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Having to pick up your younger brother from the principal’s office is bad. Having to pick him up from the school clinic? That’s worse.
Jason does not understand why the school can never specify how bad it is. Not that this has happened before, this is the first time Damian had to be sent to the school’s clinic.
Do they just want us to panic and get there as soon as possible? he thought as he took the final left turn with his with his car.
Jason parked his vehicle near the school since he doesn’t want to park inside, it’s not yet dismissal time but he knows that there are enough pompous parents that stick around to gossip. Making sure it was locked, he walked a short distance to get by the entrance.
He let out a sigh, I had to cancel today’s lecture early to get here. The kid better be alright.
Jason took off his glasses to fold and place them on his white polo. He also quickly fixed his red tie to make sure he seemed presentable. Patting down his black slacks, he made sure that he got everything that he needed. Keys, check. Wallet at the back, got it. Phone, check.
Once he reached the school’s tall and elegant black gates, Jason took out his ID and told the guard he’s Damian’s older brother and that he’s on his way to the school clinic. After a quick check on the list of guardians, the guard got his confirmation and let Jason in the school after he pointed him to the direction of the secondary building.
He can understand now why Bruce gets all anxious when he picks him up from times when he hurt himself at the playground or during baseball practice as he took out his phone to check the message that made him come here.
Good afternoon, Mr. Todd
I’m the school nurse in Gotham Academy.
The school records indicate that you’re Damian Wayne’s emergency contact. The principal has already contacted Mr. Drake regarding Damian’s conduct in class today.
We are hoping that you can come pick him up this afternoon in the school’s clinic (you can locate us at the first floor of the secondary building, we’re the first (and technically only) pair of glass doors you’ll see, got a cute ‘open’ sign with a cuddly teddy bear holding a first aid kit).
In the event you are unavailable to pick Damian up, kindly let me know so that I may contact Ms. Cain. Thank you in advance for your time.
Summer Sharpe
Gotham Academy – School Nurse
Ever since Dick got married to Kori and had their first daughter, Mari, Damian’s emergency contact list has been updated. The eldest has to focus on his own kid now. Not that he stopped spending time with Damian, it was just a natural decision to take him out of the emergency contact list. Dick didn’t need the pressure of looking out for two kids.
And everyone in Gotham knows that Bruce is currently on a (two-month long) cruise with Diana. Gotham’s billionaire prince has hit it off really well with the ambassador during her book tour and has been dating for the past eight months. Alfred is also on a much needed vacation (that no one knows where but it’s alright, he deserved the relaxation and privacy).
That made Jason the next best option to ring should something happen to Damian with Tim being second.
Which begs the question to: Why is Tim in the principal’s office and not me?
Jason doesn’t necessarily think he’s good with principals. Sure, he’s the (classic and modern) literature professor in Gotham University but he didn’t get in because he’s been goody-goody with the dean. Or that he’s particularly close with past principals during his time in high school. It’s just that his name was listed as the first emergency contact, which would make sense for the duty to ‘talk to the principal’ to fall onto him.
He didn’t think much about it once he got in front of a pair of glass doors. Which, credit to Summer, does have an adorable teddy bear on its open sign. Jason gently pushed the right door open and stepped inside.
It was a spacious clinic, with the walls painted white on the upper half and seafoam green at the bottom. By the left side of the clinic are four rooms. If he remembers his time here correctly, the one at the very end and smallest room is for storage, the next is the restroom, after that is the room for the dentist, and last and biggest room is for the school’s doctor. By the right are six white beds (the ones for just one person only, but only kids ever lie on them so it still has enough space for an adult to sit at the edge of it) that are all separated with matching white curtains. The last two beds at the end have its curtains closed. The remaining space at the right side of the clinic is occupied by a long leather couch where a little girl is sitting by the middle, swinging their legs without a care, both her knees patched up with colored band-aids.
Both the left and right side has a moderate-sized work desk and chair facing the entrance, which are assigned spaces for the clinic’s two nurses.
The desk at the left is occupied by a brunette in light blue scrubs who is busy writing down on folders. Jason cleared his throat, which immediately took the woman’s attention.
“Oh hi,” she smiled warmly as she stood up, “I’m assuming you’re the one here to pick up Damian?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s at the second to the last bed.” She informed Jason.
He nodded in understanding, “Thanks.”
“Sure thing,” she gave him a thumbs-up. “I’m pretty sure Stephanie is done with him, just went in the back to get an extra pack so Damian can have ice on the road.”
Ice? What would he ice exactly?
“Can I go now?” Jason was slightly startled at the small voice. He didn’t realize that the little girl stood up from the couch and was leaning on the brunette’s table.
The nurse chuckled and patted the top of the girl’s head. “Sure Maps, hold on.”
The woman quickly wrote something on her folder and closed it. She ripped out a pink slip and scribbled something on it. As she handed it to the girl, she sternly instructed. “No more running alright, it’s the third time this week you scratched your knee.”
But Maps merely giggled at the tone, knowing full well that the brunette isn’t even mad, just looking out for her. “I’ll try, Nurse Summer.”
