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The Metropolis sun is stronger than in Gotham. Damian waited, unfazed by the scorching heat.
He heard familiar footsteps in the distance. As the regular sounds drew closer, he muttered, still staring straight ahead.
"Clark."
"Hey, Damian! Long time no see. Have you gotten stronger since we last met? Bruce must have been right about you."
"I need to tighten my body and mind even more, or I'll never catch up to my father. I'm still a work in progress."
"Strength is good, but shouldn't you also pay attention to the kindness within yourself?"
These words were so completely out of character that he involuntarily turned to face Clark.
The frown between his eyebrows deepened. Besides the words, there was an unfamiliar child beside Clark.
The child, with clear blue eyes like the sky, was gripping Clark's sleeve. As Clark paid attention to the child's unruly black hair, he saw Clark gently stroke the child's head.
"This is Jon. Do you remember meeting him once, when he was a baby? You held him so carefully in your arms back then."
"H-hello, nice to meet you."
Damian gave a light reply to Jon's hesitant greeting. He took a candy from his waist pocket and bent down to meet Jon's gaze.
He suddenly remembered the weight of the baby he held for the first time. He also remembered how his heart warmed when he saw Jon, who was smiling at him like sunshine.
"You've grown so big, Jon. Come to Wayne Manor whenever you feel like it. We have plenty of sweets."
"Thank you, Mr.Damian."
"You can just call me Damian."
He gently and carefully stroked Jon's head, careful not to hurt him. His black hair trembled for a moment, but then he leaned closer.
A child's innocent actions can easily unsettle an adult.
The soft feeling against his palm slowly melted his hardened heart. He felt a slight pang of reluctance to let go of Jon's hand. As they parted ways, Jon approached Damian with a smile.
"Thanks for the candy, Damian. I love fruit."
Damian remembers stroking Jon's head again, seeing the joyful expression on his face.
Upon returning home, Damian casually asked Alfred for a delicious fruit recipe. Unconsciously, he mentioned that Jon would be pleased, and the butler suggested apple pie.
It was a dish that allowed them to fully enjoy the flavor of apples and was very popular with children. Imagining Jon's eyes light up at the sight of the food, Damian's demeanor softened slightly.
A week later, Jon arrived at Wayne Manor after being invited for a snack.
He seemed restless as he was ushered into the drawing-room, but a broad smile spread across his face when Damian brought out the freshly baked apple pie.
Having learned from Clark beforehand that Jon liked orange juice, Damian also served it with the pie.
"Wait, is this really okay, Damian?"
"You said you liked fruit, didn't you? It's a small thing, but I made it with Alfred's help. I guarantee the taste."
"Thank you, Damian!"
After saying "thank you for the meal.", he took a bite of the apple pie. His blue eyes widened after just one bite.
It seemed that all the effort put into adjusting the crispness of the crust and the baking time had paid off. Jon continued to eat pie after pie, so he told him to calm down, as there was still more.
"But it's just too delicious! I really love this!"
Damian smiled as he wiped the crust from his chubby cheeks. It was the smile he had wanted to see all week, right before his eyes.
Throughout the day, the guest room was constantly filled with the sounds of a cheerful master and a child happily eating apple pie.