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Damian and Tim played a game.
It was a dangerous game, a game with no winners and no losers. Just give and take.
Neither of them remembered when it really started. Damian argued that it was when Tim got drunk at Dick’s birthday party. Tim always insisted that it was that time Damian crashed at one of Tim’s safe houses, and Tim found him naked and lying bloody in his shower.
But honestly, it did not matter that much, but the game did start, and both players played with all they had.
They had a code between them, a pretty good code, Tim thought, which is why he had no idea how Jason figured it out. Probably because he is a huge literature nerd.
The game would start with one person purposefully prodding at the other, to get them angry. Within the first line, usually an accusation of some sort, the other’s name must be included somehow (nicknames count) and an alliteration of at least three words.
That was code for “let’s get out of here for a while and find somewhere to make out angrily because you did do something to get on my nerves”.
This happened quite often, actually…
“Damn Drake! Did you really think I would understand your gibberish gestures?” Damian snarled after a particularly taxing patrol one night.
Tim’s eyes immediately narrowed, catching the alliteration. It could have been an accident, but the way Damian’s eyes glared at him for a second longer than usual, Tim knew. But he also had to give his answer.
“Yes, I expected you to understand what I was saying. It’s not my fault you’re too dim for your own good,” Tim snapped back. The simple ‘yes’ told Damian all he needed to know. Now for a location…
Damian sneered, not missing a beat. “Me? Dim? You’re the useless one, Drake. So why don’t you run along up to bed and leave the ones who actually helped out to fill out the reports.”
From behind them, Dick sighed heavily. Honestly, Dick had a hard time understanding why those two could not just grow up. It had been seven years since Damian arrived at the Manor. How deeply does their animosity run? And seriously? Two alphas of the Wayne family were not supposed to act like whiny children.
He ignored them and pulled out his phone, opting to give Jason a quick call. He watched as Tim stormed out of the cave, shooting harsh remarks back at Damian as he did so.
After Tim left, Damian spun on his heels, his cape fluttering behind him. “Grayson, you get the reports. I’m going to take a shower and maybe punch some things,” he growled.
Dick nodded. “Okay. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it all. Just don’t break your fingers, Dami, you’ve got piano lessons on Sunday.” Jason picked up the phone then. “Oh, hey, Jay…”
Damian circled back and snuck up into the Manor when Dick had his back turned, occupied by Jason. Damian made his way to Tim’s room. He knocked twice, pushed the door open. Before Damian got the door completely closed behind him, Tim had him shoved against the door, his lips devouring hungrily at Damian’s.
Damian did not fight back, his hands leaving the door and settling on Tim’s waist, pulling him closer. They were basically the same height now, Tim still a tiny bit taller.
Damian pushed back on Tim gently, sending them walk-stumbling backwards to the bed. Damian crashed down on top of Tim, their kiss breaking.
“How’d you get away from Dick?” Tim asked, swinging his legs around Damian’s waist and flipping them over so that he was on top.
“Grayson’s too enamored by Todd to notice anything else,” Damian said with a roll of his eyes.
Tim leaned down and nibbled at Damian’s earlobe. “You really think he won’t find out?”
“I know he won’t find out,” Damian promised. “As long as Todd doesn’t tell him.”
Tim laughed. “Jason won’t tell. He finds this all too amusing to give up.”
“Fucking bastard,” Damian cursed.
“Mhm, now enough talk about them,” Tim said. “I’ve been after you all evening, but those stupid girls at the gala wouldn’t leave you along for a minute!” He sucked hard at a spot under Damian’s chin, being sure to leave a mark.
“Jealous?” Damian teased, slightly short of breath. Damn Tim, knowing where all his weak points were.
“Very,” Tim admitted. “And that blazer. It was gorgeous on you, but I wanted to rip it off and have you here sooner.” He moved to another spot, lower on Damian’s neck. Tim slid his hands under Damian’s t-shirt, feeling the taunt muscles and the occasional scars.
“Yes, Alfred picked out a really sexy outfit, didn’t he?” Damian said. “I rather liked the tie. Don’t know if I want it ruined by you.”
Tim’s head snapped up and his dilated blue eyes started deep into Damian’s. “Fuck, Dami, I wanted you gagged, blindfolded and tied up with that tie. There’s no way that tie’s staying long enough to be paired up with another outfit.”
