Chapter Text
Damian hated magic. It was one of the few things that could not be prepared for. Dodging. That was their only defense. And hiding. It was infuriating. There was also little that could be done when one of their own was hit besides wait out the side effects or call in another magic user for assistance. That, of course, implied that someone noticed that spell being cast. And it hitting it’s mark.
Neither of which had been the case when Damian had been hit with a glittery blue spell.
Glittery.
Sparkly.
Blue.
How insulting. How pathetic that he’d been hit by such an obnoxious spell. Yet none of his family had noticed, too busy subduing the other magic users.
Figures.
Damian had felt himself shrink. It had surprisingly not been painful. It was disorienting, to have everything around him become larger and his perspective lower. His vision spun. The magic. Annoyed, he’d attempted to roll out of the way of the disgusting feet and legs of Gotham’s hired riff raff. Attempted. Damian’s limbs had not worked as he’d intended.
He had four of them now. And a tail?
Curious.
Stumbling out of the way, Damian made his way through the hallways of the decrepit warehouse, his vision darkening.
Fuck.
Just a bit further.
He needed to make it to just outside, to where the Batmobile was. Then he could rest.
Damian trusted his father and siblings to protect him and return him home to fix whatever spell had been cast on him.
He groaned, his limbs sluggish and heavy.
No
No!
He was Damian Wayne! Damian al Ghul! He would not be bested by some low level magician and their measly spell which had turned him into an animal. Damian’s limbs gave out, his body crumpling to the floor. He cried out, hoping to get the attention of someone before he passed out.
Meow
If he could, he’d be blushing.
If it had come from anything other than his own mouth, he would have considered it the sweetest, cutest, meow he had ever heard. The high pitched mewl of a kitten. It was humiliating. As his vision turned to black, all he could do was be thankful that none of his family had heard his pitiful cry.
***
It was early morning, an eerie fog swirling around Danny’s legs. Were there any plants, they’d be covered in morning dew. But this was Gotham. A city covered in cement, brick, and lead. No room for nature outside of the few parks scattered across the city. Or on the lawns of rich assholes. That didn’t matter though, as Danny rode the rickety bike down the narrow streets. Sometimes, it felt like the city was still stuck in the nineteen seventies, maybe even earlier. That was the only reason Danny could think of why the Gotham Gazette had bicycles and would hire people to ride around to deliver newspapers.
Honest to God, old fashioned newspaper routes.
Who knew?
It made Danny a pretty penny though. Not many people were willing to ride around the streets of Gotham early in the morning. Danny though, Danny didn’t mind. Just after dark was a scarier time to be out then just before morning. That was when the bats and the birds and their frankly bat crazy rouges would come out. Ha! Bat crazy! That was a good way to describe a majority of the rogues and villains.
The quiet, lonely journey through parts of the city was often peaceful. It was better like this. For him to come out when the people were asleep. Where he couldn’t feel them. Where they couldn’t see him. Being a halfa made Danny very aware of those who were close to death, to those who were dying. When going through the poorer sections of the city, it was hard. It wasn’t just people. Animals too.
Danny did his best, to give comfort to the poor innocent creatures as they died. He would save all those he could, bringing them to the nearest animal shelter.
All this to say that when Danny felt a young life start to tip towards being in peril along his route, he had to stop his bike. Looking around, he searched for the small creature, he had a vague idea of where it was. His eyes raked over the dark, grimy corners, not seeing anything. Wait. There. A tiny, ink black kitten collapsed against the graffitied cement wall. Poor thing looked fine, but it was all alone. Even with fur, it’s little body probably had a hard time retaining heat in the cold of the early morning. Danny looked around warily.
There were signs of a struggle, or a fight. There was the lingering smell of smoke, possibly from smoke bombs or a fire. Could go either way. He’d checked social media before going out, and it sounded like the bats had been out and about last night, acting strangely, Robin nowhere to be seen. Danny looked back at the tiny kitten once more, heart aching.
This kitten might have inhaled some of the smoke. There was a high chance it would die, if left here alone on the streets. In fact, it was almost guaranteed.
Mind made up, he scooped up the kitten, gently placing it in his mail bag. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but the kitten should be fine till he made his way back to what Danny had been calling home for the past couple months.
Smiling softly, he got back on his bike and resumed his route.
These newspapers weren’t going to deliver themselves.
***
Damian slowly came to. He was warm. Comfortable. But oh so hungry. Blinking sleepily, he opened his eyes. This was not the cave. He had not been rescued. Dread filled his gut. Scrambling to his feet, he looked around him, seizing up his surroundings, looking for his best chance at escape. Damian scrunched his nose. There was something familiar about this place.
