Note: this is a long one, so get comfortable! Also, there might be an easter egg or two xD
cw: (very) suggestive themes…
How does that saying go? "When life gives you lemons…"?
Except it's not life, it's me. I'M giving you lemons. have fun reading.
"'And I'd give up forever just to touch you
'cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,
and I don't want to go home right now
And I don't want the world to see me
'cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am"
~ Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris"
Chapter 42: Handle with Care
"Skipping on the sprinkles this time around?"
Cassandra glanced up from the small cup of cookies and cream ice cream she'd taken from the girl behind the counter. With a smile and a shake of her head, she answered,
"I don't like them."
Tim raised his brows. "You don't like them anymore?"
Damn. Even such a small thing seemed a bit significant when he considered the fact that it had been a while since he'd seen the rest of his family. Had things really changed in the last few years or was he just over-analyzing it?
Cassandra's speech had gotten better, he knew that for sure. Her voice was still slow and careful, usually soft — he wondered if that reflected any timidity or uncertainty about her verbal skills — but he was proud of how much the woman had learned so far. Much of it was thanks to Stephanie; they'd spent some time together over the last few years, traveling across the world in their endeavors. Speaking of her, she was the same as Tim remembered (with the exception of a haircut and talk of a potential upcoming adventure that he wouldn't have guessed).
Sitting beside the blonde at the booth as Tim and Cassandra went to join them was Damian… And he'd certainly changed a bit in Tim's eyes, though not necessarily in a negative way.
No, last time he'd seen the former assassin, he'd been a teenager hellbent on making the world pay. He'd exiled Jason from the manor, from the city — he might as well have inadvertently done the same to everyone else. Granted, Cassandra and Stephanie had already left and Dick had been in the process of moving to New York with Kori and Mar'i, but Tim had been there with no plans. In fact, it wasn't until that mission that the former Robin had realized his younger brother needed breathing space and time, plenty of time. That was fine though; Tim had been thinking about doing something different and attending school anyway.
It was just unfortunate that it had taken their family to essentially break up in order for him to do it.
He couldn't imagine what the past two years must have been like between him, Bruce, and Alfred. He'd heard about it from the older men, sure, but the guilt he'd felt had never been enough to make him do anything to help it. At least now, Damian seemed happier having found another person to love. He was still annoying, but Tim spotted the occasional smiles and laughter, the real difference that Jess made in Damian's life.
The only problem was that the disaster from years ago was affecting his current relationship. That was an evident, glaringly obvious change Tim had noticed.
"Koriand'r asked you to help with the academy?" Damian didn't bother hiding the astonishment in his tone.
"Yes, is that so hard to believe?" Stephanie replied with an eye-roll. "She would have asked you or Tim, but Tim's out of commission and you…"
Green eyes flashed as if daring her to continue, and since Stephanie Brown was Stephanie Brown, she did.
"You haven't exactly been a team player for over a year," she continued before taking a bite of her ice cream. "Seriously. When is the last time you even spoke to any of them?"
Damian turned his attention to his own ice cream, muttering, "I haven't been interested in rejoining them."
"Uh-huh."
Tim had to agree with him a bit, though. He'd never really considered that Stephanie would ever work with the Titans. It was less about whether or not she would fit in and more about how it didn't seem like the team would be her thing.
However, she was right. Dick had returned to civilian life years ago, donning his suit on occasion and when absolutely necessary, and Tim and Damian had both left the Titans as well. Damian had assisted them occasionally every now and then (so had Tim), but then the debacle with Jason and Irene happened. The guy hadn't left Gotham in well over a year.
(A miniscule part of Tim was offended that neither Dick nor Kori had spoken with him about aiding this project of the Titans, building some sort of training academy for superpowered children and teenagers. They'd obviously assumed that he was going to stay on the bench and focus on Wayne Enterprises… On that note, another part of him was glad they had because even he wasn't entirely sure what his plans were.)
"And you, Cassandra?" Damian asked, clearly attempting to turn the discussion away from himself. "You're going to remain in Hong Kong?"
