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Jon sat tentatively trying to focus on the movie but there was a deprived bat boy under his arm. He knew Damian went a while without feeling things like gentle touch and loving embrace, but it seems he’s gotten infatuated with it to the point that he's invoked some sort of insatiable hunger for Jon’s closeness.
Damian squirmed and nuzzled up against Jon’s right side like he was a pillow that needed to be fluffed up. Jon was almost offended; if Damian wanted something as simple as touch, then he could have asked.
He wonders if this urge isn't something in his subconscious but instead, Damian is very conscious of this… regardless, it's starting to make Jon squirm as well, he's scrambling around trying to keep his concentration on the movie but there's this frustrating heat crawling up to his face.
“Dami, Is something wrong?”
“No?” Damian looked accusingly.
Jon sighed and rolled his eyes. Perhaps, Damian didn't realize what he was doing. His brain and body are still getting used to the reality that there's another person with open boundaries he could confide in.
This was suggestive, obvious but still not at all. He hadn't asked what Damian was to him or what the relationship they had truly was… he knew he liked Damian, Damian liked him, and sure, they kissed a couple of times and went on dates, but their ‘situation’ was never verbalized. Does it have to be? Is that important? He should ask anyway just to be safe.
“Damian, Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Are you- Are we- Um, are we dating? Like, are you, my boyfriend?”
Damian jolted, his eyes expansive. He looked back at the TV, the floor, and then at anything that wasn't Jon. “Boyfriend?” It sounded awkward on his tongue.
“I don’t feel like it exactly matters what we call it. We’re more than friends but… let’s just worry about being Damian and Jon right now.”
Jon smiled, which was certainly an interesting response, Damian thought.
“That's entirely fine by me,” he said.
Jon wrapped his arms around Damian and pulled him in to cease Damian's little nudging against him the other boy seemed to be ignorant of. Wanted or not, the look in his eyes suggested they were both happy.
-
Damian sat out front of the old Smallville farmhouse, right on the stairs of the porch to look out into the fields of crops, flowers, and animal pens. It was Jon’s turn to tend to the crops and so he did. He didn't use super speed or flight; he valued spending time with the people he cared about so he was keen on using the old-fashioned way.
The former Robin was sewing a moderately flimsy Superman Cape draped over this lap while looking out to the other boy hard at work. He had no idea of the person behind him till she was coming through that creaky screen door and sat in her rocking chair.
Martha Kent was a sweet lady, she had a green thumb and knew her way in the kitchen, he hadn’t seen much of her since he’d come to the farm. She always had a welcoming personality regardless, definitely someone you find comfort in being around.
“Damian, it's nice to see you. Are you settling in nicely?” Martha asked.
“I think so. The days seem almost brighter here, and I’ve taken an interest in the animals. How are you?”
“Right as rain,” she told him.
The bending and popping of the wood of the rocking chair had plenty to say in the conversation as well.
“Jonathan told me about you. I was fairly excited to meet you myself but since you’ve come along, my Jonathan and I have decided to take a breath away from the farm ourselves.”
“I think I like it here,” Damian beamed.
“Wonderful. You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like,” she added.
“That's very kind of you but I don't plan to overstay… this is just until I get my head on straight.”
“While you’re here, Damian, can you promise me one thing?”
Damian’s attention was pulled to her.
“He may be a lot to handle sometimes and at moments he may not be all there but take care of him for us?”
Jonathan Kent was everything you could ask for. He never prejudged anyone or purposely made you feel inferior and disregarding his person he was still exceptional at everything he did. What could Damian Wayne truly do for him?
“It's not simple-”
“Or maybe, you’re just used to everything being difficult.”
Damian suddenly found himself at the end of his last stitch, then everything felt so quiet.
“Our boys are sensitive, they don’t need much more than honesty, a guiding hand, and love, nothing more than the average person.”
Damian looked forward into the fields and saw Jon walking back up to the farmhouse with a curtain look in his eyes.
“I understand… I promise,” Damian said.
Jon looked down at Damian as he came up the steps, Damian raised the cape to him for him to take, then he held something else to Damian as if he was making a trade.
