Chapter Text
Damian had arrived at his Father's manor when he was twelve. He had presented months later, merely weeks after his thirteenth birthday. His fever had lasted four days, confining him to a shakily made nest on his bed and in the company of only his Father and Pennyworth. Both men would appear in his room at various times throughout the day, rattling on about the importance of Damian staying hydrated and fed while they wiped him down with wet clothes and swapped out the scented clothing the pack had gifted him.
However, Damian couldn't bring himself to dwell on how much food or water he had consumed. The only thing on his mind was the mounting anger and dread that was seated heavily in his chest.
Because Damian knew. Knew the second he felt a heat forming in his abdomen that it was over. Every single plan he had created in his head for his future, every aspiration, had just become void.
Even when he was still with his mother, Damian was well aware of where Omegas sat in society. While they were protected by law like every other citizen, that was where their freedoms often ended. Few held positions of authority. Fewer still traveled alone. Most spent their lives moving from the care of their fathers to the care of their Alphas.
Damian would be lucky if he were even permitted to continue his education. That, at least, was becoming more common. But horseback riding? Wandering the grounds alone? Leaving the manor without his Father or another escort?
He knew better than to expect those things to remain.
So Damian stopped listening to his Father.
He stopped listening to Pennyworth.
He instead curled deeper into the nest they had built around him and decided that if the rest of his life had already been decided for him, he could at least get a head start on mourning it.
In the end, not all of Damian's fears came to pass.
A week after his presentation, his Father sat him down to inform Damian that he would continue his education, and Damian had been unable to keep the smile off his face. And while his smile had faded just a tad when it was explained that he would require an escort should he want to go riding or on a walk around the grounds, Damian couldn't find it within himself to argue back, too frightened that even this small kindness would be taken back.
Damian continued his studies in languages and the arts, followed around whichever older sibling he could convince to accompany him outside, and had accumulated a collection of pets that trailed after him through the manor and curled up in his nest during the winter.
But he was always reminded that there were still rules. His Father, while far more lenient than most other Omega parents would consider in good taste, had always made sure Damian was aware that there were certain things that would never be left to Damian's discretion.
Marriage was always one of them.
When Alfred had knocked on his door one afternoon, only a week after his eighteenth birthday, to tell Damian he was wanted in his Father's study, Damian already knew. As he made his way to his Father's study, Damian could only hope and pray he could beat down the trepidation flowing through his veins, soaking into the rest of his flesh.
Damian, no matter what society seemed to think of Omegas, was not stupid. It wasn't lost on him that every "friend" his Father or siblings encouraged him to make was just them sizing up a potential match, hoping that someone would latch onto Damian and vice versa.
Yet none of those carefully orchestrated friendships had ever become anything more.
Damian had always suspected his Father found that disappointing.
Apparently, it had simply meant his Father needed a different approach to the issue.
Without Damian's knowledge, his Father had been hammering out the details of a marriage between Damian and Roman Sionis's son, Sebastian, since he was seventeen. The entire marriage would be built on the basis of a business partnership between the two families being formed.
Damian tuned out the dread filling his stomach as it twisted itself into knots so tight that it made him nauseous, ensuring his even expression stayed on his face.
Damian instead simply took a seat in front of his Father's desk, hands folded neatly in his lap, while his Father explained the arrangement as casually as the weather.
The Sionis family was established within Gotham; their steel industry was leading efforts in the state, and a partnership between the Wayne and Sionis families would be beneficial to both parties involved.
It was a bit odd to describe Damian's marriage as beneficial to the family business.
But Damian shoved that thought away and nodded as was expected. Asked the appropriate questions, such as how long this had been planned, when Damian and Sebastian would meet, and what the timeline would look like.
His Father had answered each question calmly and certainly. He told Damian about how he had spoken to Roman Sionis, and after finding out his son had returned to the States, proposed the arrangement. That within a week's time, Sebastian would arrive at the manor for a few hours so the pair could acquaint themselves, and by the end of the year, the pair would be married and move to a manor in Northern Jersey, close to one of the Sionis Industries warehouses.
He hadn't asked Damian if he had wished to be married, but Damian hadn't expected him to. Ever since he had presented those five years ago, Damian had been acutely aware that the day would come when this choice would no longer belong to him.
(It never had belonged to him. But by the gods did Damian wish it had.)
When the conversation was over, his Father had stood up, a soft smile on his face, and rested his hand on Damian's shoulder, gently guiding him towards the door.
"You will be well cared for. I promise."
Damian believed him.
No matter how much Damian wished that this choice, this inevitable choice, really, would have come later, he couldn't help but trust his Father.
His Father wasn't cruel. He'd allowed Damian to continue his studies, encouraged his art, allowed him to ride his horses no matter how improper society deemed it, and never minded when another animal appeared within the manor. Damian's Father had been tolerant with Damian, allowed more freedoms than other Omegas could dream of being given.
And because of that kindness, Damian couldn't find it within himself to resent his Father, especially not when Damian was well aware that this was an unavoidable part of his life.
So Damian thanked his Father, leaning into the swift side hug he was pulled into and then exited the study.
And somewhere in the polished hallways of Wayne Manor, between the walk from the study to Damian's bedroom, Damian paused. Slowly, Damian let out a breath, allowing himself a quick, quiet moment to mourn.
To remind himself that he had known this would happen. To think back to the years he had spent making peace with this very notion. He was an Omega, one of good breeding and backed by the generational wealth brought on by his surname. There was never a chance he wouldn't be found a mature, stable Alpha and wed to them as quickly as possible following his eighteenth birthday.
And as quickly as he stopped, Damian returned to his room, shutting the door quietly behind him and spinning on his heel to settle on the bed beside Alfred, who was fast asleep in a ball upon Damian's pillow.
Damian soon found himself lying down beside Alfred, one hand buried into her soft fur and his other carefully stroking up and down her chin, smiling when she began to purr into the quiet space around them.
In a few months, if everything went according to plan, Damian would no longer be in this room. He'd be across the state, away from his brothers, sister, and Father.
The trinkets he'd collected after his arrival would no longer belong to him, perhaps even left behind if his future Alpha wished so.
His books and paints.
The wooden box engraved with flowers and other foliage that Duke had bought for him years ago that now held his jewelry.
His horses in the stable and the cow he'd claimed that grazed in the fields.
Nothing Damian had so tentatively owned during his time in the States would be his anymore.
It never had.
Instead, everything would be passed into his fiancée's ownership the second the marriage was officiated.
Damian shut his eyes, sucking in a breath and then tucking his face against Alfred's fur, letting her rumbling purrs wash over him.
And quietly, Damian reminded himself once more that he had made peace with this fact long ago.
The first meeting with Sebastian went… fine.
Damian had spent the better part of the morning preparing for it, allowing Pennyworth to pull tightly tailored clothes onto his body and brush through his hair. He wasn't eager to meet Sebastian, though that hardly mattered.
Even the night before, sleep had been difficult to find. Every time Damian shut his eyes, he found himself wondering what sort of man would walk through the front doors of Wayne Manor and, by the end of the year, own nearly every aspect of Damian's life.
It wasn't lost on him the importance of this meeting, that no matter his own feelings on the matter, Damian needed to make a good impression. While Damian wasn't allowed to partake in talks about business, always dismissed to another room with Pennyworth at his side, he had overheard his fair share. A partnership between their families would be good, even better if Father was able to convince one of Damian's brothers to marry the Queen Family's Omega and create a three-way tie between the Wayne, Sionis, and Queen Families.
