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“Akhi?” A small voice muffled with a yawn. Damian’s eyes slowly drooped as he climbed in from a window in the house with practised ease. It was normal for him to show up unannounced whenever he wanted. Jason never once complained, and it wasn’t like he was someone who kept looking at his messages or missed calls. It was more convenient this way.
Damian frowns to himself, rubbing his face tiredly and scanning the room slowly for his older brother, trying to seek comfort and a chance to finally rest. Sleep didn’t come as easily as it did when they were still back in the league. As much as Damian hated to admit it, he felt a little homesick and just wanted his brother. Jason may not be the most verbal, but his actions and behaviour always made Damian feel cared for ever since he was a kid looking up to his brother as they trained together.
The entire house was dark and Damian was starting to think that Jason was out for the night. He could wait. Sit by the sofa and just…wait. It wasn’t like Bruce was going to notice a child missing from his bedroom anyway. He’ll probably just slip back in before sunrise, and all would be fine. He knows each of Jason’s safe houses like the back of his hand. This one just happens to be a 2-story loft apartment that Jason took a liking towards because the owner gave him a sweet deal on the rent.
Letting out another yawn, Damian decided to give up waiting. He will do what he came here to do. Sleep. Rounding up the stairs towards the bedroom, he froze mid-step in the air when a soft giggle sounded from the upper level.
His eyes spotted a figure encased by a dim blue light illuminating a corner of the bed, bleeding against the corner of a wall.
There was a faint rustling, presumably from the bed where someone, presumably his older brother, was. Instead of a low grunt and groan that Jason always did when he stretched his aching body, a definitely-not-Jason voice called out.
“Damian? Is that you?” They asked with a small yawn, the light disappearing with a soft click of a phone being locked. The room fell back into darkness, Damian's eyes shifted, his senses heightening as he tried to make out what or who was in front of him. The shuffling became louder as a familiar figure turned around from the wall they were facing.
Damian stiffened, posture shooting upright and becoming more alert than ever. The drowsiness of his sleep-deprived mind vanished, and Damian immediately had his attention on the stranger. “Why are you in Akhi’s house?”
The suspicion and wariness lingered in the air, Damian’s breath hitched as he crept closer towards the figure. He wasn’t afraid of what lingers in the dark. He’d been taught to fear nothing and always be brave. His blanket, held out instinctively to disarm or block any attacks he sensed. His steps were cautious and calculating, inching across the room while scanning for the intruder.
A bright light flashes towards him, blinding him temporarily and catching him off guard. He hissed as he tried to cover his eyes, growling in frustration at how much his eyes stung. “I-oh no! Damian! Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. I couldn’t see anything and thought I was hearing things.”
The voice was all he heard before he felt hands pulling him towards a certain direction, before his knees felt a soft cushion and he was guided to sit down. The person felt closer now; they were right next to him, he could feel it. A steady hand was on his shoulder, a voice laced with concern. “Damian? Are you okay?”
Damian frowns, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head to clear up the black dots still dotting his vision. “Ugh..I’m fine. You should invest in a table lamp.”
There was a huff of laughter before the flashlight was switched on again, but this time facing the ceiling. Damian exhales slowly, turning his head to see you staring back at him with concern and curiosity in your eyes. “I’ll tell Jay that when he’s home. Sorry about that…I wasn’t told that we were expecting any company.”
You are Jason’s partner. Someone he found solace in after a few late-night visits to a cafe that was also a bookstore, but not many people knew that. You were just one of the employees there, content to sit through the night, curled up on your chair with a book and a warm cup of tea. Always tea. Never coffee, because it keeps me up at night. The sheer irony of your words which Jason found himself amused and intrigued by.
Jason had stumbled across the shop after a sleepless night and needed something to get his mind to stop drowning itself in nightmares and existential crises. He had noticed the cafe was open for 24 hours. It somehow managed to stay afloat despite the lack of customers who visited throughout the day and night. That also got his attention, and one night, Jason found himself walking through the doors and being greeted by you. Damian was shortly introduced to you after you two had officially become friends.
Soon, weeks bled into months and you found yourself falling for the witty, sarcastic and sometimes aggressive man — though that was a rare occurrence that you knew he hated for you to see. Albeit he wasn’t perfect, neither were you and you two were undeniably drawn to each other. Despite the initial reluctance and push-and-pull, he had accepted your countless confessions and attempts to flirt with him. He eventually started reciprocating them. He became your regular Wednesday-and-Sunday-nights customer and it was easier to spend the night talking away and sharing about book recommendations — almost like an exclusive book club.
Now, here you are. Helping his younger brother sleep, just like you have been doing during the nights Jason had trouble sleeping.
Your voice carries him out of his thoughts as more rustling comes from your side of the bed. “You…couldn’t sleep? Yeah…I get that.”
Damian hums noncommittally, a tired shrug to convey his thoughts. Clicking his tongue with a deep sigh, exhaustion was dripping off his bones and dragging him closer towards any flat surface. His mind is still restless despite his eyes fighting to stay open. He feels himself not resisting when a hand gently wraps around his wrist and pulls him closer until his back rests against the pillows and the blanket is tossed over his knees.
Damian was momentarily reminded of the numerous times he had woken his brother up when he had trouble sleeping and how no matter how much Jason grunted and grumbled, his blanket would always be held open for Damian to climb in. There was never a time that Damian ever got rejected, no matter how tired or plagued by nightmares Jason was.
