#dickdamiweek

“Who--”

“Your essence is most at peace here.”

“Grayson...?” Even as Damian breathed the question, he knew he was wrong.

It wasn’t in the physical aspects, although they were a bit of a dead giveaway. Pale skin with near hints of blue veins peaking through, along with eyes so gold they nearly shone in the dim light. No, it was in the pull Damian felt. It was nothing like the charisma Richard once had. This was unnatural. Twisted. And infinitely stronger, Damian realized as he suddenly found himself mere feet away from the intruder. 

“What are you?” he demanded.

“What am I? You called for me. You prayed for me. And you don’t know what I am?” The thing within Richard tilted his head in a mockery of amusement.

“I called for no one,” Damian argued. “I merely asked that this vessel be saved.”

“And I am saved thanks to you.” A hand came up and cool fingers caressed Damian’s cheek. “But you cannot offer such potent virgin’s blood to the Other Side and expect nothing to heed such a call. You need not worry, though.” The hand fell away and his voice lowered. “Because I agreed to what I have become.”

The sight of Richard’s wide stare as his lips hissed out “yes” flashed through Damian’s memory.

“What are you?” he repeated.

“Your butler let us in,” Ducard says, reclining on his bed.

“I can’t believe you have a butler!” Mizoguchi says, spinning around on his chair. “He’s got the posh accent and everything.”

“Isn’t Alfred great?”

“He gave us these snickerdoodles!”

“He said we could wait for you here.”

“And that you’d be back shortly.”

Damian points to the door. “Get out!”

“Tch, rude,” Ducard says, rolling her eyes. “And we came all this way. Isn’t he just terrible?”

“Abominable manners,” Mizoguchi adds, with an offended sniff.

Damian plants a palm to his face. He severely regrets letting these two meet. They’ve made some sort of blood pact to torment him till the end of his days. He will never again know peace.

“What. Do you. Want?” he spits out through grit teeth.

“Oh silly Dami,” Ducard says, sitting up. “It’s not what we want. It’s what you want.”

“Maya told me about your crush,” Mizoguchi explains.

“What? I don’t- That’s preposterous! Infatuations are beneath me!”

“Oooh, me thinks the gentleman doth protest too much,” Mizoguchi teases, snickering.

“It’s only the most obvious thing about you.” Ducard rolls her eyes. “And you’re not exactly subtle about anything.”

“Total drama queen.”

“Showstopper.”

“Spotlight thief.”

“Diva.”

“Prima donna.”

“Enough!!!” Damian slams his fist on the wall. “Just say your piece and leave me be!!!”

Ducard and Mizoguchi share a look before turning back to him.

“Just ask him out,” Mizoguchi says, looking solemn. It’s strange to see her not cheerful.

“Honestly, it’s so painful to watch you dance around him like you’re walking on hot coals,” Ducard adds, her brow pinched from concern.

“I have walked on hot coals,” he replies with his usual pomp.

Ducard and Mizoguchi keep staring at him. They say nothing.

Damian sighs, slumping his shoulders. “Honestly, the hot coals were less painful than - than this.”

“That’s messed up,” Ducard says.

“Did you really walk on coals?!” Mizoguchi asks.

Ducard shoots her a silencing look. Mizoguchi laughs sheepishly. Shaking her head, Ducard turns back to him.

“Ask him out,” she says. “Why put yourself through this torture? You might have a chance.”

“Is it because he’s your brother?” Mizoguchi asks.

“Or is it because he’s older?”

“Or do you feel too young?”

“Are you intimidated by his experience?”

“Or scared he’ll turn you down?”

“No,” Damian cuts in before they can ask another impertinent question. “That’s not it.”

Ducard hums thoughtfully. Then she hops to her feet, walking closer to him. She stops just a foot away.

“You’re scared he’ll say yes,” she says.

Mizoguchi gasps. “What??!!”

“I don’t hafta to tell you how stupid that is. You already know,” Ducard continues, crossing her arms. “Go ask him out.”

“It’s not that easy!” Damian bark out. He meets her gaze before looking away. “I can’t… I can’t… I don’t know how…”

“If it’s about the dating thing, y’know. I’m sure he’ll understand. Dick doesn’t seem hard to please.”

“Yeah, Dami! And you’re pretty fun! I mean…” Mizoguchi giggles nervously. “You’re pretty fun to hang with. And dating’s basically that but with like. More commitment.”

“Have you dated anyone?” Damian snaps.

“Does it matter? It’s common sense!” Mizoguchi fires back.

“But that’s not… That’s not your problem, is it?” Ducard says, tapping her chin. Ever since their globe-trotting jaunt, his quest for atonement, he’s found it difficult to hide anything from her. She can be exceedingly perceptive when prompted. If only she used these skills on someone else.

“Just… go away…” Damian sighs. “I’m about to leave for patrol and-”

“What’s the worse that could happen?” Ducard asks, cutting him off.

Damian doesn’t know where to begin. Grayson is loving and affectionate. He has personal boundaries thicker than the Great Wall of China. Grayson would want to attend parties or see shows or some other thoughtless, fun thing. All he wants to do is stay at home and train, maybe walk Titus if he feels like it. They have completely polarizing personalities, but even he can recognize the same obstinacy in both him and Grayson. They’d fight and shout awful things at each other and everything but compromise. They wouldn’t know how. The relationship will fail, and a better person could handle it. Damian has never been that person.

Of course, he can’t say that. Ducard stares at him, waiting for an answer. But he keeps his lips tightly shut. A minute passes, and she loudly breathes out.

“Fine, be that way,” she says, shouldering past him. “We’re leaving, Maps.”

Mizoguchi blinks, looking between him and Ducard. “But, we didn’t-”

“C’mon,” Ducard says with more emphasis.

Mizoguchi frowns but stands up, walking over to Ducard. But she stops just before crossing the doorway. Turning to face Damian, she says, “I read somewhere that procrastination is just a fear of failure. But failure isn’t so bad. You can do something, even if you’ll suck at it. That’s okay.”

Damian snorts, and gently closes the door on her and Ducard. It almost seems fantastical, to imagine the kind of childhood Mizoguchi had. For her to say something so… sensible and wise, she must have excellent parents, a supportive family and friends.