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Chapter Text

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Prologue: So Far Away From All of You 

Danny sighed as he floated sprawled out beside Clockwork’s head. He was bored. No, he was beyond just bored. He was sick and tired of the monotony that had become his after life.

“That was a heavy sigh, my king. What bothers you?” Clockwork asked, giving his king a curious look from where he stood, watching the timelines of different universes play out in front of them. The Ghost Zone was prospering so well that Danny was no longer needed to run things. 

He had been the Ghost King now for well over two thousand years and things had grown dull. All of his loved ones had moved on to their afterlives. At this point, it was just Danny and Clockwork ruling space and time together.  

“I’m bored,” he grumbled. “I do the same thing every day of my existence now and I dunno, I think I need a vacation. I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I didn’t really have a childhood.”

Clockwork snorted. “You are just now realizing this, young one?”

“Young one? I’m an ancient, thank you,” Danny said with a scoff, crossing his arms over his chest. Did he still look like he was only twenty four years old? Sure. Did that matter? No.

“You will always be a young one compared to me, Daniel. Now, have you ever thought about starting your childhood all over again?” Clockwork asked with a mischievous smile. 

Danny perked up at that, twisting upside down as he moved to face Clockwork. “I can do that?”

“Of course, I can age you down to let us say five years old? You keep all of your knowledge and memories but have the body, energy, and mind of a five year old,” Clockwork told him. “I will also drop you somewhere I think you will thrive and have the most fun.”

Danny grinned. “How’ll it work? If I’ve got the mind and body of a five year old but still the memories and knowledge I have now?”

Clockwork shrugged. “You will just be able to have a little more fun, you will find yourself letting yourself behave as a five year old behaves rather than a two thousand year old ancient.”

“Let’s do it,” Danny said and landed in front of his mentor and friend. “Give me the magical girl transformation of my dreams.”

The Ancient of Time gave his friend an amused smile. “I will tell you, your ghostly friends may come to bother you if they know that you are in this state but we can make it where no one can attempt to overthrow you and take your crown.”

“So, you’re saying I get to be a five year old and  my ghost friends are gonna come and fight me!? Bring it on Clocky, I need a vacation,” he said, spreading his arms out. The Ancient chuckled before he pressed his staff to his King’s forehead and watched as the halfa turned into a small child in front of him, his clothes changing to that of a small black t-shirt littered in stars and planets, adorable little jean shorts, and red sneakers. Clockwork smiled down at him. 

“Have fun, your Highness,” he stated before sending the little boy to Gotham City, New Jersey on the planet earth. 

Chapter Text

Danny felt like a new man as he walked down the sidewalk of what he had learned was Gotham City in a version of Earth that was relatively new in comparison to his home world. He swung his hands at his sides as he looked around the neighborhood. Gotham City was funny looking, that was for sure. It had a level of smog covering the skies that kinda made him sad if he was going to be honest. How was he supposed to look at the stars when there were always clouds that covered the skies? 

It wasn’t too big of a deal, though, he would get used to it if Gotham was where Clockwork thought his new home needed to be. Instead he took the time to learn where everything in town was and figure out his game plan because really, he hadn’t thought that far ahead when he had given Clocky the go ahead to turn him into a five year old. 

He certainly couldn’t just walk around the city as a toddler and be safe. Even if he did still have access to his ghost powers, that just wasn’t the smartest thing he could do for himself. No, he would need a game plan. He would need to figure out where he would go, how he would take care of himself, and then he could have fun! 

It seemed from what he could see of the posters on the walls of buildings and billboards that this town had super cool vigilantes of some kind. Which was beyond neat! His version of earth didn’t have superheroes, it just had him!

From what he could hear, too, there was also an incredibly high crime rate in this town if all the police sirens he heard told him anything. He skipped over a few cracks in the sidewalk as he looked around. The sun was starting to set and the night sky was growing darker behind the clouds. He would need to find somewhere to sleep for tonight. Maybe a rooftop under the cloud covered skies? Or he could find an old abandoned house. It wasn’t the best idea, but considering his circumstances, it was what he had. 

He stopped short and sighed. Maybe letting Clocky turn him into a five year old of all things wasn’t the best idea. Maybe he should have turned ten or maybe even like a teenager again so he could have more control on what happened in his life. Being five was going to cause more complications than he could even imagine.

He sighed and looked around when he heard a lady scream just a few steps ahead of him. Without thinking, Danny took off in a run, ready to fight whoever was hurting some poor defenseless person. Who cared if he was only five? He could take on some big meany!

He soon found himself in front of a guy trying to steal some lady’s purse and let out a growl. Not on his watch. 

“Hey! Stop it you big meany! That’s her purse!” Danny shouted, stomping towards the man in the stupid sky mask with his hands in fists on his hips. “Leave her alone!”

“Stay out of this you little brat,” the man snapped, still trying to get the woman’s purse. 

Danny scowled and marched up to the man before solidly punching him in the crotch, his eyes shining a bright green.

 “I said leave her alone!” He shouted as the man dropped the purse and bent over, letting out a grunt of pain as he cupped his crotch. The lady grabbed her purse and took off in a run. Danny stared at the man as he turned his glare to Danny and gulped. 

“I fucked up,” he whispered in his teeny, tiny five year old voice before he took off running. “I fucked up!” He screamed. 

The man took off after the boy screaming obscenities at the kid. 

“Somebody help!” He shouted, waving his arms in the air as he ran down the sidewalk. “He’s gonna kill me!”

Danny ran straight into a wall before falling back onto his butt, letting out an “ oomf” as he did. He stared up to find some guy staring down at him in a weird costume. 

“Hey! What’s the big idea! I’m running away from someone!” He shouted, getting up and wiping off the dirt on his ass. He craned his head back to stare up at the man with a dorky looking  green domino mask on his face. Danny scrunched up his nose. “Are you wearing a cape? That’s lame.”

Danny jumped when he heard footsteps behind him and let out a shriek before hiding behind the weird costumed guy. “He’s gonna kill me!”

“What did you do to him?” The weird vigilante guy asked, turning to look at the little boy hiding in his cape. 

“He was trying to steal this lady’s purse! So I punched him in the balls!” Danny shouted petulantly. 

The vigilante looked back at the man who had finally caught up and arched a brow. “You were stopped from mugging someone by a child?” He asked, before he let out a scoff. “How pathetic. Now, shall we do this the easy way, or the difficult way? Because I for one, always do enjoy handling things the difficult way. It keeps things more fun.”

“Oh uh, Robin, I um, I’m sorry, I didn’t- I didn’t realize,” the man stammered out before he turned and took off running away from the vigilante and the little boy. Danny popped his head around the vigilante’s thigh. 

“Yeah! You better run you big meany!” he shouted before sticking his tongue out. “Nyeh!” 

Robin turned to look at the boy. “And you, what do you think you are doing attacking people much larger than you?” He asked. 

“He was being mean!” Danny argued. “And he was hurting that lady and nobody was stopping him. I had to do something!”

“Where are your parents?” The man asked and at this, Danny finally took a moment to take in the man standing in front of him. He wore a funky looking red shit with black sleeves and green gloves and Danny thought they were leggings maybe? He had a bright yellow utility belt, knee high laced up green shoes and knee and elbow pads. And Danny definitely couldn’t forget the black cape with yellow on the inside! He kinda looked silly in his costume but also, he was probably one of those super cool superheroes Danny had been hearing about!

Danny shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t have any,” he said, rocking on his heels. “Whatcha gonna do about it, weirdo?”

“Tch,” the man said and grabbed Danny’s wrist. “I guess I shall have to take you to the police department so that we can find you suitable foster parents who will take care of you instead.”

Danny let out a growl and kicked at the vigilante’s leg before he beat his wrist, trying to get away. “Let me go!” He shouted. “Fire! Fire! This man is trying to kidnap me! Help!”

“Will you stop it,” the man hissed, glaring down at Danny before grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, as if he were scruffing a kitten and threw him over his arms. 

“I don’t want a foster family!” Danny argued, kicking his legs and windmilling his arms, desperately trying to get out of the crazy man’s grip. 

The vigilante gave him a curious look as he started down the sidewalk with the fighting little boy and frowned. He took a gloved hand and poked Danny in the stomach, making the little boy squeak. 

“Why’d you do that! Weirdo! Didn’t anyone tell you to not touch little boys!?” Danny shouted, causing the vigilante to freeze. 

“I was just seeing how to turn you off,” he said and looked at the boy. “If you do not wish to live with a foster family, then would you wish to stay with me?”

“You’re gonna kidnap me!?” Danny shouted and started to struggle more. 

“I am not going to to kidnap you, you said that you do not have parents or a guardian and you do not need to be walking the streets of Gotham alone. So, what shall it be? Go to the police department or stay with me?”

Danny let out a grumble and slumped down in the vigilante’s grip. 

“I am sorry, I did not quite catch that,” the man said. 

“I said stay with you!” Danny shouted, kicking his legs. 

The vigilante smiled. “Very well, my name is Robin, and what is yours?”

“Danny,” he mumbled. 

“Well Danny, let’s get going,” Robin said before carrying Danny off down the street as the little boy pouted in his arms.

Chapter Text

Danny swung his feet as he watched Robin move about the loft they were now in. It seemed that Mr. Robin had a secret identity that let him live on the top floor of a fancy loft. It was a little bougie for Danny’s taste and it also seemed like that of a bachelor pad so Danny wasn’t really sure where he was going to be staying. There was one section where a large king size bed sat, a head board made of bookshelves surrounded the head of it, with a dresser sitting at the foot. 

The loft took over the entire top floor of the building. One part held the kitchen, framed by a large island that kept it separated from a sitting room, a small room held the bathroom, one corner was an entire art studio with large windows to give natural lighting for the painting area.

Danny sat on a tall barstool on the island watching his kidnapper in curiosity. “So, since you’re gonna kidnap me, does that mean I get to learn your super secret identity?” Danny asked, resting his chin on his hands as he stared at the man. 

Robin’s lip curled as he contemplated Danny’s words. “Very well, if you are to be my son then you must know my name,” he said before taking his mask off. He held out a hand for Danny to shake from across the island. “My name is Damian Wayne, but I suppose you will call me father.”

Danny made a face. “Yeah, not gonna happen Mr. Wayne, you gotta earn that title if you’re gonna be my dad,” he said and shook Damian’s hand with a tiny one of his own. “My name’s Danny,” he said knowing he had introduced himself once before but feeling he needed to remind Damian, swinging his feet happily.  

