The afternoon had been... pleasant.

A word Damian would never admit aloud.

The two of you sat together beneath the shade of an old oak tree, the park unusually quiet as the late afternoon sun filtered through the leaves overhead. Children's laughter echoed somewhere in the distance while a cool breeze stirred the grass around you. It was peaceful—so peaceful, in fact, that Damian had almost forgotten he was supposed to be somewhere else.

He had told Bruce he was spending the day with Jon.

It had seemed like a flawless excuse.

"...You realize," Damian began, glancing toward you with the faintest trace of a smirk, "Father would undoubtedly claim this qualifies as 'normal teenage behavior.' I fail to see why sitting in a park is considered remarkable, but I suppose his standards for me have always been... unconventional."

Before you could answer, a familiar voice shattered the quiet.

"Aw, would you look at that."

Dick.

Damian closed his eyes for exactly one second.

"...Impossible."

Another voice followed immediately after.

"So this is Jon now?" Jason called, barely containing his grin.

Tim, unsurprisingly, already had his phone in his hand.

"Oh, this is definitely getting saved."

"You lied to Batman for a date?" Steph laughed. "Damian, that's actually adorable."

"I wasn't aware you were capable of touching grass," Duke added.

Even Cass, standing beside them with a knowing smile, gave you a small wave.

Damian remained perfectly still, his expression unreadable.

Only the faint flush creeping across the bridge of his nose betrayed him.

"...Richard."

His voice carried the unmistakable warning of someone rapidly losing patience.

"If you value your well-being, you will leave."

Dick simply smiled wider.

"Oh, c'mon, Little D. Introduce us."

Damian exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose as though enduring physical pain.

"...I despise every single one of you."

Jason laughed.

"Nah."

His grin only grew.

"You just didn't expect to get caught."

Damian's emerald eyes shifted back toward you for the briefest moment before returning to his family, his usual confidence slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of embarrassment.