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“Ahki,” a voice came calmly from the door to the locker room. “It is disappointing. You were dreadfully easy to track, with your skill level I would assume you would at least be able to hide for longer than nine months.”
Neil froze lightly, head shooting up towards the door. “Damian,” he greeted casually, although his voice was threaded with tension. “It’s been a while.”
“Do not play coy with me Timothy,” Damian huffed, taking a step into the locker room— fully stepping into view of the others, who were looking back and forth between the two of them with rapt attention.
Neil bristled lightly, “Not my name—”
“It is,” Damian interrupted, “You simply refuse to maintain it. ”
Neil was sure his face was twisted into some strange combination of anger, fear and fight or flight— it seemed to do that a lot more these days, especially since he had left Tim Drake behind. He clenched his fists tightly, taking in shuddering breaths. To the side, he could feel Andrew getting up. “Don’t,” he said. “I can handle him myself.”
Andrew sat back down, but he was clearly still tense. Neil let out a sigh of relief before focusing back in on Damian. “I thought you’d be happy that I was gone? I mean, I’m an interloper right? I stood between you and your birthright as B’s son?"
“Timothy—” Damian began again.
Neil bristled once more, cutting Damian off. “Demon Brat I swear to Wonder Woman—”
“Timothy,” Damian repeated, nonplussed, “Since you have been gone I have been forced to reevaluate some things, including your standing in our family, and I found that I have done you an injustice. You are much more than an interloper. Regretfully for me you are needed for the family to function, so while I still dislike you, I recognise that you are… important— for the function of the family.” He looked like he swallowed a lemon as he almost choked out his next words, “And I must admit you… your expertise in investigation is needed much more then I realised previously”
Neil raised an eyebrow, “So you missed me?”
“I most certainly did not.”
“You missed me.”
Damian spluttered, “You— you are simply irreplaceable… In the system. Nothing more.”
Neil’s eyes softened, shoulders falling slightly. He smiled. It wasn’t light, nor was it kind, or even soft. It was the kind of smile you’d see on a predator. But paired with eyes as soft as his to Damian it had never looked more like home. Damian’s eyes widened lightly, “That’s Grandfather’s smile… When we’re you trained by Grandfather? Are you—” the words seemed to get stuck in his throat, so instead he said, “Well I suppose if you trained with grandfather I could tolerate you for more than the fact that you are needed. I implore that we spar sometime in the future Timothy.”
“Don’t tell the others that I’m here and we have a deal Demon Brat.”
“You understand I cannot do that, yes?” Damian looked at him, fave a careful mask of apathy. “I cannot keep this hidden from father. You know you are the only one even remotely capable of lying to him. If I attempted to do so he would see through me in seconds.”
Neil smiled, “I know…”