“Hey, why am I the one tied up?” Damian asked defensively.
“You can tie me up next time,” Tim said with a roll of his eyes, rolling Damian’s shirt up as he spoke. “But I’ve waited too long.” Tim reached under the bed and pulled out Damian’s tie. He grinned. “Swiped it from your closet after the gala.”
“Don’t you fucking dare, Drake,” Damian warned. However, he made no move to actually stop Tim.
“Say, ahh, baby,” Tim cooed.
Damian glared up at him. He did not open his mouth for a couple seconds. “I want you in lingerie next time.”
“Fuck, okay, fine,” Tim said. “Whatever you want.”
Damian smirked and opened his mouth obediently. That was the problem of two alphas being in a relationship. Neither wanted to relinquish the control, so it was a tug-of-war between two parties.
But it helped that both of them were kinky bastards and did not really mind having such things done to them.
Tim slowly stuffed the silk tie into Damian’s mouth, going slowly, pushing pieces in with his finger, trailing up and down Damian’s jaw as he went. Then, he pulled out the tie he wore that night. It was dark red with darker red stripes.
“Close your eyes, baby,” Tim whispered. Damian closed his eyes and he felt Tim knot the tie behind his head. He opened his eyes and saw only darkness. “Okay?”
Damian let out a muffled grunt of consent.
Tim pressed a sudden kiss to Damian’s neck again. He then pulled Damian’s shirt over his head. Damian knew to keep his hands by his sides, or Tim would surely find something to tie his hands up too.
“Fuck, Dami, you look so good,” Tim purred. “You want me to fuck you or ride you tonight?”
Damian just groaned around the tie. Whatever his preference was, it was lost against the fabric.
“Hm? What was that?” Tim asked. “Neither?”
Damian kicked him.
“Hey, watch it!” Tim snapped. Damian stilled, a small shiver running up his spine. It was not often that Tim used his alpha voice. While it did not actually have any effects on Damian, it was hot as hell.
Tim put his hands on Damian’s bare chest, running the pads of his fingers over his nipples. Damian arched into his touch, and Tim smirked at the embarrassed flush on Damian’s cheeks. He gave Damian’s nipples one last hard pinch, causing Damian to groan and arch up again before Tim took his hands away.
They trailed down Damian’s firm stomach, slipping under the sweatpants and cupping the bulge in Damian’s briefs.
Tim slowly eased his pants down and gave Damian a hard squeeze. He pulled Damian’s briefs down too, letting his cock spring out, beads of precum appearing at the head.
“Look at you,” Tim hissed, running his thumb over the head of Damian’s cock, spreading the precum over the head. “So desperate for me. You like this, don’t you? Knowing that the person you’re submitting to is your brother and your alpha as well?”
Damian growled through the tie in his mouth, and Tim saw his muscles tightening, but Damian did not move from his spot on the bed.
Tim pushed Damian’s sweatpants lower until they pooled around his ankles. He traced the strained muscles back up to his leaking cock. He curled his hand around Damian’s cock, slowly stroking it up and down, knowing that Damian hated teasing. He watched carefully for Damian’s reactions.
But Damian only bit down on the gag and fisted the sheets.
Tim smiled, sinking down to his knees and licking up Damian’s cock from base to tip. Damian twitched and moaned quietly as Tim swirled his tongue around the head a few times.
Tim closed his mouth around Damian’s cock, and moving at the same agonizing speed, bobbed down to the base and slowly back up again. He repeated that movement a couple more times, watching for any sign of Damian’s patience snapping. Tim reached into the drawer by his bed and pulled out a travel size bottle of lube. He opened the bottle silently and squirted a bit onto his fingers.
He popped off Damian’s cock with a loud slurp. Then, he put one lubed finger to Damian’s hole, watching as Damian jumped slightly at the sudden contact there.
Tim watched, all the while circling around the tight muscle. He started smiling slowly.
“You’d let me do anything to you, wouldn’t you, Dami? I could tie you up and leave you here all night long teasing you, and you’d let me, wouldn’t you?”
Damian shook his head from side to side. Tim thrust his finger inside him. “Wouldn’t you?”
