Brothers To The Bitter End

15

"Hello, Officer Grayson?"

"That would be me," Dick said with a slight smile as he shook the balding, sweaty man's hand. "What seems to be the trouble with Damian?" This man was the principal of Damian's private school. In the year and a half that Damian had been enrolled there, there had never been any cause to call Dick into the office for misbehavior. Until now.

"It's not so much trouble as . . . attitude issues," the man, by the name of Principal Fairweather, dropped his voice, as if anything louder would cause the attitude issues to become offensive. "He refuses to respond to questions in class, avoids contact with everyone, and will not participate in any activities."

"That doesn't sound like an attitude issue. It sounds like he doesn't want to associate with people much. Nothing wrong with that." Dick didn't like the principal. He was too nervous a man to be dealing with smart kids. In fact, that might've been part of the problem; some people viewed others smarter than they as either a nuisance or a mutation. This man seemed to think the smart kids under his direction a mutation of normality and was thusly terrified of them and, by association, their parents.

"Yes well, he also hates answering direct questions,"

"Do those questions make him feel boxed in?"

"Uh . . ."

"Are they invasive?"

"Well I wouldn't say . . ."

"Are they accusatory?"

"You see . . ."

"All right, I get the picture," Dick stood and stared at the man coldly. "I'll have a talk with him."
*********
Damian looked up from where he was sitting on the bench outside the principal's office. He knew Dick was inside talking to that fool of a man, but that wasn't what worried him. He knew that the principal could barely string two words together and that he had technically done something wrong. But Damian knew that as soon as they headed home, the real questions would start. And Dick never gave up until he found out the truth; that's what made him such a good detective.

"Yes, yes, no worries. Damian will remain enrolled here," Dick assured the principal as he backed out the doorway and hastily slammed the door shut.

"Aren't ordinary people adorable?" Damian quoted his new favorite tv show, Sherlock.

"You and I need to talk," Dick placed his hands on his hips sternly. "In the car. Hop to it."

Damian knew better than to argue with Dick when he got into mom mode, so he silently plodded outside to where Dick's cop car was parked directly in front of the steps.

"I think that's a no parking zone,"

"One of the perks," Dick replied dryly as he slid into his seat.

Damian buckled in in silence and waited for the questioning.

"Hungry?"

"Always. McDonald's?"

"M'kay, but don't tell Jaybird. He's been getting on to me about eating healthy,"

Damian rolled his eyes. "Between you and Todd I have more people mother henning me than anyone should have,"

"Just be glad it isn't a British butler. They've got a ninth sense about when you've done something wrong,"

"Don't you mean sixth sense?"

"Nope. Alfred's sixth, seventh, and eighth senses regard fashion, cuisine, and deals,"

"Deals?"

"Why do you think the Wayne's have so much money? Do you really think that Thomas and Bruce made all those billions by themselves? Thomas Wayne was not rich when he hired Alfred. He actually hired Alfred to impress Martha, and Alfred gave him a few business tips that made Wayne Enterprise come to life. Even now, Bruce won't do business with anyone until after consulting Alfred,"

"Hmph. Father becomes even less impressive the more I learn about him,"

"Tell me about it,"
**********
After they ordered their food, Dick got serious. "So what's the deal? You've never had issues at school before. Is someone bullying you?"

"Hardly," Damian snorted. "The truth is, I'm just kind of tired of being around people. It's not even peaceful in the house anymore with so many people around. I just . . . I don't know, want someone to talk to who can't reply. And don't say talk to Cass, because she isn't very helpful,"

Dick chuckled. "Well I'm glad that's all it is, because I've got something that will fix that right up."
***********
"A . . . pet?" Damian asked, frowning as he surveyed the small animals.

"Come on, Dami, you've always wanted a dog," Dick said with a smirk. "It'll give you someone to talk to."

"I hardly think that a canine companion will help me."

"That remains to be seen,"

"Hi," a blonde haired woman walked up to them with a smile on her face. "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a pet for my little brother here. Hopefully something that would work as . . . an emotional support animal," Dick smirked at his little brother even as Damian snorted.

"I think I've got just the thing for you," the blonde woman, whose nametag declared that her name was Jane, showed them to a kennel where a large spotted Great Dane was sitting with several large puppies. "These dogs aren't actually abandoned pets. They're my boss's pets, but she's looking to sell the puppies, and she's already registered them as certified emotional support animals. They'll be ready to leave their mother in about two weeks."

Dick grinned. "Perfect. What do you think, Dami? Any of them stick out to you?"

Damian looked up from where he was kneeling by the puppies. Several of them were ignoring him, but one all black puppy had sidled up to him and begun licking his hand. "I suppose this one will be . . . adequate,"

Dick smirked. "Uh huh," he turned back to Jane. "Thanks. You can tell your boss we'll be back to pick up this little guy in about two weeks. I'll pay for him then,"

Jane smiled. "Terrific. I'll see you then,"
***********
Back in the car Damian began protesting again. "Really, Gray, I don't need a pet. Especially not one that's going to make messes all over the floor."

"We'll get him potty trained no problem. And you can't tell me you haven't already picked out a name for him," Dick added, giving Damian a side long look.

"Titus. After Shakespeare's play Titus Andronicus,"

"The creepy one where he kills everyone?"

"Yes,"

Dick mock shuddered. "Sure glad I'm not your kid, being named after creepy characters,"