The violin was made for Damian, carefully crafted with exquisite wood embellishments. It screamed elegance and poise. It was something the Al-Ghuls were proud of because everything they did spoke volumes. Their robes with detailed embroidery, flecked with gold and dark green to match their eyes and kohl for lashes.
Talia loved the violin. She called it a gift, a must-have for an Al-Ghul. Poetic justice came in the form of haunting melodies. Damian was a baby when his mother would play the violin. Ra’s watched with interest, the way Damian responded to music and used it. Sometimes, he would hum a little when fighting, just to hype Damian up a bit. Sounds would come from the training room where Ra’s showed the future heir his tricks and skill. Talia would stand in the doorway, making sure Ra’s doesn’t overdo it and leave Damian’s fights dependent on a specific tempo
Everytime Ra’s wasn’t home, Talia would take Damian to Europe and show him symphonies. Showed him numbing orchestras and their chilling crescendo. Damian would be awed and Talia would smile, a gentle hand running through the curls in his hair. Damian grew up with Europe’s finest and it shows throughout his style.
When Damian bested his mother and won the ability to see his father, he was horrified to realize he had to pick between his parents. Talia left him with a kiss to the forehead (when Ra’s wasn’t looking) and gave Damian a specially designed case to keep the precious violin.
Upon seeing his father, eyes burning and vision blurring with tears, Damian clutched the violin a little more tighter than usual. Bruce noticed Damian’s hand with an increased tension and offered to lift the case but Damian vehemently refused. It was too raw, too fresh to let go.
Wayne Manor noted the introduction of melodies very late at night. Bruce noticed that after tucking Damian in for the night, a certain song would filter through chambers and high ceilings. A certain resonance would strike each of the hearts of the members. Alfred woke up at 2am to hear Tchaikovsky. Later that morning, he remarked it was better than most of the concerts he had been to. A faint red colored Damian’s cheeks and he quickly asserted it must have been a recording on repeat.
Cassandra hears the music and finds the tempo to start dancing, behind shut doors. She took out her ballet shoes again and wore. Danced her heart out, pirouette after pirouette. She spun faster and faster as everything tilted on their axis. She waits everyday for the music to come on, quietly.
That night, Achilles Come Down played and Tim did not understand why his face was soaked and his pillow wet that night. All logic had left his mind and he half stumbled out of the room with splotchy cheeks to shut off the music because he had been crying for hours straight. The music seemed to pierce his heart right through. The arrow tip a little too sharp for his liking. He stopped outside each room to press his ear against the mahogany to pick out who it was. When he walked down the hallway towards Damian’s room, the music kept getting louder and louder. Tim stood there, transfixed. The music didn’t stop till 5am and Tim still stood there, unable to move. His legs grew numb and shook slightly but he stayed. He desperately desired more as he forcefully pulled himself away and back into his room.
In the morning, Damian was a little more tired than usual (he stayed up to perfect that piece). While being served breakfast, he waited patiently as he played with his thumbs. Dick comes down and plants a kiss on his head as he jostled in to help Alfred. Tim comes down a little while later and freezes when he sees Damian. Wordlessly, he hugs Damian who starts protesting. Jason stares awkwardly when he sees what happens. He tiptoes to the kitchen as well.
Bruce is coming down the stairs when he hears Damian’s squawks of let me go and Drake, what are you doing? He quickly made his way there and gently tells them to stop fighting or attempting to murder each other. Damian is seething at a more-quiet-than-usual Drake. Dick has to tap on his shoulder to bring him back to current status.
“Damian can play the violin.”
Damian’s hair suddenly stands on end when Drake whispers the words.
“Damian, I stood outside your room for the entirety of last night. You play very well. I loved it.”
Bruce takes a sudden interest at Damian’s attempts to shove his reddened cheeks as Dick watches the exchange with curiosity. Bruce gently places his hands in Damian’s hair and smoothens it out like how Talia did. Damian has to physically restrain himself and swallows the lump of tears in his throat.
“Damian, my boy. Why hide such a beautiful talent? Our home could use entertainment. In this house, if you have a talent, it should never be behind closed doors.”
Damian mutely nods, as Bruce continues to run his hand through Damian’s hair, playing with one of his curls.
“Do you want to show me?”
Damian shyly gets off his chair and fetches the priceless violin. When the violin was in the eyes of Bruce, he is gobsmacked by the absolute beauty and timeless elegance of the violin. It was almost as if it was crafted for him (it was!) with the darker accents and curves. Damian takes a steeling breath and plays the same piece that made Tim cry.
Bruce can understand why.
It breaks through everything, his walls calmly fall without a sound and give into the evocative piece. Jason and Dick are rendered speechless. Cass and Steph are frozen into silence.
Damian closes his eyes and plays from memory. In his head, he sees Talia and her hands. He sees Talia teaching him and the concerts he’s been to.
Bruce is absolutely floored. He takes Damian and kisses his forehead in peace. Damian feels pride as Jason ruffles him, lovingly calls him Akhi.
Its things like these that make Wayne Manor alive once more.
