For not the first time in his life, Damian reckoned that any heavily spirits presiding above had a vendetta against him. The half-demoness had attempted to assuage his worry by contacting a warlock friend of hers (one Mr Atticus Bulstrode) who was said to be knowledgeable on the matters of gods more so than Constantine or Zatanna. He had concurred. The only way to break the bond with Damian and Anubis (the symbiotic telepathic link) was to have it undone by the casting magician/s. Considering most of them were severely incapacitated, for the foreseeable future, it appeared Damian would be suffering from an unwanted spiritual appendage.

I don't believe I'm so bad. I've been told I'm much better in temperament compared to the likes of Horus and Set. While I do like having a physical form, being purely spiritual isn't so terrible. I hope I'm not causing you too much trouble.

Damian almost felt guilty for mistreating the thousands-of-years-old-god-of-death (which in itself wouldn't make one think such a creature deserved sympathy). He mentally sighed, I hadn't meant...you aren't bad. It's merely...untouched waters for me. Is that the correct English phrase?-

I wouldn't know- I can be quite hopeless regarding the modern colloquialisms and Western idioms. Ooh, I hadn't known those words before. Perhaps your subconscious is seeping in to my conscious. Thoth would be jealous for sure: the god of Wisdom, you know- much nicer than Athena though. I met Athena once. I haven't recovered.

Anubis!

My apologies.

Raven narrowed her eyes, "Is there a conversation going on that I don't know about?"

"It was just Anubis."

"Right. Just Anubis."

Alfred thought it was an appropriate moment to jump in, "That would be with reference to the Egyptian god currently residing within Master Damian's mind. Master Bruce informed me." The teens nodded. "Though I claim no knowledge of magical affairs, from Miss Raven's explanation, it appears that there is little you can do about the situation Master Damian. As such, I suggest you cease worrying about it and finish your breakfast. I have no doubt you'll wish to plunge yourself in to gruelling exercise as soon as is possible."

One could never fault the butler on his words of wisdom.

Promptly, Damian but his toast and washed it down with a swig of tea. He wolfed the rest of his breakfast down in two chunks and a sip. While Raven read over a page of the old book, Damian carried his plates and cup over to the sink. He looked back at Alfred, who was emptying a small mountain of cat and dog food in to Mr Pennyworth, Ace and Titus' respective bowls. He put a blob of soap on the sponge and ran it under the water. Damian made short work of cleaning and drying the plates and returning them to their cupboard.

"Ah, taking responsibility for yourself Master Damian? What a pleasant change." Alfred chanced a glance at the witch, who was attentively rereading a paragraph. "I assume this to be the influence of Miss Raven."

Damian spun to face him, "What?" He said, with none of his casual eloquence.

Raven too, was bemusedly watching Mr Pennyworth.

"I only mean that Miss Raven has already this morning offered to assist me in at least three of my daily tasks. A refreshing change." He smiled at the girl like a true dapper gentleman, "Perhaps we ought to trade you for Master Damian, or Master Timothy."

A rare occasion, the half-demoness flushed.

Damian tutted and said under his breath, "I would take Raven over Timothy any day of the wake."

"Undoubtedly you would, Master Damian."

The butler left on that note, not before passing Raven an intuitive glance.

Raven waited until Alfred's aura was a significant distance away before she spoke.

"Do you think he knows?"

"Knows what?"

"Seriously Damian? You know what I'm talking about."

He leaned against the counted by the sink, arms folded, "And what's that then?"

Raven was tempted to knock him across the head with The Channelling of Deities. "Damian! I'm talking about yesterday."

"Technically it was today."

"Oh lay off with your 'technicalities'!" Raven released her frustrations in a sharp exhale. "Can...can we just talk about it?"

"Not here."

"Then where?"

"My room."

Raven's heart missed a beat.  "Okay...now?"

"Have anything better to do?"

She replied that she didn't, a quiver in her voice: something she hoped Damian didn't notice but was almost certain that he did.

***

Raven reached across to to the armchair opposite hers and grasped Damian's warm hands. He jumped, but didn't pull his hands away.

"As an empath, it's easier for me to show how I feel rather than explain it."

She closed her eyes and Damian followed suit. Raven expanded the bond between them from physical to mental, merging their energies. She sensed an entirely foreign consciousness attached to Damian's (Anubis no doubt), but trusted that the god would not be privy to what she showed him.

Raven thought of the feeling of his lips on hers, his piercing jade eyes, the security and warmth of his hands clasping hers, and it was like moving a boulder off her chest. The affection she'd held for Damian since he'd persuaded her to return to Earth with the Titans had grown tenfold in strength within the last few weeks. She lay it bare for him to see and prayed that it was well received.

When Raven had exhausted the extent of her empathic abilities, she severed the connection, opened her eyes and released his hands.

Damian didn't let go. He turned her hands over and marvelled at their elegance compared to his callouses and tough skin. Much like the demoness herself, her hands showed signs of damage seamlessly masked by natural grace. Those hands had the power to break him in half and retrieve his soul, and yet, when he held them, Damian felt that he might shatter them if he were to let them fall.

Gathering his thoughts- that whizzed in every direction-, Damian swallowed with a dry mouth. He looked up and the witch and cast down his eyes immediately.

What was he doing? What in the seven heavens was he doing? He'd fallen before every vice he'd been trained to overcome- trust, friendship, contentment, lust, love...

But if grandfather and mother had been wrong about trust and friendship and happiness...then surely...

"Raven..." she hadn't known he could speak with such tenderness in his voice. "I don't believe there is another person that I trust more than you. Above father and Grayson and Pennyworth, I trust you. I... I have never been good at explaining myself- my emotions. But you... you're very dear to me Raven. More than a friend, much more..." he stood, still holding her hands, and leaned down, capturing her lips in a swift kiss.

Raven smiled in to his lips, then asked, "Does this make us like Dick and Kory?"

Damian couldn't resist a smirk, "A little, I think."

A.N:

Flufffyyyy!!!

(And just as a cool romantic, chill song to listen to: 'City Lights' by Blanche, or 'Dasher' by Gerard Way)