The raven-haired woman nodded while Stephanie chimed in, "I'm going with her since we still have some business there, but I'll probably end up heading to Cali or New York, depending on where Kori needs me."
Later, Tim sat in the passenger seat of Damian's car, the two of them waiting on the women still in the ice cream parlor who'd decided to get something to-go for everyone at home. Eyes roaming over Gotham's passerby and road traffic, the former Robin glanced over at his brother, who was texting away on his phone.
"If the Titans did end up reaching out to you, would you leave? Whether it's to help with the new school or a mission?"
Damian's green-eyed gaze was unreadable as he looked up. "Would you?"
Tim didn't have an immediate answer — he didn't have one at all, in fact, and his silence only made the younger man scoff a little before turning back to his phone.
"So whatever happened with scrapping this suit and getting a new one?"
Stephanie's voice disturbed Damian wallowing in his thoughts as he stood in front of the display cases in the cave. Her figure moved into his line of sight, and he silently wished he could have gotten a few more minutes alone.
"If you recall, I nearly lost someone close to me at the time," Damian deadpanned.
And I did lose her.
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
Yes. Yes, he was.
He'd felt… stuck the last few years, especially after the events involving Irene and her father. Despite this immense desire to act out, channel his anger, break from the expectations and morals he'd learned to swear by, Damian had done the exact opposite: he'd resumed his normal, double life under the moniker he'd worn for many years.
But why?
He knew himself better than anyone, and Damian Wayne was a young man who would have wreaked havoc in the efforts to assert his identity and worthiness in every way possible. He should have thrown himself into the battlefield, using fights against villainy and terrorism to expel his anger, donning the new suit and identity he'd wanted. He should have gone out wielding his katana with fury until perhaps he eventually forgave Jason and received closure for the turmoil that had separated them. He should have done many things that spoke to his selfish, arrogant desires… yet he hadn't.
Simply, Damian had taken his outrage, stored it away, and went back to his life in Gotham, where the rest of his family more or less did the same.
It was safe to say that recent events had caused his old desires for a change to resurface. Specifically, it had started when Jess pushed him to explore working with Tim and his father at the company; she'd convinced him with a few words and that stubbornness of hers, enough to make him actually do it.
"One month," Jess had suggested. "Try it out for one month to see how things pan out, and if you hate it, no harm done, right? I don't think Bruce would hold it against you."
It was that or signing up for classes at Gotham University while spring enrollment was still open, she'd also slyly mentioned. Damian had rolled his eyes and said he'd speak with his father the next day, earning a proud smile from her.
And then he laid eyes upon that suit behind the glass, envisioning another ensemble in it instead. Damian could still recall the encouragement he'd received from Dick, his blessing to move on from Robin and to something else... Even Jason had given him a push — that was before their relationship had met its demise.
"What's stopping you now compared to before?"
On another day, he would have snapped at Stephanie or told her to go away. This time, he didn't meet her eyes as he answered,
"There are other, more important things I must focus on."
He felt her stop at his side, the two of them now staring at the red and green outfit.
"Maybe it's not as difficult as you think it'll be," she offered. "Just have Tim help you put something cool together, pick a name — or adopt one — and go out there. Be something—someone different."
It sounded quite nice being put simply like that. Yet Damian couldn't believe he had the time to do any of that, not when he was in the middle of keeping Jess from discovering his current identity. Assuming a new one felt like asking for more complications.
Amusingly, meeting Jess had put a temporary halt to any thoughts of making changes to his second life. He'd grown far too busy building a friendship with her, learning to care for her, navigating his relationship with his father. Now two of his brothers had returned to the city, old memories and wishes were returning, and he was imagining himself in a different color scheme, scouring Gotham rooftops under a new name.
Exhaling through his nose, Damian finally answered, "I wish it were that easy, Stephanie."
He prepared for more annoying encouragement from his sister, but she only reached to gently punch his shoulder. It didn't bother him.
"Don't overthink it. But hey, when you do take on a new identity… let me know what you pick out for the suit. I still think the red and black would look super cool on you."
