First of a series of once-shots focused on the Batfamily interacting with each other and LOVING EACH OTHER LIKE THE SIBLINGS THEY ARE.
Just to be clear; I love every single person inside the batfam, but the batbros are my heart. So there should be no surprise that there is more batbros than anything else. Favs are Damian and Jason, so you will see a lot of them.
If any of you have a request, of a specific situation or interaction you want to see between the batbros, don't be afraid to let me know, I will do what I can to comply. Some of the Chapters will have continuations, making them two or three-shots but they are more one-shots than anything else.
Also, just to let you know, I upload a new chapter once a week or sometimes twice, depend on how my school is treating me. I usually have more free time after Wednesdays, so Chapters should be up from that day forward.
That's all. So, thank you for clicking, I hope you like the story! Enjoy!
Title: Karaoke Night
Author: Rea Treoni
Rating: K+
Characters: Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown.
WARNINGS: None.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Batman related character. They are DC Comics's. The same goes to the song 'This Song Saved My Life' belongs to Simple Plan.
"C'mon, lil'D! I promise it will be fun!" reassures Dick, for the fifth time that night, as he got on one knee to see his little brother better. Damian, at his older brother statement, raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"'tt' Grayson, you should know by now, that my kind of 'fun', as you so call the action, it is not the same kind as yours" the current Robin replied, crossing his arms over his chest "And I am sure as hell that my kind it is not going with all of you fools to this 'karaoke' thing, whatever that is"
"The demon is right, Dickiebird. His kind of fun is beating the crap out of bad guys" spoke Jason from his spot on the couch before adding "and Tim" his smirk was wiped off when Tim elbowed him hard on the ribs, glaring at him dirty.
Dick shot his brother an unamused look, while Damian limited himself to just nod, agreeing for once with his homicidal older brother.
"Come on, Damian! You don't even have to sing" Stephanie chirped in, speaking for the first time since the Plan G took motion.
After Plan A was a total fiasco that is not worth telling over, Plan B took place without missing a beat. Although, it's safe to say that it was a total fiasco as Plan A, just as the rest of the letters that followed. That's how they got to Plan G. It was okay, though, because if Plan G didn't work out neither they still had left the rest of the alphabet. Yeah, they did think it through.
Damian clicked his tongue, irritation written all over his small face "That aside, what makes you think I want to listen to any of you, or other people for that matter, sing?"
"But you love it when I sing to you before bed" murmured Dick with a small pout in his face, crossing his arms over his chest.
Tim and Jason smirked, looking at each other conspiratorially while Stephanie quickly placed a hand over her mouth, faking a cough to hide her giggle.
Damian's face turn red as his frown got deeper "Grayson" he hissed at his older brother.
Dick shot him a non-apologetic grin before turning his face serious "Dami, you're going" the former Batman declared as he stood up full height, crossing his arms.
"No, Grayson." Damian answered, imitating his former mentor, not backing away.
Dick glanced quickly at Steph, who simply nodded, confirming him that it was time. Dick nodded back a few seconds later. Plan G was not dead yet, they still had a special weapon under their sleeves.
"Damian Wayne, don't make me call Dad"
Damian's blue eyes widen at the threat but quickly recovered his posture, narrowing his eyes to his former mentor "You wouldn't dare"
Dick narrowed his eyes back "Wanna bet?" Damian limited himself to click his tongue and pulled his chin a little higher, his eyes never looking away.
Dick just shrugged "Okay then"
Without another word he pull out his cellphone and press the number 2, in speed dial. Damian eyes followed every move and slightly shift on his feet, trying to reassure himself that it could be a trick, a trap.
A few second later, Dick grinned smugly at his youngest brother "Hey, Bruce!"
Damian's eyes widen in surprise. Not a trap then.
Damian quickly stepped forward "Grayson—" he was cut off abruptly as Dick held up a finger to him, as he hummed into the phone. The ex-assassin reminded himself that it wouldn't do him any good if he broke his brother's finger.
"Yeah, it is time" Dick declares before passing the phone to his baby brother, still grinning. Damian took it reluctantly and sighed annoyed before putting the phone in his ear.
"Father"
"Damian, go with your brothers"
A groan "Fine"
Damian passed the phone back to Dick, glaring him with what almost looked like a bat-glare. Dick took the phone gladly "Thanks, Bruce" the eldest said warmly before hanging up. Not losing any more time, Dick took the ten years old's hand and started walking towards the exit, practically dragging the rigid and tense body of his youngest brother with him.
The rest of the ex-robins followed suit.
"Ten bucks the squirt will sing" Jason whispered leaning to Tim's ear.
Tim grinned "You're on."
Once the group got to 'Kareoke Station'— a place that was recommended by Jason who was friends with the owner, Dean Tate— they sat on one of the tables that were in the middle of the room and almost in front of the small but bright stage. The night was going smooth so far, and that was saying something when the Bats were involved. As the night went on, Damian felt himself relax a little because the sooner the night ends, the sooner he could be free from this outrageous activity.
Suddenly his hopes were crushed. Damian knew he was doomed the second he heard his own name leaving Dean's lips, calling him over to the stage. Immediately, the ten years old started to refused forthright, ignoring the annoying and persistent voices of his siblings by his side, encouraging him, because there was no way in hell that he was going to go up there and sing.
