Raven waved the wrap at Robin, pressing, "Are you sure you don't want one?"

Damian tutted and chucked his chin in response.

She shrugged, "Your loss." And tore the thin brown paper away from the top of the wrap, causing shawarma-flavoured steam to mingle with Gotham's rancid air pollution: Poison Ivy hadn't been doing any ecoterrorism as of late, as such, the Gothamites had grown lax in their environmental awareness. No doubt, she would make a bold return soon.

Between mouthfuls of shawarma, Catwoman said, "Seriously, you have to try it!" She groaned and took another bite of the chicken wrap.

Damian sniffed and clutched his falafel to his chest, taking defensive, saucy bites. Legs swinging a hundred metres above a shifty street, Robin said dryly, "Tt. Of course I know it's good. It's from my native cuisine." He gave a sideways glance at the "reformed" villain. "But I'm a vegetarian."

After swallowing, Catwoman opened conversation, "Your dad mentioned. Something about a cow, wasn't it?"

Raven snorted, "You and your animals, Damian. Why not start a zoo?"

At that, Robin sat straight and turned his body to face Raven entirely. His back to the edge of the roof, Damian said with utmost conviction, "Zoos are institutions of evil and inhumanity. Prisons for vulnerable creatures, entrapped in captivity as no more than meat vessels kept living for the perverted entertainment of the common fool. I would never."

Indicating her assent, Selina pointed her shawarma wrap in Damian's general direction, adding (once she'd finished her mouthful), "You sound like a real activist." Mostly to Raven, she wryly commented, "Hey, put him, Ivy, Swamp Thing and Mr Freeze in one room- they'll sort animal cruelty, deforestation and melting ice caps."

Raven munched thoughtfully and drew the conclusion that it wasn't such a terrible idea. Except Poison Ivy didn't make a habit of civility with members of the male sex. And Mr Freeze might prefer heavily frosting the entire Earth, not simply the top of the cake.

Damian took Selina's joke with a cold shoulder and merely ate in discontent. It was more than unsettling to him that Raven seemed to be getting along so well with the villainess- he corrected himself- the former-villainess-who-had-yet-another-change-of-heart-in-favour-of-the-do-gooders. He could barely get two words out to his father's love interest without snapping, whereas Raven (who, for the record, was supposed to be on his side) was happily chatting away with her.

Imagine that! Raven, happily chatting away with someone.

As the demoness looked over at Damian for the fifth time in a minute, he suspected she had some deeper intention to her cordial demeanour.

Aha! And there a sixth glance! She has some scheme on her mind Anubis, I'm certain of it.

I don't know. Mayhap she takes a shine to Catwoman. I haven't seen any reason not to like her.

No reason not to like her? Anubis...are you hearing yourself?

Why yes.

She is in a relationship with my father! That's plenty to dislike her for. And the word 'mayhap' hasn't been in use for at least a century. TT.

But doesn't your father take many lovers? Hasn't he been in lots of relationships- besides being with your mother. Which is a topic I have been meaning to speak to you about.

No you will not.

...

There is an irritating permanence to the relationship between my father and that woman. If I didn't respect him enough to follow his rule of no-killing, and if I didn't think it would make him beyond furious, I would have sliced off her head long before now.

Ooh how very morbid. I like the sentiment, but perhaps not its direction. Why don't you finish your falafel and try to see if you can find any reason not to want your father's love dead?

***

The next Robin saw of his father was after dealing with three attempted minor robberies. The Batmobile had pulled up besides the alleyway, in which Catwoman and the teens had prevented a mugging, and its doors opened. Thus, five uncomfortably quiet minutes later, the four vigilantes sat in the car, waiting for someone to open conversation.

Batman started, "I started investigating into Jim's case. The break-ins, kidnappings."

"Is there a common factor between the victims?" Damian asked, ending his infuriated silence- stemming from him sitting in a back seat of the car for Selina to sit besides his father.

Raven listened to Bruce's account with a crinkled brow, "Not that I could find. Perhaps with some more digging we may uncover something tying them together, but they have no socioeconomic, ethnic, occupational or physical similarities."