“Hmm, I have just the thing! Let me introduce you to……Night Night!”
The flashlight turns on again as something light and small gets placed on his lap. Damian blinks down, trying to make sense of what he is seeing.
“A toy? I’m not a kid! Why is it named Night Night anyways? That's stupid.” Damian has the urge to shove the toy away, but his hands curl around the soft blue and purple donkey dressed in a night cap, a purple top pyjama and donkey slippers. Its small hands sticking up as if to welcome whoever needed a hug or a good sleep.
“Hey! This toy was given to me when I was a kid, okay? It’s older than you, treat it with more respect!” You complained with a fond tone in your voice as you patted Night Night’s head. Damian frowns as he watches the toy’s head get squished slightly from the weight of your hand. His fingers slowly wrap around its hands, lifting them gently as if the toy would break and get torn apart if he was not gentle.
“Well…In a world of Batman and Metas, we should also have one that protects us from having bad sleep, too right? Night Night’s super power is that he ensures you get a good night’s sleep.” You explain with slight enthusiasm as Night Night continues to look up at Damian, its chocolate brown eyes boring into his and for a second, Damian swears that the toy blinks at him.
“That’s stupid. What kind of superpower is that? That doesn’t exist.” Damian scoffs, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.
“Trust me. Night Night is the best protector. He’s the king of sleep!” You lift the toy up, presenting it to the ceiling as if worshipping the toy.
“Lie down. I’ll show you his powers. Come on, trust me.” Damian’s eyes flicker towards the toy and you, narrowing with scepticism and hesitation.
“Come on. I can practically see the bags dragging down your face!” You fluff the pillow for good measure, patting it again once the surface feels cold enough to be comfortable. In a rare Gotham occasion, the night air was chilly enough to make it easy to fall asleep, too. Not too cold, not rainy and definitely not hot or humid.
“Fine. Fine!” Damian huffs while rolling his eyes before lying back on the pillow. The blanket pulls up to his chin almost immediately as you tuck him in.
“Close your eyes. Take a deep breath.” He follows the instructions after a few seconds. He feels a soft tap on his forehead. It was repeated twice. His head suddenly feels lighter, his body more relaxed, with the frown on his face slowly neutralising to a blank expression.
“Pat pat, now Night Night says you can sleep again! Goodnight!” A high-pitched voice sounds beside him as he feels another two pats on his nose. The thing patting his face feels soft — featherlight and weightless, helping his mind slowly cut off any thoughts until it is quiet. Finally, some peace for the night.
It did not take long for Damian to fall asleep. You softly giggle to yourself as soft snores escape the boy. Night Night sits on his chest watching him sleep as you make the toy turn towards you and give it a small high-five.
“Mission accomplished!” You quietly whispered to Night Night, the toy animated through your actions and voice, jumping as high as your arm could reach and landing back onto your lap.
“Night Night is best!” Your fingers play with the toy’s hands, waving it around to gesture that its role as the protector of sleep was the best thing that ever existed. Just as Night Night swings side to side softly, you let out a small yawn, the toy’s sleepy effects coming to take you too.
Not wanting to disturb Damian, you find yourself shifting towards your side of the bed against the wall, stretching as you curl into a comfortable spot. With Night Night placed in the middle, a placeholder until Jason gets back, you fall asleep almost instantly.
— — — —
It was nearly daybreak when Jason finally got home. He groans tiredly, a long night after busting out one of the gangs dealing with a drug shipment and seizing control over the delivery. He was ready to curl up by your side and let tomorrow’s problems be dealt with tomorrow’s version of him. Shedding off his armour and clothes, he quickly takes a shower after being reminded that it probably wasn’t a good idea to let you smell all the dirt and grime he had accumulated while being outside for just a few hours.
His footsteps pad across the cold wooden floors of his house as he haphazardly throws his clothes into the washing machine to start a cycle and tosses in his towel after using it to dry his hair for a little while. The exhaustion washes over him as he climbs up the steps, eager to immediately get his long-awaited sleep. “Finally, hello bed.”
Smiling to himself, his eyes spotting a small figure curled towards the side closest to the stairs, his tired mind taking a minute to process that it might be too small for it to be you. If it was not you, then the other logical answer was that it was Damian. He was surprised the young demon had trusted you to even sleep on the same bed. Maybe he warmed up to you the same way Jason did.
His eyes drag up to see you on your side of the bed with the blankets kicked off and haphazardly wrapped around your torso, with your legs and arms exposed to the chill of the air. It was his sign to tuck you in as usual. He watches your figure in deep sleep, completely unaware of everything else in the world. His hands gently lifted the blanket, mindful not to let you get sudden chills and wake up from it. But before he could slip in beside you, he noticed something.
He stops at the sight before him. His partner, holding their favourite plushie’s hand while Damian, on his side of the bed, holds onto the other, soundly asleep. It seems like Night Night had completed his job and taken care of his loved ones when he was occupied. Jason reaches out to give the toy a pat on the head as a gesture of thanks.
An amused smile reaches his lips, and he takes out his phone. This was a moment worth documenting and teasing Damian over. Deep down, he was just a kid who succumbed to the magic of a small toy with a made-up ability to help people fall asleep.
He couldn’t wait to see Damian deny and act all indifferent when he wakes up.
