Innocence: Chapter 02
Chikorita-Trainer1
T
Author's note: Yeah, I decided to continue this. Enjoy.
Damian was tense. He may have dared Jason to tell Bruce what had happened, but he wasn't actually hoping he had. He had been going through different potential scenarios in his head, and all of them were embarrassing.
Dick, however, had been actually kind-of charmed by the news. He knew it was creepy to be so invested in his little brother's love life, but he couldn't help it. He thought it was too damn cute. But he also felt a responsibility to make sure Damian knew the gravity of his situation and what it could potentially entail, so later that week, he drove to Gotham and let himself in the manor.
"Hey, Little D, can we talk?" said Dick, poking his head into his brother's room.
"What do you want?" said Damian, looking up from his desk.
"Jay told me you and Jon were getting a little amorous the other day," Dick said quietly, shutting the door behind him.
"Goddammit, Todd," muttered Damian, closing his textbook. "I suppose you've also come to yell at me that I'm too young to make out with my boyfriend?"
"So you two ARE going out?" asked Dick. Damian rolled his shoulders back and cocked his head, cracking his neck.
"Obviously," he growled. The truth was, he and Jon hadn't spoken since it happened, but Damian was certain that if he asked him face-to-face to make their relationship official, Jon would say yes.
"Well, then I think it's time we had a talk," said Dick, sitting down on the bed, facing Damian.
"Grayson, I know how puberty works," sighed Damian.
"Not THAT kind of talk," said Dick. "I just want to make sure you and Jon are being responsible—"
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GRAYSON! All we did was kiss! We didn't have sex, and we're not going to!" yelled Damian.
"Alright! Alright! Calm down, Dami," Dick laughed. "I'm not trying to make you ashamed—"
"You absolutely are! That's what this is about! I'm 'too young' to be making out! I'm 'too young' to lose my innocence. That's what Todd said."
"You're sixteen, D," said Dick. "I wouldn't say you're too young. Jon might be, though."
"It's not like I could ever make Jon do something he wasn't comfortable with," Damian insisted.
"True, but that shouldn't be the only thing stopping you," said Dick. "I mean, like, his feelings should be first and foremost."
"Jon's feelings for me are just as strong as mine for him," said Damian. "What we did was consensual."
"Good. That's good. That's what I came up here to say, basically," said Dick. "As long as you're not pressuring each other to do stuff you're not comfortable with."
"We're not," said Damian. "The whole time, we were actually asking and getting permission from each other before we did anything," he added under his breath.
"Well, good. I'm proud of you, buddy," said Dick.
"Did you really come all the way to Gotham just to talk to me about consent?" Damian challenged.
"Well, no," Dick admitted. "I'll be honest, I'm not all that comfortable with you, uh, getting physical with your boyfriend," Dick began.
"Ugh. So why don't you mind your own business?" Damian grumbled while staring at the floor.
"But I'm not one to talk. I was about your age when I started, *ahem* engaging in activities that were…physical in nature."
"I don't remember asking," Damian said, once again meeting his brother's gaze. "This may surprise you, Grayson, but I don't need your permission or approval of my 'activities.'"
"I know you don't, kiddo," said Dick. "But I care whether you like it or not. Whatever you and Jon end up deciding to do, just make sure you're prepared and safe."
"Grayson, I swear to God, if you're about to give me condoms—"
"NO! I'm not going to—oh my God, Damian, can't you just listen to me? I'm trying to tell you it's OK!" said Dick. "I'm actually trying to tell you I want you and Jon to be happy together. Americans are still a very puritanical people, and yes, we're not particularly comfortable with the idea of teenagers having sex—"
"WE'RE NOT!"
"I KNOW! Let me finish! We're not entirely comfortable with teenagers having sex, or even just touching each other, but it's OK. It's your life, it's your body. Jason only freaked out because in his eyes, well, in all our eyes, you're still a baby. But we don't want you to feel guilty or ashamed."
"Well, I don't! I never did! I just would like my privacy respected, if that's alright with you!" said Damian. Dick just laughed.
"Alright, Little D, I'll get out of your hair," said Dick, getting up. "C'mere."
"No! I'm not going to hug you!" said an exasperated Damian, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded.
"Fine," said Dick, rolling his eyes. "But I am happy for you. I'm glad you're in love. It's nice."
"You just insist on making me more and more uncomfortable, don't you?"
"I'll leave now," said Dick, getting up and walking towards the door. "But it is OK, Damian. It is."
"So he basically said it's OK for us to have sex, which we're not, and at the same time tried to make me feel like we're too young to do it," Damian explained to Jon over the phone.
"Wow," said Jon. He didn't know what else to say.
"I think he was trying to reconcile his concern with his own hypocrisy, since he's been doing it since he was my age."
"And maybe he regrets it," Jon suggested. "Maybe he was trying to tell you to hold off on it for a while."
"Well, we ARE going to hold off on it for a while," said Damian. "I don't want to go that far with you yet."
"Me, neither," said Jon.
"By the way, do you consider us boyfriend and boyfriend?" asked Damian.
"Uh," Jon began. "I mean, I would like to."
"Good. Me, too."
"Heh. I guess we never did make it official, but I assumed that's how you felt."
"Same," said Damian. "But I'd like to make it official if you would."
"I would. I would be proud to call you my boyfriend, D," said Jon.
"Cool," said Damian. "I do love you."
"I love you, too," said Jon. "When can I come over again?"
"Uh, anytime you want, after patrol," said Damian. "I'll text you when I get home."
"I'm not allowed to stay up that late on school nights," said Jon.
"Oh, right. Well, how about Saturday?"
"That should work. I'll fly over after dinner."
"Great. See you then."
"Bye."
"Bye."
END OF CHAPTER 02
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