It dawned on him that this was one of Jason’s safe houses, although far more lived in than he’d last seen it. He hadn’t realized that Todd had made this his main safe house. He would have to make a note of it once he was restored to his true form.
Speaking of his form, what did he look like as a cat?
There was not a mirror readily available, but he made his way off the collection of towels onto the glass tabletop. A soot black kitten with emerald green eyes looked back at him. There was a small notch in one of his ears. Long whiskers stretched on either side of his face, and tufts of longer fur peaked out between the claws on his large paws. Examining his new body the best he could, he was able to determine a few things about himself. Damian guessed his cat form was approximately a year old, possibly less. He had long, glossy fur and a compact body. From his best guess, he appeared to be one of the larger, long haired breeds of cats. Perhaps a Siberian or Maine Coon. He did make a rather beautiful and striking cat.
Not that he would be one for much longer.
Where was Todd?
Damian couldn’t have been out that long. Grumpily, he jumped down from the table,heading to where he knew the bedroom was situated in this small apartment. It may have been a while since he had visited this safe house, but they generally tended to be all laid out the same way. The door to the room was barely open, just a small crack between the door and its frame. Aware that cats’ whiskers tended to be sensitive, Damian gently pushed it open with his paw.
There was a sleeping figure in the bed, raven black hair visible even with their back turned. Todd. Damian approached the side of the bed. He should have the instincts necessary to clear this. Cats were excellent jumpers. However, this was his first time jumping up in this body, therefore he would be cautious and take precautions.
Once he was confident he would make it, Damian leaped gracefully onto the bed. Gently picking his way towards his brother’s head, Damian prepared to prod his brother till he awakened. To his surprise, the face peeking out from the mess of blankets was not Todd. It was a young boy, his face relaxed in sleep. There was a small smatter of freckles over the boy’s nose and cheeks. In his surprise, Damian sat down on the opposing pillow, staring down at the sleeping boy.
None of this made sense. Why would Jason take in and care for a child? Damian had been under the impression that Todd disapproved of Father’s annoying habit of picking up random strays, yet here Todd was being a complete hypocrite. He flicked his tail in annoyance.
He would watch this interloper until Jason returned. He did not know this person, did not trust them. Although he was smaller, Damian was certain that he could be ferocious and vicious enough to defend himself should this boy turn on him or his brother. Well. Fairly certain.
***
Danny slowly woke up from his nap. He liked to take one after his newspaper route, since he’d had to wake up so early for it. Right in front of his face, one the other pillow was the regal form of a young cat, young enough that it could possibly still be called a kitten. Blinking sleepily, he spoke to his new roommate.
“ Mornin’ kitty. Glad to see you up and about,” Danny mumbled, slowly sitting up and rubbing his eyes. The cat regarded him with suspicious emerald eyes. They were rather pretty. The little cat he’d saved was gorgeous with his long fluffy fur. The cat was male, and definitely not done growing, based on those massive fluffy paws.
“How you doin’ bud? You look good. Can I pet you? Give you some scritches?” Danny asked softly, slowly reaching out, trying to give the cat an opportunity to sniff his fingers. He didn’t know how feral the cat was, and if it was already distrustful of humans. To Danny’s disappointment, his fingers got within half a foot before the cat fluidly moved, leaving the bed and heading towards the open door to glare at him. Danny sighed.
Pretty feral then.
Fuck.
Feral cats usually didn’t end up making it in animal shelters. Being generally untrustworthy of humans, they tended to be unadoptable. That was why trap, neuter, and release (TNR) programs were so popular in cities. They dealt with the feral cat population in a humane way. Feral kittens generally could be introduced to humans and become loving family pets, but this one might be too old for that. Maybe Danny could keep him? Some cats were known to just have one person, one person who they loved, and no one else.
Was it selfish of him to kinda want that?
And could he even afford to keep the cat?
He had no idea how long he could bum it out in this apartment. Someone had to be paying the water and electricity bills, since it hadn’t been turned off yet. Was it even a smart idea to try and keep a cat when he didn’t even know how long he’d be staying here?
No.
It really wasn’t.
He would just enjoy it for a little bit. Be less alone for a little while.
Getting out of bed, he made his way to the kitchen. He needed to eat, and find something for his feline guest.
***
It had been three days before Damian was able to slip out between Danny’s legs to escape. Danny was the name of the runaway who had made himself at home in Todd’s safe house. On day two it had become clear that Todd was also unaware of his house guest. His respect for his brother decreased once he’d realized that.
