Chapter Text
Giving his gloves one last tug, making sure the arm guards on them were in place, Damian was almost fully dressed in his Robin suit. All that remained were his mask and cape. His mask was in one hand, but his cape…well…
He looked to the side, where his soulmate was standing next to the bench by the lockers. Colin was staring at him, his eyes wide. The lower half of his face was pressed into the cape that Damian had handed to him after pulling it out of his locker. His face seemed to be a bit red as well.
“Beloved…” Damian was unable to keep the affection from his voice. “You’re staring again.”
“Uh I uh–” Colin stammered, his face becoming redder. He thrust the cape against Damian’s chest. “H-Here!”
Damian took the cape, giving it a flick in order to straighten it in front of him. “It’s not as if I mind…” Damian admitted, his own face warming up. “You are my soulmate.”
It wasn’t as though Colin had watched him change. The two had been discussing what the plan was once he, Grayson, and Father left for patrol. Colin had sat the opposite way on the bench to give him some privacy while he dressed. It was only after Damian handed him his cape in order to find his other gear that he noticed that the other had stopped talking. He assumed by then Colin had turned to see him in his suit.
“I guess I’m just not used to it yet.” Colin said softly.
“You will be, in time.” Damian threw the cape over his shoulders, fastening it at the neck. He made sure the hood of it was sitting correctly in place before starting to leave the changing area. Colin followed behind him. “As I was saying, Father said you’re free to watch the monitors alongside Pennyworth tonight if you wish.”
“That’s really okay for me to do?”
“Do you intend to mess with the controls?”
“No!” Colin was quick to deny it, and seemed surprised at the accusation.
“Then you have nothing you need to worry about. In fact, I suspect Pennyworth will appreciate the company.”
Speaking of, the butler was already standing in front of the Bat computer when they reached the center platform. He was setting up the feeds for the cameras within the manor as well as on the grounds. Damian knew he would have them up in case of an unforeseen visitor, or an attack. Both were entirely possible, as they’d happened before.
“Good evening, young sirs.”
“Pennyworth.” Damian gave him a nod.
“Alfred, Damian says I can watch with you tonight! Is that okay?”
“Certainly. There’s a spare chair next to that–yes that’s the one.” Pennyworth had hardly pointed it out before Colin was running over to get it. “Shall we test your mask, Master Damian?”
“If we must.” Placing the mask in front of his face with one hand, he used the index finger of the other to press it against the bridge of his nose, keeping his face relaxed. The tech inside of his gloves, as well as the tech in the mask activated when touched just right. The mask fused down perfectly flush against his skin, which also turned it on. Robin blinked a few times to make sure the mask was mirroring his eyes.
Pennyworth pressed a key on the computer. A window opened, showing what Robin was seeing. In this case, it was the butler, as well as Colin who was holding the spare chair and watching them.
“Wow.” Colin breathed, a small grin on his face. “That’s so cool .”
“One of my better inventions.” Father stepped out of the shadows behind Colin, fully suited up. Poor Colin leaped almost a foot into the air. It was only after turning around that he let out a choked gasp. It bothered Robin, who was reminded yet again that his soulmate had learned at some point not to make noise when afraid or sad.
“You scared me…” Colin said, his shoulders hunched.
Father set a hand on one of those shoulders, gently encouraging him to relax. “Sorry. Old habit.”
“Don’t take it personally, Master Colin. He does that to everyone.” Pennyworth drily remarked as Colin set the chair down. “Oracle has sent the information regarding the young man who posted bail for Trey Hill. You intend to follow him?”
“Nightwing and Robin will handle that.” Father came up to the computer, placing some tech into the compartments on his belt.
Robin tilted his head in surprise. “You won’t be joining us?”
“I’ve gotten some intel that there will be a break in at the museum tonight. If it’s who I think it is, it would be best for me to handle it.” Father said without looking at him.
A quick list of likely suspects flew through Robin’s mind. A break in at the museum that Father wanted to handle personally. He let out a quiet groan. “It’s Kyle , isn’t it?”
“Let’s say it was. Can you blame me for not taking you along after what happened last time ?” Even with the cowl, Robin could tell he was raising one of eyebrows.
“Tt.”
It was hardly a loss to him. He certainly had no desire to see one of Father’s former flames again. Selina Kyle was by far the worst one, as far as he was concerned. She had openly flirted with Batman when Robin was standing not five feet away. If she wanted to act like a cat in heat then he could hardly be blamed for splashing her with a water bottle. Yes, he had done it because he hadn’t yet come to terms with Mother and Father not being soulmates, and yes , he was mostly being petty. How was he to know she wasn’t wearing waterproof cosmetics? You would think with the type of things she stole she could have afforded it.
