Note: fair warning — lots of fluff and spiciness (mild lime) ahead! Enjoy :) also… i don't speak Arabic, so if anything is off or inaccurate, i apologize but BLAME GOOGLE hahaha
cw: suggestive themes
"I've never been this scared before, feelings I just can't ignore
Don't know if I should fight or fly, but I don't mind
Tripping, falling with no safety net
Boy, it must be something that you said
Is it real this time or is it in my head?
Got me tripping, falling with no safety net"
~ Ariana Grande, "safety net (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)"
Chapter 39: Yours and Mine
"Think he's kissed her already?"
Jason looked up from his plate to find Steph sliding into the dining chair next to him. He followed her gaze to the kitchen doorway where he could see Damian and Jess bustling around in aprons. By the looks of it (and the flour that dusted Jess's chin), they were baking something. How cute.
"No idea," Jason admitted before shoving a forkful of leftover spaghetti in his mouth.
"I'd be a little surprised if he hasn't. I mean, they've been flirting with each other since we got here, it's disgustingly adorable. I'm just waiting for him to finally say they're a thing."
"Knowing him, they might be official and they just haven't told anyone yet."
"I dunno. I feel like he'd walk around boasting about it."
"Only one way to find out."
Blue-green irises flashed briefly, complementing the smirk on his face. Steph snorted and rolled her eyes as if she knew exactly what he was about to do.
Clearing his throat, Jason called, "Hey, you two kissed yet?"
Jess looked up from her busyness with a mixing bowl, startled. Damian, who'd been out of sight, stepped into view with an unamused glare on his face. Neither of them said a word despite Jason chuckling at their silence, and soon enough, they resumed their little baking date.
Even at this distance, he saw how embarrassed the teen had looked.
"You're such an ass," Steph laughed while shoving his arm.
It was a small gesture, but it reminded him of… well, the way things used to be. How many times had he done something laughable and/or stupid and snickered over it with someone like Steph, Dick, or even Roy? Now that he thought about it, how long has it been since he shared a moment like this with his family?
Too long, but he'd never tell any of them that.
"It's good to be back, even if it's temporary," Steph was saying, thoughtfulness heavy in her blue eyes. "Seems like we all needed this... You and Damian, too."
He'd heard the slight pause and hesitation in her words, like she hadn't been sure she wanted to mention him and their little brother. (He didn't blame her.) Jason inadvertently shot another look towards the kitchen before turning his gaze back down at the last few bites awaiting him.
What was he supposed to say to that anyway? 'Yeah, I needed this'? "Need" might have been the wrong word — maybe he could admit that he'd wanted to be under the same roof as the people closest to him without green-eyed death glares and suffocating tension… But again, he would never tell anyone that.
"Honestly, I didn't think you would show up at all. But the fact that you did tells me you guys are working it out."
"Steph."
"Come on, Jay. Am I wrong? I'm not naive enough to think he woke up one day and decided to forgive you."
He wished he could come up with a better answer, but all Jason said was "I don't know. Maybe."
The former Robin knew there were other ways in which he could get her to stop pushing the subject, but Stephanie did know him well. He didn't have to act standoffish with tightened shoulders and lack of eye contact for her to bite her tongue… but he did because she wasn't the first one to approach the subject, and years of a broken brotherhood hadn't exactly made it easy to talk about anything related to it.
He hadn't been able to avoid it with Dick. Stephanie stopped prodding him after inserting one more time that it was good to see Jason, but Dick? The older man had actually gone out of his way to corner him at his apartment, and despite how annoyingly predictable and Dick-like that was, it didn't mean Jason hadn't rejected the gesture.
"You really couldn't just shoot me a text or something?"
"Right, like you'd be willing to have a one-on-one with me let alone respond."
Touché.
"Whaddya want, Golden Boy?"
"I wanted to know how you're doing."
Jason hardly contained the snort as he waved a hand at his apartment and plopped down into his recliner. "I'm alive. You sure that's all you want to know?"
"I dunno. Is that all you're going to share?"
They held each other's gaze steadily until Jason was the first to look away, which was only the millionth time or so for that to happen since they'd known one another. Dick stepped further into the dimly lit space before seating himself on the couch.
"Damian told me about what happened during the gala."
Jason said nothing.
"I didn't think I'd see you two in the same city, in the same room for another… I don't know, few years," the older man admitted.
"That makes two of us," Jason muttered.
He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but there had always been something about his brother that unplugged his filter and brought down his walls when he least expected it. Defensiveness was still more than natural to him, but he'd always known as much as anyone else that Dick was often the least judgmental and most empathetic person in any room. Those things about him… they'd always found a way to seep into his relationships, especially the one he shared with Jason because the younger man couldn't count how many times forbidden words and private thoughts had slipped from between tightened lips. It was like the ability to make virtually anyone comfortable enough to speak their mind, to confide in him and trust him was his superpower.
And if no one was in their right mind to agree with that, they'd just have to look at Jason and Damian and the way they saw their eldest brother. They'd have to pay attention long enough to understand.
Dick gestured towards him. "What are you up to now?"
No one in the family reunion had asked him this. Bruce had, weeks ago, but hadn't gotten an answer.
"I have some things I'm taking care of," Jason replied.
"Anything I can help with?"
"It's better if you don't."
As short as his answers were, they'd all been true so far. There wasn't much reason to lie to Dick unless the man started digging too deep — knowing him, there was definitely a chance.
"Well… I'm really glad you guys are doing better," he was saying then, blue eyes amiable across the room. "That you're back in Gotham, that Damian seems… happy."
