Summary: When someone breaks into your home amidst an unexpected crisis, you're forced to seek help from the intruder.
WC: 2.5k
Warnings: DAMIAN WAYNE IS A LITTLE SHIT, canon typical violence, blood, mentions of needles, gothamites having the worst day ever, middle school level fighting, lots of yelling, feelings of insecurity
a/n: Hi everyone! This chapter was turning out to be way too long so I figured I'd just break it up into two parts instead of keeping y'all waiting for a few more days. To everyone who voted for Damian in my last poll, congratulations you shall see a lot of him in this chapter. I hope you enjoy and I'm working to get part two out asap.
You never knew what to do when Jason left for patrol.
Usually you'd be sleeping. But as your health began to improve, you'd sleep less and less. Jason had started to teach ypu how to read so sometimes you'd attempt to read one of his numerous books.
'Attempt' being the keyword.
The books he had never caught your attention. They had big scary words, too complex for you to understand and they had little to no pictures in them. You liked watching TV but sometimes that too bored you. You'd stare at the ceiling, waiting for Jason to return, all alone.
You heard a thud outside on the fire escape and perked up. The living room window slid open.
That was strange. Jason always entered through the front door. Why would he need to enter from the window? Maybe he'd lost his keys?? You didnt know much of what Red Hood's job entailed but you'd imagine that losing a pair of keys wouldn't be too uncommon. You quietly hopped down from the bed and padded to the door separating the bedroom and the living room.
Suddenly the door burst open, slamming into your nose and you yelped, falling backwards. You clutched your nose in pain as you felt warm blood trickle down onto your palm. You screamed, looking up at the intruder.
It was a child.
He wore a cloak that hid most of his features but his height gave it away. And from the parts of his face that were visible, you could make out his boyish features- baby fat in his cheeks that hadn't gone away quite yet. He wore a Domino mask just like Robin and Nightwing and you could see bits of red and yellow under his cloak. Something gleamed in the moonlight behind him and you realised that he had blades sheathed behind his cloak
You racked your brain, trying to remember every bit of vigilante rumors you'd heard as a street rat. But never had you heard of him.
Whoever this was.
As the initial shock began to subside, panic took its place. Whoever he was, he'd broken into your apartment and he was armed, to make matters worse.
"S-Stay back" you took a few steps backwards, trying to remember where Jason kept his knives.
"Tch, and who might you be?" He asked, and you stared at him in utter disbelief.
"What?" You stood up, realizing that he was not that much taller than you and most of your fear vanished instantly. "You do realise that you broke into my home, right? And now youre asking me who I am??"
He scoffed at your words as if you'd said someone thing illogical.
"This is where Jason Todd lives." He said as if you didnt know that already.
"I-yes, he does. But I also live here!"
"And who are you to him?"
The question caught you off guard. You'd been living with Jason for weeks at this point and yet you weren't sure what you were to him. He did take care of you in every way but what did that make him? Where did that leave you?
"I live with him!" You squealed, pouting.
The boy laughs, looking amused.
"You expect me to believe that when you look like…" He eyed you with a disgusted expression, "Didn't know Todd took in strays now" He muttered, crossing his arms.
The judgement made you shrink back, unable to look him in the eyes.
"You're mean…"
"Don't tell me you're going to cry. Such weak willed-"
You could feel your eyes burn but you didn't want to let him have that satisfaction.
"You're the one to make fun of me, you look like a clown!"
"I don't and you know it." He smirked smugly, "Besides, do you have any idea who I am?"
"You're a trespasser who looks like a Robin reject."
He laughed and it sounded uncomfortably close to a pity laugh.
"That's the best you have? Seriously?"
"Sh-shut up!" You reached for a tissue to wipe the blood off your nose. Thankfully, you didn't think it was broken or you would've absolutely lost it. The boy eyed you as you cleaned, his expression difficult to read.
"So…" You realised how awkward the situation was, with both of you just standing around in Jason's room, "who are you and why did you break in here?"
It was the million dollar question.
He huffed, looking offended that you'd even ask.
"I see no reason to tell someone like you my backstory. I came here for Todd, not some nobody like you."
Ouch.