And Damian refused to disappoint his Father.
Not when his Father had allowed Damian to keep so much of himself after his presentation.
Far too quickly, Damian found himself scratching at his too-tight collar before dropping his hand at his Father's look while standing outside. A minute later, the sound of horses and a carriage could be heard from the drive, followed moments later by the horses coming into view and completing the last of the journey before coming to a stop in front of them.
The driver jumped down to pull open the door, and out stepped Roman Sionis, followed immediately by Sebastian Sionis.
He was handsome enough and broad-shouldered, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that looked as though it had never seen a wrinkle. He looked remarkably like his father. The same dark hair. The same dark eyes. The same sort of confidence that came from getting everything from a young age and the thought of being denied something seemingly impossible.
He walked to Roman's side, immediately reaching out to shake hands with Damian's Father and brothers before stopping in front of Damian himself, carefully taking Damian's hand in his to bring it up to his face, pressing a quick kiss to his knuckles and then releasing his hand.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Damian dipped his head.
"As it is to meet you."
Quickly, Damian found himself being led back into the manor and guided onto a sofa, Sebastian's hand on the small of his back the entire walk.
Everyone else had made themselves comfortable across the hall in the dining room, most definitely discussing whatever details of the engagement still needed clarity.
Once Sebastian had settled at his side, the shallow conversation Damian had been silently dreading began.
"I had been in England up until only a few months ago," Sebastian started, leaning back against the couch, "Father wanted me to see the world, to learn about it, before having me oversee a bigger part of the business. I cannot say I miss the weather."
Damian nodded.
"I have heard it is rather dreary."
Sebastian grinned.
"It is. But the hunting is excellent. Lots of foxes, beautiful pelts."
Damian folded his hands in his lap, leaning back just a bit before Pennyworth entered the room, tray in hand.
Sebastian continued.
"The lords all have enormous estates with miles and miles of woodlands to hunt in. I spent nearly every weekend on horseback or running alongside the dogs they used."
Damian straightened, a tiny smile spreading on his face.
"I also ride—"
"I've always thought an Alpha should know how to properly handle a horse," Sebastian continued, reaching forward to take a cup of tea, offering a quick nod to Pennyworth without breaking his flow of speech. "Far too many young Alphas allow the servants to do all the work. It breeds laziness. A servant taking over chores for a day, I suppose, is alright, but any more than that…"
Sebastian clicked his tongue, shaking his head twice.
Damian remained quiet.
"While abroad, I had a stallion. Beautiful thing, a pretty bay color, but entirely too stubborn." Sebastian laughed softly, "Father wanted me to sell him before I returned. I refused."
Damian curled his fingers around his own cup of tea, giving a short nod. That much, at least, Damian could understand.
"It is quite easy to grow attached to them," Damian said quietly.
"Yes," Sebastian agreed, "Though one cannot let that sentiment interfere with practicality. I had no way to transport him, so I decided to follow my Father's wishes."
Damian only nodded in response.
"I suppose the new estate will require new horses once we've settled. Father mentioned the stables being underused for years. I plan to remedy that."
Damian looked up, eyes meeting Sebastian's. Sebastian only smiled back politely. "I enjoy riding. You'll probably enjoy watching."
Damian blinked.
"I enjoy riding as well."
Sebastian hummed, taking a sip of his tea before setting it on a coaster placed upon the side table.
"I'm sure you do. Most Omegas seem to. My mother always enjoyed watching me and my brothers while we were in the pastures."
Damian frowned.
"No, I mean I actually—"
"The country roads are lovely," Sebastian said over him, not even blinking. "Mother said they would be perfect for carriage rides."
Damian closed his mouth.
"Perhaps we can find time, if you enjoy them so."
Damian looked down at the tea in his hands, mouth in a tight line.
"…Perhaps."
The conversation continued on much the same. Sebastian continued his stories of England, detailing various hunting trips as well as his subsequent journey home. Damian nodded along, smiling and humming when expected.
By the time Damian's Father was returning to the sitting room to collect them, Sebastian had been talking for nearly two hours. Sebastian was the first to stand, holding his hand out for Damian to take, carefully pulling him to his feet and then stepping off to take his place at his father's side.
Damian followed behind the group, stepping in line with the rest of the family as they saw the two Sionis men off. Before climbing back into the carriage, both of them shook hands with the rest of the family. Only Sebastian paused in front of Damian, once again taking Damian's hand in his to kiss his knuckles.
"It was a pleasure meeting you today. I look forward to the next time."
Damian gave him a soft smile.
"As do I."
With that, Sebastian turned on his heel and followed his father into the carriage. After a minute, the carriage was disappearing down the drive, and Damian was returning to the manor, quickly excusing himself to his bedroom.
After closing the door behind him, Damian began to peel away the layers he had on, smiling as Alfred the Cat weaved between his legs.
Once Damian had pulled on more comfortable clothes, he took a seat on his bed, patting his lap for Alfred to jump up and join him. Damian leaned back, stretching his legs out until he was carefully tucking them underneath Titus's sleeping form.
The room was quiet other than the soft breaths of the three bodies inside.
Damian rubbed his foot along Titus's stomach and a hand along Alfred's back.
The meeting had gone well.
His Father had looked pleased when the Sionis carriage had left. Sebastian had been polite and well-spoken. He was handsome, intelligent, and traveled to various countries before returning home to help oversee one of the largest companies in the country.
He would make a fine husband.
While Damian had spent most of the afternoon listening, perhaps that had been for the best. Sebastian had seemed comfortable speaking, a natural conversationalist. Damian had never been particularly good at small talk.
His Father had chosen well. Damian had been treated courteously throughout the entire meeting. To dwell on anything felt childish.
Damian continued stroking Alfred's fur, smiling when she pushed her head against his hand, demanding more attention.
Sebastian had been kind. That was plenty. Damian would make peace with the rest.
Quickly, a tentative schedule had been formed. Sebastian was over at Wayne Manor almost every week. Roman Sionis tagged along each time, but Damian had yet to speak to him, as the second the Sionis Family Head stepped on Wayne Manor's grounds, he was sequestering himself away alongside Damian's Father while Sebastian led Damian elsewhere.
Today, that somewhere else happened to be the gardens.
Pennyworth had been the one tending to the gardens for over a decade. Carefully placed stone walkways wound through the trimmed hedges and various potted plants. Planted along the west side of the manor were Martha Wayne's meticulously kept roses.
Damian quite liked the gardens, always had since his arrival. While not a frequent pastime of his, he did find himself beside Pennyworth at times, helping to choose out the next flowers to be planted along the main walkway.
Damian had also painted many landscapes in the garden, frequently while sitting on a bench that was tucked under one of the English Oaks.
But as he walked alongside Sebastian, arms loosely linked, Damian couldn't muster up the same affection he typically felt when watching the birds poke around at the scattered birdseed.
"I attended a dinner a few months ago. I believe nearly every one of Gotham's elite was there."
Damian hummed. "It must have been crowded."
"Quite so," Sebastian said, arm falling from Damian's to instead rest on his back, guiding Damian through a narrowing in the stone path, "It was rather tedious. The Cobblepots spent nearly the entire dinner pretending they were not one bad investment away from selling newspapers on the street."
