( 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. )
( The kitchen is a bit more stocked than heβs 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 thereβs the bottled drinks such as smoothies and energy drinks that can be found as well. )
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, )
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. Thereβs also a couple apples and few cherries left, too. Holding it out, he watches Damian. )
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. )
( 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. )
( 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. )
( 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?
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.
( 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. )
( 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. )
( He's quiet when Damian goes and makes his decision there β 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 β 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 β leaves his half-eaten sandwich there and sighs. )
( bruce starts to walk away, and damian - watches for a moment. waits until he's almost out of the kitchen before he finds his voice and speaks up, loud enough for bruce to hear. )
I don't trust Todd. Just as I am uncertain of most of those within the Manor, and while Goliath makes for an excellent deterrent in others targeting me when I am asleep, he is not meant to fit indoors.
( At that, he stops and slowly turns some to look back to Damian. He's quiet β mulls over something before he's pinching the bridge of his nose again; he can feel a headache coming on. )
( it's complicated, for damian. on one hand, acceptance is something he's strived toward for as long as he can recall. on the other, while he doesn't trust todd, he's uncertain if he should trust this bruce wayne that much either. he trusts grayson but there's - he isn't the damian grayson expects, and richard isn't who damian would have expected, either.
bruce reaches a hand up towards his face as if something's irritating him, and damian gets the distinct feeling it's him. his mouth pinches together tight, considering it for a moment before he asks, )
( It's said gently as he stands there β waits to see what Damian decides. Ultimately, it's up to him and he's not about to push the other into staying if he feels more comfortable back at the cave or elsewhere. He's just... trying. To offer something. )
damian shoves the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth, using that bit of time to mull it over. does he trust this bruce that much, after how quickly he'd turned damian away when they had first met? does he trust anyone here to that extent, outside of goliath? )
( Well. Hopefully this goes well for the both of them. It's still... new. For both of them and for their own reasons, but. It's difficult for him to turn away the boy, even if he had the first time, but. It had been done out of shock and heartbreak and... well. Bruce Wayne, no matter the version, never takes a loss of any kind well. )
Do you want to bring the laptop with you?
( For... something to do. Though he has various books and things in his room as well. )
( it sounds rough, but it's - damian. all sharp edges without any tact, because what's the use in that? he wipes his hands off against his hoodie, leaving the mess behind because that's someone else's problem now, and goes to grab onto the laptop so he can trail after bruce. )
Bruce makes his way up the stairs β ignores the padlocked doors of his parents room as he makes his way for his own. Opening it up, he makes sure to turn on a lamp for some warmth and light, the bed disheveled, the curtains drawn closed. His bed is big enough for the both of them, what with it being king sized and all. He takes a moment to take his jacket off β drops it down over a chair and then pinches the bridge of his nose again. There's books that line some of the shelves there, things Damian can read if he wants and there's photographs of his parents there on one of the shelves. One even of a young Bruce Wayne at the age of ten there with them.
( he's watching bruce carefully still. watches how he moves, observing every physical tick along with every verbal one he can catch onto. damian could identify his father at a large party among countless rich fools before he had ever met the man based off of his facial structure and the way he held himself: memorizing every detail of this man is less hobby and more an ingrained need to understand. he pinches his nose, and damian considers whether that's a sign of irritation (it's likely), stress, exhaustion, or a subconscious motion he goes through when he's processing information. is it something damian does, too? he's mastered the art of being unreadable when necessary, of hiding tone, intent, removing the ability for others to read his next action before he takes it, but it's a conscious effort on his part to upkeep that kind of control.
yet he's quiet as he observes bruce go through the motions. he remembers all the questions he'd wanted to ask his father, long before they had met. when he had been a figure to look up to, an image to strive toward. yet everything is different now.
just like this is.
bruce looks back to him, and damian looks to the bookshelf. not necessarily to hide that he'd been staring intently, just - )
No.
( but he's tucking the laptop under an arm regardless, to free up a hand so he can reach for the picture of thomas and martha wayne. takes it in hand so he can cart it along with him as he moves to find a space of wall that is unoccupied by furniture so he can press his back to it and lower himself to the floor there.
because the floor is plenty comfortable enough for a catnap. )
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( the more data he has, the better picture he can build of it. )
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( 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 heβll follow. )
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( 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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Jokerβs 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 heβs looking for? )
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The cottage cheese is good for protein.
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( 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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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. Thereβs also a couple apples and few cherries left, too. Holding it out, he watches Damian. )
Just a sandwich then?
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( 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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Thanks.
( The word soft as he slowly takes a bite from it. )
Pretty good for no culinary expert.
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A sandwich isn't difficult.
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( 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?
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( 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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( 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. )
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I'll return to the Cave.
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Sure. I should get some rest anyways.
( At that, he pushes away from the counter β leaves his half-eaten sandwich there and sighs. )
I need to lie down.
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I don't trust Todd. Just as I am uncertain of most of those within the Manor, and while Goliath makes for an excellent deterrent in others targeting me when I am asleep, he is not meant to fit indoors.
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You can stay in my room with me.
( He says then, dropping his hand away. )
If you want to stay.
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bruce reaches a hand up towards his face as if something's irritating him, and damian gets the distinct feeling it's him. his mouth pinches together tight, considering it for a moment before he asks, )
Are you certain?
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( It's said gently as he stands there β waits to see what Damian decides. Ultimately, it's up to him and he's not about to push the other into staying if he feels more comfortable back at the cave or elsewhere. He's just... trying. To offer something. )
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damian shoves the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth, using that bit of time to mull it over. does he trust this bruce that much, after how quickly he'd turned damian away when they had first met? does he trust anyone here to that extent, outside of goliath? )
Okay.
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Do you want to bring the laptop with you?
( For... something to do. Though he has various books and things in his room as well. )
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( it sounds rough, but it's - damian. all sharp edges without any tact, because what's the use in that? he wipes his hands off against his hoodie, leaving the mess behind because that's someone else's problem now, and goes to grab onto the laptop so he can trail after bruce. )
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Bruce makes his way up the stairs β ignores the padlocked doors of his parents room as he makes his way for his own. Opening it up, he makes sure to turn on a lamp for some warmth and light, the bed disheveled, the curtains drawn closed. His bed is big enough for the both of them, what with it being king sized and all. He takes a moment to take his jacket off β drops it down over a chair and then pinches the bridge of his nose again. There's books that line some of the shelves there, things Damian can read if he wants and there's photographs of his parents there on one of the shelves. One even of a young Bruce Wayne at the age of ten there with them.
a glance over his shoulder, he looks to Damian. )
Do you need anything in here?
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yet he's quiet as he observes bruce go through the motions. he remembers all the questions he'd wanted to ask his father, long before they had met. when he had been a figure to look up to, an image to strive toward. yet everything is different now.
just like this is.
bruce looks back to him, and damian looks to the bookshelf. not necessarily to hide that he'd been staring intently, just - )
No.
( but he's tucking the laptop under an arm regardless, to free up a hand so he can reach for the picture of thomas and martha wayne. takes it in hand so he can cart it along with him as he moves to find a space of wall that is unoccupied by furniture so he can press his back to it and lower himself to the floor there.
because the floor is plenty comfortable enough for a catnap. )
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