Chapter Text
Danny leaned his head against the cold bus window, eyes lazily tracking a single raindrop slowly falling down the windowpane. The bus entered Gotham a good five minutes ago, the gloomy city scape dotting the horizon. His stitches, barely holding together out of sheer spite, rubbed against his NASA hoodie that was a good two sizes bigger than him. This was possibly the worst idea in the history of worst ideas, not counting the time he took up grandfather’s taunt into a dual that led him to where he was now. No, this was a bad idea on the account that his big brother, older by a day, would possibly kick his ass for not getting to contact sooner. For not letting him know he was still alive, letting him believe that he perished at ten years old.
The bus pulled to a stop, the building in front of him looked like it was one strong breath away from crumbling. Danny pulled himself up and off the seat as carefully as he could, the backpack Sam packed for him going from his lap to hanging off one strap on his shoulder. Following the group of people, he exited the bus and into the cold Gotham air, Danny’s eyes looked around, hoping with all his heart and core that there was a payphone nearby. There, a few feet away under a flickering lamppost. Was the scene before a horror movie cliché? Yes, yes it was but he had no other choice, he had to leave his phone behind with Tucker so Jack and Maddie couldn’t track him.
Steeling himself, Danny walked to the phone, fingering the loose change in his hoodie pocket, summoning his inner Damien, his ahki’s courage. He had the number memorized, repeating in his head over and over on the bus ride to Gotham. Danny put the required amount of change, put the phone to his ear, fingers hovering over the numbers for a sec before dialing the number. The phone rang once, then twice before-
“Who is this and how did you get this number.” A curt voice asked.
Danny sucked in a breath, “Ahki?”
Silence on the other end.
Danny cleared his throat,” Right, uh, it’s me Danyal.”
“Who put you up to this? Grandfather!” Damian’s voice rose in volume.
“No, it’s really me Dami!”
“Prove. It.” Damian growled out.
“When we were ten, grandfather goated me into a dual, saying that if I won, he would forgive you for having to kill for me during our mission. I was stupid and just wanted to keep you safe-“
“Danyal? Is it really you?”
“When we were five, we snuck out the compound to see the stars. Mother found us a few hours later and locked us in our rooms for it.” Danny rushed out, desperate for his brother to believe him.
“Where are you?” Shuffling could be heard from the other side of the phone, muffled voices echoing.
“I-I don’t know. Somewhere in Gotham, I took a bus to get here.”
More shuffling could be heard, “You remember Todd, right?”
“Uh Jason? Yeah, I do.”
“Good, stay where you are. Todd will find you; he is the Red Hood.”
Danny’s eyes widened, he found himself nodding before remembering that he was on the phone, “Right okay, stay under the sketchy lamppost and wait for a literal crime lord.”
“Are you hurt in anyway Danyal.” Damian asked.
Danny’s hand flew to his chest, “Uh…”
“t.t we’ll see when you get here, I shall inform Pennyworth that a guess will be arriving with Todd.”
“Okay, see you in a bit I guess ahki.”
“Be safe.”
“Cross my heart.”
Damian let a small gasp escape his lips before the phone hung up. Putting the phone back on the hook Danny took a deep breath, wincing slightly from the movement. The sounds of gunshots echoed from somewhere nearby, his core tugged in chest, begging him to help, to protect, but he couldn’t. He was hurt, running from the GIW and his adoptive parents. Helping would be like sending a flare to his location, Danny just wanted to rest, to feel safe, he wanted his big brother. Minutes flew by before the sound of a motorcycle broke the hum of the city, Danny’s eyes followed the sound, watching as the bike made its way towards him. That was fast, he thought, watching the bike stop in front of him. A figure got off, a red helmet on his head.
“Well, I’ll be, the demon brat wasn’ kidding. That really you Danyal.” The modulated voice asked.
Revenant, his mind echoed.
“Yup, I prefer Danny though. I gotta ask, Red Hood?”
Before Jason could answer, Danny heard voice come from his helmet.
“Yes, demon brat, this is the right stop. We’re going now,” Jason turned toward him, “Ever ridden on a bike before?”
Danny perked up, walking towards the bike, “Yeah my friend Johnny has one, let me drive it a few times.”