And with that, the little girl jogged her way out. Summer lightly shook her head in amusement.
“You did say no running ,” Jason shrugged with an equally amused expression. It was a valid loop, to simply jog instead, and Maps knows it.
“Yeah, yeah,” Summer waved him off. “She actually came in after Damian did. I think they’re in the same class.”
Jason let out a hum of acknowledgment. Maybe he can use that as a conversation starter with Damian once they get back in the car.
As he made his way to where Damian should be, he let one last thing to Summer. “Cute bear by the way.”
Summer let out a content coo at the comment, proud of her choice for the clinic’s sign, and went to sit back down to continue writing down on records.
“And when you don’t know where to dodge when someone can punch your left of right,” Jason overheard the voice of the other nurse as he neared Damian’s bed, “don’t go to the sides. Just duck down super quick to their waist level so they don’t have time to react. You can even tackle them down by their middle and push them down on the ground, you’ll have the advantage once you’re on top.”
“I understand,” he overheard Damian’s approving tone. “I shall take note of this tactic should the circumstance repeat itself in order to not give my opponent a chance to hit me.”
Jason peeked his head in between the curtains and inserted himself in the conversation, “What circumstance?”
“Beating up homophobes!” a blonde excitedly exclaimed at the same time Damian let out an even and serious, “Teaching a lesson to prideful pricks who dare discriminate homosexual relationships.”
“Holy fuck, ” Jason gaped – Summer audibly gasped and there’s no telling if it’s because of the blonde’s statement on violence or Jason’s swearing (could be both) – shock and concern now evident in his face at the black eye his younger brother is sporting by the right side of his face.
Jason opened the curtains and strode to Damian’s side to gently cup the boy’s left cheek to better inspect the black eye. “Who the heck did this?” yeah Jason could have worded that better but for reasons solely to emphasize his surprise, he will allow himself that second curse.
“His name is irrelevant,” Damian answered. “However, what is relevant is that I won that fight.”
The blonde nurse, Stephanie if Jason remembered correctly from what Summer mentioned earlier, snickered with amusement.
“Yeah he did,” she agreed and did a quick gesture between herself and pointed to Summer, “the kid’s parents didn’t even want either of us to take care of him. Sent him straight to the hospital.”
“Oh God,” Jason exasperatedly dragged his hand across his face. “Why did this have to happen when Bruce is gone?”
As much as Jason is proud of Damian and his choice to stand up for others, he didn’t expect the kid to get physical about it. Oh Jason can imagine it now: Youngest Wayne heir has gone rogue at the tender age of 10, his violent nature makes him unfit to inherit Wayne Industries.
The media always had a special way of blowing things out of proportion. But before he could give Damian a lecture, he needs details first.
Jason requested from the blonde, “Can you give us a moment?”
Stephanie got quiet but nodded. She gave him a look that anyone can easily interpret as go easy on the kid.
The blonde walked away and closed the curtains to give Jason and Damian some privacy and Jason’s grateful that she complied quickly.
He put his hands on his hips and pointedly looked at Damian, “Would you mind explaining yourself?”
With much resolve, Damian looked back at his older brother straight in the eye. “I have no regrets regarding my actions.”
Jason sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damian, that’s not what I asked.”
The boy frowned, and Jason can see how his little brother is slowly trying to properly piece out his explanation. Damian’s a good kid at heart. A little rough, but his core has always been good.
And for the first time since he saw Damian in the clinic, Jason can clearly see that his brother is upset. Damian’s not upset that he got hurt, he’s upset by whatever prompted him to fight back.
“There was this rude boy in class,” Damian’s fists clenched against the blanket. “He made a rather… unpleasant comment about Timothy’s current relationship.”
Oh. Jason cringed at what Damian implied. Tim and Conner have been boyfriends for some time now – almost two years if Jason remembers correctly. People are definitely more open-minded about same-sex relationships in this generation but there are still some that continue to judge and be unaccepting about it.
However, that doesn’t excuse Damian taking a rather physical approach. “But you understand now that getting physical and fighting with someone doesn’t solve it, right?”
Damian mumbled an I was victorious though which earned him a heated stare from Jason. The younger boy sighed. “Yes. It did not.”
“Good,” Jason urged Damian to move a bit so that he can sit beside him. “Now tell the damage you did that made his parents overreact to take him to the hospital.”
Jason tried to suppress showing that he was proud because he fully knows Bruce would disapprove, but he can’t help it – it’s a milestone after all, his little brother’s first fight. And what better way to start it with defending family and the queers.
Damian smirked as he answered. “I broke his nose.”
Jason whistled, impressed at his brother’s strength. “And who taught you that?”
Damian swiftly answered, “No one did.”
Jason clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, “It was grandpa wasn’t it.”
Damian solemnly nodded, “It was grandfather.”
Jason affectionately ruffled the younger boy’s hair. “I’ll hand it to you kid, not bad. Not bad at all.”
Although Damian is slightly annoyed at the gesture, the younger boy still gleamed at the compliment.
“Tell you what,” Jason started. “Since you did use violence for something good. I won’t be giving you the lecture. Bruce can do that himself.”