The desperate arching and the white knuckled grip told Tim everything he needed to know. Tim pushed his finger in and out a few more times before adding a second finger. He crooked his finger at the just right place, watching as Damian twitched and groaned at the stimulation. He pushed his fingers against Damian’s prostate, trilling them hard against the spot, like he would on the piano.
Damian cried out, jerking upwards suddenly. Tim leaned in, pressing his lips to the spot between balls and clenching hole. He sucked gently, knowing that Damian was unusually sensitive there.
At the same time, he pushed another finger in. Tim enjoyed the foreplay. He liked the teasing, the foreshadowing to the main event. Damian preferred getting straight to the point. He liked it fast, rough, and hard. But right now, Tim had the control, Tim held the reins.
Tim thrusted his fingers in and out at his casual pace, making sure to brush against Damian’s prostate each time. He could tell that Damian was trying to hold back, keeping himself under control.
And Tim had to give him credit. If their positions were switched, Tim probably would have come already.
Right before Damian’s breaking point, Tim pulled his fingers out, watching as Damian’s hole clenched tightly down on nothing. He groaned, twisting in the sheets again.
“Shh,” Tim whispered, standing. He pushed his boxers down. “Condom?” he asked.
Damian’s just growled, which is usually something around the lines of ‘No, if you delay another moment longer, Drake, I will throw you out your own bedroom window and finish by myself’.
“Less cleanup later,” Tim said. “I’m really not in a mood for changing the sheets right now.” He grabbed a condom from his drawer as well. Damian relaxed a bit, a sign of his agreement.
Tim made quick work of slipping the condom on himself, coating himself with a copious amount of lube and pressing slowly into Damian.
Once he was completely inside him, Tim was also pressed flush against Damian’s chest. Damian gave another warning growl, and Tim pulled out, then snapped his hips in. He pulled out slowly again and snapped in.
It was a long, torturous way of doing it, and Tim knew that very well. He liked pushing Damian’s buttons. Mostly because Damian had a lot of them, and anyone presented with a board of multiple buttons will press them. It was just human nature, and who was Tim to argue against human nature?
A thin sheen of sweat covered Damian’s body as he took the irregular rhythm of Tim’s fucking.
But finally, he could not take it anymore.
He reached up and pulled the tie from his mouth. “I fucking swear, Tim, if you-”
Tim took this as his cue to finally start properly fucking Damian. Damian cried out loudly, his fingers now digging into Tim’s back as Tim thrusted in and out of him with the strength of one of Gotham’s vigilantes.
“Fuck-” Damian choked out. A moment later, he came all over his stomach and Tim’s. A few moments later, Tim followed in suit, biting down on the olive skin of his shoulder as he came.
They lay there panting for a couple minutes, letting the aftershocks roll through them. Tim pulled out with a groan, slipping the condom off and tossing it into the trash. He then grabbed tissues to clean up his stomach. He wiped himself down thoroughly and reached for more, but Damian caught his wrist.
“What?” Tim asked.
“I want you to lick me clean,” Damian said in a low voice. He had removed his blindfold and his eyes were bright and sharp.
Tim felt weak at the knees. It is at moments like these that he questions whether or not he really is cut out for being an alpha. He climbed back over Damian, staring down into those unreadable eyes.
Tim lowered himself to Damian’s stomach, sticking his tongue out and running it up his slightly sweaty abs and licked away all the cum there. He went over every spot twice before going a bit lower and sucking the head of Damian’s cock into his mouth again, cleaning that too.
Damian hissed slightly at the sensitivity, and he pulled Tim’s head up with a fistful of black hair. Damian smiled cruelly.
“Let’s face it, Drake,” he said. “You’d let me do anything to you, too.” He did not give Tim a chance to retort, tossing both ties off the bed and moving over. He pulled the covers back and got in under them. “Stop standing there and get in bed. I’m tired.”
Tim climbed into his bed without a word, facing Damian. Their legs tangled together under the covers. Tim stared deep into Damian’s eyes, marveling at the green. Tim had always been fascinated by Damian’s eyes. They changed colors depending on how he was feeling.
Usually, they’re a bright grass green, but now, it was a dark emerald and so fucking sexy.
