All that counts

Warning: It seems that I can’t write anything un-angsty anymore so again, Angst warning, graphic description of violence, traumatic event, near death Word count: 1,3k (bit short I know)  Summary: It was supposed to be a simple go-in-get-out mission, but it quickly got out of hand, Damian finding himself unable to do anything. Now usure of if you were even alive, his heart is ripping apart. Will you come back to him?

Requested by one of the amazingly great inspiring Anons: May I request a oneshot with Damain, where the reader who was a vigilante and has to permerantly retire because of Joker/ or Bane who leaves the reader disabled (deaf, or paralysis in legs, I'm both) , and now she now needs adjust to this new life and the fact that she can no longer pick up the mask again? Also I really love your writing!!

Every part of Damian screamed at him to do something. To move. To help you. But he couldn't- his hands were literally tied and so was the rest of his body. He could do nothing but watch and try to escape his bonds while you were being thrown around like a rag-doll. It was supposed to be an easy mission, it was supposed to be a simple going-in-and-going-out thing. Bruce had promised him that. But -whether Bruce had lied or he hadn't known- when they arrived at the scene, Bane and his gang had been waiting for them. At first, the luck was on your side, being able to get rid of most of his henchmen before being noticed, but then he had managed to catch you and -being distracted by your cry- tie Damian up. He wanted to tell you that you had to stay strong and keep on fighting back, but the gag in his mouth was silencing him effectively. Finally, after trying everything to somehow free himself, he actually managed to loosen the rope around his arms.  He could do it, he could free himself, save you, and get both of you out of there.  His hopes were shattered when Bane picked you up from the floor you were half-consciously lying on and held you over him, only to crash you down onto his knee. The only sound that was filling Damian's ears was the disgusting crunch of your spine and the heartbreaking scream that left your mouth shortly after.  Damian was like in trance. His eyes were fixed onto the dark corner where the villain had harshly thrown you, somewhere you weren't seeable if someone didn't know you laid there, your position too unnatural and blood seeping from under your head and out of your ears. He hadn't noticed that a team of heroes had bombed themselves a way inside and that they had long defeated Bane. He didn't even notice when Batman came over to him and opened his ties.  Damian wanted to jump up and run over to you, but alone the possibility that you might not be breathing anymore was stronger than every rope could be.  "Robin?" his father's distorted voice asked him and he finally felt the hand that was laying on his shoulder. He looked up at Bruce and the man could see the same look in his son's eyes that he had in his own all these years ago in that alley.  "Where is Y/H/N?" he asked, almost sure that he knew the answer already. Damian's eyes wandered back to where he could still see you laying there the same way you did before and Bruce's followed. When he saw the state you were in, he immediately put himself in front of his son and pulled him to stand up and turn around, not wanting him to have to remember you like this.  "Nightwing, Orphan, recover Y/H/N," he told his eldest and his daughter, nodding his head into the direction of where you were laying, before leading Robin out. Dick and Cass would take care of you if there was still hope, but he also had to think about Damian right now. Had to think about what would happen next...

The next week was ripping Damian apart from the inside, the uncertainty, the not-knowing, was slowly killing him. Cassandra and Dick had told him that you were still breathing when they took you out of there, but Bruce had quickly made sure that he understood that he shouldn't have hope, that he should be prepared for the worst. He knew that even the themysciran healers that he had Diana bring you too couldn't bring someone back to life. Not to mention the lack of contact they could have with Diana who had offered to stay with you on Themyscira and overlook everything. It was devastating for Bruce and the others, but for Damian? For Damian, it was killing. It was another week until a message from their Amazonian friend arrived, another week of agony and pain. But when Damian heard that you were alive, that you would survive it was like all his prayers had been answered, like wishing upon a star was more than just a childish fairy tale. The next few days he spent at home, having Bruce's allowance to skip school for a while, and prepared everything for you to come back. He went all in, barely eating or sleeping, too excited with the prospect of having you back, until Alfred knocked on the door of your room in the manor (Bruce thought it would be best for you to have people around who'd be able to take care of you until you were healed) to inform him that Diana and you had arrived. Damian had never run so fast, even going as far as to jump down the stairs instead of walking them down normally, not caring for the fact that it was somewhat dangerous. It took only seconds until he came bursting into the cave, attracting the attention of Diana and Bruce who stood on both sides of a wheelchair. He recognized your Y/H/C hair and your approximate height and couldn't help himself but almost shout out your name. Nothing. No Reaction at all. Diana gave him a sad smile and Damian couldn't help the thoughts that were running through his head. You hated him! You must have realized that it was his fault what happened, you'd never forgive him! Could he live without you? But before he could get deeper into any of these thoughts, Bruce tapped onto your shoulder and helped you turn around the wheelchair. When your eyes arrived on Damian they immediately lit up and tears started filling them, sweeping away all of his negatives thought. "Dami," your voice weakly called out to him and his feet moved on his own as they transported him to your chair and brought him to his knees in front of you. He laid his forehead onto yours and relished in feeling you so close again, your hand finding it's way to his cheek, carefully cupping it. "Damian," Diana called out for him from beside and he looked up, not seeing the confusion that filled your eyes for a moment until you followed his movements, "there's something you should know." He looked at you for a second, searching for answers in your eyes, but only finding you diverting them, before looking back at Diana. "Bane's attack has heavily damaged Y/N's spine and even though they tried their best our healers don't think that she'll be able to walk again and-" Damian looked at you again and immediately interrupted her. "We can handle that. Barbara will surely help her and teach her how to get used to it, she can stay here in the cave and take over Oracle now that Barbara is Batgirl again. This is nothing we can't handle." His voice was filled with care and love, but it seemed to have no effect as you still had your eyes averted at your lap where you were playing with your hands. "There- There's something else," Bruce said and laid his hand onto his son's shoulder, "She suffered some brain damage during the fight. It's nothing too severe and most of it will heal on its own, but she lost her hearing." It was then that Damian connected the signs, how you hadn't reacted to him calling you, why you'd been so silent this whole time,  why you hadn't reacted to anything that had been said. You looked up when Damian took your hands in his and smiled at you. He was aware that other than he and his siblings you didn't know much ASL yet and that he'd make sure that he'd teach you as quick as he could, not being able to stand the thought of being unable to tell you how much he loved you other than through writing. He also knew that Cassandra and Barbara would be there for you, both of them able to relate to your situation on levels that he never could. Yet at that moment all he could actively think about was that you were here with him, that you were alive and that he had you back. And for him, that was all that counts.