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( Well. As long as he knows that.

Setting the utility belt down, he places his hands flat on the work table and stares off across the terminal for a moment. He needs to start over here — needs to build up a level of trust and a sort of relationship between him and Damian all over again and yet, part of him isn't so sure he should. Not when there's another version of himself around here who isn't the old man that's disappeared now. He should leave it be, part of him thinks. But then his own heart aches with missing the boy who had become his son and Damian here himself has explained how difficult and lost he feels with everything and everyone. If he can be a sort of different that he feels comfortable around... maybe that's what he can be to him.

Things he's likely to torture himself with later as always.

For now, he looks over to the boy there with his laptop, leaning some on his hands as he does. )

Are you hungry or anything?

[brat]

( are you hungry, he asks, and damian - well. he's a growing boy, he's generally some level of hankering for snacks. he would never turn down snacks if offered. but he's raising a brow over toward bruce, contemplating how to word this gently for a moment before he decides he may as well just do it and )

Can you cook? Pennyworth isn't here.

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( No, no he can't. That doesn't mean he isn't willing to... improvise. )

I have some prepared things you can choose from. Snacks and meals.

( Maybe not the canned fruit salad like the first time he'd tried to feed Damian. )

[brat]

( it can't be worse than alfred's cucumber sandwiches, can it. )

Alright. I suppose I could eat.

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Upstairs then.

( Because he sure as Hell doesn't keep snacks and meals down here. )

[brat]

Alright.

( he says, but even as he climbs off of the table, he's taking the laptop along with him. his toy for now, bruce. he'll return it once he's completed his mission of snooping through everything that looks mildly relevant. )

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( He calls the elevator and waits for Damian to follow. If Damian goes and opens up a particular file there, he’ll come across video footage taken from Bruce’s contact lenses he wears with the suit on various nights. One video there, despite the differences in Gotham, it’s hard to miss the wild green hair and the scars that run across his face there on the other side of the shatterproof glass there in Arkham. Joker. Who else?

Pulling the gate open, he waits for Damian to step in, then follows behind, pushing the button to take them back up. )

[brat]

( damian steps in without any hesitation, and once the elevator starts going up, shuts the laptop for a moment. he's gotten what was really necessary already, there's no need to go sifting through it when he has bruce right in front of him. asking is always more difficult than simply snooping, but, )

Tell me about your Gotham.

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( At that, he looks over to Damian some. Falls quiet. Contemplates his question there before he's licking over his lips and looking ahead at the gate again. )

What do you want to know?

[brat]

Everything you consider to be noteworthy, and everything you do not.

( the more data he has, the better picture he can build of it. )

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It’s all in my notes. Which you have.

( His laptop, his journal.

Coming up to the penthouse, the elevator stops and he opens the gate, waiting for Damian to step out first before he’ll follow. )

[brat]

Yes, but I do not wish to read off of your notes. I wish for you to tell me.

( he wants the information first hand. but damian does step out of the elevator first and turns so he's half-facing bruce. waits for him there. )

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( Moving his way towards the kitchen, hands slide into his pockets and he looks ahead, expecting Damian to follow. )

Joker’s in Arkham. Riddler just got caught. Falcone is dead but Penguin is still around. A large part of Gotham is flooded at the moment.

( Is that what he’s looking for? )

[brat]

( it's technically what he'd asked for, even if it doesn't answer anything he had truly been asking. damian frowns, but doesn't object to the response. instead, he puts the laptop down on the counter once he's in the kitchen, and moves to open the fridge. )

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( The kitchen is a bit more stocked than he’s had it for some time, mostly because of Jason living here for the moment and his helping out with bringing things in for them to eat. While nothing necessarily home cooked found within the fridge, there are things like that can easily be microwaved or taken cold found, nothing that really serves to go bad anytime soon. Then of course there’s the bottled drinks such as smoothies and energy drinks that can be found as well. )

The cottage cheese is good for protein.

[brat]

I know what to look for in nutrients for food items.

( well, mostly. damian does have a sweet tooth and will lean toward more sugary substances when given the opportunity, but it doesn't mean he doesn't know how to eat well. he's a growing boy, he knows how to feed himself.

but he's closing the fridge rather than taking anything out of it. instead, he sifts through cabinets and cupboards, grabbing onto a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. turns towards bruce to ask, )

Bananas?

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( Just trying to be helpful.

At the inquiry regarding bananas, he looks around for a moment before he slowly makes his way to a bowl there in the kitchen and plucks a banana from it. There’s also a couple apples and few cherries left, too. Holding it out, he watches Damian. )

Just a sandwich then?

[brat]

I am no culinary expert. Mother had ensured I knew what was edible and what wasn't, had made sure I could survive in any element alone, but when I was not on missions, I had chefs to cook for me. Pennyworth, after I had opted to stay with Grayson.

( a butter knife gets removed from the drawer, four slices of bread are removed from the loaf, two of which get covered in peanut butter. damian opens the banana, cutting it into thin slices and spreading it over the peanut butter before putting the other two bread pieces atop the peanut butter and banana ones. one gets raised to his mouth to take a bite out of it, while damian moves to hold out the second to bruce. )

So, sandwiches.

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( Well, it would be rude to reject his sandwich made for him, so. He takes it in hand after a moment and leans there on his side against the counter as he looks to the sandwich. )

Thanks.

( The word soft as he slowly takes a bite from it. )

Pretty good for no culinary expert.

[brat]

( sometimes, one just needs to bully an old man into eating a sandwich. potassium and protein are both important nutrients to maintaining a healthy physique; he's only helping. and he's not wasting half a banana. even if he's taking big enough bites out of his own sandwich he probably could have managed to stuff them both into his mouth before feeling full. )

A sandwich isn't difficult.

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I guess not.

( It's said in between slow chews and he sets the half eaten sandwich down on the counter then, letting out a sigh as he pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment. )

Were you just checking up on me? Or did you want to stay the night?

[brat]

I hadn't been entirely certain how this meeting would go.

( if he's being honest. their first interaction hadn't gone well, but - nor had the first time damian had met his father back home either. perhaps bad first impressions should just be expected between them. )

I have been sleeping in the Cave alongside Goliath. The others inside the manor are. . . odd.

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I know the feeling.

( It's usually why he keeps his distance from them, even more now especially with there being yet another version of himself here. The one he's briefly met and has no intention of interacting with. It's just... too strange for him. Especially when he comes from where Damian, Tim, Barbara, and Dick are all from. Makes him feel like he shouldn't be around them even more. )

You have a room here, like I said. Just be mindful that Jason is also staying here.

( And, as he'd asked of Damian before, to keep the peace here between them. )

[brat]

( there's a moment where he's quiet, chewing through his sandwich while contemplating his options, here. because he could stay. but what are the chances of damian ruining it? relatively high, considering his history with drake. )

I'll return to the Cave.

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( He's quiet when Damian goes and makes his decision there — slowly nods while hiding the disappointment there on his face. It's for the best anyways, he tells himself. So he can be around his father — try and get to know him better. He'd told Damian before that he would get him back to him. It's just... difficult. Maybe it was always going to be, he was just in denial about it. He's good at being in denial about a lot of things. )

Sure. I should get some rest anyways.

( At that, he pushes away from the counter — leaves his half-eaten sandwich there and sighs. )

I need to lie down.