Oculus | J. Todd ✔

[34]

Talia Al Ghul finally regained her control over the League of Shadows after a deadly battle with Deathstroke in which she succeeded with Batman's help. However, Damian had risked his life for his mother, going to Slade by himself and would have been killed if Batman had not turned up in time.

But with the battles over and Deathstroke dealt with justly, it was time for Talia to leave for Nanda Parbat. Seeing that Damian wanted to stay with his father, she did not pressurize her son into coming with her, instead she asked Bruce to take care of him until she would come back for him when the time was right.

Damian had known his mother was referring to the time when he would have to take over the League but after staying with the paternal side of his family and actually seeing the world from a different light, he wasn't too sure that he wanted to take up the Al Ghul legacy.

For the time being he decided in not saying any such thing to his mother but deep down he knew that it would cause extreme havoc when she would return for him and he would have to tell her of his decision.

But there were years until he would have to face such a scenario so he decided to overlook it and for the moment only focus on staying alongside Batman as Robin. Or rather staying with his family instead of going back to the dreary mountain peaks.

In those few months, Wayne Manor felt more like home to him than his grandfather's base at Nanda Parbat had ever been. Back then, he considered it more as a place to stay and train but there was no homely feeling attached to it.

However, same was not the case for Wayne Manor because he had begun to consider the place as his home and had accepted his family members with an open heart at last. True it would take him some time to adjust to the normal way of living but with his family right beside him, he knew that time too would pass well.

"Drake," he acknowledged the frail boy working at the Batcomputer as he stepped into the cave.

Tim's eyes were glued to the screen, an empty coffee cup dangling from his hand, "oh hello Damian, how are you?"

"Good. You?"

"Okay, I guess," he replied, placing the cup back before he almost knocked it over, "do you need anything?"

Tim knew it was out of the ordinary for the boy to approach him and initiate a conversation so the first thing he assumed was that he was not talking to him by choice but would have wanted something from the cave instead.

"Yes. I need to talk to you."

He halted, fingers pausing midway in typing and he turned to face him, after a while of making sure that he hadn't misheard those words, "to me?"

"Yes," the boy replied vaguely, cold green eyes focused on him in a serious look.

That look reminded Tim strikingly of Bruce and at that moment the only difference between father and son seemed to be the eye color and their ages. Other than that, young Damian was quite a replica of Bruce Wayne.

"Okay..." He scratched the back of his neck nervously, leaving the computer and turning his attention towards him, "so what do you need to talk about?"

Damian's eyes flickered slightly though there was no waver in his sharp calculating gaze towards him, "I believe I have been extremely uncivil to you. And I wanted to rectify that."

Tim was certain that he was dreaming because no way in hell could the gremlin mean to say that he wanted to apologize, "excuse me?"

"I hadn't known it would be so unbelievable on your part," Damian remarked, his tone still the emotionless and slightly sour note that he was accustomed to hearing, "I just wanted you to know that I wish to resolve our differences so that we can be on tolerable terms."

"Oh. That... That's great..." Even though Tim had become accustomed to Dami's usual formality while speaking, it made little sense to him at that time, "so how can I help you with it?"

Damian took one long look at him that almost made him think as if he had said something wrong. But before he could try to apologize, the boy spoke up, "heaven's sake Drake, is it that hard for you to digest that I wish to make an acquaintance out of you?"

"I... I think I'm too tired to function, I'm getting unnecessarily confused," at last the words poured out of Tim in a rush, "it's honestly a little too much because I believe you used to despise my very existence and now you're saying you wish to make an acquaintance out of me... Not that I'm complaining but... It's a little too much. A lot too much I think, not just a little... I don't know... Hang on a second, will you?"

Damian watched surprised as Tim frantically searched for the coffee maker then poured himself a cup which he downed in one go, blue eyes opening up wide after that.

"Right... Thanks. I feel much better now and much more awake," he mumbled, filling another cup before returning to the Batcomputer where the boy was still standing there observing him closely.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Damian asked, eyes speculatively judging him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry though for earlier." Then realizing what the entire topic was about, Tim's face broke into a smile, "as for what you were saying, I also wish to resolve our differences so that we can be on tolerable terms."

The words sunk in and Damian nodded, "good."

Tim waited for him to add something but when he didn't do so, he extended his hand out towards him, "well I don't think I've had any differences to begin with so how about we start afresh? This time as friends?"

The boy paused for he had not been expecting Tim to comply but gradually took the offered hand, "sure. This time as friends."

His smile brightened as he released his hand then drank the other cup of coffee he was holding, "my pleasure. Let me know if you ever need anything from me, I'd be happy to help."

Damian nodded, deciding to step out but then paused, "actually there is one thing..."

He looked up, "and what's that may I ask?"

"Father has to leave for Metropolis tonight and I am not allowed to patrol by myself. Usually Grayson would have been here but he too has to go to Bludhaven. So will you accompany me on patrol tonight?"

Tim agreed, "sure, why not?"

And though Damian had no idea whether Tim would still be a caffeinated wreck on patrol or not, deep down he was glad he had gotten that burden off his chest and resolved his differences with the elder boy. Because after all they were a family and families had to stick together, without any grudges.

***