It is a strange thing, the way the mind works. The connections it makes, the ideas it provides. One image can lead to another in the minds eye through the noted relation of a single component.

Dispersing. Blue.

Those two words, thoughts, ideas dragged Damian's mind back to the death. The godly essence had flowed through the girl, and left in the same manner. Gathering the hammer like leaves in the wind, lifting it out of reach and in to the thunderclouds.

Damian stared at nothing, as the pixels of the simulation whirled around him, blue and dispersing- how very alike the godly spirit.

"Robin!"

He blinked then faced the caller.

Wonderwoman's hands were on her hips, "You have presented the true skills of a warrior," she softened her gaze, "but you seem distracted."

Damian gave the Amazon a half-hearted apology, tapping his sword absently in the floor.

"Robin."

A different voice. Gravelly and commanding- his father.

Sheathing his sword, Damian found Batman standing in the simulation room doorway. Accompanied by the Martian Manhunter, Bruce beckoned his son to follow him. Now- Damian presumed- his newfound abilities would be tested.

Mildly affronted, Diana spared a quick glare at the uncourteous bat before locking eyes with J'onn. He shook his head at her, sighing as the father and son disappeared down a corridor.

In spite having arrived with the Big Bad Bat, J'onn remained, watching Diana.

"Is there something the matter?" she asked, wiping the perspiration from her brow.

"No. Nothing in particular." He said. Receiving a very sceptical look from the warrior, J'onn conceded, "Perhaps there are a few things."

As direct in her speech as ever, Diana said, "Then let us go to the kitchen. We will speak whilst drinking-"

"I didn't take you for a fan of alcohol."

Diana protested, "Not alcohol! I don't partake in such habits. I meant hot chocolate- tea or coffee if you prefer."

Walking side-by-side, J'onn laughed, "I know, I know. I wasn't being serious."

"Oh. I see."

"Hey Diana, J'onn."

They looked up, greeting the newcomer warmly.

Superman hovered slightly above the ground, in that same ballerina pose with one leg higher than the other. Though they'd never tell him, Superman's dainty hovering was something J'onn and Batman both found rather amusing. Clark asked about the situation earlier that night, walking between J'onn and Diana- a move that the pair found strangely irritating.

By the time the kettle was billowing steam in to the kitchen, the three of them were in deep discussion. Fetching three mugs from the cupboard, J'onn said, "It is a strange thing to see indeed. The mind of a god." He set a teaspoon on a mug, "Vast, complex, powerful...rich in memories."

Diana sighed, passing a teabag to J'onn, "It overwhelmed the poor soul." She leaned back against the counter, "What must it be like for Robin? He seems to be managing the presence of a god."

Clark smiled in fond memory, "Damian's a strong kid. Tougher than nails- too tough, I think. But he's softening up a little- so I hear."

A splash of milk turned the mug of tea cloudy caramel-brown. After squeezing out the tea bag, J'onn passed Clark the mug, then put a teaspoon of coffee granules in to his own mug. "And you do you hear this from, might I ask?" He took on Cyborg's job of seeking out the latest gossip from the superhero world.

Clark pursed his lips, holding back a smile, "I am not telling."

Diana smirked blowing the steam from her hot chocolate, "Is that so? You are aware there are other ways of getting an answer out of you..."

With the two of them staring at him expectantly, Clark whispered, "You didn't hear this from me but-"

"What are you whispering abouuuut?" A red blur asked. The vibrating mass stood still, revealing itself to be the Flash. He wiggles his eyebrows (which were covered by his mask) at the three of them, probing, "Go oooon...what's this about?"

Diana stared at Barry.
J'onn stared at Barry.
The speedster blinked.

The aforementioned three looked back at Clark, and the kryptonian knew there was no way around it.

"Look, you didn't hear this from me but... according to a very...very credible source-"

"Stop the reporter-mode and spit it out!"

Diana narrowed his eyes at Barry and the Flash shut up pronto.

"There may or may not be something going on between Damian and Raven." Clark pressed his lips shut and looked at the floor. "Batman's gunna kill me....oh fudge-cakes..."

"Batman told you???" J'onn couldn't contain his reaction.

"No-yes- I mean I- Am not saying..." Clark proved how close his mouth was to further speculation by filling it with tea.

"That does make a lot of sense." Diana mused. "Robin and Raven. Similar pasts, complimentary personalities- not to mention the fact that they do make a handsome pair."

"Mhmm," J'onn agreed through a sip of coffee. After swallowing it, he added, "There is most certainly a connection between them. They do appear suited to one another. I wonder what Bruce makes of it..."

