Spoilers for this week's Batman, Incorporated highly probable in comments.

[demon_brat]

Just go away. Right now.

Comments

[starburster]

What's wrong, Damian?

[demon_brat]

Everything! Uh... hi.

[hoodbin]

Does that go for everyone?

[demon_brat]

Everyone does, anyway. *oops. Having Father sending him back to Mother kind of broke him a little. More.*

[hoodbin]

..... I won't.

[ Because only Awkward sidekicks can help other awkward sidekicks or something. ]

[demon_brat]

Except you already did go away, with Todd.

*He doesn't even care to bother with snapping. Just... numb.*

[hoodbin]

I don't even exist anymore. I can pick where I want to stay or not.

[demon_brat]

You did sort of show up, you know?

*not answering? Not answering.*

[hoodbin]

Does that really count?

[ Might be distracted by Mr. Pouty pants at the bottom there though. With a smirk. ]

[demon_brat]

*GUUURL, you're not supposed to make him feel better. But it's appreciated.

Also he does do the pouting really well, doesn't he.*

Dunno. She says it's still more than characters who've been around for decades got?

[ex_agoodsoldier468]

Not saying I agree with Bruce, kid, but you really weren't supposed to be there.

[demon_brat]

Like my not being there would have made any difference. Any.

[ex_agoodsoldier468]

It might have kept him from forcing that on you so soon. He might have had time to rethink.

[ And he's really... just pulling at straws to make this better for the kid. Like Bruce ever rethought things. ]

[demon_brat]

Both Mother and Father's efforts were deployed before I left the Manor. Before he did. The choice was made a long time ago, and he wanted me to stay in so he didn't have to deal with me. That's all.

*Damian thought... he was more than a pawn for one side of his family. Goes to show, doesn't it.*

At least Father acknowledged the option that I be selfish, and what it would mean.

*not like that helps. At all. Because it's Batman, and Batman should be able to find a way. Just, clearly, Damian is not worth the effort.*

[ex_agoodsoldier468]

[ Despite Jason thinking this kid was possibly the spawn of Satan - and well, hey, he did know Talia after all... - he knew no kid deserved this situation. Quite well. ]

Question: forgetting Bruce, would you want to go back to your mother at all?

[demon_brat]

Want? After she controlled my body, she offered me the world, to go back to her. I left.

What do you think?

[ex_agoodsoldier468]

Just making sure.

Then run. Fight. Don't let him send you back. I doubt Grayson or Drake'd go against his wishes on this, so you can't run to them for help.

[demon_brat]

... how long can somebody hide from Father? He only needs to ask his friend Superman to listen for my heart, or my voice.

*Despite his spine? Damian does think that Father has the resources to find him first.

One day, he'll be ready to break away from both sides of his family.

He isn't, yet. Besides, despite the betrayal, he still wants to matter to at least some people. Running now... He hates the whole world right now, thank you very much.*

[controlledvariable]

Damian.

[That's all she says at first, just his name, that's all she can say right now.

She also holds her right arm slightly away from her body, elbow bent, palm towards him. It's an offer to take her hand, more metaphorical than anything but it's - a gesture, it's important, and it's there.

Because she wouldn't let them send him away, if she had any power there]

[demon_brat]

St--

*yeeep, here he remembers Terry's comment about how he uses last names as a means to distance himself from people. And right now, he has no desire to be close to anybody. Sorry.

It... hurts.*

Brown.

[controlledvariable]

Hey. [She goes down on one knee, to put herself almost closer to eye level rather than looking down on him.]

It's not gonna happen, Bruce will figure something out. He's just-- being an asshole right now.

[demon_brat]

*Jaw clenched very tightly to keep his lip from wibbling*

I thought I was more than a - a pawn. *like he knows he is, for Talia, by now.*

[controlledvariable]

You are. So much more. [She says it with so much conviction.

She wishes she could punch Bruce in the face] I don't know what the hell has gotten into Bruce, but he's better than this, and he won't use you like this. [It's not a promise she can make, but goddamn if she won't try anyway]

[demon_brat]

*Again.*

I... thought he was.

*and the reassurances that he knows she can't deliver on shouldn't make a difference. But, with everything said and done this far, they do. Because it's what he wants to be true, and it's making him helpless and weak and deserted and his eyes are prickling, which he swallows, hard.*

Shouldn't have trusted them...

[controlledvariable]

He is, he will be. You won't be abandoned.

[Bruce has to have a plan, he has to have some way to fix this problem. The man she knows, the one who held her hand while she died, wouldn't send Damian back to that, she knows he wouldn't.]

Maybe not. [Because she won't lie to him, not when so many other people do] But you did and I promise they won't let you down even if it feels like that's what they're doing. They'll do something, they'll do whatever it takes.

[For... the first time in a long time, she's praying that she's right.]