Chapter Text
Danny had gotten mostly cleaned up. His eyes were still sore and his head still felt dry but other than that, he felt a lot better. And Damian hadn't left him yet. He had just stayed with him, like how Tucker used to do when he had to hide at his place. Except, this time, he hadn't tried to run away from home. He was already, eh, where he lived.
"Can I... do something?" Damian still felt like a confusing mess. Mostly self-doubt and concern.
Danny considered for a moment. It felt pretty good to let it out. Did he even need anything? Some water would be nice, but he didn't want Damian to go anywhere. Danny felt around his buttons. He had only memorized a few of the Braille letters so far. W, S, R, and his name. For the rest, he had really just memorized their placements.
"{W}" "{A}" "{T}" "{E}" "{R}"
Danny held his right hand out flat and moved it toward himself while making a fist to sign the word "take". He then pointed at himself.
"You want me to take you to get water? I can just bring it to you." Damian offered.
Danny shook his head. He signed "no", by holding out three fingers and touching them in the middle, and "alone" by pointing upwards and moving his hand in small circles horizontally.
"You don't want to be alone." Damian sounded somewhat disappointed and all Danny felt from him was a sense of inadequacy.
Danny placed his palm in front of his chest and moved it in a vertical circle to sign "please".
Danny watched as Damian got behind him. The sound of the brakes was an early notifier that they were about to move, but Damian warned him anyway. "Moving now." He said as he pushed.
Danny didn't really need the extra heads up, but it was certainly better than being surprised, like in the elevator. Danny turned so that Damian could see him place his hand flat, with his three middle fingers on his chin, then drag his hand outward, to sign "thank you".
Damian took him back to the dining room. Danny recognized the big windows, though there was less light now. Danny kept his eye on Damian as he took a few steps away, and returned. He placed an item on the board, a bit louder than seemed natural, and Danny took it. It was the same water bottle he had during dinner. It felt pretty heavy but he drank the rest of the water in a breath. There must not have been as much left as he thought. He kept trying to drink more but all he got was the sound of the straw, loudly trying to grasp at what little moisture was left. Damian took the bottle and Danny heard him pop it open. He heard him pour more water into it, and hand it back. Danny chugged the water in seconds. The third time, he just kept it on the tray. Damian pulled up a chair and sat with him. It felt nice being presumably face level. Nicer than being presumably crotch level.
It was such a weird feeling. Damian was practically a stranger, but Danny didn't feel like he had to lie, or hide, or defend himself at all. He seemed so genuine and caring. He must have had a great childhood to have turned out so sweet.
Danny looked at his board again. He still didn't want Damian to leave. But he didn't want to just sit together silently, either. It wouldn't be fair to waste his time like that. He put his three middle fingers together, pointing downward, and moved his hand like he was holding a pen and writing something. He then pointed at his board.
In an instant, the inadequacy nearly disappeared. Replaced with a sense of purpose, duty, and... something? "I will get a notepad." Pride was the closest Danny could think of but that didn't fit exactly.
Damian wasted no time finding something to write on. "Do you know which words you want?"
Danny knew exactly which swear words he wanted, but he did have to think a little about some more practical words, too.
"We could do some sentences, too. Things you would say often."
...sentences?
Danny hadn't thought about full sentences.
His brain flooded with phrases, sarcastic remarks, and references.
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Danny could practically feel Damian blushing but it didnt stop him from laughing hysterically. His board was almost full, but he wanted to leave room, incase he thought of any more brilliant ideas. When he was close to catching his breath there was a noise. Danny wasn't paying close enough attention to realize someone had opened the door, and his eyes were so watery, he couldn't see the large shadow entering the room.
"Damian! What did you do?!" Bruce roared the moment he entered.
Danny tried to sit upright, but he was wheezing too hard.
"What happened? Danny, are you hurt?" In seconds, Bruce already had a hand on Dannys back but his attention was clearly on Damian.
