Chapter Text
Damian found that… being a teenager is his toughest challenge in life so far.
School is not hard and his grades are extremely good, socially though. He doesn’t care more than his family does and Jon too.
It also doesn’t help that he does not seem to care to even try.
Damian didn’t really have friends and he’s hard to get along with, it’s one of those where the personality in itself is what’s hard to get along with.
But there is one man…
Daniel Nightingale.
Randomly shows up one day, acting like he was always there. No ID, no face recognition. Believe him he and Drake both tried.
The only person who managed to get along with him without trying. The first time they met was amazing truly…
Damian thinks Danny is a weird guy, yeah weird! It’s pretty obvious he was a meta but it was unfortunate to get such sharp teeth and the affinity for the cold.
Or at least they assumed he was a cyro based meta.
But he was, protective. Of anyone but himself it was a bit endearing and after taking that hit for Drake even though Drake would have been able to tolerate the damage better. Damian doesn’t know if he respects Danny for it or thinks he’s stupid.
Damian was also able to see the green covering Tim but barely any red. He concludes it’s the young man’s blood so he’s not meta? Just not human? Is he an alien able to change forms? Shall they ask their resident Martian?
when they got back to the cave they did try to check the green blood to no avail it already dried up and impossible to even take off the armor of Drakes suit.
Damian doesn’t really see the need in inspecting anything, they knew he was a meta before. If he’s an alien now, does it make a difference? Danny is Danny.
And he saved his Brother.
.
“Wow birdie, this is pretty high up” the window next to the young teen opens up.
Robin looks at the man before him, resting his head on his palm. Arm resting on the windowsill.
He looks young so probably 18 at best… skinny and unhealthy looking.
“It isn’t” Robin replies looking down on the height. They are only 3 floors high.
The man looks at him for a second then talks.
“You are Robin correct? Wait here a sec” the man leaves, Robin prepares to leave he’d rather not spend anymore time with a civilian than he already did.
But the man shows up again quickly.
A cup in his hands smelling heavenly.
“We run a cafe downstairs and uh I wanted to thank you for all you do for us… I also didn’t get to see Hood for a bit and I thought ya know!” The man blushes as he hands the teen the hot chocolate.
Robin for now and for the man’s benefit will ignore the Red hood comment and reaction.
Robin takes it but only holds it for now.
Downstairs is the Cafe run by Matilda right? Since when did she take a new worker in? Come to think of it this is her apartment!
Now what does he have to do with Todd?- oh… oh! He forgot this was his territory, he really should get a move on.
He takes a sip of the hot chocolate, eyes widening behind the domino mask.
“It’s good right! The owner brings in the best hot chocolate Europe has to offer, we make it-“ the man explains and Robin stops him.
“That is useless for me to know” he gives the man the cup half full. “I shall take my leave then, barista”.
Back then Damian didn’t know he will see the man again but this time in his school uniform being dragged by his “friends” into the cafe. They went out of their way to go to a niche small cafe so far away from the school and of course Damian doesn’t have the same history with the owner as his father did.
He already knows the stuff here is good, if the drink the young barista gave him the other night was anything to go by.
When he entered and grimacing at how loud his classmates were. They were greeted by the young man.
“Welcome! What can I get you all on this fine day” that sounded very practiced… so he’s new?
The barista smiled awkwardly but the female classmate next to him squealed and came up to the front ordering almost half of the desserts.
“Oh my god! Hi I’m Camilia Wright and I have Two older sisters you might-“ she gets shoved aside by Jackson one of their older classmates.
“Holy crap Camilia you cannot give up on finding a husband for your sisters for one day? Let it go already!” He says his order and drags her to a table in the back of the cafe.
The young barista grins awkwardly again fully showing his sharp teeth at Damian and the last classmate who appears to be a shy boy, he silently gives his order in a silent voice under the name of Gabe and goes to sit with the rest.
Damian looks at the older who gives him a knowing look, like he knows a secret.
“Didn’t expect my first few weeks to be so exciting, what can I get ya?”
Damian looks at the name tag… ‘Danny’ so that’s the kind man’s name?
“A hot chocolate and a vegetarian muffin” Damian says forwardly.
“Oh! That’s… alright. We might not have the vegetarian stuff ready yet” Danny rubs the back of his neck but the second he says that Matilda shows up.
“Oh no they are in the oven, why isn’t it Dami?!” She smiles at the teen “how’s your father?”
That led to a long conversation which caused his classmates to call him over saying he’s taking too long.
They waited till their orders were called and then Camilia ate everything so fast and they laughed at her ‘what? Stop laughing it’s so good!!!’.
Damian sips on his drink and keeps sure to keep track on what Danny does, he wasn’t necessarily nice to him so far but the man always wears a smile. A smile that looks like it’s hiding immanence amounts of pain… he would know. Living the life Damian did.
The door opens.
“Welcome-“ Danny tries but Damian recognizes the man that just entered, looks like a goon. He pulls his phone out.
“How many times do I have to repeat this?!” Danny rises his voice, the whole cafe became silent save for the light lofi playing in the background.
He reveals his teeth that seemed longer now with his anger and his beautiful blue eyes have a tint of green to them.
Damian’s heart stopped, was this related to the pit?
The goon at least had the shame to cower a bit.
“I have my orders Mr Nightingale…” he tried.
“I’d assume you are not stupid enough to try and pull out a gun on me and my costumers again aren’t you?”
Damian and Jackson try to calm down Camilia who started to cry, the energy in the cafe completely changed now.
“Mr nightingale…”
“No!!! Get out!!! I don’t need to listen to you and your stupid boss! If he wants he can come here himself and I’ll kick his ass again!” Danny rises his hand and Damian only now notices that he had a gun this whole time. “Leave!” Damian can swear he heard that order deep in his stomach, the goon sighs and leaves.