Those beautiful eyes narrowed. “What are you staring at? You’re practically drooling, Drake. Turn around.”
Tim blinked out of his stupor. “Sorry?”
“Turn. Around,” Damian said firmly.
Tim frowned. “Why?”
Damian rolled his eyes, scoffing. “You had your way with me tonight. So turn around and be the damned little spoon.”
Tim kneed Damian’s thigh before turning. Damian’s arm came around his waist and his hand slipped under Tim’s shirt, resting on his stomach. Damian pressed his nose into Tim’s neck, his breath ghosting over Tim’s neck.
They fell asleep like that and woke up the same way the next morning.
~
“Did you two make up yet?” Dick asked cheerfully when Tim came downstairs for his coffee the next morning.
Tim threw Damian a sullen glare and ignored Dick, opting for the coffee pot.
“Seriously?” Dick sighed. “I really don’t understand why you guys still fight. The animosity can’t run that deeply, can it?” he asked.
Damian scoffed. “Like you don’t fight with Todd.”
Dick shrugged. “Of course we do, we’re not perfect, but not daily.” He laughed. “You guys fight as much as rabbits go around making babies.”
Tim’s eyes snapped over to Dick, but he did not seem to be implying anything. He and Damian exchanged a look.
Just then, Jason walked in, yawning and shirtless. “Morning, Dickie,” he said, leaning over and pressing a kiss into Dick’s hair. He gave Damian a lazy grin. “You’re looking cheerful this morning, baby bat. Something good happen last night?” he smirked, ruffling Damian’s hair as he passed to take the coffee pot from Tim.
“Quite the opposite actually,” Dick complained. “They argued again.”
“Oh, did they?” Jason asked, his grin growing. He nudged Tim in the ribs with his elbow. “How horrible.”
Dick glared at Jason. “Don’t encourage them,” he said. “Tim, you’re an adult, and Dami, you’re almost an adult, so why are you guys still squabbling like kids?”
“I’m not a child, Grayson,” Damian growled immediately.
“Legally, you are,” Dick said. “But I agree. I think you should act more mature than you do.”
Damian rolled his eyes.
Jason laughed. “I think they act really mature for their age. Who knows, Dickie. Maybe we’re just too old to understand. After all, you are acting like quite the mother hen there.”
“Hey,” Dick said, trying to sound offended. “Hmph, well, maybe if I actually had kids…” He paused. Then he smiled widely. “Jaybird, I want kids.”
“So you’ve said. There are plenty of adoption centers out there.”
“But I want our kids.”
“Maybe later.”
Dick sighed. “You said it yourself. We’re not getting any younger here.”
“Grayson’s right,” Damian said. “As much as I hate to admit it, you need a child.”
Jason shot him a dirty look. “And why’s that, baby bat? Because you can’t have any of your own?”
Tim stomped on his foot, but Jason did not even flinch.
Damian flushed. “Because,” he gritted out. “When I become Batman, I will need a Robin.”
“Get your own kid,” Jason scoffed. “Don’t bully me into doing it.”
Damian rolled his eyes. “I do plan on having my own child someday, but my child needs to have an exceptional model to look up to. I think it fit for it to be Grayson’s child.” Damian was so focused on arguing with Jason that he missed the slight furrow of Tim’s eyebrows.
Dick beamed. “Oh, that’s so sweet, Dami!” He stood up and hugged Damian tightly. Damian looked only slightly annoyed, and a bit embarrassed, if the blushing was anything to go by.
Jason put his mug into the sink. “Well, right now, I’m quite busy and don’t have the time to take nine months off to have a kid, okay, so deal with it.”
“But someday, right?” Dick asked.
Jason went red too. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, trying to sound aggravated. “You’ll get your precious child.” But Dick’s radiant smile made him smile a bit too. “Oh, shut up,” he said when Damian had the nerve to look smug.
Jason turned and glanced at Tim, his smile faltering. Tim was staring down at his coffee, his hands wrapped around the mug tightly. His face was completely blank, and he said nothing.
Jason nudged Tim with his knee from behind the counter, where neither Damian nor Dick could see. Tim seemed to suddenly snap out of his daze, and he looked at Jason. Jason arched an eyebrow slightly.
