HEIRDOM

On Steph being Batgirl, and being nice.



Damian: [Scowl.]

Steph: Be nice.

Damian: No. [Finger-snapping gesture.] Keep your mouth shut.

Steph: Excuse me?

Damian: Hmph.

Steph: Jeez, relax. I don't exist to make your life miserable.

Damian: If that is true, I'm surprised.

Steph: I don't get it. I really don't.

Damian: Don't get what?

Steph: Why you think of me the way you do. I haven't done anything to you.

Damian: You aren't supposed to be Batgirl, and you are Batgirl for silly reasons.

Steph: But I've been pulling my weight.

Damian: You're still not good enough.

Steph: Says who? Tim approves.

Damian: I don't approve of Drake, either.

Steph: Your dad did. You dad approved of him a lot.

Damian: [Ouch.] Well, I don't.

Steph: One day you'll learn that your opinion doesn't make the world turn.

Damian: My father is dead, so what does his opinion matter?

Steph: ... You don't mean that.

Damian: [He really doesn't, but it's argument.] Go away.

Steph: Nope.

Damian: [He folds his arms.]

Steph: [Folds her arms, too B( ]

Damian: Why are you always a bitch when I want you to be nice to me, and nice when I don't really want attention from you?

Steph: Because you never want me to be nice to you unless you want me to get you out of being in trouble with Dick or something.

Damian: And yet you miss those opportunities.

Steph: Because that's not how I'm going to be nice to you. I'm not going to let you use me.

Damian: Why not?

Steph: [BECAUSE YOUR DAD DID ENOUGH OF THAT.] Because. Being used... uh, isn't nice. I know you always think I'm being nice to you because I want something.

Damian: That's different.

Steph: How so?

Damian: It just is. Being nice so I'll owe you is different from being nice to help me.

Steph: I've helped you when you needed it.

Damian: Such as?

Steph: Uhh... remember when the Joker kidnapped you?

Damian: Just about everyone in the castle helped. You would have looked like an idiot if you didn't. Besides... my mother would have dealt with him.

Steph: I didn't have to follow Tim and go AFTER the Joker, did I? No.

Damian: That was you dealing with the Joker, not me. I was fine.

Steph: [SIIIIIGHS and rubs her temples.]

Damian: [Scowl.]

Steph: ... [Scowl.]

Damian: Also, you wear too much purple.

Steph: ... That is soooo random.

Damian: Why?

Steph: Because? The color I wear?

Damian: Well, it bugs me. Deal with it.

Steph: [YOU BUG HER ALL THE TIME AND SHE DEALS WITH IT.] Was planning to.

Damian: Also, you wear your hair down and that's impratical.

Steph: Babs wore hers down.

Damian: Babs is in a wheelchair now, which speaks volumes of her ability as Batgirl.

Steph: Damian! [sdigubsigdub CAN'T BELIEVE HE SAID THAT]

Damian: What?

Steph: You don't--don't say that! That's terrible!

Damian: How is it terrible? She isn't Batgirl because she failed at it.

Steph: [WANTS. TO. PUNCH. HIM. Or say something about Bruce, but she's the adult so she'll just look MAD.]

Damian: What's your problem?

Stephanie: Guess.

Damian: I don't get it. Whenever I say something and someone doesn't like it –– like YOU –– they never explain why it's wrong. They just get all huffy and "how dare you" and that's stupid.

Steph: [BREAAATHES.] What happened to Babs is terrible. It wasn't because she was bad at being Batgirl. Lots of people DIE, get killed, and it's not because they were bad heroes. It's circumstance. Bruce wasn't a bad hero, was he?

Damian: No, but he still failed.

Steph: Babs got shot, but she wasn't a bad Batgirl. Understand now?

Damian: I understand.

Steph: ... [... Now what. Just... nods. GOOD.]

Damian: [Just watches her.]

Steph: [... Blinks. And looks elsewhere.]

Damian: [Watches herrrrrrr.]

Steph: ... What?

Damian: Nothing.

Steph: Uh... okay.

Damian: It doesn't mean you're any better, though.

Steph: Think what you want.

Damian: Well, as long as you're not a tattletale, I'll tolerate your presence.

Steph: ... Gee, thanks.

Damian: You're welcome.

Steph: [NOT SURE WHAT JUST HAPPENED, BUT... OKAY...]

Damian: [Not sure, either.]