"Nah, that just means I need to grab an extra blanket so you can wrap yourself up to your hearts content."
He smirked softly at the idea of Dick trying to keep up with their spice levels, shaking his head as he raised his arms up over his head so he could give himself a full body stretch. The work hadn't been hard, but a lot of it was bending and sorting and pregnancy had made his back a little prone to over tightening. Even now, his body trained back into peak performance, his backstraps had their quirks.
Honestly, the hardest part about being confined to the Manor was going to be finding the motivation to keep his training routine. He'd found that even while nursing a voraciously hungry infant, without his workouts, he tended to go a little soft around his middle. It was common for omegas who'd had pups, but it was still annoying.
"In Gotham? There are a couple of places, but I'm not sure they deliver. Are you so tired of your baba's cooking already, habibi?" He lightly flicked Damian's ear, not a gesture meant to hurt but just to tease. It was less invasive than a hair tussle for the times when his son still needed to be presentable after his mothering. "Relax, Dickie. It's tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggs. Mostly. There are some spices, but I'll make sure you don't die."
When Jason stretched, Dick's eyes flicked over him, because he was human and his Little Wing had grown up very good looking.
"Don't make fun," he whined, playfully. "Circus food was mass produced for the whole troop usually, there wasn't a lot of heat in it."
Damian looked a little surprised, and then pleased. "I didn't know that you'd dare enter Alfred's domain. You cooking is acceptable." He hesitated and then offered. "I could assist you." Damian had been raised to think manual labor was beneath him (not Jason's doing), and never raised a finger in the kitchen despite Timothy's complaints. He just liked the idea of watching his father cook and handing him what he needed.
Dick did a doubletake and then mouthed "WOW" at Jason with zero subtlety.
He snorted softly, turning an amused look at Dick before he reached out to tug Damian in against his side.
"Well, prepare to have your horizons expanded, Dickie bird. Come on, habibi. Unlike your father and Dickie over there, I'm not banned from the kitchen." He smirked, ushering everyone out of his bedroom and closing the door behind him before heading for the stairs.
It was a little surreal navigating this house again, but he hadn't forgotten the way. He'd never actually gotten to cook in this kitchen with Alfred when he'd lived here before, but he was hoping that might change one day soon. For today, however, the room was empty, Alfred no doubt down in the Cave with Bruce.
He let his fingers trail lightly over the familiar countertops before he let himself smile.
"Alright, habibi. Go grab a couple chairs, hmm? One for Dick to sit in so he doesn't try to help and end up burning the Manor down, and the other you can stand on so you can help me chop up veggies."
Dick smiled and moved to follow. "As prepared as I can be," he promised.
Damian rolled his eyes but his small hand fisted at the bottom of his baba's hoodie as he was tugged in against his side.
Dick caught the mood and gave Jason a soft sort of smile over Damian's head.
Damian clearly wanted to protest that he didn't need a CHAIR ... but truthfully the counters were slightly too high. So he scowled, but went with it, dragging a chair over.
Dick pouted. "Hey, I haven't burned anything yet," he protested. But he sank down in his own chair obligingly, just kind of fascinated to watch the parent-child relationship at play.
He caught that scowl and understood the meaning behind it, but Damian still dragged the chair over as requested and Jason placed a cutting board and a wickedly sharp paring knife down in front of him.
"There is no shame in using your environment to achieve proper body mechanics, habibi. It's no different than taking out an opponent's knees to bring them down so you can deliver a knockout blow. You are young. Eventually you won't need the chair or to take out someone's knees, but for today you do. I did too, at your age. A little older, actually. Ask Dickie bird, I was about your size when I was Robin and I was three years older then you when I wore it."
A lesson, a reassurance, and a gentle check of Damian's ego all wrapped up with the amusing image of himself so small. He apparently wasn't half bad at this whole 'parenting' thing. It helped that Talia and Ra's (and Willis and Bruce) had shown him exactly what he didn't want to do as a parent.
