For all the things Damian has come to expect, this was not one of them.

For one thing: he had no reason to suspect that a rogue League of Assassins member would be hiding out in one of the many (relatively) unused rooms in Wayne Manor.

For another: how was he supposed to know they weren’t in the proper state for fighting? They were in his house.

He feels rather justified in his suspicion, considering they were in League uniform. And again: sneaking around in his house. Gotham is a very long ways away from Nanda Parbat. No one would make a trip like that for no reason. It was not an unfounded assumption to make of a potential assassination attempt.

This does nothing the quell the slight pang of guilt he feels as he hands them the ice pack.

They’ve been tight-lipped about their name— Damian knows why— and they refused any water they didn’t get themselves. So Damian, who was in a similar position not too long ago, did a few things he’s unsure if should have.

He has not told his Father. He has not called Grayson. He has not woken up Pennyworth or Thomas. He has informed no one of the intruder in their home.

Instead, he dressed them in his pajamas that loosely fit them, let them get water, and handed them an ice pack for their head.

Damian feels like he’s making a mistake.

But he also feels like… this is what Richard would do. These actions are something that he, and Damian, could be proud of— instead of what this person no doubt expects of him.

“So,” Damian says calmly, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches them narrow their eyes at the glass of water in front of them, “Would you care to explain to me why you have chosen my family Manor as your, as you put it, ‘hide-out’?”

A trivial idea.

Perhaps there’s a glaring reason why they ran from the League.