Damian never understood why people missed someone when they passed away.
Probably it was because of the fact that his family always had the Lazarus Pit, it never was a problem when his mother or grandfather passed away, no matter what, they always came back.
So it wasn't a surprise they he didn't seem to understand why Richard was so sad that day.
It was April fools day, the first day of the month, Damian had heard that people were supposed to make jokes and pranks at each other during the day.
Damian wasn't interested to do such childish things, but he had hope that at least his older brother would love to.
***
He had woke up early, the sun wasn't up yet, but he couldn't sleep, and he was being careful to not fall in any of his brother's pranks.
He stayed at his room for nearly an hour, sketching or practicing with his sword, until it was breakfast, and Pennyworth made him go down stairs.
His father and Drake were already at the table, discussing some Wayne Enterprises matter, but Dick was nowhere to be seen.
Dick had arrived a few days before, apparently he had took some days of from his police work at Bludhaven.
"Master Dick wont be coming to breakfast, I'll be delivering his food at his room if you excuse me."After that the old butler exited the room.
"I was not aware that Grayson was sick."Damian said, thinking that it was probably why his brother didn't pranked someone yet...or maybe he was just waiting for the perfect time to do a huge prank and he wasn't really sick, he just wanted people to think so.
"He isn't sick, it's just that it's a really difficult and painful day for your brother, you should probably leave him alone for a while."His father said.
Of course Damian didn't follow his father's advice.
After breakfast he decided to go upstairs and look for his brother, he wasn't worried, at all, he was just...seeing if it wasn't a charade so he could do a prank, yes, that's it, he wasn't worried, not a bit...
Not at all.
Damian kept walking until he stopped at Dick's room door. He started thinking if he should come back later, or knock the door...or just leave instead of just staring at the door for so long.
Finally he decided to knock the door.
"Grayson, may I come in?"
No answer.
"Richard? Are you in there?"
Again no answer.
"Dick?"
He decided to open the door, maybe he was just being paranoid and Dick wasn't even there, but he was kinda worried.
When he opened the door, the first thing he noted was that the place was dark, the windows were closed, and the lights were off.
Damian was about to leave when he suddenly noted something moving at his brother's bed.
"Grayson? Are you ok?"
There wasn't any answer from the young adult, so Damian decided to come closer.
He could hear a few sobs coming from Dick.
"Richard?? A-Are you crying?"
The 10 years old boy didn't knew what to do, clearly emotions where Dick's thing, not him! What was he supposed to do when the only member of the family that knew something about feelings was the one crying?
"Is...is it okey if I come closer?"
He didn't get an answer, not that he cared, he sat at the end of his brother's bed and looked at him.
Suddenly he looked at his brother, noticing that he was looking at a poster on the wall.
The flying Graysons
Damian glared at the poster, weren't they Grayson's parents—?
"What do you want Damian?"
Damian, not Dami, not Dames, not even Little D, just Damian, something was clearly bothering his brother.
What had father said? A really difficult and painful day-?
Dick must had noticed Damian's expression.
"I'm...I'm sorry, it's just that...I miss them, you know?"
Oh, Damian thought.
Now he remembered, today was April first,
The day that the flying Graysons died.
"I...I didn't knew it was today, sorry, I should probably leave you alone" Damian said, thinking that it was probably the best.
But before Damian got up Dick grabes his hand.
"No, please, it's ok...actually it's better if you stay with me"
Damian didn't said anything, he just stayed at his brother's side, he didn't knew much about emotions or mourning someone's death...the only time he did was when his father 'died', it was a time when he didn't knew him that much, and even him got back...so he never actually had to miss someone.
But if him staying made Richard somehow happier he would do so.
***
He stayed with him for hours, they both ate at Dick's room, they slept and watched some movies that Dick used to watch with his parents.
After a while Dick asked Damian to follow him to the graveyard to go at his parent's graves.
Damian watched how Dick 'talked' to his parents in Romani, his mother language.
He talked about his police work, Nightwing stuff, some fun anecdotes with friends and family, mission and pretty much everything that happened since the last time he visited them.
The former Robin placed some flowers at their graves, and then looked at Damian and told him to come over at his side.
He started talking in English, "Mom, Dad, this is Damian, my little brother, Bruce's son, do you remember how I mentioned him last time I came here?"
Damian looked genuinely surprised, "Did you talked them about me?"
"Of course I did! I talked about everything we do together, the time I got you some ice cream, or your beautiful sketches you love to draw"
"But why? Why spend so much time talking to someone who already passed away? How do you know they can hear you?"
Dick stayed quiet for a second before answering.
"Because, little D, they never are truly gone, a part of them stays here, with us, watching us and taking care of us"
Damian never forgot that.
***
It had been a long time since that day, when he and Damian stood at his parents day, a lot had happened since.
Damian and Dick both grew up,
Damian stopped killing, making an effort to honor his father's principles.
And eventually...
Damian died.
Killed by his own clone, his brother, by his mother's orders.
He died after protecting Dick.
And Dick missed him so much even since.
He didn't got to say goodbye, he woke up and then he realized...
His little brother was gone, murdered, while Bruce cried with his little body in his arms.
Dick couldn't stand being at his grave.
It was too much, so painful, he had lost another person he cared about and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Hey little D...I...I know I haven't come too much here...it's just so hard...I..."
Dick didn't think he could finish a sentence without starting crying, but still, he continued.
"I wasn't the brother I was supposed to be, I wasn't there...I wasn't there to protect you..."
Tears started going down his face.
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry...but I just wanted to say, that I love you, I really did...and I really do..."
The young adult stayed at his little brother's grave for hours, talking to him, even when he knew that Damian couldn't answer back, but it felt right, it felt right to talk to him, just as he did that day with his parents.
"I miss you Dames..." that was the last thing he said before standing up and going back to the manor.
Little did he knew, that there was a little ghost, that had heard everything he said.
"Tt, I guess you were right Grayson"
"I guess we never really leave after all"