Work Text:
Tim smiled, as he crawled up the roof of the barn, to where Damian was sitting.
He wouldn’t talk to Dick, or Bruce even. Though, when they got the call from Clark, saying he was down at the farm in Smallville, Tim figured – why not. He’d give it a shot.
After all, he kind of had an idea that he knew what was going on.
Damian didn’t snap at him as Tim perched next to him, and bumped their shoulders together. Just curled his knees tighter to his chest, dropped his chin against them, and stared out across the field, where Clark and his sons were helping the older Jonathan with the afternoon chores.
Tim didn’t ask – contrary to popular belief, he could be tactful, with Damian, when he wanted to be. Not to mention had learned a thing or two from their eldest brother, over the years, in dealing with their vulnerable youngest.
Because he was his father’s son, after all. And the best way to deal with a Wayne, was to wait.
And Damian didn’t disappoint.
“…He said he wants to be my friend.” Damian whispered thoughtfully. “And. He said it didn’t matter what I said, he was going to be my friend, whether I wanted him to be or not.”
Tim snorted a laugh. “You sound confused by that.”
“I just…” And it was almost sad, how distressed Damian sounded. “…Why?”
“Because he wants to.” Tim explained. “He cares about you.”
“But why?” Damian pressed. “Why should he? I haven’t done anything for him.”
“Sometimes, you don’t have to.” Tim tried. “He is half-Kryptonian. Maybe he can just…sense the fact that you’re a good person.” Damian scrunched his face at that. Tim’s grin grew wider. “I mean, you are kind of getting worse about hiding that kind heart of yours after all.”
Damian scoffed, and in the bright Kansas sun, Tim could see the light blush on his cheeks.
“I am not worth having a friendship with.” Damian muttered. He glanced up at Tim. “You’ve made that perfectly clear.”
Tim shrugged, silently conceding his mistake. “But we’re not talking about me, are we? We’re talking about Jon Kent.”
“Jon White.”
“It’s Jon Kent, and you know it, now shut up.” Tim scolded playfully. “Back to the point. Jon wants to be your friend. He wants to try to be your friend. So just let him.”
“But it won’t work. I know it won’t.” Damian sighed. “I’m too…”
“Dark? Broody? Broken? Your past is too bad? Your mental health is even worse?” Tim listed off, still keeping that smile. “Trust me. I – and Bruce and even Dick – have all thought the same thing.”
Damian looked up at him.
“But that’s the cool thing about the Kents, you know?” Tim hummed. “They don’t care. They don’t care about all that stuff. They just care about you, in the here and now.”
Damian blinked, looked almost hopeful, and it practically broke Tim’s heart.
“Kon was the same way, you know. Way back when. He tried to be my friend and I tried to shut him down. But he was stubborn. Just like Kara, just like Clark. It’s a Kryptonian thing, I think.” Tim laughed. “And you know? It’s practically a rite of passage. Every Bat is befriended by a Super. No ifs, ands, or buts. Fate’s pretty insistent about it, if our track record is to be believed.”
Damian scoffed again, but quieter. “Fate is not real.”
“A moral discussion for another day.” Tim promised. “Just. Give Jon a chance, okay?” A pause. “And don’t be so scared about letting someone care about you.”
To his surprise, Damian didn’t lash out at the comment. Instead, just murmured:
“I am not worth it.”
“And see, that’s the thing, Damian.” Tim leaned over, and patted Damian’s knee. “You are.”
Damian bit his lip, seemed to curl in on himself a little.
“And I know you’re thinking it, but you’re wrong.” Tim breathed. “Jon is not better than you. Clark isn’t better than you. Kara isn’t better than you. You are just as good a person as they are. Hell, you might be even be even gooder.” Damian frowned at the poor grammar. “So. Just knock that thought out of your head right now. Okay?”
Damian didn’t reply. Just stared at the fields, where the Kent boys were moving back towards the house. Tim just smiled again, squeezed Damian’s knee and pulled his hand back.
“Can you just promise me you’ll give him a chance? Because – who knows. Maybe he’ll become your best friend.” Tim looked across the horizon too, and could see all the Kent men smiling. Joking with each other as they came in from a hard day’s work. “I mean, look at me and Kon.”
Damian groaned, and rolled his eyes. “I’d rather not.”
Tim laughed. Loud enough that he could see Kon look over at him. Jon did too, but only a glance – still nervous that he’d done something to anger Damian. “Will you just try for me?”
“…I suppose.”
“Thank you.” Tim rocked into his shoulder again, before slowly sliding back down the roof. “Now, you can stay up here and observe – because I know that’s what you’re doing – as long as you want, but come down for dinner? You’ll upset Ms. Martha, if you don’t.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, knew Damian would.
He shuffled to the edge of the roof, slowly lowered himself onto the hay bale he used to climb up, and rolled off of it. As he wiped off the front of his jeans, he turned, and was unsurprised to find the newest Super standing there waiting for him.
He looked tepid, and hesitant. And it was cute, how desperately he wanted to be Damian’s friend. How nervous he already was about potentially upsetting the other.
“He’s fine.” Tim promised, walking towards the younger, and around him, to where he could see Kon waiting not far away. “He’ll be down, and he’ll talk to you, soon.”
“Okay.” Jon seemed to relax a little. Not as much as he should have. “Thank you, Mr. Drake.”
“Tim, please.” Tim smiled. He suddenly stopped at Jon’s side, though. Paused, for a moment. Head tilted thoughtfully. He glanced over at Kon, who was watching, staring curiously. “…Jon. May I say something?”
“Um…” Jon blinked. “…Sure?”
“You two are going to be great friends. I know it.” Tim let his smile deepen, as he turned back to Jon. But as he leaned own, he felt it go a little malicious. Felt Jon’s tension skyrocket once more. “But if you ever hurt him, just remember – I know where you live, and have access to Kryptonite.”
Jon’s eyes widened as Tim straightened. He knew the boy was still watching him as he continued his way towards Kon, who was in the process of slapping his face with his hand, and shaking his head.
“Oh!” Tim perked after a second, spinning back towards Jon with that smile still plastered to his face. “And Batman does too.”
Jon recoiled, looking desperately up towards the barn roof, before returning his gaze to Tim. Tim just winked, and turned back towards Kon.
“…I can’t believe you.” Kon hummed, as Tim approached, dragging his hand down his face. “You just threatened my little brother.”
“I didn’t threaten him.” Tim seemed honestly surprised by the term. “I just told him the facts.” He slumped forward, wrapped his arms around Kon’s waist. “You should be thankful I didn’t mention Dick.”
“Mmmhm.” Kon hummed, laughing anyway as he pulled Tim into an embrace too, and kissed his forehead. “Does this mean I get to threaten your little brother?”
Tim scoffed. “Of course not.”
Kon laughed, loud and amused, and he saw both Jon – now curled up next to the hay bale – and Damian – still sulking on the roof – look over at them.
“You Bats.” He sighed, looking down as Tim propped his chin against his chest. “Are the actual worst.”
“Mmm. I might be able to concede that.” Tim smirked, shifting up onto his tiptoes. “But you Supers love us anyway.”
“Unfortunately.” Kon leaned down, and accepted the kiss. “We really do.”