He said nothing, glancing at her with a brief nod. And then the blonde woman was heading towards the stairs, not looking back as she spoke again.
"You're taking us to the airport after patrol, right?"
"Yes."
"'Kay. Don't be late."
"Tt."
Dating Damian Wayne was amazing.
That day they'd had their first kiss seemed so long ago, but it had only been over a month. It was funny actually — nothing really changed about what they did and how they interacted because they were already best friends. They already knew each other well. She went to the manor at least once or twice a week, he gave her rides to or from hockey practice, they went out for coffee or lunch, had studying sessions… What did change though was the romance that was sprinkled into all their usual activities.
Sometimes, she would push away his hungry hands when they were in the kitchen because she worried someone like Tim or, worse, Bruce would walk in on his son and his girlfriend getting too cozy on the kitchen stool. Damian would stop her on their way to his car when they were out, pulling her in for a kiss without warning. Help with homework was often disrupted when inappropriate thoughts filled her head; he'd be explaining some foreign concept to her, and all she could focus on was how attractive it was when he spoke so intelligently.
"Jessica, are you listening?"
Those mesmerizing emeralds had looked at her sternly but did nothing except make her smile sheepishly.
"Not at all," she'd then admitted.
Of course, Jess had also expected their relationship to gain attention, more than the few glances and stares they'd gotten at that nightclub. Thankfully, no annoying paparazzo had invaded their privacy yet when they were out in public, but that meant all the pairs of eyes she did feel lately came from her own peers. It was one thing when people had found out she'd befriended Damian Wayne, it was another thing when she and Kade had split up and Damian broke his nose, eliciting all those rumors… It was another entire fiasco now that she was dating him, and it wasn't any less bothersome or uncomfortable than the first two times other teenagers whispered behind her back.
The only other piece of news that could compete was the arrival of Kira and Elijah Thompkins. Jess herself had been under the microscope when joining the senior class last fall, having come from Central City, but something was different about these two. They came from a wealthy background, like most other Academy students, and teenagers were just nosy and curious when it came to the "fresh meat" that stepped on their campus.
"So!"
Kira plopped down into an empty chair beside Jess in the homeroom the first day back, crossing her legs and facing her. "What brings you to Gotham?"
Jess, who'd been minding her own business and texting away, looked up and had to take a moment to wonder why the girl was talking to her.
"Uh… Going to school here."
"Huh. You left Central City just to go here?"
She'd managed to avoid answering this question since starting the school year, but here this new girl was, as intrusive as Quinn had warned she would be. Shifting in her seat, Jess looked towards the front of the classroom and watched as her peers filed in.
"I got a scholarship," she told her with a quick smile, hoping her subtle disinterest wouldn't go unnoticed.
Even if it hadn't, Kira probably didn't care. "I see. But why would you wanna go here for your last year of high school?"
Seriously?
Before Jess could consider telling her off politely or coming up with a quick excuse, a young man was sliding into the desk in front of the other girl.
"Let up, would you, K? She's not gonna be your friend if you're interrogating her."
"Don't be so dramatic. I'm not interrogating anyone. I'm getting to know her."
Kira rolled her eyes as the unfamiliar guy looked towards Jess and nodded with a smile. "Was she interrogating you?"
Curly, dark hair was tucked beneath a backwards baseball cap, and his light brown eyes sparkled with amusement like the tiny earring hoops in his ears and the rings on his fingers. Jess's gaze fell to something on his skin right above the uniform collar — a mark or the outline of a tattoo.
"No, it's fine," she answered and shook her head, earning a chuckle from him.
"Usually if you ignore her for a while, she goes away," he told her.
The stranger dodged Kira's attempt to kick him from beneath her desk, snickering and scooting away to escape.
Jess split a gaze between the two, somewhat intrigued, before saying, "Hats aren't allowed with uniform... if you didn't already know."
"I might be a loudmouth, but at least I read the school's handbook, unlike my dear brother," Kira mused as she pulled out a notebook from her designer handbag. "Take it off, you dickhead. It would be so like you to get in trouble on your first day."