"He's paying a price for that."
"So you're aware of all the things he's been doing?"
That and then some… but Jason wouldn't be telling him that, not if he wanted multiple death wishes.
Dick's gaze wandered to the window where the shades were partially closed and Gotham's daylight was sinking into the distance. He must have been a million miles away even as he spoke again. "Look, I know you don't really want one of my lectures, but whatever it is you're doing to mend things with him… keep doing it. With the rest of us away, doing our own thing, I know Damian needs you around. So does Bruce."
It'd been a long time since anyone said Jason was needed.
"Dick—"
"No, I'm serious, Jay. Quit being your stubborn, tough self for a second. We've all missed you, I've missed you. That shit two years ago… It shouldn't have broken us up the way it did."
But it did. It really did.
"You're staying, right?"
The hopefulness was evident in Dick's tone, sending a funny twinge somewhere in Jason's chest.
"Yeah, I am."
"Good… that's really good."
He couldn't help himself. "Tim's back. Why does it matter if I do stick around or don't?"
"You already know what I have to say about that," Dick answered, sternness heavy in his blue-eyed gaze.
"Yeah, 'cause you've always got something to say."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just that you always gotta say somethin' no matter the occasion."
Dick appeared stunned and confused, his mouth half-open. "Sorry, I just thought I might make some time to talk to someone I haven't seen in over a year."
This was surely deep water, but Jason didn't care at the moment. Irritation brewed all over his body, tensing his shoulders and forcing him to his feet.
"You can walk into the manor and act normal like everyone else, Jason, but don't act like me coming here is anything less than—"
"If I didn't know any better," Jason snapped, "I'd say Bruce or the demon spawn put you up to this because they can't face me themselves."
The glare didn't look right on Dick as he countered, "If you did know any better, you'd have learned to recognize when someone gives a shit about you."
"Jokes on you because no one has!"
His outburst was a needle popping the bubble of tension, rendering his brother speechless as he shoved a hand through his hair and began to pace.
He functioned fine on his own, sometimes way better than he did on a team or with a partner, but the last two years had taught him a kind of isolation that paled in comparison to only his early Red Hood days. The biggest difference was that Bruce had tried to win him back — Damian had never wanted to see him again.
And then sudden thought hit Jason like a fucking freight train: his older brother was here. He was right here, in the same city, under the same roof, in the goddamn room for the first time in so fucking long. The man was leaving town in about a week, and this would be the last time they talked face-to-face, just the two of them, until the next time he visited, whenever that would be. To think they'd used to have these talks more frequently...
But now? He couldn't tell if Dick looked the same as he did over a year ago or if the five o' clock shadow wasn't as patchy as it once was, and all they were doing was raising their voices at each other.
Jason Todd hated crying.
He despised the mess, the inevitable snot and salty tears, the leftover dryness of his skin. And the vulnerability, especially in front of someone else… Despite all that, the man was not very good at keeping the urge at bay. Not even all the self-control he boasted could make a difference.
The best he could do was try not to focus too much on how many hot tears were escaping, concentrating instead on the way Dick's hand grabbed the back of his head till their foreheads were pressed together. Jason grasped his brother's shoulder, eyes shut. Last time they'd been in this same position, the older man had been telling him that Damian would forgive him one day. That must have been an eternity ago.
"You chose to go off-grid, Jay," he heard him say, "and there wasn't anything wrong with that. But you gotta know I was always a phone call away. I still am… because you're my brother."
Fuck Dick. Why did he have to disturb the makeshift peace he'd created for himself within these walls and ask questions and display concern he'd gotten used to missing? Why did he have to be loving, kind, empathetic Richard Grayson? Why couldn't he have pretended everything was back to normal like everyone else?
"Anything I can help with?"
Dick's voice echoed in his head as if he was repeating his earlier question to Jason's tense figure. Briefly, Jason wondered if the other man might hear his turbulent thoughts between them.
"Fuck you, Dickbird."
Even if the words hadn't been so obviously distorted by his tears, Dick still probably would have chuckled anyway.
"Yeah, love you, too, Jaybird."
I need your advice. I need to know if I'm doing the right thing.
Every muscle in Jason's body screamed against shutting the door behind his brother's retreating back. His vision blurred as soon as his eyes stung again.
I need my big brother.
It was difficult, trying not to flirt with him… really, really difficult.
Because that was all they did all the damn time. The prolonged stares and constantly hovering near one another were still a thing, but so were bolder moves like physical and verbal taunts that they only ever did when no one else was around. She would've been surprised if none of Damian's family noticed anything between them.
And in moments like this one, Jess never knew if she would get to walk away with the last word and satisfaction at whatever reaction he gave. Damian was more than capable of maintaining his cool and one-upping her… But he was still human and pretty impressionable when it came to the provocative tactics she tried to pull on him. That alone was reason for her to at least try.
"So I was thinking about Ian Caufield at the gala," she began casually before downing the rest of her water in the kitchen.
Damian lifted his head from where he'd leaned down to put his dinner plate in the dishwasher. "And why would you do that?" he asked bluntly, emerald eyes narrowed.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Jess could feel his gaze on her as she stood up to rinse off her own plate in the sink.
"Well, I thought it was sweet how you were being defensive for my sake… even if you already didn't like him much in the first place," she explained. "But the more I consider it, you'd probably do the same to a guy you don't even know."
He was quiet, standing with his arms crossed, which prompted her to continue, "And I know you said you weren't jealous, but… you definitely didn't want another guy stealing me away."