Damian ignored Danny’s pleas and cries for him to come back. He would not! He needed to make his way to a roof top one block away, where Todd would pass by on patrol. If Todd did not realize it was him, he was certain he could stakeout a few other spots. They would be more difficult to get to as a cat, but he was confident in his abilities and his tenacity.
It was nice to stretch his legs (paws?) and practice jumping. There was something unique about the smoggy air that filled Gotham’s sky, made stronger by the enhanced nose of a cat. Damian could hear far better too. Nothing could sneak up on him! Was this how Jon felt sometimes? Like he could hear and smell everything? He must admit, it was a tad overwhelming. He had more admiration for Jon now, after experiencing such a cacophony of sensations that could easily have been overwhelming.
Climbing to the rooftop, Damian took a moment to look around him. There were thick, roiling clouds overhead, threatening to encase Gotham in a torrential rain. The sun was setting. That was one of the few times Gothamites were able to see the sun, when it rose and fell. It was good that it was dusk, that meant he would not have to wait much longer until Todd, as Red Hood, would swing by. Hopefully before the rain came. He was currently a cat. When he was human, he could remove sopping wet clothes. Cats could not remove their fur, he would need to wait till he dried, unfortunately.
Time passed, the light of the sun disappearing. It sprinkled a few times, Damian stubbornly staying on the rooftop. He would not miss it when Todd came through here. Damian’s patience was rewarded. Jason landing on cement roof with his heavy brown boots. Damian darted out, meowing loudly. Unfortunately his voice as a cat was still rather high pitched and adorable. He needed to catch Todd’s attention before he left this spot!
Red Hood careened wildly, avoiding stepping on Damian.
“Jeez! Shit! What the fuck!” Hood swore.
“Fucking hell cat, you can’t just go around jumping out in front of people. You’re going to get stepped on,” Todd scolded, crouching down to stroke Damian’s sides.
He would allow it. Damian needed Jason’s cooperation. Purring, albeit unintentionally, Damian headbutted Jason’s hand. He gazed his big, green eyes at the helmeted man. Notice. Come on Todd. Notice something!
“You’re a friendly little fella,” Todd commented, then sighed deeply.
“I don’t suppose you haven’t seen an obnoxious little Robin anywhere? No? Yeah, didn’t think so,” Red Hood said glumly.
Damian could have groaned in frustration. He was right here Todd! Pay attention! Continuing to purr, he meowed loudly at his elder brother. Jason stood up, preparing to resume his route. He could not let that happen. He weaved his way between Red Hood’s legs, once again meowing loudly.
“You sure are a cutie. Demon Brat would love you. Sorry cat. I have - WE have to keep searching for him. I’ll bring him around here. He’ll give you lots of love. May even take you home. That is if you’re not somebody’s pet. You’re pretty clean and well fed for an alley cat.”
No.
He would not let Todd leave!
Damian sunk his claws into the fabric of Todd’s pant leg. Although. Based on Red Hood’s howl, he’d likely gotten some flesh as well.
“Motherfucker! Get off you stupid cat!”
Large hands gently pried him off and set him down. Damian twisted around, trying to attach himself back to Todd’s person. His brother, though, was booking it across the rooftop, grappling away just a second later.
Fuck.
Todd had not figured it out. He needed someone smarter. Drake, came to mind. But first. He should make his way back to the safe house. He could eat and rest till it was time to confront Red Robin.
Disappointed, he made his way back. It was harder this time, his damp fur was heavy. It only got heavier as the heavens opened and rain began to fall. Shivering, Damian picked up his speed. It wasn’t that much further. Would Danny let him in? No. He would. Danny had a kind enough heart to pick up a cold, collapsed cat on the side of the road. There was no way he would leave Damian out in the rain.
Padding under the stoop, Damian sat down in front of the front door of the apartment. He meowed as loud as he could, before stretching up and scratching down the door. His heart picked up when he heard shuffling inside. The door handle jiggled. Danny’s face peaked out.
Relief and joy spread across Danny’s face, the door opening wider to let Damian in.
“You came back!” Danny breathed in wonder.
Damian made his way into the home, his fur dripping water onto the fake wood floors. He did not venture far into the apartment, not wishing to leave puddles everywhere. He did have manners. Damian would not abandon those, despite the fact that he currently wasn’t human.
“I can’t believe you came back,” Danny said with a smile, inching closer with a towel the boy had grabbed from the bathroom.