You couldn't deny that his words stung, especially when he said them so confidently. You'd heard worse insults from adults but this was the first time someone your age looked at you with such vitriol.
"Well okay." You attempted to extend an olive branch to him, "My name is-"
"I have no use for your name."
"I'm trying to be polite!"
"Cute. I do not care the slightest bit."
You had half a mind to punch him but you knew you weren't strong and it didnt seem wise to attack someone who was visibly armed.
"Will you atleast tell me why you're here?"
His smirk returned and so did your urge to sock him in the jaw.
"To prove myself"
You stared at him in utter confusion.
"To prove yourself?" You asked and he huffed. "I am trying to prove myself to father by breaking into Red hood's safehouse." He practically spelled it out for you.
"Oh…"
You didnt love the idea of people knowing where you and Jason lived. He'd explained to you countless times how bad I'd be if people knew where Red Hood himself resided. You knew that many criminals in Gotham hated the Red Hood and wouldn't waste an opportunity to get back at him.
And now this kid was telling you how'd he'd tell his father about it.
You didnt even know who his father was!
Jason wasn't here. In fact, he'd not be back anytime soon. Meanwhile here you were, with this unknown boy in full fighting gear who'd broken into your home and thrown insults and condescension your way.
He said he wanted to prove himself.
At a certain level, you understood him.
Truth be told, you wanted to prove yourself to Jason as well. He always treated you so carefully like you were a porcelain doll, threatening to break under the slightest pressure. He always took such good care of you but you did nothing but eat, drink and sleep. You tried to be interested in his books but you just didn't find the joy in full length novels yet. You wanted to learn how to fight but Jason always discouraged you from glamorizing the life he lived.
You felt guilty, not being of any use to Jason. You couldn't fight. You couldn't read. You couldn't even cook!
Useless
The gears in your head started to turn. You'd dismissed the thought of punching this kid earlier but now, it didnt seem like such a bad idea. If you apprehended him, then Jason would be so impressed. You could imagine the pride on his face when you'd tell him how you bravely defended you home.
You needed to catch him off guard, before he could unsheath his weapon, you thought
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
You realised that you had been staring at him, lost in your own head and you turned away.
"You seriously need to leave right now." You gave him a final warning, a part of you hoping that he'd just leave so you didn't have to fight at all.
He laughed and your hope faded into nothingness.
"And what if I don't?"
You lunged at him, trying to grasp his cloak.
He dodged you easily.
Too easily.
Suddenly you were grabbed by the collar and slammed into the wall. It knocked the wind out of you and you yelped. Your head hurt.
"What was that? I saw that coming a mile- no, a hundred miles away." He laughed and you glared at him.
Your face burned from embarrassment but you weren't ready to give up yet. You lunged again but he easily dodged your second attack, pinning you to the floor. You cried out, your head hitting the carpeted tiles as you realized how utterly weak you really were.
The boy grinned and you wanted nothing more to wipe it off his face.
He stuck his tongue out at you.
"You are simply no match for my fighting skills. " He said with pride.
You racked your brain despite the throbbing pain in your skull.
"You might have me beat…" You began, "but you might want to look behind you and say hi to Jason."
You smiled at him and his eyes widened. He instinctively looked back, believing your bold faced lie and you didn't waste a second. You slammed your head into his making him stagger back. Hands grabbed onto his unruly locks and you pulled at his scalp with all your might.
He cried out, his hands grabbing your wrist to pry you off but you only tightened your hold on his hair. The two of you wrestled on the floor for a moment before he pushed himself up despite your attempt to rip his hair clean off. He kicked you in the stomach and you folded, crashing into the beside table, shattering the glass on impact. You kept holding onto his hair though and he cried out in frustration.
"You rascal- let me go!"
"No!"
He pushed you and your grip loosened for a moment. That was all that Damian needed. He yanked your hands off of his hair and threw you onto the floor.
"You insolent brat. How dare you-"
He was interrupted when his earpiece buzzed to life, Tim's voice on the other end. He sounded panicked.
"Damian! You- where are you??"
"You know where I am, Timothy. I know you're in front of that computer-" Damian sounded out of breath and it did nothing to kill Tim's worries.
"Why are you there, Damian?! Jason would be so mad-"
Tim heard a faint whimper in the background and his panic grew.
