Chapter Text
The portal had shifted as the girl floated through, the blue edges of it glittering with power, swaying the air around it in a hazy blue, misshapen smear on the skyline. It hovered just off the edge of the building, about the size of a large, star-shaped boulder. The rooftop where they all stood, not the tallest but notably on the outskirts of Gotham, had no rails, and seemingly no access door. Isolated, barren. The city lights but a twinkle on the streets below.
"We have to go after her!" Todd sneered, ever eager as he paced the rooftop fitfully. Damian wondered if part of him was just wanting to disagree with father's hesitancy. Probably an unhealthy mix of both.
"Don't, Hood." Bruce placated, arm coming to block the others from the sight of the portal, cape draped like a wall, "We don't know where it leads, if it leads anywhere. We need to be logical about this."
"Logic? Batman, she has the key! The only thing between us, the world, and those mind-controlling alien things-- parasites, whatever. We need to go through, or we're actually fucked." Drake held the device, or the half of it they had, gripping it to his chest. Wondrously, he was right, not that Damian would admit it. They needed the key, by any means necessary. That's why, by some miracle, all of them were here. It was a known fact that the only two things that could get the entire Wayne family (and co) together was a world-shattering event, or a dinner requested specifically by Alfred. Damian did not need to mention which caused the most widespread terror when not followed.
"Calm down, we just need to figure out our next move." Richard stepped up to Drake, gently taking the device to inspect it, glancing at the portal still ebbing with energy to his left. "Is there a way to use it like this? We can't risk going through that," He gestured vaguely, "not all of us, at least."
Damian rolled his eyes, "Tt, you're not going alone, Nightwing." Richard turned to him, eyes crinkling with something bordering on affection as he opened his mouth to protest, "Don't even try, we all know you were thinking it."
"It doesn't work with just that piece," Brown interjected, "we all know that. That's why we're here. That's why that star girl stole it in the first place."
"Stole it before we could steal it." Todd grumbled, ducking under Batman's arm that had somehow remained steadfast throughout the interaction, stepping up to the portal.
"Red Hood." Batman moved to stand beside him, but Todd ignored him.
"I think I should go through." A noise of disgruntlement erupted, "It makes sense. You hold the fort here and I get the key, easy as that." He moved to push his hand through, but Batman held him back.
"Don't be ridiculous." Drake scoffed, taking the device back from where Richard was still loosely holding it, "She's been using smaller portals this whole time, that one is huge. We have no idea what it does or where it goes. It's likely back from wherever she came from, which, newsflash, is an entirely different dimension!" Drake threw his hands up, "And I'm the only one who knows vaguely how to use this thing so I should be the one --"
Richard barked a humourless laugh, " You want to go now, too? Red Robin, we can't risk losing that knowledge, or you for that matter. Or you , Hood. Or anyone! We're not losing anyone." The last part was said like a statement, like a promise. Passively, Damian noted that Richard tended to be less composed without the Batman cowl. Sometimes he wondered if stripping that responsibility helped a little more of himself be seen on missions. The himself that was fiercely protective of his family. Damian stifled a ' tt' at the implication.
" If anyone is going, it will be me. I'm not losing any of you to --" Batman's voice was resigned, accepting. Losing a bit of the deep edge and melding into something softer.
"Oh, that's rich, Batman. Suddenly losing us is such a far-off impossibility."
"Hood, we can't have this conversation now."
"Why don't I just go? I have the most experience bar Batman, and we need Batman."
"Well, you don't have to be a dick about it, Dick."
"Guys fighting isn't going to help us at all, please --"
Duke's words were lost as they all fell into a familiar argumentative state. Each voice rose above one another until the words ebbed into a collective yelling match. Everyone shoving their points at one another about why they should be the one to risk themselves, and even more comments shutting each statement down. It was clear they couldn't all go. Bruce was right, they didn't even know if it led to anywhere. They couldn't leave Gotham, the world , unprotected simply on a hunch that they'd be okay. They also couldn't not go; the key was vital to eradicating the source of the alien's power. Clark had already been taken, and they were the last line of defense before another 'near-world ending event' actually succeeded.
Maybe it was due to his proximity to her, or his training as an assassin to hear miniscule details even in a crowded room. Maybe it was his disinterest in the argument between his family. Maybe it was because he had found in his time living with his family, it was always worth it to listen to Cassandra.
"The portal is getting smaller."
Damian snapped his head towards the portal, and sure enough, the edges of it were flickering inwards. It had already become less than a quarter of its original size, and was steadily shrinking.
None of them would be able to fit through that.
None of them would be able to fit through that.
None of them, but him.
There was no time to think. No time to consider another option. Drake was right, he was always right . They needed the key. They needed the key and the portal was getting smaller.
The portal was getting smaller.
Cassandra noticed his plan just as he did, but he'd started running even before his mind had caught up. Her nails skimmed his cape as he darted away.
Damian's world faded around him.
Three.
He ran.
Two.