Damian allowed the teen to gently towel dry him. He flicked his ear in annoyance when he felt Danny sneak in a pet or two during the drying process. It felt nice, but he didn’t need someone he barely knew pawing at him. Beggars could not be choosers. This was his best option until someone in his family came to their senses and came to the conclusion he’d been turned into a cat.
“I’ll have to get some cat food. And some toys. I should have enough. I don’t have to pay rent or utilities, so I can afford to get you some stuff. Well, more than I already have.” Danny sighed, no longer drying Damian and his fur.
“I was really worried when you ran away. I found you limp on the side of the road, little cat,” he whispered. Danny stood up, taking the towel with him.
“Alright, all done! You’re lucky I was still awake, otherwise you would have been left out there all night,” the teen scolded before walking further into the apartment.
Damian huffed. He was still rather damp, but from experience with Titus and Alfred the cat, there wasn’t much Danny could do about that without a hair dryer, something most animals hated with a passion. He ignored the fact that Danny left the bedroom door cracked open, and the hopeful look sent his way. Damian had no desire to sleep on the bed with Danny. He would take the couch.
***
Damian felt guilty. Danny had bought a variety of cat food, both canned and dry. Cat treats. Cat toys too. Damian had ignored most of it. That wasn’t what he felt guilty about. It was clear that Danny was a meta of some sort, and had little money. Why else would he be holed up in Todd’s safe house? Yet. Danny had spent his meager savings on Damian, to provide him with food and toys.
If Damian was successful, and he would be, he would be going home with Drake tonight, and this feline issue would be resolved within the next few days. Once that was done, he could hopefully provide Danny with some monetary support, as a thank you for taking good care of Damian during this trying time.
Grumbling to himself, Damian made his way down the putrid streets. He suspected it would take him a full day to get to the rooftop that Red Robin would pass by on his patrol route. He was unable to cover as much ground in this smaller form. That and the fact that he could not use a grapple gun to fly across the city as he was accustomed to.
It was intriguing that no one paid a second glance at a black cat slinking down alleyways. Were it not such a pain, this would be an incredible way to conduct espionage and gather intel. He knew Beast Boy would use animal forms to collect intel. However, the green coloring to the animals was usually a dead giveaway.
Panting slightly, Damian had arrived on top of the apartment building. It had taken him nearly all day to get here. Begrudgingly. He laid on the grimy cement. Waiting.
Damian had a chance to rest by the time Red Robin and Spoiler were within hearing distance. Ears swiveling forward, Damian made his way to the center of the roof. He began to meow loudly as they approached.
“Kitty!” Spoiler cheered upon hearing him. “You blend right in, don’t cha?”
“It’s strange this cat is so… vocal,” Red Robin mused aloud. “Maybe don’t get too close to it, it could have Rabies? I’m pretty sure it causes them to act weirdly, and a cat screaming on top of a roof is weird as fuck.”
Damian growled in fury.
“Yikes, yup, probably Rabies cat, let’s go!” Brown yelled, grabbing Drake’s hand and tugging him towards the edge of the roof.
Yowling in rage and desperation, Damian chased them, but to no avail. They escaped. Damian’s heart sank. He would wait one more night. Drake was one of the best when it came to deduction. Not only that, Drake was creative as well, coming up with wild and outlandish plans that would work. Not that Damian would ever tell him that to his face.
Ignoring his hunger, Damian found a comfortable place to wait.
The next night, he heard them.
But they avoided the roof entirely.
Discouraged, Damian slinked back to Danny and the safe house.
***
Danny made his way up the stairs to his top floor apartment, heart heavy. He hadn’t seen the cat this morning either on his newspaper route. He swallowed, his throat tight. Ancients, that cat had already wormed its way into his heart, even though it had only been with him for a few days. Danny hadn’t even named it yet, in fear that he wouldn’t be able to keep it.
It appeared.
That had been a good idea.
Discouraged, he closed his eyes briefly and reached the top of the stairs.
Merow.
Danny’s eyes snapped open. Getting up from its spot in front of the door was the cat. Danny’s breath hitched.
“I - You? I thought you were gone? It’s been three days…” he trailed off in shock.
Meow
The cat responded, looking expectantly at Danny, as if the cat was asking to be let in. As if the cat didn’t get why Danny hadn’t opened the door yet. Laughing softly to himself, Danny stepped up to the door and phased his hand into it. He may not have a key, but using his intangibility, he could access the locking mechanism, allowing him to lock or unlock any physical lock. Or just remove it.
Danny snorted in amusement as his feline friend rushed in, parking himself in the kitchen next to the water bowl. Expecting Danny to feed him immediately. Poor thing probably hadn’t had a decent meal in three days.
