Colin stared at the mirror with a critical eye and tried not to cringe at what stared back. It was the best he could do, really - the nuns didn't have a lot of money to buy them new clothes and he didn't really think this would ever happen or else he would've saved that nice shirt they gave him last week for tonight. He also kind of wished he had jeans that didn't have tears in the knees, and his only jacket was the plaid one he'd insisted on having since elementary school, back when it was huge on him.

It was still big on him, but not as much and the man problem now was that a lot of the stitching was constantly falling apart. Sister Mary had told him that she was getting tired of fixing it and that 'perhaps' it was time to find a new jacket.

'Perhaps' was a funny sounding word to say that he had no choice.

But the jacket was the least of his issues, at any rate. It was a comfort on what was completely unknown territory with Damian, and besides, his hair was a mess that was trying its hardest to stick up in every direction, and his shoes were falling apart, and he still had a bit of a shiner from the last time Abuse snuck out to fight alongside Robin.

People with shiners didn't go out on a first-date with their best friend. They brooded. Or something, he was certain, at any rate.

He scowled at the mirror one last time, nudged it with his sneakered foot, and closed his closet door, starting out of the room. He stopped to look at Rory on his dresser, and smiled, hugging him. "I'm nervous, but it's Damian, right? It'll all be okay, because he asked me out and that means he likes me, right Rory?" He smiled down at the teddy bear - he had never really understood why turning a certain age meant he couldn't have his stuffed bear any longer, and so Rory continued to be his closest confident, closer than even Damian.

"And he knows I don't really have that many good clothes, so he won't care and besides, it's just dinner and a movie. We've done that before. Now it's just less... just-friends." He laughed slightly, and smiled at the bear's unchanging face. He took a deep breath, nodded and put Rory down, going out into the hall.

"Oh, Colin, I was just about to come get you. Damian's here for you." Sister Agnes smiled warmly at him from the head of the stairs, and suddenly any and all confidence drained from Colin, pooling in the bottom of his stomach and making room for butterflies.

Butterflies that he swore were zombies and were clawing away at his inside.

"Sister Agnes, I can't go out there. I look horrible." He almost-wailed, surging forward against her and she automatically wrapped her arms around him. She knew why this was different, after all, and unlike Sister Bettie, she was more than encouraging about him going out on a date with another boy.

"Oh come now, Colin, you look fine." She reassured, petting his head. "Besides, you boys have been friends for years. I doubt he'll mind if you aren't dressed to the nines." Her wrinkled face crinkled in encouragement, and he frowned.

"Dressed to the...?"

"It means looking like a penguin, dear." She combed through his hair again, laughing. "Now, shoo, shoo. He might just care if you're late to your dinner!" She gently removed him from her and he nodded, feeling renewed. This would be okay. He couldn't remember the last time Sister Agnes was wrong!

Damian was standing just inside the foyer, dressed just a little better than casual, his hair slicked back but looking suspiciously gel-free. Other than that though - wow. His breath left him in a sudden whoosh, and it was only thanks to the stair rail that he didn't go stumbling down the remainder of the stairs. He felt underdressed and rather dull. "Hi," he breathed once he reached the bottom, and Damian turned to face him with a slight smile that was reserved just for him. It managed to make one of the butterflies zip up his spine - with some interesting tingles along the way - and start gnawing on his brain.

Colin was speechless.

"Hey. Ready to go?" Damian slipped his hands in his pockets, and jerked his head toward the door. The smile was all but gone, just a hint remaining in his eyes, but that was more than enough, and Colin stammered a little bit before just settling on nodding.

"Bye, Sisters! I'll be home before curfew." He called over his shoulders, managing to gain control of motor functions that much. And at the face Damian made at the idea of cutting their date - oh god this was a date and there were those butterflies again and Colin couldn't breath - Colin couldn't stop a smile. "And they won't be any the wiser if you 'drop' me off and I sneak back out the window, will they? It's worked for years for patrolling."

He hated that he giggled. It was a little too pitch-y for an almost-sixteen-year old and it completely revealed how nervous he was.

