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It was a very long patrol tonight. Long in the way people say long when they really mean consuming.
It was 4 am, and the demon brat was still yelling at her in the middle of the Batcave, with Tim and Bruce ignoring them and still working on a case.
God don't they ever sleep???
“How can a person be so unaware of their limbs? Don't you think that should be considered a condition, Brown?” Damian admonished her, hands wrapped tightly over his chest.
“I made a mistake brat. It was a long fudging night, and you're making it way longer.” Stephanie yawned rolling her eyes.
“A mistake? A mistake???” Steph was sure he was seconds away from foaming at the mouth. “A mistake is you grabbing another waffle right after you're doing those obnoxious faux gagging voices representing being too full, you falling on top of me because you didn't secure your grapple adequately is an abomination!”
Maybe this was supposed to be the first heads-up to Bruce and Tim that it's time to intervene, but they didn't think too much of it, considering it was so late and there was much more to do.
“Oh shut up!” Stephanie was starting to lose her patience, knowing what was coming, and heading to the showers. But the demon brat didn't earn his nickname by giving up on bullying his colleagues when they put boundaries, so he ran after her.
“But Brown don't you understand? I'm worried about your cholesterol, you were so heavy when you fell on me, Fatgirl.” he rolled his eyes.
Oh.
That was worse than his usual fat-shaming, like not a 10 on the scale, but it was definitely pushing 8.
Steph just stayed silent, looking at him with some kind of hidden sadness, she knew for a fact he interpreted it as good-spirited teasing.
Didn't make it ok though.
“Damian!” Bruce all but screamed in shock, hearing his son's last statement
“Are you fucking daft!?” Tim wasn't as gentle with his fury, earning a ‘language’ glare from Bruce, but winning this silent argument with a ‘you know he deserves it’ look.
Because, well… he did.
“It's... It's fine guys. Thanks though.” Stephanie said with an ‘it's not the first time’ subtext in her tone. “I'm exhausted, Imma go
Shower. Good night.” she said, leaving them behind.
Damian was heading back to the manor, grumbling to himself and mumbling;
“Drake dares to call me stupid… ha! That's gold.”
“And where do you think you're going, young master?” Alfred has now joined the room, obviously observing the situation unfold in silence.
When you raise a Batman you learn how to take advantage of the shadows yourself.
“I’m going to sleep, Pennyworth. You always say a growing teenager such as I, should get sufficient sleep.”
“Sometimes sleep can wait, master Damian.”
That’s something he never thought he’d hear Alfred say.
They probably want to praise him for putting Brown in her place, so why do they look angry?
“Damian, come here,” Bruce said, using all of his strength to stay patient.
“Father, can’t this wait for tomorrow?” Damian said, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
“No. Here, now”
Damian walked reluctantly towards his Father and an utterly upset Brother, accompanied by the old butler.
“Drake, you should control your attitude,” he said judgmentally.
“And who the hell do you think you are exactly?!?” Tim couldn’t hold his anger any longer.
“Tim, would you let us talk?” Bruce said, empathy clear in his voice.
“No way, I’m staying to hear the demon get lectured” Tim huffed, much to Damian's annoyance.
“Tim,” Bruce sighed “don’t you think Stephanie could use you checking on her?”
And he was right, Tim knew it.
So with a last threatening stare, that looked like he was trying to go full Superman and laser beam through Damian’s skull, he left them be.
“Damian, you can’t say things like that,” Bruce started.
“Father, I don’t understand the problem, Brown was worse than useless out there, she should be able to take constructive criticism,” Damian demanded.
“Saying mean comments about someone’s weight is far from constructive.” Bruce was getting upset.
“But it’s true!” Damian insisted.
“Damian, do you really think there’s one way a body should look? I’m very disappointed with you.” And Damian could see his father meant it.
“Father, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Of course I know bodies are different, I’m not six years old. Brown and I had joked about it since I was ten, she knows it’s in good taste.”