Damian looked down at his shoes, a small frown on his face.
It had been instilled in Damian by his Father that, while there wasn't much to be done about thinking cruel things about the other families, speaking those opinions out loud was forbidden. Reputations took decades, if not longer, to build. A single careless word traveling further than intended could be a detriment to both the one speaking and the one being spoken of.
Sebastian continued on, hand again plastered against Damian's back.
"It's become embarrassing to be associated with them. I'm sure that by now, they are only invited to functions out of obligation. They've survived only off their legacy as one of the First Five Families, I'm afraid."
Damian offered a small hum.
"They still hold influence over the shipping industry; there is no denying that," Sebastian said, "But they also hold debt. I wonder how long that influence will actually persist when they owe over half of Gotham money."
Damian just smiled politely, shifting slightly in discomfort when Sebastian's hand drifted from the center of his back to his waist.
"You said there was a table out here, correct?" Sebastian asked, looking down at Damian.
Damian nodded. "A bench. But yes. It is under that tree," Damian pointed at the old English Oak tree further into the garden.
Sebastian nodded.
The change in direction was quick, with Sebastian once again holding his hand against Damian to begin guiding him along the path until the hedges cleared enough to reveal the shaded wooden bench.
"This will do," Sebastian said as they walked over. "It keeps you out of direct sunlight."
Damian's steps slowed for just a second. He glanced up at Sebastian, whose eyes were still locked onto the bench. Before Damian could react, Sebastian's hand was leaving his back, and he was stepping to the side, watching until Damian had lowered himself onto the bench before sitting beside him.
"I imagine you spend quite a bit of time outdoors?" Sebastian asked, tone light.
"Yes," Damian answered.
"I figured as much."
Sebastian's gaze drifted over Damian's face, no real emotion showing outwardly other than the polite smile that was always pulled across his face. His eyes lingered on Damian's cheek, then the back of his hands that were folded in his lap.
"My Father always said the sun was unkind to certain complexions," Sebastian stated absently, one hand lifting to carefully take Damian's chin in hand, giving Damian's face a thoughtful once-over before looking Damian in the eyes once more. His hand dropped as he turned to face forward, one arm stretching along the back of the bench to rest behind Damian's shoulders. "Better to be careful and proactive than have to correct it later."
Damian gave him a tiny smile in return, hands tightening where they lay in his lap. He could feel the weight of the stare even after it had gone. Pennyworth had once mentioned it before, that Damian should take more care to wear long sleeves or a sun hat when in the garden. Still, Damian swallowed once, loosened his hands, and kept the polite smile on his face.
"Perhaps you're correct. I have always been bad about remembering hats."
Sebastian laughed, short and pleased, giving Damian's shoulder a brief squeeze with the arm lying behind him. "I shall simply have to remind you then. That is what a husband is for, is it not?"
Damian gave a short nod, smile fading minusculely.
"I suppose it is."
The conversation drifted after that.
Damian had tried to steer it towards something more familiar, mentioning the garden and the frequent paintings he occasionally worked on. Sebastian had seemed interested for a minute, nodding along when Damian had begun explaining a brush technique, but like most conversations, Damian quieted down when Sebastian began to tell a lengthy story about a dinner he had attended in Central City and those who had been present.
"The Queens were in attendance." Sebastian hummed. "I did not idle long enough around them to find out why exactly they were in the city. It's quite a bad look to be around them these days."
Damian frowned slightly.
His Father had been, and still was, quite close with Oliver Queen. The two families had attended numerous dinners at the other's estates, and Damian had always found them to be pleasant enough company. A bit loud and eccentric, but never rude or cruel. Connor and Mia were good company, far easier to speak with than most of the other young people Damian met during those events.
Sebastian glanced over at Damian.
"You've met Connor, yes?"
"Yes," Damian nodded. "Many times. Our fathers are friends." Damian could already feel the familiar spark of irritation stirring somewhere in the pit of his stomach. As he always did, he pushed it aside, keeping the polite smile fixed upon his face.
"Mm." Sebastian hummed, a small, mocking smile spreading on his face. "I feel almost bad for him. What is he? Twenty-one and still unwed?" Sebastian blew out a huff of air, shaking his head. "He's fortunate people still place the blame on Oliver. Another year or two and that graciousness will disappear."
Sebastian brushed an invisible piece of dust off his sleeve.
"You would assume Oliver would be more mindful of the position he's placed his son in. Quite unfair to Connor, I'd say. After a certain point, people will stop asking why he isn't married and begin asking what's wrong with him." Sebastian said.
Damian tightened his jaw.
He didn't find it that unusual regarding Connor. Not once had he spoken of prospective Alphas with much enthusiasm, nor had he seemed interested in the various marriage arrangements taking place around him.
And Oliver Queen didn't seem to mind. He simply laughed it off with a wave of his hand whenever it was brought up, remarking how both Roy and Mia had good matches, so where was the harm in allowing Connor more time for the perfect Alpha to come along?
And if Connor's own Father didn't seem bothered by it and had clearly deemed it acceptable, surely it was.
Once more, the conversation eventually steered itself in another direction, the early autumn air filled with Sebastian's idle gossip regarding the rest of the event, fueled by Damian's occasional nod.
By the time they were returning to the manor, Damian, guided gently by Sebastian's hand, had felt more exhausted than when he had entire days dedicated to hours of lessons.
At the doors stood Roman Sionis and Father, waiting for the pair to arrive before walking to the carriage waiting in the drive.
The farewells were brief, hands shaken and polite smiles exchanged. Like always, before loading himself into the carriage, Sebastian took Damian's hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles and giving him a smile before turning around and climbing into his seat.
"I'll see you next week," Sebastian called, leaning back in his seat.
Damian nodded, raising a hand in farewell.
"Yes. Safe travels."
A moment later, the horses began walking, pulling the carriage until it was out of sight.
Beside him, Father looked pleased, and that alone was enough to loosen much of the tension that had formed between Damian's shoulders.
Another meeting had gone well on both ends, which was all that mattered.
Damian followed his Father back into the house and into the sitting room where Richard was. After answering the few questions Richard had that were directed at him, Damian found himself being ushered away by Pennyworth when the details pertaining to the business side of the partnership started to be discussed.
Business was business. The arrangement was moving forward as intended and progressing well. That was good.
It was supposed to be good.
Damian reached down to absently scratch at the side of his wrist, pushing his sleeve up slightly.
Sebastian's name was brought up frequently in Father's conversations with Richard and Timothy, always accompanied by a note of approval.
This partnership would benefit both families. There was nothing else worth dwelling on.
So Damian didn't.
Rain drummed steadily against the sitting room windows. Every so often, Damian would catch himself following the raindrops as they streaked down the window, watching as one would land on the glass, then trickle down until it had joined the water resting at the bottom of the glass pane. Across from him, Sebastian was sipping at the tea Pennyworth had offered him, speaking at length about the manor that would become their home following the wedding.
"The renovations are nearly complete," Sebastian said, placing his cup back onto the saucer.
Damian nodded. "Yes. Father had said as much."
"I had the East wing opened. Better morning light for the nursery, and it overlooks one of the fields. Quite a good view when the sun is rising." Sebastian said, placing his tea down on the table between them and settling into his seat, his arms stretching out along the back of the sofa. "I thought it best to prepare in advance. I'd prefer our first child by next autumn. The end of next year at the latest."