Apparently, Damian didn't think so. Or he picked up on his nerves or something, because once the door closed behind them and they were walking out to the street, Damian slipped his hand out of his pocket and wound it around Colin's, squeezing just slightly. Imperceptibly so.

It still almost made him trip, and then the shock of seeing a taxi, yellow and all, waiting for them nearly finished the job. He shot a questioning look at Damian, who shrugged and ran his free hand through his hair. "Didn't really want us walking there and back, and I didn't want to risk getting a ticket by driving."

Surprise number whatever and Colin was slack-jawed with amazement. Damian didn't want to risk getting a ticket for underage driving? "Oh," he said astutely, and was so glad that he could keep up conversations on level with Damian.

Yeah right.

And then Damian held the door of the cab open for him and he stared for a half second too long. "What're you looking at, Wilkes? Get in so we can go grab dinner."

"Right! Sorry. Sorry..." He managed to apologize to the driver as well, who chuckled and saluted at them as Damian closed the door behind him, sitting beside Colin.

"Where to now, chief?" The driver looked at them in his rear view mirror, fixing it while he was at it. Colin took the opportunity to look around while Damian selected the name of a local diner - good food, friendly atmosphere and the best milkshakes Colin had ever tasted, aside from Alfred's.

The cab was pretty basic, nothing like what he saw in movies and read in books. A little sun catcher hung from the rear view mirror and so did a rosary, but other than that, it was pretty far from a lived in space. Disinterested now that his experience in the cab seemed to be going pretty on par with driving in the car with Dick or Mr. Wayne or Alfred, he looked down at the seat and Damian's now free, unoccupied hand.

He considered taking it, he really, really did, but he didn't want Damian thinking he was too clingy or something or put him in a bad mood before the date had even really started. So instead, he settled for leaning his head against Damian's shoulder, and closed his eyes.

"You boys out on a guys' night out?" The driver glanced back at them during a red light, trying to make small talk, not picking up on just how comfortable the silence was between them.

"We're on a date." Damian shut him down coolly and effectively, hardly glancing over into the front seat, and Colin felt his lips quirk up in a smile. Date. The word felt particularly nice coming from Damian, and it gave him the courage to slip his hand over Damian's, interlocking their fingers.

By some miracle - seriously, this was the best day ever - Damian didn't appear to mind, and so Colin managed to hold his hand all the way to the diner in comfortable silence, now that the driver had been told pretty clearly that the guy paying for the fare wasn't into small talk.

Colin thanked the driver with a warm smile, and Damian handed over some obscene amount of money to cover the fare. They were seated at a corner booth, which Damian slid into the furtherest side without hesitance, preferring, of course, to have his back to the wall. Colin knew his line of thinking far too well - now if only he knew how he himself thought.

It took him a moment of truly hesitating between sides of the booth before he sat beside Damian, leaving the other side of the booth unoccupied. Damian raised a brow, but didn't comment, and Colin was glad not to have to explain that he was going to take every opportunity on this date to be as close to him as possible.

He ordered a hamburger and a maraschino cherry malt - Damian ordered Buffalo Wings and a Mocha Almond Fudge and without thinking, Colin took a sip of Damian's to try once they'd been brought over. Promptly, he wrinkled his nose, making a face. "That's really bitter, all you can taste is the coffee."

Damian takes a thoughtful sip, and briefly, Colin is reminded of how obsessed children were with the notion of indirect kisses and the like. He wondered if that counted and was caught between hoping it did, and didn't. "It's not bitter. There's a hint of coffee, but the fudge masks it up for the most part." Damian commented, shaking his head, before gesturing at his glass. "Can I try?"

There was something really deliberate about asking when they'd shared drinks for years, and Colin felt heat rise to his cheeks. "Uh-huh." He nodded, eloquent as always, and immediately upon sipping some down, Damian made a face.

"How can you stand something so sweet?"

Colin was about to reply, except that Damian was shifting, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket. Once out, Colin saw that it was vibrating, and Damian flipped it open, eyes skimming what was apparently a text message. Then his eyes darted up and scanned the restaurant, before, in that tightly controlled voice that was every bit Robin as Dick and Mr. Wayne both had Batman voices, he asked Colin to let him out of the booth.