Nice. Now what?
Danny sits down on the sit at the front and apologizes to the costumers who smile at him, it happens they say.
But how many times was Danny bothered by penguin’s men for him to be this angry? Also he beat him up?! He may be tall but he’s so…scrawny? Damian respects him for that if that’s the truth. He makes sure Camilia is fine and after calling her parents to pick her up he goes to check on Danny.
Who’s now being comforted by Matilda.
“My boy, it happens. It’s normal for us gothamites…” she tries while rubbing his back.
“I know… but that fat pig is getting on my nerves! Can he stop causing scenes in here if it’s me he’s looking for?!” Danny’s eyes are still green and Damian finds that he wants to get the sky blues back. He misses the happy man.
Danny, what mess did you get yourself into?
He made it up to the man.
“Daniel…” Danny stares at him.
“Oh Damian I’m sorry you had to see that!” The man stands up but Damian pushes him down back to the chair.
“Can you get him a glass of water Ma’am?” He asks Matilda who nods and leaves.
He stands infront of the man who is still taller even sitting down.
“What you did now…-“ the boy starts and gets stopped by the man “yeah I know! I’m sorry-“
“stop! What you did was protect yourself and your people! We all here” Damian points at the costumers “we all are thankful you saved us even if that goon didn’t mean us harm, he meant harm to you! And that’s more than enough reason!” Damian explains.
Ya know what? Screw it, Damian respects him for not hesitating to protect himself and those dear to him.
After that faithful event, Damian found that he actually really enjoyed being in Danny’s company. His ability to calm everyone around him down but the opposite to it is also true.
He at first thought that maybe Danny’s meta abilities had to do with emotional control but then Damian found just how freaking cold Danny is.
It activated this need in him, he never felt this with his brothers not even Richard. He wanted to make sure the man was happy and warm. He always wants to be close to him and he enjoyed that Danny is capable of sitting in silence or just listening to the people around him without the need to participate vocally.
When Danny felt comfortable enough to his story with Damian it’s exactly why Damian wasn’t surprised to see Danny on that rooftop, maybe the man finally had enough?
They are also currently sitting at the back tables together with Danny helping him with his homework. Whenever he asked Danny didn’t say no and Damian knows he doesn’t need the help he just likes being with Danny.
He never experienced this before and he doesn’t care that his family awws at him whenever he says he’s going to see Danny.
Even at night he’d actively reach out for the man. There’s just something about him he cannot explain, was his powers really not emotion related?
Also Danny is one badass dude, he found that out pretty quickly that before the bats protection on top of Jason and his own men protecting Danny and Matilda, the cafe was frequently visited by goons mostly wanting to take Danny.
The story goes. Danny apparently showed up at the same time Matilda would be bothered by penguin, she did not open nights since her late husband’s death so he started to show up again when the person working is unfortunately Danny. Unfortunately for penguin that is…
Danny did not take the threats lightly and quite literally shot at him no hesitation, he sees why Todd is so obsessed now.
From there Danny says that the “fat pig” as he calls him showed up twice more. He dared to show his face again and that time point a gun at Matilda, Danny lost it and ended up kicking penguins ass. Which is why he never shows up himself anymore and sends his men who are also extremely scared of the young man.
Like Damian said, very badass! Excuse his language there’s some lack of words to describe Danny Nightingale.
Obviously when the bats found out they offered more protection which Danny didn’t say no to and he’s more than capable of protecting himself.
.
Two years later and Damian still really enjoys the man’s company more than anything.
He’d still very actively look for the man even at night as Robin. He has the feeling Danny knows who they are but Damian does not comment on his thoughts ever.
He’s an observer so of course he picked up on how Danny treats their nightly selves as he does their daily.
Damian did assume it was just a Danny thing at the beginning but it’s so obvious now, with the blood, the ability to manipulate or control emotions and just how physically strong he is for such a skinny guy maybe he is just able to see through masks as well?
Danny doesn’t say anything though, Damian appreciates that either way. Appreciates the calm and that Damian being one of the bats doesn’t change the friendship they have though Dami wouldn’t be caught admitting it’s a friendship.
That’s how they spend the 2 years Danny has been living here, like found family.
And the family? They like that Dami gets to have that one person who shows Damian that the world ain’t that black or white and that emotions are ok!
‘It’s completely normal to be yourself’ is what Danny will always say when Damian asks for advice and he payed back by listening to Damian’s advice too.
Damian is proud… yeah proud! Of his what? Older brother? Is that how he sees his sisters and brother’s paramour? Well if they end up together he will be by paper. Damian just stares at the full moon as he thinks.
He does that sometimes.
“Yo! Birdie!”
Damian turns around to see exactly the man he’s thinking about.
He gets up from his spot to go to the man, he first makes sure he was ok because that was a nasty hit he took to the back but Danny didn’t seem too in pain not bothered. Barbara did let them know of Danny’s regen ability but that doesn’t mean they weren’t worried as hell.
“Nightingale… what are you doing here?” Robin asks.
“Nothing much? I live here ya know. Just taking a breather”
Robin stays silent for a bit then it hits him.
Oh! He’s been sitting on Danny’s building rooftop.
“Hn…” he replies.
Danny stares at him but then smiles “sit with me?” He asks.
Robin doesn’t reply but goes back to the edge of the roof as Danny does too, they continued as they usually do a long deep conversation and words of affirmation.
Yes Damian likes Danny because he is a simple man that knows his worth and won’t let anyone tell him who and what he is.
Damian won’t admit that he has much to learn from the young man.
He likes him though