-Ended up a lot longer than I meant. I just realized that I never write cute Damian & Jason moments-

Ages:

Terry - 36

Damian - 29

Tim - 24

Jason - 17

Barbra - 14

Dick - 10

Damian had been in a limbo between wake and sleep for longer than he could guess. Finally forcing his eyes open, he could only see a sliver of natural light, slipping in through the boarded basement windows. 

Shit! It was already morning. He had plans today! He made another exhausted tug at his bindings. 

His belt and weapons had been taken, and frankly, he didn't know how long he'd been there. It was the morning, but he didn't know the time. He prayed it was only early light he was seeing.

He heard the door behind him creak open, and made another tear at the heavy nylon cord around his wrists.

"Awake?"

"I was never asleep." Damian replied sharply.

There was a chuckle. "Well stay that way. He'll be here soon for you." Damian rolled his eyes under his mask. Everyone wanted him dead, didn't they? Sure, there was an army of people seeing who could out the highest bounty on his head, but would they have to tie him up in a basement and Today? 
"Aren't you wondering who wants to see you bad enough he hired me?" His capture asked.

"No." Damian admitted. He had other things to worry about.

See, today was April fifteenth. An inconsequential day to most, but to Damian, it was the reason he couldn't hang around to meet his assassin. Today his younger brother, Jason Todd was graduating from high school.

Jason wasn't great with academics, he had to take three grades of math and two of science and English this year, just for the completion marks he needed to pass. 

"Well, you'll see him soon anyways." The voice, still in the doorway behind him, said. 

"I won't see anyone in this lighting." Damian muttered. about two feet above his head, a lightbulb flicked on, filling the room with hard yellow light and a buzzing comparable to having a wasp trapped in a minivan with you. 

"Anything else you need, your majesty?" The voice behind him asked mockingly.

"Water."

He felt his capture moved closer behind him. "Oh, you want some water now? Do you? Well incase you haven't noticed, you're not really in a position to be making demands, though, are you."

"But what would your employer say if he has to kill me while I'm comatose?" Damian volleyed back. "It's not the same at all. Certainly not worth whatever salary he's paying you."

"You'd be surprised... The number on your head is well worth it." The voice behind him scoffed, and began striding to the door again. "I always thought keeping the great Nightwing would be the hardest job of my life. "But you've been a real pushover compared to some of the others I've held in here."

"You set yourself up to be disappointed." Damian told him. 

 "Well, he'll be here soon. So, uh, don't go anywhere." His capture laughed, slamming the door shut after him.

But those weren't Damian's plans at all. 

As soon as he heard the door lock, the vigilante pointed his right foot, barely managing to pull it from the ropes binding his ankles to their respective chair legs.

With a wisp of thankfulness that his mother had but equal focus on strength and flexibility, He kicked his leg as far over he head at he could manage. He flinched a little as he heard the light bulb shatter.

It was probably between seven to nine am by now, which meant the ceremony started in at best four hours, at worst two. 

Now bathed in darkness again, Damian shook shards of glass from his hair. He rocked his chair over ono the floor, making wild grabs behind his back. Finally, his fingers gripped an adequately-sized chip of glass and began sawing at the rope on his wrists.

Jason Todd, his least dependable, meat-head of a little brother had actually committed himself to the goal of graduating, and he had succeeded. 

Damian was NOT going to miss this.

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"Has anyone seen himself yet?" 

Tim shook his head. "Not yet. Our current theory is that he got hyper fixated on that lead from last night and is halfway across the county tracking it."

"Oh." Jason replied. "Well, I need to leave in a minute, so..."

"You're going?" Tim asked

His brother nodded. "I have to go to the hall early for prep reasons, so... I'll see you there after the ceremony, I guess."

"Wait, is that what you're wearing to graduate?" 

Jason rolled his eyes. "Alfred and Bruce are on me about it to. But I've worn the same school uniform everyday since grade eight, I deserve to wear something better to Grad!" 