“Very well, Danyal,” Damian said, making Danny’s nose crinkle. 

“ No, Danny. Say it with me Dami, Dan-Knee, like your knee!” he said, pointing at his own little leg. 

“Danny is not a sophisticated name for the son of a Wayne,” Damian stated before he unclasped his cape and started towards a closet. 

“Awayne?” Danny asked, tilting his head to the side as he looked at Damina in curiosity. “What’s that?”

“No, Danyal, a Wayne, I am Damian Wayne, son of Bruce Wayne,” Damian said, pulling a curtain to block Danny’s view of the teenager as he presumably changed from his vigilante gear. 

“Who’s that?” Danny asked, hopping off his chair to follow Damian.

“Bruce Wayne is the owner of Wayne Enterprises, they are the leaders in technology and,” Damian cut off with a startle as Danny slipped past the curtain and watched Damian slip on a shirt. “Well, just about everything else,” Damian said with a hum. 

“So, you’re a rich fruitloop?” Danny asked, sprawling out on Damian’s bed. “Where’s my room gonna be? This seems like a place for a-a I can’t ‘member the word.”

“Well, I am only eighteen so I was not exactly prepared to have a child living with me.” Damian pulled back the curtain now that he was just dressed in a t-shirt and pair of leggings and socks. “For now, I suppose you can sleep with me in my bed, it is rather large. And I shall start looking for a better housing situation that will suit both of our needs.”

“That’s fine with me,” Danny said before he frowned and followed Damian back into the kitchen. “If you’re only eighteen, how are you ‘sposed to take care of me? You’re still a kid too, ya know.”

Damian scoffed. “I am not! And I am more than capable of raising a child. How old are you anyway?”

“I’m five! Do you even know how to take care of a five year old?” Danny demanded, crossing his arms as Damian started to make something for them to eat. “Do you know anything about bedtimes and healthy foods or what to do if I throw a tantrum?”

Damian turned to face the child. “Are you going to throw a tantrum?”

Danny growled and stomped his foot. “I could if I wanted to!” He scowled and climbed back in his chair. 

“Well please do not do that. I do not know how to handle tantrums and I will just have to put you in time out,” Damian said. “Now, what sort of diet do you have? Personally I am a vegan but if you are not, I will not subject you to my lifestyle choices as that is your own personal decision.”

Danny hummed. “You don’t kidnap kids very often, do ya?” He asked.

“This is the first time,” Damian conceded. “We will learn how to do this together.”

“I can be a vegan! My best friend was an um ultra-recyclo vegetarian,” Danny said slowly, the words felt weird coming from his five year old mouth. It really was weird. He had all the thoughts and memories of two thousand year old Danny but it seemed his new body and mind could not always catch up with everything. “But, I really like chocolate milk so you gotta find a good substitute.”

Damian nodded as though this was the most important information he had ever gotten. “Very well, I can do that. Now, would you like a grilled vegan cheese sandwich?” He asked. 

Danny shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, that works.”

“Very well.”

Damian was screaming in his mind. Had he really just done this? Did he seriously think that it was okay to just kidnap a child off of the streets all because he did not have a family and decide that he shall raise him as his own? 

What was wrong with him?

Dear lord, he was turning into his father. That was what was wrong with him. He had thought his adoption habits had only carried on to adopting animals and now here he was, pulling a Bruce Wayne Jr. and kidnapping a feral child right off of the streets. Just as his father had done with Todd. 

Was Danyal his Jason Todd? 

Damian mindlessly flipped the grilled vegan cheese sandwich in the pan as he stared ahead, listening as Danyal blathered on about his adventures in Gotham before Damian had kidnapped him. 

Which Damian truly had, hadn’t he? 

He had kidnapped Danyal and now he had a child to take care of. A five year old child. How was he supposed to do this and go to art school at the same time? 

What were his siblings and father going to say when they found out about what Damian had done? Alfred would be ecstatic. He had been complaining that there had been a lack of children in the house now that Damian had moved out for college and the only ones residing in the manor were Bruce and Alfred once more.

Would Father try to take Danyal from him? It had only been an hour but Damian was already attached to the child and he would fight tooth and nail if anyone tried to take Danyal away from him. 

“We will need to figure out documents,” Damian said, placing the plate in front of Danyal. “I think the name Danyal Wayne will be fitting for you. What middle name would you like?”

Danny thought about it for a moment, screwing his face up in thought. “Can it be Janus?”

Damian arched an eyebrow. “As in the God of Doors?"

The little boy scowled at Damian as though he were an imbecile. “No! You dummy, Janus represents the middle ground between both concrete and abstract dualities. Ya know, like life and death, beginning and end, childhood and adulthood, war and peace,” Danny said before he groaned at the look on Damian’s face. “You’re dumb.”

“How am I dumb? Why do you know so much about all of this? You are awfully articulate for a homeless five year old.”

“Because I AM Janus you big dummy!”

“Danyal, that is an interesting imagination you have,” Damian said placatingly before ruffling the boy’s hair much like his father used to do to him. 

Danyal just glared up at him. “FIne, I’ll show you!” He grumbled before light appeared around him and in his place sat a small ferret looking thing. Damian leaned down to observe this new form. It certainly had Danyal’s face, he white hair, big green eyes and pointed ears, little fangs peeked out from underneath a disgruntled mouth. He waved his little arms a little as he started chirping and whistling at Damian. 

“I do not understand what you are saying, but you look like a little ferret,” he said, staring at the way Danyal’s torso bled into a tail that curled underneath him. 

Danyal scowled which looked adorable on that little baby face before suddenly he grew to be five times larger, looking more like a giant eldritch horror. He still had the same body but now his fangs were much larger, claws grew from what had been once stubby little hands. The eldritch monster loomed over Damian, its maw dripping a green substance that looked similar to the Lazarus Waters that Damian had once been raised with.

“I cannot stay like this for long,” the being snarled. “I am Daniel Janus Nightingale, King of the Infinite Realms. I took what humans would call a vacation so that I can experience a true human childhood. If you are still determined to care for me in my child form, I will allow it. But do know this, Damian Al Ghul Wayne, I am two thousand years old and have knowledge far past your understanding. Do not doubt what I say. Now, I would like some chocolate milk,” the being snarled before a flash of light took over and Danyal sat before him, kicking his legs happily. 

“That was hard to do,” Danyal said before taking a large bite of his sandwich. “Is this cashew cheese?”

Damian blinked at the child before him. Did he… did he kidnap a god?

Chapter Text

Damian and Danny stared across from one another. Damian had the child for all of one day now and he was starting to think he may have jumped the gun just a little bit by taking this tiny child? God? As his son. 

“So, what are we doing now?” Danny asked him as he ate his waffles that Damian had made for him that morning. Damian watched in disdain as the boy quickly got covered in syrup. 

“Well, I thought that maybe we could get to know one another and then go buy some clothes and other necessities for you while I look for a more suitable home for the two of us.”

Danny nodded and took another bite from his waffles. “What do you do?” He asked, glancing up at the man in curiosity. 

“I got to Gotham University currently. I am majoring in art and business,” Damian said, stabbing at his own waffles. 

“How do you pay for this place? Do you have a job?” Danny asked, at this Damian flushed slightly and looked away from his son’s probing eyes. 

“Technically, yes. I just do not get paid for my vigilantism so my father pays for everything for me,” he said awkwardly, wincing when the five year old started giggling hysterically. 

“So you’re a trust fund baby,” Danny said, nearly falling out of his seat as he continued to laugh at the teenager. “You can’t even take care of yourself but you’re gonna become my dad!”

“I can take care of myself just fine! At least I am not a five year old running around the streets of Gotham City!” He retorted, glaring at the five year old as he continued to giggle. 

“Yeah but I was surviving just fine, Dami. You still have your daddy pay for everything,” Danny cackled, his shoulders still shaking in amusement. 

“Can it you little worm,” Damian muttered, flicking a piece of waffle at his kid only for the boy to catch it in his mouth happily. 

“So, you’re a daddy’s boy and you go to school and you’re a vigilante,” Danny said, swinging his feet back and forth once he had calmed down. 

“Yes, and you are apparently a thousands year old god that turned yourself into a five year old so that you could experience a childhood. And now your otherworldly form looks like a worm with arms,” Damian responded, staring down the child. 

Danny narrowed his eyes. “I’m a baby! Of course it’s small and doesn’t look like my real form! You saw how big and scary I am though!”

Damian rolled his eyes and just let out a tsk before he stood with his unfinished plate of waffles and grabbed Danny’s empty plate. “Well, now that we know a little bit about one another, I suppose we should go and purchase what you need,” Damian said before going over and picking up the five year old, hitching him up on his waist. 

“We need clothes, toiletries, toys, what else?” Damian asked as they walked back to where he kept his own clothes and set the boy on the bed as he started to get ready for their excursions. “What kind of things do you like?”

“I like space! And um, stars, and, and planets!” Danny said, getting excited as he watched Damian start to get his shoes on. 

“Anything aside from planets?” Damian asked, giving the boy an amused smile. Danny pursed his lips in thought for a moment. 

“Pirates! And uh, Knights and Fairytales!” He cheered as Damian helped him dress in his clothes from the day before. Damian crinkled his nose, he would definitely need to get Danyal plenty of clothes so that he was not stuck wearing the same outfit over and over again. 

“We can work with that,” Damian said with a hum before he picked Danyal up once more. The five year old clambered around in his arms until Damian had a small child hanging on his back, his legs hooked around Damian’s arms. Damian grabbed his keys and wallet and the two started out of the loft. Danyal rested his chin on the top of Damian’s head and started asking what felt like a million questions. 

“Why is Gotham so haunted? Did you know about all of the ghosts here?” Danyal asked him, as the two walked down the sidewalk. 

“I was not aware that the city was haunted, but it makes sense. This town has been riddled in crime since its inception,” Damian told him simply. 

“Do you wanna be able to see all the ghosts?” Danyal questioned. 

“How would I be able to see them?” Damian asked his ward suspicious. 

“Yes or no, Dami. Just answer,” Danyal said with an impatient huff, lightly kicking Damian’s side. 

“Fine, yes, I would like to be ale to see the ghosts in Gotham,” Damian told him with a huff of his own. Danyal let out a squeal of excitement and covered Damian’s eyes for just a moment, when he pulled his hands away, a wave of green passed over Damian’s vision for just a moment, causing the eighteen year old’s steps to falter for just a moment before it returned to normal. 