Colin didn't hesitate to scramble out from the booth, and then he saw the cause of Damian's sudden mood. Near-identical twins of a grin lit up across the diner, and a hand lifts and waves over at them.

Apparently Dick and Jason wanted to be present for at least part of their date. Colin sighs and watches Damian stalk over, slugging them both roughly in the arm, and then point at the door. A little more talking, and by the time Damian came back, he looked less furious and, shockingly, more apologetic towards Colin, who's switched around their food and is sitting down again.

"Sorry, the pests wanted to make sure we were having a nice time." Damian rolled his eyes, voice down and quiet and he sat beside him.

"Don't worry about it." Colin was quick to shake his head and he smiled warmly at Damian. "Just come finish your wings before they get too cold, silly." He scooted the plate closer to him, and started to work on finishing his shake.

Despite Damian's brothers interrupting, their table of two erupted into full on laughter when Colin ducked his head from a brain freeze, completely with whining that he hasn't really indulged in doing since he was a child.

"Ready for the carnival, right?" Damian asked while he waited to wave down the next taxi, once they were outside again. Colin stuck close to him, and okay, maybe Sister Mary had a point about his jacket, because it was getting a little chilly, and Gotham autumn air never used to seem so cool when he was younger.

Though, if this wasn't going to be their last date, maybe he'd appreciate the excuse to get close to Damian on a regular basis. He smiled at the thought, letting his mind wander briefly to focus instead of waiting for a cab to the idea of a second date, a third. Doing things the other, older kids talked about when they went on dates - movies, kissing, bowling. Sleepovers, even though those were secret and Sister Agnes was always really angry when the kids came back from those.

The feel of an arm wrapping around his shoulders and tugging him close brought him back down to earth, and he looked at Damian questioningly.

"You seem cold." Damian offered as a reason. "You didn't answer my question."

Question? There had been a question? Oh! "Well, of course I'm ready." He smiled. "I didn't realize I needed to answer." He giggled, and good save, Wilkes. Now if only Damian looked like he believed it, even a little bit.

"You really didn't hear me, did you, Wi-Colin?" The use of his last name seemed to be a habit hard to break, but Damian was trying, and without Colin asking even slightly. That meant a lot to Colin, even if it never really bothered him before.

"No, no, I did!"

"You aren't having fun, are you?" The next question was flat, and he frowned at him.

Colin almost got whiplash from shaking his head. "No, no no no. I'm having a great time." A smile was offered up. Truthfully, he'd have a wonderful date if all they had done was gone to Wayne Manor and played video games together with a bag of Doritos between them.

"Are you tired? Should we go home?"

"Nothing like that." Colin answered quietly, and he blushed. If they were in one of those dumb, gushy movies that the girls liked (and he totally didn't watch them, because they were goopy and silly but still kind of sweet and maybe kind of built up his expectations of what a first date was like), he would've stopped Damian's questions with a kiss or something equally romantic and silly.

Instead, he just tugged Damian's arm closer around him and smiled sheepishly. "I was actually thinking about our next date. I- I mean, if there'll be another one."

Damian looked unguarded for a moment - briefly, and he looks shocked, and happy and maybe just a little embarrassed to the whole lot of embarrassment scrawled across Colin's face. Then he scowled and gently cuffed him upside the head. "Don't be dumb. We have to get through this date before you start thinking up a next one." He scoffed, looking away, and finally managing to wave a cab curbside to them.

"I'll try to keep that in mind." He giggled and climbed in after Damian.

"The carnival down off Cajalco, please." Damian told the driver, and the cab started moving even before Colin got the door closed. He squeaked and fumbled with the seat belt, which finally, Damian groaned at and leaned over, buckling it for him.

He heard the click, and Damian didn't pull away for a half a moment too long. Colin blinked and tilted his head. "Damian?"

"Huh?" Apparently, the other boy had gotten distracted with something, and pulled away, frowning slightly.

Colin shook his head. "Nothing. So, what ride do you wanna go on first when we get there? Should we share funnel cake? Or maybe a snow cone?"