Tim looked him over: Jason was wearing black jeans, a loose grey tank top, which t-shirt, which more of a pyjama shirt, and a pair of slip-on canvas sneakers that he and Roy had covered in red sequins and glitter. "It looks good..." He said.

"You hate it." Jason replied. "Well fuck you! I LOVE it. This is the only time I'll get to wear something comfortable to a school function."

"Did you pack your bag?"

"Yep." Jason grabbed a cross-shoulder purse off the kitchen chair. "I'm going to do my make up when I get there."

"...Where did you get that purse?"

"Hey. Don't worry about it." Jason replied. "Let me uh..." He bit his lips. "Just let me know if Demon shows up."

"Will do."

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Damian, still without his belt, pried at the boarded up windows. Luckily, the wood was slightly rotted through. With a final tug, throwing his weight back, Damian successfully broke off part of the wood. He shoved the remaining boards up and out of his way. 

He thrust his elbow through the already cracked window. It took a few hits, cracking even more. He pounded the window, it was so close to breaking...

The door across the room opened.

Still balancing on the sill, he whipped around, finally seeing his capture: a man in his thirties, stumbling to reach in his pocket. Damian turned back to the window, just as it shattered.

He knocked the cracked glass out of his way, and began squeezing through the wooden boards. Damian was just slipping his hips out onto the filthy ground of a downtown alleyway, when he heard the gunshot crack behind him.

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"When are going?" Dick asked, bouncing around his foster father.

"Soon, Dick."

"When?"

"About half an hour." Bruce replied, fixing his tie in the mirror. 

Dick nodded. He was very excited, he was too young to remember Tim's grad, so it felt like his first time attending one. Also, now that Jason was graduating, he would have time to play with him again.

"How do I look?" 

Bruce finished what he was doing and turned to look down at him. "Good." He replied hesitantly. "Hold still for a second." He undid the knot in his son's tie and began fixing it.

"Are we getting dinner afterwards?" The boy asked.

"Uh huh." 

"Where?"

"We have a reservation at a restaurant in the evening." Bruce replied.

"Why isn't Jay picking where we eat?"

Bruce snorted. "Because he'd choose McDonalds." He finished tying Dick's tie and took a step back. "Now go get your shoes on so we can leave on time."

"Okay." Dick started to skip out. "Wait, do you know where Dami is?" 

Bruce ran a mental head check, trying to remember the last time he'd seen is oldest. Yeah, he saw Damian in the kitchen, complaining about the lack of cereal. -No wait, that was Tim.  He'd seen Damian jogging down the hall to get to the good shower before Jason. No wait... no, that was Tim too. Was he the one he saw going in and out the front door early that morning? No, that was Jason.

Where the hell was Damian?

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Damian sunk to the ground. He was now in the alley behind a Vietnamese restaurant. Carefully, he peeled back the ripped material of his suit to get a better look at his leg. It was bleeding terribly. Pulling off his dirty gloves, Damian gingerly touched the wound, wincing a little.

He whipped the blood off with the back of his hand, getting a better look at the skin beneath. Okay... it looked like the bullet just scraped him, which was good, but he was still bleeding like crazy.

Damian had never been glad that his suit chaffed his skin. But now he was, because it meant he was wearing an undershirt. Shrugging off the top of his suit, he grabbed his shirt, ripping the fabric. and slinging it over his wounded leg. 

The sun was fully up now, which meant Damian didn't have much time. Secretly thankful that Gotham's skid row was still living in the 20th century, Damian took a couple quarters from the compartment in his suit's heel. and dragged himself to the nearest phone booth. He wanted to make this quick, NIGHTwing wasn't supposed to be out during the day.

He finished dialing and pressed the phone to his ear. Nothing. They must have already left, otherwise Alfred would have picked up. He tried a different number. 

"Hello?"

"I need a lift."

"...Damian?"

"14th and Hastings. Get here quick."