Only now, things were slightly different. Everything looked mostly the same but now there were much more people on the streets. They were varying sorts of people, as well. There were black shadow like people, beings with green or blue skin, eyes bright Lazarus Green or bright red. Some looked completely normal aside from their strange coloring, others looked as though they had just died. There was a woman with half of her face gone, floating along aimlessly, a man stood in the middle of the street looking nearly flattened with tire marks on his face. 

“It’s sad, huh?” Danyal said quietly. “Lost souls who have not been able to move on from what had happened. Stuck repeating their deaths over and over again. I came here for a childhood but I have a lot of work while I’m here.”

“You are not doing it alone, Danyal,” Damian said instantly. 

“What?” Danny asked, swinging around to sit on Damian’s waist and gave him a curious look. “I’m their king, I gotta! They can’t just be stuck here, it’s not fair, it’s not right!”

“I know, and we will help them together,” Damian told him solidly. “You came here to be a child and have a childhood. You are going to get the chance to do so. I understand feeling that you have a duty to do but you are five. As your father, I will help you complete this task. You will have to teach me, but you will not do this alone.”

Danyal smiled up at the man, his eyes shining bright. “Thanks Dad,” he said softly, hugging the teenager tight. 

Damian smiled, feeling his heart race just slightly at the approval from his son. He looked around, though, and his smile fell. So many lost souls, so many who could have been saved, could have never died such grusome deaths if only someone had saved him. It reminded him of his own failures, of times he had been too late to save those who needed him most. Not only that, but it reminded him of his own victims, people he had brutally slaughtered under the idea that what he was doing was right, under the brainwashing of his mother and grandfather.

“You’ve killed a lot of people, huh?” Danyal asked quietly after a few minutes of walking in silence.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Damian murmured quietly, his heart aching as he thought about it. “I was your age the first time I killed another human being. It is why I will not let you carry this burden alone, why I so desperately want to help you have a childhood.”

Danyal hugged him tight. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, pressing his face into Damian’s neck as he did. “They forgive you.”

“How do you know that?” Damain asked, looking down at Danyal. 

“Most people who killed someone, they got a shade attached to ‘em. Like their own personal haunting,” Danyal told him before he pointed to a man across the street who had three different shadows following him. “You don’t have any. You smell like death, like you killed someone but, you don’t have anyone haunting you. That means they forgave you,” Danyal told him happily. “It means you at, at-”

“Atoned?” Damian asked him quietly. 

“Mhm!” Danyal hummed, nodding his head happily. Damian smiled, holding the boy close to him just as they turned the corner and arrived at the store Damian had googled just that morning. 

Target. 

Apparently it had everything a five year old would need to not just survive but thrive and be happy. Danny gasped as they walked in. 

“There’s so much stuff!” He exclaimed as Damian placed in him the shopping cart. He stared around with wide eyes as Damian started first towards the clothing department to start grabbing clothes. 

“What is your favorite color? I believe that is important when shopping for clothes. We must also make sure that every outfit is aesthetically pleasing and works with your complexion. Which, with your pale skin and black hair colors like dark purple, ruby red, mustard yellow, and dull orange will all look good on you. They’ll give you a lively, playful look that will cancel out the lack of color in skin.”

“You really are an art major,” Danyal said with a snicker as Damian held clothes up to the boy before throwing them into the basket. Once they had loaded the basket down with all the clothes Damian had deemed appropriate for his child, they moved on to the next stop on their list. Hygiene. Danyal just slumped down in the cart as he watched Damian grab the best of each thing. 

“I’m bored,” Danyal mumbled, throwing his head back before squinting at the fluorescent lights. 

“We are almost done Danyal. Once we are finished and take this back to the loft, we can go to the park if you would like. Or if you would like, we can visit my animals at my father’s manor.”

“Why does your dad take care of your animals?” Danyal asked, tilting his head in curiosity. 

“Because I am not allowed to have any animals in my complex. But, at my father’s house I have Alfred the Cat, Titus the Dog, and Batcow, a cow that I rescued when I was a child. He is the reason I became vegetarian before I decided to fully become vegan,” Damian answered before he started pushing the cart once more. 

“You have a cow!?” Danyal asked, staring up at Damian in amazement. “That’s so cool, and did you name him that because of ya know?”

Damian chuckled and shook his head. “No actually, the patterns on her face look like Batman’s mask,” he said smiling when Danny let out a soft wow in surprise. 

“So, are all the other heroes your ya know?”

“Some are,” Damian told him quietly as he turned down an aisle full of blankets, pillows and other soft things children ould enjoy. “I have five siblings, I am the youngest. There’s Richard, he is the eldest, Jason, Cassandra, Timothy, and Duke,” Damian explained. “None of us live at home anymore but Alfred our butler and my pseudo grandfather still maintains our bedrooms for if we ever come home for any reason. Once I let him and my father know about you, I will not be surprised if they don’t make you a room too.”

Danyal pursed his lips and nodded his head as he thought about all of Damian’s siblings. “That sounds nice. I have one real sister, but I have two siblings that are also me and they both tried to kill me,” he stated, staring up at Damian with his big blue eyes. 

The teenager faltered and gave the boy a surprised look. “What?”

The five year old puckered his lips and let out a huff. “When I was fourteen! Thousands and thousands of years ago!” Danny exclaimed. “This fruitloop was obsessed with my mom and he made a clone of me! So that he could have me as a son. But the clone came out a girl and he tried to have her murder me! And then a uh um a version of myself from the future came back to try to turn me into him but when it didn’t work, he tried to kill me!”

Damian nodded seriously at that. “And now?”

“Oh, they’re good! Dan is in time out and Dani is off exploring,” he said, swinging his legs. 

“I have tried to kill my siblings a few times. It seems we have fratracide in common,” Damian said with a hum before he held up two blankets. “Now, the constellation blanket, or the one with the Milky Way galaxy on it?”

Danyal looked between both blankets and frowned. “Both?”

Damian nodded seriously and set them both in the basket before they continued on their shopping excursion. It was odd conversing with Danyal. There were times where he sounded as though he were an adult when he was talking and others where he reverted to that of a five year old. It made Damian wonder if his older self was constantly battling this new younger version od Danyal’s mind to stay in control. He wondered what kind of toll that would take on the small child. 

He had so many questions but he wasn’t sure just how he should ask any of them unfortunately. He could be patient, though, Danyal was already imparting important information here and there, maybe Damian would get used to it and start asking the right questions to get the answers he needed. In the meantime, he would ensure that his newfound son had everything he needed to be happy in his new home.

Chapter Text

Danny stared at the large stuffed moon that Damian had bought him from Target like it was the most important thing in his life. And honestly? At this moment? It was. It was the fluffiest toy that Danny had ever held in his arms and he loved it more than anything in the world. 

He smiled as he ran his hand over the fluffy fur that covered the thing and squeezed it tight to his chest as he followed his dad around the loft as Damian started putting away Danny’s things. He had already hung all of Danny’s clothes beside his own, had managed to put away all of his hygiene things and was now cursing to himself as he looked for the tools he needed to put Danny’s new bed together. 

“I can do it, ya know,” Danny said, floating behind the teenager as he rifled through yet another drawer. 

“Danyal, you are five, you cannot put a bed together,” Damian stated, still bent over. Danny blew his cheeks out in annoyance before he floated over to the box that held his bed and waved his hands in the air. The box ripped open and he slid the bed frame and mattress out with his powers before invisible hands slowly put the bed together, twisting the screws in, hammering pieces together before it was set beside his dad’s bed. Brand new sheets floated across the air and covered the mattress before setting itself down on the bed frame and blankets and pillows floated over and made the bed carefully. Soon Danny found himself sitting atop his new little toddler bed as Damian came back holding a screwdriver triumphantly. 

“I have found one!” He exclaimed with a proud smile only for to fall when he saw Danny holding his stuffed moon while he sat on the bed. 

“Ghost powers,” Danny said with a cheeky smile. Damian scowled and set the screwdriver on the island before he marched over, grumbling to himself about pesky little boys and annoying powers before he threw Danny over his shoulders and slammed him onto his much bigger bed. 

“I told you I was going to do it, you little twerp,” he seethed before tickling along Danny’s sides, smiling as the boy let out a loud squeal, batting at Damian’s hands to get him away. 

“Stop!” Danny screeched, kicking his little legs, trying to fight his dad off. “Dami!” 

Damian simply chuckled before he pulled his hands away and gave the boy a small smile. “Well, now that you have gotten my job taken care of for me, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?” Damian asked, moving to lay on the bed beside his son. 

Danny hummed as he rested his pudgy hands on his tummy and stared up at the ceiling. “Hm, can we go meet your animals? I really wanna go,” he said, glancing over at Damian. 

“If we go over to the manor, you will have to meet my father and the rest of my family. Are you up for that?” Damian asked, propping his head up on his hand as he looked down at the little boy he had taken in as his son. “You have only been with me for a little under a week now and my siblings can be overwhelming at times. I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable.”

“They’re heroes like you, right?” Danny asked, giving Damian a nervous look. 

“They are vigilantes, yes,” Damian said with a nod. Danyal had been living with him for five days now and during that time, the two had adjusted rather well to their routine. Damian put Danyal to bed at eight, he would get some of his homework completed and then he would go out on patrol. If Danyal woke up before Damian got home and he was frightened or simply wanted Damian, he had a special button he could press that would let Damian know to come home right away. So far, Danyal hadn’t pressed the button once.

The child was very self sufficient. It made sense when Damian thought about it, he was a millinia’s old being and yes, he behaved and spoke like a child at times, that mind was still in there. He still knew how to take care of himself if it came down to it. It was why the little boy had been more than okay with living on the streets by himself.

But, if his family knew about his son, there would be questions. A lot of questions, actually. He knew his family well at this point, he had been with them for eight years now, of course he knew what they were like. They would be concerned, they would think that Damian would not be able to care for Danyal by himself. They would try to take Danyal from him and Damian would have to fight them off. Especially once they learned just how adorable Danyal was.

“Are they gonna be mean?” Danyal asked him, blue eyes wide with concern. Damian smiled and shook his head. 

“No, they will not be mean. At most, they will try to take you away from me so that they can hoard all of your hugs to themselves,” Damian stated, ruffling Danyal’s hair. Danyal grinned and tackled Damian onto the bed, giving him the tightest hug. 

