Bruce had been trying to have a conversation with Damian about dating.
It wasn’t going particularly well.
They were sitting in the Batcave after patrol, the computer screens casting pale light across the room while Bruce attempted, with varying degrees of success, to approach the subject without making it sound like an interrogation.
Damian was sharpening one of his blades.
Bruce cleared his throat.
“You’re getting older. Eventually, you’re going to start thinking about relationships.”
Damian didn’t look up.
“I already do.”
Bruce paused.
“Good. Then you understand that dating comes with responsibilities.”
“Obviously.”
“You should take your time. Don’t let anyone pressure you into anything. And if you’re interested in someone—”
“I have a girlfriend.”
Silence.
Bruce slowly turned toward him.
“You have a girlfriend?”
Damian finally looked up, completely unimpressed by his father’s reaction.
“Yes.”
Bruce stared.
“For how long?”
“Eight months.”
Another silence.
“Eight months?”
Damian nodded once.
Bruce’s expression shifted into something between disbelief and mild betrayal.
“Eight months, and you didn’t think that was worth mentioning?”
“You never asked.”
“I’ve asked.”
“You’ve asked about school.”
Bruce frowned.
“That’s not the same thing.”
Damian returned his attention to the blade.
“Apparently.”
Bruce folded his arms.
“So you’ve been dating someone for eight months.”
“Correct.”
“And none of us knew.”
“That was intentional.”
Bruce exhaled slowly, realizing that his son had somehow managed to maintain an entire relationship under the collective radar of the Bat-Family.
Dick would never believe this.
Jason would probably make it his life’s mission to embarrass him.
Tim would ask entirely too many questions.
And Alfred would already know.
Bruce looked at Damian again.
“Does she know about your life?”
“Yes.”
“She knows you’re Robin?”
“Yes.”
“And she’s okay with that?”
Damian gave him a flat stare.
“She has survived eight months of dating me. I imagine she’s capable of handling Robin.”
Bruce almost smiled.
“Fair enough.”
Damian sheathed his blade and stood.
“I believe the conversation is over.”
Bruce watched him walk away.
It wasn’t until Damian reached the stairs that Bruce spoke again.
“You’re going to introduce us eventually, right?”
Damian stopped.
He glanced back over his shoulder.
“We’ll see.”
Then he continued toward the elevator.
Bruce stared after him.
Eight months.
His son had been dating someone for eight months, and Bruce had apparently been the last person in the family to find out.
He already knew this was going to be a problem.