“For you,” he said, holding a few small dandelions, making a makeshift bouquet, if you can even call it that - the flowers were too unhealthy to be considered a bouquet, but it was the thought that counted.
Damian took them in his hand, nonetheless.
“I found them in some beaten soil on the outskirts of the farm,” Jon smiled.
Martha stood from her chair to open the door for the both of them. “Alright, inside now, it’s about time for dinner,” she said sweetly.
Jon sprouted up; he was so thrilled to have Damian taste Martha’s cooking. Damian was starting to respect Jon more and more; it must have been scary to admit his feelings to Damian knowing that could put a rift in their friendship which he valued more than anything. Damian’s glad he did even if he had to do it on impulse because he would have never been where he is now.
-
They were still on call, sure, Damian wasn’t Robin or wasn’t going to be Batman in the future but if the JLI’s hands were tired, Batman had to make some much-needed calls to heroes nearby that may be off-duty. That's how Damian got where he was; being dropped into the skyline of an abandoned building to bust some perpetrators selling some illegal city drug and getting thirty-eight people killed so far.
He donned a new uniform entirely, and his weapons were strapped on his leg, his colors were altered to where the armor was black, the cloth was green, the weapons were red, and the utility was yellow… It was entirely refreshing being back on the field and all to himself for a simple bust. Everything was going fine till one of the lowlifes showed a modicum of skill and snuck up behind Damian to stab him deep in the back. It’s not like him to be snuck up on, it's probably something to do with the fact that he’s let his guard down entirely for the past few months.
He could fight the pain at first, but it was getting more physically taxing to keep his balance, which resulted in three more cuts, a punch straight in his ribs, and a shiny bruise on the left side of his face. He still came out on top. He just needed to take a break; he sat inside an ally where he attempted to catch his breath.
Jon was the one who gave him the ride to the sight of the crime, but he had a mission of his own he was just finishing up. He was holding some thug by his shirt trying to get information out of him before the cops came. That’s when he caught wind of Damian’s heartbeat slowing down - he dropped the guy and was past the moon before the guy even hit the ground.
When Jon found him, he was panting into his shirt, Damian’s new uniform did have a statement but no gadget to potentially call for backup. Jon bit his teeth and cradled Damian in his arms, he disregarded the mission entirely, and even in Damian’s somewhat fugue state, he was still frustrated with Jon for ignoring his objective like that.
“Hey, Superboy-“ Damian said weakly.
“I don’t want to hear it,” Jon said coldly, catching the closest updraft to flying Damian straight home.
“Jon!”
“Shut up!” Jon shouted.
The ring in his ears gave him the strength to take in the world around him and see Jon with this irrationally terrified look on his face.
“We’re going home,” he said.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
Batman will be pissed at them if they’re unable to complete a mission two times in a row.
“Don’t worry, I won’t regret this.”
“Jon! Stop being ridiculous!” Now Damian was getting upset.
“Not until you’re safe, we’re practically almost there,” they weren’t but what’s twenty minutes.
Damian knew Jon valued his safety but at times he realized Jon’s senseless fear of losing Damian was starting to give him this sticky suffocating feeling. This fear wasn't only hurting him but seemed to be hurting Jon too, and Damian would hate himself if he was the reason Jon was hurting.
Jon’s eyes looked like a madman’s. His lip quivered as he spoke, he almost looked angry, and it came off like that, but the truth was… he was just scared.
“Jon… listen… I’ve never been something that needs protecting. I understand you’re scared but we can't be irresponsible like this… especially when you’re supposed to be Superman.”
“This is what Superman does! I have to save you - keep you from getting hurt and if I can’t do that-” Jon’s voice broke.
What was it Martha said? Honesty? He could do that. He needed that much.
“Jon, I can count everything that hurts you on one hand… So many things can hurt me, I know that but I never, never want one of those things to be you .” Damian hoped that much reached him.
Jon stopped flying, he hovered over the city but in that moment, it felt more like the whole world.
“You’re right… You’re always right,” Jon hid his face.