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Jason watched his texts. He wanted to know if his brother had showed up.

"Phones OFF and AWAY, please, Mr. Todd!"

"One sec."

"Off and Away!"

"I know!" Jason put his phone away and through it in his purse.

"Should I put this in the side-room for you?"

"Fine." Jason passed it over. He'd already done his makeup anyways.

"You can pick it up after the ceremony."

"Got it."

His classmate Raina turned around from two rows ahead. "Dude, why did you bring a purse?"

Jason stared back at her with his dramatic-ass alt eye makeup, black lipstick, and the stainless steal earrings he'd slipped in earlier. He held his leg up, almost kicking his classmates in the face, and yanked up his robe to show his sparkle shoes.

"Raina, why do you think?" He asked. "I've spent five years being called a fag, lemme at least give them a reason to think so."

"Alright, I was just asking where it's from."

"An old ladies basement." Jason replied. It was half-true.

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Damian slipped out of the shower, feeling the blood start flowing. He roughed himself dry with a towel and immediately began throwing on dry clothes. He fastened the buttons of his shirt with one hand while massaging mouse into his hair with the other. 

On his way in, he'd noticed the time, so by now it had to be about ten thirty. The ceremony started, across town, in half an hour. The rest of his family was probably already there, meeting the others and claiming their half-row of seats.

Damian ripped on his belt and socks, clipped his cufflinks shut, and grabbed his suit jacket. He wished there wasn't such a high-standard for the Waynes and hyphen-Waynes, because there was no way he would look that put together in the time he had.

Damian sprinted downstairs and grabbed his shoes. He tugged them on, and then realized they were Tim's, and tugged them off, finding his own instead.

"Are you ready?" A voice called from the foyer.

"Yes! let's go!" Damian called, yanking on his coat and grabbing his wallet and keys. He was so glad that Jon picked up calls from unknown numbers.

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Damian fidgeted, waiting to be called up to walk the concert hall's stage. He kept turning around to look at his family's row behind the student seating. He could see Bruce, Terry, Tim, Barbra, and Dick, who was bouncing up and down on his seat.

No Damian though.

Jason sighed, turning back around. He didn't know what he'd been expecting. He'd never had the best relationship with his brother. But he'd still hoped that after he'd dedicated the past few years to making up grades and getting extra credit, just to graduate, that maybe Damian would put in the effort  to show up.

They were almost at the end of the students with the last names S. His section was up next.

Jason took a deep breath, and let out a sigh. He felt dumb for having hoped Damian would show up. He couldn't believe he'd let himself get emotionally attached again.

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Damian shoved out of Jon's arms. He didn't have time to drive. 

Ripping the ticket from his pocket, Damian ran to the door. There was no one at the booth but he tugged the door to open it. It was locked, the ceremony had already started. He was too late.

No. He wasn't missing it.

Damian ran to the nearest fire door. It wouldn't open. He swore loudly. "NO!" Damian sprinted around the side of the building, Jon on his tail, searching for an entrance. To his dismay, there seemed not to be any doors that weren't locked. desperately, he scanned the long external wall, there had to be some way in..

And then he saw the fire escape ladder.

Limping, he strode over and grabbed the ladder, using his uninjured leg to push up on the rungs He struggled up about fifteen feet before he felt two hands grip him under the arms.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting inside."

"How?"

Damian wasn't completely sure yet. But he hoped he'd know once he was on the roof. "I'll find a way!"

"You're not Nightwing!" Jon reminded. "You're Damian Wayne!"

"You don't say." Damian snarked, fighting to climb higher. 

"You aren't supposed to be on the roof!"

"You aren't supposed to be flying!"

Jon lifted him the rest of the way, dropping him on the roof. "Just... don't get arrested."

"I don't plan on breaking my lucky streak." Damian told him. "I'm getting inside!"

"What can I do?" His friend asked.

Damian dug into his pocket and yanked a twenty from his pocket. "Get him a gift from me."

"What?"

