"I'm Scared I'll Never Sleep Again..."
Damian Wayne x AFAB! Reader, Slow burn, 1.6k words
Damian Wayne has never been one to beg. He is prideful, and sometimes arrogant by nature. One thing he didn't expect though Is [Name] coming into his life. How they met was honestly just a moment played so well that it seemed as if fate itself tricked him.
They met at a bookstore close to the nicer side of Gotham. He was out with Jason that day, since Jason was waiting for some new hard cover edition of whatever book he wanted. He sighed walking into the door, while Jason immediately went to go ask one of the store's staff for direction. Upon arriving to the book section as Damian followed Jason, there was this girl sitting on the floor trying to find a book rather clumsily. Her hands fumbled, and her face had the deepest look of concentration he's seen on Tim's face while reading logistic reports.
She sighed and got back up, making sure her clothes weren't dusty. As [Reader] got up some book which was wobbly from the top bookshelf fell down her face. She started bleeding, to which Damian slightly grumbled as he noticed Jason slowly retreating to another book isle. He was about to follow when he heard her sniffle. Damian walked up to her, and he pulled out his handkercheif from the inside of the jacket he was wearing and handed it to her.
She looked at him up with surprise and gave him a small smile.
She whipped her nose, as he left.
"I'll give this back to you when I see you again! Promise!" [Reader] said as Damian walked off with Jason. The next time he saw her was at a coffee run with Tim, Steph, and Cass. [Reader] smiled at him and waved softly. She came up to him and simply returned the handkerchief.
"Thank you so much for letting me use it! I made sure to clean it really well. I hope it doesn't bother you." She smiled at him. Damian didn't think he'd seen her again. He simply put it in his pocket and gave a small...
A couple weeks past and they kept seeing each other. Bumping into each other in the library, shops, and such. One night while patrolling something happened. He got injured pretty badly and couldn't really get to the batcave. What was worse though was the fact that he ran out of the bandages he kept in his belt. He was on top of a roof top of an apartment complex with balconies, then he saw you coming out of one of the doors.
[Reader] heard a noise at night while sleeping. Someone's footsteps on the roof, and the light pattering of the rain. Then she heard a loud thump, even though it's Gotham, and despite her better judgement she went out. What she saw left her shocked. Robin. THE ROBIN ON TOP OF THE BUILDING SHE LIVES AT.
She gasped, Damian heard and looked down at her. The girl from the bookstore. She noticed his leg, and rushed inside for the first aid kit her parents keep underneath the bathroom and rushed back outside.
Damian came down and found himself being treated. Soft hands helping him, slightly clumsy the same way he's seen [Reader] do the first time he saw her. He calmly took the bandages and started wrapping himself. After he was finished he simply left.
Back in the batcave, Bruce and the others were preparing to start debriefing when he came in.
"Damian where were you?" Bruce's voice rang out through the walls of the cave.
"I can handle myself Father."
"I know that Damian. I saw the footage on how you got injured. You need to more careful."
"I'm aware of that due to your incessant nagging."
"Get Alfred on that wound and clean up."
The rest of the night went as normal. This happened multiple times throughout two years. Eventually, while as Robin, Damian would go visit and see how [Reader] was. Sometimes bloodied and bruised, others while simply being tired for the night. He found comfort in someone so unlike him it felt unreal. He even started befriending [Reader] as a civilian.
[Reader] sometimes during these visits would notice Robin's quirks were similar of that to Damian. His habits, his smell, even his skin color. But even behind that white domino mask, there was something so genuine in his expression. Something soft and borderline devotional.
Of course his family had to notice. It happened during breakfast. It's one of those rare days were Dick decided to join them to eat since he wanted an escape from Bludhaven for at least a week. It started with Tim commenting on something along the lines of Damian not really being too present anymore, and how he's started smelling a bit like a girl now when he gets back to the cave after patrol.
"You're being delusional Drake. I do no such thing." Damian responded sharply.
"You literally do!" Tim said laughing, while Cass nodded her head and giggled slightly. Duke smirked and glanced at Cass.
Dick broke into the conversation, "Why you got somethin' for a girl little wing?" he said with his usual smile, Damian huffed.
"I have to get ready. I have places to be." with that Damian got up and walked to his room.
With that he got dressed and ready for school, his phone dinged on his desk.
[Reader.]: Hey Dami I was wondering if we could study tgth after school? :3
[Damian W.] Sure. Where do you want to meet up?
[Reader] How about the library?"
After school he walked to the library when he got there he saw [Reader] smiling and waving at him. Damian felt as if he was going to be sick. In a weird way. As if this girl, she dug her way into his heart and left a dent in his soul in the most unexpected way possible. They both headed inside.
"I got us cake from that one shop you like!" [Reader] beamed at him.
Damian nodded, offering a slight quirk of his lips. While studying he noticed how [Reader] leaned into him as he tutored her. She teased him here and there, telling him about how he was way smarter than her in math. He could smell her perfume, it was soft, very much floral, with hint of powder beneath the floralness of her perfume.
[Reader] on the other hand could smell his cologne. It was something very woody, he smelled like spruce but also the undertones of teenage boy, which is very musty. He smelled good, she had to admit.
"Y'know Dami you smell nice."
Damian was slightly surprised.
He gave a gruff and short, "Thank you." in return. As they studied, they were eating the cake, and [Reader] got a bit on the corner of her mouth to which Damian quickly, almost instinctively reached out and cleaned it. [Reader]'s cheeks grew hot, she was so sure Damian could see her blushing while he just went back to eating his cake.
He gave her almost a weird look, seeing her flustered was new to him. She hid her face from him and he leaned in. He softly grabbed her face, leaning into her and waiting until [Reader] nodded her head giving her consent. The kiss was soft. It wasn't at all dominating, just in the moment. Intimate.
After a while Alfred went to go pick the two up, dropping off reader at her home. Alfred noticed the boy's slightly flustered face, giving him a small smile.
When [Reader] walked through the door she was so happy. She basically squealed into her pillow as she fell on her bed face down. It was perfect. So perfect.
When Damian got to the manor, he felt strange. He didn't know if it was love, or devotion, or both. Whatever it was is that he felt happiness. True happiness, not just in the moment but in the way it lingered and stayed in his mind.
A couple days past since the event at the library. Damian had been thinking, contemplating. That night during patrol he visited [Reader] again. He can't shake this feeling, not at all. As he hopped onto the balcony his motives were clear. He took of his mask, as he knocked on the door. [Reader] stirred opening the curtains and opening the door.
"Damian? What're you doin' here?"
"Wait you're in the robin costume...You're robin? I mean I had my suspicions it made sense but I can't believe I was right!"
"Yes beloved, I am robin. I came tonight with purpose though. I come seeking your love."
"Damian, you've always had it."
He brought her in by her waist.
"You are what I think of when I go to sleep, my first thought in the morning, and the person I look forward to seeing every time we plan something. You are the reason I cannot sleep at night sometimes. I am scared of loosing you so will you do the honor of being my partner?"
[Reader] smiled softly, leaning into him.
They kissed again, and surprisingly tonight, the Gotham sky cleared of it's gloomy-ness. The stars shone despite their stunt in the city lights. The fates brought the two together, forming a new chapter in each other's lives.
Damian Wayne isn't one for human connection, yet he longs for it like any other person, he has struggles, flaws, and quirks. But those are the things that make him truly him. The core of his very being, and the very reason why you feel in love with him.
A/N: omg I this is my first full work, hope ya'll like it and there is way more to come!