BOOM
The realization hit Damian like a physical blow.
'He… He is…'
His breathing stopped completely.
'Talking about those twelve… He calls them little brothers?'
His hands began trembling where they rested at his sides.
"Even though little Royce, Cross, Kinsley, and Ashford could be a bit extreme sometimes, they always listened to little Murdock when it really mattered."
The man's smile widened, completely unaware of how Damian's face had gone pale.
'He… loved them! He–'
Damian's thoughts were becoming harder to control.
"Little Evergreen was probably the kindest soul among them."
The man's voice continued, warm and affectionate.
"Always the first to help anyone who needed it, always putting others before himself. I used to worry that the world would crush someone that gentle."
'Stop!'
Damian's jaw was clenched so tight it hurt.
'Just stop talking!'
"And little Thorne, oh, that stubborn bastard."
The man laughed quietly.