Tim gave him a weak smile. “I’m going to go get some work done,” he announced loudly. “I should write up those reports from last night and fill out some paperwork for the office.”
“Okay,” Dick said. “You want me to bring you some breakfast when Alfred gets up?”
Tim gave him the same tight smile. “Yeah, sure.” He took his mug of coffee and started walking out of the kitchen.
“Don’t slack off on the work again, Drake,” Damian called after him.
Tim did not respond, and Damian frowned the slightest bit. Jason noticed as well, but Dick remained blissfully ignorant.
Half an hour later, once Alfred got the waffles made, Dick filled up a plate for Tim and another mug of coffee. As he went to go take it down to the cave, Damian stood.
“I’ll take it,” he announced. At Dick’s surprised expression, he said, “I’ll also go make sure he didn’t screw up everything.” He took the plate and the coffee from Dick and headed down to the cave.
Tim was alone in the cave, sitting at the computer, typing away.
“Drake,” he called loudly, announcing his presence. Tim glanced up once before quickly looking back to his work. Damian walked down the stairs and set the food on a metal cart by the computer. “Eat.”
“I’m not hungry right now,” Tim muttered. “I’ll eat later.”
“You should eat,” Damian said again. “You did not eat much last night either in your hurry to get ready for the gala.”
“I’m fine, thanks,” Tim bit out. “I’ll eat after I finish this, okay?”
Damian frowned. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine. Now please stop bothering me and let me finish,” Tim gritted out.
“Drake, are you upset?” Damian asked. “Was it something I did? Said?”
Tim sighed tiredly. He looked away from his work and stared up at Damian. “No, I’m not mad at you. I just want to get my work done.” He stared to turn back, but Damian reached out and grabbed his chin, pulling his face back towards Damian.
Damian leaned down and kissed Tim hard. Tim made a surprised noise. Damian kissed him harder, and Tim shoved him away.
Tim glared at Damian. “What the fuck is your problem?” he asked. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”
“I just want to know why you’re angry,” Damian said. “Drake, I don’t actually want to actually argue with you, okay? So just… tell me what I did and I’ll fix it.”
Tim laughed humorlessly. “Well, it really sounds like you’re looking for an argument right now.”
“Tim,” Damian said softly. “Just tell me.”
“There’s no point,” Tim spat. “There’s nothing to fix. Now just go away and leave me alone.”
Damian stared at Tim for a few seconds more. Tim typed furiously on the computer, glaring at the screen like it was his greatest enemy. Damian felt a dull throb in his chest. But he turned on his heels and walked out of the cave.
He curled up in the library, reading through his favorite book for the umpteenth time, staying through lunch and well into the afternoon.
Then, his peace and quiet was interrupted. The library doors opened and in tumbled Jason and Dick, giggling and their hands slipping all over each other.
Dick spotted him first. “Oh, shit, Little D!” He blushed red. “Ah, sorry, we didn’t know you were in here.”
Damian sighed and stood, closing his book. “Whatever,” he grumbled. “I’m going to go to my room. Don’t…” he waved his hand generally. “Do whatever on my favorite chair.”
They watched him go.
Dick turned to Jason afterward Damian left. “Is he still mad at Tim, do you think?”
Jason frowned, his hands resting on Dick’s hips. “How the fuck would I know, Dickie?” he asked, but he was wondering why Damian was so grumpy. It was a rare occurrence for both Damian and Tim to have a day where they did not have much to do, and they would usually spend it hiding somewhere together defiling each other, but Tim had been hiding in the cave, burying himself in work that could be put off, and Damian spent six hours reading in the library.
Jason would have thought more about it, but Dick’s insistent kisses were a bit distracting. “I want to eat you out,” Dick murmured in his ear.
“Fuck,” Jason groaned, his fingers digging deeper into Dick’s hips. “You’ve got no filter on your mouth.” He smirked and kissed Dick back enthusiastically. “But I love it.”
“So, can I?” Dick asked, already dropping to his knees, his hands hovering over Jason’s belt.
“I’m not going to turn that down,” Jason groaned, all thoughts of his younger brothers flying out of his mind.
