Stones and Glass Houses (Book 1)

🕷(84) The Lab Rat

Damian POV-

Trust was new to him, a foreign concept that was only held in his mind by the experiences he shared with Brooklyn all these months.

Though he'd come to welcome the concept of having a team for a while, it wasn't until recently that Damian realized he could trust his teammates to a higher extent than before.

Right now, his trust was in the hands of Ned and Yelena, knowing he could count on them to change the camera feeds and bring down the security measures leading into the frozen room that was more of a giant cooler than anything.

Standing before the cold vibranium door, Damian searched the empty hallways for guards. He knew the Avengers would be busy for three more hours in am ongoing meeting, which gave him just enough time to relay all he'd learned, and to make sure his beloved was ok.

Something had changed in Damian, something which his mind was not entirely sure was a good thing yet, it was enough to make him hesitate to open the door.

He had feelings for Brooklyn, that much was certain now. Though Damian would NEVER admit to being afraid of something out loud, he couldn't fight the voice in his head that made him afraid of going inside.

What if Brooklyn could see the change in him? What if she knew of his alteration of emotions and revoked their friendship?

Ridiculous...

Damian Wayne was not a person that would be controlled and driven by emotion, he would not cower at the mere concept of seeing his best friend. Those were absurd fears for simple people.

As soon as the teen opened the door, the coldness of the space bit at his skin.

The walls, floor, and roof were covered in a layer of frost, and the temperature inside was enough for Damian to subconsciously unravel the orange patterned wakandan fabric across his chest to place over the sheer sleeves of his white shirt.

It was dark, cold, quiet. 

Brooklyn despised all of those things, such a thought was obvious by the way she huddled by her bed as best as the wires attached to her arms and temples would allow.

It had been two days since he saw her, living with only Yelena's intel from the Avengers that his beloved was safe and stable. Sure, Brook was not burning anymore, but she looked troubled all the same.

Seeing her like that, it reminded him of the way he'd found her that day she was taken. Damian had to fight the urge to rip out the machinery, to get her out of here, far from the loneliness and fear.

But something told him she would refuse the rescue.

Brooklyn looked up from her holographic tablet which had been displaying Wakandan symbols Damian had yet to study. When her gaze met his own, a bit of the frown on her face dissipated, and when she smiled faintly at him....those feelings surfaced in greeting.

The teen moved to sit on the small bed after nodding her way, trying to figure out what to say to make it better, but he'd never been particularly gifted with words, much less comforts...that was Brooklyn's specialty.

His thoughts paused when Brook's eyes went wide, as she scooted away from him.

At first Damian assumed she'd somehow found out about his change of feelings, that she was disgusted or displeased by it. That brought a foreign sinking feeling deep within his chest, an uncomfortable ache that almost threatened to make him flinch.