They were to be married in December.
Less than a year.
Damian couldn't help the trepidation curling uncomfortably in his stomach.
"So…soon?"
Sebastian's face changed. His brows furrowed nearly imperceptibly and his smile just barely faltered. His expression changed from one of openness to carefully concealed confusion.
"I hadn't thought it especially ambitious."
Damian hesitated a moment before responding. "No. I suppose not."
Sebastian didn't reply at first, eyes boring into Damian's skull. After an awkward silence, Sebastian relaxed back into his seat. With a slight adjustment to his posture, Sebastian returned to speaking, his speech just a tad slower than normal.
"I'd like five at minimum. Six or seven if we're fortunate." Sebastian said. Damian couldn't help but let his words blur into background noise, eyes dropping down onto the cooling tea still placed on the table between them. Before Damian could truly retreat into his thoughts surrounding the timeline set before him, a familiar trill sounded from the hallway.
Damian's head swiftly turned, tension bleeding from his shoulders as his smile spread on his face. Alfred the Cat had appeared, rubbing against the archway as she made her way inside. Damian leaned forward, clicking his tongue twice. Alfred trotted over, meowing once as she sniffed the fingers Damian had offered and then rubbed her cheek against his hand. Damian's smile widened, hand stroking down her back as she walked past him, rubbing against his legs as she went.
Damian glanced at Sebastian, who had stopped speaking, eyes watching the scene in front of him unfold.
"This is Alfred," Damian offered, sitting up once Alfred had walked out of reach. "I've had her since she was a kitten; my brother and I found her wandering the grounds."
"You've kept her all this time?"
Damian nodded. "Eight years."
Sebastian only hummed, eyes following Alfred as she walked closer. With her tail held high, Alfred approached Sebastian, sniffing at the air around him before stepping closer, meowing once more as she weaved between his legs, cheek and sides rubbing against the fabric of his pants.
Sebastian sighed.
Before Damian could react, Sebastian had pulled his foot back and sharply kicked Alfred's side, sending her skidding across the polished floor. Alfred let out a sharp, hurt shriek that devolved into a sharp growl. Damian froze, eyes following Alfred as she sprinted across the room and into the hallway, claws skittering on the hardwood.
After she had disappeared past the doorway, Damian turned to face Sebastian, who was watching the hallway with an uninterested look, eyes locking with Damian's.
"It's a bad habit, to let them get underfoot."
Damian didn't answer. He turned back to the still empty sitting room entrance, mouth slightly parted. Other than the barely-noticeable murmur of voices from further within the house, the room remained silent, no more of Alfred's vocalizations or Sebastian's talking. Damian turned back to Sebastian, who hadn't moved other than a slightly raised eyebrow.
Sebastian regarded him for a quiet moment, his gaze lingering on Damian's face for just a second too long. Damian couldn't place what he had been searching for, but as his face creased just slightly in annoyance, it was clear that whatever he found had disappointed him.
"I hadn't realized you were so… attached."
Damian remained silent.
"It's best to train them. There's no reason to risk someone falling because of a cat."
The silence settled between them once again. Damian could just barely spare a thought towards the burnt sugar smell flooding the air around him, or how he knew better. He should have been reigning it in. Across from him, Damian could see the exact moment Sebastian picked up the scent in the air as well, his nostrils flared almost imperceptibly, and his eyebrows pinched together.
Damian couldn't find it within himself to care past that initial observation. He should have been saying something. Redirecting the conversation. Smoothing over the awkwardness that had settled between them before it grew into something worse.
His Father had entrusted this to him. It had been set out clearly the importance of this arrangement. Not only for Damian's future, but for the family's and for Wayne Enterprises. Damian had overheard enough conversations between his Father and brothers to understand that the partnership with Sionis Industries would greatly expand the Wayne Family's reach.
Father had arranged this match for the future of their entire family. And Damian's only job was to make it work.
Across from him, Damian could hear Sebastian continued speaking as if nothing had happened, face back to the usual half-smile he always wore.
While Sebastian droned on about the various renovations that were still waiting to be completed, Damian didn't attempt to listen, gaze drifting back over to the entryway of the sitting room. His thoughts hadn't moved past the sharp, pained noise Alfred had made and how she had sprinted away in fear.
Damian swallowed, stare moving back to the now cold tea. He wanted to go find Alfred, scoop her up and check on her.
But he couldn't. Not right now, anyway. Sebastian was still here and, after a glance at the clock, would still be present for another hour.
It was only when Sebastian had snapped his fingers while leaning over the table that Damian seemingly snapped back into reality. His gaze shot up from the teacup in front of him and fixed itself back onto Sebastian's flat expression.
"I apologize," Damian mumbled, sitting up just a bit straighter under Sebastian's stare.
Sebastian regarded Damian quietly while leaning back into his chair. "Damian," He started, taking a few audible sniffs into the air, then leveled Damian with an unimpressed look. "You should compose yourself. You wouldn't want your Father seeing you like this."
Damian froze, drawing one long, slow breath in, trying to force the scent permeating the air to settle. Sebastian continued to watch him, expression unreadable. After a minute of Damian's struggle to get his scent under control, whatever Sebastian had seemed to be waiting for clearly hadn't happened. He finally sighed, straightening his back before reaching for the gloves he had set on the end table.
"I believe we've accomplished enough today," Sebastian said flatly. "I don't see a reason to continue when your mind is elsewhere."
"Of course," Damian said quietly, lowering his gaze as his stomach churned.
Sebastian didn't respond, pushing himself to his feet. He took a step to the side, offering Damian the same polite smile he always wore, nodding his head once.
"I will see you next week. We shall continue then."
Sebastian stepped off, exiting the room. Damian could hear his footsteps recede down the hallway. Damian sat in silence for a few more seconds, waiting until the sound of Sebastian walking had disappeared entirely before sucking in a steadying breath as he carefully smoothed out his slacks and slowly stood up.
Damian stepped out of the sitting room, ignoring Pennyworth's call from down the hallway. He wasn't sure where Alfred had run off to, but he knew where she frequented during her daily routine. Damian approached the library's cracked door, pushing it open the rest of the way and stepping inside. Approaching the sofa, Damian dropped to his knees to peer under the furniture. When no set of yellow eyes met his, Damian pushed himself off his knees and back to his feet, immediately walking back into the hallway. Damian took the stairs two at a time, ignoring the lecture that would have befallen him had his Father seen, until he was briskly walking down the hallway and entering his bedroom.
Damian's eyes snapped over to Alfred, who was lying across his bed, her head already turned in his direction. She looked fine, unperturbed by the incident that had happened not even a half hour prior. Damian let out a relieved breath, moving over and settling on the bed next to her. Carefully, Damian scooped her up into his chest, adjusting her in his arms until he was carefully feeling her side that had been struck. As his fingers ran through her fur, he could feel the beginnings of a purr erupting in her chest.
Alfred wasn't injured. And Damian knew she most likely wouldn't be. The kick had been cruel, but not nearly hard enough to cause something serious such as a broken bone, and while Damian wasn't certain if it would in the end, he didn't believe it to be bruising. As of now, while Damian carefully ran his fingers over her side and patted around for any lasting pain, Alfred had not flinched. Only purred happily at the attention, a happy little mew breaching the noise of Damian's faster-than-normal breathing.
