Work Text:
"So, let me get this straight: Talia al Ghul, one of the world’s most infamous assassins—and your mother—has made a child of you and your ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be your best friend that you're still in love with?"
“How did yo-” Dick cut Damian off. “Damian, you’re my brother! Of course I noticed you sulking after your mutual break up,” Dick ranted, pointing accusingly at Damian.
“I’ve already cried over that with my mother. I don’t need to cry again.” Damian stated, running his hands through his hair. It was still damp from the shower he took before Richard got here.
“So, what’s the baby’s name?” Richard asked as he leaned over the bassinet. Inside lay Dorian, peacefully wrapped in a soft baby-blue blanket, eyes closed in a deep sleep.
“Dorien,” Damian replied as he stood next to Richard, a small smile appearing on his face. His eyes shone with affection as he looked upon his son. He may have come out of unexpected circumstances, but that does not make him any less of a son to Damian.
Richard grinned as he watched the fond expression appear on Damian’s face when he gazed down at Dorian. It was the same gentle, caring look he often reserved for his animals—a soft affection that spoke volumes.
In Dick’s opinion he wouldn’t want his s- younger brother (don’t mind how Dick viewed Damian as his own son) to bear the responsibility of taking care of a child, but if he wants to, he would do everything in his power to help him.
“You’ve been staring off into space for the past five minutes,” Damian reported, holding Dorian in his arms as the little baby tried to grab Damian’s shirt. They moved to sit on the sofa.
“I’m just thinking about how we’re going to tell Jonathan. Did you tell him yet?” Dick asked.
Damian shook his head as he readjusted his hold on Dorian. “Unfortunately Jonathan is not here, he’s with The Justice League. They needed him for some matter within the future, so there’s no way of contacting him and I don’t know when he’ll be back.”
"That’s a predicament, isn’t it? He’s with that Jay guy—the one with the pink hair," Richard commented, as he plopped him into the sofa.
“Yeah, and he’s happy. I don’t want to mess with his relationship. He’s still my best friend, and I care about him too much… Don’t tell him I said that.”
“Aw, Damian, that’s so sweet.” Richard hummed
“Tt. Richard, do you want to hold him?” Damian inquired. Richard nodded in affirmation as Damian passed the baby into Richard’s arms
He’s so light and small , Dick thought to himself. He’d noticed the small little details of Damian: his tan, eyebrows, and nose. Though there were some points that were strikingly similar to Jonathan, he could see that it was mostly Damian, though he might be biassed.
Dorian grabs at Dick’s hair, pulling the man’s face closer. Dorian was blinking, giggling as Richard slowly rocked the child in his hands. Richard would give the world to this precious baby.
Damian smiled at the scene in front of him. He knew that Richard would rather adore Dorian, Richard was known to be good with children. It was nice to see how tender he acted with his child and it filled his heart with joy to know that his child would be receiving so much love.
His thoughts went back to Jonathan (as they are constantly), and Damian couldn’t predict how he would react. Would he be happy? Would he be sad? Will he be disappointed to share his bloodline with him?
Will he be angry and not acknowledge Dorian‘s existence? (Damian had heard of how Superman reacted towards the Kryptonian Lex Luther clone and he would never wish that on his child.)
A small part of him wants to hide Dorian and shield him from the world: away from the vigilantism, away from the League, a selfish part of himself doesn’t want to share Dorian with Jonathan at all— afraid that he would not be seen as fit to raise his child and Dorian would be taken away from him. He knows that he should not be thinking these thoughts, and he knows Jonathan would never do that, but that does not stop the thoughts from plaguing his mind. Damian blinked back into reality as he heard Dorian’s cries.
Without a word, Damian took Dorian from Dick as he noticed that he needed changing. “I’m going to change him. I’ll be right back.”
After changing the diapers, Damian came back to see Richard in the kitchen with the formula that Damian’s mother had left for Dorian.
“Do you mind if I feed him?” Richard asks as he softly shakes the baby's bottle, before he places it down and clears up the kitchen.
“That’s fine,” Damian replied as they both walked back into the dining room, passing off the twitchy baby into Richard’s arms.
Dorian slowly began to drink his milk. It felt very domestic.
Damian smiled. He had been afraid of what Richard would think, but to see him interact with Dorian so tenderly brought down any doubts that he may have had.
Although he doesn’t know what Jonathan might think, at least he knows his family would be there to support him.
