Summary: Family movie night. A monthly event that's supposed to bring the batfamily closer together. There's minimal arguing, lots of yummy snacks and everyone who's able to attend gets to spend quality time with one another. As he does every movie night, Damien desperately wants to skip over all of that and get to what he considered the best part of the whole ordeal. The aftermath. However, the night had yet to begin as his siblings simply couldn't choose a movie.

Day 3 - Carrying/being carried / Fear of rejection / "You were meant to be watching him"

Prompt(s) used: Carrying/being carried

Family movie night. A monthly event that's supposed to bring the batfamily closer together. There's minimal arguing, lots of yummy snacks and everyone who's able to attend gets to spend quality time with one another. As he does every movie night, Damien desperately wants to skip over all of that and get to what he considered the best part of the whole ordeal. The aftermath. However, the night had yet to begin as his siblings simply couldn't choose a movie.

"Fuck no!" Jason yelled snatching the remote from Steph as he passed the loveseat, "We're not watching that movie again."

"But it's a good movie!" Steph argued.

"No it's not," everyone currently in the TV room said in sync.

"Hmph!" Steph grumbled, wrapping herself in a blanket.

Jason then plopped himself on a bean bag and perused the streaming service for the movie he was looking for. He smirked when he finally found it.

"Seriously Jay?" Tim asked from his spot on the floor by the couch, "We've watched Pride and Prejudice three times already!"

"And your point is?" Jason inquired, "It's better than Steph's shitty chick flick."

"Hey!"

"It was bad," Cass said sitting next to Steph on the loveseat and stealing some of her blanket.

At that, Steph exaggerated a gasp and dramatically held a hand over her heart. Feigning that her feelings were hurt.

"I see how it is," she said crossing her arms.

"Can we please pick something already?" Duke said getting restless, "I don't care what it is just pick something."

"We're getting to that," Tim said, now wrestling with Jason to get the remote.

Bruce walked into the room, two bowls of popcorn in hand, and rolled his eyes at the scene before him. He gave one bowl to Cass and set the other on the coffee table. He then made his way over to where Tim and Jason were fighting for the remote. Plucking it from their hands much too easily.

"Hey!" they yelled in unison before grumbling.

Bruce nearly smirked as he sat down in his armchair and selected a random Disney movie. Not bothering to wait for his eldest before pressing play. Dick wasn't too far behind him after all.

"Hurry up Richard!" Damian shouted impatiently from his spot on the couch a few cushions down from Duke.

"I'm right here Lil' D," Dick said as he entered the room balancing several bags of snacks in his arms.

Dick tossed a bag to Bruce and another to Jason before setting the rest on the coffee table. He then took his spot at the end of the couch somewhat close to Damian.

"Finally," Damian thought as he not-so-subtly scooted closer to his eldest brother.

As aforementioned, Damian favours the aftermath of movie night rather than the event itself. What's so special about the aftermath one might ask? Well, six months ago Damian fell asleep somewhere during the third movie. When he awoke with bleary eyes, he was being carried to his room by Dick. Initially, the action embarrassed him and he considered asking his brother to set him down so he could walk the rest of the way. He didn't do that obviously.

Instead, he closed his eyes that were still heavy from sleep and let Dick continue to carry him. The journey to his room wasn't long but for its entirety he relished in the feeling of being carried. Dick's hold on the younger was gentle but firm enough that he wouldn't shift too far if he moved. A warmth emanated from Dick that made Damian want to curl up even further in his arms and soak it all up. Being carried like that made him feel... safe. He enjoyed being carried by Dick.

That's the only reason he looks forward to family movie night. That's why he puts up with this event every month. So Damian can be carried to his room by his eldest sibling when it concludes. The warmth, safety and love he feels when Dick carries him to bed is worth enduring this time he has to spend with his largely insufferable family.

Damian smiled slightly to himself as the night continued. He largely blocked out everything going on around him. Only keeping himself tuned in for when Dick would offer him some popcorn. He rolled his eyes when another argument occurred for the choosing of the second movie. Impatience briefly flared up inside him as he glanced at the time in the bottom corner of the tv screen. He wanted this to be over already.

With much less arguing than last time, the second movie was chosen. As it began, Damian shifted so that he was lying on his side. Once he was comfortable, he continued to block everything out. Keeping only his end goal in mind. He didn't even notice when a blanket was draped over him until he felt a sudden rush of cold air as he shifted even closer to Dick.

Soon, the second movie ended and the third was selected. It was clear that tiredness was settling over everyone in the theatre room. Steph's head was laid on Cass' shoulder and Tim was curled up in a blanket on the carpeted floor. Jason was also showing some signs of falling asleep as was Duke. Partway through the final movie, Damian yawned and shut his eyes. He wasn't fully asleep when the moment he was waiting for arrived.

"Dami?" Dick whispered.

Damian stirred but hid any signs that he was conscious. The couch shifted as Dick slowly stood up slowly. Doing his best to not disturb his youngest brother. He then gently scooped up Damian and held him just as he did the last six times. Almost immediately, that warmth and safety that Damian was fond of enveloped him. He resisted the urge to sigh in contentment as Dick carried him to his room. Being carried like this was so delightful.

Much sooner than he would've liked, a door creaked open. Damian's bedroom door to be precise. Dick lightly padded over to the bed and gently set his brother down. The younger nearly frowned as the warmth and safety receded. He was soon tucked into bed and covered with the warmth of his bedsheets. It wasn't the same but it would do.

"Now to wait for next month," Damian thought with a small smile as he drifted off to sleep.

Once Damian was sufficiently tucked in, Dick took a step back. He gazed at his youngest brother for a few seconds before making his way back to the door. Dick stopped in the doorway with his hand on the doorknob. He glanced back and caught sight of the small smile on Damian's face. He briefly smiled too before finally closing the door softly.

Dick then made his way back to the theatre room to help clean up. As soon as he entered the room, Bruce didn't look up from his current task of collecting the spare blankets strewn around as he spoke.

"You know he's awake when you carry him right?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, but he likes when I carry him so I pretend not to notice."