Hopping behind Jason, Danny put his backpack on the right way, wrapping his arms around Jason’s middle. The bike rumbled before speeding through Gotham, lights and colors flew by, Danny’s eyes taking in the dreary city. Soon enough, they were riding underground, probably for the best there was a reason Danny didn’t just walk up to the manor. There were paparazzi currently camped outside, wanting to talk to Brucie Wayne about his relationship with a certain reporter in metropolis.
A cave, because of course it would be a cave, is where they stopped. Standing not that far from where they was Damian. Arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently, eyes locking with Danny’s the second the bike stopped. Wasting no time, Danny jumped off the bike, making his to his twin, the part of his soul he had been missing since the accident. Damian, on instinct braced himself as Danny flew into his arms, head dropping onto his shoulder. They didn’t need words, the catalogued each other taking in the old scars they knew the stories to, and the new ones they weren’t there for. Damian ever so gently, traced the Lichtenberg scar running up his neck, Danny hugged him tighter.
Someone cleared their throat, both boys turned to see Jason, helmet off, Domino on, with an amused grin on his face. On his side an older gentleman, looking at both twins with something like fondness in his eyes.
“Master Damian, would you like to introduce your guest?” He asked.
“t.t Of course Pennyworth, this is my younger twin brother, Danyal Al Ghul.”
“I see, and am I to understand that Master Bruce is not aware of this development?”
“Father is currently in a meeting at the watchtower, he will be informed when he arrives home.”
Danny turned to Damian, raising an eyebrow, “Father doesn’t know we’re a two for one special?”
Damian huffed, “No he does not, I did not see a reason to tell him.”
“Why?”
“I saw no reason to him because I saw no reason for him to mourn a child he would never know. I saw how he treated Todd’s death; I did not want him tarnishing your memory.” Damian reasoned.
Both Jason and Danny blue screened before Danny just nodded, Damian did what he thought was best. Sure, Bruce Wayne was his father, but Damian was his twin, together since birth, he always protected Danny. He protected his memory, not wanting Bruce to turn into something twisted and ugly. Jason blinked before letting the tension in his shoulders drop.
“Now, I asked if you were hurt and you decided to not say anything. If you are okay with it, Pennyworth can look after you and do a DNA test for father.”
Danny twisted the end of his hoodie, tired blue eyes looking at jade green ones, “Can you, do it? Please ahki?”
Damian hesitated before nodding his head, “Follow me.”
“I shall prepare a room for you Master Danyal.” Pennyworth said, before turning and walking out of the cave.
“I have to get back to patrol, call me daddybats is back, I gotta see his reaction.” Jason said, ruffling both twins’ hair before hopping on his bike and driving away.
The med bay was too white was Danny’s first thought, jumping onto the bed, fidgeting with his hoodie, taking off his backpack to grab the first aid kit inside.
“There are plenty of supplies in here Danyal we do-“ Damian started to say.
“These are the only supplies that work on me, I-I can explain, just not right now. I can’t.”
“Very well, but you will explain.”
Danny gave a small smile, “Cross my heart.”
Hesitantly, Danny took off his hoodie, his shirt was a lost cause soaked in new and dried blood, ectoplasm eating through it. Damian’s eyes narrowed before grabbing the trauma shears and cutting off the rest of Danny’s shirt. Anger bleeding through his gaze as he took in the Y shaped incision.
“Danyal-“Damian started to say but was cut off.
“Please Dami not now.”
Damian nodded and began to clean the wound, Danny handing him the supplies, offering information on how to use them. At one point, Damian collected a blood sample from the remains of the shirt to run a DNA test, time passed as one twin stitched up the other. Alfred had come down with a shirt that belonged to Tim, leaving it for Damian to find, Danny’s eyes watching the butlers’ movements, not that the man could see anything, Damian’s frame hid Danny’s as he worked. When Damian finished, he helped Danny into the shirt and hoodie.
“Rest Danyal.”
“Stay with me?”
“I will not leave your side while you rest.”
“Promise.”
“Cross my heart.”
With that Danny slowly drifted off to sleep, his core content to his other half nearby and guarding him.