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"Don't infect my dog with your germs, Drake." Damian said, glaring at the black haired boy, who was rubbing the large great danes stomach.
Tim rolled his eyes.
"C'mon Dami, you have a cow, chickens, ducks, a litter of cats, AND Titus. I think you can spare me five minutes of tummy rubs."
"-tt- Why are you even around Titus? Aren't you afraid of big dogs?" he sneered, recalling the first time the boy had seen the big dog and turned white as a sheet, and backing up into the wall when the big oof tried to jump on him to lick him.
Tim rolled his eyes again, standing up to step away from the dog (much to the great danes sorrow) and brushed off the fur that had gotten on him.
"For your information," he started while Damian came over and rubbed the begging dogs head so he would stop trying to get Tim to pet him. "I was simply...caught off guard when I came home to find a dog the size of a raptor,"
"-tt-"
"And I'm not used to animals."
Damian frowned. Not used to animals? What did that even mean?
"Did you never have a pet?"
"Nope."
"Did any of your friends have pets?"
"No. Or at least...any of the ones my parents let me see. The rich and bratty ones didn't have any."
"Been to the zoo?"
"Nope."
"The circus? Pound? Humane Society? Farm?"
"Once. No. No. Once, to visit Kon."
Damian paused, before a disturbing thought came to mind. "Have you been around animals at all?!"
And Drake...he had to *think* about it!
"Well...besides Titus right?"
Damian made a choked nose.
"Oh!" Tim said snapping his fingers. "I found a stray dog once on my way home from school and fed it and had it as a secret pet."
Damian let out a sigh of relief. He *was* around the amazing creatures called animals for a time. Thank god.
(Animals were 100% better than humans in Damians opinion.)
"...of course...that didn't last to long. My parents found out and had the dog put down."
"WHAT?!"
"Ya...something about 'diseases' and 'rabies', which is ridiculous because I already took Doc to the vet. He was clean."
Damian couldn't even *think* he was so mad. What kind of people put down a perfectly healthy dog just because they didn't want their son to have a pet?! What kind of evil people did Drake use to live with? Is that why he was so weird around Titus? Because he doesn't know how to act around dogs?
"Wha- how- why?!"
Tim looked at Damian with confusion written clear on his face. Damian Wayne at a loss for words?
"How dare those people do that?!"
"Ummm...Dami...I know you really like animals but theres nothing you can do about it now." He put on his backpack like he was preparing to leave.
Damian growled before stopping Tim from continuing by grabbing his forearm.
"You can dogsit Titus at anytime and pet him and walk him and if you want an animal just ask because we can go to the pound and I can find a dog that you would like or maybe a cat if you are more of a cat person and if you need help taking care of it just ask and don't worry about your lack of experience that's *clearly* the villians you call parents fault and-"
"Dami! Hush! Seriously dude you're rambling. Thanks...I guess? And don't worry about it, I'm not in the market for a pet right now with my hectic life but if I decide to get a pet I'll call you. Also...? When did my parents become more villainous than your assassin mother?"
Damian took a deep breath. "When I learned they were depriving you of the best creatures on earth. When do you want to go to the pound?"
Tim blinked. "Uhhh...not anytime soon? Someday? I'll call you?"
Damian paused. "Are you nervous? Because you have never had an animal I mean. I will help with your beginners confusion."
"Damian. Seriously. Not now."
Damian nodded and released his arm. Tim left in confusion while Damian wondered by Bruce's home office.
"Damian?" he called.
"Yes Father?"
"Can you ask Alfred if Tim is still here?"
"No need. I already know. He has left. Just a little bit ago."
"...how do you know? Were you two fighting again?" he said sighing and putting down his tablet. Wondering what breakable object he was going to replace.
"On the contrary. I know because I was making conversation with him while walking him out."
Bruce frowned. He seemed to mull over his next words before hesitantly saying, "Why...?"
"Because he told me he has never had a pet! And the pet that he did have his *parents* put down despite it bring healthy!" he growled slightly before explaining, "I wish to show Drake how amazing animals are and wish to get him a pet. But he is reluctant."
Bruce frown deepened. He opened and shut his mouth a bit before nodding, "Okay." he said slightly hesitant still.
---
5 hours later Bruce got a call from Tim.
"Bruce. Tell Damian to *stop*."
"What do you mean?"
"The TEXTS Bruce. He's been texting me non stop for *hours* about all the pros of getting a dog. Non. Stop. For. Hours."
Bruce paused and in his silence Tim jumped to continue.
"He's messaged me on all my electronics. Including the Titans computer. I can't block him or the messages. I've tried to ignore them but he says that if I don't answer he's going to take 'drastic measures'. What the hell does that mean?!"
Bruce looked up when he saw someone in the doorway.
"Is that Drake? Tell him to come over and meet 'drastic measures'." Damian said, holding up a blanket blundle where a small 'arf' could be heard.
Damian gave a smile that clearly from his mothers side.
"Oh hell no he didn't." Tim growled.
"Oh hell yes I did." Damian said back.
--
"Well Master Bruce, you wanted them to bond." Alfred said three months later while a muddy Bruce washed the TWO dogs he was dogsitting for his vigilante sons while they went out on a mission.
"I know...I just thought...dang it! TITUS! ACE! GET BACK HERE!
...
End.