“Who’s Kyle?” Colin whispered in his ear.
“Catwoman.” He could explain it all when they got back. “I don’t like her, and she doesn’t like me.”
“Ohhh.”
“Do give Ms. Selina my regards, Master Bruce. Will you be needing a prophylactic?” Pennyworth gave him that statement with a heavy dosage of side eye.
“Very funny.” Father said, his tone saying otherwise.
Robin resisted the urge to shudder in revulsion. Even Pennyworth knew their history and assumed this meet up was for untoward reasons. Though Father deserved more credit than that. At worst they most likely wouldn’t…no. He couldn’t even finish the thought. It was too disgusting !
“Are they going on a date?” Colin asked, confusion clear on his face.
“ It’s not a date. ” Unfortunately the red head didn’t ask quietly enough. Father turned back to them, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He made an effort to keep his voice calm. “Selina probably wants to catch up, we haven’t seen each other in a while.”
“And if she steals something…?” Robin let the question trail off. Partly because he wanted Father to fill in the blank, and partly because yet again Colin moved to hide behind his back. He was torn on whether to think this was endearing or not.
Father answered, “If she steals anything it will most likely be a relic belonging to a country that never wanted a Western nation to have it in the first place. At least then it will end up back where it belongs.”
Robin chose not to continue the debate. He could have, certainly. It would only lead to the very real truth that Kyle didn’t have as pure a motive when robbing jewelry stores, and Father would have no way to defend her actions.
Batman left with the Batmobile after asking Robin to promise to let Nightwing take the lead in the interrogation. Which he didn’t do. It was a formality, anyway. Father wasn’t opposed to roughing up someone in order to get answers. He just didn’t want Robin to take it too far.
“Where is Grayson?” he asked Pennyworth. Knowing him he was probably wasting time while waiting for him.
“In the training area. He’s been a bit restless lately.” Pennyworth didn’t elaborate, and that said more than words would have.
“Where’s that? I haven’t seen it yet!” Colin became very eager, the nerves from riling up Father gone.
“In the back. I suppose we should go fetch him. Never mind that we have a mission.” Robin led that way, Colin following behind him again. “I don’t see why he should be in charge when I am clearly the more responsible one.”
“Well something’s bugging him, right? That’s what Alfred meant when he said he was restless?”
“Yes. He left to work on a case in Bludhaven. I haven’t yet asked how that’s gone.” A part of him felt guilty. He always checked in with Grayson before. Perhaps he’d been neglecting his relationship with him now that he had Colin?
Colin shrugged. “You could always ask him. You got a long drive into the city.”
“I intend to, yes. Now that Drake has left, we should make time with Grayson instead.”
“That’s a great idea!”
“I only have great ideas.” Robin dodged Colin’s attempt to plainfully shove him, jogging ahead. He heard his soulmate laugh as he ran to catch up.
Behind the locker and shower area there was a hallway. At the end of it was an open doorway leading to the training area. Father had equipped it with more and more training devices as the years went on. If one desired to have holograms to practice moves on, they had it. If one needed a training dummy to pummel in order to get out excess anger, they had that as well. The main area in the middle was a large open space, he and Father had their sparring match there only a few hours ago. Naturally Father won, but Robin had put in as much effort as he could without exhausting himself for tonight. However one of the main features was one that Father had installed specifically for Grayson.
Colin looked around, trying to take in as much as he could. Robin could see the urge to try out everything in the room in his eyes. “I don’t see Dick…”
“You aren’t looking high enough.” He pointed up toward the twenty foot high ceiling.
Following his finger, Colin’s jaw dropped nearly to the floor.
Grayson was on one of the horizontal bars attached to the walls. His hands were shoulder width apart as he used his arm strength only to keep his body perpendicular to the ground above the bar. He must have held that pose for some time, because as soon as he saw them he grinned and allowed himself to tip forward ever so much. The momentum sent him in a full swing, bringing him back up over the bar. When he reached the highest point of the arch he did a quick maneuver to change his direction and on the way down this time he let go of the bar and sent himself flying downward toward a lower one.
Colin gasped at the drop to the bar, and the drop to the next one which included a somersault for flair. Grayson finished his little talent showcase by doing a twist flip on the way down to the mats beneath the bars. Of course he landed on his feet and threw his arms up in the air after sticking the landing. Ever the showman.
Barely containing himself, Colin was bouncing up and down on his feet, his fists shaking in front of him. “That. Was. The. Coolest. Thing. EVER!” He nearly sprinted over the main area in order to reach Grayson. “I can’t believe you did that! With the flip and the zoom over to the other bar and then the landing! That was awesome!” He jumped off the ground to emphasize his point.