"What about the robberies? What did whoever-they-were take?" Selina asked, as the Batmobile turned a sharp corner.

Bruce's voice grew considerably more concerned, "Four items were stolen in the same night. All of them ancient artefacts- or at least, items linked to mythology."

Raven leaned forwards, a move which had the undesired consequence of pushing her closer to Damian, "Mythology?

Grimly, Batman nodded. In the minute or so before he next spoke, the implications of his words wasn't lost on the demoness. Nor on his son, who was involved in serious mental dialogue with Anubis.

As they neared the Batcave (driving through dim tunnels in disquieting quietness) Bruce spoke more to Raven than the other two, "I looked deeper in to one of the artefacts- a spear of Nordic origin, carved with characters from a language I'm unfamiliar with. Almost certainly Norse."

Having just caught on, Catwoman looked back at Damian, then at Bruce and said, "You think this case involves magic?"

"Almost certainly." Batman grimaces.

'Almost's were never as good or comforting as absolutes and certainties. All they did was leave room for misjudgements.

After Bruce indicated that he'd appreciate Raven's magical insight regarding the case, the Batmobile drove in to the Batcave. As expected, Alfred greeted the band of vigilantes when they left the vehicle, standing below the giant dinosaur. He displayed four identical steaming mugs to them, one for each, on a silver tray.

Damian embraced the warm beverage gratefully and bit back a sigh as the chocolatey steam wafted through his nose. He saw that Raven's reaction mirrored his and shared a little, knowing grin with her. The witch glanced away from him, smiling to herself.

Despite the news his father had brought (the possible further actions of the cult that put an Egyptian god in his head), Damian found his heart raced at the thought of Raven shying away from his gaze: he knew the reason for her refusal to meet his eyes was the same cause for the heat creeping up his neck.

"Will you be staying the night, Miss Kyle?" Alfred asked, folding the tray under his arm.

Licking away a chocolatey moustache, Selina tilted her head. She smirked at Bruce, "Guess that depends on him."

Bruce let his 'Batman-attitude' slip and smiled back at her, well aware of Alfred's raised brow, "You're always welcome to stay."

"I take it I won't be needing to bring up some late sandwiches?- presuming you'll all be headed to your rooms for some sleep." Alfred asked, hoping that (for once) Bruce wouldn't stay up working until the next day.

Receiving the desired answer that none would require his services that night, Alfred bid the four of them adieu and left the Batcave in favour of the Manor.

Damian stopped himself from gagging at the way his father and Selina looked at each other, and decided to make as dramatic an exit as possible for the sole purpose of spiting them.

"TT. Just try not to make too much noise." He said, and sauntered off with his mug of hot chocolate.

With Selina's lips parted in a little 'o' shape, and Damian's father more than flustered, Raven felt it was only her place to try and muck up after him. Apologetically, she glossed over Damian's words, "Ignore him. Damian's just..."she sighed, uncertain of the right word, "frustrated...I think." She smiled encouragingly at Selina. "He'll come around."

With the lateness of the hour weighing on Raven's energy, she said an earnest, "Goodnight." To the two of them, then set her heart on a hot shower and soft mattress.

When Raven's cloak had disappeared from view, Selina sighed.

"What's that for?"

She leaned on Bruce's shoulder. "Nothing, really." On a second thought, she replied, "I like her a lot."

"Me too."

Selina looked up at Bruce, "D'you think her and Damian..?"

"I honestly don't know."

A.N:

Ramadan Mubarak my darlings!!! I wish you all the best during this holy month (even if you aren't a Muslim). Peace and blessings ✌️

Now more than ever it is important that we look after each other and ourselves so show some love to your neighbours and yourself. Be kind and thoughtful in everything you do- or at least try to do so as much as you can. And stay, forever, my lovelies :)

JUST A QUICK REMINDER:  I update every Friday night (UK time).

Thank you all so much for reading, voting and commenting, I love you lots!