He brought over the pre-washed peppers and tomatoes, nimbly handling the knife as he showed Damian how to de-seed and slice. "Here, put the sliced pieces into this bowl, the seeds into that one and I'll start prepping the pan."
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no subject
He smirked softly at the idea of Dick trying to keep up with their spice levels, shaking his head as he raised his arms up over his head so he could give himself a full body stretch. The work hadn't been hard, but a lot of it was bending and sorting and pregnancy had made his back a little prone to over tightening. Even now, his body trained back into peak performance, his backstraps had their quirks.
Honestly, the hardest part about being confined to the Manor was going to be finding the motivation to keep his training routine. He'd found that even while nursing a voraciously hungry infant, without his workouts, he tended to go a little soft around his middle. It was common for omegas who'd had pups, but it was still annoying.
"In Gotham? There are a couple of places, but I'm not sure they deliver. Are you so tired of your baba's cooking already, habibi?" He lightly flicked Damian's ear, not a gesture meant to hurt but just to tease. It was less invasive than a hair tussle for the times when his son still needed to be presentable after his mothering. "Relax, Dickie. It's tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggs. Mostly. There are some spices, but I'll make sure you don't die."
no subject
"Don't make fun," he whined, playfully. "Circus food was mass produced for the whole troop usually, there wasn't a lot of heat in it."
Damian looked a little surprised, and then pleased. "I didn't know that you'd dare enter Alfred's domain. You cooking is acceptable." He hesitated and then offered. "I could assist you." Damian had been raised to think manual labor was beneath him (not Jason's doing), and never raised a finger in the kitchen despite Timothy's complaints. He just liked the idea of watching his father cook and handing him what he needed.
Dick did a doubletake and then mouthed "WOW" at Jason with zero subtlety.
no subject
"Well, prepare to have your horizons expanded, Dickie bird. Come on, habibi. Unlike your father and Dickie over there, I'm not banned from the kitchen." He smirked, ushering everyone out of his bedroom and closing the door behind him before heading for the stairs.
It was a little surreal navigating this house again, but he hadn't forgotten the way. He'd never actually gotten to cook in this kitchen with Alfred when he'd lived here before, but he was hoping that might change one day soon. For today, however, the room was empty, Alfred no doubt down in the Cave with Bruce.
He let his fingers trail lightly over the familiar countertops before he let himself smile.
"Alright, habibi. Go grab a couple chairs, hmm? One for Dick to sit in so he doesn't try to help and end up burning the Manor down, and the other you can stand on so you can help me chop up veggies."
no subject
Damian rolled his eyes but his small hand fisted at the bottom of his baba's hoodie as he was tugged in against his side.
Dick caught the mood and gave Jason a soft sort of smile over Damian's head.
Damian clearly wanted to protest that he didn't need a CHAIR ... but truthfully the counters were slightly too high. So he scowled, but went with it, dragging a chair over.
Dick pouted. "Hey, I haven't burned anything yet," he protested. But he sank down in his own chair obligingly, just kind of fascinated to watch the parent-child relationship at play.
no subject
"There is no shame in using your environment to achieve proper body mechanics, habibi. It's no different than taking out an opponent's knees to bring them down so you can deliver a knockout blow. You are young. Eventually you won't need the chair or to take out someone's knees, but for today you do. I did too, at your age. A little older, actually. Ask Dickie bird, I was about your size when I was Robin and I was three years older then you when I wore it."
A lesson, a reassurance, and a gentle check of Damian's ego all wrapped up with the amusing image of himself so small. He apparently wasn't half bad at this whole 'parenting' thing. It helped that Talia and Ra's (and Willis and Bruce) had shown him exactly what he didn't want to do as a parent.
He brought over the pre-washed peppers and tomatoes, nimbly handling the knife as he showed Damian how to de-seed and slice. "Here, put the sliced pieces into this bowl, the seeds into that one and I'll start prepping the pan."