“It's okay,” he reassured.
“You’re just so important to me, D.” he gasped, and he felt tears fall down his face, but he didn't want Damian to see him like this, he felt ashamed doing this while wearing the S.
“I’m starting to understand that now, it's okay,” their position turned less into a cradle and more into a hug.
“What do I do?” Jon asked.
“At this point, you can just take us home, I won’t be mad. I dressed my wounds before you came so don't worry, alright?”
“Alright.”
Damian spent the rest of the night resting in Jon’s arms. Jon insisted he’d take all the time he needed but Damian was just going to give it a day or two. Jon checked his phone relentlessly for mission updates while he changed Damian’s bandages and wrapped his injuries. Jon was going to apologize for his actions that night even if Damian had already forgiven him.
-
The second bust went easier, most of it he was gathering intel and information from the criminals he was able to catch, their missions weren’t yet finished but Damian was content with seeing a member of the Bat family even if it wasn’t someone he was all that close to. Being around the Kent's has been useful in the aspect that Damian has a newfound respect for most people, especially Duke for being able to take charge the way he was. He admired that Duke had finally found his footing in heroism.
That was also the night Duke told him that something happened to Bruce. He was done in by Joker escaping Arkham the exact night he locked the maniac back up. Bruce let Joker get the best of him somehow and was cornered due to not having a Robin to aid him. At least that’s what Damian suspected because he started to blame himself for it, right before he started to hate himself for it.
He was seated on the ledge of a building usually filled with rich people who partied when they had nothing better to do. The noise helped him drown out his deprecating thoughts. Damian was waiting on a ride that happened to be an irritatingly lanky and overexcitable Kryptonian. The more he started thinking about his father, the more he buried his head into his hands till he heard the other boy's voice.
“Damian! Damian… what’s wrong?” his voice simmered.
“It’s not important,” Damian said.
Jon looked around, then knelt beside Damian to put his hand on his shoulder.
“If it wasn’t important then you wouldn’t be upset.”
“I’m not upset, I-” Damian sighed.
Damian realized there was no point in fighting this with someone who could see through him physically and psychologically.
“Something happened to Bruce, and something happened to Bruce because I’m not Robin anymore.”
Jon cupped Damian’s face in his hands forcing eye contact. “We made a promise to each other about this type of stuff, remember? We’re in this together, Damian. I meant every word of it.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Jon placed the softest of kisses on kiss lips, then licked across the scars to make it easier to kiss him till he was satisfied.
“There’s a new ice cream place on the corner of eighth. If we’re lucky we can change out of this and fly there before it closes. Would that cheer you up?”
Damian smiled. “Yeah.”
Jon hated when Damian was brooding about something but if he was lucky then it would always be as easy as bribing him with cheap, store-bought ice cream. Damian just reveled in the fact he could seek and find in Jon like this, this is what made him feel safe, not the symbol of hope on his chest.
-
Damian’s phone rang abruptly in the middle of the night while he was taking a nap and appreciating the possibility of oversleeping. It was Jon on the other line telling him to open his window, on the other side he saw Jon floating next to the moon - he almost looked like he could touch it.
“I’m going to the future for a while. I’m on a mission with the League of Superheroes to find-”
“Why’d you call me?” Damian interrupted.
“I wanted to tell you before I did something like this. I thought this was the safest way, but the thing is people’s lives are on the line, and the league really needs this information-”
“Jon, you don’t have to explain yourself. I know you learned your lesson, I won’t be mad, just don’t take months to come back, alright?” Damian’s voice was muddled with sleep.
“Alright…” Jon took the phone away from his ear and held it out in front of him.
“And Damian… I love you," he added.
They didn’t say that often, they wanted to at times, but it seemed jarring every time, Jon wouldn’t have felt right if he hadn’t told him before leaving this time.
“Yeah, r-right, I love you too…” Damian says.
Damian grunts in agony. He was way too tired to be having this conversation.
“Goodnight,” Jon grinned.
“Night.”