"Something fast. Like the tilt-a-whirl." Damian looked over at him. "Oh yeah, you have some affinity for fair food." His distaste was clear, but something about his posture stated that he didn't mind it, and that they would share whatever Colin felt like getting at the time.

Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Either way, this cab ride was not filled with the driver trying to make small talk, and really, they didn't, either. Colin let his eyes wander out of his window, watching the street lights pass by, and then something touched his hand and he nearly made a dent in the ceiling of the cab.

The something withdrew quickly, only for Colin to look over and realize that Damian had moved his hand over for that brief moment. The smile was automatic, but all the same heartfelt, and he reached across the seat, claiming his hand and squeezing it slightly.

And there was nothing - absolutely nothing - in the world that was better than the little smile that quirked at the corners of Damian's lips as he relaxed further into the seat. Colin smiled himself, and slumped slightly, pocketing his other hand, not willing to let go of Damian's hand for the world.

Then Damian frowned. "This isn't the shortest route to Cajalco from the diner." He informed the driver, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Sure it is. What would you know, kid?" The driver practically sneered, not even looking at him from the rearview mirror.

Oh dear. Colin sank further into his seat.

"I know because I know Gotham's streets. I glanced at a map tonight so I could estimate taxi fare." Damian frowned at him. "You picked the wrong couple of kids to try and swindle fare out of."

"You don't know what you're talking about, kid." The man growled.

"The quickest route would have been 32nd street to Harbor, and then from Harbor, you make a right, then a left onto Cypress. From there, you drive straight down until you reach parking for the fair at the corner of Cypress and Cajalco." Damian listed it off as if it was right in front of him. "If that was jammed up, the second quickest would have been Jamboree to 24th to Hoisen to Cypress."

The taxi had slowed considerably while the man turned and gaped at him. Colin wasn't sure whether to scold Damian for telling someone how to do their job or be happy that Damian had thought their date out so much. He settled for a mixture, and squeezed his hand once. Damian, for his credit, never broke eye contact with the driver.

If the driver was hoping to win a staring contest with Batman's son, he'd be sorely disappointed.

"So," Damian started, and there was that voice that sounded more like Batman when he was supremely mad - the sort that made criminals shake in their boots, and apparently Damian was finally old enough that it was intimidating without the domino mask because the guy whipped back around to focus on driving. "Either you're making this ride free, or I'll be talking to your supervisor as soon as we get to the fair grounds, taxi number 425." Damian sounded smug, and Colin had no doubt that he was.

The driver muttered something.

"What was that?"

"I said you brats get the ride on the house." The driver announced loudly, and Colin watched his grip on the steering wheel turn so tight that his knuckles turned white.

"I should hope so, wasting our time like this," Damian muttered and reclined back into his seat, pulling both his and Colin's hand into his jacket pocket.

Finally, after what was a short forever - the cab had gone uncomfortably quiet after that, Damian's bad mood filling it with an almost tangible feel - they were dropped off at the carnival. The taxi peeled off without a word to either of them, and Colin caught him glaring after the yellow car.

He pouted and tugged his hand. "C'mon, Damian, tonight's supposed to be fun. Don't let him ruin it."

"Tt. Yeah." Damian was still scowling, but let Colin drag him to the ticket booth, where they both got ride bracelets. Damian fastened his own easily, and then looked over while Colin struggled with his own. He felt, rather than saw Damian's mood improve a little. "Come here," he commanded, and tugged him close by the wrist, fastening his as well.

"Thanks," Colin giggled sheepishly, and grinned at him. "Now! Come on, come on, to the tilt-a-whirl!" He cheered and grabbed Damian's hand again, tugging him away.

The tilt-a-whirl, then another spinning ride, and then a mini-coaster - the lights from the other attractions seemed to all blur together, and really, when Colin looked back, it was like the only thing in focus was Damian. It was brilliant and fun, and this was honestly the best date ever.

It didn't even matter that it was his only date so far in his life - it was still amazing, and kicked the crap out of any date the older boys bragged about going on. Besides, it was with Damian, and therefore won by default.