Elsewhere in the Manor, Damian had taken to wandering instead. He walked up and down the empty hallways, staring at the antiques, the paintings, and the pictures. He slowed down in on the third floor, where there was an entire hallway dedicated to family portraits.
The tradition started with Damian’s great-great-grandparents. They all looked very serious. In fact, no one smiled until the few portraits of Thomas and Martha. Only one of them had a young Bruce Wayne in it too. The next portrait was of Bruce and Dick. Damian stared at it, wondering if it was actually accurate. His father looked like his father, but the other boy in the picture did not look much like the Dick Grayson Damian knew.
The boy was skinny and he had a scared look in his eyes. Dick told Damian before that the portrait was painted about half a year after Bruce took him in. Damian had a hard time believing that the gaunt, almost haunted look in Dick’s eyes belonged to the same Dick Grayson that was currently doing who knows what in the library a floor down.
In the next portrait, Dick was older. He smiled, and he looked much happier. Dick also told him that the portrait was painted right before Jason got there, and they never had another portrait painted during the year before Jason died.
Damian often wondered if Jason would also look different from the way he did now. Probably. They all did.
There was a portrait of Bruce, Dick, and Tim. Damian snorted, as he did every time he saw that painting. Tim looked rather uncomfortable, like he was smiling, but he was not sure what he was smiling at. Both Bruce and Dick’s smiles were also tight. According to the plaque under the painting, it was a year after Jason’s death, right after his resurrection.
The next portrait had all of them. Even Alfred was there. Damian remembered that it had taken quite a while to get the placement of the portrait right. Damian and Tim had refused to sit near one another for the pictures for the painter. Jason insisted on standing, and nowhere near Bruce. Dick was practically in tears, trying to appease everyone. It was hectic, and it showed in the painting. Damian had even refused to smile.
The most recent painting was done two years ago. It looked like the family suddenly doubled in size. Damian smirked because there were some secrets hidden in the painting, if one looked closely. Bruce and Alfred sat in front with Barbara beside Bruce and Kate next to Alfred. Stephanie sprawled on the ground at their feet. Duke and Cassandra knelt on either side of her. The rest of the boys stood behind them all. Jason and Dick stood to one side. From over Alfred’s shoulder, one can see Jason’s fingers peeking out around Dick’s waist.
Tim and Damian stood beside them, and it looked like they were finally being civil and getting along, for the painting at least. Tim’s arms were held casually behind him, and Damian had his hands on Bruce’s chair. But Damian knew all too well what Tim’s hands were actually doing.
They had to retake the picture several times because Damian kept flinching every single time the shutter went off. Because Tim kept going to pinch his ass at that exact moment. But Damian could not say anything except blame it on the flash.
He did get a great blowjob afterwards though.
Damian stared at the portrait for a long time. He looked over everyone’s faces, memorizing them. It was almost surreal how happy they looked. His family had been through a damn lot, yet… they somehow made it work out.
Damian turned to face the opposite wall, where the singular portraits were. Every time someone got a new portrait, the old one would be replaced. Alfred did store the old ones somewhere, but Damian did not know where they were. Their current portraits were all pretty up to date.
Dick’s most recent one was from last year, as was Damian’s. Both Jason and Tim’s were from earlier this year. Damian stopped in front of Tim’s portrait. Staring up at the large painting of his boyfriend, Damian’s heart stuttered a bit.
Damian sat down on the ground and he looked up at the portrait. He and Tim have not had an actual argument in two years. It was almost crazy how that worked out. It turned out that he and Tim agreed on the weirdest things. But they had gotten so good at arguing with each other, it was not hard to keep up the charade.
Damian leaned back against the wall, still staring at Tim’s face. His hair was longer in the portrait, falling down a bit past his ears. Damian liked Tim’s longer hair, despite the fact that he often told Tim he needed a haircut. Damian liked to run his fingers through it after sex, or tugging on it gently to get Tim’s attention.
But one day, Tim came back from a mission with his hair lopped off to an unlawfully short length. They did not talk about it, but even now, Damian missed Tim’s hair.
“Thought I’d find you here.”
Damian turned his head to see Jason walking towards him. He frowned and rolled his eyes.
“What do you want, Todd?” he asked tiredly.
“Did you actually fight with Timbo?” Jason asked, sitting down next to Damian. “You’re avoiding him, and he’s avoiding you.”