He lifted his feet off the ground, the momentum of his run guiding his jump towards the pinprick of the sky the portal now occupied. It would be close.
One.
"ROBIN!"
Damian was falling.
Damian was falling off a building .
The wind rushed past, whipping his hair all around as the speckling rain dampened the strands. He felt himself vaguely acknowledge that it was still midday, mudded in the fear of the ground steadily approaching, and wherever he was, it was not Gotham. He couldn't call for Jon, didn't even know if he existed here, but even so, his lips formed around the words and he felt himself screaming. A vague silhouette of his friend's name lost to the abyss.
He was going to die. Again . The one time he'd ignored his training, thought not as an assassin, but as a hero . He was going to die in a place where he'd never be brought back. A stain on the pavement of a city where no one knew him. He'd never see his father, Todd, Brown, Cassandra, Duke or Drake again. He'd never see Richard again.
Damian thought he should cry, but he didn't feel the need. He didn't feel anything but regret . He was going to die, alone.
What a horrible way to go.
And then something slammed into him, a hazy mix of red and blue, and he was no longer getting closer to the ground.
"Hey, kid. Are you okay? I'll get you somewhere safe." A voice, slightly strained with a lingering panic, spoke frantically. They held him close, one arm looped tightly around his waist. Damian took a moment to let his mind catch-up, still high on the adrenaline of the near-death, trying to hold onto a stubborn anger at being referred to as a kid by someone who couldn't be older than fifteen. It seemed to get lost in the wind, because Damian couldn't muster any scathing comments with his face pressed into the red fabric. How undignified .
Damian chose to close his eyes, in an effort to preserve some semblance of his pride, up until he felt a familiar halt of momentum as they hit something solid.
The world was darker around him than it had been, closer to the murky streets of Gotham than the lively world he'd seen below as he fell. The alleyway they were in was dirty, grey walls close enough that Damian could lie down and probably touch either side. It was at this point, feet firmly planted on the floor, he was able to see his saviour .
He looked about as old as he'd classified him when they were falling, fifteen or sixteen maybe, with a lanky but strong build. He was covered head to toe in his suit, eyes white and expressive as he took in Damian's appearance. It was obvious he hadn't gotten a good look at him yet, and the mask, despite not showing any of his face, did nothing to cover his surprise at the hero costume that Robin wore. Damian let himself feel a prickle of satisfaction at catching the man off guard.
"Uh," the man leaned against one of the walls, contemplative, "are you a vigilante? Or- a cosplayer? I don't think I've ever seen that hero before." He seemed to catch sight of something behind Damian as he continued, "It looks like your cape has been cut in half, kid."
Damian did not move his gaze as his hand reached to touch the edge of his cape. Sure enough, the edge had been singed into a frayed line, landing just below his shoulder blades. The portal must have shut behind him as soon as he went through. It had certainly been close.
"The fact you keep referring to me as a child makes me less inclined to offer one, but I suppose," he let out a deep sigh, "I should thank you. And I am, a vigilante, that is. Not a cosplayer. Whatever that may be." Damian thinks Drake's boyfriend Bernard may have mentioned such a hobby but, as with anything associated with Timothy, he cared not to listen to what it entailed.
"Did you get into a fight or something? On the rooftop? Or did you jump?" The boy, because it wasn't fair for him to be a man if Damian was a child , somehow looked sad, "There's resources for that, if you need--"
Damian let out a squawk that he would later deny if anyone cared to mention it, "No! Of course not! The, uh, circumstances that led to my falling are certainly not something that could be comprehended by a fourteen-year-old in spandex. Now if you're done, I should be leaving."
The spluttered offended tone of ' fourteen' did not deter Damian as he made his way to the entrance of the alleyway, clipping off his cape and letting it flutter to the ground. It was not much use to him anymore.
"Hey, dude , I don't know what you're thinking but I am a man , I have a job, and a- wife, and a dog, kids even, four of them, and- why are you littering right in front of me ."
"Look," Damian swiveled around, catching the hero just as he used a thin, string-like substance to pick up his cape. He chose not to comment, "I don't know who you are--"
"Spiderman," He, Spiderman , interrupted, "honorary Avenger. Friendly neighbourhood superhero of Queens. Which is where we are. Queens. Now," his tone dropped, but the bunched-up fabric of Damian's discarded garment was tucked under his arm, making him look significantly less threatening than was probably his intention, "who are you ?"
It was a fitting name, given the costume. It explained the string, or webbing , earlier, too. He was probably using it to travel between buildings, not with flight, like Damian had previously assumed. That also indicated some kind of super-strength, since he didn't seem to have much issue carrying him and swinging, despite his relatively small stature. Spiders were known for carrying above their body weight, perhaps the superhero name was not just for the aesthetic. He could maybe be a mutant, or have had developed spider-like powers due to an infection. He may even be an alien, like Clark. Some being similar to the arachnids they have on Earth.
"I am Robin."
Spiderman looked like he expected him to continue.
Damian did not.
"Are you actually walking away again?"