A scream pierced the night when they were in line for funnel cake, and instantly, they looked at each other, frowning. "Come on." Damian made the decision instantly, and ran off, Colin following close on his heels to the nearest dark spot of the carnival grounds - easy enough, as it was shadowed on three sides by the same brick faced buildings that covered most of that section of the city.

Damian tugged his domino mask out from his jacket pocket, and Colin let the Venom in his blood bring out Abuse. Damian folded tossed their jackets aside in a bundle so they wouldn't stick out too much, and then they were darting through the crowds towards the screams.

Colin heard Damian scoff something about 'typical' at how many people were either giving the area a wide berth, or standing around to watch. Finally, they broke through the crowd, only to find a group of six men herding two women into an alleyway.

Damian roared for the bystanders to leave while Colin ran straight into the group, fists flying. The women shrieked again - and the group of mens' only reaction was to pull out knives.

The brawl was ugly and slower than normal - these men seemed to jump right back into action when they were knocked down, and Colin figured that there was some new super drug out on the streets that they'd have to inform Batman about, because normally, men didn't get right back up from one of Abuse's slugs, or a roundhouse from Robin.

Finally it was over though, and the two women had long since left in the confusion. Damian kicked one of the unconscious men while he called his father for information, finishing with, "we've zip tied them and I hear sirens now, Father. Look into any rising drug trades," and then clicked the phone closed.

It took until after they had watched policemen grab the guys and going and retrieving their jackets - Damian scoffing at Colin's approaching curfew - for Colin to notice the blood seeping through Damian's shirt. "You're bleeding!" The panic was instant - for as much danger as they were both in so often, seeing Damian bleed was still worrying, and this looked like a deep stab wound, colouring a rather big part of his shirt.

"Tt, it's nothing." Damian shrugged his jacket back on and shoved his mask down into his pocket. "Now, c'mon, I have to get you back before the penguins flip a bitch."

"It's not nothing. You're bleeding, Damian." Colin was determined not to sound panicked - this was his normal post-fight voice. Or something. High pitched, edging towards the point of no return, and shaking slightly.

"Fine, I'm bleeding. Yes. It's no big deal." Damian snapped, scowling at him.

"But-"

"Shut up Wilkes. We still have to catch a cab." Damian started stalking off, hands pocketed, and there was a catch with each step he took, his shoulder not following through with each step.

Colin wasn't sure whether to cry or push the issue further, and instead followed Damian at a distance - the boy already had a cab waiting by the time he reached the curb.

"St. Aidan's Orphanage. Now." Damian snapped as soon as Colin had slid in beside him, and he winced. So much for a second date. Suddenly, everything was going downhill and Damian was hurt and Colin didn't even know how badly, and even if Damian ever wanted to go on another date with him, he wasn't so sure Mr. Wayne would allow it if Damian got so badly hurt around him.

It probably shouldn't serve as a surprise when he was crying halfway to the orphanage, drawing his knees up to him and wrapping his arms around them tightly.

"Colin? Colin, what's wrong?" Damian snapped, but it was the sort of tone that Damian used when he was worried.

In a blubbering mess, sniffles and soft gasps for breaths, Colin breathed it all out and then silence engulfed the cab. He'd been careful, didn't let on to the driver that he had two crime fighters in his midst, The situation worked even if Damian had hurt his ankle or something.

Damian scoffed and looked away. "Did you really not enjoy tonight?" A frown was plastered on his face, and Colin rubbed at his eyes, frowning right back.

"Wha-? Of course not! Just the end, and I'm worried about you and you're acting like I messed things up..." He mumbled, catching his breath.

"Well then stop crying. You're making me feel like you haven't enjoyed this at all." Damian snapped, glaring at him. "If you're worried so much, I'll let you look at the cut when we get to the orphanage, alright?"

"Okay. That's... okay." Colin nodded, and struggled to take a deep swallow of air. His eyes hurt, and he was still panicked, but less so. There was all of his first aid supplies under his bed, hidden so he could take care of himself after going out as Abuse and not raising any questions from the nuns. It'd be okay, he told himself, and that became his mantra the rest of the drive home, while Damian took and held onto his hand stubbornly.