“Awww, sweetie, give me a minute to take my shoes off, then I’ll feed you,” Danny said with a mirthful smile.
The grumpy little kitty meowed petulantly. Poor baby. This was a good sign though, wasn’t it? The cat may have gotten out twice, but each time, he’d made his way back to Danny. Should he risk it? Getting attached? Who was he kidding, he already was.
He sighed deeply, crouching to place a bowl of wet food on the floor. The young cat began to scarf down the food. Hesitantly, Danny reached out, stroking down the cat’s side. It kept its head in the bowl, but shifted to the side to get away from his hand. There was something about that rejection that got to Danny.
“You little shit,” he accused wetly.
“I’ve been worried about you the last couple days. Looked for you. They say cats choose their people. Well, have you chosen me or not? Cause it kinda feels like I’m your last choice. Like your last resort”
He sniffed and wiped at his eyes. The cat was staring at him, its eyes piercing into his very soul.
Fuck.
This wasn’t the cat’s fault. This wasn’t truly about the cat, was it?
“Sorry,” He mumbled. He wasn’t sure why he was apologizing to a cat, but it felt wrong not to after he’d lashed out at it, even if the cat couldn’t understand him.
“I didn’t mean that. Just some repressed issues. Kinda always felt like the least important thing to my parents. They cared about everything else more than me. Hell, my dad literally told me to my face that he preferred my sister over me, that she was his favorite.” He stared at the floor between his crossed legs, unwilling to meet the cat’s gaze, which felt like it could see right through him.
“I know you’re not rejecting me to be mean. That’s just how cats are. Aloof. I’ve read that it takes time to build a bond with cats. It’s dumb of me to expect you to love me immediately even though it’s only been a little over a week. That’s stupid.”
Danny jerked his head up in shock when he felt something soft nudge against his hand. There was the cat, standing next to one of his hands which was draped over his crossed legs, emerald eyes boring into him. The feline watched him a moment more, before deliberately headbutting his hand. Satisfied that Danny had seen him do it, or disgruntled that Danny hadn’t responded to the headbut with pets, the cat wandered off, fluffy tail high in the air.
Danny felt something snap in him at the casual, gentle affection he’d been given by his four legged companion, tears spilling down his face.
They didn’t have an amazing bond yet, but the cat definitely liked him. Just you wait, Danny was going to get this cat to love him!
***
Damian halfheartedly pawed at one of the fake mice that was on the floor. He really rather hated them. The scratching post was greatly appreciated, as that allowed him to stretch and use his muscles, as well as sharpen his claws. The window seat was a bit perilous. Damian was skeptical of its sturdiness. It had yet to fall. Yet. Danny was not far behind him, excitedly taking pictures and videos as he ‘played’ with the mouse.
It was beneath him, Damian knew that. However, it made Danny ridiculously happy. He cared about the teen’s happiness. The boy clearly cared for him, deeply. He’d never had anyone show him such open affection and love so quickly before. Richard, perhaps, but when he was first getting to know Nightwing, there’d been this worry from his eldest brother that he would snap and kill anyone that irritated him. It was a credible worry.
It was also incredibly refreshing that Danny was not intimidated or afraid of him. Damian supposed that it was only logical that Danny did not fear a fluffy black cat.
“You’re so cute Spooky! I don’t know how you can look so pissed off while playing, but you do! You pull it off so well Spookums!” Danny said in excitement, his glee and adoration dripping from his words.
Danny had named him Spooky. Spooky. How ironic for the son of Batman to be named that. That had not been Danny’s purpose in naming him that, though. On the night of his naming, Danny had regaled him with the strangest tale of half dying and becoming a half ghost. Hence why Damian, the cat, needed to have a name associated with ghosts.
Damian would have brushed off such an outlandish tale if it wasn’t for the fact that he’d seen Danny phase through objects, float, turn invisible, and more. He suspected that Danny actually had Martian blood, but was unaware and merely attributed his abilities to some near death experience he’d had as a child. Well, a younger teen. Danny was seventeen, one year older than Damian. Besides Jon, Damian didn’t really have any friends his own age. He liked to think that once he became human once more, he could become friends with Danny.
“Bye Spooky! I’ll be back in a couple hours, after all the papers are delivered. Be a good kitty!” Danny said with a brilliant grin.
Damian sighed in relief and began to send all of the fake mice under the couch. If he could get rid of them, then he wouldn’t have to pretend to play with them for a while. One, two, three were ‘lost’ under the couch. Damian was moving the fourth when the lock clicked and the door opened. Strange. What had Danny forgotten?
