." You ran forward, attacking Damian.
He managed to dodged your first few swings of the staff, knowing that if he could handle a stabbing, but if he got electrocuted even once, it was game over.
In his haste, you managed to knee Damian in the gut. He grunted, and you grabbed him by the back of his shirt, swinging him into your knee thrice more before throwing him back.
He hit the ground, yet stood, yelling as he charged at you. You narrowly dodged his attacks, before managing to floor him once again by going after his legs.
You sat on top of him, before clicking your staff. A pointed spike popped out one end, and you raised your staff over your head.
"Any last words?" You asked, rather sarcastically.
"Yes." He responded, allowing his hands to drop and his body to relax. "Thank you."
You looked at him with genuine confusion.
"For?"
"For saving me."
☾
You laughed as you flopped down on top of him, and Damian himself couldn't control his laughter. You smiled, and it took him a moment to realize you were watching him intently.
"What?" He asked, the 15 year old shifting under you.
"You should laugh more. It's beautiful."
Damian sighed.
"I only laugh when you're around."
"I know."
You stared dreamily into his eyes.
"I remember you used to never take your suit off. Everyone would scold you."
Damian squirmed under you. "Stop." He whined.
You chuckled.
"Thank you." You whispered.
"For what?" He asked.
You leaned in.
"For saving me."
••
Damian lay in your lap as you sat with Gar and Jaime. You were watching Mamma Mia.
Jaime raised an eyebrow. "Why is she freaking out so much? It's just a wedding."
"I know, right?" Gar agreed.
"Guys, weddings are huge milestones in relationships." Damian shifted, eyes shut as he slept peacefully. You rubbed his head as you continued.
"She wants it to be perfect. This is the guy of her dreams we're taking about!"
Gar shrugged.
"Still don't get it."
You scoffed.
"You will when you find the right girl."
Jaime raised an eyebrow.
"Hold on, are you implying that you wanna get married?"
"Yes!" You laughed. "Though, I wouldn't want a big wedding. Something small. Maybe only close friends and family. And a small service. Then get straight to the honey moon, which would probably be at our house."
"You've got this whole thing planned out, huh?" Gar asked.
"Yep. Even have my dream dress sketched out."
"What is it?" Jaime asked.
"It's just a sundress. Nothing fancy."
"Hm.." Gar replied, before yawning. "Well, Imma hit the hay."
"Me, too." The boys both stood, before walking off.
"Stop! Let's just... see the world!"
You smiled at the Tv, before looking down the Damian. He was looking up at you.
"I want to marry you, Damian." You said, partially not thinking.
He smiled.
"Thank you." He replied.
"For what?"
"For saving me."
He rolled over on his side, and drifted back into sleep.
••
"WOOO!" You screamed.
Damian watched as you, Gar, and Dick all were floating on a poorly constructed boat out in the bay. Raven relaxed happily in her bikini on the beach, and Kori watched with them both, taking pictures. Jaime was grilling hot dogs.
You saw a fish, and screamed, climbing Dick like a ladder.
"SHARK!" You yelled while Dick tried to steady himself. "ABANDON SHIP!"
"Aye aye, captain!" Gar saluted you, before stepping directly into the water, and morphing into an actual shark. You screamed again.
"Jesus." Damian muttered, before grappling to the bridge.
On his way over, he grabbed you and pulled you off Grayson. You both landed on the road, and looked back to see Kori carrying Dick as she slowly flew to shore. Your boat was sinking.
You turned to Damian.
"Thank you."
"For?"
"For saving me."
☽
"And I'm not talking about when you saved me from the Paradooms. I-"
"Don't make this overly emotional."
Damian watched in shock as you whipped around and threw your staff at Darkseid, stabbing him directly in the eye.
You leaned down and kissed him.
When you pulled away, you smiled.
"I've missed you."
Darkseid pulled your staff from his eye.
"You disappoint me."
He began to fire his laser vision, and you braced yourself, wrapping your arms around Damian.
"No!" Batman yelled, jumping in front of you two.
He yelled in pain as his suit caught fire. His flesh burnt.
"Bruce!"
"Father!"
You crouched over him.
"Hang on, Bruce." You said. "We'll get you out of here."
Bruce coughed, and shook his head, before turning to Damian.
"Son," he began. "I know I wasn't the ideal father. But you stayed with me anyways. You were the best son I could ever ask for."
"Dad.." Damian whimpered.
"Remember, Damian. Justice, not vengeance."
And like that, he was gone.
You swung your head up to the ceiling, letting out a bloodcurdling scream as Damian let a single tear trickle down his face.
••
You sat on the beach, watching the waves. Damian joined you.
"He used my grief." You began. "He told me all of you were dead. He programmed me like I was a machine, and used me to kill thousands of innocent people. The humans, the lanterns, the martians, all of them."
Damian looked down.
"I know the feeling." He responded.
You pulled your knees to your chest.
"I killed them." You whimpered. "I killed Estella and Rachel and Bruce-"
"You didn't kill them." Damian said, looking up. "Estella chose to die with Diana, and Father...
He sacrificed himself so we could be together."
You buried your head into your knees, sobbing silently. Damian held back no longer, wrapping his arm around you, and pulling you in.
"I thought you were dead." He whispered. "I... I couldn't live without you."
You looked up to him, just in time to see the Flash run past you. You both knew what he was doing.
"Maybe it'll be better next time." You said, wiping your eyes.
Damian turned to you, and you bumped your nose against his.
"I love you, Damian al Ghul Wayne."
"I love you, too."
Maybe next time would be different.