Damian hummed thoughtfully and nodded. “Acceptable. And you shall serve as my witness should he pressure me, yes?”
Jason shrugged, “The nurse did back you up, I’ll take her word for it.”
The pair shook on it with equally serious faces. A sound that’s a mix of a laugh and a snort was heard not too far from them which made them break eye contact. The pair didn’t realize or hear that Stephanie had reopened the curtains.
“I’m so sorry,” Stephanie covered her mouth with her right hand. “But that was just way too cute.”
“You laugh now but Bruce can seriously get up your a-” Jason paused, not wanting to curse for the third time in front of Damian. “Up your business.”
“Ohh an inside scoop of Mr. Wayne. Who knew that a former party boy can go all up your business. ” Stephanie playfully mimicked Jason’s deep and baritone voice.
“As much as I do not support the use of such crass language,” Damian announced, “I do permit that you can still say ‘ass’ in my presence.”
Stephanie let out that another small half-laugh, half-snort sound. Her nose twitched a little and the side of her eyes crinkled, and Jason finds it endearing. A soft smile formed on his face, one that Damian quickly picked up on.
With a new ice pack in Stephanie’s left hand, Damian hopped from his bed and extended his hand to the nurse. The blonde gave the cold item and Damian returned the one he used earlier that’s no longer cold.
“Thank you, Nurse Stephanie,” he said to her as he placed the ice pack against his eye and then turned to his brother. “I shall wait for you by the exit to finish asking her out on a date.”
The tips of Jason’s ears heat up and he’s sure they’re nearing the same shade of his tie. Stephanie can only giggle at the boy’s straightforwardness as he went towards Summer’s desk to get his slip like Maps did earlier.
He stood up from the bed, and he and Stephanie stepped out of the small space. Jason stayed behind as Stephanie did quick work of fixing the pillow and blanket back in place. When she fully reopened the curtains to show that the bed is now unoccupied, she turned to Jason.
“Sooo,” Steph pouted, “you don’t really need to ask me out because he put you on the spot but… I’m free this Saturday if you’re curious.”
Jason’s sure he would’ve asked her out regardless of Damian’s bluntness. Because a girl that can (a) fight and teaches defense to kids, (b) cute to boot, (c) seems to have Damian’s subtle approval with the zero sass he gave her, and (d) has an adorable laugh, is totally someone he would ask out.
“I got lectures in the mornings, and papers to check in the afternoon.” Jason informed her after he did a quick mental check of his schedule.
“Ohh, what grade?”
Jason grinned. “College actually. Mostly second and third years.”
“Professor huh,” Stephanie said in a teasing tone, “color me impressed. Wish I got an eye-candy of a professor like you back when I was in Gotham U.”
Summer let another audible gasp.
“You guys,” she said warningly as she covered Damian’s ears.
“It is alright,” the boy tried to reassure Summer. “Richard has said and done worse.”
Summer groaned in disapproval and Jason and Stephanie simply chuckled.
Jason returned his attention back to Stephanie and resumed their conversation, “Not unless you don’t like reading a lot. I teach modern and classic lit.”
The blonde placed a hand on her chest as if she was immediately wooed on the spot and spoke, “I’ll hold you in my heart…”
Without missing a beat, Jason easily continued the reference. “Until I can hold you in my arms.”
Dracula is hands-down, Stephanie’s favorite book. But as a kid, she always had a soft spot for Peter Pan . Besides that quote was beyond romantic in her opinion.
Stephanie giggled appreciatively at his quick pick up, “Oh stop it. You’re giving me a lot of things to like about you and you haven’t even asked me out yet.”
Jason chuckled at her honestly and charm. He has a feeling this might be the start of something amazing.
He straightened himself and expectantly asked. “How does a dinner date sound?”
The blonde grinned at him. “Sounds perfect.”
So after exchanging numbers and Stephanie reminding Jason to text her, Jason got to lead Damian back to his car. After making sure his brother is strapped in, Jason starts the vehicle.
“I believe that was a successful encounter.” Damian stated.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jason tried to not make a big deal out of it. But it’s obvious that he can’t stop smiling. In order to have something else to focus on, he asked his brother about the dark-haired girl with multiple band-aids on her knees.
“So this Maps girl,” he pulled his car out of the parking space and headed straight to the road home. “Summer told me you guys are classmates. Are you two friends?”
Back in the clinic, Summer squealed and playfully patted the blonde's shoulders in a rhythmic pattern only she can recognize. “You two were so cute!”
Stephanie laughed at her co-worker’s support. “Oh my god please stop, you’re gonna make me start blushing.”
“I can’t stop, and I won’t stop,” Summer announced. “And I most certainly will pester you for details after the date. Just wait till I text Kara about this.”
“Don’t you dare!” Stephanie exclaimed. “I want to text her first. This is my soon-to-be date.”
But Stephanie wasn’t fast enough. Summer already has her phone out and her thumbs tapped on the keyboard at lightning speed.
“It’s like a meet cute,” Summer said in a sing-song tone and then gasped. “OH! Scratch that: meet clinical services!”