To his shock, it was Todd. Not Danny. Damian raced towards his brother, meowing excitedly.
“Whoa, hey there kitty cat. You sure are friendly,” his brother said, grinning broadly.
“I’m glad the kid has someone to come home to. You won’t tell your owner I came right?” Todd said teasingly.
Todd… knew Danny was living here? And had done nothing about it? Why?
He followed the man around the apartment, desperately trying to get his attention, to no avail. Jaason ignored him, opening a hidden panel in the wall, where a variety of weapons and equipment was stored.
“Damn cat, does he not pet you or something? Or are you just a needy brat? It looks like you’re pretty well taken care of, which is good, because my little brother would be -” Jason stilled, muscles stiff, before he sighed deeply and continued.
“My little brother would hate it if I knew someone wasn’t taking care of an animal and I did nothing about it. Would never hear the end of it.”
Damian desperately pawed at Jason’s legs, no claws. He didn’t want a repeat of last time where Jason had removed him and ran off. Look at me! I’m right here! Damian though, meowing insistently. Jason closed up the panel, making his way to the kitchen.
“Whoa, watch yourself cat, I don’t want to accidentally step on you,” Todd reprimanded gently.
Damian huffed, annoyed. He was being careful! He just needed Todd to notice him. Crap. He could have used those mice to spell something out. Help. SOS. Robin. Ghul. Damian looked around for anything he could knock over to get items to spell. The best he could find was a large round container that held a variety of stirring spoons, ladles, spatulas, and more. Todd was on his tip toes, pulling out Danny’s emergency cash stash.
“Looks like he’s still doing good. Eh, I’ll sneak in a few hundreds anyway. Kid’s got a cat to take care of now.”
Damian knocked over the kitchen utensils, using his mouth to start to arrange them. If he could spell out SOS then maybe - He yowled as Jason picked him up and set him on the ground, picking up the scattered wooden instruments.
“Hey, not cool! That’s my stuff!”
Damian hissed angrily. Todd was ruining his work! He was trying to give his brother a sign, that it was him, that it was Damian! His little brother!
“You’re just as hot and cold as he is. You’d get along with him so well.” Jason gripped the last wooden stirring spoon tightly, it cracking under his hands.
“Fuck,” Jason breathed, running a hand down his face. “I can’t get him off my mind. The Demon Brat. He’s been missing for over a month now. Dick and Bruce are falling apart. From what Timmy told me, it’s like how it was when I died.”
Damian’s heart clenched. He was right here! There was no need to mourn him! He wasn’t dead!
Just.
A cat.
No longer human.
Unable to speak.
Unrecognizable to any of his family.
“I wasn’t there when they fought those magic users. I was off with the Outlaws. Would he still be here if I’d been there? We’ve interrogated those motherfuckers. Nothing. One of them remembered casting a spell on him, but not what one.”
“That brat, he’s tough. Tenacious. If he was still out there, there’s no way he wouldn’t be doing his damndest to get home. To see Dick. To see Bruce. To be Robin,” affection and respect colored Jason’s voice, as he stared unseeing at the granite countertop.
Damian hopped back onto the counter, nudging Jason with his body. While he may be non verbal, he could hopefully comfort his brother with his presence. Jason didn’t look up, but one of his hands came up to pet his head. A purr rumbled from Damian’s chest.
Jason sighed deeply. Shakily.
“We’ll find him. We have to,” Todd stated with a false confidence.
“See you next time cat,” his brother gave him one last pet before heading towards the door.
Blinking in surprise at the abrupt departure, Damian chased after him. Jason took great care to ensure that Damian could not follow him. As the door closed, Damian felt some of his hope die. If Jason couldn’t realize it was him, when he was right in front of him. When Timothy and Stephanie avoided him because they thought he had rabies. What were his options when it came to them realizing it was him?
***
Damian half heartedly tried to get Red Hood, Red Robin, and Spoiler to realize it was him over the next two months. It never worked. In fact, his efforts only ended up causing Danny to cry. Especially after his last attempt to get Red Robin and Spoiler to notice him. He’d dragged sticks and pieces of garbage to spell out ‘It’s Damian’. It had been disgusting to put his mouth around those, but he’d done it.
In return, Timothy had reported a rabies outbreak in the area, which had Danny utterly sobbing when he’d shown back up at the safe house, worried out of his mind. It had also resulted in a visit to the vet, where Damian had been vaccinated and checked over, much to his dismay.