-
Jon wasn’t gone for that long; it was a little over a week of farmwork before Jon was knocking on the window to their room again. He slid in with defeat written all over his features and demeanor. He didn’t have the energy to walk to the bed, he just sat there in the window seal.
“Jon, what happened?” Damian inquired.
“I went to the future, and I went through the files on the JLA. It listed all the fights the heroes have been in… but my father’s… his file suddenly stopped and-” Jon covered his face.
“Does that mean…”
Damian hadn’t expected Jon to start crying so quickly. “What else could it mean?!” he spat. At first, Jon knew he was sensitive, and he'd argue he felt too much but as his stomach ached and his chest heaved, his face was glistening and red like he'd accepted it.
Damian held him by the shoulders and watched him sob.
“It’s been on my mind since the day I got my powers but… I’m still not ready to lose my dad, D.”
Damian didn’t know what to do but what came naturally was a tight hug to conceal his anxiety. Jon held him close in instinct, he felt how his muscles tensed when he was upset and how he shook with every exhale.
“What is it you told me? ‘We’re in this together’ right? Don’t forget that now because you want to be a crybaby. I’m here for you, whatever you need but you have to understand that you can never know anything for sure.”
Jon buried his face in Damian’s shoulder leaving his shirt to soak up all the tears. “He’ll be fine,” he promised him.
“How do you know for sure?”
“You came back to me, didn’t you? All I needed to have was hope.”
Jon was starting to hate that word ‘hope’ he knew it was much needed, but you have to know how hard it was not to let the gentle jaws of despair swallow him whole. Though, if Damian was there with him, he wouldn't be selfish enough to do that.
-
Last night out to stop the drug trade happening in Gotham. He hovered over the buildings above a weak spot he could easily slip into and surprise them but this time they’d be expecting him. It didn’t matter, he had backup from Bludhaven’s protector waiting for his arrival inside. They were an unstoppable team and Damian felt confident. Jon was there with him to drop him inside it, that was all he had to do.
“Alright, Nightwing’s waiting, you can drop me now.”
Jon’s arms shook. He couldn’t even trick himself to go through with it, the stress was boiling over from finding out about his dad and now he had to drop one of the few people he loved into a void of ruthless criminals? It wasn’t happening.
“Are you serious? I know you heard me, Superboy. Drop me.”
Jon looked back at him stone-faced. It seems he was dead set on being stubborn.
“I know being Superman means this is not part of your design, but you have to let up, Superboy, this isn’t right either.”
“You… you know I can’t lose you too,” Superboy whispered.
“You won't, I'll be fine. I promise.”
Jon pouted. Damian grabbed his face and repeated himself.
“I promise.”
Jon deeply exhaled and smiled back at him. He let Damian go and as he fell, he held eye contact. He was practically out of the sky, but he said, “I’ll be fine,” and Jon absolutely heard him. Jon had a mission of his own to fly off to, he trusted Damian with this.
He slid off the wall and landed nicely on the ground where he found Nightwing greeting a thug with the hard side of his knee.
“Baby bat! Cool new outfit.”
“I made it myself,” Damian took pride in it.
Nightwing tossed him a duffle bag filled with tech while another criminal found out how bad a well-placed Escrima stick can hurt. “Open that door for me, would you?”
Inside the bag were tools such as a cryptographic sequencer he needed to open the door being guarded. It seemed it needed a curtain frequency to be opened which was way out of the realm of a lowlife criminal’s paycheck.
“Missed you, by the way,” Dick grinned.
“Missed you too.”
Damian kept his promise. He was fine, the mission was successful and damn, did it feel good to have a successful mission after a while. Turns out there was more than a drug trade but regardless, they still came out on top. Nightwing could rest knowing Damian was in Jon’s hands, it also kind of stung to think about how he’s not ‘his’ Robin anymore because he’s not Robin at all now, his new uniform would always remind him of that.
Damian felt Jon’s cape wrap around him a second before he saw him. It almost scared him, but it was less terrifying than crashing into him like he usually does.
“You’re alright,” he squeezes the boy, and he could have sworn his body almost made a popping noise.
“I told you I’d be fine,” Damian was all smiles.
“Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m okay, are you hurt?” Damian asked.
“What- who cares?”
“What are you talking about? I care!”
Jon put their heads together and he got so close to kissing him before Damian’s eyes wandered and landed on the cape and all of its ripped and shambled glory.
“Are you kidding me?!” Damian pointed a finger at it.
“What?”
“I just sewed that back together!” Damian gritted his teeth.
“It happens. What do you want me to do about it?”
“You’re not the one doing farm work all the time and sewing your capes just for you to rip them almost the next day!”
It was going to be one very loud and scolding flight back home.
-
Jon was stuck at a certain part of his video game, and Damian was quietly watching him play. They did this sort of thing as friends and it was nice that some things didn’t change, there was no stress in that. Damian did have a curtain thing on his mind and wanted to ask Jon about it.
“Jon?”
“Hm?” his attention was still being dragged away.
“What’s with the heartbeat thing? Why do you do that?” Damian asked.
Jon paused the game not wanting Damian to feel ignored and asked Damian’s question for him; “The heartbeat thing? Uh…”
“I do it to bring myself comfort,” he gave the simplest answer.
“How does it even work?” Damian inquired.
“The size and shape of your heart along with the waveforms of your heart’s expansion can give it a curtain sound distinct to you. It’s not easy to get down - like learning another language but when I understand it then I can find you anywhere and know if you’re scared, safe, or whatever,” Jon scooted up to sit next to Damian in bed.
“Isn’t that a little excessive?” Damian asked.
“I use it for crime fighting as well, it’s not like that’s the only reason.”
“If it brings you comfort then you can always just ask,” Damian offered.
Jon raised a hand and placed it on the left side of his chest. He felt his heart thump against his hand, and it was slow and steady. “It’s the same,” Jon said.
“Why not?”
“I don’t feel it in its entirety. I like your heartbeat. It’s nicer than you are most of the time and it’s soft and delicate sounding. Since you pride yourself on keeping your cool it’s peaceful most of the time,” Damian stares at him for a moment.
“If it makes you happier then so be it.”
“It does…” There his eyes go getting stuck on Damian’s lips. It’s been a bit since they kissed anyway.
Jon did just that. He locked his lips against Damian and held his face like he was something delicate. He’d always been mindful not to lose control in heated moments like this due to his powers but tonight, he really needed this.
Damian didn’t understand how Jon always knew just the right time to kiss him and the truth was that he didn’t, he only kissed Damian when he felt like it and right now, he really felt like it. Jon was starting to push him down against the bed with his weight and Damian gliding upwards understanding that Jon wanted him pinned down. He loved the way Damian’s hands went straight to his hair when they kissed.
“Damian?” Jon whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Can I use my tongue?”
Damian stuttered. “Uhn… y-yeah, that’s fine.”
He was gentle and patient so how come they were both getting so hot-faced? It was starting to get overwhelming. Damian felt his breath hitch and Jon heard Damian’s heart speed up, his ears twitched. Yeah, this is much better. He thought to himself. Jon’s hands glided down his torso, his hands tugged on Damian’s waistband, but Damian grabbed his hand and jumped up. “S-Stop!”
Damian sat up straight, so Jon did as well.
“Uhn, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” Jon was ready to apologize.
“No, it’s not that. I just…”
Jon waited patiently for him to explain.
“I don’t want to do that . I don’t know… I never really have.”
“ Oh .”
“It’s… I don’t think I like it. It just doesn’t feel right to me,” Damian tried to explain but he didn’t know what the right word was to use.
“It’s alright. It doesn’t bother me. We don’t have to do anything especially if you don’t want to.”
“Really?”
“Of course, Damian. Why would it bother me? We don’t have to do anything.”
Damian liked guys just as much as he liked girls which was barely at all, but Jon was different. He hoped he’d accept it; he’d hoped Jon wouldn’t think any less of him or like him less because of it. He wished he could give that to Jon, but he couldn’t without betraying himself first.
“I’m completely happy just being by your side. That will always be enough for me,” Jon gripped his hand.
