Chapter Text
There was too much happening for Damian to process. There were far too many people in the cramped room. There were too many loud claps as gunshots went off. The mission was going as planned up until this point. However, that changed quickly when hostages were brought into the room, most of them barely in their teens.
Nightwing calls in backup as Batman gives them the signal to attack. Damian dives in front of the hostages. Blocking them from the sight of the crooks. Damian took note of the people in the room. It was five against three, and while it didn’t seem like they were experienced, these types of situations always got harder if there were hostages involved.
Damian throws himself at the man in front of him, hitting the gun out of his hand. As he disarms the man, the hostages make a break for it. Gunshots ricochet around him as the warehouse dissolves into chaos.
There are four hostages, and they all appear to be in the best possible circumstances for the situation. Damian's eyes scan the room as the four of them head toward the large metal doors they came from. The crooks seemed to be busy fighting. Nightwing was dealing with one, whereas Batman had two on his flank. That left two for him, one of which was already disarmed.
He jumped back into the battle after that, making sure to capture the man he disarmed. The last man was backed into a corner, his eyes wide as he frantically scanned the room around him. Damian scoffed as he secured the handcuffs. He never did understand why such inexperienced villains expected to always get away with everything.
Damian started walking towards the man in the corner, staring down at the barrel of the gun. The man's hand shook so badly that Damian doubted he would be able to pull the trigger even if he tried. Damian notices a change in the man's expression as his eyes widen. Searching for the source of the shift, he looks the man over. Only to watch as the barrel of the gun changes directions, from Damian’s chest to the hostages. They are still trying to reach the door, just a few inches away when the gun goes off.
Damian leaps towards the group, pushing them out of the line of fire. He hits the wall with a loud thud. His head spins as he tries to gather his bearings.
He scopes his surroundings from his position on the floor. There is a dent in the metal wall from where his body slammed into it. The hostages appear uninjured, a little shaken, but that is all. Red Robin had finally arrived and went after the man who tried to shoot the hostages, successfully detaining him.
The fight is coming to an end as all five of the criminals have been captured. Damian stands up, preparing to help the hostages, only for his step to stutter. His knee breaks, forcing him back onto the floor.
Only then does he realize what happened to the bullet that the man shot. It was embedded in his leg.
“Robin!” Nightwings voice rings out across the room. Damian’s head hits the ground, making his vision fuzzy. He can add a concussion to his growing list of injuries now. He sits up quickly, straightening his back as he glances at the bullet in his knee.
It had just knicked the side of it, meaning he would have a limp for a few days but not sustain any long-lasting issues. Nightwing is at his side in a matter of seconds, checking over the boy.
“Injuries?” Nightwing's voice raises a pitch as he wraps a cloth around his knee.
“A hairline fracture in my knee cap, a mild concussion, and bruising around the chest.” Damian reports with ease. He pushes himself to stand. Nightwing's hands reach out as he does, hovering just a few inches away. Getting ready to grab him if needed. Damian brushes his hands away as he limps towards the door.
“The Batmobile is waiting outside.” Batman says as he joins their small group. Damian grunts in affirmation before hobbling out of the room. Nightwing hovers behind him as he walks.
Damian settles into the backseat of the Batmobile, and Grayson is still at his heels. He sighs, this might become a problem. But hopefully, he can ignore it until they get back to the cave. Batman and Red Robin get in the car just a few minutes later. The ride to the cave is full of a tense quiet, one that Damian knows will snap the moment they enter the cave.
The quiet does shift, just not in the way Damian expects.
The moment the Batmobile is parked, the nervous hum comes back. Damian is ushed towards the infirmary where Alfred is already waiting, as the others follow their typical post-patrol cool down. Everyone except Grayson. The man follows right behind him, his hands are tilted up just enough to tell Damian that he is prepared to catch him again if needed. But it wasn’t needed, Damian was fine.
He just ignores Grayson as Alfred patches him up. Slowly the rest of the Bats funnel upstairs, Damian follows shortly after with a small brace on his knee. Grayson is right on his heels, trailing closer than normal.
Damian understands that Richard can be nervous when it comes to the younger vigilantes, but this seems overkill. Damian was fine, he had suffered far worse at a younger age. A hairline fracture was child's play. And yet the man was still hovering like a bumbling idiot.
Drake and Father were already in the kitchen by the time they got upstairs. Post-patrol snacks were out on a large plate. Damian is quick to snatch up a cookie as he sits on a stool.
The others murmur around him, and only then does Damian realize how tired he has become. He has to fight to keep his eyes open as he slowly eats. He leans forward, slouching in the chair. His eyes start closing for a dangerous amount of time, but Damian doesn’t have the energy to care.
The conversation around him has gone quiet, Damian notes, still not opening his eyes. He might just sleep here tonight; his room felt too far anyway.
The arms that wrap around him quickly jolt him out of this sleep haze. His eyes go wide as he tries to figure out what is happening. By the time he understands, he is already in the air. He looks up to see Richard smiling down at him. The man had picked him up.
This wasn’t something new. Richard had picked him up a few times before, mostly on nights like tonight, where there had been a close call before. Sometimes it was during a quiet moment when Damian was falling asleep on the couch or when his feet were tired from patrol.
This one was different, however, because the man had never done it when there were others present. Previously, it had only happened in Grayson's apartment; now, however, both his father and Drake were present.
Heat rose to his cheeks. He did not need Drake and his father to see him act like a helpless child. He was better than that. So he fought.
He squirms, and wiggles, fights, and kicks. But Grayson holds tight, not letting him fall but also not letting him go.
“Put me down this instant, you fiend!” Damian yells.
“Why would I do that?” Richard asks with a small smile. Damian scowls as he continues to try and find an escape. That doesn’t bother Richard, however, as he just starts to walk towards the stairs.
“I have my own legs that operate just as well!” Damian grumbles as he tries to free his arms.
“Mhm, I’m sure that is why one of them is wrapped up, yeah? Anyway, you are far too tired to walk.” Richard's voice is whiny. He is mocking him! Nevertheless, the more he fights, the more of the previous fatigue returns to his bones. Damian eventually settles with a scowl and lets the man carry him towards his room.
If he falls asleep before they get there, no one mentions it.
Nor do they mention the freshly framed picture that had been hung in the living room by morning, showing him dozing off in Grayson's arms.