"I don't know? Damian replied, grabbing the two slim metal tools on his key ring, and picking the lock to the maintenance door. "Just go!"

Jiggling the door handle, he finally got it open, sprinting down the stairs. He did not know the layout to the building, he hoped this was near the hall. More than that, he just hoped he hadn't missed it...

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Jason sighed and followed up onto the stage. He felt proud of himself, but... Nope, squinting through the spotlights, he could see that Damian's seat was still empty. Jason bit his tongue a little. He just wanted Damian to see him accomplish something once.

There was  a loud clank, causing Jason, and seemingly everyone else in the concert hall to turn. The light from the hallway to flood the fist few rows around the open door.

In the dark hall, the light was blinding. Then Jason saw a silhouette in the door. He immediately knew who it had to be. His face lit up, despite himself. He finished his march across stage, so glad that he didn't remove his makeup, and snatched the diploma from the dean. His diploma. 

 According to Capitalism, it was just paper and cost nothing, but according to Marxism, it was worth his labor that he put into it. So according to Marx, this was the most expensive piece of paper he'd ever hold.

Damn, Jason thought. He couldn't believe that he remembered that from social's class. He was thinking like a nerd now, and damn, was he ever proud of it.

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"JAY!" Jason was just walking out the back door, purse over his shoulder, when his little brother hit him like a bullet, almost knocking him off his feet.

But before he could say anything... "JAY!"

Jason and Dick did begin to collapse as their surrogate-sister hit them in a hug, knocking all three of them over like bowling pins.

The three of them collapsed on the asphalt of the parking lot, grinning.

"JASON!"

"Terry!" Jason forced his way through his siblings. "You made it!"

"I couldn't miss it!" He exclaimed, holding out a paper gift bag. "I brought presants."

"Aw sick!" Jason took the bag.

Barbara shook her hair off her face, sitting up. "When Tim said you were carrying a purse to grad, I thought he was joking!"

Jason laughed. "Since when did Tim joke?"

"Haha!" Tim joked, tossing a bouquet of peonies at his brother's head. "Congrats."

"Congratulations, Jason." Bruce helped his son off the ground. "You really dedicated yourself."

"HELL YEAH!" Jason shouted. "Hell yeah I did! I fucking graduated! On time!"

Bruce helped Dick off the ground too, dusting off his youngest's nice clothes. "DAMI!" Dick shouted, pulling away, or trying to, but Bruce was holding him too tight.

Jason turned, unable to keep the excited look off his face. Yep, Damian was rounding the corner with a small box in hand.

"HEY!" Jason shouted. "Well it's about time!" He scoffed. "Where were you all morning?"

"Busy." Damian half limped over, He thrust a gold cardboard box into his brothers hands. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." He scoffed, trying to sound indifferent.

"Oh yeah, congrats." Barbara added. "What'cha got there?"

Jason inspected the box. "Ooh Purdys! You shouldn't have." He said sarcastically.

Damian nodded. "I shouldn't." He wanted to add that he didn't, but he didn't care to mention why he got Jon involved in this. 

Jason popped a chocolate in his mouth. "Mm. This is some good shit!"

"Are you coming back to the manor before dinner tonight?" Terry asked.

Jason shook his head. "There's an after party in a hotel's prime suit  a few blocks from here." He explained. "MAN, it pays to go to school with rich people!"

"So are you going to be either drunk of high during dinner?" Tim asked.

"I go to school with rich people, be glad I'm not snorting cocaine like Tilda!"

Damian pushed past Jason. "I won't see you until dinner then."

"Yeah, I guess." Jason said, sounding as bored as possible. He didn't want to show just how excited he was that Damian came.

"Everyone stay long enough for photos." Bruce warned.

"Whatever." Damian leaned against the building, forcing a scowl. Words could not describe how proud he was of his brother. Yes, Jason was obnoxious, and a bit of a dumbass, but Damian could not be happier that he got to see his baby brother graduate.