“They can’t take me away from you! I already decided you’re gonna be my dad! It’s my choice and you’ve been a fun dad, even if you talk like you’re thousands of years older than me!” Danyal said, his voice muffled as he buried his face in Damian’s shoulder. The vigilante simply laughed and held Danyal tight to his chest as they laid in bed together. 

“Do not worry, I will not allow anyone to take you from me. You are mine Danyal,” Damian said, kissing the top of Danyal’s head. 

The boy crinkled his nose. “I guess you’re mine too, even if you gave me a silly name and won’t call me Danny,” he said. “Can we take a nap first and then go to the Manor? I really wanna meet the animals but I’m kinda sleepy.”

Damian moved carefully until they were both tucked beneath the blankets, Danyal moved so that he was resting his head on Damian’s bicep, his little arm draped over Damian’s chest. The teenager felt his heart swell inside of him at the way the boy so easily cuddled up to him. 

“Love you, Dad,” Danyal mumbled, eyes already closed. 

“Love you to Danny,” Damian said, the words feeling wrong on his tongue. Unfortunately for Danyal, he would just have to deal with being called Danyal. 

Danyal giggled and buried his face in Damian’s chest before he fell fast asleep.

…

“Remember, if any of them are rude to you or you do not like how they treat you, you have my permission to react however you would like,” Damian said, hitching Danny higher up on his waist as the two walked into the manor halls. Danny nodded as though this was the most important rule Damian had given him so far. 

Which, honestly, his dad had given him a lot of rules but most of the time they were dumb and made Danny mad. 

Like rule number 1! 

“ Don’t turn into a giant eldritch monster any time you decide to throw a tantrum.”

It was such a stupid rule. He hated it, Danny liked his big and scary form! Even if it was hard for him to maintain for long amounts of time. His little baby form wasn’t scary! Damian would pet him like he was a cat anytime he changed into that form. 

And Danny wasn’t a cat! He was ferocious, scary ghost king who could demolish entire worlds if he wanted to! He was scary and mean and nations fell at his feet. Or at least they used to before he let Clockwork turn him into a child. 

The other rules were also stupid. 

2. Don’t bite. 
3. Don’t follow me on patrol
4. Don’t let anyone but family know he’s a ghost. 

Which that one was dumb! Danny was a ghost! He had fun powers and he hated walking more than anything and now he couldn’t even float around in public? His dad was a barbarian!

5. Don’t let uncle Dick convince him into any of his stupid shenanigans.

This one didn’t even make sense to Danny! What did that mean? What kind of things did his Uncle Dick do? He didn’t even know the guy yet and he was already being told to not listen to him. What if Uncle Dick’s ideas were fun! Danny liked havingfun.

6. You have to drink more than just chocolate milk. 
7. Eat your veggies.
8. You’re allowed to fight Uncle Tim whenever you want.

That was another one that didn’t make sense to Danny but he figured that maybe Uncle Tim was just super annoying. 

“I can do that!” Danny said and squirmed in his dad’s grip. “Am I allowed to fly here?”

“Let us get introductions out of the way first and then you can fly, how does that sound?” Damian said before nearly running into Alfred in the hall. 

“Oh! Master Damian, I was not expecting you today,” the butler said, giving the duo a look of surprise. “And who might this charming fellow be?”

Damian smiled before he maneuvered Danny around in his arms until he was holding the boy up by his arm pits, both of their smiles wide and toothy. “Alfred, meet my son, Danyal Janus Al Ghul Wayne!”

Danny waved happily at the older man, taking note of all the nice ghosts that seemed to float around the guy. They all had really nice things to say about him, from what it sounded like, they even tried to help him keep the manor safe!

“Dad!” Danny whispered, turning his head back to look at his father. “Do you see all the ghostys!”

“I do, I will need you to explain them to me later when we are not giving my grandfather a heart attack,” Damian told him seriously. Danny whipped his head back around to find the older man staring at the two of them in shock.

“Are you okay Mr. Alfred?”

“Great Grandfather,” Damian corrected. 

Danny nodded his head. “Are you okay, Great Grandfather? You don’t look too good,” he said with a frown, leaning forward in Damian’s grip to inspect the man curiously. He whistled and chirped at the other ghosts, asking if Alfred was okay, only they all reassured him that the older man would be just fine. 

“I am fine, Master Danyal, your erm, your father just surprised me is all,” Alfred said with a polite smile. “I was not aware that he had a son.”

“Oh! Yeah, Dad kidnapped me like five days ago!” Danny chirped only for Damian to scoff behind him. 

“I saved you,” he said before cradling Danny to his chest once more and looked at Alfred. “I was hoping to introduce him to the rest of the family soon. But I wanted you to meet him first,” he said with a small smile. 

Danny watched as Alfred’s eyes brightened at the comment. “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Master Danyal,” Alfred said, holding out a hand for the boy to shake. 

“You can call me Danny! Dad keeps sayin’ I need a fancy name but I like Danny,” the boy said, shaking Alfred’s hand vigorously. Damian carefully set Danny down beside him and took his hand once Danny and Alfred were finished introducing themselves. 

“So, how did you get Danny?” Alfred asked with an arched eyebrow. Damian just smiled and shook his head in amusement before he launched into his tale, explaining how Danny had attacked a mugger only to get chased down and run for his life to get away. Alfred huffed a chuckle of his own in amusement and looked down at Danny. 

“A brave little soldier, aren’t you?” He asked, ruffling Danny’s hair. Danny just giggled in response. 

“I’m a king! Not a soldier!” Danny exclaimed, stomping his foot in a pout. 

“Ah yes, that is something I would prefer to explain to our family all at once. Alfred, would you be able to see if everyone- actually no, I have a better idea,” he said before he grinned widely. He handed his cellphone to his grandfather and squatted down beside Danny. “Will you take our photograph please?”

“Of course,” Alfred said with a chuckle, likely already knowing where his grandson was going with this scheme of his. He took a few as Damian and Danny smiled first and then Danny insisted the two make silly faces too. Damian happily agreed, much to Alfred’s surprise and the two took pictures with their fingers pulling their cheeks wide, eyes crossed and tongues sticking out. He quietly sent the picture to himself before handingt he phone back to the young teenager. 

“Perfect,” Damian said with a laugh as Danny jumped up and down, reaching for the phone and begging to see. Damian showed him their silly pictures and the little boy beamed with pride. 

“Can we print it out and hang it up?” He asked, hugging onto Damian’s leg. “That’s my favorite picture.”

“Of course we can Habibi,” Damian said, ruffling Danny’s hair before he looked down at his phone. 

Wayne Family Groupchat (including Bruce and Alfred)

It was the official group chat for their family, one that had their entire family in it for important conversations. Which Damian counted this as important. 

Damian: jpg. If you would like to meet your nephew/grandson we will be at the manor until dinner this evening.

Damian smiled as he watched the official family group chat blow up. 

Dick: ????? Baby Bird you have a son????

Stephanie: excuse me BUT THAT’S A WHOLE ASS CHILD

Cassandra: cute <3 

Everyone typing

Damian chuckled and slipped the phone in his pocket as he felt the vibrations of new texts coming through come at lightening fast pace. 

Danny just stared at him in confusion, tilting his head to the side before Alfred stepped up. “Danny, I have some cookies that I am about to get out of the oven, would you like to come with me and get one as soon as they are ready?”

“What kinda cookie?” Danny asked suspiciously, looking up at the older man and his outstretched hand just as Damian’s phone started to ring loudly. 

“Triple chocolate chip,” Alfred told him with a smile. “They are your grandfather’s favorites,” he said before Danny took his hand.

“Oh! I like those, one time my sister tried to make them but they tried to eat us instead, it was scary,” Danny said, following the older man. “Can I call you somethin’ sides great grandfather? That’s a lot and I’m only five.”

“What would you like to call me?” Alfred asked, looking down at the boy with a small smile, marvelling at how much he had already changed Damian in just five days time. The teenager that Alfred had seen was so relaxed, so full of joy. He had never seen Damian so happy in all eight years he had been living with Bruce. 

It was nice to see that this little five year old had managed to bring Damian out of his shell. And while he knew the reactions of his other grandchildren and his adopted son were going to be all over the place, he knew that if they even tried to take Danny away from Damian he would be the first one to fight them off. Danny was good for Damian, and Alfred reckoned that Damian was also good for Danny. 

“I already have a peepaw, but you could be my pawpaw if that’s okay?” Danny asked, looking up at Alfred with those bright blue eyes. Oh he already felt like he was melting underneath his great grandson’s gaze. He truly was Wayne Adoption Bait as Jason liked to put it. 

“I would be honored to be your PawPaw,” Alfred said with a small smile before Danny reached both hands up in the air. 

“Upies?”

Alfred smiled happily, lifting Danny in the air and setting him on his hip as he made his way to the kitchens. He was more than excited to see how the rest of the family would react, and how long he would get each of them wrapped around his little finger because Alfred was already in love with the little boy.

Chapter Text

The Coolest Kids on the Block 

The Acrobat: MY BABY HAS A BABY WHAT AM I GOING TO DO

The Drama Queen: Who the fuck changed my name again?

Whatever, he’s eighteen how the fuck did he even get a kid?

The Ballerina: he’s precious <3

The Girlfriend: he is pretty cute but how the hell did Damian get a kid before Dickie poo?

The Tired One: more importantly, is Damian even equipped to take care of a child? Oh god is he going to train the kid to try to kill me?

The Precious Angel: Who all is going to dinner? I’m lowkey kinda curious about the kid.

The One Who Sees All: I’ve already got someone covering the rest of my shift! I’m so excited to meet him! Maybe he’s just what Damian needs. 

The Stabby One: Danyal would really like to meet his uncles and aunts. It would be rather disappointing if none of you came to meet him.

Jpg. [picture of Danny giving the camera a pouty face, his blue eyes are wide and watery, lips are pushed out in a pout, black hair is all in his face]

The Precious Angel: Oh my god he’s an angel, Barb you have to change my name, he’s the new angel in the family. I’ll be there.

The Precious Angel has changed to The One Who Sees Too Much 

The One Who Sees Too Much: We match!

Damian sighed as Richard screeched at him on the phone. “Baby Bat, how the hell do you have a kid? Where did you even get him? Did you steal him from his parents? He’s not a cat, Damian, you can’t just steal kids whenever you want.”

