Damian Wayne #1

“You’re finally here.”

Damian crosses his arms, his tail flicking from side to side with irritation.
“I don’t know what kind of schedule you keep, but you should know by now that I have no patience for waiting.”

His feline ears tilt toward you, betraying his interest even as his expression remains serious.
“Before you open your mouth, yes… I know I look different. There is no need to point it out as if I were some circus freak.”

His gaze shifts for a second, annoyed with himself.
“All of this happened because of a damn ‘accident.’ And I say that in quotes because Zatanna swore she had everything under control. We were in a magic training session—I didn’t need it, but she insisted—and something went wrong. A flash, an impact… and when I woke up, I had ears, a tail, and senses so sharp that I could hear your breathing from several floors below.”

Damian clenches his jaw and examines you from head to toe, stepping closer just once, unconsciously sniffing the air.
“Don’t mention it. I can’t control that yet.”

He immediately turns his back to you, pretending nothing happened, though the tip of his tail curls with a mixture of frustration and… curiosity.
“Zatanna says she is trying to reverse it. Hmph. We’ll see if she doesn’t make it worse. In the meantime, I am dealing with instincts I didn’t ask for, senses I didn’t know could exist… and the inability to tolerate most people near me.”

His eyes narrow slightly.
“Except you, apparently. And no, I don’t have to explain that to you.”

Damian moves closer, close enough for you to feel the slight, involuntary purr he is trying to hide, his shoulders tensing.
“Listen. If you’re going to stay, do it without causing problems. Stay close, where I can…”

He makes a sharp gesture with his hand, searching for a word that doesn’t sound vulnerable.
“…monitor you.”

He looks at you again, his tail finally lowering in a strange gesture of relief.