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Grayson leads the way to the kitchen, humming a lilting tune that Damian doesn’t recognize as they go and pointing out various pictures on the wall and giving some background on them. One photo in particular had Grayson chuckling at just the memory. It showcased Wayne with a wide smile that you could only tell was forced if you were looking closely. Apparently, it was taken at a gala and Wayne had noticed mere moments before that Grayson was hiding in the chandelier. Since the paparazzi were taking photos, he couldn’t shout at his rambunctious child. Damian couldn’t help but crack a slight smile at that. It was such a ridiculous tale that it could have easily been false, but knowing Grayson’s background, it was almost doubtlessly true.
However, the closer they got to the kitchen, the more DamiaA Bn’s insides twisted into knots. The list weighed heavily in his pocket, and he was incredibly anxious about turning it in. Grayson was incredibly excessive and indulgent when writing it. Despite his good intentions, Damian was worried he’d be scolded and punished for demanding these luxuries, let alone the sheer number of them.
He learned long ago in the League of Shadows that he was not entitled to anything even though he was the Demon’s heir. Everything had to be earned, and even his title could be stripped at any point in time. While his mother would occasionally give him things, she had to show restraint to not weaken either of their positions within the League. He hasn’t been with the Bats long enough to have earned anything. They were already being incredibly generous by giving him a soft bed, several sets of clothes, and delicious meals where he could eat as much as he wanted. Asking for so much felt like it might put those things he already has in jeopardy.
Dick strolled into the kitchen, completely carefree, with Damian trailing anxiously behind him. Pennyworth had been chopping vegetables on the kitchen island, but looked up when the two walked in. “Hello Master Dick, Master Damian,” the elderly butler said formally. “Lunch will be ready in a few minutes. Is there something I can help you with?”
“Damian finished his list!” Grayson said cheerfully, and Damian’s stomach flipped. With both men looking at him, Damian reluctantly pulls the piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over, taking utmost caution to keep his hands from shaking.
Pennyworth carefully unfolded the page and scanned through it, something almost imperceptively changing in his expression. Damian swallowed nervously and waited for the man’s verdict, already fearing the worst.
“I see Master Dick helped you,” Pennyworth said evenly before his tone and expression took on an air of complete and utter disappointment. “Chalk thingies?” he asks accusatorily, but his question wasn’t directed at Damian.
Grayson shrugs, an uncaring grin on his face. “What? I couldn’t remember what they were called!”
“Are you referring to charcoal or oil pastels? Both of which are things your art teacher tried to instruct you in…” Pennyworth glances over at Damian before pulling a pen out of his suit pocket and starts writing something down. “No matter, Master Damian should try both mediums.”
Damian’s heart soared at that, and he couldn’t prevent the astonished ‘Really?’ that slipped out. Pennyworth gives him a soft look and replies, “Of course. You deserve to explore your interests. Besides, it’s nice to have a member of the family who has an appreciation for the finer things in life.” Pennyworth pauses for a moment, thinking. “We’ll have to take you to the Gotham Museum of Art. I have a feeling you’d thoroughly enjoy it.”
This was beyond everything he could have hoped for. He’s heard of charcoal, but he’s never heard of oil pastels. And now he gets to try both of those and still get all of the other art supplies he’d asked for? This was practically a dream come true.
“I have some lotion in storage that I can bring to your room until I can get something with ingredients you’re more accustomed to, but more importantly, are you cold?” Pennyworth’s tone is curious, as if he truly wants to help him.
Mustering up his courage, still terrified of being a burden, Damian manages to say, “Gotham may be a little cooler than what I am accustomed to.”
Pennyworth nods before turning to Grayson. “Why don’t you let Master Damian borrow one of your hoodies until I can order a few for him.”
Grayson deflates slightly and says, “Fiiiiine. I suppose it was only a matter of time anyway.” He then pauses and looks at Damian before a mischievous smile breaks out on his face. Damian immediately doesn’t trust it. “You’re going to absolutely swim in it!”
Why would he swim in this hoodie thing? Is this a test of his abilities? To prove he won’t drown with extra weight dragging him down? As soon as he learned to swim, his instructors started attaching more and more weight to him so that he would be able to stay afloat even whilst wearing armor, so he would pass this test easily. However, that won’t fix him being cold. Will he get to wear a dry one once he proves himself?
Grayson rushes off, his heavy footfalls echoing through the halls. Less than a minute later, the man comes flying back into the kitchen with a black ball of clothing under his arm. “Tada!” he says proudly, holding up the article of clothing for Damian to inspect. It seemed like a jacket, but without the zipper and with the addition of a hood and a large front pocket.
Before Damian could do anything, Grayson dragged the hoodie over his head. It was so large that Grayson had to help him get his arms through the holes. The hoodie was practically a tunic on him, the hem hanging halfway between his ankles and knees. “I knew it!” Grayson shouted gleefully. “You look so cute!”
Damian’s heart throbbed momentarily. Jason was the first and only person to ever call him cute. He even had to explain the word to him. It felt wrong for someone else to call him that. “I’m not cute,” Damian insisted, but Grayson clearly wasn’t listening. With a sigh, he allows Grayson to fawn for a moment before asking, “When will I be swimming?”
“What?” Grayson asks, confusion clouding his features before he seems to realize what Damian is referring to. “Don’t worry, you don’t actually have to swim! When I said that I only meant that my hoodie was going to be really big on you.”
‘Oh,” Damian replied. He clearly had a lot to learn about the culture here. But now that he wasn’t going to get hurled into a pool or other body of water, he allowed himself to sink into hoodie’s warmth. It was just as soft and cozy as Grayson had promised.
Eventually, he says, “You might have been right regarding hoodies. This is acceptable.”
“Glad you like it, Damian,” Grayson replies with a teasing smirk as he tugs the hood over Damian’s head until it covers his eyes. The man starts laughing at him, but it didn’t feel mean spirited. If anything, it felt like when Jason would tease him. A small little spark of warmth ignited in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, Gotham wouldn’t be quite as miserable as he thought.