It's Christmas Eve, but Nightwing is patrolling the sleek streets of Bludhaven. His hands are stiff even with his suit on, and something in the eerie silence of the dark alleys was making his eyes water. If only he hadn't fought with Babs he would be sipping sweet cocoa with marshmallows beside a warm fireplace. Reality was cruel though and he was stuck with a demon kid currently aiming batarangs at snowflakes.

Damian Wayne had escaped from the manor once again, and fled to his city of all places. "You know they say we fight all the time with the people we're most similar to." Dick hummed, partially hoping they could end this whole teenage drama quick so they could all gather around Alfred with a warm blanket and a mug.

"I recall saying I would cut you if you spoke." Damian said clicking his tongue against his teeth. He had the look of a shivering puppy with his red nose and the irregular sniffing. If only he relaxed the frown marring his forehead he would even look cute. "I'd like to see you try, because if I remember correctly you're not locked again at Wayne's only because I'm here with you."

A cloud of white air dusted the air as Damian exhaled, but nothing else left his mouth. "Oh, so you're ignoring me now. Well fine, you know I love talking to myself." Dick mocked, running a hand through the hair that fell on his face in his dramatic turn around, which left him facing the boy.

"I could be sipping hot choco with Babs right now you know." Dick grumped, looking at Damian through the corner of his eyes. It felt good finally voicing what had been inside his head since he had caught the current Robin heavily harassing a mugger. It was one thing to arrest and another to slam against a trash bin repeatedly before handcuffing the man. He didn't know what had the boy more irritable than usual but stayed with him anyway. Partly because he was worried, and mostly because Tim and Jason had said 'not it' before him.

"No one is stopping you." Damian said crouching on the edge of the building they were currently guarding. He could clearly read his mind right now, hands tight around the edge, leg muscles flexing in anxiousness. Damian was a cat ready to jump at the first sign of disturbance. Luckily or maybe unluckily for both of them, the night couldn't be more peaceful. It was already 11;45 p.m. and there were only two type of people around: Middle age men and women running around stores, buying last minute presents and people who partied at bars.

Not that crime ever stopped but he doubted the joker or any villain had anything planned on Christmas Eve, well he wasn't sure anyway. Maybe if he hoped, it would be true. "You know, what you need is a warm blanket and a strict stone faced British man to accompany you." Nightwing waited a few minutes for a response, hoping Damian wasn't about to crush his skull or something when an ambulance disturbed the silence.

"Crime doesn't take vacations Grayson." A voice whispered, and the body beside him disappeared. There goes his silent night…

-0-

It had to be Clayface, of all the villains to escape Arkham, of all the disturbances to occur on Christmas Eve, of all the things that could happen to Dick right now the worst would be dealing with an angry Damian and Clayface on the same night.

Not only had Damian furiously attacked at a villain who shapeshifted and ate up all the projectiles thrown at him, they were also covered in said villian's goo. At first Dick thought it to be impossible that Clayface had attacked in the middle of winter, when his weakness was in fact cold. Then again they were feeling pretty cozy inside the abandoned lab chilling by the pool of radioactive protoplasma.

"Leave it to the world to give you the least satisfying punching bag, am I right." Dick said looking at Damian and his red cheeks now covered in brown disgusting liquid.

"You're right in front of me; if anything I see this as a win."

"Awww Dami poo I love you too so don't worry I won't leave your side." Dick said fully understanding his threat and choosing to ignore it. The clock read 12:20, they had wasted an hour on this villain and now it was Christmas. "Merry Christmas by the way" Dick sighed looking at the gray sky, it was early dawn, it was snowing, but if anything he had his brother with him instead of lost in a villain lair.

Nightwing was about to grapple his way to the next building when he saw Robin's eyes squinting at the sky. Was that remorse he smelled? "I want to drink that chocolate you said." Dick's cheeks suddenly light up; this was it, the 'Damian is actually adorable' moment he had been waiting for.

"I hope you respect the silence this time or I'll change my mind."

Well, there was enough sugary sweetness to change Robin's mind later but for now he would shut up.

-o-

They were on their way to the manor when a bank alarm rang in the middle of dawn. Right, give it to criminals to wait for the worst possible moment. All they needed right now was a good shower and some warm substance but no. It was all fun and games until joker smashed in with a black van, successfully trapping Robin. If anything Nightwing had seen this coming he would have called for backup. Even with their skilled martial arts combat moves they were left bleeding and bruised on Christmas morning.

The joker had escaped successfully but at least he hadn't taken anything with him. They were both lying on their backs, chests heaving up and down in exhaustion as they watched the sky start to clear up and the sun peek behind. Damian's forehead was dripping red with blood and Dick wasn't sure if it was only his. "Ow, fuck." He heard him curse.

"Hey, that's no way of talking kid." Nightwing mumbled, perfectly understanding the boy's sentiment. He couldn't feel his left cheek and his mouth tasted liquid red.

"It hurts like hell." Damian complained sitting up to rub his bruised cheek. His teeth looked fine but his mouth was also scurrying vital fluid. Dick's hands moved faster than he could think and grabbed Robin's weakened body to rest him in his arm. "Don't worry, I have first aid." Nightwing exclaimed, far too enthusiastic for the beat down they had just received.

Damian was done; he couldn't stop Dick from stamping his face with flower and heart band aids. "All better." Dick said proudly smiling at his work.

When they arrived at the manor Bruce was sipping hot chocolate, sitting by the fireplace and covered in a red blanket. Alfred was serving Tim and Jason the same. It was no surprise to anyone to see Dick proudly carrying a semi unconscious Robin bridal style. Tim could barely suppress a snort and Jason didn't even try. This wasn't supposed to be funny, they looked like they needed medical attention, but Damian's swollen face covered in colorful flowery band aids was important.

A tiny "Help…" came out from Robin's tired body before passing out.

a.n: Hey, stop with the angst, have some fun