The warning bell rang through the students' chatter as they settled into their seats. Several feet away, Kira's brother was sighing and tossing his cap onto the desk.
"Is everyone at this school a rule follower?"
His gaze had gone to his sister first but for the briefest moment before landing on Jess. She had a feeling she knew what he was implying.
"Only the ones who don't want to get kicked out."
In truth, she hadn't been able to tell if he was joking, but the young man's next words gave her a good guess.
"Or there are two types of people: the ones who get caught and the ones who don't." Light brown eyes twinkled again, and then he nodded at her. "Elijah."
"Jess."
Hours later, Jess bounced her foot impatiently as she sat on the bench in the hallway, arms crossed. Misty was taking longer than usual and hadn't texted her why she was late meeting up for lunch. The two girls and guy standing several feet away had been attempting to be discreet as they huddled together — too bad even the glossy magazine they held gave it away.
Damian had grumbled about flying to New York for the weekend earlier in the month when the popular magazine had asked Bruce to do a story on him and his two sons joining Wayne Enterprises. (And he'd been vocal about overturning his years-long decision, too. After a bit of Jess's encouragement to see if the company's place for him might be promising, he'd gone ahead and decided to test the waters.) The younger Wayne demanded that the situation be kept under the radar and not some "awful, public announcement like Timothy's," but it hadn't worked out that way. He'd gotten sucked into interviews like Tim had been, turned down most of them or offered short quotes — with talking points Jess had heard him groan about — and overall handled the sudden publicity the way he and the rest of the Wayne family knew how.
Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to get out of the business magazine situation.
From where she sat, Jess could see the three familiar men on the cover in all their famous and handsome glory. The words "The Wayne Legacy: America's Most Influential Family in the Making?" were printed above Damian's head. One of the girls was pointing to an open page while saying something to her two friends.
She might have gushed a little over Damian on the cover, admiring the casual, all-black ensemble (the stylist definitely knew what worked best on him) that set him apart from the gray suit Tim had worn and the blue matching Bruce's eyes.
"You guys look so good here, very businesslike," Jess had told him assuredly when she'd seen the final product. "I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure you were meant for this cover."
Damian had rolled those fine, emerald eyes in response, but the teen had caught the faint grin pulling at his mouth. He loved when she stroked his ego — and she knew this well.
Except it was clear that her peers were less focused on the interview in the publication and more intrigued by the teen staring at them from across the hall. Twice already, Jess had caught at least one of them glancing over, and despite how hard she tried to ignore them, it was getting annoying. Not even reciting her usual street names was doing much for the irritation boiling under her skin. What could they be possibly saying amongst themselves?
"What sorts of rumors are you making up now?"
The three students looked over at her then exchanged glances. Yet they said nothing; they just ducked their heads and turned to walk away.
That's what I thought.
Jess was glaring after them when she suddenly felt a presence.
"Rumors at this fancy private school? Count me in," Elijah said cheerfully, wearing the baseball cap he'd removed from earlier in the morning.
She gave a scoff. "Trust me, it's nothing worth your time or attention."
He gestured towards the empty spot on the bench next to her, and Jess nodded.
Sitting down, Elijah gave a shrug and glanced around at the other students walking by. "I've had my fair share of lies spread about me before. It'd almost be a challenge to see what these guys could come up with."
Jess eyed him for a moment before shaking her head and laughing. "I can't tell if that's a good or bad thing that you feel that way."
"Well, you sounded like you were asking the same thing," Elijah commented, nodding in the direction the gossiping teens had gone.
"... Yeah, I guess you eventually learn to not be surprised by it."
"What sort of shit did they say about you?"
His intrigued stare had her glancing away. "Nothing I'd like to repeat out loud."
"Right. Sorry," he replied, smiling guiltily. "Well, hey, if it makes you feel any better, the rumors at my last school got me kicked out, and that's not even why my sister and I are here."
At her interested glance, Elijah grinned and added, "Nothing I'd like to repeat out loud."
He saluted her with two fingers and headed off, Jess staring after him and having already forgotten why she'd been irritated just minutes before.
