Silence Speaks Volumes

A Young Assassin Finds His Place

Damian's time with his Grandfather was... Damian didn't know how to describe it. He got some new things: a brand on his back and a mission. He was to infiltrate his father's ranks. Ra's gave him a strict timetable for everything. He was to feign trauma and let it slowly dissipate. He was being very careful.

He hated to upset his father's family and Jason. He didn't want to lie to them, but he had to be strong. Ra's said so. Damian could feel them studying him. They watched his every move. It had been about six months now, so it was time for the next phase of the plan.

Damian sat down in front of Tim and played with his Red Hood. That was one thing that hadn't changed. Damian still likes Red Hood. Ra's approves of Jason too. Damian stood up. Tim didn't seem to notice. He carefully walked out.

Damian was a given a mission. He needed to make sure he had his father's affections. His mother said it was key in one of Ra's' plans, but Damian was pretty sure there was something else. He lived to please, so he didn't question the true motive. He found his father in the Batcave looking at a picture of a crime scene. Damian carefully walked up to him. The man looked down, gave Damian a half smile, and looked back up. Damian wormed his way under his father's arms and curled into his lap like a kitten. His father stiffened at first, but quickly relaxed and put an arm on the boy's back and the other on his head. His father was warm and smelled of petrichor and vanilla. Damian didn't mind the way his bulk encompassed him like Jason's did. Damian would never admit it, but he liked this mission.

...

Tim glanced up and realized Damian was gone. Dang it. Dick told him to keep an eye on the boy. He searched all around the house, but couldn't find him. He wished he had Jason's superpower and could just call the boy's name. He headed down the cave steps. "Bruce, have you seen Damian?"

"He's right here," Bruce said. Tim came over to see the boy curled up in his father's lap. Tim could hear soft snores emitted. It was a precious sight. Tim took a picture for Alfred.

"That's cute," Tim said, grinning. Bruce grunted as he studied files. "You like it don't you," Tim asked slyly. "You haven't had a true cuddler since Dick." Tim and Jason didn't feel remorse over the fact that they were a lot less touchy than Dick. They liked it sometimes, but most of the time did well without it. Dick lived on touch. He was always touching something or someone. Damian was pretty similar to the former two, but obviously had a side that enjoyed that too. Bruce chuckled.

"It's okay." Tim rolled his eyes. Why did the man have to be so emotionally constipated? He texted the picture to Dick and got an immediate reply comprised of at least two hundred emojis. How he managed that in a minute, Tim would never know.

...

Damian was changing clothes when Tim burst into his room. What did Tim want? Tim was staring at Damian's back, the brand. Damian forgot about that. He usually hid it, but he didn't think he'd have to worry in private. "What happened to your back?" Damian still wasn't permitted to talk with them, so he didn't respond. "Is that a brand?" Tim's eyes were wide. He ran out of the room and called for Bruce and Dick. This would just be great.

Dick was upstairs first. "What's wrong," he asked, out of breath. Tim grabbed Damian and turned him around. Dick's eyes widened as Tim's had. "He branded you‽" Dick sounded mad now. His fists clenched. Damian finished putting his shirt on. Bruce came up at that moment.

"What happened?" Bruce looked around for any signs of danger.

"Show him," Dick told Damian. Damian didn't move to take his shirt off. All eyes were on him. Damian slowly took his shirt off.