“He was not stolen,” Damian said, watching as his son ate cookies with Alfred who had very obviously fallen under Danyal’s spell. It seemed he had managed to be stronger than Alfred at least. Danyal had not managed to get Damian under his spell, he was stronger than that. He had gone through rigorous training and Damian was trained against the cutest of Danyal Janus Al Ghul Wayne. “If you come to the manor for dinner this evening you will get the opportunity to meet him and I will explain to everyone how Danyal came into my possession. I have to go, Richard, Father is here,” he said, watching as Bruce walked into the kitchen, looking between Damian and Danyal curiously. 

“Damian?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“I will talk to you soon,” Damian said into the phone, ignoring Richard’s inane blathering on the other end of the line. He pocketed his phone and gave his father a small smile. “Would you like to meet your first grandchild?”

Bruce gave him a guarded look and nodded slowly. Damian let out a sharp whistle, immediately getting Danny’s attention. 

“I’m not a dog, Dad! Quit whistling at me,” Danny snarked, jumping out of his chair and stomping over to Damian. 

“You responded, did you not?” Damian asked, stooping down to pick up the little boy. Danny immediately situated himself on his dad’s hip and looked at Bruce. 

“Are you a vampire?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. “I heard a rumor that Batman’s a vampire. But also Bruce Wayne goes outside all the time. So are you like one of those Twilight vampires because it’s so cloudy in Gotham that you could get away with being outside.”

Danny immediately covered Damian’s neck with his pudgy little hands. “I won’t let you drink my dad’s blood! It’s nasty anyway, I would know! I’ve bit him in my other form and he doesn’t taste good,” he said. 

“And that is why we made the no biting rule,” Damian said cooly before he brushed Danny’s hair out of his face. “My father isn’t a vampire, he’s just an odd man who dresses up like a bat.”

Danny nodded and looked at Bruce, finally uncovering Damian’s throat, no longer feeling the need to protect him. “I’m Danny! Dad calls me Danyal but I think it’s ugly.”

“It is not ugly! It is a good name!” Damian scolded, flicking his son’s nose, smiling when he started to giggle and cover his face.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Danny,” Bruce said with an awkward, polite smile that immediately resulted in both Danny and Damian giving him disapproving looks. 

“You’re right, Dad, he is awkward,” Danny whispered loudly to his father. Damian simply snickered and shook his head. 

“This is your Grandfather, be nice,” Damian scolded.

Danny huffed. “That wasn’t part of the rules!”

“Rule number nine, don’t be mean to your Grandfather,” Damian told him with a serious look. Danny pouted but nodded his head nonetheless. “Unless you get permission from one of your aunts or uncles,” he amended after a moment.

“Damian!” Bruce said, offended. “How are you going to just give him a rule like that?”

“Easily, just like that,” Damian said with a shrug before Danny started getting fussy in his arms. 

“Wanna change,” he mumbled, tugging at Damian’s shirt. 

“Not until dinner which is just in an hour,” Damian told him before he looked at Bruce. “Danyal is five, he’s mine. I will not allow any of you monsters try to take him from me. He’s mine, but you are welcome to get to know my son if you would like.”

Bruce frowned but nodded his head once before he looked at Danny. “Would you like a tour of the manor?”

“Father, he’s five, he doesn’t care about tours. He wants to meet the animals if you would like to take him to the barn. Bond with your grandson while I speak with Alfred,” Damian said before he thrust Danny into Bruce’s arms.

“If you try to drink my blood, I’ll bite you back,” Danny told him seriously as Bruce awkwardly held him by his armpits. Danny hung there in front of Bruce before he made a face at the older man. 

“Is it mean if I call you weird?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. “How do you have a million kids but not know how to talk to a kid?” He kicked his feet in the air as the two just stared at one another. Danny puffed out his lips. He had never felt so betrayed by his father to leave him with such a weird old guy who didn’t even know how to talk to a kid. “Also holding me like this hurts.”

“Oh! I apologize,” Bruce said and set the boy down only for Danny to grunt and raise his arms in the air once more. 

“Uppies!” Danny demanded, stomping his foot. Bruce tilted his head to the side. 

“Uppies?”

Danny grunted before he looked around for his Dad and let out a quiet hiss before he floated up into the air and placed himself on his grandfather’s hip. “Don’t let Dad know I did that. He said no powers,” he whispered in a hush. 

“You’re a meta?”

“A whata?” Danny tilted his head as he took in the man in front of him as well as the two ghosts that floated behind him. He waved at the couple with a wide smile. “How’re you so weird when your mommy and daddy are so nice?”

“What?” Bruce asked, looking even more surprised at the little boy that had forced him to hold him. “What do you know about my parents?”

“Can we see the batcow now? I really wanna meet him. And Titus! And Alfred the Cat!”

Bruce nodded slowly, looking at the boy in utter confusion before he started the walk down to the barn. He had so many questions for Damian once they sat down for dinner. 

…

Danny swung his feet, entire body practically buzzing as he sat beside his dad in the living room. Damian had finished talking to PawPaw and Grandpa Bruce as weird as he was took Danny to meet all of the animals. And now he was gonna get to meet all of his aunts and uncles and he was so, so, so excited!

How could he not be? Aunt Alicia was the only aunt he had ever had and she was the worse and sure most of the ancients treated him like their nephew most of the time but it wasn’t the same. Not the same as having real aunts and uncles. 

He really was getting the childhood he had always wanted and was excited beyond words for this part of being a kid. What would his aunts and uncles be like? There were just so many of them, surely one of them would be fun!

Damian smiled and looked down at his son, brushing his hair out of his face. He really was going to have to convince Danyal into allowing him to get a haircut sooner or later. He had no idea how the poor boy could even see when it hung in his eyes constantly. 

Soon three of Damian’s siblings and fake sibling walked into the room looking around curiously before their eyes landed on Danyal. 

“Oh my god he’s real!” Stephanie shouted, slapping her cheeks before she let out a squeal and grabbed Cassandra’s hand to pull her closer as Duke followed close behind. 

“Damian,” Duke said, looking at Danyal with wide eyes. 

“You can see his true form, I take it?” Damian asked, looking at Danyal who was now excitedly introducing himself to his aunts and showing off his space book that he and Damian had just been looking through. 

“He’s not a five year old,” Duke whispered. “There’s like a ghost of a twenty something year old attached to him. With, with white hair and-”

“Lazarus green eyes?” Damian asked quietly. “Yes, I know. We will be discussing it over dinner. But, as long as you are nice to Danyal he is perfect harmless and has already been told to not hurt his aunts and uncles.”

Duke nodded slowly, still looking at Danyal bewildered. Damian honestly felt slightly jealous. He wondered what Danyal’s adult form looked like, what he had been like before he had decided he wanted to have a childhood once more. It didn’t truly matter, Damian would be the one to watch Danyal grow up once more into an adult. And Damian hoped he could give Danyal the childhood he so desperately wanted and deserved. 

“So, what is your dad like?” Stephanie asked, giving Danyal a mischevious smile. 

“He’s your brother, you should already know,” Danyal answered, sitting back down with Damian once more. “But he’s really fun! He plays dress up with me and reads me bedtime stories and he won’t let me watch TV cause he says it’s bad for my brain. But that’s okay cause he’s also really funny and he likes to tickle me when I’m being a brat and he makes really good food, even if it is vegan.”

Stephanie gave him a surprise look. “That’s good,” she said slowly before looking at Damian in what looked to be begrudging respect. “I’m happy your dad is so good to you. He’s actually not my brother, though. I’m dating Cass so I’m your aunt through her,” she said with a small smile. “And I’m gonna be your favorite aunt, just you wait.”

“I dunno, Auntie Cass is a ballerina and that’s really cool, she said she’s gonna teach me!”

Stephanie gave Damian a shit eating grin that his stomach turn in nervousness. Oh no. He hadn’t even taken that wretched woman into account when he had given Danyal his rules. Stephanie leaned forward and whispered something in Danyal’s ear, Damian watched in fright as a large smile grew on his son’s face at whatever she was telling him. 

“Really! Dad said I couldn’t do any kind of shenanigans with Uncle Dick but he didn’t say anything about you! I wanna do it!” He exclaimed, bouncing up and down on the couch excitedly. 

“We will, I’ll make sure Auntie Cass and I can babysit you soon, okay?”

Danyal vaulted forward and squeezed her in a tight hug. “You’re the best Aunt Stephy!”

Stephenie practically melted in Danyal’s embrace before she looked at Damian. “Oh my god!” she mouthed. Damian just scoffed, it was too late to add Stephanie to rule number five. At least it could not be anything worse than what Richard would concoct. 

Soon Timothy walked into the room warily looking at Danyal and Damian and then his siblings, clutching a cup of coffee in one hand and a tablet in the other. Danyal sniffed the air once before he looked over at Timothy and grinned evilly. 

“You have coffee!?” He asked before he ran towards Tim and reached his arms up for Tim to hold him. “Can I have a drink?”

Timothy looked over at Damian and smiled evilly once before agreeing to give Danny a sip once he had managed to shift things around and picked up the boy. “Of course. I’m your Uncle Tim.”

“You’re the one who runs Wayne Enterprises, right?” Danyal asked, wide eyed. 

Timothy nodded confused. “Yeah, why?”

“Did you know that WE has the coolest aerospace program in the world? You guys are the only ones who have ever sent a person to Mars before! I mean it was with Martian Manhunter but still! That’s so cool,” he exclaimed before he launched into his space obsession. Damian watched in horror as his son almost immediately started bonding with Timothy of all people. This could not be happening, he could not allow Timothy to be Danyal’s favorite. 

“When dad lets me, I wanna show you some cool stuff! I think you’ll like it, I can, I can help you make your tech stuff better if you let me!” Danyal said excitedly. Timothy shot Damian a confused look but the younger merely shrugged. Danyal had not told him of any powers that had to do with technology but Damian would not be surprised at this point what his son could do. 

Next to walk in was Richard and Damian slumped in relief. There was no way Danyal could continue to like Timothy the most once he met Richard! He was the best out of all of Damian’s siblings. 

“Damian Wayne! Where is my nephew!?” A loud, boisterous voice shouted vaulting into the living room still in his police uniform.

Danyal looked at him and crinkled his nose. “You sound annoying,” he declared. “And why’re you wearing that? Are you a Pig?”

Richard stopped in his tracks. “Did you teach him to say that?” He demanded, glaring at Tim, Steph, and Duke who all giggled behind their hands.

“Danyal,” Damian scolded, grabbing his son from Tim’s embrace. “Where did you learn that?”