"That is one way to put it."
How characteristic of him not to fully admit it. The words started rolling off her tongue before she could consider them.
"Doesn't the idea of stealing imply that I belong to someone in the first place?"
His eyes hadn't left her as she shut the dishwasher. Looking his figure up and down as she stood before him, Jess prayed her voice would remain steady.
"'Cause as far as I can tell, Dami, I'm not yours to take anyway."
If she stood there any longer, he'd probably see her trembling. Jess turned to leave, not even sparing him a glance, but a sudden tug had her spinning right back around to face him.
A surprised glimpse downward showed her that Damian's fingers were hooked into the belt loop at the front of her jeans... Her mouth went dry. Determination hardened his features as pulled her closer and leaned down to her ear.
"Yet."
It was one word, a single syllable that he uttered with precision, but enough to cause an explosion of chills down her spine.
He was still holding her hostage by the belt loop, warm breath tickling her skin. Despite how desperately she tried to control the urge, Jess turned her face towards him just as he did the same — another inch and their noses, or lips, would touch. They were too close for comfort, so close that she could probably count the eyelashes that framed his eyes.
If she could remember how to count.
Damian straightened in his posture, looking down at her from beneath heavy lids. Any chance of a retort (or her breathing properly again) disappeared as soon as both Stephanie and Tim entered the kitchen, greeting the two of them. Jess almost didn't care if they sensed the tension or saw how she nearly walked into the corner of the island counter. (Damian had, and the smug look on his face made her cheeks even warmer.)
The next time around, the entire thing had been by accident, a completely innocent happenstance.
His family had made last minute plans to go out for dinner. After getting dressed, Jess knocked on his door and heard him invite her in, so she stepped inside and took note of the warm, humid air coming from the bathroom.
"I'll be ready in a moment," his voice came from the closet.
"Wow," she mused, "I'm ready before you? That's a first."
That was when she spotted Neo sitting on the windowsill, minding his business and eyeing her. Jess called his name as she approached, intent on cuddling him. It was in passing the closet that she caught the exposed skin in the corner of her eye — without thinking, the teen did a double take and backtracked one step to confirm that Damian was indeed shirtless as he sorted through the hanging clothes.
Her brain stuttered and skipped like a record player.
Damian was shirtless.
She'd never seen his body before. To say it was perfect would have almost been an insult because that word was so stale and overused. Her limited view into the cracked closet door told her that genetics definitely hadn't missed a single thing when it came to him. He really was flawless from head to toe... Not that she'd ever thought otherwise.
Despite her best efforts, Jess couldn't have resisted how her eyes were drawn to every hypnotic movement, each muscle flex in his figure as he pulled the shirt over his head.
She caught a glimpse of thin, raised skin just before the clothing fell into place, but the questions that arose evaporated at the sound of his voice.
"You must like what you see."
Oh, no.
She found herself stepping away in haste while turning her back to the closet. Neo was staring in judgmental, maybe even mocking, silence.
"I don't know what you mean."
Her stifled words completely eliminated any chance that she could sound nonchalant and not so guilty…
"Forgive me for not believing that for a moment."
He was close; the chill running across her shoulders told her so.
When Jess finally turned around, her breath lodged painfully in her throat. Damian stood within arm's length, a dangerous glint in his eyes that had tingles blossoming in her gut. His dark hair was damp, and she could smell the fresh spray of his cologne. It didn't matter that he was fully clothed now; his smooth skin was printed permanently in her brain. It took a considerable amount of effort not to run her gaze over his arms and chest, knowing exactly what they looked like under the fabric.
Just like before, only mere inches separated them, heat thickening in the space between his body and hers. She couldn't tell if it was coming from him or her burning face.
"This," Damian hummed and touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, "tells me all I need to know."
Dammit, she cursed her body's tendency to give her away.
"It's just… really w-warm in here."
Stutter a little more, would ya, Jess?
The crooked smile he gave was very faint but devilish all the same. His fingers tilted her chin up, forcing her to make eye contact but as gentle as his voice when he spoke again.
"Hm. I wonder why."
His emerald greens seemed to taunt Jess right before he breezed past, leaving her with nothing but a pounding heart and cold air where he'd once stood.
"Kaifa haloki?"
Jess blinked.
He was watching her carefully, waiting for the understanding to click in her brain. But then she was scrunching her nose in a mix of confusion and embarrassment, earning a raised brow from him.
Damian translated, "How are you?"
Realization sparked in her widened eyes as she gasped, "Oh. Duh." Jess shook her head, laughing at herself before trying, "Um… Jayed."
'Good.'
It sounded more like a question than an answer as she raised her brows and searched his face for approval or correction.
At his slight smile and nod, she continued, "Wa anti?"
'And you?'
"'Wa ant.' Don't forget 'anti' is feminine."
"Right, I did forget."
"Ma esmouki?"
She knew this one. Straightening up where the two of them sat together on the couch, Jess smiled and answered confidently, "Esmee Jessica. Wa ant?"
'My name is Jessica. And you?'
The way the corner of his mouth quirked up had her stomach doing a somersault.
"Esmee Damian," he answered perfectly. "Nicely done."
His switching between the two languages was seamless. Jess had found herself admiring early on how his tongue seemed to curve around the consonants and smooth through the syllables without blinking an eye. Until now, she'd only really heard short phrases and words from him, such as a curse muttered from across the room. There might've been one time she had asked him how to say an introductory phrase similar to the ones he'd been teaching her, but lately, Jess was getting to hear him speak more of the beautiful language that hailed from his mother's side.