"Make me dinner" was what the card had said from the deck she'd given him for Christmas. Damian had been longing for alone time, away from the manor, away from the city, in a place that was unoccupied and quiet. Jess could only agree with him. School was fine and so was hockey, but the idea of getting away for a bit had been more than appealing. Some spontaneity, a little planning, and a few hours west into New Jersey's mainland had taken them to the contemporary, vacation lake house Bruce had built. It wasn't as large as the main Wayne home they were used to, but that didn't matter; the quiet atmosphere, expansive treeline, and lack of company offered a tranquility they needed.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom space was meant for anyone in the family in search of a temporary getaway, serving Damian and Jess perfectly for an entire weekend. And the lake… Oh, she'd practically been at a loss for words when she trekked through the snow to take a peek at it.
There was a big lake, and it was frozen.
"What do you think?" Damian asked, crunching in the snow to a stop beside her and his breath fogging in the chilly air.
She didn't look away from the vast, white ice stretching far across to a snowy, tree-lined shore at least a few miles away. An itch in her feet and limbs came like a reflex. Jess envisioned all the jumps and spins she'd try, but then disappointment came swiftly.
"I think it's a huge tease," she sighed heavily. "I wish I'd known this was here, then maybe I would've brought my skates."
"I'm sorry. I thought I had mentioned it."
"It's okay. Maybe next time."
They settled in quickly, Damian giving her a brief tour through the modern interior and one-way glass walls. Something about the space definitely felt homey already; maybe it was the fireplace warming the air and filling the silence with soft crackles, or maybe it was the fact that they were alone. No one else was around, not for miles (or so he'd said about the house's seclusion). As much as she liked Gotham's lights and watching the way it breathed at night, Jess liked this, too. She liked making dinner with him in the stocked kitchen, talking one-on-one over the food at the table, forgetting completely about their "real" lives in the city over forty miles away.
She couldn't help gravitating towards the large glass wall separating the living room from the frozen lake calling to her. Nighttime was approaching, a rose-colored sunset creeping into the blue-gray skyline. It was such a pretty view, and part of her figured it had been intentional in Bruce's blueprints for the property. Any other choice wouldn't have made any sense.
"I'm going to load the dishwasher. Will you get my phone from the bedroom?"
Glancing towards where Damian had called to her from the kitchen, Jess said, "Sure," and made her way to the back of the house.
His phone wasn't in the room, but a pair of ice skates were on the neatly-made bed… Her skates.
Her heart warmed immediately upon realization, followed by a grin that she couldn't have resisted if she'd tried. Still, Jess adopted her best unamused expression as she held the skates in her arms and stood in the kitchen doorway. Damian was drying his hands on a kitchen towel then turning at the sound of her voice.
"I didn't find your phone, but I found these instead."
The only response he gave was a crooked grin as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms.
"You're getting pretty good at these surprises."
Jess was careful in setting the skates onto the floor and moved to stand before him. The way he smugly looked down at her from beneath his eyelids sent a spark through her abdomen. He wasn't ever afraid to show a little arrogance, and while it had just turned out to be a part of him that she'd learned about, nowadays it sort of turned her on.
But sometimes, it also made her want to challenge it.
"Incorrect. I'm already an expert," he then said confidently.
"You're getting there."
He didn't bite the bait, instead reaching to brush her hair from her temple. His touch amplified the joyous fireworks erupting in her chest.
"Whenever you would like to go out there, I'll check the ice and ensure it's safe."
Jess raised her brows. "You know how to do that?"
"Of course I do. Considering it's only frozen on the surface, I wouldn't allow you to take one step if there were chances of you plunging into the water's depths," Damian scoffed. "A ladder and rope are in storage for a reason."
"I didn't peg Bruce to be a pond skater."
"He isn't. I brought them here a few days ago."
At that, she didn't know what to say. He really had gone to lengths for this, hadn't he?
"You know what? Stay right here."
She felt his confused gaze follow her out of the kitchen, but she soon returned with a folded piece of paper that had been stuffed in her belongings. Clasping her hands behind her back and rocking on her heels, Jess watched as he scanned the printed sheet. The changes across his face were small, easy to miss, but she saw the realization and then the mild shock.
