16828/Taking back the Name

Taking back the Name
Date of Scene:	08 January 2024
Location:	Batcave
Synopsis:	Damian returns to the Batcave. Damian returns to his father. Damian returns to his family. Damian returns to Robin.
Cast of Characters:	Damian Wayne, Phoebe Beacon, Bruce Wayne

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Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian had gone to the Titans Tower for a pizza party, but he had finally had enough of the social interaction, and wanted to return to the relative safety of Gotham and the Batcave. And he had already asked to meet with his father. Because it's a new year and he has had a lot on his mind. He's determined to check off some of the items he had put on his resolutions list.

Arriving on one of the motorcycles, he pulls into the cave, heading for one of the parking spots. Shutting down the bike, he slips off and removes his helmet before placing it in the saddle bag to head to the meeting area.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe hadn't been invited to the meeting. She already knew Billy was dating Irie, and sometimes too much socialization led her to feel kind of... crowded.

    She was geared up, minus her domino, and was leaning against her own cycle admiring an asymetrical bit of sparkly fiery glass bauble on a chain before she tucks it beneath her chest piece, hearing Damian make his way in.

    "Hey Dams. How was the pizza party?" she questions, brows rising up as she glances over to her 'younger' sibling.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
"Is that what the Titans do with all my money? Throw pizza parties?"

It is hard to tell if Bruce is joking as he descends the steps, having become aware of Damian's return and awaiting that arrival. Certainly, the Titans could have pizza parties every day and not make a dent in the Wayne fortune. Well, except for Bart. That guy could _eat_.

He offers a nod towards Phoebe in greeting as he comes to rest at one of the landings, hands settling on the railing as he looks down at the two.

"I hope they had Hawaiian, at least."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Bart was not there. Irie and Wally were." Damian comments in response, before glancing over at Phoebe and reaches out to give his sister a little fist bump. "Discovered things I already knew. Irie is dating Billy Batson, who is also Shazam." He's not going to hide that from his family.

"And that Irie is the daughter of Wally West and Caitlin Fairchild." With that out of the way, he shakes his head. "They had Hawaiian but only one vegeterian option and everyone kept trying to give me things with meat." A frown before he comes up and hops up to perch on the railing.

"I have made a few resolutions this year. One of them was to attempt to gain in-roads with my peers. If paying for a pizza party is part of that, I'm sure you can handle it." comes his response, a small smirk playing on his own features.

"I know, since I have been here, I have been... difficult... at times to work with." Understatement of the year. "And in that difficulty, I turned my back on one thing that I should have paid more respect to and I want to apologize for that." He reaches up to take off his glasses so he can't hide his expression.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Sis-Fist. Phoebe's gauntleted hand "All Speedsters Eat and -- Billy Batson, the podcaster, is Shazam?" Phoebe blinks. She opens her mouth, closes her mouth, and then also hops on the railing, though she loops around and hangs upside-down, braids trailing downwards.

    "That tracks. Amd yeah, other superheroes tend to forget about vegetarian and vegan options. Outsiders don't have that proble. Because Tim and I do the ordering." Phoebe states, swinging slowly back and forth as she turns to look up thoughtfully at Damian.

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The expression on Bruce's face does not change as Damian brings him up to speed on the latest love lives and revelations of the Titans. Did he already know, does he not care, or does he have the world's best poker face?

Bruce skips to the main point, as he is wont to do, giving Phoebe a nod of acknowledgement on her administration of the Outsiders before returning to the matter at hand. "You have been thrust into a difficult position and performed admirably, as near as I can tell. No one expects perfection." Bruce normally does not lie, so perhaps he is simply confused on the matter. "And you owe me no more apologies than I owe you. But if you wish to speak on something, please, I am happy to listen."

Damian Wayne has posed:
Leaning back on the railing, Damian considers his words carefully. "And in that trust, father, you gave me a name. Not the Wayne name. But... that of Robin." he explains, looking thoughtful. "And I rejected the name in my own hubris, rejecting it as I wanted to be seen as your equal, not your sidekick. Not like the others."

A breath is blown out before he straightens back up. "And it has taken time to realize the lesson that I was being taught. With recent events -- and my own growth, I feel as if that if there was a lesson here is that we all must realize the path that lays before us is not one we can walk alone. And part of that is to know where you should be."

"If you are willing, I would like to set aside Rook. Batwing. My other decisions I made in a rush to prove myself. And I want to be a part of the family. A part of the whole."

"I will do what I must to earn back the name Robin."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
As Damian begins to outline his beliefs on his mistake, Bruce turns to continue down the stairs, descending from above to join Damian and Phoebe on the same level.

He listens carefully to the heartfelt words coming from his son, he continues his slow approach, nodding along in agreement.

"It is not I who labeled any of them sidekick, you realize," Bruce murmurs quietly before his approach brings him to stand before Damian. A gentle correction, perhaps, but one that Bruce moves on from quickly. That is not the point, even if it is worth being noted.

"You are part of the family, Damian. And part of the whole. No matter what name you feel is best used."

Bruce reaches out to place his hand on Damian's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "But it would be an honor to me, and to the others that have born that name, for you to take up the mantle of Robin." Bruce smiles. "You have already done all you need to have earned it."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe swings herself right-side-up, turning about as she sits with her legs threaded through the railing, her arms folded over top. She sits her chin on her gauntlet-covered arms, her braids settling over her shoulders as she watches the two interact, her dark eyes settled on Damian and Bruce, and she chooses to be quiet, stilling her breathing so that she doesn't intrude on the moment.

    Her smile fades, just a little, with the stinging in her eyes and the lump in her throat, but she doesn't dare interrupt this moment between father and son -- between Batman and Robin.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I know. It is a label I applied in the anger and rush to prove myself better." Damian responds with a small shake of his head. And no, it's not the point. But it is something that needs to be said, because he's showing that growth that is showing maturity finally catching up to height.

He doesn't interrupt, letting his father complete his words and thoughts. And once he's done, he nods firmly. There's no tears like his sister, instead, a firm, commited, "I will support my family. Our allies and comrades. I will stand to protect Gotham. I will help bring justice and vengenance to those that cannot otherwise accept it."

"I will stand by you, Father."

"As Batman and Robin."

Bruce Wayne has posed:
The other hand of Bruce Wayne comes out to land on the other shoulder of Damian Wayne.

Bruce looks down at his son. Batman looks down at Robin.

He nods.

"And as father and son," adds Bruce.