It was one of many things about that part of his family that had always just sort of been untouched and hardly discussed.
She blew out a breath and watched as he reached to arrange the Arabic translation books on the coffee table before them. "Surprisingly. I mean, I did okay in French back in Central City."
Before she could consider the thought, it left her mouth: "You know, I was kind of afraid Arabic would be difficult and I'd just make an idiot of myself with you — more than I already do."
Despite the joking grin she made, her heart seemed to tighten uncomfortably in her chest. Damian sat up and turned towards her, a strangely tender look in his gaze. She hadn't noticed she'd been playing with her hair tie until his fingers closed gingerly around her wrist to stop her… Heat followed his touch.
"You're doing well, Jessica, even if these are just basics," he reassured. "And you've just started."
"I do have a good teacher."
The smile he shared was subtle, a fraction of the one she wore, but it was an attractive one nonetheless. And just like always, Jess longed to just grab the front of his shirt and—
"Thank you for being interested," Damian told her softly as his fingers traveled from her wrist to her palm.
Something was cutting through the atmosphere. She could feel it — a peculiar static that shimmered in the air between them, a desire that wouldn't stop nagging at her.
Maybe she'd say it out loud, maybe she wouldn't, but Jess had felt like she was interested in everything about her best friend in ways she hadn't been before. It was less about importance and more about simply wanting to be invested in anything and everything about… him. And learning Arabic was a perfect example. The language had always been a part of him that she knew was there, but because it was connected to him, she wanted in on it. She wanted in on anything and everything that had to do with Damian Wayne.
Suddenly, Damian was leaning towards her, his mouth at her ear, and whatever beautiful, velvety sentence he murmured in Arabic stripped the oxygen right from her lungs. He pulled back a little, his face inches from hers.
After attempting to swallow past a cottony mouth, Jess managed to ask, "What does that mean?"
"It wouldn't be appropriate to say aloud."
There was something taunting about his words that accompanied the glint in his cool eyes. He knew exactly what he was saying and what it meant between them. Jess knew it, too.
Her pounding heart was relentless within her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Or was it because he was gazing directly into her eyes? After a moment, she managed to break the intense eye contact, looking at his mouth, studying the shape of it, imagining, wishing, preparing… Courage took the reins without warning — she didn't care how obvious she probably was in her stare; Jess met his gaze again, realizing he'd also been looking at her lips.
"Can you teach me something else?"
Her question seemed sudden, and even Damian thought so. His brows furrowed in confusion, but he waited silently.
Hurry up and say it.
"How do you say… 'Kiss me'?"
Understanding shifted in those emeralds, and soon, he was leaning for her. Gravity, magnetism, or something stronger than them both, pulled her to his lips.
It was nothing like she'd envisioned in her head but in a good way. His mouth was warm on hers and tasted a bit like the coffee he'd had earlier. The glow that followed swelled first in her chest and then grew to wrap her entire being while Damian's hand snuck tenderly around her neck, making tingles shoot down through her abdomen.
So many times, she'd imagined what this would be like. So many moments spent admiring his attractiveness, finding herself staring at him when he was doing the most mundane things or absolutely nothing at all… When the kiss ended — she didn't want it to end, but unfortunately, the need for oxygen — there wasn't a single wrinkle between his brows, just a soft look of admiration on his features. His hand slid up until his thumb began brushing across her cheek, and she caught the yearning in his gaze just in time.
Meeting him halfway, she kissed him again with more intensity this time, driven by a novel sense of confidence. One hand fell to the front of his shirt, and she could feel his chest beneath it.
"Can you remind me?" Jess whispered between their kisses.
She pulled back to see him better, keeping her other hand at his face. Damian and his gaze appeared distracted, like he wasn't fully comprehending or paying attention to what she was saying… Could she blame him?
"When you said I liked what I saw," she breathed as they brushed lips, "I don't really remember what it was… So could you show me again?"
The smirk barely touched his mouth, but it saturated his fiery gaze. Damian reached up and grabbed the back of his shirt to pull it over his head, not even after a moment's hesitation. Jess didn't even know where he tossed the fabric — her eyes immediately zoned in on the godly sight before them. The very muscles and skin that drew her gaze for the second time were moving towards her as he got up and leaned in again, forcing her to fall back onto the couch.
Above her, Damian's darkened eyes glimmered while he waited for her to speak. His hair had been slightly ruffled by the gesture; Jess ran her fingers through it with one hand, the other drawing a slow trail down his bare, defined chest. It was as smooth and warm as she'd imagined.
Jess swallowed hard. "Well, you're definitely right."
A thousand times right.
His response was another kiss and the flames that came with it. They broke apart moments later, foreheads and noses touching. Trying to ignore the longing in her gut, the teen reveled in the fact that this really had just happened. Jess had actually kissed her best friend.
Her fingers passed over thin, raised lines, reminding her of what she might have seen the other day. Dare she ask?
Uncertainty clipped her words as she began quietly, "Damian…"
One felt inches long, stretching from the bottom of his shoulder blade down to his lower back. Jess wracked her brain for all possible reasons why his skin could bear these marks, if something had happened in his past that—
Something shifted in his gaze, but Damian didn't move, He didn't pull away, remove her hand, or appear embarrassed or upset. Rather, the young man seemed to take a thoughtful pause, his thumb tracing a delicate line from her cheek to her lips. For a fleeting moment, Jess worried she had ruined the moment.
