Writer's Month Day 28

Trope Prompt: Family

Fandom: Batman

Characters: Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth

Tags: #writersmonth2019, family, wingfic, meta attack, Dick has wings, Bruce is a good parent, Damian is a good brother, Alfred knows all

A True Flying Grayson

Damian has had enough. Grayson had ignored all attempts of communication for the past week. He had failed to show up for their weekly patrol together in Gotham, citing a cold of all things. Damian was not going to stand for it and was going straight to the source.

That was why Damian was marching up the stairs to Grayson's apartment, noses wrinkled up at the state of the stairwell in the building in Bludhaven. Why was Grayson so intent on staying in this building that should be condemned? It only took Damian a few moments to skilfully pick the lock on Grayson's apartment at the end of the hall. He would have preferred to go through the fire escape, but he was here as Damian Wayne and not Robin as per Pennyworth's orders.

Damian stepped into the dark apartment and wondered if Grayson was at work, but when he saw a shadow move in the living room he threw off that idea.

"Grayson!" Damian blurted out as he stepped into the living room and his jaw dropped as Grayson spun around. Items crashed around him and the taller man winced before sighing and dropping down onto his couch.

"It took you longer than I expect to come to see me," Grayson commented as he ran a hand through his messy dark hair.

"You have wings!" Damian knew he was staring with his jaw open but he couldn't help it.

"Yeah…" Grayson sounded shy and unsure as blue wings curled around his body. Damian inched closer, entranced by the sight of the different shades of blue that made up the layers of feathers.

"So this is why you have stayed out of Gotham lately, not because you were weakened by a common cold. " Damian said as things clicked together as he remembered his Father's take on Meta's in Gotham.

"… You're taking this rather well, better than I did in fact." Grayson chuckled in a strained voice as Damian stood in front of him, green eyes inspecting each wing with clear interest.

"They suit you, Grayson," Damian admitted and rolled his eyes when the wings flared open wide as if they were preening at the compliment from Damian.

"How did this happen?" Damian dropped onto the couch next to Grayson and his lips twitched up in a smile when Grayson's wing curled around him. The wing was warm, soft and emitted a feeling of protection much like Grayson himself tended to do.

"A week or so ago I was hit by this blast from a prep I was chasing down. I went down hard and when I woke up I was on a roof with these things spread out around him. I managed to get back to my apartment before the sun rose, but I haven't left since. Can't hide these guys with a pair of glasses or a jacket." Grayson explained as he began to run his fingers through Damian's hair almost out of habit and Damian was tentatively brushing his fingers over the soft feathers that were pressed to his side.

"I know why you didn't tell Father, but he would be able to help you if this was just a blast of magic," Damian said as his mind whirred.

"I called Zatanna and well… This wasn't just a normal blast of magic little D… It altered my genes at a cellular level… I'm a Meta now and these wings are here to stay. She is working on a concealment charm for me so I can go out and about but it's taking time." Grayson's voice was level but Damian knew his partner and knew he was not taking this well.

"I expect you to be at the top of your game nonetheless," Damian said firmly as he tucked his feet up under himself and leaned heavier against Grayson, allowing himself to be a bit vulnerable to ease Grayson's worries.

"Of course, let's just keep this between us for now okay little D? Just until I get that charm and adjust to the weight on my back?" Grayson was smiling like an idiot now and hugged Damian closer with both his arm and wing-like he had been doing it his whole life.

"I insist that you take me flying when you learn how to," Damian said simply.

"Without a doubt little D," Grayson laughed loudly and dropped a kiss to Damian's head. Daman knew that sooner or later the others will learn of Grayson's new attachments but for now it is something just for Damian and Grayson. No matter what Father's says, Damian was Grayson's partner first and will always be no matter Father's decision.

~~/~~

Bruce watched from his perch on a nearby cock tower in the middle of the night. Damian was leaning against a nearby gargoyle, green mask facing out over the city and a smirk was on his face. Bruce saw why a moment later when Nightwing dropped down onto the head of the gargoyle in a crouch and a beaming smile.

"It feels good to be back out!" Dick laughed as he straightened up, shoulders shifting strangely as he stretched his arms above his head.

"You seem to have gotten over your cold," Bruce noted as Dick ruffled Damian's hair, the young boy allowing the touch without even a 'tch' of protest.