Colin appreciated that gesture more than he could probably ever put into words. He wasn't exactly the most eloquent person. Still, the worrry came flooding back when Damian struggled slightly to get out of the cab. The driver told them both good night, and drove off.

"Go up to my window. It should be unlocked and I'll be right up there." Colin instructed, squeezing his hand one last time.

"Shouldn't I walk you to the door or something?" Damian scowled, rubbing his shoulder with his free hand. Colin missed a lot of details, going through life, but he didn't miss the small wince flashing across his face. It made something twist in his gut, and he managed a small smile.

"Well, I'm going to see you in a few minutes again. I'll just walk you to my window after I check out your shoulder, okay?" He joked and received a scoff in return before Damian stalked off, and Colin hurried to the front door.

"I'm home, Sister Agnes!" He called once he was in the foyer, and the nun came bustling in.

"Welcome back, Colin. How was your date? Oh! Have you been crying?" The concern was instantaneous, the older woman moving forward to hug him.

He shook his head. "The date was loads of fun." He smiled sheepishly. "I guess I'm just exhausted, because I got upset over something silly. Damian made me feel better though. But I should go to bed if I burst into tears like that."

"I see." The nun wasn't completely convinced, clearly, but she didn't push the issue. "Well, then, I won't keep you. But I'm glad you had a nice time. I know how much you've looked forward to this." She smiled at him, and gave his shoulders a soft squeeze.

"Thank you, Sister. Good night. I'll tell you all," well, almost all, " about it tomorrow!" He smiled, promising with a raised hand, before he was darting up the stairs and slipped into his room, locking the door behind him.

Damian had already made himself comfortable on his bed, jacket hanging on his desk's chair, shirt discarded at the foot of the bed. And Colin visibly cringed. It was a stab wound, not too deep, but still wet with blood. Without even pausing to think, he crouched and pulled his box of supplies out from under his bed, water bottle included.

"So maybe it was a little worse than I said. I'm still fine." Damian muttered, looking away, and Colin didn't bother pointing out that if he was fine, he wouldn't be sitting down and waiting to be treated. And sure, Colin couldn't do everything Alfred could to patch it up, but he could at least do something until Damian got home.

Starting with rinsing off the wound, and then, finally, he had it thoroughly bandaged, making a mental note to write a post-it note to buy more bandages the next time the nuns gave him a little spending money. Next time he got off the bed, he'd write the note, just so he wouldn't forget.

"There! It's all wrapped up but you should have Alfred look at it when you get ho-" He smiled at Damian, who had been watching him the entire time. His words - and breath, and it was a little problematic when he had to remind himself to breath, because suddenly, he couldn't remember how to - were cut off when Damian lifted the unaffected arm, graceful, calloused fingers curling around the back of Colin's neck and he tugged him forward, pressing their lips together.

Colin wouldn't admit it, but he squeaked and then relaxed, pressing into the kiss. It was chaste, and remained so, but even still, Colin drew away breathless, staring at Damian.

"I like it a lot better when you smile." Damian muttered, looking away. "And I read somewhere that it's customary to kiss your date if you had a good first date and I think we did, even if you don't."

Colin blinked and smiled softly. He cupped Damian's cheek and made him look at him, kissing his softly - shyly, and his heart was practically in his throat. How did Damian not hear it? He drew away, cheeks practically burning. "I had a wonderful time. Promise."

Damian emitted a soft scoff and tugged him down, not letting the other boy see him wince at the exertion. Colin automatically curled up against him, nuzzling into his good shoulder. "Now can I start thinking about a second date?" He tilted his head up, smiling at Damian.

"Tt. Yes, now that we've survived the first."

"...Does that mean you're my boyfriend?" The question was said with all due reverence, eyes widening.

"Shut up and get some sleep, Colin." A beat, and then, "yes, it does."

"Going to sleep now, then, boyfriend. You too." Colin commanded, his smile turning lazy as his eyelids dropped, as if having waited for permission. He adjusted his arms to wrap around Damian, and relaxed.

"Goodnight, Colin."

"Goodnight, Damian."

Long and rambley, I'm afraid, but my good friend asked for a fic where older!Damian and Colin went on their first date.

Not much to say. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading this!