Clark set his cup down and leaned forwards, "Okay, you didn't hear this from me buuut-"

"Really Clark- we've heard it from you. Own your words." Diana declared, followed by her slurping up a marshmallow. The Amazon hoisted herself up on to the countertop, sitting cross-legged besides the microwave.

"...buuut..." Clark paused for suspense, "...Bruce is rooting for it."

"No way!" Barry gasped.

Clark enthused, "Yes way! He told me himse- oh crap...". He buried his head in his hands.

Barry had long since perfected his impersonation of a thirteen year-old girl, promptly busting out an exaggerated, "And that's the tea sis."

***

Pressed lips, shut eyes, and a timeless mantra could not drain Raven's mind of her thoughts. The demoness screwed her face, then relaxed her muscles. Across her face spread a mask of tranquility- a facade.

Azarath Met...Azarath...Azarath...Azarath Metrion-m-metrion zintho- crap!

She touched the floor, blinking so as not to blind herself in the synthetic light. Raising a hand to her forehead, Raven felt the contours of the crystal that lay there. She felt for the malicious energy within, that unbridled fury packed in to a tiny gem and attached to her mind.

Was that what it felt like to Damian? An invasive presence in your head. A terrible taunting voice plaguing you to no end.
No, that can't have been what it was like for him. He was content with Anubis there- found him amicable, even. Damian could sympathise -empathise- with her in so many aspects, but perhaps not this one.

Oh, but the way he looked at her, with those knowing eyes. He saw it all, her pain, fear, hope, and he felt it with her. What would it have been like if they never left? The dutiful demon children, heirs worthy of their lineage. Not failures; not traitors to their own blood.

She might have been sitting on a throne, had she stayed. A throne painted with the blood of man and crafted from his bones. Would Damian have been besides her, red-stained hands clasping hers. Those deep, deep eyes holding her soul like night-fantasies in a dream catcher, his lips gracing hers with tender affection and the smell of cinnamon.

Or her father would have left her to rot in a cell, at the mercy of her half-brothers. Damian, splayed across cold stone floor, a single bullet hole between his eyebrow, or blade straight through his heart: courtesy of Slade Wilson.

Would the heavens then grant them passage to find each other? Or would hell perpetuate the torment of their souls' division.

There was no escaping the way their auras melded together, an infusion perfected by deities of destiny (perhaps deities of love too). Her soul found its home with his. Raven thanked whomever above guided their fates; how easily could they have never crossed paths in their lifetimes.

Raven dropped her hand to the floor with a thud, huffing. She'd gone to meditate to get Damian out of her head, not to daydream about him. She could feel his fluctuating aura some floors below her as Batman tested his son's connection with Anubis.

Standing, Raven sighed, recognising the futility of the situation. She was foolish to have thought putting herself in a different room to him would have stopped her worrying.

A knock on the door stopped her musings.

Selina pushed it open, "I think they've almost finished. We'll be heading back to the Manor soon. Just so you know."

"Okay, thanks." Raven nodded, and Selina closed the door.

Back against the wall, the witch focuses on the rising and falling of her chest with each inhalation.

"It's s alright," she whispered, "stop overthinking...stop overthinking..."

A.N:

Well, a lokey shitty chapter ngl. That's not particularly important though.

I'd just like to say this my darlings, without going in to too much detail (because I've spent an entire week talking about this nonstop as a very very very politically invested humanitarian):

Riots. Protests. Police brutality. George Floyd.
If you haven't heard these words recently, you live under a rock. Systemic oppression of BAME people (particularly black people) across the world but particularly in America is rampant. Particularly focusing on the US, you have a four-hundred year history of institutional and cultural racism from slavery to the Jim Crow laws to the prison industrial complex.
There is so much available information about systemic oppression that is available to you, so make sure that regardless of your race, you educate yourself.
Real change needs to happen in this world, genuine reforms to the systems that are built on the demonisation of black and brown people.
I don't want to go in to too much detail, but I do suggest you watch people like the incredible Dr Cornel West speaking about the protests.

Humanity and humility. We all need both and our institutions need both. Have the uncomfortable, painstaking conversations with members of your family that you know hold racist views- healing starts at home. If you are out protesting, I support you and I love you- take care of yourself and each other. If you are a protester that has/may end up causing property damage, I won't tell you to be all calm and peaceful, rage is a normal and very human reaction- but please, if you might, don't go for small business.

I love you all, stay safe!

-Bats