He'd stand with his arms crossed when you coo at Lucy: “She isn't an infant, Beloved."  While she squeaks and chirps in something akin to laughter.  

Worst of all was when you'd mumble sleepily to Alfred as he dozed off next to you. Damian found this so shameful that he'd huff and roll over so he wouldn't have to witness it.

Of course, you noticed the conflict on his face, the tell-tale dark red tips of his ears and the way he’d hide his face from you.  

But you didn’t really realise what it all meant until he came home late one night after finishing a grueling shift at the hospital.  

You heard the door click open and closed again, and waited for him to find you on the couch instead of greeting him at the door. He likes to completely shed the day off, shower and change before he can properly relax, especially after such a long shift. 

But this time, he came right into the living room to stand at the edge of the couch. He'd only slipped his shoes and coat off, tired eyes gazing down at you. You wordlessly rolled onto your back and patted your chest.  

He easily fell into your arms, body going limp on the couch he was just a little too big for, sock clad feet hanging off the armrest.  

You rubbed a hand down his back as he let out a long breath that feels like he’d been waiting a while to let go. It warmed you that he could find comfort in you, especially since you couldn’t always find the right words to say.   

Alfred trotted over, climbing up on the couch, and looking irritated that his owner had taken his favourite spot, he curled up in the crook of your neck instead. It was perfect; your two stoic boys trusting you to soothe them to sleep.  

You lifted a hand from where your boyfriend’s head laid on your chest to gently stroke the cat’s head.  

"Awww, sleepy baby~"  

Alfred's eyes fell closed, nudging slightly into the touch. You didn't register how Damian's arms tightened around you or how his face grew hotter against your skin, your fingers mindlessly combing through his hair 

"Is my pretty boy tired?"  

You take your eyes off Alfred when your boyfriend nods his head. Just a little, enough that you pause your movements, only starting again when he grumbles. 

You think you must’ve imagined it. He's just nuzzling into you for warmth and it looks like he's answering or maybe he’s so tired he doesn’t even realise what you're saying. You bring your nails up from his nape to behind his ear and back down, a weak spot of his.  

"Aw, sweet baby~ Are you gonna have a nap?"  

He nods again, undeniable this time and you crack a wide smile that you're sure he would just hate to see if he could take his face out of your chest. You turn your head to Alfred as if you could share this glorious moment with him. He remains uninterested.  

You keep your tone very soft, just like you'd talk to Alfred.

"You don't wanna change first? Shower and eat something?"  

He shakes his head, legs shifting to lock yours in place more firmly.  

"Stay." 

The word was just barely a whisper, muffled against your skin. You pat his back reassuringly.  

"Alright, big guy. My strong, handsome, heavy man."  

You feel him huff and shake his head just barely, like he doesn’t want to reward you with a reaction. You place a kiss on his head.  

"Precious, hard working, smart, sexy, pretty baby- ” 

His hand slides up from your side to cover your mouth and you laugh and pinch his hot ears in retaliation, making him swipe your hand away. You both softly laugh and settle down again, matching the other's slow breaths.

His hair tickles when you lay another kiss on his head, arms surrounding him.

"I love you very much."  

"I luv y'too, m'luv." 

His muffled words are barely audible against your skin and you rest your head back on the plush pillow under you, thinking of all the fun things you can do with this new discovery when he wakes up.  

Damian—unsatisfied with the current state of the painting—stood up. Guided by the faint glow of the moonbeams, he avoided the many art supplies lining the studio’s floor.

To Damian, art was both the most calming and most frustrating thing he could do—depending on the day.

Today it was the latter.

He stared at the messy graphite thumbnail he had drafted before laying eyes on his painting once more. Your clothes were meant to be far richer than what he had painted, the flowers on the side were meant to be a rare blue—not white!

What in the name of Ra was he doing?

“Tt.”

Already over his amateur mistake, Damian took a seat on the floor searching for the correct hues to use in fixing his coloring mishaps. It didn’t help that the studio was pitch black save for the moonbeams seeping through the open windows and a singular desk lamp that he had to move quite often.

However, he just couldn’t bring himself to turn on the lights; it would risk waking you up.

In the very corner of the room, the only place untouched by the scattered art supplies and splatters of paint, was you— his slumbering girlfriend.

Looking at you now, he wondered how you could sleep through his silent frustration that seemed to suffocate the room, yet there you were; completely undisturbed.

Suddenly, the search for the perfect blue felt entirely trivial.

Snatching a stray pencil, he headed to sit by the mattress you lay on.

Damian had insisted on buying this mattress—an absurdly expensive high end one— for the sole purpose of letting you—his beloved—rest whenever you were keeping him company in the studio.

You had the habit of being uneasy if he was not in your line of sight, to the point where you would stay up waiting for him to return from patrol, college, or a long mission.

You could get behind Damian not being beside you in bed, as long as you could look over and see him.

He simply could not bear the thought of you resting on the floor, or a random uncomfortable plastic chair.

As he quietly sunk onto the floor, he flipped the book onto a blank page and started sketching. Capturing his sleeping muse in quick strokes of his pencil.

Titus shifted in his place by your feet. The big dog had developed the habit of guarding you, even more so than Damian himself. He was proud, and slightly taken aback at the same time.

He adjusted the lamp, stopping the graphite on the page from reflecting a harsh glare.

With the drawing now finished, Damian wished to return to his half done painting resting in the middle of the studio.

However, he made no move to actually do so.

His eyes didn’t stray far from your back, rising and falling with soft breaths.

Perhaps, this could wait till my return from college tomorrow. He thought, already climbing onto the makeshift bed.

Sliding between the blankets, he was so careful not to jostle the warm weight of you, or Titus. The Great Dane merely let out a sleepy puff of air, acknowledging Damian’s presence before going back to sleep.

“Hayati…?” Came your soft, heavy with sleep voice. You turned slightly to look up at him.

Damian pulled your form closer, using a hand to guide your head to rest against his chest, right over his heart.

“Shhh, go back to sleep, Habibti.”

It didn’t take much convincing to have you close your eyes, already surrendering to the feeling of his fingers running through your hair, lulling you to sleep.

“You should really sleep more, Damian.” You scolded, referring to his habit of staying up late even on days with no patrol.

“Yes beloved, I should.” He agreed, feeling your body go slack on top of his.

Minutes later, after being reassured that you were completely out, Damian lowered his head, brushing his lips against your forehead in a soft barely there kiss.

“Good night, Titus.” He whispers to his beloved dog, before closing his own eyes.

“Good night, Habibti.”

That painting of you could definitely wait, especially since he had the real you in his arms.

a/n: hi moonbeams, first thank you for reading this one shot. I decided to practice writing something shorter, after all not everything can be a 20 something chapter story. Second, thank all of you who read and showed love to the first chapter of Ancient spells and fallen birds, chapter 2 is in its final phase and should be posted soon. If you wish to be tagged pls tell me in the comments. Once again thank you<3