( he had asked talia why it was that she couldn't love him for who he is and not what she wanted him to be. it hadn't been all too long ago he'd been told by a parent that they could not love him because they were too much of a perfectionist to love a child who didn't align with their vision perfectly. it isn't an answer he would have anticipated from his father, not after what they have been through together. not after getting to know the kind of man he is. but if bruce had told him his failures were too great to love - it wouldn't have necessarily been a surprise.
instead, bruce kneels down close. looks him in the eyes when he says that damian is his son and he loves him. there is no i will always love you in my own way. no addendum. he is exhausted but not irritated by the questioning.
damian understands - or at least he thinks he does, in a way. it hurts, too, an ache deep in his chest that he hadn't anticipated. a flood threatening to boil over from the inside, and it takes the way damian's lower lip wobbles a little for him to recognize just what that flooding sensation is. the domino mask manages to hide the wetness to his eyes, but it does nothing to cover the rest of his face: the scrunched nose, lips pressed together to try and hide the tremble.
so he opts to hide it another way, rolling off of the balls of his feet and onto his knees so he's that much closer to bruce, bridging the distance between them and raising his arms up to wrap them around his father's shoulders, face pressing into his collar.
it still feels a little foreign, but he'll get it in time. for now, he just holds on tight and mumbles a quiet little - )
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instead, bruce kneels down close. looks him in the eyes when he says that damian is his son and he loves him. there is no i will always love you in my own way. no addendum. he is exhausted but not irritated by the questioning.
damian understands - or at least he thinks he does, in a way. it hurts, too, an ache deep in his chest that he hadn't anticipated. a flood threatening to boil over from the inside, and it takes the way damian's lower lip wobbles a little for him to recognize just what that flooding sensation is. the domino mask manages to hide the wetness to his eyes, but it does nothing to cover the rest of his face: the scrunched nose, lips pressed together to try and hide the tremble.
so he opts to hide it another way, rolling off of the balls of his feet and onto his knees so he's that much closer to bruce, bridging the distance between them and raising his arms up to wrap them around his father's shoulders, face pressing into his collar.
it still feels a little foreign, but he'll get it in time. for now, he just holds on tight and mumbles a quiet little - )
Okay.