Todd had shown up once more in the apartment to check on the residence and add more money to Danny’s stash. This time Damian had time to spell out ‘DAM’ before Jason stopped him. Jason had looked tired, deep bags under his eyes. It was strange. He’d never seen Jason this tired. Usually it was Timothy.
He’d let his older brother hug him, even though his feline instincts rebelled, insisting he get out of this restrictive hold. From what Damian had understood from Todd’s incoherent mumbling and slight sobs, the search for Damian was not going well. His family was having to face the fact that Damian might be gone, might truly be dead.
“This is what I tried to stop. No more dead Robins,” Jason whispered brokenly into his fluffy fur. “I failed. We all failed. He was such a brat, such a little gremlin, but he was our brat. Our little murder gremlin. I loved him.”
Besides letting Jason hold him, there was no way to comfort his brother. The spell wasn’t wearing off. It had been three months at this point. Damian had to accept that it might be permanent. If Jason was this shook up over his disappearance and supposed death, he was terrified to see how his father and Richard were taking it.
All too soon, Jason left. Leaving Damian alone once more in the apartment. Waiting for Danny to return. Contemplating his situation and what he wanted to do with the pile of lemons life had dealt him. He would attempt to make some lemonade, but he was certain it would be rather sour.
***
Danny was sitting on the couch, biting his lip. He’d saved up for the last couple months, and he’d had enough to get a Switch. This was rather common for him to do. He was trying to finish Zelda: Breath of the Wild before school came. Tucker had finally managed to get him a forged identity, so he would be starting at Gotham High next month as Danny Nightingale.
He was trying to beat Waterblight Ganon when he felt something by his feet. Furrowing his brow, he ignored it for now. He was so close to beating this boss! After receiving Mipha’s blessing, he looked up from the Switch, his mouth opening in shock at what he saw.
Spooky had situated himself between Danny’s calves, his head resting on Danny’s left shin, emerald eyes gauging Danny’s reaction. He couldn’t believe it. This was the first time in three months that Spooky had sought him out, and had cuddled up next to him. He grinned, excited. Spooky was becoming more comfortable with him!
The cat still slept on the couch every night, but hopefully that would change soon? Spooky had been watching him a lot lately. Playing more with the toys Danny bought. He’d discovered recently that the fake mice were not Spooky’s favorite. The feather wand teaser though? The one that kinda mimicked a bird in flight? Spooky adored that one. He was so graceful, leaping and pouncing to catch the red and green feathers.
Once, Spooky had even grabbed the toy from where it lay on a shelf, dragging it by the feathers and dropping it right in front of Danny. The implication of ‘play with me’ was rather obvious. Danny, excited, had done so. So he was kinda a sucker for the cat. When Spooky looked up at him sweetly with his adorable green eyes and mewing adorably, Danny couldn’t help doing whatever the cat wanted. Extra treats? Done. Playing with the feather toy? Done. Open the blinds so Spooly could look outside? Done.
The only thing he would never do is let Spooky outside intentionally. There was no such thing as an outdoor cat, in Danny’s opinion.
What could he say, Spooky had stolen his heart. And it was so exciting that Spooky was starting to love him back!
Smiling, Danny went back to playing.
***
It was only the first week of school. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t. Really. But it had been triggering nightmares. Danny wasn’t sure why. Jazz might know. But she was sleeping. He couldn’t bother her. Not now.
Meow
Danny turned his head. Spooky’s eyes glimmered in the shadows. Spooky was here? Had he come because Danny was upset? It had been a month since Spooky had first started snuggling up with him on the couch. But since that first morning, Spooky had never gone into the bedroom. Never gotten on the bed.
Yet here he was.
“Hi kitty. Did I wake you? Sorry. Been told I’m loud when I have nightmares,” Danny apologized.
Spooky came closer, then laid down, pressing against the side of Danny’s leg. A soft, faint purr could be heard.
“Thanks for coming, Spooks. Appreciate it. I know you’re still getting used to me.” Danny took a few deep breaths.
“It’s the same nightmare. The one of the portal. Of me dying. Well, half dying,” Danny chuckled bitterly. Spooky's ears flicked towards him, eyes regarding him with interest. He could tell Spooky. Spooky would be the first creature/person he’d tell. Sam and Tucker had been there for the accident, and Jazz had figured it out on her own.
“I was a dumb fourteen year old once, Spooks. Seems like so long ago,” Danny said with a sigh, leaning his head against the headboard.
“I wanted to impress a girl. So I walked into a portal to a different dimension. It didn’t work, so why couldn’t I? What could possibly happen?” He asked with a bitter laugh, closing his eyes.
