Love By Agreement
| Bruce Wayne x fem!Reader
| Damian Wayne, Tim, Dick, Jason x fem!Reader (platonic) (Mostly Damian)
| Part 3 (Final)
| 3.1k words
Part 1; Part 2
Damian Al Ghul definitely came as a shock to you. You’d been absolutely enraged with Bruce when you heard of his existence. A biological child you’d never heard of who belonged to your husband? Unthinkable. And even Bruce didn’t know he existed either…
It was a truly complicated matter.
Talia herself was…interesting to say the least. Cold and all “dagger eyes” towards you when Bruce was in the room but full of teasing smirks and bedroom eyes when he wasn’t. A complete mystery if you asked yourself.
And to make matters worse, her son was just like her: a complete enigma.
He was nothing like you’d known, considering you had 3 sons. He was vastly different. But you wouldn’t let that deter you, now would you?
─── ✦ ───
“Hello Damian, I’m (Y/n). Welcome to the Manor.” You had held out your hand, the most welcoming smile you could manage on your face. The gesture was futile as he’d scoffed and turned to Bruce.
“Father. What are you doing with this whore?” Your eyes widened in shock, hand faltering and then moving to your side to hide the shaking. Bruce wasn’t much better, his whole body tensing beside you. He was restraining himself.
“Uh—“ “I wasn’t talking to you, harlot.” He turned to Bruce yet again.
“Father?”
“Damian. That was rude. This is my wife.”
Bruce’s voice didn’t falter, his stare harsh almost glaring at his ten year old son.
“Tt. I don’t approve.”
“She doesn’t need your approval.”
He’d rolled his eyes, scoffing before walking off with his katana unsheathed. “Sheath that sword Damian!” Bruce commanded.
“Sorry darling, I knew he was difficult but I didn’t know he’d say that to you.” Bruce hung his head as if he was responsible for the boy he just met’s actions.
You’d wrapped your arm around his torso and moved into his space to press a kiss to his cheek. “It’s not your fault. We can’t fault him since he’s never learnt any different. Come, he’s to meet the other crazy people in this house.”
─── ✦ ───
Watching Damian meet your boys was almost infuriating considering how different each child — not really children anymore — was.
Dick was completely taken with a new baby brother, his eyes sparkling with joy when Bruce told him who Damian was. He’d basically launched himself at the poor child and had to dodge the blade swung at him. He’d settled for standing a few metres away from him and waving with a pout before it turned into a bright smile.
“Hi! I’m Dick, the best older brother you’ll ever have. If you ever need me you know, a hug a talk I’m your guy, little guy.” Damian snarled. “I’m not a ‘little guy’. I could kill you where you stand right this instant.”
Dick’s smile faded before returning in an instant, moving hand to ruffle Damian’s hair with a cautious glance at Bruce.
Jason nodded, “Demon Spawn.”
“Todd.” Damian nodded in kind. They had had the shortest conversation of all and seemed to reach a weird…understanding of each other. It ended there with Jason walking out of the room immediately as if he knew Damian was no harm at all.
“Hey, I’m Tim. Nice to meet you.”
“Tt. I won’t be speaking to the imbecile known as Drake, father.” Tim’s eyes narrowed before he huffed and turned back to his laptop screen.
“I’d say the meeting went well.” His voice came almost gleefully naive.
“You would think that Bruce dear…” You’d rolled your eyes discretely, patting his arm before moving with him and Damian trailing behind to find his new bedroom.
─── ✦ ───
“This food is…adequate.” Everyone’s eyes were frozen on Damian’s form. His straight-backed posture was almost as frightening as his words. For the first time since you’d seen him this was the only “non-complaint” you’d heard. And it was about Alfred’s cooking. Alfred nodded, a secret knowing smile playing at hit lips.
“I’m glad you think so, dear.” At your pet name Damian himself froze, cheeks glowing red before he continued eating.
Dick continued to chat his father’s ear off while Jason and Tim played unnecessarily aggressive footsies under the table, Tim almost shrieking when Jason kicked him particularly hard and Jason bouncing off his chair in laughter. Some warped version of family dinner commenced, with the exception of the boy across the table who was sitting in silence.
