#seeing things

Sometimes he wishes that it would. That every night his brother would stand before him, accusing Damian for what he’d done. But he knows that is only his guilt and grief speaking. He knows that it wouldn’t make up for what he’d done.

The only way he can even come close to making up for what he’d done is by being kind to the siblings he has now, protecting them like he hadn't been able to protect Danyal.

He is about to head down to the cave to suit up for patrol, but pauses first at his desk where he pulls out a folded drawing of a young boy with tousled black hair, bright blue eyes, and a small scar cutting through his left eyebrow. The boy in the picture is smiling in a way that Damian rarely got to see.

He gently places it back before heading down to the cave.

Nothing major happens on patrol which just makes Damian’s uneasy feeling worse. There is something off with the city, he can feel it. Something is coming, and he needs to be on high alert.

The next day the feeling is still there, though he can’t help but think that it might just be because he’s hardly slept these last few days with all the nightmares he’s had. But still… it feels as if he’s on a collision course, though he can’t tell yet if it will be good or bad.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. Maybe he should go volunteer at his favorite animal shelter. Spending time with the animals always helps him to destress. And if he’s lucky he’ll even manage to sneak a new pet home.

He asks Alred to take him, wishing he was legally old enough to have a license. After Aldfred drops him off, Damian is about to step into the shelter when he feels a slight tug in his gut. He frowns, turning in a circle but can’t see anything.

He steps away from the shelter, letting the strange feeling guide him, but keeping a wary eye out, his hand hovering over his distress beacon. 

It stops when he reaches a quiet intersection. Across the street is a thrift store. He frowns at it, seeing nothing strange. He looks around, wondering what led him here and why.

It didn’t feel malignant, but that doesn’t mean much. Out of the corner of his eye he catches a glimpse of someone. He turns to look and startles.

The person who just turned the corner, looked strangely like… but it can’t be. Damian hurries after the boy he saw turn into one of Gotham’s many alleys. The alley had a dead end, but there was no one there. Damian knows he saw someone. He’s sure of it. 

He looks around again, jumping up to the roof to look around up there, but still he sees no one.

Was his mind just playing tricks on him? But, no. He knows he saw someone, even if it wasn’t…

It might have been a clone. But he hasn’t seen any signs of Mother or Grandfather recently. And if it is a clone it hasn’t attacked him yet. Is it watching him, trying to find the best time to attack? Or just wat=itng until the evening so he can attack Damian when he’s Robin.