“Damian! I can’t believe you,” Bruce’s voice filled with panic, “you shouldn’t say those things to anyone, but you know how sensitive Stephanie was about her weight after her pregnancy you could’ve driven her back to past behaviors.”
“Wh- pregnancy?” Damian chuckled skeptically “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve known her since she was 19. She hasn’t even had a boyfriend except Drake, she was obviously never pregnant. I think I would've seen.”
Bruce sighed deeply, feeling like he was losing control of the situation.
“I’m sorry Damian. I thought you knew. She had a baby when she was 15. After that her… relationship with food had become problematic…” Bruce cleared his throat, in a way that made Damian understand exactly what he meant, “It was like that until she came back from Africa, and even then… these kinds of things never really go away.” He said with concern.
Damian stayed silent for a moment,
How could he be so blind?
“I… I’m sorry, Father. I… didn’t know.” Damian said sheepishly, becoming more and more disappointed with himself.
“I’m not the one you should apologize to. Besides, even if you don’t know… you can’t say things like that. Never. Understood?” Bruce said with determination, almost in his Batman voice.
Damian nodded, a bit embarrassed, and made his way to the elevator of the cave, changing his mind at the last second and heading towards the showers.
“Oh no,” Tim began, almost aggressively “You’re not going in there.”
“I don’t recall asking your permission, Drake” Damian deadpanned.
“So what? You came for a second round?” Tim demanded
“I came to apologize” Damian said, causing Tim to laugh hysterically.
“You? Give me a break.” He rolled his eyes
“I am more than capable of admitting when I’ve made a mistake” Damian said with a defensive pride.
“No you are not,” Tim said with anger, blocking the entrance
“It’s fine, he can come in here, he doesn’t bite.” Steph yelled from inside the showers, “Usually.” She added, a justified addition indeed.
“You better be nice or I swear to god I’ll-“ Tim yelled behind Damian, who selectively didn’t hear what he said.
When he came in, he saw Steph’s face was red, like she’d been crying.
But why would she be?
It was their joke!
She can’t possibly have been hurt by it, can she?
“Hi brat,” she said, obviously trying to conceal something.
“Did I...” he began, trying to keep his head up, “upset you?”
“No no,” Steph chuckled, half-heartedly “It's fine. I know you were joking,” she said, and then added “partly. It's not like you were wrong anyways.” She lowered her gaze.
Damian crouched in front of her, and despite his reluctance to touch, he placed his hands on her arms, embracing her fully.
“I'm sorry, Brown. I've been very stupid,” he said, “I never should've talked to you like that. And you shouldn't change anything about yourself, you're beautiful, really” he said, smiling softly, and then added,
“But I'll kill you if you tell anyone I admitted that.”
Stephanie smiled, a stray tear falling down her cheek.
“I didn't know…”, he was searching for the correct wording, “About your... child,” he settled on.
“She isn't mine anymore,” she said, with a sad smile.
“You never told me.”
“I know.” she said, apologetically, “I thought you'd hate me for giving her up. You can't deny you have a tendency to see the world in black and white. I didn't want you to think I was a bad person.”
That made Damian feel guilty, she really thought he would ever think she was a bad person? She was the kindest person he ever knew, way kinder than him.
If she accepted him, assassin childhood and all, how can he ever judge her for her difficulties?
“How could I? You were a child. Children can't raise babies. You did good.” he said.
“Hi! I was your age!” she grinned, “That means you're admitting your babiness?” she smiled, teasing.
“No. You grew up mentally way slower than I did. Even now I'm more mature than you.” he said in a serious tone, but obviously just teasing back.
“Yeah right.” She snickered.
Damian stood up, offering Steph a helping hand.
And when she was up,
“And Steph?” Aww, he never called her that,
“Mhm?”
“If I ever hear you are starving yourself again, I will stab you,” he said, his homicidal look indicating he wasn't joking.
Well, that's tough love if she'd seen one.
“I believe you, Dami,” she chuckled, before side-hugging him and heading out of the showers, ignoring his faux protests.