Danyal looked at his dad seriously. “Dad, it’s just true. All cops are bastards, even Uncle Dick,” he said. Behind him, Cass, Steph, Tim, and Duke all burst into boisterous laughter.

“What the fuc-fudge are you laughing about?” Jason asked coming into the room. Danyal took one look at Jason and let out an ear piercing screech and scrambled out of Damian’s arms running out of the room as fast as he could, screaming all the while. 

Damian scowled. “Todd, what did you do to my son?” He hissed, narrowing his eyes. 

“Nothing! I just walked in, what the fuck? Kids are usually great with me,” he said, slumping in defeat.

“Let me go find out what’s wrong,” Damian said with a frown before following after his son who was now pacing the room across the hall with his thumbnail in his mouth as he mumbled. 

“Danyal?” Damian asked with a frown. “Danny,” he said again when he didn’t get a response. 

Danyal stopped and looked at his father with wide eyes. “Was that Uncle Jason?”

“Yes, why?” Damian asked curiously as he bent down and picked the boy up, hitching him up on his hip as he looked at him in concern. 

“Did you know Uncle Jason was murdered?” He whispered quietly, his eyes side. “And that he got brought back wrong?”

Damian sighed. “I do,” he said quietly. “Uncle Jason was murdered by the Joker when he was fifteen. And then he came back by this thing called the Lazarus Pits-”

“I know what those are,” Danyal said with a frown. “We were lookin’ at those before I took my vacation. Can I fix Uncle Jason?”

The teenager arched an eyebrow in curiosity. “Do you know how to fix him?” He asked. Danyal nodded his head once, a serious look on his face. 

“I can,” he said seriously. “If you let me, I’ll fix him. I bet he’s really angry all the time, huh?”

“Why did you run away?” He asked, rubbing Danyal’s back softly. 

“Uncle Jason is really stinky,” he said seriously. “He has stinky nasty ecto inside of him and he’s really icky it needs to come out.”

Damian huffed out a chuckle. “Well, are you able to suffer through the stench for dinner so that I can explain everything? And then if Uncle Jason gives you permission, you can fix it.”

Danyal sighed. “I guess I can deal with it ‘till then,” he grumbled. Damian smiled and kissed the top of his son’s head. He would have to force himself to keep a straight face the entirety of dinner now that he knew that Jason apparently stunk.

Chapter Text

Danny sighed as he swung his feet from his chair as he looked at all of the people staring at him like he was a circus act. They were waiting on PawPaw to finish up in the kitchen so that his dad could explain everything to everyone at once. 

They had decided before coming to dinner that no one needed to know that Danny was actually a two thousand year old god but they were gonna tell everything else. All they were gonna know was that the five year old was half dead and had ghost powers. They thought sharing more than that would possibly be too much for Danny’s new family to comprehend. 

His dad had said that their tiny little pea brains wouldn’t be able to understand the idea of Danny being a two thousand year old god in a five year old’s body even if they spelled it out to them. They were just going to call Danny’s random bouts of accidental wisdom and adult acting moments as flukes due to him being dead and nothing more. 

Danny didn’t think it would be a very good idea but his dad had claimed that his family was nothing but a bunch of idiots who wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped them in the face. 

“So, Damian, are you going to tell us how you acquired a child?” Bruce asked once Alfred sat at the table and everyone started to dig into their dinner.

Damian sighed and gave his family a tired look. Danny recognized that look! It was the same one he gave Danny when the little boy got just a little too annoying for the older boy. It was his favorite look from his dad, it meant he had accomplished his mission!

Danny just happily took a bite of his mashed ‘tatoes and flashed Alfred a wide smile at the yumminess of the potatoes. He’d have to tell his papa that they were his new favorite food later. 

“Does it really matter? I have a son, he is healthy and mostly alive,” Damian said, motioning to the child beside him. 

“Mostly alive?” Jason whispered, frowning to himself. 

“Dad they’re gonna keep asking,” Danny chided before gulping down his chocolate milk. His papa had been worried that Danny couldn’t drink out of a big kdi’s cup and had felt bad for having no sippy cups on hand but Danny had just waved him away. 

He could manage to not spill his drink. Hopefully. 

“Your son has a point,” Tim said, pointing his fork at Danny who grinned in response, wiggling happily in his seat. 

“I rescued Danyal after he provoked a mugger one night a few weeks ago,” Damian said with a sigh. “Danyal saw the man trying to steal a woman’s purse and had run up and hit the man in his testicles before running away screaming after he realized he made the mugger mad.”

Tim and Duke snorted slightly at that answer. Jason gave the boy an appraising smile, looking like a proud uncle, even if he did also still act like he was scared he’d run Danny off again. 

Danny had felt bad for his reaction. He hadn’t meant to run away screaming when he saw his uncle Jason it had just happened. He hadn’t smelled corrupted ectoplasm that bad since the time he learned that ghosts could get the ghost flu and the blew that junk out of their nose. 

It was like Uncle Jason was full of ghost snot and it just really, really grossed Danny out. He couldn’t help how he reacted to it. It was a normal reaction really!

It didn’t stop him from feeling bad, though. He had hurt uncle Jason’s feelings and now he was going to have to do something to fix it. And he was gonna do it! He already had a couple of ideas to do it, especially once he got all the nasty ghost snot out of his uncle so that he wasn’t so stinky. Maybe then his uncle would even be able to access his core and Danny could have another halfa in the family. It would be so cool if his uncle could become a halfa too once he was cleaned out. 

Danny couldn’t wait to talk to someone in ghost speak when he was in his ghost form. His dad just thought he sounded silly whenever he chirped and whistled at him. It was super annoying, especially when Danny was yelling at him for tretating him like a cat. Would uncle Jason have a ghost form once the snot was gone? Or would he be more like a revenant instead of a halfa and just have a baby core? 

Surely he would be able to understand Danny even if he was a boring old revenant instead of a super cool halfa like Danny! Danny’s chest puffed up at the thought. He was a super cool halfa.

“So, after Danyal managed to get away, he ran into me. I stopped the man and had him arrested by local law enforcement. Afterwards I asked Danyal where his family was and it turned out he did not have one, so I decided I would be his father,” Damian answered simply. 

“Where are his parents?” Dick asked with a frown. “Surely they must be looking for him?”

“Oh, they died a long time ago! They died when I died!” Danny lied, falling into the story that he and Damian had created. 

“You died?” Grandpa Bruce asked, looking at the boy with concern. Danny nodded once and kept eating his mashed ‘tatoes happily. 

“Yes. It seems that somehow in the murder of Danyal’s parents, he was exposde to the Lazarus Waters and was brought back,,” Damian stated easily and Danny stared at his dad in awe. 

He lied so easily! Danny had only been allowed to say a few lines because his dad had told him he was “absoltuely dreadful” at telling a fib. So he told half truths. His parents really were dead but they had died a long, long time ago and Danny hadn’t died at the same time as them. 

“What do you mean? He doesn’t seem like he has been around the pits,” Jason said with a frown. 

“Alright, Danyal, you may show them,” Damian said with a sigh. Danny let out a giggle before he let the family white rings wrap around him and his form changed to his little baby ghost form. He sat on the top of the table now, holding himself up by his little hands as he gave his new family a fang filled smile, his green eyes shone bright in delight. “Somehow he is half ghost. Danyal said that his parents were scientists. I think they may have found the Lazarus Pits and were using them in their experiments and somehow Danyal was exposed before or after his parents deaths and it turned him into this.”

Danny shrugged his shoulders and let out a series of chirps. Uncle Jason stared at him in surprise before a chirp came out of his mouth too which led Danny into a series of chirps and whistles as he laughed in pure joy at his uncle understanding ghost speak. Uncle Jason looked horrified, though, like he couldn’t believe what was coming out of his mouth. The rest of their family kept looking between the two in surprise as they held an entire conversation with one another.

“Danyal, you can change back now. I believe you and your uncle are scaring everyone and they may like some answers,” his dad said with an amused smile. Danny nodded his head and changed back to his human form and sat in his seat once more. 

“What was that?” Jason asked, looking horrified.

 “You died and got the stinky stuff in you too! It’s why you scared me, I didn’t know there was another one,” he said cheerfully. “I’m sorry I acted like that, it wasn’t nice. But I can get the stinky stuff out of you, I think it’s stuck.”

“The stinky stuff?” Jason asked slowly and looked at Damian in confusion. 

“The Lazarus Waters. Danyal can see ghosts it seems and they have been teaching him about his new form. He is what the ghosts call a halfa, we have learned and Danyal has special powers because of it. We’ve been learning together,” Damian said seriously. “He can walk through walls, has amazing hearing, he can fly, and much more that we are still discovering. He can do this in both forms but he seems to be stronger in his little baby form.”

“I’m not a baby!” Danny argued, glaring at his dad. 

Damian just gave him a look. “Danyal, have you seen yourself in your ghost form? You look like a rat.”

“You’re mean!” Danny argued, sticking his tongue out at his father before he turned to glare at his meal. Damian gave his son a fond look before he looked back at the others and continued to spin the lie that he and Danny had created. Telling them about how they were learning more about ghosts and Danny’s powers, how the Lazarus Pits didn’t just bring people back, but gave them something extra. He even shared Danny’s theory that Jason had been stuck with a little extra because of how long he had been dead and how he had come back to life.

Damian explained as best as he could in lies and half truths with Danny jumping in to add his own piece as they spun the tale for their family to believe. Soon he had finished with his story and Danny looked at Jason. 

“Can I try to fix you?” He asked solemnly. 

Jason nodded once. “Go for it kiddo, if you can talk in chirps and whistles and i understand you, then maybe there’s somethin’ to all this sh-stuff,” he said. Danny got up and walked towards his uncle. 

“I’m five, Uncle Jason, I know you were gonna say shit,” he said before he changed forms and flew closer to the man before he flew inside of Jason’s chest and wrapped his little arms around the stinky snot that coated his uncle’s ectoplasm. He pulled it away before he pulled some ecto from his own little body and fed the core with that before he flew out of his uncle’s chest and held up his prize in his tiny little arms, looking beyond pleased with himself. 

The table was dead quiet as they all stared at the ball of Lazarus Water that Danny’s strange ghost form held in his arms like it was a prize. Gasps filled the room as Danny slowly let the ball freeze over until it was a hard orb of nasty snot. 