He hadn't even noticed his breath picking up, but now that he did, Damian could also feel that tightness in his chest, coiling as the seconds ticked by.
He softly ran a hand down Alfred's back, starting at her head. When she pushed up into it and let out another meow, all Damian could offer was a shaky smile. It should've calmed him down greatly seeing Alfred behave as though nothing was wrong, still just as friendly and lovable as she had always been. Yet, Damian still felt that tightly wound pressure in his chest that made it just hard enough to breathe that he was sure someone could pass by his room and hear.
Why? Why did he feel like his throat was tightening with every breath he took? Alfred was fine. She had clearly shaken off the event with no trouble and had gone right back to her normal routine of sunbathing once the light was low enough to peer into Damian's room. The matter should have ended there.
But every time Damian closed his eyes, he could see Alfred skittering across the floor with a shriek, her fur standing on end before she was running off, scared. Damian just didn't understand why. Alfred had done nothing wrong. She was underfoot; that much couldn't be argued, but no one had been in any danger of tripping over her. If Sebastian hadn't wanted her touching him, why not just ask Damian to move her? Or shift away from her? Why decide to kick her hard enough to send her sprawling on the floor?
She had not bitten or clawed, not knocked over anything important. There was no defense of being startled and the kick being reflex. Sebastian had simply done it with a bored expression, only to carry on as if nothing had happened.
Alfred had been acting how she always did, chasing after affection from whoever she stumbled upon within the manor. Damian looked down at her, still cradled in his arms, her eyes half closed as she watched him.
What happened the next time?
Alfred did this to everyone. Every guest who entered Wayne Manor would inevitably find themselves under her affectionate gaze unless she had been put away in another room. As well-trained as he was, Titus was big enough that sometimes his walking alongside everyone could end with him bumping into them or his tail whipping wildly against their legs if he was excited.
All Damian's animals were loving and quick to trust those who stepped inside their home. They would not suddenly learn to avoid Sebastian, no matter how much Damian wished them to. It would take numerous more incidents, dozens, Damian was willing to bet, before they began to shy away from him.
Damian's hand shook slightly as he pet another long line down Alfred's back.
While he was present and watching, he could keep them away. But he would surely not always be around to usher them towards another room. Damian could not bear to leave them behind, not after accepting the responsibility that was owning his animals, and not after all this time. Just like he would in December, Alfred, Titus, his cow and horses, would belong to Sebastian's household and to Sebastian himself.
Damian could endure. He had been preparing himself to do so for the past five years. Had his animals not entered the equation, he would have told himself to pack everything away and ignore it. That he needed to focus on the fact that his entire family would be impacted positively by this marriage.
But he couldn't justify Alfred. Nor would he be able to justify any future actions towards his animals when they had done nothing wrong. Hell, Damian knew he wouldn't be able to justify an act like that even if one of his pets had done something. He could imagine that Alfred on her own had shattered a couple thousand dollars' worth of glassware during her eight years here and not once had it resulted in anything more than a groan or sigh before Damian was called to collect her.
Damian could and had accepted many, many things that had been decided for him.
But this was not one of them if it meant his beloved pets were placed in the crossfire.
Damian rose to his feet, carrying Alfred as he went, and began the walk out of his bedroom. Stepping into the hallway, Damian began striding towards the staircase, frown on his face as he went, determined to find his Father. Before he reached the first step, however, his Father appeared on the second-floor landing, his expression pinched.
"Father," Damian said, standing at the top of the stairs, "I'd like to speak to you, if that's alright."
"Yes," His Father nodded, "That's why I'm up here."
His Father gestured for Damian to follow him, descending back down the stairs. Damian began his own descent, chasing after him while his Father briskly walked to his office. Once he had arrived, he opened the door, stepping to the side to let Damian in first. Damian walked through the doorway, nodding his thanks before continuing until he was sitting in one of the leather armchairs in front of his Father's desk.
His Father rounded the desk, dropping into his own chair with a short sigh. Before Damian could open his mouth, his Father spoke.
"Damian," He said evenly, "Sebastian arrived during my talk with Roman far earlier than arranged. He said the meeting became… difficult. That you had become rather upset. What happened?"
"He kicked Alfred," Damian said, shoving down the mounting anger that kept trying to climb up his throat.
His Father's eyes widened just a bit. "…What?"
"Sebastian kicked Alfred," Damian repeated, adjusting his hold on the cat.
"Why?" His Father asked, leaning slightly forward.
"She walked up to him, and he kicked her."
"And that was all?"
"She was rubbing against him, as she does to everyone. We were on the sofas." Damian said bitterly, his nose scrunching up at the memory that had been drifting through his mind for the better part of an hour.
His Father frowned, eyes dropping down to Alfred, who was still cradled in Damian's arms, purring softly. "She's not injured, is she?"
Damian shook his head. "I do not believe so. Perhaps a bruise in the future, but I cannot tell."
"And he apologized?"
Damian shook his head once more. "No, he did not."
"Did he explain himself?"
"He said it was because she was underfoot," Damian started, "But he was not at risk of tripping, I promise. We were both sitting, Alfred approached, and he kicked her! She hadn't done anything wrong! It was cruel and—and completely needless." Damian paused, taking in a deep breath to steady himself. "What if he does it again?" His fingers tightened unconsciously in Alfred's fur. "Father... I do not wish to marry him."
After Damian had finished speaking, his Father stayed silent, eyes boring into Damian while he thought. Outside of the small frown, nothing else in his expression gave away his feelings on the matter. But Damian had hope. His Father had allowed Damian many privileges throughout his life and had said numerous times he would ensure Damian was happy. Father was smart, and Damian was certain it was obvious that he was unhappy.
"Damian," His Father sighed out, running a hand down his face. "I understand you're upset, and I agree that he handled the matter… poorly." He paused, gazing over at Damian with the same inscrutable look on his face. "And I do not condone what he did… However, that is not enough to call off the arrangement."
Damian could feel that hope start to drain from within him. He sat up straighter, opening his mouth to retort. His Father only raised a hand to stop him, giving Damian a pointed look before speaking again. "No, listen to me. Alfred does not have to go with you. Or Titus, if you're concerned. Your horses and cow as well. They have been here for years and will be cared for exactly as they have been."
"No!" Damian argued back, "I won't leave them; they're my responsibility. I refuse to just leave them with someone else."
"Damian—"
"Father, they are mine!"
"They will still be yours. You can visit them whenever you'd like. They'll be safe and well cared for, just as they have been since you've gotten them."
"No," Damian said, voice tight. In his arms, Alfred had begun tensing at Damian's rising voice. Across from him, his Father's mouth had tightened into a deeper frown, and his posture had straightened just a bit more than usual. In the air, Damian could smell as his upset burnt sugar scent began spilling into the room. He ignored it.
"They will be safe and well taken care of if they remain here." His Father repeated, his tone just exasperated enough to give away his feelings on the matter.
"I know," Damian said.
"Then, please, what is the issue?"
Damian opened his mouth. When nothing came out, he carefully shut it again.
Because his Father wasn't wrong.
Pennyworth could surely take over Damian's daily responsibilities regarding Titus and Alfred. Richard and Jason had never minded taking Titus outside when Damian had been unable. As for his horses and cow? The stablehands had been caring for them entirely even after Damian had claimed them. His Father's solution worked. It solved every issue Damian had regarding his animals and Sebastian.
