Chapter Text
When he had been sent home with a criminal dressed in a catsuit, Danny hadn’t expected said criminal to be a mostly normal person.
As it turned out, Selina was great. When Danny had first gone home with her, she’d told him that she was unsure about her ability to be his guardian. However, almost immediately she proved to be great at it.
It had only been a couple weeks since she agreed to take him in, and she was doing a fantastic job in Danny’s opinion. She was really respectful of his boundaries, she gave him space, made sure he had what he needed. Her apartment was spacious, and she had several cats that were all obsessed with him. She was honest with him, she told him when she was going out as Catwoman, and would tell him about what had happened that night when she got back. Apparently Damian asked about him often.
Selina had even offered to mentor him, “Catwoman could always use an apprentice” she’d said.
It had honestly been tempting, but Danny had declined, “for now”. He wanted to enjoy having a normal sleep schedule for at least a little while.
The first day she took him out shopping for clothes. She helped him find outfits that allowed him to hide his tail and weren’t just the oversized hoodie he’d lived in while he was homeless. They ambled from shop to shop. He knew he would get some stares and whispers. It would be the most visible in public since before he left home. Any crossing of public spaces before he’d pushed past the discomfort and used his ghostly invisibility. Now he was expected to appear normal in public.
For the most part, people paid him little mind. White hair was uncommon, but not impossible. It was when people got a glimpse of his eyes that they noticed he was something different. Most assumed they were contacts, and wanted to talk about whether they were comfortable, and where he got them. Selina would cut in give an excuse and pull him away.
He ended up with several jackets, (most of which had hoods). She made sure he had a few beanies so he could cover his ears, even bought him some sunglasses (why did a shop in Gotham sell sunglasses? It was never sunny) so he could hide his eyes if he wanted. She offered to get him contact lenses, but he declined, that seemed like way too much of a hassle. She even offered to help him dye his hair a natural color, so that his eyes would be the only external feature that denoted him as ‘other’. She was incredible at offering him ways to hide his catlike features, without making him feel like he was forced to do so.
“I want you to be comfortable, kitten. Whatever that takes.”
She was also the only person he didn’t mind calling him any variation of ‘kitten’, since she tended to affectionately call anyone that, it was just her theme, it didn’t feel like she wasn’t making fun of him.
.
He was eternally grateful for everything Selina had done for him. That was why, when he needed a new identity, he chose to take her name.
He was now Danny Kyle. Selina Kyle’s ward. It had frustrated Batman to no end that he couldn’t find any record of Danny’s past, but he still helped to give Danny a new identity. They couldn’t find background on someone who didn’t exist in that dimension, but they didn’t know that. Danny had of course just shrugged off any questions about his past,
“Clearly it's a skill issue.” He’d said. Nearly provoking Red Robin to strangle him.
Selina actually cared about Danny in a way only Jazz ever really had. She cared where he was, cared if he ate, cared if he slept.
Unfortunately for him, she also cared about him getting an education.
So of course, that meant Danny had to go to school.
He’d done everything he could to get out of it:
He’d tried to convince him he didn’t need a highschool diploma to get a job-
“I bet some people would hire a catboy literally just to breathe in the same room as them!”
“If you want to sell yourself like that once you’re 18, you can. For now, you’re 15.”
He tried to bargain for online school-
“Do I really have to go to a physical school?”
“Will you actually learn anything by doing online schooling?”
“Probably not…” he’d admitted.
But they were sending him to a private school!
“Really, a preppy private school? I’m going to get eaten alive!”
“Do you think a public school would be better?”
“You are asking me to choose between two terrible options”
“At least at the ‘preppy private school’ you already know Damian, & Duke, even if he’s a senior.”
That had been a pretty convincing point
Ultimately he agreed to go to Gotham Academy, at least he’d be going to school Damian.
“I have to wear a uniform? I can't hide my tail under a shirt like this!” He’d cried “Can I at least wear a beanie?”
(The official answer from the school had been no. Of course.)
“If someone pulls my tail I reserve full rights to fucking deck them.” He growled
Selina had said that that was fair.
At least now he had an excuse to message Damian. He’d been to the Wayne’s manor twice since that initial day, Tim had helped make him a motorcycle helmet so he could be safe when riding with Selina, and he’d seen Damian around while he was there, but was afraid to actually message him. Tim, Cass, Damian, and Bruce’s numbers had been in the phone he’d been given, but he didn’t know if Damian would want to talk with him.
.
Damian
Hey! It's Danny,
It looks like I’ll be going to school with you
I’m pleased to hear that.
When do you begin?
Monday is my first day.
Perhaps I could see your schedule?
oh yeah!
[image attached, danny’s schedule]
It seems we have several classes together.
If you would like, I can help you find them.
that would be great!
I will wait for you on Monday.
thats really helpful, thank you
.
Maybe starting at a new school wouldn’t be so bad after all. Damian seemed like he actually wanted to see Danny again too. He felt a little more optimistic about the whole “school” thing.