Chapter Text
"Damian, why are you looking at me like that?"
It had been a long time, at least a year and a half, since Damian became a permanent fixture in the home. He and Tim had gotten over hating each other a while ago, and had settled into a kind of quiet apathy.
But, as of now, Damian was staring intently as his body, sketchbook in hand. He had taken to drawing, being a 'human hobby,' but it had just made things... Weird.
"You have a strange physique, Drake," he commented, squinting as he looked up from page to body. "It's quite interesting."
Tim groaned. "Don't remind me."
"No." Damian didn't look up from his paper, other than quick glances. "It's quite beautiful. Your legs make a striking silhouette."
Tim frowned, wishing he had thought to throw on a pair of sweatpants. As it was, he had just wandered downstairs in his boxers.
"From an unbiased perspective, of course." Damian quickly added. "I find you as repulsive as ever."
"Of course." Tim sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "What was I doing?"
"Going to get breakfast." He reminded.
"Talking to myself- but thanks." Tim grumbled his way down to the kitchen, trying not to think too much about the encounter.
***
"Drake..."
The way Damian said his name was not good. It was too slow, not quite crisp enough for Damian's over-perfect pronunciation.
"What is it, Demon Brat?" Tim said, not bothering to look over his shoulder.
Truthfully, he wasn't busy; but Damian didn't need to know that. All Damian needed to know was that he didn't want him here.
Truthfully, the kid gave him the creeps. Especially since the comment about his legs on... Whenever that was. He had been low-key avoiding him ever since.
And wearing baggy sweatpants. Nothing but baggy sweatpants.
"May I draw you?" He asked, still a little too... Relaxed.
Tim shrugged. "You don't normally ask, you just do it. What changed-"
"No, I would like..." Tim could practically hear his face scrunch up. "I would like it very much if you modeled for me."
Tim thought about it for a moment, and what he was wearing. Baggy sweatpants, boxer briefs, a tank top style binder, and a hoodie. That wouldn't be too bad to strip out of the outer layer, except for that comment about his legs.
"Sure." The word came out of his mouth before he even thought about it.
"When?" Damian asked, voice back to being stiff. "You are just pretending to be busy, are you not?"
Tim groaned, spun around in his chair, and stood up. Taking a moment to blink the dark spots in his vision, he took a deep breath.
"Fine, where do you want me?"
***
As it turned out, modeling for Damian wasn't that bad. He did several quick poses first, then a couple longer, then-
"Drake... Could you remove your shirt?" Damian asked, clearly embarrassed.
"What, you wanna draw me topless?" Tim said on reflex. "Gross."
"No!" Damian huffed, crossing his arms. "That is disgusting. I merely want to be able to get a more anatomical practice in."
Tim shook his head. "No can do."
His thoughts were racing a hundred miles an hour. Why did Damian think that was okay? Was this all just a cruel prank? Did he actually want to see him without his binder? Did he know?
Oh shit, did he know?
"Why not?" Damian cocked his head to the side.
"Oh... Crap." Tim stretched his back. "Damian, do you know what trans means?"
Damian snorted. "Of course I know what it means. Latin: across."
Sighing, Tim sat down on Damian's bed. "That's true... I'm, uh..."
Immediately, he stiffened. "You are a transsexual?"
"Well, that's not a word that's used anymore." Tim explained. "No, I'm transgender."
Damian's brows furrowed. "You mean to say, you were born a girl?"
"Assigned female at birth." Tim corrected. "But... Yeah?"
"So... That would not be decent." Damian summarized.
Tim nodded. "Unless you want to see my tits."
He paled. "I have no desire, ever, to see your... Breasts."
Tim cringed at the word. "Well, that's good."
He nodded. "Well, that explains why your 'penis' does not hold up to close scrutiny."
Tim shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
"And why you have such beautiful legs."
"Okay, you can shut up about my legs." Tim frowned.
Damian shrugged. "It is just like everyone talking about Grayson's ass- that is a 'feminine' feature."
"Yeah..." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Not the same."
"If you would prefer me not to-"
"Yes." Tim interrupted. "Can you just... Keep it to yourself?"
Damian nodded. "It is a purely artist standpoint, not an interest in you, but yes- I will refrain from mentioning it."
"Ok." Tim yawned. "Next pose, I'm guessing?"
Nodding again, Damian got his sketchbook back out. "You had better get comfortable, this one is going to take a while."