Other than one, of course.
"I don't want to," Damian said before he could stop himself, gaze dropping from his Father's face to the primly organized desk between them. "…I don't want to leave them."
His Father stayed quiet for a moment. When Damian slowly looked back up, his Father only stared back, blinking slowly.
"…You don't want to." His Father stated blankly.
"No," Damian muttered weakly, casting his eyes away from his Father's piercing eyes.
After a beat, his Father sighed once more. "Damian, there are many things in life that we do not want to do."
"Father," Damian spoke, voice wavering slightly, "I don't want them to have to learn to avoid him."
"As I've just said, they won't have to. They can stay here, all of them, and there will be no trouble. You are welcome to visit whenever you'd like. Nobody is saying they will be disappearing from your life; in fact, I'm sure you will be—"
"I don't want to visit them!" Damian interrupted, voice rising in volume. At his Father's angered stare, Damian quieted down once more. "…I want them with me."
"Sometimes we don't get everything we'd like. I know you know this."
Damian could feel the tightness that had been ever-present in his chest throughout the day constrict even tighter at his Father's words. When his eyes began to sting with tears, Damian blinked them back.
"Please," Damian croaked out, fingers stilling in Alfred's fur. "Please don't make me."
"Damian," His Father said gently, standing and stepping around the desk, coming to a stop in front of Damian. Carefully, Damian's Father crouched in front of him, a hand resting on Damian's forearm in a soothing gesture. "I know this is difficult."
Damian shook his head. "I'll do anything else."
"I promise, you will adjust. Things will be easier with time."
"I'll marry someone else," Damian said, voice desperate.
"That isn't—" His Father began, only to be immediately interrupted by Damian.
"I won't complain. I won't argue ever again. I'll do as I'm told." Damian could feel the tears that had been stinging escape from his eyes, sliding down his cheeks. His breathing had picked up, the air leaving his lungs in quicker, smaller mouthfuls. In front of him, his Father tried to interrupt, his face morphing from dissatisfaction to worry.
"I'll marry whoever you want without complaint. I don't care who. I swear it." Damian continued on, ignoring his Father's attempt to speak. Damian's breathing had turned ragged, another wave of tears dripping from his eyes and onto Alfred's coat. He hadn't remembered breaking his Father's gaze to instead look down towards Alfred. "Just, please… not him."
"Damian," His Father breathed. "I hear you."
Damian shook his head violently, his head snapping back up to look at his Father. "Please, Father. Anyone else. I promise I will not argue. Anyone."
His Father closed his eyes for a moment. He sucked in a deep breath, moving the hand that had been resting on Damian's forearm to instead sit on Damian's shoulder, his other hand dropping on Damian's opposite shoulder. "This arrangement was not made lightly. Roman and I have spent over a year discussing the details regarding it and negotiating the terms. The obligations attached to this marriage extend far beyond both you and me—"
"I don't care!" Damian interrupted, voice cracking halfway through.
"I know that this matter is overwhelming—" His Father began.
"No, you do not!"
"—and that you are frightened—"
"I am only protecting them!"
"—and they will be protected! The animals will stay here. You may visit whenever you wish, as I have said—"
"You are not listening!" Damian all but shouted, breath stuttering violently as tears continued falling. Alfred had tensed even further into Damian's grips, her claws poking out just enough to prick into Damian's arm.
"I am, Damian." His Father replied, tone taking on a soothing pitch. "But sometimes we do not get what we want. It's a part of life, I'm afraid."
"Please." Damian said hoarsely, "Please, just this once. I'll be better. I'll do whatever you ask of me. I will accept any other engagement." Damian's voice dropped to a whisper, voice shaking out between wet cries. "Just, please not this one."
His Father's shoulders sagged.
"I'm sorry, Damian. But the engagement will stand."
Damian stared at his Father for a long moment, unable to make himself speak again or move. Then a sob escaped him.
Then another.
Damian nodded once, one hand leaving Alfred to clamp over his mouth in a sad attempt to muffle the noises leaving him. Carefully, Damian adjusted Alfred higher on his chest, standing on shaky legs.
His Father stood as well, eyes widened in concern. He reached a hand out towards Damian. "Damian—!"
Damian didn't, couldn't, listen anymore. He turned before his Father could say anything else and hurried out of the office.
In the hallway, Damian kept his hand over his mouth, mind scrambling as he tried to stop the crying while also replaying the conversation again and again. Why couldn't his Father just understand? Why must it be Damian? It wasn't fair. Nothing had been fair since the night he had presented.
Damian choked on another sob, storming up the steps to the second floor, barrelling past Richard and Timothy on the stairs. He could hear as both of them called out from behind him with questions; however, Damian ignored them, feet guiding him back to his bedroom until he was stepping inside, letting Alfred hop down to the rug and, with shaking hands, gently shutting the door behind him.
Bruce took in a breath, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. He stood from his crouch, glancing over at the office door, still swung open following Damian's abrupt leave. Just barely, Bruce could pick up the sounds of Damian's cries, but they quickly disappeared into the manor's empty halls. Distantly, Bruce could also hear Damian's quick footsteps as they landed on each step on the stairs before they too were gone.
Bruce closed his eyes, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. He hadn't expected that conversation to derail as quickly as it had. Bruce hadn't been sure what he was walking into when he had started his search to find Damian. When Sebastian had arrived in the main office where Bruce and Roman were talking, looking somewhat irritated before informing them that Damian had become rather "upset" and "unruly", Bruce had gone in with low expectations.
But in no world had he anticipated that.
Damian had always been quicker to anger than others. While typically well-behaved, as expected of him, Bruce had broken up numerous arguments between Damian and his older siblings. But with Bruce himself? Not once since his presentation had Damian ever raised his voice at Bruce. Perhaps he'd make a face or a sly comment under his breath, but never had he shouted at his Father's face.
Bruce couldn't quite understand why. He, of course, disapproved of Sebastian's actions. There was no denying that kicking Damian's cat had been cruel and entirely unnecessary. But Bruce had offered Damian a solution almost immediately after, and yet it had done nothing to calm him. His animals would not be in the way of Sebastian if they stayed at the manor, and, even without the pets, Bruce would have never refused Damian a visit after he had married. Bruce had addressed every issue Damian had voiced, yet Damian was still upset.
A knock sounded out into the room. Bruce looked up. Dick was standing in the doorway, head peering inside and hand still raised against the ajar door. Behind him, Tim's head was held up just enough to look over his brother's shoulder.
"Bruce?" Dick asked, taking a step inside when their eyes met. "Can we come in?"
Bruce nodded, standing just a bit straighter. "What do you two need?" Bruce asked calmly, gesturing for the two men to fully enter the room while he circled the desk until he was back in his seat. Dick gave Bruce a quick smile as he walked inside, heading towards one of the chairs in front of the desk. Tim followed him in as well, giving Bruce a nod before dropping down into the chair next to Dick.
Dick's smile took on a more strained look as he glanced back at the doorway. "So… may I ask what that was about? I'm assuming it to be part of the reason both Sionis men left nearly an hour earlier than scheduled?"
Bruce nodded, letting his head fall back against his chair. "Yes. I can only hope your brother hadn't spoken to Sebastian in such a manner."