He had thought about eating it like he would normal ecotplasm but this was snotty ectoplasm and Danny didn’t even like the fact that he was touching it.

“ All better! No more stinky!” he chirped and whistled at his uncle who rubbed his chest fwith a frown and chirped back at Danny just as white rings wrapped around his uncle and a new form took over. Now he had white hair with a black stripe and instead of his regular clothes, he was in some kinda weird jumpsuit that was similar to Danny’s. Only where Danny’s was white turned to black, Uncle Jason had a turquise jumpsuit with purple gloves and accents, and a blue cape and utility belt. He also had on a white domino mask. 

Danny giggled in his form and smiled up at his uncle. “ You look funny,” he chirped. 

Jason simply stared at his nephew as his entire world fell apart right then and there. Not only was he apparently half dead like the five year old was. But there was something inside of him screaming that he had to protect Danny at all costs or else it would be the end of everything as they knew it. The two stared at one another, chirping and whistling as Danny inspected his uncle’s new form, neither of them taking in the looks of horror from all members at the table, excluding Damian who was just sighing in annoyance. 

Of course Danyal’s favorite two uncles would be Jason and Tim. He lived for tormenting Damian in any way he could. He truly was a terrible little shit of a son.

Chapter Text

Danny giggled as he continued to chirp to his uncle about his excitement about the new halfa and that he could teach him so many things. But, he didn’t think his uncle was really listening to him. 

Actually his uncle kinda looked like he was going to have a breakdown any second now. Danny shifted back to his human form and stood beside his uncle. 

“Are you okay, Uncle Stinky? Did you not know you were half dead?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. Jason just gave him a nervous smile. 

“No, Kiddo, I can’t say I did,” he said and looked at his shaking, gloved hands. “Do you know how I can change back?”

Danny frowned but nodded his head. “Yeah, can ya feel the buzzing in your chest?” He asked, rubbing at the spot in his own chest. “Tug on it.”

Jason closed his eyes and focused on the buzzing before the ring of lights wrapped around him and he changed in human form. Danny clapped excitedly before he ran to his Dad and crawled into his lap. Damian watched, though as his father and siblings reacted to the scene before them. Bruce seemed horrified, Richard looked grief stricken at the scene before them, of Jason in his old Robin’s suit only inverted colors. He felt his heart sink in his chest. Danyal just wanted to help, he wanted to fix his uncle but none of his family seemed to see it that way.

“Didja see that?” He whispered. “I fixed Uncle Stinky!” 

Damian gave the boy a small smile. “I did see. I think you might have frightened Uncle Stinky, though. He did not know he was half dead and you freaked him out,” he said. 

Danny tilted his head to the side as he frowned and thought about it. “Oh. I’m sorry,” he said and forced the childish thoughts that mostly took over his brain to turn and looked at his uncle. “Should I be a grown up for a second?” He whispered in Damian’s ear.  

“No, it is okay. When we get home you will explain it to me, okay?” Damian said before he looked at Jason. “I apologize, Danyal is a little too powerful at times.”

“Damian, I think you have a few more questions to answer,” Bruce said, looking a little shaken.

Damian just sighed and gave his own son a rueful smile. “Very well,” he said stiffly, ready to answer whatever questions he could without giving away too much of the truth. It was not his family’s business why Danyal was presenting as a five year old and they did not need to know what his true age was. He was no longer a two thousand year old being, he was a five year old who deserved to have a family that loved and cared for him and Damian was going to provide that for him by any means necessary.

For the next thirty minutes Bruce grilled Damian and his restless toddler to the best of his ability, unfortunately there was not that Damain could answer. Danyal was still a conundrum to him and that was after the conversations he had with the child when he was able to push his adult mind forward to answer them.

“Damian, I think it may be in Danyal’s best interest if he were to live here with me,” Bruce said after his round of questioning, Damian felt his ears go staticky with anger, his heart started racing. Bruce was not about to take his child. “It does not seem that you have a handle on this situation. You have an unknown meta living in your home. You’re only eighteen it may be better-”

“No!” Danyal shouted, his eyes a fiery green as he glared at Bruce. “I chose Damian. He’s mine,” he snarled, clutching Damian close to him. Damian gave himself a mental shake, he couldn’t get angry. He had to prove that he was a capable father for his son and getting angry would just further his father’s point.

Damian just smiled. “I do not think that would be a good idea, Father. We have grown rather attached to one another. I have provided everything that Danyal needs as a child. We are needing assistance from Barbara to create some new identification for him. As soon as we get that, Danyal will be enrolled in school, we also are going to start working on what is and is not allowed. He is already well versed in the rules he has been given and knows to not use his powers in front of anyone who isn’t family.”

Danyal changed into his baby form and wrapped himself around Damian’s shoulders as the eighteen year old stood up. “I’m sorry that Danyal may have frightened you with his display of powers but he is not an unknown, he is my son and I will not allow any of you to take him from me. He just wanted to help,” he said before storming from the table and out to his car, his heart racing as he seethed over his father’s proposition. 

How dare they suggest that Damian could not take care of his son? Danyal was his . He was going to raise him to become a wonderful young man, he would want for nothing in his life and he would get the childhood he deserved regardless of how his family felt about it. Danyal let out a chirp in his ear and cuddled close to his father’s neck as Damian started the drive home.

Damian held Danny tight in his arms, the boy still in his ghost form as he tended to do when upset as he rode up the elevator to his loft. 

“It’s okay baby ghost,” Damian murmured, running his head over Danyal’s soft white hair. “No one will be taking you away from me. Not for a very long time Sweetheart.”

Damian and Danyal stiffened as soon as they stepped off of the elevator, though, both of them noticing someone else was in the loft. 

“Danyal, sneak mode, just as we practice,” Damian murmured and his son immediately phased out of his arms and turned invisible before he disappeared to find out who was in the loft just as Damian pulled a knife from his sleeve and looked around carefully when Danyal let out a series of excited chirps. Damian followed to the bed where Jason laid looking curious as Danyal crawled all over him, cuddling up to the man’s chest. 

“What do you want, Todd? To take my son away from me as well?” Damian asked, still holding his knife at the ready. 

“I don’t plan on taking your little monster away from you,” Jason said and sat up, chuckling as Danyal tugged at his white streak with his tiny little hands. “What are you doing you little gremlin?” He asked, pulling Dnayal away from him. Danyal just let out an irritated whistle that Jason responded with a grumbling of his own. 

“Then what do you want, Todd?”

“To help,” he said quietly. “Whatever Danny did to me, it fixed the pit rage. And something inside of me is telling me I have to protect him at all costs. And this sounds fuck-freaking crazy but it’s screaming at me that Danny is the most important being in the world.”

Damian smiled and took his little ghost from Jason and held onto Danyal, kissing the top of his head. “Because he is,” he whispered quietly. He looked down at Danyal who attempted to bite Damian’s finger with his razor sharp teeth before he held him out like the monkey in the Lion King did with Simba. 

“Danyal is also known as High King Phantom of the Infinite Realms, The King of the Dead,” Damian announced regally. “And he chose me to be his father while he grows up a second time.”

Jason stared at the two for a moment before he let out a laugh. “As much as I want to call you a fucking lunatic and stick you in Arkham, you’re right,” he said and looked at Danyal fondly. “He is, something inside of me says it’s true.”

Suddenly Danyal grew to the large monstrous size had changed into before and smiled at Jason through his large, gaping maw. Damian asked as Jason’s back slammed into the wall after he fell from the bed, scooching as far from the being as he could.

“ You are correct, Jason Todd. I am High King Phantom, ruler of the Infinite Realms, protector of the dead, guardian of all things living and dead, keeper of balance,” he intoned before changing to his human form, only now he was an adult looking at both Damian and Jason. “I decided to take a vacation from my duties. Just for fifty years or so to experience what I never got, a real childhood. Damian had decided he would be the one to raise me in that time. I will not be leaving him, he’s under my protection now, just as you are. I cannot stay in my adult form for long, it messes with the magic that allowed me to turn into a child in the first place. But I will try to explain as best as I can.”

Damian stared at the man standing before them regally. Usually when Danyal told him he was going to turn adult, he just spoke like an adult for a few moments before reverting back to that of a five year old. He had never done this before. The man before them looked otherworldly. He had the same white hair as his small form but it was long and flowed behind him in a nonexistent wind, he still had the same green freckles that shaped different constellations across his cheeks and nose but that was where those similarities stopped. Damian could see his Danyal in the man, though. From his small smile, to the ever so slightly pointed ears, the way he played with his hands as he explained to Jason what exactly a halfa was and what it meant. 

“I died two thousands years ago in a universe that has been long since forgotten,” Danny explained to the two brothers. “I was fourteen and my parents were scientists. They were neglectful, more interested in their work than their children. We had never been that important to them and my sister wound up raising me instead. I was messing around in their lab one day when I decided to stand in a portal they had created. I accidentally turned it on when I did and it turned me into what we call a halfa. Half living, half dead. Since then, I’ve become king of the infinite realms and all that lies in it, including your realm. My new father,” he said and flashed Damian a small, thankful smile. “Will be turning liminal the more he is around me because my powers feed into others. I am also able to gift him powers like the fact that he is now able to see the souls of those who are not able to move on and sense death on anyone around him. You will gain powers as well now that your core has been cleaned out.”

“What does that mean?” Jason asked with a frown as Damian slowly took a seat on the bed beside his older brother. Danyal smiled and launched into an explanation on cores, what they were, how Jason’s had been corrupted. How they would give him powers. 

“You have a shadow core, I believe once you grow used to being able to shift forms you’ll notice that the shadows around you are yours to manipulate just as is the light. It will take a while for you to get used to the gifts. Also, you are able to change out of what you were wearing when you died. Just imagine what you’d like to wear and it will change,” Danyal explained to him with a small smile. 

“If you are a halfa, what is your human form like, Danyal?” Damian asked, tilting his head to the side. 

Danyal just smiled. “I like the name by the way, even if I give you grief for it. The human form you see is my actual form, I truly have the human body of a five year old and for the most part the mind of one. What you’re seing right now is a manifestation of myself from my core. The two thousand year old me is still in there, just tucked away, taking a break while my human half has some much needed fun. Thank you for taking me in, Damian, and if your father tries to take me from you, I can force myself out to stop him if I need to,” Danyal said with a small smile. 

He looked at Jason once more and let out a sigh. “I cannot answer all of the questions you have and I am unsure when I will be able to push past the five year old me again. But this is your journey, you will have to find your answers yourself,” Danyal said before the rings of light wrapped around him and he was a five year old once more. 