"One day, Jessica," he almost whispered. "But not today."
She understood what he meant. With a nod, the teen did her best to shelve those thoughts surrounding the scars on his back, intent on focusing on this very moment with him. Because what else would she do? Push him for an answer? She couldn't do that.
"Does this mean I win?" she decided to ask.
Damian scoffed while skimming his mouth against her cheek, and his voice sent vibrations down to her ear and spine. "Of course this was a competition to you," he murmured.
"And it wasn't to you? I thought we both knew exactly how this was going."
Warmth and undeniable longing flushed her entire body while his gaze ran over her face. It was proving difficult not to let her own eyes (or hands) roam again, and that attractive hint of a grin didn't help.
"If kissing you is a result of declaring you the winner… then I openly admit and welcome defeat."
"Sorry, can you say that again?"
"Do not test me, Jessica."
"Well when you say it like that, I kinda want to—"
He cut her off with his lips, and she vaguely wondered if he could feel her smiling against them.
Jess's stay at the manor for winter break was a double-edged sword: her company was one he always treasured, yet she would be returning to her dorm within a few weeks and no longer be around every day. He'd quickly adjusted to having her around so often, and after what had occurred in the library (in hindsight, he was amazed no one had walked in), he appreciated seeing her every day even more. The opportunities to exchange flirtatious words and gestures were abundant.
And in a family of detectives, their behavior didn't go unnoticed. Other than Jason's irritatingly obnoxious "Hey, you two kissed yet?", comments about his friendship with her came from Stephanie, Dick, even Mar'i one day.
"I almost want to tell you two to get a room half the time," Stephanie had said in the theater room, petting Neo in her lap. "I swear I've been waiting ages just to say this 'cause you guys are always together."
Jess had been at hockey practice during this conversation, one of the few times during the week she was not around.
"We haven't so much as kissed or held hands in front of you," Damian had replied with a scowl.
"Pfft. Damian. We both know that doesn't mean anything. I've seen the way you look at each other — we all have. Unless you wanna ask Cass?"
No, he hadn't wanted to ask Cassandra because he already knew what she—what everyone saw and that the blonde woman was only right.
Then Stephanie had shrugged and given him a knowing grin. "I mean, there's no need to hide it or be ashamed. I think she's awesome, and she seems to make you happy."
Had they been hiding it from everyone else? Perhaps it had been a mutual albeit unspoken decision that their public displays of affection remained as touchy gestures and longing looks… but Damian had never been one to care about others' opinions or eyes when it came to how he chose to love someone. As far as he knew, Jess didn't mind it either.
All things considered, including how seemingly obvious their attraction to another was, Damian made a significant decision on New Year's Eve.
He would have never willingly stepped foot inside a nightclub for a reason other than being obligated to. However, there was a particular incentive that put him back in the underage establishment, not having bothered to dress in anything more appropriate than his sweater and zip-up hoodie. Meandering through sweaty bodies and rambunctious teenagers, he scanned the sea of faces until he found the one he'd been looking for.
She was sitting at the bar, giggling with Misty under the flashing lights. Her outfit had been leggings and a sweater when he'd dropped her off at the other teen's house hours ago — tonight, Jess sported a short, skintight dress that was held up by mere, thin straps flaunting bare collarbones and shoulders. Damian made his way towards her, shoving past dancing figures, and that was when Misty slid off the stool to talk to another girl nearby. A second later, he caught an unfamiliar young man approaching Jess and taking the empty seat. The look on her face told him she did not recognize him either, but the former assassin didn't need to read more than a few seconds of body language and lips to understand what was happening.
He did not like it.
Eyes narrowed, he sped up his pace. Jess was smiling tentatively and shaking her head when Damian stopped right at the young man's shoulder. He glanced up, blatant confusion crossing his face.
Damian tilted his head in the direction opposite Jess (who was staring at him in curiosity), indicating wordlessly to leave.
He wasn't having it, giving him a quick once-over. "I'm sorry, who are you?"
Damian felt his lip curl with undisguised menace.
"Remove yourself from my seat," the former assassin seethed, earning an offended glare from the other man.
Jess only shrugged when the stranger looked to her as if she would share his disbelief or, even more laughable, defend his presence. When he finally left — not without bumping into Damian's shoulder, the child — Damian turned his attention to the reason he was there. Her hazel eyes were laughing, further emphasized by the smile she was failing to hide.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing," she said over the thumping music with a wave of her hand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were getting me at 11:30."
"Come with me."
"Now?"
"I want to show you something," Damian told her, his gaze falling momentarily to the bare skin above her dress's neckline.
He could see the hesitation and befuddlement in her face, yet he could understand why. The plan had been that she would spend a few hours with friends before returning to the manor where his family would celebrate the countdown to midnight. It had taken a bit of convincing to get Bruce to put off patrol for a few hours, though unbeknownst to Jess, Damian would be joining him not long after the festive activities to resume their nightly responsibilities. His arrival at the club was early, yes, but only for a very good reason, a last-minute one that had crossed his mind a mere hour or so ago.
"Okay," she then complied with a smile. "I'll go tell Misty real quick."
Misty didn't seem to bother hiding the intrigued look she split between him and Jess as the other teen spoke in her ear a few yards away. Reading their lips only further confirmed that the younger teen was entirely aware of their "relationship," if one could call it that.
Could they call it that?
"So this is a surprise?" she asked as soon as they exited the boisterous club scene, stepping out into Gotham's chilled air and onto frozen, snow-covered ground.