Tim let out a quiet scoff. Bruce only raised an eyebrow at him, effectively quieting him down so Bruce could continue. "Sebastian kicked Damian's cat. Apparently it was underfoot, though Damian said that both he and Sebastian had been sitting down. As I'm sure you could hear, Damian is quite upset about it."
"Well," Dick said, a tinge of judgment on his tongue. "That will make matters more difficult."
"I already gave him the solution, and he was not at all willing to hear it."
"And that solution was?" Dick asked.
"To keep the pets here. He kept saying he didn't want the animals around Sebastian, which I understand, so I suggested they stay here, and he visit them." Bruce replied.
A second passed, and then Dick was letting out a sigh. "Bruce…" He said, "You know he won't let that go."
"The decision is ultimately up to Damian. If he leaves them here, they will be cared for. If he takes them, so be it. But this cannot be the point at which this entire arrangement falls apart."
Dick watched Bruce for a moment, eyes flicking over his face. He leaned back in his chair, one hand raising to absently scratch at his jaw. "He will fight it," Dick stated plainly. "You know he will. If the animals stay here? He'll resent Sebastian for it. They go? What happened today happens again? He's going to spend every day, again, building resentment. He's going to fight back at some point."
"Damian is well aware of what's expected," Bruce reasoned, glancing over at Tim to gauge his other son's reaction. So far, Tim's face hadn't changed, eyes watching Dick.
"He knows what's expected, yes. But expectations haven't exactly dissuaded him from acting out if he felt it necessary before." Dick continued, "He's stubborn when he wants to be. And based on the yelling and crying, he's going to dig his heels in. He's going to make this marriage impossible."
"Your brother is not unreasonable." Bruce countered.
Finally, Tim looked away from Dick, leaning forward and catching Bruce's eyes. "Dick's right," Tim interjected. "He's going to fight. He will make it impossible. Which means Sebastian will eventually push back, and once that happens, the marriage goes from an asset to a liability."
"Tim," Bruce said sharply, immediately straightening himself. Whether Bruce agreed with Sebastian kicking a cat or not, even he knew the seriousness of accusing an Alpha of repeated abuse after one incident.
"I'm not saying physically. But we all know it won't take long for him to stop pretending to accept that behavior. This partnership between Wayne Enterprises and Sionis Industries only works on the basis that the marriage survives. Look at the information we have now. We're still two months away from this marriage, and there are already issues. Maybe, if Damian were anybody else, this could be a bump in the road. But he's not."
Tim paused, taking a breath before continuing.
"We have two options at best. We could cut our losses and end the engagement. Yes, stocks will drop, the money already invested will be gone, and people will talk, but we can recover within a year. Most any gossip will be purely speculation that will be forgotten soon enough. Sionis, I'm sure, will be angry, but I highly doubt it will take long for him to find another family with an unwed Omega."
He leaned back into the chair, arms crossing over his chest. "Or, we can go through with it, have the two married by the end of the year, and be done with it. Dick already explained it well enough. Damian will make this impossible. He may behave for a while, but he will eventually push back, no matter how many etiquette classes you enroll him in. And when that happens, Sebastian is going to push back just as much, if not harder.
I'm not saying Sebastian will do anything insane, but think of the likelihood. If they divorce? It will already be the scandal of Gotham. If it comes out that Sebastian was putting hands on Damian? It will be our name that becomes a spectacle overnight and is dragged through the mud. 'The Waynes marry their only Omega off to a monster! How could they?'. The press will not rest if they get that story."
Dick nodded in agreement, shifting in his chair. "Shareholders and partners won't want their names or assets attached to that. And making future business deals will be nearly impossible with that social stigma following us around."
"We'll lose the invested money from the split along with whatever else is shared by then, and if a scandal that big breaks out? I doubt we fully recover for years, if at all." Tim spoke up. "You don't have to listen or agree, but just look at where we are right now. At the information we have."
Bruce didn't respond immediately, letting the silence linger. His fingers absently tapped at the arm of his chair while he looked between the two.
"This is all under the assumption that the marriage does fail. What if it doesn't? If we back out of one of the best business partnerships we could have currently over an assumption that could possibly not pan out, what then? Who's to say Damian doesn't get over this within the week?"
"I'm only saying we should assume for the possibility. If this goes wrong, it will go wrong. It won't just be you affected; it will affect all of us as well." Tim gestured between himself and Dick.
"And Damian is already upset and unwilling." Dick tacked on.
"He will learn to accept it. Adapt, even. We have all taken on far worse responsibilities."
"Will he?" Dick asked flatly. "Damian can and has adjusted to many, many things. I just don't see him accepting this. Had Sebastian done anything else, I'm sure this conversation would be much easier."
Bruce frowned, his fingers stilling on the armchair. "It was a singular incident, Dick."
"Yes, but he won't simply forget, no matter how much we all wish him to," Dick replied. "I'm not trying to challenge your authority; you will make whichever decisions you feel are best, and we all will accept it."
"Just think on it." Tim cut in. "There is still over a month before the wedding is scheduled. You're in no rush to make a decision."
Dick only nodded from beside his brother. Bruce didn't respond, sitting back in his chair, frown still fixed on his face. He had thought the solution simple, once the problem had been presented. Yet, somehow things had reached the point of Bruce being asked to rethink the entire arrangement over a single event that could possibly result in nothing.
When it became clear he had no intention of speaking, both Tim and Dick shared a look. Then, they were both on their feet, offering quick goodbyes before leaving the office, muttering between themselves as they went.
It had been four days since his last meeting with Sebastian, and Damian had been nearly choking on the anxiety constantly looming around him. His Father had said nothing on the matter after Damian had left the room crying that day, only offering clipped words before suggesting Damian attend to some activity that was hardly of importance. Damian figured that silence was sign enough that the matter was settled.
Damian sat on his bed, sketchbook in hand, holding a shakily done drawing of Titus, who was asleep across the entirety of the lower end of Damian's bed. The proportions were off, leading Damian to redraw Titus's paw several times over. He continued shading the same spot over and over, his thoughts elsewhere.
The first day had been unbearable. It was clear that everyone had been within range of his Father's office during their argument. No one had brought it up, but Damian would have to be blind to miss the glances they all gave him. He couldn't tell whether it had been the words he'd thrown at Father or the fact that he'd cried afterwards, but even Cassandra had watched him strangely over dinner that evening. The silence had only made it worse, leaving Damian waiting for the other shoe to drop.
He only had three more days until the usual weekly visit from Sebastian, and Damian wasn't exactly sure how he planned to go about it. An apology, of course, but after that, Damian was unsure.
It no longer mattered whether Damian wanted it, since even Damian could admit it never really had mattered what he wanted. His Father had made the decision, and Damian would endure as needed.
It hadn't taken long for Damian to make his own decision following the argument. He knew he'd miss them dearly and suspected part of him would resent Sebastian for years to come, but Damian could not place his animals anywhere where harm could befall them.
But he would adjust. Find a way to lay low and fulfill the duties set before him.
Before Damian could think much further on the matter, he was jumping at the sharp knock on his door.
His stomach sank. Damian ignored it, calling out for whoever was outside and flipping his sketchbook closed.
His bedroom door was pushed open, and his Father stepped inside, face blank other than a slight furrow of his brows.
"Damian?" His Father called, eyes immediately catching onto Damian's form. Damian sat up, moving to stand before pausing as his Father held up a hand.