“You still stink though,” Danyal said with a cheeky smile as he looked up at Jason with his wide blue eyes. Damian chuckled and grabbed his son and held him close. 

“I am glad that you approve of me being your father,” he murmured and kissed the boy on his forehead before he looked at Jason and smiled. “Hear that, you are still Uncle Stinky,” he said as his son giggled and snuggled in for a tight hug. Sure, Damian probably had the weirdest son in the world but, Bruce probably thought the same thing when Damian had come home to him. 

Damian would just have to prove to his father and the others that he was more than capable of raising his son and it seemed from the look of reverence in Jason’s eyes that Damian would have a little bit of help convincing the others that he was a good father for Danyal.

Chapter Text

Jason watched as his new nephew pouted at his father. It was the kid’s first day of school and he was pissed to say the least. Damian had explained to him that it didn’t matter if he had the knowledge of a two thousand year old immortal being, he looked and behaved like a five year old and therefore had to do what every five year old did. 

Go to school. 

“I hate school,” he mumbled, trudging behind the teenager as Damian filled his backpack with all the necessary supplied. Jason stood at the stove watching the little boy throw his tantrum in amusement.  He had come over at Damian’s request to help get the boy ready for the day and convince him that he would enjoy school. 

Tim had come over for the same reason and he had been doing a better job at it than Jason had. So, the crime lord decided if he could do anything, he could provide the boy with a nice, healthy breakfast to better prepare him for the day. 

“Just think about how fun it’ll be, Danny!” Tim exclaimed, coming over and scooping the pouty boy in his arms. Tim wasn’t in the know yet about Danny’s secret so he was just under the assumption that Danny was just a powerful little five year old half ghost, he didn’t know Danny had been in existence for two thousand years old and had decided to be a five year old for his own amusement and vacation. 

Wow, Jason’s family was fucking weird if that seemed normal for him now. He had just shrugged it off and accepted it pretty easily, especially after the adult version of his king had appeared to explain things to him. Now Jason just had the strong urge to protect the kid at all costs, something that apparently all ghosts felt upon seeing Danny. 

“I don’t wanna go,” Danny whined, throwing himself in Tim’s arms, acting as dramatic as possible. Jason just chuckled and rolled his eyes as he flipped the banana pancake. Apparently Danny had agreed to be on the same vegan diet as Damian which means Jason was stuck making a godless vegan breakfast instead of the hearty one he had in mind originally. 

“You’ll have so much fun, though,” Tim told him, walking over to the table where Jason had set up the plates. Surprisingly Tim had been the most supportive of Damian raising Danny. Said it was payback for everything the Demon Brat had put them through. Jason also suspected he was just pleased with the fact that he was the toddler’s favorite out of everyone. Which judging by how Danny clung to Timmers now, it was obvious the kid adored him for some reason. 

Jason still wasn’t sure what it was. No one did. Tim usually was terrible with kids but Danny already had him wrapped around his little finger. 

“Can you come with me, Uncle Timmy?” Danny asked pleadingly, crawling around in Tim’s arms until he had his own little arms looped around Tim’s neck and was hanging off of the man like a monkey. 

“No, kiddo. I can’t, but I can go with your dad and Uncle Jason to drop you off,” Tim said with a small smile. Danny let out a whine and buried his face in Tim’s shirt as he started to cry dramatically. 

Damian let out a tsk. “Danyal, you are behaving as though you are being marched off to execution,” he said disapprovingly. 

“Because I am!” Danny shouted, throwing his head back in dismay, Tim barely managed to change his hold on the kid to keep him from falling out of his arms. “I’m going to die and it’s gonna be all your fault dad! You’re gonna kill me!”

“You are being dramatic, Habibi,” Damian said, setting Danny’s now fully packed backpack on the island before he went to the refrigerator to grab Danny’s lunch for the day. “You will have so much fun getting to play with the other children and getting an education. Besides, Uncle Tim set this up for you, you know. He’s the one who got you enrolled.”

Danny looked between Tim and Damian before he let out a sigh of defeat. “I guess if Uncle Timmy thinks it’s a good idea, I should go,” he said before he hugged Tim tight. Damian spluttered, his obvious ploy to make Danny angry with Tim foiled by the kid’s own adoration. 

Tim just stuck his tongue out at Damian before he patted the boy’s back. “I think you’re going to have so much fun! If you’re still wanting to be like me when you grow up then you gotta go to school, okay?”

Danny huffed and nodded, his face buried in Tim’s shirt once more. Tim smiled and rubbed his nephews back. 

“Now, how about you let go of me so you can eat the delicious breakfast that Uncle Jason made?” He asked. Danny sneered but agreed, allowing Tim to place him in his booster seat as Jason slid the already cut up pancakes onto the kids plate. Danny sniffed and grinned as Damian covered the pancakes in honey and nutella just like he liked them. Danny swung his feet happily as he dug into his breakfast and happily munched away. 

“I’m sorry Bruce was such an ass about things,” Tim said softly as he and Damian stood further away from Jason and Danny who were now talking about what kindergarten was going to be like. 

“It is fine, I expected it from Father in all honesty. But I do not think Danyal woud allow him to even try to split us apart. Danyal is my baby and I will do everything in my power to protect him and love him. He deserves a good life after everything he has gone through and I will make sure it happens regardless of what our father thinks about it.”

“That’s good, he’s been brooding since you came over last week. I think the fact that you’ve ditched patrols also has him a little irritated,” Tim said with a chuckle. 

At this, Damian gave his son a pointed glare. “That is simply because a little ghost keeps trying to follow me out on patrols and cries whenever I leave him,” he said. Danny perked his head up and grinned at Damian from across the table simply to flip him off. Oh Damian was going to kill Jason, he knew his older brother had taught him that. 

Damian just glared and flipped his son off in return. Tim chuckled and shook his head. 

“He’s pretty indestructible in his little ghost form, right?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“You cannot honestly be suggesting I bring Danyal with us on patrols,” Damian said, giving his brother a surprised look. 

“Maybe he wants to! He could just curl up on your shoulders the entire time. He’s probably scared about you leaving him every night and wants to protect you,” Tim said and looked at Danny. “Is that what it is, Kiddo? You just want to take care of your dad?”

Danny nodded. “He’s a weak human. I’m much stronger. Sides, Dad said he was gonna help me help the ghosts! We gotta do it,” he said seriously. 

“Save the ghosts?” Tim asked, looking over at Damian curiously. 

The teenager let out a huff. “Gotham is full of souls unable to move on, Danny wants to help them move on because they make him sad,” he said quietly. “Habibi, finish your breakfast so we can take you to school. We will talk about you going on patrols with me later.”

Danny gave him a mocking salute before he looked back down at his breakfast and dug in with fervor. Domain shook his head. Maybe he could let Danyal come with him on patrols, it was not like he could get harmed in doing so and maybe the boy would feel better about Damian being on patrols. It was not like anyone would recognize the little boy in his little ghost form. 

…

“Alright, you stay in this form. If you need to go home, tug my hair. If you are scared whistle,” Damian told the tiny ghost seriously. He had just finished suiting up and Danny was in his ghost form looking beyond excited at getting to go on patrols with his dad. He chirped in confirmation and landed on Damian’s shoulders, wrapping his tail around his neck lightly before he got comfortable. 

Damian pet his son’s head once before he slipped out of the loft, Danny turning the two of them invisible as he did. Damian swung from the fire escape and logged into his comms. 

“Robin and Phantom here, reporting for duty,” he said with a sigh as Danyal let out a happy purr before he pressed his face against Damian’s face. 

“ Phantom? You brought the little ghostie!?” Spoiler asked, sounding excited. 

“Yes, he pitched quite a fit until I agreed to let him join me,” he said stiffly before Danyal used his powers to make the two fly up to the roof of the building. 

“ Oh my god, I’m coming to patrol with you guys!” Spoiler shouted loudly. Damian snickered when he noticed Black Bat land beside him. 

“Bat Bat has already beat you to the punch,” Damian told the young woman as he smiled at Cass who cooed at Danyal in his form. He simply purred and stretched before he flew from Damian to Cass. “Take care of him, he is free to leave whenever he wants he has his rules to follow,” Damian said with a small smile as Danyal cuddled up against Damian’s sister. 

The parent smiled as the two took off into the night as Batman started to chew Damian out for bringing a five year old out into the field. For the first time in Damian’s life, he ignored his father and continued on with his patrols for hte night, checking in with each of his siblings as Danyal bounced between each vigilante to play and check on them.

Chapter Text

Damian tilted his head to the side as he took in the position his son was currently in. He had just gotten home from class and Tim had been supposed to babysit Danny but that did not seem to be what happened.

“Richard, why is my son hanging from my ceiling fan? And where is Timothy?” He asked, setting down his bag before he reached up and took Danny from the ceiling fan and held him close. “Did he fall asleep up there?”

“Somehow someone gave Tim a decaf coffee full of sleeping pills so he’s knocked out in your bed. And being the responsible adult that I am, I came to check on my sweet little nephew at just the right time and decided I needed to be the one to take care of Danny until you got back from class,” Dick said with a smug smile from where he sat on the couch. “We were playing acrobat until he fell asleep up there and once I was sure he was secure, I just let him stay up there.”

“Richard Grayson, you cannot just leave a child hanging from the ceiling fan,” Damian hissed, glaring at his eldest brother, clutching his head to his chest.

“Hm Daddy,” Danny said sleepily, wrapping his little arms around Damian’s neck and pressing his head close. “I missed you. School is boring why do we gotta go?” He mumbled. Damian chuckled and pressed a kiss to his son’s head. 

“It’ll be more fun eventually,” Damian said before he pointed at Dick and then pointed at the door. Dick scowled and stomped out before Damian went over to where Tim was knocked out. “Would you like to finish your nap with your Uncle Timmy?” He asked, pressing a kiss to Danny’s head. 

Danny nodded tiredly before Damian set in bed beside Damian’s brother before he smiled and shook his head. He didn’t know how things were going to go with Danny but everything was looking up for them. Danny was in school, he was getting to be a vigilante with his dad and they were doing good. 

Danny was finally getting the childhood he deserved and Damian was beyond pleased that he was getting to help give him that opportunity. He smiled and brushed Danny’s hair out of his face as the boy cuddled up to his uncle and let out a soft snore. They were going to have a great life together, that was for sure.