“We’re not avoiding each other,” Damian said. “He just wanted space to work.”
Jason snorted. “Dick says that and I sleep on the couch,” he said.
Damian gave Jason a look. “You’re the one that gets kicked to the couch?” he asked, mildly amused. “Huh, never took Grayson to be the kind of alpha that banishes his omega to the couch.”
“Well, honestly, I’d feel bad if he took the couch. He's got delicate skin,” Jason admitted. He sighed, staring up at the portraits as well. “Look, Damian, I don’t know what happened between you guys, and Dick may not be able to pick up on what I think are obvious hints yet, but you should talk to him. You’re both great at shutting others out.”
“Pot, kettle,” Damian said. “Everyone in this damned family is good at shutting people out, Todd.”
“Especially you,” Jason said. “And B. I have Dick. I eventually tell him everything.”
“Except the forbidden relationship between your younger brothers,” Damian sighed. “Why haven’t you told him?”
“It’s not my secret to tell,” Jason said. “But I will tell you that Dick will be no less supportive of you guys. Actually, I think he’ll be extremely happy and relieved. Better fucking than fighting.”
Damian frowned. “Drake and I don’t fight,” he said, mostly to himself. “And everything was fine last night, even this morning. Did I say anything that might have made him upset?”
Jason shrugged. “I’m not your babysitter. I’m not paying attention to every aspect of your relationship.” He paused. “I noticed he stopped talking after we started up on the conversation of kids.”
Damian stared at Tim’s painted face for a moment longer, at the baby blue eyes, the mysterious curve of his lips in a smile. “Kids…” Damian said. He sat up straighter. “Oh, fuck me. I know what I said.” He scrambled to his feet.
Jason was torn between making a joke or asking what Damian was talking about. “What did you say?” he asked, also getting to his feet.
Damian cursed again. “I said I wanted a kid of my own someday.” He started speed walking down the hall, Jason hot on his heels.
“And?” Jason asked.
Damian threw him a glare. “Have you forgotten that Drake and I are both alphas? We can’t have kids.”
Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s what he’s upset about?” he asked, incredulous. “Oh, I thought it was something big.”
Damian stopped in his tracks. He frowned at Jason. “Sorry?”
“Damian, you’re seventeen at the moment. I think you and Tim need to realize that you’ve got plenty of time. Hell, by the time you actually do have your own kid, it might be ten years from now. Do you really think your arrangement with Tim is going to last until then?”
Damian’s glare became murderous. “What?”
Jason continued, more cautiously. “As you said, you’re both alphas. If you want to have your own kid, you can’t keep fucking each other behind closed doors. If you’re planning on raising your kid right, you’ll have to have a proper relationship. Not being fuck-buddies with the kid’s uncle.”
All expression suddenly drained from Damian’s face. His breathing was measured and slow. Jason could tell he was livid. And while Jason was not necessarily scared, he was a bit more alarmed now. He had not seen Damian like this in a long time.
“Don’t talk about Tim and me like that again,” Damian said in clipped, angry words. His steady voice barely concealed the raging anger underneath. “We’re not just fucking each other for the hell of it, Todd. We’re dating, and we have been for a while now.” Jason goes pale, and Damian continued, his voice becoming less and less steady as he goes. His eyes are suspiciously bright. “Hell, we’ve talked about marriage.”
Jason sucked in a sharp breath. “Dami, you’re seventeen,” he said softly. “You’re way too young to be thinking of marriage. Dickie and I aren’t even married yet!”
“But you’re planning on it, aren’t you? You’re confident enough in your relationship that you guys talk about it. A future together, a life together.” Damian’s voice shook now. “I’m not a child, Todd,” he finished softly, his green eyes never leaving Jason’s wide, blue ones. “Stop looking down on me and thinking I can’t make important decisions. You and Grayson both.”
Damian then turned away and walked briskly down the hall once more, leaving Jason behind to gape after him.
Damian rushed down to the cave. He found Tim sitting in the computer chair, where he was that morning when Damian brought breakfast down to him. He had his legs crossed and pulled up onto the chair, and he just stared at the screen.
Tim was not doing anything, just staring up at the documents open on the computers. He looked up in surprise when Damian entered.