"There is chatter of a drug deal going down near the docks," Batman repeated what he figured out about something Black Mask was up to.

"Let's go then!" Dick laughed as he and Damian leapt off the building, grappling hooks firing and the two swung off into Gotham together. Bruce took a moment to take in the sight of Robin and Nightwing and wondered what it was like when they were Batman and Robin. Bruce shook it off and fired his grappling hook and followed his sons.

Things were going as per normal when it came to a drug shipment arriving. Nightwing was up in a high perch, keeping an eye on things while Robin snuck around in the shadows and Batman made his entrance to throw the gang into disarray. Robin lashed out every so often, taking care of the thugs nearby with the blunt edge of his sword while Batman used his fists and Nightwing picked off the ones that were trying to sneak away.

"Ahahaha! You're dead Batman!" Black Mask cackled as he held up a hand-held bomb and threw it at Batman, uncaring of his men that were fighting the bat.

"No!" Nightwing shouted and Bruce went to bring up his cape to protect himself even knowing he was not going to escape this blast unharmed. Batman gasped despite himself when lean yet strong arms wrapped around his torso and he felt weightless before he was next to Nightwing on an upper catwalk as the explosion went off below.

"Dick," Batman whispered, his eyes widening behind the lens of his cowl as he took in the sight of Nightwing before him. Nightwing in his blue and black uniform and shockingly large and bright blue wings that were flared out in protection around the two of them.

"You're okay, thank god." Dick murmured before he slumped forward, Bruce holding his eldest in his arms on reflex.

"His left wing is injured, we must get him back to the cave." Robin dropped down next to Batman and the barely conscious Nightwing, gloved fingers brushing over some bleeding and burnt feathers.

"You knew?" Batman hissed as he tenderly lifted Nightwing into his arms, careful of the other's wings.

"Did you really think he was sick?" Robin snorted as he darted ahead to clear the way for Batman to get Nightwing back to the Batmobile and then the Batcave without distractions.

Batman didn't speak again as they hurried Nightwing back to the Batcave, eyeing the way that Robin was familiar with Nightwing's wings and pushed that aside to alternate between hoping Dick would be okay and why didn't Dick tell him?

Alfred, on the other hand, didn't seem to be phased at the sight of Dick's wings and simply helped Bruce set Dick down on the med bed flat down on his stomach.

"Please relax Master Dick, do not worry you and your wings are in safe hands," Alfred said as he eased an IV into Dick's arm once they peeled him out of his Nightwing suit, being careful of his wings.

"Thanks, Alfie," Dick slurred as his eyes closed and face relaxed as the pain medication and sedatives flooded into his system.

Time moved in a blur after Alfred shooed Bruce and Damian away to get showered, dressed and to eat something while he took care of Dick's injuries.

Damian had just simply told Bruce that Dick would be fine and Bruce wanted nothing more than to interrogate his son about how and why Dick had wings, but he knew better than to do so otherwise Damian would clamp up. Best he goes straight to the source when Dick woke up.

Bruce found himself in a familiar position, sitting in a chair next to the med bed, fingers laced together under his chin as he stared at the sight of Dick lay out on the bed, his rather magnificent blue wings spread out behind him. Bruce's mind was going a million miles a mile but it all came to a stop when Dick's blue eyes opened up and his wings began to twitch. Dick hissed and touched his bandaged wing when he tried to move it.

"Don't try to move around too much chum, you're still healing." Bruce set his hand on Dick's ankle and almost winced when Dick looked away like he was ashamed.

"I'm sorry…" Dick started but stopped when Bruce held up his hand.

"You were always a Flying Grayson, now you just a bit more help," Bruce said simply and something inside of him relaxed when Dick gave him a familiar, blinding smile.

"Thanks, B," Dick whispered.

"Well, I'm just thankful that I finally have someone to help clean the gutters. I'm not as young as I used to be," Alfred said simply as he brought down a tray of juice and some toast.

"You got it Aflie," Dick said as he nibbled at the piece of toast.

"This puts on a damper on our flying practice Grayson, you will have to train extra hard when you have healed up." Damian stepped out from behind Alfred and sat on the foot of the bed.

"I don't have any doubts you'll put me through the ringer Dami," Dick teased.

"I'll make up a schedule and some rehab for your injured wing," Bruce added in and the last of Dick's tension was washed away and he beamed up at his family and his wings flared in response to his positive emotions.