Damian, in the process of walking away, shook his head. "I would never."
An arm darted out to grab his own, and the vice like grip only confirmed what he'd already known - super strength . Although it would be annoying, Damian had fought and won against worse odds. If it got to that. He wasn't particularly interested in fighting a hero, especially one that had just saved his life, but Damian, Robin had a job to do. He needed that key and, if the portal was truly gone, he needed a way to get home. Both were linked to the star girl, and he was going to find her by any means necessary.
"Just talk to me, Robin. Are you in danger?" It was truly a wonder how this boy managed to form such sincerity with just two white holes in his mask, but somehow he managed it.
With the deepest sigh he could muster, and a twist of his arm Damian had learnt from Richard to free himself, he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was getting soft, he thought dully, his grandfather would reprimand him for such. "I will be fine. I simply have something I must retrieve, and then you shall never see me again, Spiderboy. Even better," Damian clapped his hands together, "I will just leave now, goodbye."
Spiderman did not look deterred, "Let me help you, I'm a superhero - I might know what you're looking for!". His enthusiasm was palatable, and it had the glimpse of childish eagerness that Jon often brought around with him. And, from what Damian had gathered, he was more than likely in a very different dimension to his own - having someone even slightly more knowledgeable may be beneficial. Even if that 'help' was a child playing hero.
"Okay, fine. Have you seen a girl around here, dark brown hair, denim jacket - glowing blue eyes but," Damian paused, "only occasionally."
Spiderman's eyes narrowed in his suit, an expression of deep concentration etched on his face, before it fluttered into regret after a few beats. "I don't think I've met anyone like that- but-" Damian had already started walking away with grumbles of wasted time, but paused at the interjection, "I might know someone who does. He's a wizard doctor, scientist wizard?"
"That's an oxymoron."
"No- well- kinda. But he's good at what he does- I can take you to where he is." He seemed to smile slightly under the mask, "Where he typically is, anyway."
It was a tempting offer, but Damian had met plenty of villains who masked their evil with innocence. 'Spiderman' may only be pushing fifteen, but Damian was killing before he could talk; youth didn't necessarily mean much when raised with the wrong crowd.
Although, and it pained him a little to admit it, he really had no clue where he was going. Or where he was. Or what to do next. Or how to-
"Fine. But if you try any-"
"Hold that thought." Spiderman had jerked his head up, right before a figure appeared, paired with the whirring sound of the machine fighting to keep them in the air.
It was an excessive suit in almost every aspect, as if it was made for the sole purpose of being eye catching. The red and gold reflected the light, metal clinking as they lowered themselves to the ground. The bright blue center sent a beacon of pale blue towards them, and Damian found himself squinting at it. Movement must not have been easy in that thing, he thought mildly, hand still hovering over his katana, but at least whoever inside had no chance of their identity being exposed. A single upside wasn't much to write home about.
"How interesting, what do we have here?" The voice was taunting, tone vibrating with a mechanical edge, and Damian steered himself to bite back, "Thought daycare didn't get out until three - what are you two doing out at this time?"
"It's five o'clock Mr. Stark."
"Is it?" The man seemed to falter for a second, still hovering above them. He muttered something, and he might've been contemplating the day of the week, too, because Damian distinctly heard 'Friday' in his musings, "So it is. Well, people who don't go to school often lose track of the time."
"I wouldn't berate us for your lack of knowledge just because you happen to be a senior citizen." Damian sneered.
A very undignified, spluttering sound came from the suit, and then the voice shifted to project with a degree of edge, "Okay, smart guy. Guess you haven't gotten to the part of first grade where they teach you to 'respect your elders' so I won't take it personally." The way he said it made Damian sure he was, indeed, taking it personally.
"Mr. Stark, he needs our help!"
Damian let out a huff, offended, "I most certainly do not need your help."
"What's up, did ankle biter bite the wrong ankle and now he's got a hit from some big hot shot?" He shrugged, and the metal made it clink slightly as he lowered his shoulders, "Wouldn't be the first time, eh, underoos?"
"That wasn't - I didn't even - Vulture was a one time case-"
"I really could not care less about the pseudo parental relationship we've got going here, or either of you as individuals, for that matter!" Whatever deal he might've been able to make with Spiderman was null and void now that his babysitter had shown up. Whatever, he could deal with this on his own. "Now leave me be so I can get on with what I'm here for, goodbye!" And because it could never be that easy, the metal man stepped in front of him.
"Not so fast, kid. I'm all for banter but I'm not about to let an actual child run off alone to complete his little quest." He lifted the mask, exposing his face and diminishing any spark of respect Damian may have had for him, "Now what are we looking at, eh? A dog, a stuffed animal, a blankie?"
"The only thing that can save my family from a fate infinitely worse than death."
"Imagination! I like it."
"You're insufferable."
"Nah," and because he was incredibly stupid, the suit folded away and the man stepped out of it, arms stretched out in a way that made him awfully exposed to attack, "I am Ironman."
It would've been rude not to stab him.