“Damian, you’ll be attending school from next week at Gotham Academy.”
His eyes sharpened at his father’s words. “I do not need to.” “It is important to be around people your own age.” Bruce’s rebuttals came quickly, as if he expected this. He probably did.
“I am already surrounded by people whose mental capacity is below mine.” Dick pouted at his now younger brother while Jason and Tim scowled, red faced, at the insult.
“Well it’s not a choice you’ll have. Next week you’re at Gotham Academy, I’ve already arranged with the Headmaster. Alfred will drop you off and one of us will pick you up after school.”
Damian’s knuckles turned white with the amount of strength he was gripping the utensils. His father really wasn’t going to debate this. He nodded, leaving with a glare to his father’s head. Well if he had to do this, he would be the best damn thing the school had ever seen. Even if he did it begrudgingly.
─── ✦ ───
“Have fun, darling.” You’d exclaimed happily as Damian reluctantly moved out of the car, Alfred nodding in agreement to your words from the driver’s seat. Thank goodness you were in the backseat, able to spot Damian’s stowed away katana sticking out his school bag.
He didn’t reply, turning sharply after a short nod towards the car.
─── ✦ ───
“So, how was it?”
“The people in my class are imbeciles. I don’t understand why I have to be there.”
“Well…since you know you will be there, why don’t you do what Tim does? Find a hobby… do some enjoyable extracurricular activities?”
“There’s nothing in that school that could be ‘enjoyable’ (Y/n).”
So much for that…
“Well, we will figure something out.” Bruce walked in after listening ‘discreetly’ to your conversation. He moved to wrap his arms around you from behind you as he sent a look, unseen by you, to his blood-son. Behave, it said, she’s trying.
─── ✦ ───
“Damian. A word.” Bruce’s voice came booming down the stairs, voice not warm nor cold, just expectant.
“Father. You asked for me?” Damian stood in the doorway of Bruce’s office, back straight and chest out as a way to convert his “non-nervousness”
“Yes, sit.”
“You are finding it hard to adjust.” Bruce’s words were blunt, not at all questions, they were straight facts. “You are excelling at school, made a couple friends — even if they are teachers — and do not physically fight your brothers too often. There is one thing, one person however, who I am still concerned for. My wife.”
“She calls me those unnecessary names, Father. She lies.” Damian’s response came quick, arms folding tightly across his chest. His eyebrows furrowed and a deep scowl settled across his face.
“She doesn’t lie.”
“The how can she call me ‘dear’ or ‘darling’ or ‘love’? I am none of those things. Ergo: she lies.”
“She doesn’t lie Damian. She means it. And she won’t stop at it either so don’t ask her to.”
Damian’s hands fell slack in their positions. How could you mean it? But his father just said you did. And Damian knew his father didn’t lie.
You’d captured the hearts of not only his father but the other insane people of this manor. Maybe his would still for you too…
─── ✦ ───
The nicknames never stopped, neither did your trying to help him. He was still adamant that he didn’t need you and that was fine. But you wouldn’t stop offering either.
Even if, every time he brushed you off — albeit in a less harsh way than before — it pulled at your heartstrings.
─── ✦ ───
Throughout his time at the manor, Damian had gotten closer to exactly one brother. Richard “Dick” Grayson. The eldest, the most responsible and according to Damian: the most tolerable.
“You know Dami…” “Don’t call me that Grayson.” Dick ignored that surprisingly easily. “I thought she was a gold digger when I first met her.”
“She’s much more than that though. And her cookies are to die for. Just give her a chance. You’ll see, and she makes Bruce a better person.”
“Grayson I highly doubt being a superb baker of cookies makes her less of a gold digger.” “You’ll be surprised Little D.”
“Tt. Stop your incessant nicknames.”
Dick had pranced off, cartwheeling halfway through the way to the stairs, until he jumped on the bannister and slid down. Damian couldn’t see him or hear his laughing anymore.
─── ✦ ───
With a small huff after considering both his eldest brother and his father’s words, he crossed his arms, walking into the living room where you were reading. “Fine, I shall try an extracurricular. But I shall not enjoy it.”
