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A lone figure sat hunched in front of the large computer screen. The defeated set to his shoulders unusual in its apparency. Icy blue eyes stared into the soul that hid in the green eyes that stared out of the screen. It was a family picture that had been taken after Bruce had returned from the time stream. There was only one person missing. Timothy “Tim” Drake. The only one that was not chosen for this family. The only one that everyone attacked. The one that was always forgotten. Perhaps there was nothing that could be done. Maybe things had progressed too far for anything to be done. Maybe there was nothing left to do. It was so hard to change the minds of people. It was so hard to make people realise when they have hurt someone. He shut down the computer and turned to walk to his bike, pausing as he spotted the slight figure that stood in the entry to the cave. Their green eyes seemed to glow in the dim light as they watched him.
“Damian,” the young man greeted the boy, “was there anything that you needed?”
“Pennyworth requested that I bring you upstairs to join us for breakfast. Though I have no idea why he would want to have you there, Drake,” Damian replied, expression inscrutable.
Tim chuckled sarcastically before responding, “Well, today is your lucky day, brat. I have a meeting with the board in two hours, so I don’t have time for breakfast. Please, inform Alfred that I, regrettably cannot enjoy his food.”
With that, he swung himself onto his bike and sped out of the cave, not seeing the flicker of guilt that crossed the boy’s face as he looked toward the bat computer that had occupied his brother’s attention moments ago.
****
Damian sat at the counter of the kitchen, watching the man that was a grandfather to them all as he prepped the lunches that everyone was to eat.
“Young Master Damian,” he said lightly, “as much as I enjoy our quiet mornings, I do prefer not to have holes drilled into my shoulder by your eyes. Is there anything that I can help you with?”
After a moment’s hesitation, the normally proud shoulders slumped into resignation, “How does one go about mending a relationship that they have ruined through their own words and actions?”
Alfred stopped in his preparations and turned to look his youngest charge in the eyes. His eyes held an immense pool of understanding. He gently clasped his wrinkled hands on the counter as he read the genuine remorse in the eyes of the fragile boy.
“Perhaps,” he said softly, “One should start with an apology and demonstrate an understanding of where they were wrong.”
Damian nodded and turned to leave the room, “I need to inform father that I will be late to patrol tonight.”
*****
Tim grumbled to himself as he entered the cave. Damian insisted on meeting tonight for some unknown reason. As hesitant as he was, he wanted to give the boy, he once desired to be a brother towards, a chance. As he reached the main space, he was shocked to find Damian standing there without a mask.
“Drake,” Damian started as Tim walked up to him, “Tim, I owe you an apology. Every action I have taken against you has been reprehensible. You deserve better. I hope you will give me the chance to explain myself.”
Tim, surprised and touched by the apology, nodded as he sat, to hear the boy’s explanation.
“When I first entered the manor, I knew everything that my mother did about this family. I knew the rough pasts of Dick and Jason. I knew that you chose to become Robin to help Batman become the symbol of Justice once again. I knew that you had intelligence and skills that rivalled–if not exceeded–father. You have always been the best Robin. I attacked you out of a sense of insecurity and jealousy. You were the only one that truly chose to become a hero. You had everything that you needed. You weren’t adopted by father. You came to him and made him accept you. You left shoes that are far too big to fill, and that made me scared. How could I follow this Robin that was so skilled and the best? I couldn’t. I can’t. I constantly fall short of the bar that you placed. You deserve far better than the way that I treated you.”
Tim, as he saw the tears of shame form in his youngest brother’s eyes, removed his mask and knelt in front of Damian. With his hands on the small shoulders he said softly, “The funny thing is, the very thing that you say makes me remarkable is my biggest insecurity. B chose all of the others. He even chose you. I was the only one that he did not choose. It makes me feel like an outsider. I constantly feel like I have to prove my worth. That I need to prove that I belong here. The reality for both you and myself is that we don’t need to prove ourselves. I can’t go back and make B choose me first. You can’t be exactly like me, and you shouldn’t be. You have skills and abilities that make you strong. We value you because of those skills. You just need to be the best you that you can be. Every Robin before me was different. Dick was all quips and brightness. Jason was anger and understanding. I was constantly comparing myself to him. To me, he was the best Robin because he was my Robin. He was the one that I followed on the rooftops. I always fell short. You are a Robin that is quiet strength and protection. You are the first to throw yourself in harm’s way for the civilians that you meet. You are good enough as you are.”
Damian nodded and let Tim pull him into a hug, tears streaming down his face. There would be a lot to work through. Old scars that would come up and old pains that need healed, but they would work through it. This moment was the start toward a happier future.