"Wait, don't tell me…you were fighting???"
"And what if I was?"
"Are you crazy?! I know you werent fighting Jason because you're still alive so that only leaves the kid." Tim worked the logistics in his head. "You were fighting a child???! What is wrong with you?"
"How dare you assume I would be bested by Todd-"
"Why were you fighting a child, Damian? What the hell??!"
"They attacked me first-" Damian said looking offended.
"Please tell me they are okay. God, Jason would be so mad-"
Damian looked you up and down. You looked exhausted, hair falling haphazardly onto your face, sticking to your temple with sweat. Your eyes were wet with unshed tears as you looked up at Damian, scared for your life.
They weren't any visible injuries atleast.
"Damian?!" Tim screeched on the other end.
"They'll live."
"What??!" Tim sounded on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"Did you just call me to annoy me, I swear-"
"No, No! I called because we need you on the scene…I just recieved word from Dick that Poison Ivy has gone rogue in Gotham. I was hoping to send you in for backup since you were in the area."
Damian sighed, glancing at you one last time before marching into the living room. He looked out the window and saw vines.
Everywhere.
He could hear distant screaming as thick vines wrapped themselves around buildings, digging into the concrete, causing them to collapse into themselves. He frowned, jumping onto the fire escape to grapple away.
He heard a scream.
Your scream.
Whirling around, he saw you struggling to free yourself from a vine that wrapped around your foot. You clawed and clawed at it but it wouldn't let go, pulling you towards the open bedroom window.
"H-help please" you begged him, trying to hold onto anything to prevent being dragged away entirely.
Damian didn't do anything at first. His scalp still tingled from when you'd pulled at it. You're just a street rat Jason was housing for some reason. He had no obligation to help you. You'd attacked him when you couldn't even fight right.
Besides, Gothamites died all the time. You weren't anything special.
"Stop! It hurts" He looked up and you were holding onto the wall for dear life, nails digging to it, chipping the paint. The vines had tightened around your ankle, twisting it painfully.
He didn't need to help you. Besides, he had to go help Grayson. That was way more important to him.
The thorns jabbed into your skin like needles, making you cry. Your grip started to slip.
He didn't need to help you.
Your nails dragged lines into the wall as the vines gripped more and more of your body, dragging you further and further away from Damian and any hopes of survival.
He didn't need to help you.
"JASON!" You screamed,your voice raw and broken. It bothered him how you'd started calling for Todd when he wasn't even here. Like you could summon him simply by tearing your vocal cords out for him.
Flailing hands gripped the carpet, dragging it from the floor and you screamed again.
He didn't need to help you.
"Damian?! What's going on-"
Damian muted his earpiece, glancing between you and the fire escape.
He heard glass shatter and turned to see your body halfway out the window, legs dangling on the edge. Your hands gripped the window sill, of course you wanted to live. But you looked defeated now, you weren't even yelling as much, just crying and babbling incoherently, calling for Jason.
He didn't need to help you.
A violent tug yanked you out and your body disappeared from sight.
He had to save you.
Damian sprinted through the apartment, ignoring the small droplets of blood on the carpets and window. He climbed out of the window and his eyes searched for you.
You were a few floors below from him, holding onto the railings of another apartment's balcony. It seemed that you still had some fight left and that was all that Damian could ask for. He grappled to you. Unsheathing his blade, he sliced the vines clean off your feet and torso, inadvertently nicking you in the process.
"You-"
"Shut up."
He helped you up as the building rumbled underneath your feet. You wrapped your arms around him and Damian looked away uncomfortably, no idea how to proceed now that he had you with him. He couldn't possibly go help Dick, you'd die instantly in that environment, being the weakling that you were. But he couldn't leave you here either.
It seems Ino and Sakura were great friends, until the pursuit of Sasuke came between them. And he doesn’t seem to like either of them too much. The only person he would date is Revenge
They should have left him to his Revenge and married each other instead. And Rock Lee should appear more often. Then, everyone’s happy!
This all happened when Lora Scantling, who has long documented happy moments of birth, graduations and weddings came across her stepfather who was dying of lung cancer and her close friend, who lost her one-year-old son of cancer a few years ago.