"Father, he is not- I have not-" Damian flustered, still affected by- by- pffft, hahaha-
Danny dubbled over again, back to hysterical laughter. His chest got sore from where he put all his weight on the board, but he couldn't stop, not even to breathe. All the while, he could feel Damian getting more and more embarrassed, which only made him laugh harder. He tried to calm down as he ghasped for air.
"What happened?" Bruce finally asked without accusation.
"Nothing happened!" Damian shouted, upset.
Every word made Danny laugh harder. It was just so funny.
Minutes passed with Danny desperately trying to breathe, while Bruce and Damian watching. They didnt say much while they waited. Or maybe they did and Danny just couldn't hear over his own laughter. Either way, Bruce still wanted Dannys explanation after, rather than Damians, which was odd. Why would he take his word over his son's? Danny pushed himself up, wheezing, sweating, and felt around the side of the board until he found the power button. When he flipped it it made a little sound. Three notes, each a little higher than the last. They had discovered it on accident, when turning the board around to record some of the "practical" words, Damian had insisted on adding. Danny felt for the bottom rows. That was where they put Dannys choices. He pressed one of the buttons and a recording of Damian yelling.
"{DRUGS!}"
Danny burst into laughter again. He didnt wait long before pressing another button.
"{It's been my life's goal, since recently.}"
He couldnt stand it. Damians serious voice was the greatest gift he had ever gotten. With a trembling hand he reached for another button.
"{I can't fucking SEE!}"
He had to grab onto the board while he cought his breath again. The other two still didnt make a sound, but now, rather than just feeling Damians embarrassment, he could feel Bruce's, too. It was the funniest thing Danny had ever experienced. It was almost worth not being able to talk.
Danny tried to get his hands still to sign. He probably should have picked a simpler sign for Damians name, but with his right hand, he made the sign for "D" and he snagged his left pointer finger around his right thumb. It was meant to be resemble the sign for "friend". Next he flattened his left hand as much as he could and placed his right fist in it, with the thumb pointing up for "help". Last he held his right fist in in front of him and turned it clockwise to sign "I'm sorry".
"We were-" Damian grunted. "We were recording more things for him to say." He moved in some way. "Those ones were some of his suggestions."
Danny pointed at the buttons in the top rows before pressing a few of them of them in order.
"{Cold}" "{Hot}" "{Tired}" "{I want}" "{I need}" "{Look at me}"
They weren't as fun or interesting as the ones Danny chose, but he supposed they would be more useful.
"We recorded 22 useful words and phrases in the top two rows, and 13 phrases in the bottom row. They are not organized now, but Tim is planing to adjust the board tonight. He can reorder them, then." Damian moved closer to Bruce. It sounded like he handed over the notepad. Ha! That means he can see all the things Danny got Damian to say. Like the phrase "Ghosts did it" and "thats where we keep the gravity." Hehehe, Danny was hilarious. And he wouldn't let anyone tell him otherwise.
"I see."
Show off. Ooh, he should add "show off".
"Good work. I'm glad to see you're getting along." Bruce flipped the page and his relived contentness turned to slight distaste. OK, so now hes seen the phrases. This was so worth surviving for. "We could add a few more. Since half of your face is paralyzed, emotions could be useful, too."
What do you mean half his face is paralyzed?
"From the stroke." Damian clarified. "It has made reading your lips much more difficult than before."
OK, whatever, he could process that later, but what the fuck was this? Bruce came in yelling and assuming the worst, and now they were just moving on? Danny pressed one of the new buttons.
"{Look at me}"
Wow, huh, they hadnt even marked these yet but he actually hit the one he wanted. Danny pointed at Bruce, he moved his fist in a circle by his chest, for "sorry" and signed Damians name.
There was a moment of silence, during which both Damian and Bruce were very uncomfortable, but Danny wasn't. He held his stance firmly.
"I'm sorry I suspected you, Damian."
For the just a second, the Green Gem looked just a little smoother. Surprise, warmth, acceptance radiated from Damian. None of it felt familiar.
At the same time, the Black square shrank and shifted. It almost looked like a silhouette for a moment.