A beat passed before Damian carefully spoke out. "Yes, Father?" He adjusted where he sat, eyes moving over to Titus briefly, who had lifted his head to watch his Father.
"The engagement with the Sionis Family has been dissolved." His Father said plainly.
Damian froze, eyebrows immediately pulling together. His mouth opened, yet for a few seconds nothing came out. When Damian finally found it within himself to speak, to ask when or how, his Father was interrupting him.
"You do not need to concern yourself with it further."
"I— Father, what?" Damian asked dumbly. Instead of answering, his Father only gave his head a single shake before he turned on his heel and exited the room, the door falling shut behind him.
Damian didn't move, still watching the now closed door with an incredulous look on his face.
When had that been decided?
That very morning, his Father had carried on with his day as though nothing had changed. These last four days had not been different in any way, everyone still following the same routines. There had been no discussion nor an explanation. Had Sebastian withdrawn? Did Roman Sionis make the decision? Or had his Father just simply changed his mind on the matter?
The dread in his stomach let up just a bit. Damian doubted it would fully wane, not with the knowledge that, engagement or not, there would still be consequences. Damian would be trapped on thin ice for months over this. No one would care that he never had any actual say in the outcome, especially not when he was the one who had pushed everything into motion.
Beside him, Titus let out a heavy sigh, tipping back over onto his side to resume his nap. Damian pulled his sketchbook out of the way just in time, carefully setting it to the side as he watched Titus breathe.
Was it actually over? Just like that?
Damian just leaned back, sucking in a deep breath and letting his gaze drift to the window. While anxiousness for the next few months that awaited him swirled around, he could feel the very beginnings of a small burst of happiness in his stomach forming, as well as just a bit of hope.
Damian sat quietly in his bedroom, curled up in his reading nook with a book he had brought up from the library. He wasn't reading it, not really. Instead, his forehead was leaning against the glass of the bay window, eyes following the figures of his siblings while they threw snow at each other. Damian had no real wish to join them. Perhaps, had things over the last five months gone better, Damian would have bundled himself up and gone out to at the very least watch them. But he knew better than to. Surely, he'd end up in some form of argument with one of them, and no matter how light-hearted it was, Damian had promised his Father he wouldn't.
After his Father had appeared in his room, days after their argument, to tell him that the engagement was off, Damian hadn't been able to ignore the constant thrum of worry in his veins. Even now, nearly half a year later, Damian still found himself wholly embarrassed by his behavior. He would never voice it, but Damian didn't regret pushing back against the engagement, especially after the dominoes had fallen in his favor. But he did regret how he had gone about it. Shouting and crying in his Father's face like a child instead of calmly explaining why he didn't want to marry Sebastian. His Father hadn't acted in any particular way that pointed towards him being upset enough about it to hold a grudge, but Damian could not imagine a world in which there weren't negative emotions swirling every time Damian stepped into the room, still unwed.
So Damian fulfilled every promise he had sworn through tears that afternoon.
He sat through his lessons without complaint, made certain his etiquette remained impeccable, and never answered whatever taunts his siblings found amusing that day. That had proven the most difficult. Even before everything with Sebastian, Damian had always found it nearly impossible to bite back an insult when provoked.
He found the best way to avoid those confrontations was to avoid his siblings entirely. Outside of meals, Damian kept himself carefully sequestered in his room with some form of entertainment, resolutely declining any invitations to do something else unless his Father asked it of him directly. Damian would appear to take Titus outside or to visit his horses and cow, but he made sure to never stick around long.
When a knock sounded, Damian tightened his hold on the spine of his book.
"Come in." He called, unfurling his body until he was sitting fully upright, back straight.
Pennyworth opened the door, nodding at Damian in greeting. "Your Father wishes to see you in his office, Master Damian."
Damian set his book down, standing up with a short nod. "The downstairs one?"
Pennyworth hummed an affirmative, stepping to the side to allow Damian to walk past. Damian couldn't help but slow his walk just a bit, hoping to delay the future conversation for as long as possible. He hadn't been called to his Father's office since Damian had run out crying, and something about Pennyworth's face had Damian nervous about the possible outcome.
Far too soon, Damian was standing at his Father's shut office door, knocking gently on it and pushing it open when he heard the muffled come in from his Father.
"Damian." His Father gestured at the chairs that stood in front of his desk. "I have something to discuss with you."
Damian crossed the room, taking a seat and crossing his hands over his lap. Once he had settled, his Father began speaking. "Another arrangement has been agreed on."
The words landed hard, though Damian found it hard to react other than to nod his head. A part deep inside of him wanted to do something with the information, but he wouldn't. He had almost found it a bit unnerving that even now, when it had been made very clear that he would still be getting married to someone even after a failed attempt, his gut began to fill with dread.
"I see," Damian said after a pause, swallowing down saliva. "May I know who?"
"The Kent Family. Their youngest, Jonathan." His Father paused, waiting for Damian to react. When Damian didn't, he continued on. "We are planning for the wedding to take place over the Summer. The two of you will meet sometime within the next two weeks."
Damian nodded. He knew of the Kents. They owned one of the biggest publishing companies in the States. Damian had never personally met any of them, but he had heard both his Father and Richard speak of them following parties or galas Damian hadn't been permitted to attend.
"Jonathan Kent," Damian said, letting the name linger in the air.
"You will meet him soon enough. His father, Clark, speaks highly of him. Dick seemed to get along well enough with him when the two met." His Father's voice softened just a fraction. "He's a good man."
Damian only nodded again. His Father said nothing more, eyes silently watching Damian. When it became clear that he didn't plan to say anything else, Damian stood up, bowing his head just slightly towards his Father. "Thank you. I will ensure I am prepared for the first meeting."
His Father studied him further, face expressionless, as if waiting for something. When that something didn't come, at last, his Father spoke. "Very well. I'll have Alfred tell you when the meeting will take place. I'd assume the decision will be made shortly."
"Of course. Thank you." Damian said, turning to the door. He walked out, shutting the door behind himself, then stilling in the hallway.
His stomach was churning, brought on by the sick sense of deja vu that had come crashing over him. It felt almost exactly the same as it had when his Father had told him the news of Sebastian. His chest felt nearly hollow, and the creeping feeling of dismay was running through his veins.
This time, however, Damian had even less of a choice. He had sworn up and down and promised that he'd make this one work. Had begged his Father to wed him to anyone other than Sebastian, and his Father had done exactly that.
Jonathan Kent.
Damian let the name sink in as he started walking again.
Damian didn't know him. Had never met him and had only ever heard of him in passing. But Richard had gotten along with him, and Father had held him in high regard. That was more than Damian had gotten with Sebastian. He would hold onto that.
Back in his room, Damian returned to his seat in his window, pulling his knees to his chest and letting his body weight lean against the frigid glass. Outside, the snowball fight had turned into what looked like a friendly brawl between Richard and Cassandra, with Duke, Jason and Timothy standing on the sidelines, cheering. Damian watched them for a long moment, vision only disrupted by his own breath fogging the window.
Jonathan Kent.
Damian would meet him soon, and would be pleasant and agreeable. He would say and do everything expected of him while hoping with every ounce of his being that Jonathan Kent would be easier to whether than Sebastian.
Damian had made a promise to his Father, and had every intention of keeping it.