You’d let out a soft exhale and smiled just a tinge. “Perfect, love. Let me know if you need any supplies.” You’d practically jumped in excitement. Finally. You knew he’d come around. When Damian stalked off you had essentially ran into Bruce’s home office to tell him the good news.
He’d smirked and pulled you onto his lap with knowing eyes. He had been the one to ask Dick to talk to Damian after all.
─── ✦ ───
“I require charcoal. And proper oil paints along with canvasses. Brushes and an easel too. And good paper for sketching, none of that flimsy stuff.”
“Uh—I’m afraid I don’t know—“
He huffed. “Okay, darling, why don’t you just come to the store with me?” “Only because you clearly need assistance.”
─── ✦ ───
“Is that everything, dear?” “Yes. Let’s leave.” Damian was ready to pull you out the store on his father’s behalf whether you had the supplies or not. The creepy man behind the till had been staring at you incessantly since you walked in. “Till first, darling, we still have to pay.”
You moved to the till first, placing the items along the counter as your eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. He power-walked to the counter, standing inches away from you. “Sweetheart, you do know we need some space between us right?”
The guy on the other side of the desk sent you an exasperated smile. “Kids. I got one just like ‘im. Perhaps you’d wanna meet him.”
He grinned and you smiled back, the guy seemed a bit off but you hadn’t been out in a while. Probably normal.
With a sleazy smile he picked up the items from the counter and scanned them. As he fetched the last one from your hands, your fingers brushed and he didn’t move away until Damian narrowed his eyes at him through his glare.
You’d moved away instinctively, your skin bristling with unwanted goosebumps. Smiling politely when you realised the guy was staring, you moved closer to Damian. “Sorry we’re in a bit of a hurr—“
“You foul swine. She has a husband or are you too blind to see her wedding ring?” The man flushed, his grin fell rapidly at Damian’s words. Damian stood between you and the counter, paying on your behalf much to your surprise.
You were ushered out of the store in ten seconds flat, Damian carrying all the bags upon bags of art supplies desperate to leave.
Damian like an angry chihuahua at your heels, snapping at almost every male who walked past while you were on the way to the car.
“Thank you, Damian.” At the use of his name, and only his name, Damian bristled. You didn’t call him a nickname… maybe Bruce told you about how he didn’t like it. Except… he found himself, a tiny part of himself hidden behind coarseness, missed it. He didn’t mention it to you, of course.
“Doesn’t he watch television or read any press? He should’ve known who you were and that you are married.”
You gave him a smile, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
─── ✦ ───
Bruce was sitting in the living room and was incredibly displeased with your story of the “guy at the art store” but very pleased with Damian. He’d put his hand on Damian’s smaller shoulder as thanks and Damian bristled with hidden pride.
It seemed the other boys were too, slapping him on the back and nodding in approval at Damian’s actions to protect you. It seemed he’d earned their approval. (Well Tim and Jason since Dick seemed to give it immediately after he met the boy)
After his second encounter with Bruce and his brothers in the living room he felt enough courage to face you in the kitchen.
Alfred kindly escorted himself out as soon as he saw the boys face and focus on your figure.
“(Y/n).” His voice was harsh, the way a kitten hisses at something that may hurt them. “Yes, Damian? What can I do for you?”
“You uh…” He blew out a breath and inhaled again slowly as if calming himself down. “Why do you call me that?”
“Damian? It’s your name, isn’t it?” Now you were confused. Bruce told you he didn’t like the affectionate names… therefore the solution was to use his name wasn’t it?
“Yes but— Well. Did father say something?”
“He said you preferred just your name. That’s fine by me.” You smiled encouragingly. At least he was comfortable to approach you on this.
“It’s not.” His reply came fast, essentially breathless as his head snapped up to look at you. “Uhm…why not Damian?”
“I want you to.. go back to the way it was before.”
“You want me to use the nicknames? You don’t mind?”
“No. They are… acceptable.”
“Right. Of course then, dear, I will continue to use them.”
─── ✦ ───
Damian had holed himself in his room the next few days, all that could be heard was the sound of pencils sketching from behind the door. He’d gone out for school of course, but insisted that only Alfred drop him off and pick him up.