"A plane ticket to Central City," Damian said aloud slowly, "for March."
She cleared her throat, and suddenly her hands were a little clammy. "I want you to visit my aunt with me over spring break, just for a couple days. I haven't seen her since last summer. But more importantly… my parents are buried there. I haven't been to see them since…"
Since the funeral.
Something vulnerable filled his eyes that raised to meet hers. "Jessica, I…"
"Don't even try and tell me that I shouldn't have," Jess laughed a little, shaking her head. "I've been wanting to do something like this for you for a while… But that's besides the point. I really do want you to come with me."
She flashed him a haughty grin and added cheekily, "I checked with Bruce that you didn't have anything planned for that week. You know he tried to offer me one of his private jets? I told him that was something you'd do."
The fact that he wasn't saying anything for a little while, staring at the paper, made her nervous. But then Damian met her gaze again with a small smile, and that alone gave her the answer she'd needed and wanted.
The next hour was so much better than she'd expected. After he'd made a hole in the ice and checked its thickness, the two of them donned their gear and skated into a world where they existed and no one else did. She'd taught him enough last summer to hold his own, and he'd been right — he was a quick learner. But even if he'd been willing enough to learn a few figure skating basics, he wasn't particularly good at them. For once, Damian Wayne was the one that had been taught and lacked the skills someone else had. She still remembered the death glare he'd given her when she'd teased him about it.
Everything felt so in-place as they enjoyed each other's company on the ice with the sun setting on the horizon. Even when they fooled around and fell onto the hard ice, Jess was laughing with Damian smiling at her like he'd never seen her happy before. Shades of pink and red blanketed the sky as he propped his head up in his hand and told her to do a routine for him. Her hip complained a little bit from their tumble but it was nothing as Jess relaxed onto her back and gave him a tentative grin.
"Sadly, I've already shown you everything I can remember."
(It was sad. It made her wish she'd never given the pastime up, that she was still learning and dancing across the ice almost everyday like she used to. Hockey hardly came close to giving her what figure skating once made her feel.)
Damian's eyes appeared to be admiring her as they roamed over her face. "That doesn't matter to me. I like watching you. Anti jameela."
'You are beautiful.'
Her face flushed with warm embarrassment, prompting Jess to roll her eyes to disguise it. "Well, that was corny," she said before biting back a smile. "But okay. As you wish."
And so she skated for him. She lost her balance once or twice, but that was okay. She didn't care. The teen kept on with every spin, jump, and toe loop, doing whatever felt right. With Damian sitting on the snow at the edge of the lake, chilled air cutting across her bare face, and the familiar, liberating rush in her limbs, Jess was completely in her element. Maybe she could've gone on living the rest of her life like this.
Somehow, Damian always found a way to prove how thoughtful and considerate he was. She'd been surprised that he had somehow gotten a hold of her skates, yes, but not really all that surprised at his ingenuity… because that was who he was.
Most of all, surprised or not, it made her happy. Damian made her happy.
As if their night hadn't already been going well, things took a different turn after they came in from their adventures on the lake.
It had started out with Jess staring at herself in the mirror, silently conversing with the voice in her head that said that maybe, tonight would be the night. They'd both agreed it would happen this weekend, just not exactly which of the two nights of their stay… But with her and Damian in the middle of nowhere, an entire house to themselves, alone? For the first time in, well, ever?
It would take a lot more than self-control for them to avoid doing it their first night.
The leggings, sweater, and puffer vest had been shed and traded in for a long-sleeved t-shirt and shorts. Having crawled beneath the twelve-hundred-thread-count sheets and hugging one of the thick pillows, she watched Damian sort through the few sweaters he'd brought with him.
The second he unfolded a black one, Jess heard herself say, "Don't."
Green eyes turned towards her from across the room. "Don't what?"
"Don't put it on." She patted the empty space beside her and added, "Just get over here, I'm still cold."
"Why? Are you hoping to steal my body heat?"
