[There was totally no difference between 'a lot' and 'occasionally.' Least of all to a ten year old.
Damian made 'playing' sound like some kind of menial chore or foreign practice, and the notion makes more giggles start to bubble out of his throat, knocking a few already-formed tears out of his ducts, but his expression was almost beaming now.]
We could turn the Batcave into a pillow fort. And then no would want to leave for patrol.
[His posture finally starts to relax, and he releases his grip on the chandelier to scrub the last of the tear stains away, and finally look across at Damian properly.]
Th-- Thank you, Mr. Wayne. But I'll stay on the job. S-Someone has to make sure you don't get your butt kicked even worse out there. Alfie worries a lot too.
[And he's seen the way that Damian's snuck through the halls to check Jason's room even if Dick isn't entirely sure what had ever happened, and the way he stays up even later the usual, the way both him and Tim always seemed like they were unsettled after Bruce died.
And everyone else was too busy with their own jobs, while Damian was too busy watching over them and looking after the family. So someone had to watch over Batman too, and Alfred couldn't do that in the field.]
no subject
Damian made 'playing' sound like some kind of menial chore or foreign practice, and the notion makes more giggles start to bubble out of his throat, knocking a few already-formed tears out of his ducts, but his expression was almost beaming now.]
We could turn the Batcave into a pillow fort. And then no would want to leave for patrol.
[His posture finally starts to relax, and he releases his grip on the chandelier to scrub the last of the tear stains away, and finally look across at Damian properly.]
Th-- Thank you, Mr. Wayne. But I'll stay on the job. S-Someone has to make sure you don't get your butt kicked even worse out there. Alfie worries a lot too.
[And he's seen the way that Damian's snuck through the halls to check Jason's room even if Dick isn't entirely sure what had ever happened, and the way he stays up even later the usual, the way both him and Tim always seemed like they were unsettled after Bruce died.
And everyone else was too busy with their own jobs, while Damian was too busy watching over them and looking after the family. So someone had to watch over Batman too, and Alfred couldn't do that in the field.]