You, of course, had left plates of meals, cookies and snacks at his door, delighted when you’d walk past a bit later to find they were then empty. At least he was eating.
Damian’s isolation was quite strange. But then again, the boy was kind of strange in general wasn’t he? Definitely his father’s child.
Tim found the reason for Damian’s solitude after 4 days of sleuthing and basically stalking.
“Aha! The Demon Spawn has a muse. And I’ve got the evidence.” Tim pranced into the dining room, in his hands a flapping piece of paper with a sketch on it. “Mind you, I found this on the floor outside his door so I picked it up.”
“Tim. We don’t steal things.” Bruce’s voice came out calmly, his eyes not leaving the tablet in front of him but a small smile graced his face that no one saw since Tim was holding the elephant in the room. “It wasn’t stealing B! It was left on the floor. I was just gonna return it…”
“Well Replacement? Let us see, you idiot.” Jason demanded, eyes squinting to try and make out what was on the page.
Tim sat, passing the page over. The page went through a sequence of hands, all of whose faces turned to look at you with wide eyes before passing it along.
When you finally got it, your face had the same expression. You didn’t pass it to Bruce, too shocked at the pencilled illustration. Your own face, smiling and unbothered, was staring right back at you.
Your pencilled counterpart was sitting on Bruce’s lap, laughing at something he had said while he looked up at you as if you hung the stars. And maybe, for him, you did. “Wow I—“
“Drake. Give it back! That wasn’t yours to find! Give it to me! This instant or I shall—“ His words became stumped as he walked into the room. Eyes trailing over everyone sitting at the table, freezing on you.
He spied the paper in your hands, eyes widening and fists clenching. Running out of the room at top speed, he rushed into his room, the door slamming. His breathing had become heavy, his face red from… what? Embarrassment? Anger? Probably both.
“Bruce—“ You turned to him automatically, your body needing his assistance desperately. He smiled, gently, knowingly.
“It’s okay, my love. I knew, he put it there for you, go to him.”
─── ✦ ───
“Damian, dear. It’s me.”
Silence emanated from behind the door.
“Your drawing is beautiful… I’m flattered.”
“…You like it?” The door opened, revealing a small boy staring down at his feet.
“Of course, darling. When did you see us doing that?”
Damian looked down yet again, his thumbs twiddling as if he were in trouble. “A few days ago. You were in the library with father.”
“Hmm… it’s wonderful Dami.” He flushed at the compliment. “Might I ask why you drew us?”
His head snapped up, eyes staring at you in surprise as if he couldn’t comprehend why you’d asked that question. Surely you already knew? He knew Bruce knew already… he didn’t tell you?
“You… and father, you have been putting effort in me. Unnecessary effort but effort nonetheless. You make this house feel like… more than a house.”
He sucked in a breath, hands wringing in front of him before continuing.
“You—you call me all those names. Father says you mean them and I…I think you do.“
Your eyes widened, mouth opening in shock. Frozen for a few seconds. He seemed so nervous at your silence, a scared kitten waiting for a bomb to go off.
“Oh, Damian. Of course I mean them, otherwise why would I say them? Do come here, will you?” You’d opened your arms, his body moved to your warmth but his stiffness stayed with him. You wrapped yourself around him, comfortable to be holding your youngest boy and he, slowly and hesitantly, came too.
“Thank you.” Damian muttered, voice muffled against your chest.
“It’s no problem, darling. None at all.”
You spent a few more minutes just like that, wrapping Damian in comfort and ceaseless love. Eventually the boys and Bruce walked up the stairs to check on you and found you in a puddle together on the floor. Asleep.
“How does she keep doing this? Your wife has magic, B. Wayne tamer or something.” Jason, somewhat mocking and somewhat impressed, announced.
Bruce just smiled, walking into the room with soft soundless feet to cover you both with a blanket. “She really has been able to take the Waynes. Even the seemingly most feral.”
A/n: So here’s the last part (I took foreverrrr writing it) Also I’m pretty sure it’s the longest fic I’ve ever written so yay! Hope you enjoy it, I’d love to hear your feedback and all :)
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@reijixia13