[ Whatever he sees in Damian's face, his expression falls a little while he drops his hand again. It'll strangle him if he thinks about it, the thousands of mysteries about that future he can't solve, the thousands of ways he's failing the people he's coming to care for just by-
This. By not being the one they want. One they'll ever want.
It hurts. It's hurt him for weeks now, it hurts Damian, and it will hurt Bruce too if Dick lets it. If he slips up for even a moment. ]
The thing is, he can't take care of us now. [ His mouth is a tight, closed line, but his voice stays soft and even. An apology. ]
action
This. By not being the one they want. One they'll ever want.
It hurts. It's hurt him for weeks now, it hurts Damian, and it will hurt Bruce too if Dick lets it. If he slips up for even a moment. ]
The thing is, he can't take care of us now. [ His mouth is a tight, closed line, but his voice stays soft and even. An apology. ]
So it's just you and me for a while longer.