“Believe it, kiddo. That? Ha! That was nothing compared to what I can do out on the streets.”
“You gotta teach me how to do that! Please, please, please?!” He clung to Grayson’s middle, turning puppy eyes on him. Robin rolled his own eyes as he approached, pushing down the feeling of jealousy.
“Whoa there, Colin. That,” Grayson pointed at the bars above him, “is not for beginners. You’ve got to learn to crawl before you start trying to fly.” Grayson was a good teacher, especially when it came to giving realistic expectations. “I think we have a baby bar we can start you out on…” He looked in the direction of the storage closet as he talked.
Robin didn’t hold in the amused snort in time. He’d seen the baby bar, it was Father’s shoulder height and rolled around on wheels. He was already well past needing it when he came to live here.
Colin must have heard him, because he pouted at them both. “Really? A baby bar?”
“Well…” Grayson was clearly trying to think of the kindest way to say what he was thinking. “We’ve got to see if you can hold up your own weight before we try teaching you tricks. That alone takes some muscle, not to mention lots of practice.”
“I’ve got muscle!” Colin held up his arms and flexed his biceps…or at least he would have if he had biceps.
“Hm…” Grayson was able to close his entire hand around said bicep. “It’s not too bad…”
“I can do the whole set of monkey bars at the park. All twelve.” Colin tried to put some confidence into what he was saying, but he must have realized it simply wasn’t comparable to their training because he wasn’t as enthusiastic as he had been.
“That’s something!” Grayson said to be encouraging. “Not every kid can do that.”
“But it isn’t professional training.” Robin had to interject.
“I know…” Colin lowered his arms. “But I still wanna learn!”
“Then you need to start at the bottom and work your way up.” Grayson rubbed his hair kindly. “If you’re going to be here learning some self defense, we’ll work some chin ups in and see how it goes, okay?”
“Okay...” Colin agreed reluctantly.
“We need to get going, Grayson. Father’s already left.”
“Oh shoot, is it that time already? I’ll go get my suit on!” As he said this he sprinted out of the room.
“Damian?” Robin turned to his soulmate. “Do you think I could learn everything you’ve learned someday?”
“I suppose it’s possible. However, everyone has a different level of potential. Tomorrow we’ll start to get an idea of what you’re capable of. We can tailor your training from there.”
“You’ll see, Dames. I’m gonna get real good. Just you wait!” Robin couldn’t help smiling with him. He was happy to see him want to take a proactive approach to this. As his soulmate, Colin was sure to have a similar potential as himself. It would be great to have a sparring partner that was his height.
“Come, let us go before Grayson is finished.”
Back at the main area, Colin and Pennyworth stood together as he and Nightwing started down the steps to the vehicle bay. They would be taking his motorcycle into the city, and they both held their helmets under their arms.
“Damian?”
Robin turned back to see his soulmate standing by the top of the stairs.
Colin shyly tucked some hair behind his ear and smiled. “Good luck. Not that you need it.” His bashful laugh seemed to ricochet around inside of Robin’s chest, lighting everywhere it touched with warmth.
Robin smiled too. “We’ll be back before too long. Feel free to turn in if you get too tired.”
“And miss watching you in action? No way .” Colin grinned.
“Very well.” Robin could have resisted the affection in his voice but chose not to. When Nightwing started humming that damn song again, Robin jabbed him in the kidney. Lightly, of course.
He mounted the bike behind Nightwing, feeling his cape flow behind them as they took off down the tunnel. There were only periodic lights along the way, giving Robin a glimpse of his partner as the light shone off his helmet in front of him. Within a minute they started up a ramp that opened into some foliage along a side road just outside of the gated area where Wayne Manor was. The doors slid closed behind them and the signs that warned of the sharp turn also rose from where they lowered into the ground. To anyone passing by, it looked like a typical road.
“So,” Nightwing spoke, the tech in their helmets allowing them to talk without having to shout, “it seems like you two haven’t lost any spark yet.” Of course he couldn’t resist the urge to tease.
“This is going to be a long drive. Can you handle any more kidney shots? I’ll happily keep supplying them.”
“Okay, okay,” he laughed. “I’m just happy for you guys. I was against not telling Colin from the start, you know.”
“I do. Thank you.” He meant that. Grayson’s support was very treasured to him. “We’ve spoken of me too much lately. How was your case with Zsasz?”
Nightwing was quiet for a long moment. That alone said plenty. “He must’ve got tipped off by someone. When we got to where he was working it was already cleared out. Now he’s in the wind, there’s been no sign of him in Bludhaven for days.”