Damian ran down the stairs and threw himself to his knees at the chair. He took one of Tim’s hands and pressed it to his lips, closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Damian murmured into Tim’s skin. It felt cool against his lips, having been sitting in the cave all day. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Tim.” He looked up to meet Tim’s eyes.
Tim looked rather confused, his eyes wide. Then, his lips pressed together lightly and he stiffened. “Do you even know what you’re sorry for?” he asked in a cold, detached voice.
“Yes, I do know,” Damian said. “It’s been bothering me all day not knowing, and I’m sorry it took me so long to realize what I said wrong. Tim… please forgive me.”
Tim sighed heavily. “Dami, you didn’t… say anything wrong,” he said. “I overreacted. I should be sorry.”
Damian gripped Tim’s hand tighter. “No, no, I am sorry. I’m sorry I can’t be exactly what you want, and I’m sorry that because I’m who I am, I’ll end up causing you so many problems.”
“Dami, no,” Tim said. He suddenly grabbed Damian’s hands as well. He uncurled his legs and pulled himself forward. Tim gripped Damian’s shoulders, and Damian looked up. Tim looked extremely worried. “No, no, no,” he repeated. “Dami-” his voice cracked. “Please, don’t.”
“What?” Damian asked, baffled now. “Did I say something wrong again?”
Tim’s eyes slowly went from panicked to confused. “Wait… you’re not going to break up with me?”
Damian’s eyebrows furrowed. “No! Why would I do that?”
Tim suddenly let out a shaky laugh. He let himself collapse forward, his head now resting on Damian’s shoulder. “Good,” he said. “Don’t know how I would react if you did.”
Still a bit confused, Damian reached up and hugged Tim to him, pulling him off the chair and onto the cold ground with him. They sat there, just holding each other like their lives depended on it. Damian heard soft sniffling.
“Are you cold, or are you crying?” he asked quietly.
Tim let out a weak laugh. “Both.”
Damian snorted softly and held Tim tighter. “I may have accidentally revealed our future plans to Todd.”
“What do you mean?” Tim asked.
“I mean, we’ll have to invite him to our wedding now.”
Tim pulled back suddenly. “You told him we’re getting married?!”
“I told him we talked about getting married,” Damian said slowly.
“Fuck, you idiot,” Tim said. “We can’t elope and get married in Vegas if you tell Jason.”
“He kept saying our relationship wasn’t legitimate!” Damian protested. “I got mad and defensive, and it all came tumbling out.”
“He thought our relationship wasn’t legitimate?” Tim raged. “What did he think it was? Playdates?!”
“He thought we were just fucking around for shits and giggles,” Damian said flatly. “And implied that I should end my relationship with you while I could so it wouldn’t affect my future son.”
“Our,” Tim growled. "I'm getting that child, one way or another." His fists suddenly tightened in Damian’s shirt. “Oh, I’m going to strangle him.”
“Better go with staging his death to look like suicide,” Damian said. “Otherwise you’ll end up in jail for the murder of an omega.”
“If I killed anyone, I’d end up in jail, idiot,” Tim said fondly. He sighed. “I might just beat him up a bit. Dick would be really sad if Jason mysteriously died.”
“Devastated,” Damian agreed. “And I suppose I still need him for my first Robin.”
Tim hummed in agreement. “We’ll just keep him alive until then.”
“Perfect,” Damian agreed.
They lapsed into silence, but continued staring at each other. Tim started smiling first, and Damian quickly followed. Soon, they were laughing too hard to keep upright and ended up lying side by side under the computer, their laughter echoing in the cave.
After their sides hurt and there were tear stains on their cheeks, they just lay on the ground and stared up at the ceiling. Damian held Tim’s right hand in his left, their fingers interlocking.
“Damian,” Tim said quietly. “Please refrain from telling Jason any more information about us. I think he has enough blackmail material for a lifetime.”
Damian gave his hand a squeeze. “Then you’ll just have to collect more blackmail material against him. Not too hard for the world’s second greatest detective, right?”
Tim snorted. “You’re just using me at the point, aren’t you?”
Damian laughed softly, feeling content and happy once more. “You’ve got me all figured out, Drake. All figured out.”