It could've been her imagination, but the way he said it while looking at her seemed… suggestive. It prodded at the growing knot in her gut.
"Of course I am."
He was warm as he settled into the sheets next to her, complaining as she draped her chilled limbs over him and pressed her wind-chapped cheeks into his bare chest. Wood and amber greeted her nose, making her pause to inhale it a few times. Somehow, it smelled a lot more attractive than it usually did.
"So tell me… How is it that this whole thing started out with a favor I'm supposed to do for you, but we ended up in your dad's lake house and you having another surprise for me?"
"I would have suggested coming here regardless."
"Mm. Well, I'm glad we did come here. This has been... really nice so far."
She trailed her fingers along his skin as his own weaved softly through her hair. It was quiet, the silence accompanied by only their breathing and Damian's steady heartbeat beneath her ear.
For the briefest moment, Jess wondered what it would be like to always have a place like this with him where it would just be the two of them. Was it possible they could become serious enough to even live together? Could she find her own apartment after graduation and he'd have the freedom to stay with her or always keep her company?
The thought of taking that kind of step in their relationship thrilled her, especially since her attraction to him felt deeper, like she was wading further into unknown water... And that water felt irresistible but frightening at the same time. A part of Jess had a feeling that it was the kind she could even drown in.
"What's on your mind?"
He probably couldn't see the knowing smile on her face as she continued drawing aimlessly on his sculpted chest.
"I was thinking about how much I like this."
"And what about 'this' do you like in particular?"
"It's a toss-up between us being together in this quiet and you being shirtless."
She didn't have to look up at him to know he was probably smirking or rolling his eyes. But then Jess suddenly found herself pushed onto her back, Damian above her with his nose brushing hers.
His breath tickled her as he softly said, "I find it unfair that you're not shirtless as well."
The abrupt change in positions and his closeness had her heart rate going through the roof. She didn't trust her voice, so Jess answered him by gently pushing him away to sit up and pull the shirt over her head. He barely had a chance to look her up and down — she took him by the neck and laid back into the sheets with a fervent kiss.
Goosebumps rose across her skin from the exposure, but everything that followed brought heat. The difference between now and previous moments of their desire was that everything was so much more... intentional. With every kiss, in every touch, was purpose. All that teasing they used to give each other and then snatch away in agonizing moments had been replaced by the pure intent to follow through. This time around, no one would interrupt with a comically-timed phone call, and there wasn't anyone who could knock on a locked door. Here, the bedroom door wasn't even shut. It was just her and him, and she really couldn't have asked for more.
With a surge of confidence that seemingly came out of nowhere (or maybe it was the deadly mixture of hormones and adrenaline), Jess wrapped her legs around his waist to force him closer. The gesture earned a tormenting drive from his hips into hers and teeth closing onto her bottom lip.
Damian raised his head to look at her after she made a sharp intake of breath. "Did I hurt you?"
"No, no," she answered breathlessly, shaking her head. "Don't worry, I… I have no complaints. At all."
Jess managed to catch the glint in his eye before he leaned to bite the skin of her neck this time.
The yearning between her hips was escalating, made obvious by the way her legs constricted to keep his body pressed to hers. Jess felt his hand snaking under her back, his touch leaving a trail of electricity as the band of her bra snapped undone at his fingers. She tried not to break their kiss, pulling the straps down her shoulders and ultimately tossing one of her remaining clothing to the side.
But even though she tried to hold onto him, he was moving away, Damian's lips traveling from hers down to her neck, down, down, down to her stomach as he headed backwards and his fingers found the waistband of her shorts and underwear. Breath hitching in her throat, she lifted her hips to let him pull them off.
Longing ate away at her nerves, accompanying the tension pulsing between her legs. His eyes glittered in the soft light of the lamp as they wandered over Jess's naked figure, and she couldn't help the shyness that overcame her. At the same time, there was something empowering in seeing what her body did to him, as if it made her dangerous… And not many things were a threat to Damian and his self-restraint. The nervousness evaporated quickly, replaced by a sense of daring courage when they kissed again. Like that night in Wayne Tower, she could tell he was withholding a reaction when her hand tugged his sweats down just enough to close over his length through the briefs.