“Who told him?” If he was dealing with a leak…
“Who didn’t?” Nightwing sighed. “Can’t get info without asking questions.”
That was too true. Especially in Bludhaven. “What was the case?”
“Illegal fighting ring. There were plenty of blood stains but no bodies. That’s not his M.O., and that’s what bothers me. Zsaz’s entire thing is killing. Maybe he’s not participating in the fights.”
“If people are stupid enough to risk their lives fighting for money they have it coming.”
“Don’t say that.” Nightwing’s voice was disapproving. “It’s easy for us to say that. Too many people are so desperate they have no choice but to try. Or they might not have had a choice at all. People have been going missing in Bludhaven. That may not be new, but if he’s causing any of that then he needs to be stopped.” He suddenly sped up before evening out again, a sign of his frustration. “Now the trail’s gone cold…”
“And you’re stuck waiting for more victims.” No wonder he hadn’t brought up Zsasz. “Father and I will keep an ear open for any info on him.”
“Thanks, Robin.” Nightwing said with a hint of affection in his voice that made Robin roll his eyes.
They continued chatting the rest of the way to the Narrows. They stashed the bike in a safe spot before taking to the rooftops. Their target, a twenty year old named Lucas Harris, was meant to be leaving his part time job at a retail store on the border between the Narrows and Gotham Village. They set up surveillance on a roof with a good view of the parking lot and a glimpse of the back exit as well. It took about forty five minutes from their arrival before they saw someone leave from the back that matched the state ID photo they had of him.
“Is it him?” Nightwing asked, watching to see where he was headed.
Robin used his binoculars to get a closer look at his face. It helped when he passed beneath a streetlight. “Blonde. Approximately five foot eight inches. Slight limp on the right side, which would match the injury that cost him that basketball scholarship. Mark on the right arm appears to be that tattoo he paid for with his father’s credit card when he was seventeen.”
“Sounds like our guy.” He pointed. “His apartment is this way and he already passed the bus stop. Are we doing the drop and surround?”
“Only if I get to drop.”
“Of course!” Nightwing chuckled.
They followed Harris from the rooftops, waiting for him to pass through an alley that was narrow enough. Then Robin got into position, waiting for just the right moment when he would almost be on top of him before dropping down into the alley.
He landed in a crouch about a foot in front of him. Harris nearly jumped out of his skin, stepping back on reflex. “Holy fu–!” He cut himself off when Robin stood up, seeming to need a minute to process who was standing in front of him.
“Lucas Harris?” Robin asked.
“Luke.” He corrected before cringing. Harris probably realized that his nickname preference was less important than the fact that he was being accosted by a vigilante. His entire demeanor came across as nervous.
“I have questions. So I suggest you have answers.” Robin pretended to take a step toward him.
Harris backed away, holding up his hands. “Wait, hang on–” he cut off with a grunt as he backed into someone. When he turned to see that someone was Nightwing with his hands on his hips and a grin on his face he seemed to deflate. “Oh my god, what did I do ?” His voice squeaked with confusion and panic.
“Luke, right?” Nightwing asked, his voice friendly, “We’re trying to get to the bottom of something. Think you can help us out?”
“I’ll try?” Harris’ black eyes kept going back and forth between them, almost like he expected them to attack. So far Robin sensed no malice from him. If anything he seemed rather cowardly.
Robin pulled a small photo of Trey Hill from a pouch on his belt, holding it in front of Harris’ face. “Do you recognize this man?”
Harris squinted at the picture before pulling out his phone to use the light to see it better. “That looks like the guy I posted bail for a couple days ago.”
“Friend of yours?” Nightwing asked as he leaned against the alley wall. It was a move to show that they felt in full control of the situation, but it was also to keep the person they were questioning at ease and willing to talk.
“No, it’s just a job. Something I do for a little extra income.”
Robin frowned. “A job ?” He didn’t try to keep the judgment from his voice.
“Yeah I…” a look of uncertainty came onto Harris’ face, “I’m trying to put myself through college, my other job doesn’t even pay minimum wage. The other guys pay me a good amount to sign my name when they need someone to bail out one of their friends, but it’s their own money. I’m not paying for the bail myself.”
“You’re an imbecile helping put criminals back on the street.” Robin let the vitriol in his voice go unchecked. “Why didn’t you apply for the Wayne grant? That would have covered your school expenses with a very forgivable loan rate.”
Harris seemed surprised that Robin knew that, most likely because of his age. “I don’t qualify, my high school counselor–”
“Are you a Gotham native?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you or your family make less than fifty thousand dollars a year?”
“Yeah…”
“Was your grade point average above two point six in high school?”