Without hesitation, Damian wrapped his hoodie around her shoulders, earning a grateful smile. He felt her grip around his arm, most likely to keep herself from teetering over in the three-inch heels she wore.
"Yes, which means you'll be wearing a blindfold once we get in the car."
"Don't worry, I won't ask a bunch of questions this time."
The surprise in question was one of the topmost floors of Wayne Tower. As promised, she didn't ask about the long elevator ride or even the lingering stench of drywall and dried paint in the air. The only reaction Jess gave was an inaudible gasp when he removed the blindfold.
They stood in an expansive, barren office space. A large rectangle of stacked blankets indicated a makeshift picnic, complete with unlit candles, several pillows, and a basket. He watched her widened eyes roam over them first before realizing the scene that this floor gave them: one-way glass spanned the entire length of the room, allowing what Damian himself considered to be one of the most breathtaking views over Gotham.
The city's nightlife was alive and bright beneath a canvas of darkness, and one could watch tiny cars, pedestrians, and Gotham busyness far, far below the tower. Jess, who still hadn't said a word, tentatively stepped towards the glass with a captivated gaze. For a moment, Damian was unsure if the glistening in her eyes were tears or the reflection of lights.
"And I thought I'd already seen it all," he heard her breathe. A soft smile was growing on her lips, and the "Wow" she gave was delicate as if speaking too loud would disturb the atmosphere.
At her side, Damian couldn't stop staring at her. Jess was fascinated by the pretty sight, yet the young man was enthralled completely by the way her profile was highlighted by the city lights, how wonder and amazement filled eyes that he wished were on him instead.
Their arms brushed as he inched closer, running his gaze over the place he called home. He nudged her before pointing in the distance where colorful fireworks were blossoming in the sky.
"Wayne Tower is the tallest building in the city. I thought you might like the view on a night such as this."
"I do, Damian. I really do."
She turned and looked at the blankets neatly arranged on the floor, moving to sit on a pillow. Joining her, he explained, "This is Tim's office, actually. They just finished renovating it and will be furnishing it next week."
"How does he feel about you hijacking his place?"
Damian smirked. "He doesn't know."
Nobody did, but he couldn't care less. It was no one else's business.
The two of them proceeded to dig into the small food items and snacks he'd brought (everything was some staple or favorite of hers, illuminating her lovely features in a way that mirrored the ongoing fireworks and sparkling lights beyond the glass). She applauded his thoughtfulness and effort while surrounded by the scented candles that had all reminded him of her — lavender and vanilla.
They were more or less a physical representation of her to Damian. Jess's presence was a candleglow, a warm light that enveloped him and the space around them. He liked to watch her eyes twinkle with laughter in a manner that paralleled a flickering flame, to suddenly smell her in fleeting moments, enough to remind him she was there.
And even if he could not see her, he knew she was around, in his life, burning brightly.
Her head fell upon his shoulder as they sat and faced the massive window. Her bare knees were turned toward him, an inconvenience from wearing a dress, and his hand gravitated to touch them. She lifted her own hand from the thermos filled with chai tea he'd kept warm and laid it across his.
"You're too good to me."
In unison, their gazes met, emerald green and hazel snapping together like magnets. The latter honed in on his mouth just as he did hers, but before he could kiss her, she was speaking again.
"I know you said you personally don't care for New Year resolutions, but I think I have one."
He waited patiently, keeping his gaze turned down to her at his shoulder.
Jess sighed while looking back out at the city. "It would be nice to get a good start on life after high school," she explained slowly. "I… don't really know what that is yet, but I'll figure it out. I'll graduate, hopefully find a place here and a decent job, then, I dunno, consider college or something else."
"You want to stay in Gotham?"
"Of course I do. Everything I have is here." She turned to meet his eyes again. "And everyone."
His chest stirred with a familiar bloom of heat and… something else entirely he couldn't immediately name. "What of Lora?"
"She said as long as I graduate with good grades and keep up my good behavior, she's on board with anything I want to do. That was really comforting to hear."
"You will," Damian assured. "You nearly got straight As last term."
"Key word: 'nearly.' If I'd gotten a few more questions right on that last physics exam, I would've gotten an A."
Something about their turn of conversation reminded him of last summer when she had been at a loss, unsure of what to do with her future and how to respond to the scholarship. Months later, the teen was in the top fifteen percent of her class — a simple check on his part, not something she actually knew though he wished she did — and likely to graduate on the dean's list if she managed to keep up her track record.
And she would. Damian knew she was capable of it.
He readjusted himself to face Jess better and look her in the eye. "I'm proud of you, Jessica, and so is Father."
She looked away for a moment, perhaps to reorganize her emotions, then squeezed his hand. "That means a lot to me."
Despite Bruce having already congratulated her a few weeks ago when she'd come bearing good news, Damian knew it would not hurt to reinforce the truth. It'd been more than clear that she was proud, glad even, of herself for the grades she'd received, and it had been more than enough to bring him joy. Seeing her happy, even for the smallest things, made him feel something close to it.
Jess had come a long way from her days breaking and entering with a gang of criminals, using her meta-human abilities for harm rather than good. He truly hoped she knew that.
"Jessica's Law?"
She laughed lightly, playing with his fingers. "Yeah… something like that," Jess whispered, staring at him.
Silence weighed heavily between them as they turned their attention back to the city's glittering nightlife. There was hardly anything unsettling or uncomfortable about it — since their friendship had come to fruition, sitting in peace was easy. Never did he mind sharing stillness with her as long as she was there. He wasn't sure he had ever grown tired of her presence… He wasn't sure he could.
