A/N: I just needed to revise this story because I seriously found myself liking it. Hopefully it's better now. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Me no own Naruto or Batman
"Damian, what's wrong?" Bruce's words were blunt, deep, and laced with slight concern. Damian couldn't help but inwardly flinch as he stood in front of his father while in his personal office. Out of all the people he thought would ask him that, he would have expected Pennyworth.
"Nothing, everything's fine," Damian's words were also blunt and deep but was laced with a hint of aggression. He didn't have to deal with another person sticking their noses in something that wasn't their business, even if it was his father.
Bruce's blue eyes narrowed at him before closing, his breath coming out heavy in an attempt to calm down. Damian would admit that he was still building a strong relationship with his father. He was willing to admit that it had gotten better since his first days living in the house and especially after the incident involving Nobody. Still, their relationship wasn't at the level as with Pennyworth or Grayson- although Damian would never tell either of them that. Grayson had told him once that it was taking longer because he and Bruce were, in a way, too much alike; especially in the headstrong department. Damian couldn't see it.
"We both know that's a lie, Damian," Bruce finally countered, his eyes pressed to his youngest in what could be thought as a more toned down version of the batglare. Damian wouldn't even flinch with the full version, but he knew it was just his father's way of showing that he would not be shut out, "Is that boy still giving you a hard time? Or is it someone new?"
"No father, the imbecile has not been harassing me," Damian lied. He just learned to ignore Jerk Boy's taunts, no matter how irritating and ridiculous they are.
"Then what's with the behavior you've been showing?"
"I'm in a class filled with moronic children, and you expect me to be in a good mood?" that wasn't a lie. Damian's dealing with spoiled, insecure brats who couldn't even shut the hell up or back off when warned. Sensei was the only good thing about that hell hole.
"And you've been in a bad mood since, but Damian..." Bruce took an another deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Damian could see his father was trying to choose his next words carefully, "you've been more irritable in the last few weeks, and I can clearly see it's not just about you have to go to that school."
Damian's scowl grew with displeasure, but he didn't say anything. He should have seen this coming. His father was Batman, the World's Greatest Detective, nothing got past him; and if it did, it didn't get far. Damian's boiling feelings of frustration and betrayal towards Grayson was no exception, but that didn't mean that Damian was going to admit this to his father. For starters, he doubt his father could do anything, and Damian was not up for a simple rehash of the rubbish everyone was telling him. He was going to only say it again: he wasn't jealous and he didn't have a crush on Sensei. He was simply annoyed with Grayson's intentions and he deeply respected his teacher. Nothing else.
"And I think it has something to do with Dick," Bruce pressed, and Damian inwardly cursed when he outwardly winced. His father's eyebrow went up, "Looks like I'm right."
"When am I not annoyed with Grayson's childish acts?" Damian tried to counter, his tone thankfully even.
"But his behavior doesn't cause you to either lock yourself in your room or constantly glare at him when he's here to visit," Bruce replied calmly, his hands folding on his desk and his eyes narrowing in the way that showed he was putting the pieces together carefully. Damian hated his father's talent of observation sometimes, "Damian, if Dick's doing something to upset, tell me, so I can do something."
"There's is nothing for you to do, father. I don't need you babying me," Damian retorted as he gave his father a hard stare, "Grayson's behavior is just more repulsive than usual, and I find it hard to be around him."
"So you're not upset over Dick seeing someone?" Bruce asked bluntly. Again Damian outwardly winced. He was seriously going to lock himself in the Batcave's training room for a few days and reinforce himself as the warrior his mother and grandfather had trained him to be. The way he was showing his weakness was repulsive, "Damian, I know you won't admit to looking up to Dick, but you being a bit upset and perhaps jealous of the fact that Dick is with someone else."
There was that word again. Damian's scowl deepened and his hands clenched at his side so hard that he knew his knuckles were white and he could feel his nails digging into the palms of his hands. Bruce's own face remained calm as his son glared holes into him.
"I. Am. Not. Jealous," Damian grounded out. Why won't people believe him.
"You're attitude and posture, say otherwise," Bruce said, his body leaning forward in a challenging way.
"I don't believe you're an expert in this area, Father," Damian gritted out, turning on one foot as though he was ready to storm out.
"You're right, I'm not," Bruce said bluntly, standing up and circling around the desk. He walked up to Damian, not intimidated by the defensive stance and snarl coming from his son. Once in front of the boy, Bruce gently, which was surprise enough, laid his hand on his son's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. The gesture felt weird, "But I at least thought I was someone you could come to if something was bothering you."
"Tt." was the only thing Damian could say, and Bruce let out a heavy sigh.
"Damian, I know I'm not at the top of your list of people you come to, but let me make this one thing clear," he placed his other hand on Damian's other shoulder, making Damian look at him, "I am not your mother. I will not punish you for coming to me with a problem. I will not think you are weak. If anything, one of my jobs is to play mediator for you and your brothers, so if something is going on between you and Dick, tell me so I can help come up with a solution."
The silence was thick afterwards with tension and consideration. Damian was mulling over his father's words, trying to find some sense in them. He was as grateful as anyone for his father to help in the Jerk Boy situation. Then again, Damian was never the one who told his father that. The humiliation of not being able to fight his own battles had taken his pride hostage, so Damian kept his mouth shut. When he heard of Bruce's talk to Jerk Boy's parents, Damian had to guess that Sensei had maybe told either Bruce or Grayson.
"Son," Bruce said cautiously, and Damian felt his shoulders tense. That word was always a hot one for Damian, only hearing it from his father a few times. Those few times were when there was an emotional moment where Damian hesitantly put his guard down and allowed his father to see him scared and unsure. Times when he was near desperate for his father's approval, "Talk to me."
Damian lowered his eyes just a bit and his hands were once again in tight fists. He didn't want to talk to his father about this. Everything was fine dammit. He was just irritated with Grayson and worried for his teacher. Nothing else. Why did his father feel as though he needed to stick his nose in this and even push the button he knew was a sensitive one? This wasn't fair. Going do that damn school was what started all of this. Grayson was the one who started all of this. It was his fault. His!
Anger was welling up to the point that Damian thought he was going to explode. His chest felt tight with the constant drumming of his heart, and he wished he was back in the training room where his father's training equipment would meet a very harsh end. Why did this seem like it was happening to him. Why not Drake? The idiot deserved to be in a position like this. He was perfect for a position like this.
"Damian," Bruce's words a bit more stern, but he was still worried. His hand squeezed Damian's shoulder again, "Damian."
"Fine, if you must know, Grayson's dating my teacher, and I don't like it!" Damian blurted out in a way he was sure to regret later. His brown eyes bore into his father's blue ones, daring him say something but also warning to chose his words carefully. Damian respected his father, he really did despite everything that has happened, but Damian wasn't afraid to punch him.
The only thing Bruce did was just stand there, his arms fell from Damian's shoulders, and his eyes lost the intense concern and molded into that of confused shock. He honestly wasn't expecting this.
A/N: Okay, tell me what you think. Better?