“What arrogance,” he spat, feeling his eyes light up ectoplasmic green.
Spooky startled, getting up and backing away. When nothing else happened, Spooky slowly approached him, stopping just within arms reach. Hesitantly, slowly, Danny reached out, letting the cat sniff him. The feline stayed after checking out Danny’s hand. Did that mean he could pet Spooky? Gently, Danny gave the cat a few strokes along its side, holding his breath the entire time, smiling when the feline didn’t leave.
“Of course, I tripped, it turned on, and then I got zapped,” Danny took a shaky breath.
“It was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. And I changed forever. I’m no longer fully human. Yay!” Danny cheered sarcastically.
Spooky looked at him, unblinkingly. Tentatively, Danny kept petting him, feeling himself relax a bit, his eyes dimming and losing their glow, returning to their normal icy blue. As he pet Spooky, he began to nod off. Danny slowly shifted till he was laying back down.
“You gonna stay? Or you gonna go back to the couch?” He asked the feline sleepily. As if understanding his question, Spooky nestled in, next to his chest, about six inches below Danny’s armpit. Danny’s heart felt warm. Spooky was staying! He smiled as he drifted back to sleep.
***
Danny grinned as he got into pajamas. Spooky was already on the bed, waiting for him. His cat had been cuddling with him every night, sleeping either next to Danny’s chest or between his legs. Sometimes, when Spooky really wanted pets, he would sit on Danny’s chest, giving his chin little licks with his sandpapery tongue.
Yeah, he’d won Spooky’s heart these past six or so months!
No big deal or anything!
Not only that, but his kitty had stopped getting loose! And had been playing a lot more! Danny’s album on his phone was chock full of pictures and videos of the rambunctious kitten getting into everything, playing, running around, sleeping. Really, anything the cat did, Danny took pictures of.
After brushing his teeth, Danny slid under the covers, smiling as Spooky got up to get closer. The cat snuggled against his chest, giving Danny a slow blink. He couldn’t help but smile happily. According to what he’d read online, a slow blink from a cat meant they loved you and trusted you! Danny gave Spooky a slow blink in return. Dumb or not, he wanted Spooks to know he loved him, and would do anything for his precious kitty!
Well.
Spooky had been letting him pet him a lot more, give him a lot more cuddles, and been seeking Danny out everytime he came home. Could he risk bringing his head closer without getting swiped? Spooks did have really sharp claws. Making up his mind, Danny bent down, his muscles straining in protest at the awkward position, to press a soft kiss to the top of Spooky’s head.
To Danny’s utter surprise, blue glittery smoke poured from Spooky. Danny scrambled back initially in shock, before trying to get closer. He had to save Spooky! Protect him! He needed to get his kitty -
The smoke cleared in an instant.
There, laying on his stomach on Danny’s bed was Robin.
The vigilante Robin.
Danny’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Robin sat up, looking at his hands, turning them in the faint light from the window.
“Spooky?” Danny asked in a strangled voice.
“I - It was not my intention to deceive you. I apologize. I will get out of your hair.”
With that, Robin jumped off the bed, running to the window, unlatching it and sliding it open, then he hopped into the frame. The vigilante paused, turning to look back at Danny who was still sitting there on the bed, sheets tangled around him, in shock, his mouth hanging open.
“I will not tell anyone of your status as a half ghost, or that you are staying here. I am eternally grateful that you took care of me in my time of need.” Then he was gone, grappling away.
***
There was utter chaos when Damian arrived in the BatCave, announcing his presence by using the BatComputer to speak into his family’s comm units. Richard had zetaed in as soon as he could, hugging Damian and swinging him around, crying into Damian’s hair.
“Richard! Let me go!” Damian complained, although internally he rejoiced at seeing his favorite brother once more.
“We’ve missed you so much Baby Bat! Where have you been?!?” NIghtwing asked desperately, reluctantly putting Robin down.
“I was hit by a spell. The magic only broke around an hour ago. I made my way here immediately once I had returned to my human form.”
“Human form?” Nightwing asked between sniffles.
Damian could see Father, Red Robin, and Spoiler approaching, their posture indicating they wanted to embrace him as well. He did not fight it, thrilled that he could see them and hug them once more, something he’d thought he’d never be able to do again as a cat.
“I was turned into a cat. It seems a kiss was necessary to break the spell,” Damian responded matter of factly. Richard stiffened.
“Wait. A kiss? Like True Love’s kiss?!?” Richard exclaimed hysterically.
There was even more chaos after that, and for once, Damian embraced it. He was with his family once more.