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the cold air was a familiar feeling on damian’s skin, so adjusted that he barely shivered in the almost freezing temperatures of blüdhaven.
he was seated on a building across from his brother’s apartment, his legs dangling freely over the side, a cold wind blowing his hair up slightly.
he watched carefully, silently, grasping an unnecessary pair of binoculars in his hands as he waited for a sign of life in the apartment. he’d sworn he saw grayson’s green jeep driving past, but lost hope it was him when the lights didn’t turn on half an hour later.
apparently there was two green jeeps in blüdhaven. go figure.
he let out a bored sigh, pulling his phone out of his pocket. he had it set to do not disturb mode, but everyone knew where he was.
for once. just not richard.
he went to his messages, replying to a game of cup pong sent by mia, playing sloppily so the round would go by fast and it would be her turn again. she’d respond quickly, but damians phone would already be back in his pocket and clicked off.
he sent the message and did just that, pulling himself up so he was standing, bringing the binoculars to his eyes.
he had missed the big day. it was a surprise, so no one could’ve planned for him to be there, but the one time he decided to make plans, something huge happened at the manor.
life changing.
...and he missed it.
minutes danced by and he continued waiting in silence before finally: a glimmer of life appeared in the apartment bedroom window of richard grayson and princess koriand’r.
he quickly tossed the binoculars into the small bag nestled by a pipe nearby, throwing it over his shoulder after pulling out the grappling hook and zipping it shut.
he aimed down, pressing the trigger and releasing the line, watching it grasp the fire escape before letting his body be swung across the low traffic street, coming to a stop above some stairs.
he dropped, bringing the grappling gun down with him and dropping it back in his bag before making the short climb up the stairs.
he came to a stop on the ledge outside his brother’s window, instantly going to pull it up himself out of habit before stepping back and stopping himself.
kory and dick stood close together inside, his hand around her waist, looking up at his beautiful princess who was out of this world. she held something in her arms, blocked by grayson’s body being in front of her.
damian stood silently, not wanting to interrupt the peace between the two, before kory gave a small smile and handed whatever she had to dick, walking to the window after spotting the boy.
“hello, mr. wayne. how can i help you on this freezing night?” she asked, the exhaustion obvious in her voice as she opened the window, her smile slightly growing.
her eyes glowed a dimmer green than usual, eye bags positioned under them, and her long, perfect red curls weren’t as perfect as they always were. they were messy and unkept, but she still looked stunning as always. but something was... off about her since the last time damian had seen her a few months ago.
he couldn’t quite guess what.
damian gave a soft smile back, looking up at the tall alien princess. “mr. way-“
“yes, i know. mr. wayne is your father. but he isn’t here right now, is he? which makes you him. come inside.”
her voice was sweet but stern as she talked to damian, stepping back from the window, gesturing for him to come inside.
he pulled himself through, his cold boots hitting the carpeted floor of the bedroom.
dick looked over his shoulder, his appearance equally as tired as koriand’r’s.
“damian.”
“grayson.”
dick chuckled softly and shook his head, turning back to whatever was in his arms.
damian stepped away from his brother’s girlfriend as she clicked the window shut, making her way to the bed and letting herself drop with a loud, exhausted sigh, her eyes fluttering close.
he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring up at richard. when he was given no response or a glance back in his direction, he reshuffled his feet and recrossed his arms, clearing his throat.
“what, d?” dick asked, still not looking back.
“baba tells me i missed something important the other day, involving you and koriand’r.”
“well, he isn’t wrong. i was sad to see you weren’t there.”
damian huffed, looking away, keeping his arms crossed. “so you just aren’t going to tell me what i missed?”
“he didn’t tell you?” dicks voice was filled with surprise as he spoke.
“no, he didn’t. or else i wouldn’t have come all the way to blüdhaven.”
“i think you would’ve come anyways, d.”
damian scoffed softly, looking up at the back of dick’s head before turning away quickly again, catching koriand’r eyes, which had a playful look in them.
“that’s not true!” he said defensively, dropping his arms to his sides as he stepped up to dick, growing impatient.
“we both know it is.” dick moved away, still keeping his back to his young brother.
damian stopped, frowning and looking around in discomfort.
“fine. it is true.”
“i told you, d.”
“whatever, will you just tell me? please? and why won’t you face me?”
dick smiled to himself, turning his head to face kory. she nodded, giving a tired smile back. “stop messing with the kid and just show him, richard. i want to get some sleep before i have a shoot tomorrow,” she yawned, stretching and leaning back onto a pillow, watching her boyfriend and his young brother with a happy smile.
dick nodded his head, slowly starting to turn around.
“damian wayne, i am incredibly happy to introduce you, for the first time ever, to your niece: mar’i grayson.”
damian’s eyes widened as the small baby in dick’s arms was revealed to him, staring down at her in stunned silence.
“why are you so surprised, d? you know she was coming.” dick smiled and moved closer to him, carefully holding his days-old daughter out to him. “here, you hold her.”
he looked up at dick, then back at the baby, slowly taking her in his arms.
he held her to his chest as she stirred, her eyes opening slightly. they were full green, just like kory’s, and the shape of richard’s.
he didn’t know exactly what to do, for he had never actually held a baby in his arms like he was doing now.
he looked up at grayson for assistance, frowning immediately when the man wasn’t there in front of him. he turned towards the bed, his frown becoming less of confusion and more of irritation as the seconds ticked by.
“this isn’t funny, guys.”
dick had laid his head on kory’s shoulder, both of their chests slowly rising and falling, their eyes sealed shut.
“guys?”
damian moved to the end of the bed, looking up at them then down at the baby, letting out a loud sigh.
“you have horrible parents,” he whispered to his niece, shaking his head and leaving the bedroom quietly, not wanting to wake them despite how annoyed he now was.
he took a seat on the couch, holding mar’i in his lap as he picked up the remote, looking down at her. “you like avatar: the last air bender, right?”
she stared up at him with wide eyes, gently tapping her tiny hands together.
“sure, i’ll take that as a yes,” he mumbled, settling back into the couch, keeping one hand close to the small infant so if she tried to move he could catch her, the other hitting buttons on the remote as he yawned, opening netflix and settling into the couch cushions with his new niece.
damian wayne was now an uncle.