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“Damian…I have an alarm clock,” Tim said, his face pressed into his pillow. He slowly rolled over to see the kid perched on his bed frame like an actual bird. Tim wished this was the first time he had woke up like this since the kid came to stay. At least he no longer worried about seeing a knife in that little hand. “You don’t have to wake me up?”
“I learned from the truly appalling number of commercials that today is a holiday known as Father’s Day. Explain.”
Tim sat up, rubbing his eyes. “So…couldn’t get in touch with Dick, could you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s early in the morning, why would I wake up Grayson?”
The older Robin glared but shook his head. He sat up. “Okay…so, what is Father’s Day? Basically, it’s an overblown commercial holiday meant for people in happy family’s to brag obnoxiously about their father while people with more complicated feelings are guilted into buying cards with vague sentiments.” Tim paused when he saw Damian’s narrowed eyes.
“You’re the one being obnoxious at the moment, Drake.”
Tim sighed, “Look, it’s just about appreciating your Father. It’s all in the name, really.”
Damian frowned, silent for a moment. “What does our family do?”
“Oh no, no, we Wayne’s don’t do Father’s Day.”
“Why?”
“Well, because Dick, Jason, and Bruce lost their fathers and my father is…” Tim paused, considering how to explain to the pint-sized assassin the complicated nature of his biological family. “…is fine.” He shook his head, “So Jay, Dick, and Bruce spend the day brooding and we all go about our day collectively pretending we have developed cultural amnesia about what day it is.”
“That sounds…”
“Painfully repressed and deeply unhealthy? Welcome to the Wayne family.” Tim laid back down and rolled over, expecting Damian to just leave. Instead, he received a poke of Damian’s boot against his back. Tim groaned. “What?” he asked, sitting up again.
“We’re not doing that this year.” Damian raised his fist, a familiar look of determination in his eyes. “We’re going to go make four cakes…” Damian put up a hand, “With Alfred’s help. We’re going to give one to Father, one to Grayson, and one to Todd with nothing on it. Why can’t we both not acknowledge what day it is and still do something? Then the fourth cake we will decorate and give to Alfred because there no reason he should suffer because his family is this traumatized.”
“Jay and Dick aren’t fathers…”
“No, but they are sad,” Damian said.
“You spend too much time with Alfred…”
“You aren’t saying no.”
Tim smiled, slightly, “I’m not.”
“Come on, Drake. It is up to us because we are not adults and thus we still have a chance of breaking old habits unlike the others, who are far too old.”
Tim smirked, “I like this better already.” He stood up. “Come on, Dami. The Robins have a mission.”