Damian wiped his mouth; it was weird he felt like crying then and there.
Jon scratched the back of his head, “So, does this mean no more kissing?” he asked.
“No, kissing is fine. I don’t mind that.”
“Awesome,” Jon beamed.
It would have been awkward if Damian wasn’t so relieved.
-
“Dad? Dad!” Jon didn’t think he only acted. He flew up and crashed into his father. He held him tightly in his arms. Although his father didn’t recognize him, he didn’t recognize his heartbeat or his mannerisms, he only recognized the excitement he had to see him again.
“Jon?” Clark was confused, he pulled Jon off his chest to get a good look at him.
“What happened to you?” His words were airy and dazed.
“Please… don’t be mad,” Jon begged.
Clark’s eyebrows scrunched, he felt ready to punch a hole in the earth.
“I couldn’t have been gone for that long, could I?”
“No, it’s my fault… there’s so much I have to tell you but please don’t be mad.”
“Jonathan, tell me what happened to you.”
“I was sucked into a wormhole while on a trip to space. I got stranded on Earth-3 and then imprisoned for years. I managed to escape but with the help of the legion of heroes-”
“I’m not supposed to be mad!?” Clark asked.
Jon sucked in through his teeth and looked into the air.
“Let me show you something,” Jon flew upwards, Clark was confused but he followed suit.
“Look, you can practically see the curve of the earth from here. From Gotham to Metropolis, I’ve been doing your job protecting your city regardless of what I want or how I feel. I’ve dealt with everything from thugs to assassins to magicians to carnies so sure, you can be mad, but can you at least be proud?”
Clark bit his words, he did take a look around, but his eyes struggled to pull away from the person Jon had become while he was gone, and that person was in the right.
“I’ve been to space, to different universes and dimensions but now I finally get you. You can travel across the stars but nothing’s more beautiful than home. There are so many things to see on other planets but only one has my family… only one has Damian…”
“Damian?” Clark furrowed a brow.
“Oh… right. Dad, there’s something else I need to tell you.”
-
Damian was sprawled across the couch. When Jon entered it looked as if he was growing out from within it. Jon was excited to break the news to Damian, it was his first thought when everything was said in done. Damian didn’t seem to be in the mood for the news to land well so he squeezed his way onto the cough with Damian and ran his fingers through his hair.
“What’s wrong? Am I in trouble again?”
Damian grunted. He immediately picked Jon over the couch to confide in.
“No, a baby chick was growing in one of the coops, it seemed to be sick, and I tried to nurse it back to health. I really thought she was going to make it, but she ended up dying this morning. All of that work for what?”
“You tried, right? That’s all that matters.”
“It’s still just never enough.” Damian couldn’t believe himself, his voice croaked, and a tear fell down his cheek.
“You’re crying?” Jon’s eyes widened.
This shouldn’t have been so surprising, but it’s been a while since Damian’s cried. Sure, he’d get upset but he never waterworks.
“You’re crying.”
“I’m not crying!” Damian argued.
“Pfft, fine, you’re not crying,” Jon lied. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for that but want to hear some good news?”
“What?”
“My dad’s finally back!” Jon said.
“He is? That’s great news,” Damian mellowed out for a second.
“Isn’t it? It also means I’ll be here to help you with the work around here way more because there’s no need for me to be Superman anymore… I was pretty excited to tell you that, but you started crying…”
“I’m not crying!” Damian nudged him.
“Right, sorry, you’re not crying.”
Another tear fell, Jon, couldn’t stop himself from smirking. Damian was extremely annoyed, he pulled away from Jonathan and reduced himself to the corner of the couch.
“Wanna grab a snack in Metropolis and eat on the rooftops?” Jon offered.
“No, I hate the rooftops in Metropolis.”
“You learned how to kiss on the rooftops in Metropolis.”
“I knew how to kiss before you, farm boy!”
Jon giggled unapologetically and Damian was so annoyed he forgot to be upset. He found out he could cry as well as how much he hated it. At least this means their little vacation is working. Neither of them is going to take their moments together for granted from now on. Time’s too fleeting.