That changed when Dean dared him to do so. Damian scowled hard, feeling a little insulted, and stood up from his seat, letting out an irritated 'tt' as he made his way to the stage, and he may or may not had been stomping angrily along the way.
Damian Wayne does not back down from a dare, for Batman's sake.
"This is so cheating, Jason" Tim grumbled as he handled his brother a ten dollar bill he took from his wallet.
Jason smirked smugly as he snatched the money "Nuh-huh, my nerdy brother, it is called 'Begin a genius', you need to know which strings to pull to succeed" he brags as he winked at Dean from afar; Dean sent him a thumps up and a smirk as response.
"You know he's so going to get you back for this, right?" Dick reminded them both, without taking his eyes off his youngest brother, who was now in the middle of the stage with a scowl on his face, not looking happy at all.
"I'm getting this on video" Steph quickly took out her cell phone and switched it to video recording "This is total blackmail material"
"Make sure to send me a copy, Blondie"
"For me too, Steph"
"Guys" Dick groaned at his siblings tactics then he paused "Same here, Steph" he whispered near her ear, making her smile ever wider. The voices around the place started to quiet down as Damian softly tapped the microphone on the top.
"This song is for someone" the youngest Wayne started, a light blush in his cheeks, and every single kid who was trained by Batman could see easily how his eyes placed themselves on Dick for less than a second before looking away "It's called 'This Song Saved My Life' from Simple Plan, and if you don't listen, the better" some people laughed quietly at the last statement, which made Damian to raise an eyebrow confused, the older Bats shook their head amused.
Deciding to end the song as soon as possible, Damian rolled his eyes and started to sing the song he knew by memory.
I wanna start by letting you know this
Because of you my life has a purpose
You helped me be who I am today
I see myself in every word you say
Sometimes it feels like nobody gets me
Trapped in a world where everyone hates me
There's so much that I'm going through
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you
I was broken
I was choking
I was lost
This song saved my life
I was bleeding
Stopped believing
Could have died
This song saved my life
I was down
I was drowning
But it came on just in time
This song saved my life
Sometimes I feel like you know me forever
You always know how to make me feel better
Because of you my dad and me
Are so much closer than we used to be
You're my escape when I'm stuck in this small town
I turn you up whenever I feel down
You let me know like no one else
That It's ok be myself
[Chorus]
You never know what it means to me
That I'm not alone,
That I'll never have to be
[Chorus]
My life - eee!
My life - eee!
This song saved my life [x3]
The entire room went quiet, listening closely and intrigued every word. People were transfixed by the emotion the young boy transmitted to the song. The Bat-siblings stood there, surprised and impressed by their youngest' performance, because besides the unique feeling the young boy poured into the song, his voice was surprisingly soft and yet deep. They made a mental note to keep coming back to the Karaoke every year.
Just as Damian finished with the last note, the crowd went wild. The applauses of the crowd only grew louder by the second and the ten years old just stood there, glancing uncertainly at it. He nodded his head, put the microphone down and started climbing down the steps of the stage, his eyes everywhere but the table where his siblings were.
Over the crowd's cheering, any one could make out Jason's booming voice, cheering loud and clear to his brother. He stood up proudly from his seat, clapping his hands with so much force, a big grin in his face, still claiming: "Yeah! That's my baby brother, people!"
Tim followed his older brother's actions and stood up next to him, whistling loud and long with a big smile on his face, his eyes expressing the proud feeling inside him. Stephanie closed her cellphone and placed it gently in the table, a soft smile in her lips and her eyes filling up with small tears that were threating to fall down at any second.
Meanwhile, Dick was already walking towards his little brother, meeting him half-way. Damian knew his brother was in front of him, no doubt there, but that didn't meant he had to look up. He felt embarrassed, he meant every part of the song and allowed himself to express the feelings he usually bottled up. He wanted to let Dick know how much he changed him for good and how much he appreciated him.
He knew Dick will never laugh at him and yet he couldn't help but get nervous about how his older brother would react, that why he kept looking at the ground, because oddly enough the floor was very interesting at the moment.
"Damian" called Dick in a soft tone, trying to get his brother to look at him.
"Look, Gray—" the young Wayne was interrupted when a pair of strong arms gathered him in a firm and warm hug. Dick got on his knees, allowing him free access to embrace the whole little body of his baby brother more freely.
"It's me who would be lost without you, Dami" Dick whispered in his ear softly, tightening his hold "I love you so much"
At the words of his older brother, Damian instantly relaxed; he hugged back, putting his little arms around Dick's neck and placing his head on his brother's shoulder. A few seconds passed before three pair of arms joined the hug.
"We love you too, lil'D" came Stephanie's warm voice, stroking the young boy's black hair.
"Yeah, what Dickiebird and Blondie said" agreed Jason, a playful smile in his lips, rubbing his baby brother's back.
"Well, I like him" Tim chirped, earning a punch in the arm from Jason "Kidding! I'm kidding! I love him too"
Damian gulped before opening his mouth "Guys, I…" he made a pause, fighting the lump on his throat "Thank you" he whispered brokenly, snuggling deeper into the embrace. The older siblings shared a look between themselves before tightening the hug.
"You are not alone anymore, Dami"
Hope you liked it!