The looming object came into view at the last second. Damian snapped from his thoughts, and his finger shot up to stop hers. She'd been reaching to tap between his brows again, he presumed, but now they were sitting there with the pads of their pointer fingers touching. With a raised brow, he regarded her with a silent, questioning look that she simply acknowledged with a lopsided smile.
Jess tapped his finger with hers. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, really?" she asked in a somewhat teasing tone. "You have nothing on your mind?"
"Yes." He was confident as his dark eyes again laid upon their home stretched before them.
Something must have clicked for her because she then answered, "I get what you mean. Must be something about the view, huh?"
Damian was inclined to agree, though a small voice in his head told him there was something more than a beautiful scene that allowed him the most calm and tranquility he'd experienced in a long while. He suspected it had much to do with the company, with her.
"You totally proved me right, by the way, being protective with that guy at the club."
"Would you rather I wasn't?"
Her gaze fell to her thermos as she opened and closed the closure with repeated snaps. (He knew that if it wasn't that, it would be her ring to play with.) It never ceased to amaze him that her thought processes and feelings manifested in these telltale, physical signs. Damian nearly always knew when she was mulling and deliberating — it was what exactly went on in her head that he could never quite guess.
Jess didn't meet his eyes as she began, "I was going to make a joke about how I actually was interested in him, but that wouldn't be very nice to say to you… and it'd be one hell of a lie.
"So, I guess to answer your question: no. I don't want you to change a thing, Dami. Just in general, you've always been so protective when it comes to anyone and anything that could hurt me, I… I know it means you care. I wouldn't be where I am if you didn't."
His heart clenched. Neither would I.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to get so serious," she laughed lightly, regarding him with shy eyes for a moment.
"You are correct," he finally answered. "I do care. But it would be unfair if I failed to mention how you've cared for me as well, Jessica."
Perhaps if he allowed himself to really consider how much he cared, it would frighten him.
She only smiled and brought his hand to her cheek to lean into it just like she had Christmas Day. Damian moved his thumb across her skin thoughtfully, noting how warm her face felt. The moment following her kissing his palm, he tenderly pushed his fingers into her hair and met her lips with his. She tasted faintly of chai tea. One kiss turned into many, each one ridden with more haste and clumsier than the last.
Jess's hazel eyes were bright with tiny city lights in the brief pause they took, and he suddenly felt exposed (a seldom ordeal for him) at the way they strayed over his face.
"It was also kinda hot," she then said abruptly.
"What was?"
"The way you demanded him to leave. I mean, I was already in the middle of saying I wasn't interested, but... you showing up really did the job."
The sly grin she gave him stoked the fire growing in his gut.
"So yeah. I think I do like you being protective."
"I thought you weren't mine to take."
At her confused glance, he clarified, "I'm protective of what is mine."
Her gaze bounced from him to their surroundings, over the empty fruit snack bags, their thermoses, the fireworks in the distance. It was as if she was reviewing what he'd done for her or merely avoiding eye contact while considering a witty response like she characteristically would.
"... And if I want to be yours?"
No, this was not the witty remark he'd expected.
The only answer he could give was another kiss. Jess grabbed a fistful of his sweater, drawing him towards her as her back hit the blankets. Balancing on his forearms, he felt her leg wrap around his waist, and the former assassin lifted his head to see the teen biting her lip in an attempt not to smile.
They should have been leaving for the manor by now, but if there was anything Damian knew he was as susceptible to as anyone else, it would be the craving deepening in his bones. Warm hands had slipped under his sweater to dig into his skin, one of many signs telling him that she was suffering the same longing. Leaning down to kiss her again, he traced a slow, feverish touch from her bare thigh to the hem of her dress until his fingers slipped beneath the recognizable fabric of underwear. The sudden desire that hit him was uncontrollable; it rolled through his hips like a tidal wave, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Jess's mouth as she echoed the movement. Reflexively, Damian's hand tightened where he held her as if pinning her pelvis in place would satisfy the friction burning between their clothes.
Yet they both knew it wasn't. Nothing about their actions was satiating the hunger — the grinding hips and desperate kisses only fueled it. He had to bite back an impulsive groan when Jess's hand slipped down and gently clutched his groin through his jeans. Her eyes were glittering at the strangled breath that instead left his throat. Damian retaliated by taking that hand and restraining it against the floor while he assertively drove his hips into hers again... and with more pressure this time.
He stole the gasp from her mouth with another kiss, but the moment was soon ruined by a shrill ding from his phone nearby.
His immediate assumption was that it was a notification disguised as an errand reminder, telling him that her bracelet was detecting an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. (Truthfully, it was a bit entertaining that the device could tell him the ways in which her body was reacting to their activity.) But the phone started ringing now, and Damian gave a defeated sigh before reaching for it.
"Where are you guys? You're gonna miss the ball drop," Dick's voice came through.
"We will be there soon," was all he said dismissively while gazing down at Jess beneath him.
Crimson tinted her cheeks and various spots across her neck and collarbones. She was staring at him with eyes that made him wish they didn't have anywhere else to be.
"Jay and Tim are gonna drink all the cider if you're not quick."
"Tell them I will—"
The threat was cut off by lips colliding with his. He was about to break the kiss to feign a glare and finish his sentence, but then her tongue was claiming the territory inside his mouth. And, oh, the sensations that it set off throughout his body… Gotham's fireworks may as well have been erupting under his skin as they were in the skyline.
"Damian? Hello?"