“Yeah.” It seemed to slowly be sinking in how much of a moron Harris had been to get himself involved with helping Trey Hill and those associated with him.
“Then you more than qualify.” Robin turned his back to him. “ Idiot .” he hissed under his breath.
“Robin.” Nightwing said in an effort to calm him. “You made your point.”
“ Tt .”
“Did that guy do something really bad?” Harris asked quietly, with dread.
“Only if you consider kidnapping children to be bad.” Robin said drily over his shoulder.
“Oh god…” Harris slumped against the alley wall, his face in his hands. “Please tell me I didn’t get some poor kid killed!”
“You didn’t.” Nightwing reassured. “We got there in time. Now we’re trying to find Trey, or whoever hired him so that they can’t go after that kid again. Why don’t you start by telling us how you got in contact with these guys?”
Harris puffed out a breath of air before agreeing. “Um. A guy at my other job,” he vaguely pointed with his thumb the way he had come from, “we were talking and I told him I needed to make some more money and he said he knew a guy. I flat out told him I’m not doing anything with drugs. He said it wasn’t like that. After he told me about it he introduced me to some guy who didn’t tell me his name, and he’s the one who called me about the guy in the picture. I met him near the GCPD and he gave me an envelope with the cash for the bail and another one with my pay. When I got that Trey guy out he gave me a fist bump and acted like he knew me and thanked me for coming.”
“Almost as if he expected you to come…” Robin said, thinking out loud. When Harris started talking he made sure to face him so the camera in his mask would catch every word.
“That’s what I was thinking, too.” Nightwing agreed. “What happened then?”
“We walked out. Trey told me to catch a Ryde home, that I did my part. While I was waiting for it to come another car came and stopped in front of Trey. Two guys got out and talked to him. I thought I heard them say something about a boss wanting to talk to him, and something about a payday. He got into a car with them and they left. My Ryde came a little while later and I went home.”
Nightwing nodded encouragingly. “This is the important question, okay? Did they say where they were going?”
“Yeah, Trey asked before he got in. One guy asked if he liked Tricorner, and the other said they’d stop somewhere to do some shopping.” The last part came out almost as a question. Most likely because it had sounded sarcastic at the time.
“Oracle was right about Tricorner.” Robin looked at Nightwing.
The older vigilante started down the alley after taking back the photo from Harris. “I’ll get the bike, you contact A and have him look up all shopping places in the area and try to narrow it down.”
“On it.” Robin watched Nightwing leave before turning back to their now informant. “We have your cell number. If we need you, we’ll get in contact.” Though it wasn’t likely they would need to, telling them that usually left the impression that they should behave themselves from now on because they were being watched.
Harris turned pale. “Trust me, I’m not doing this again. It’s not worth it.”
Robin thought about that for a moment, then reached into his belt and pulled out a card. “I don’t know why your school counselor told you what they did, but you might as well try calling them in the morning. You never know.” He handed the man the card. It had a number for a part of Father’s team that could direct him on how to sign up for the grant. Perhaps it would set him up on the right path. And perhaps Robin couldn’t help thinking that Colin could have ended up in a similar situation if they hadn’t met and Colin had grown up alone in the foster care system. “Now go home to your mother, it’s getting late.”
Harris, seeming unnerved yet appreciative, said a quick, “Thanks,” before running out of the alley.
Robin tapped into the comm link in his ear. “Pennyworth, did you catch all of that?”
“ Indeed, young sir. I’ve narrowed down our search to closed and abandoned buildings in Tricorner that used to be shops of any kind. Unfortunately that still leaves us with too many results. ”
“There must be a way to narrow it down…” Robin let himself pace calmly from wall to wall of the alley. “Hill hasn’t been seen since he’d made bail. Which means he was most likely taken to somewhere remote, with less traffic than usual. We need to look for somewhere more isolated…”
Colin’s voice in the comm made him pause his pacing. “ What about there? ”
Unable to see what his soulmate was most likely pointing to, Robin waited. After a moment Pennyworth spoke, his voice not hiding how impressed he was, “ Well spotted, lad. Master Robin there is a property on the very tip of Tricorner that used to be a big box store. It was meant to be put for sale to be made into something else but no one has purchased it in years. Drone pictures of the area show it to be boarded up everywhere except one door opposite the road leading to it. It seems a solid place to begin your search. ”
“Excellent. Well done, Colin.” he said with a grin. He wished he could have seen the red head’s face, but hearing his embarrassed giggle would have to do.
Within a minute Nightwing rode down the alley on his bike. Robin hopped on as it drove by, grabbing his helmet from the former Robin as he did. It was time to see if Colin’s theory proved right.