Damian was so peaceful while asleep. His features were relaxed, lips slightly parted, chest rising slowly up and down with every breath. It had been hours since he fell unconscious after being stabbed. There were still many questions that came to her mind, questions that burned in the back of her mind like a raging fire. The youngest Wayne came off as cocky, rude, and mildly disrespectful at times but she didn't think that was an excuse to get him stabbed.

     For a while, she thought he was never going to wake up. Mar'i sat up watching him, biting her nails anxiously. The patch job she did for him would last until she managed to convince him to go to a hospital. Although the woman was confident that her patch up job would keep him alive long enough for the wound to properly heal she still thought it would be a good idea to let a doctor examine him.

     They were in his bedroom, she carried him there once she finished patching him up. His bed would be much comfier to rest on than a couch. The young woman was naturally strong, inherited from both her mama and her father. She also kept herself fit and worked out regularly, although her extended trip to Gotham hasn't given her much time to visit a gym as of late. In the next room over, the living room, Sindella, and Arrow were watching television.

     The volume was low as to not disturb the injured man while he rested. They managed to get most of the apartment back in order – picking up overturned furniture, clearing broken glass away, washing the blood from the floor, etcetera. Now they were resting, relaxation wasn't in the equation until they knew he wasn't going to die. Mar'i continued to watch him closely, seated on his bed next to him.

     It was interesting, watching him in such a calm state. She never got to see what Leonardo looked like while he slept, he was always awake before her. Leonardo was hardly ever in a state of relaxation, being busy with work and formal attendances to meetings, Galas and all. Sometimes he seemed so unreal, not seeing him sleep. She wondered how he functioned with such little rest he got.

     Mar'i had her hand resting over top of his, feeling the lines and calluses on his skin. The sun, low in the sky, had its soft orange rays streaks through the gaps in the curtains trying to cover the windows. The streaks of orange light washed up against the far wall in front of her and cast her shadow largely against the floor. His skin was warm, he wasn't cold or clammy like before, and he had regained his colour.

     The orange light coming from the sun outside made his dark skin glow. I think everyone, even people who were in relationships, had to agree that Damian Wayne was built like a god. Mar'i loved her fiancé and thought he was handsome but Damian was well, he was gorgeous. A text was sent to her phone earlier from Leonardo. He had sent a message saying that something came up and he has to deal with a business issue on a personal matter.

     She was relieved, mostly because that gave her an excuse to stay here without her fiancé questioning her absence. Mar'i knew that when it came to his 'personal business affairs' he was out for hours. The woman was lost in her thoughts, most thoughts being worrisome when she felt a light pressure applied to her hand. Her eyes flickered to Damian's face which was scrunched up in confusion.

     His emerald eyes fluttered open when he regained consciousness. The last thing he remembered was having Mar'i straddling his lap holding him still while she stitched up the wound on his left side. "Damian." She whispered bringing her hand to the side of his face. For a moment he let his eyes flutter close to soak in the feeling of her thumb running back and forth across his cheek.

     When she said his name again, softer this time, his eyes opened once again. She was leaning over him, strands of long dark hair falling in front of her face, and the happiest smile on her face. The young man, her friend, was okay it seemed. The corners of his mouth turned up into a ghost of a smile when he saw her radiant smile. "I take it you didn't butcher me." He said causing her to laugh.

     The young woman sniffed and looked up at the ceiling, pulling her hand away from his to wipe her tears. "I really thought you were going to die." She laughed wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. Damian pushed himself up onto his elbows despite feeling the sharp pain in his side. He's had worse; he can suck it up for now. "Pity." He snorted, albeit sarcastically. The young woman on his bed took less than a second before slapping him. "Why would you say something like that?" she frowned.

"Oh please. The media would have a field day upon hearing about my death."

     She rolled her eyes while watching him rub the side of his face. Damian made destructive comments like this all the time. He groaned, bringing his hand to his side as he pushed himself up into a seated position leaning against the headboard of the bed. "So Grayson," he winced, "- how does a woman like you find your way into my bed?" he asked quirking an eyebrow at her. Mar'i shifted around uncomfortably, looking down at her lap blushing.

     Her fingers pulled gently at the curls in the blankets on the bed. She was trying to focus on something else to make the red flush of her face dissipate. Damian sat there attempting to look as smug as possible with the pain he was in. It felt like that blade was being driven through him all over again. "Who did this to you?" she asked, finally looking up at him. He pursed his lips and stayed quiet.

     The weight of his problems did not need to lie on her shoulders as well. He didn't need anyone's help let alone sympathy. "Don't do this to me, Damian." She pleaded in whispers. Every time she attempted to get close to him, to understand him, he completely shut down on her. All she wished to do was help him. Melody told her herself that Damian was a self-destructive human being who needed guidance.

     There was the soft touch that sent electricity through his veins. Her fingers were wrapped around his forearm and her eyes were so sad. The look on her face, such disappointment, made his heart ache in ways he's never felt before. He brought his free hand to the side of her face and gave her a small smile. "You should smile, it looks better on you." He spoke softly to her. Mar'i closed her eyes and leaned into his comforting touch.

"Do you know who this was that did this to you?" she sighed.

"No." he lied.

     He lied and he couldn't have been more pleased with himself. If she knew who did this to him, she wouldn't be safe. It was better if she didn't know anything at all. They shouldn't, he shouldn't, have given her that flash drive in the first place. All it brought was trouble and the less she knew the better. "What happened, please tell me, Damian." She whispered, eyes fluttering open to look at him.

"I came home, someone must've followed me, and while I was drawing they attacked me. We fought and they distracted me. The next thing I knew I had a knife in my side and then they left. You showed up not long after." He was a liar.

     Every word that came out of his mouth was a lie. He was going to stick to this story for if he didn't he feared what might happen to her. Mar'i Grayson meant too much to him, he wasn't going to drag her down with him. "You promise you're telling the truth?" she asked.

"I promise."

He was a liar. 

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A/N: Sorry about such the short chapter. On another note, Avengers: Infinity War comes out this week!

Skycrystal23 ;)