He ended the call without looking, submitting to Jess's firm hold around his neck. Now she was guiding his hand up her dress and to her bare hip again. It was taking every bit of control in him to refrain from doing anything more — and Damian always thought he possessed an appropriate amount of restraint.
Reluctantly ending the kiss, he admitted in a low voice, "I did not realize you could be so forward."
She was breathless, wearing a canny smile. "I didn't either," she said modestly. "I, um, guess there's just something about you that brings it out of me."
He felt the corner of his mouth lift as he bent to kiss her again. "We should go home."
"I guess we should," she answered, a bashful pink still prominent in her cheeks. "I do have a midnight kiss waiting for me."
The eye-roll Damian gave was reflexive but good-natured as he got to his feet to help her up. Despite all the night's torment, he couldn't resist one last tease: Damian didn't release her hand and pulled her towards him, nestling his face in the crook of her neck.
"There is nothing keeping you from getting that and more here," he hummed against her warm skin.
"Nice try," Jess nearly snorted as she took his face between her hands and kissed the corner of his mouth. "But don't threaten me with a good time."
"'Well when you say it like that,'" he began to mimic, "'I kinda want to—'"
"Ha, very funny."
Even if he had to, Damian couldn't have stayed away and kept his hands off her. Their fingers were entwined during the car ride home, and she curled up right beside him in the living room where everyone was gathered. Dick had shot him a questioning look upon arriving, but it was gone not long after he (and everyone else) witnessed how openly the two of them were displaying their gravity towards one another. No one said anything, not verbally at least — it was hard to miss the knowing looks and grins from his family members. Even Alfred seemed to be wearing a slight, proud smile from the corner of the room.
As soon as it hit midnight and the room erupted in noise that matched the celebratory cheers on the news channel, Damian looked over at Jess. Her eyes were already on him, bright with excitement and, if he was reading them correctly, the same intrigue he felt in this moment.
He reached for her at the same time that she moved towards him.
In spite of the jubilant ruckus around them, Damian's attention was focused on Jess's mouth against his. Her face was warm between his hands, and he was aware of fingers grasping his forearms in response.
"About damn time," Jason was saying from nearby, his voice particularly loud among a chorus of verbal approvals.
When the kiss ended, an embarrassed grin overtook Jess's countenance upon realizing that many pairs of eyes were on them.
"Oh, geez," she said before covering her face with her hands and burying herself in Damian's chest.
He wrapped his arms around her while his family broke into laughter, and for the first time in a long while, Damian could do nothing but smile.
His door opened moments after her initial knock, revealing a shade of green she hoped to dream of that night. He wordlessly invited her in, though Jess only stepped in enough to get through the doorway — any further, and temptations would definitely arise.
She spoke before he could ask what she was doing there, considering they'd already said goodnight:
"I know I already said it earlier, but thanks for tonight," Jess told him quietly. "It was definitely the best view."
With the best company.
His mouth quirked up in a sort of lazy smile, and she would have been lying to say she didn't love to see it.
"I'm glad."
After a moment, Damian took both her hands in his and trained a hard look on her that was too intense for this time of night. "In regards to what you said earlier… I wish to be yours, too, Jessica."
He looked like he wanted to say more, but Jess was almost relieved he didn't because the declaration alone had her heart racing and expanding with something fuzzy and warm.
Damian wanted to be hers.
"That's… the second best thing you've said to me all night," she managed.
Could he feel the clamminess in her hands?
Reading the curiosity in his eyes, Jess explained in as serious a tone as possible, "The best thing was 'I brought chai tea.'"
Either his mock scowl or a bad habit of laughing at her own joke had her snorting a little, but the hint of a smile on his face was all that mattered. It almost seemed like he was doing so at something else that wasn't her corny joke… In lieu of saying good night again, Jess released his hand and held up her pointer finger. Damian's gaze flickered between it and her eyes before he mirrored her, touching them together in a tiny high-five, just like they'd done during their late night picnic.
There was no denying how badly the teen wanted to force him back into the inviting darkness of his room and feel his electrifying touch at her hip again. But she clamped down on that itch and headed back to the guest room, tearing her gaze from his compelling, emerald eyes. Back under the sheets and before she let herself get sucked into the lewd depths of her thoughts, Jess tapped twice on the bracelet she'd never taken off since Christmas.
It was probably three seconds at most, how long she waited, until the little device vibrated again with the same pattern. And with that and a small smile, she curled up against the comfortable mound of pillows, the closest thing to the warm body she wished it was instead.
Note: hey guys sorry it's been a while! i've been suffering a bit from writer's block and just generally felt uninspired lately *sigh* and when i am inspired, i have a ridiculously hard time making decisions and settling on certain things. Is that just me? lol but thank you all so much for all the love :) :)
shout out to Cheyenne for reminding me that it's been a year since i first published this baby! hard to believe Jess was actually born out of a concept i came up with related to the Injustice series yet i've created something completely different lol. evabrennan: i totally agree, Damian's behavior has long crossed the line and needs to have some sense talked into him! Probably not likely since it's Damian we're talking about, but someone will probably say something eventually… Miss Victoria 20, Vic90, nada101, peoplerzzzz, and the guest reviewer: thank u so much, i'm so glad you guys enjoy this trainwreck of mine! Haha. and yes, more scenes with Robin and Jess coming, that relationship warrants more exploration for sure o.O curlystruggle, sickofmyownthoughts: i hope this chapter granted you (well, all of us, honestly) some satisfaction LOL
Hope you're all doing well! Until next time, xx