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Damian has a developed a habit. Well.. A rather embarrassing one, if someone pointes it out.
He called Jon things. Not things exactly. Names, nicknames.
Little Arabic Endearment that slipped into his speech whenever he talks to Jon. So naturally that, after a while, Damian barely noticed that those nicknames often slides out.
𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘣𝘪, when Jon was annoying toward Damian.
𝘈𝘻𝘪𝘻𝘪, when he wanted a favor
And 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘴𝘪— ah, .. That one usually slipped out when Damian was tired.
And somehow, Jon NEVER questioned any of them. Which was how Damian liked it. As far as Damian was concerned, the idiot simply assumed that they were ordinary Arabic nicknames.
Which is why Damian had no problem using them.
"Patience, Habibi. " Damian sigh heavily as he wipe the edge of his sword with a napkin.
"Awhh cmon, Dami! It's been hours since you stab and slashed those Woods!" Jon pouted, his cheeks puffed out. Exactly the things Jon usually do whenever he's getting moody.
The Batcave was empty, only both of them were there. Bruce was probably attending some charity events.
"I said Patience, Habibi." Damian said once again before he walk past by Jon to put the sword back in place.
But behind him, Jon Secretly smiled. He said nothing. Damian didn't notice.
It continued for weeks.
"Azizi, pass me that."
"Here you go, Dami!"
"Shamsi, wrong direction."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, Damii!"
Every single time, Jon always responded normally. Never question it, never asked the words meant. And it made Damian became more convinced that his little secret was safe. Perfectly.
Until one afternoon.
Where Jon handed Damian's batarang
"Dami!, you almost left this!"
Damian glance at him, "thanks, Habibi." He then takes the batarang and put it to his utility belt, not noticing that Jon already lean to him slightly, smiling and tilting his head to the side, staring at him.
Then flawlessly he said:
“نعم يا داميان. هل يمكنك قولها مرة أخرى؟”
("𝘠𝘦𝘴 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘢𝘯. 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯?")
Damian froze.
The silent that stretched was almost painful. Really.
It tooks Damian a second to process what had just happened. Then—
"You speak Arabic?..", Damian ask, still with a hint of surprised
Jon shrugged," a little, i learn it for a bit.", making damian stared at him.
"That was not a 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦."
Jon grins wider. "You really thought i didn't understand?"
Damian's face went warm and red. He glares at him embarrassingly, "You-!"
Jon laughed, with his stupid goofy innocent looking smile, like hes not the one making Damian embarrassed.
"Ive understand every single one."
Damian eyes went wide open for a bit, pure shocked and embarrassed "EVERY-"
"Habibi~", Jon tease as he pokes Damian side.
".. I hate you." Damian looked away, trying to hide his red face, yet it didn't work. His ears. Has already flushed in pink.
"Oh dami!, you could've just told me what they meant!"
".. Shut up." Damian said as he rubbing his eyes, was actually begging that it was just a dream.
Suddenly a thought came through Jon mind.
" Oh! Does it mean you like me? Like, a crush on me?"
He said playfully while pointing at himself, before Damian slowly walks up toward him, grab his collar to lean him down, and plant a warm kiss on the others cheek.
Jon went still as Damian pulled away
"Yeah. I think i do, 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘣𝘪."
Damian walk pass by him, trying to calm the flushing cheeks. While Jon? Still standing there with a red tomato looking cheeks before he snapped out of reality.
"𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙣!!"