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“Drake.”
It was 2 AM, and it was one of the family’s rare off days they didn’t go patrolling. Spoiler, Batwoman, and Batwing watching over Gotham. And so Tim was looking forward to cramming in some projects he made for Wayne Enterprise. Well so much for that.
Tim almost groaned aloud but knew better than to get the demon Brat all pissy.
“What do you need Dames.” He sighed setting his cup of coffee on his desk. He rolled his chair to where Damian had been standing. He had a lot of work. He just needed to get this over with-
Was…was Damian crying?
Damian sniffled as if almost answering his question.
“...”
Fuck.
Growing up emotionally neglected was really fucking him up today. He had no fucking idea how to comfort the kid! Where was Dick? Alfred? Bruce?? Hell even Jason could do a better job than him!”
“D..Damian! Are you okay?” Tim stood up from his chair pushing all his thoughts away. He bent down to Damian’s level, holding the kid’s shoulders to…reassure him? Tim had no idea what the fuck he was doing, and Damian could probably tell.
The kid snorted “Drake, you suck at this.” he sniffled again wiping his tears.
“Yea yea, I know..” Tim frowned “But, could you tell me what’s going on?”
“A moment of weakness. Grandfather would disapprove.” Damian grimaced
“Damian, no one actually cares what that dude thinks. And you’re totally deflecting.”
“TT.”
“Damian seriously..I..I can’t help you handle your emotions like Dick, but maybe I could help rationalize your perspective? But to do that, I’m gonna need to know what’s wrong.”
“Fine. I did come to you myself.” Damian huffed “which I now regret.”
“Well, thanks.” Tim rolled his eyes, gently guiding the kid to the bed. They made themselves comfortable. There was a small silence but the younger boy shut his eyes and spoke:
“I…I do not know what came over me. I often deal with nightmares fine, but this one…it…I couldn’t handle it..” Damian stuttered over his words, trembling. Tim had never seen the kid so vulnerable. And maybe some of Dick’s brotherly instincts came over him cause he wrapped one of his arms around Damian's shoulder pulling the kid closer.
“Shhh, Damian, It’s going to be alright. It was just a bad nightmare hm?” he held the kid tighter, and Damian did not pull away but did the exact opposite almost leaning into Tim’s touch.
“But..but..it felt so real.”
Tim stayed silent. He wished he had something to say, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. Why did Damian have to come to him? It’s not like he didn’t want to help he just couldn’t he didn’t know how.
He wishes Dick was here.
Dick always knew how to help Damian….
But Dick wasn't here and Damian had come to him. So he had to try.
“Damian.”
The kid hummed in response.
Tim gently stroked Damian’s cheeks wiping the dry tear stains away.
“Do…do you want to talk about the nightmare?”
Damian tensed. Which was not good. Well fuck.
“Y-you don’t have to! It’s just…it might help if I can help you realize that none of it is real.” Tim quickly added cringing at his recent blunder.
Almost sensing Tim’s nervousness Damian spoke up, his eyes shut and his voice wavering
“You had died.”
“...”
“...”
Oh.
That’s why Damian came to him. Not because he thought Tim could help, but because he wanted to make sure Tim was alive.
“Oh, Damian…” Tim now wrapped both of his arms around the boy holding him tighter than ever before. “I’m here now, aren’t I? I’m here and I’m alive, everything’s okay.”
“But…but. I was the one who killed you. I…” Damian’s voice cracked and the rest of the sentence was drowned out by a sob. He clutched onto Tim’s chest for dear life, his tears bleeding into the older boy’s shirt.
“Yet I’m still here.” Tim gently moved Damian’s eyes to meet his. “I’m still here. And you’re here with me. We’re cuddling. Damian. Us of all people. Fucking Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne and Damian Ah Ghul Wayne are cuddling.”
The kid looked his lip quirking upwards
“They are…aren’t they?”
“Yup.” the p popped and Tim smiled wiping away the fresh tears that painted his baby brother’s face.
Damian snorted “You suck at this.”
Tim nodded in agreement. “Oh yes, I very do. But..” he started more seriously “Damian, you know you’ve improved a lot right? And I’m proud of you for it.”
“Have I?” the kid’s eyebrows furrowed “What..what if in a fit of rage I…I”
“Dami. You won’t I know you won’t, you’re not an assassin anymore. You’re Robin and Robin doesn’t kill.”
Damian smiles and it’s his turn to wrap arms around his brother.
“Drake. You are not so bad.”
Tim laughed hugging his younger brother back.