If only there was something she could do to coax it out of him.
Jess slipped her fingers under the fabric and gave him another gentle squeeze — to her satisfaction, Damian let out a weak groan that set her own groin on fire.
"It's still not fair if your pants are still on," she mumbled against his mouth.
His answer was another agonizing grind of his hips, and the fact that the briefs were the only, thin layer between bare, hot skin made it worse, so much worse.
"You're sure about this?" he managed to ask, lips trailing over her cheek.
She was sure and impatient.
"More than sure. Are you?"
"There's nothing and no one I want more."
"Good, something we agree on—" she tried to say, but he cut her off with another kiss, one that was dominated by eager tongues and raging hormones.
The several moments it took for him to retrieve a condom and then finally discard the rest of his own clothes felt way too long. The seconds to open the package and put it on felt even longer.
But in contrast, it was a shame the heavenly experience that followed couldn't last forever.
Every wall Jess had ever built was gone at the snap of his fingers... or rather, at that moment Damian eased himself into her, the two of them sharing a gasp at the rush of euphoria. For the first time, she completely surrendered herself to him, both of their audible breaths entwined the same way their bodies were.
She stared right up at him, though she almost closed her eyes in drunken bliss. Damian's teeth were on her neck with bites that intensified how he felt inside her… which was paradise and every other synonym that existed for it. Practically clinging to him and his back, Jess couldn't help whatever sounds left her, not when every cell in her body was reveling in this wonderful high. It felt right to be here, locked in by muscular arms and coming undone by those alluring, green eyes she loved so much. It was like this was exactly where she belonged, underneath this gorgeous human being who made her feel so—
Any other intoxicated thoughts were obliterated by Damian slipping an arm under and easily yanking her body closer, plunging Jess deeper into the sea of pleasure. He'd angled his body just right, which only drew louder moans from her — each stroke loosened the knot between her legs that was begging to explode.
As soon as she grabbed for his waist and whispered longingly, "Dami, d-don't… don't stop," he raised his head to look at her with a hint of a knowing smirk. Jess ran her fingers over his nose and lips but was soon distracted by the sudden ardor in Damian's movements, a blinding intensity that hit her once, twice, a few more times until it carried her right over the edge.
Ecstasy shattered her whole being. His name lodged into Jess's throat, caught among the cries rising from her chest while her muscles tensed around him. Her body was still riding out the pulsing waves when he followed shortly after, stifled groans in her shoulder punctuated by every purposeful lunge he made into her. By the time Damian's hips slowed and they finally lay spent, their hands were still clasped beside them and heavy breaths filled the calm air. Heart thumping away as he planted lazy kisses along her jaw, Jess wrapped her arms around his figure. The afterglow was warm and soft, just like him, when she closed her eyes.
And though she wouldn't realize until much later, Damian had handled her in a way that she hadn't known he would: with care.
Not that she'd expected otherwise, but there had been something about their first time that existed outside of erotic desires. It'd been there in the harsh thrusts, the gentle kisses, in the strength of his fingers weaving into hers… but it was also there when he pressed her lips against her temple, when he glanced at her from across the room, when he corrected her homework or watched her skate. Damian cared for her, actually cared and in a way no one had before.
Jess didn't know a damn thing about falling in love, but this and everything they'd been through even before tonight...
This must have been close to it.
The rising daylight peeked between the curtains, falling as a sliver of morning across wrinkled sheets and bare skin. Her breathing was slow, calm while brunette strands scattered around the two pillows she occupied. A few minutes ago, he'd watched Jess roll closer to him, tucking a hand beneath her face. Suddenly, the urge to fumble for a pencil or brush hit him, but the former assassin forced himself to remain beside her. Besides, he was perfectly content with admiring her features, wondering what she might be dreaming about.
When she did finally wake, Damian looked up from the book he'd occupied himself with. She was rubbing her eyes and then stretching, the comforter slipping centimeters down her torso and drawing his gaze.
"Good morning, habibti."
One hazel eye popped open and then the second before she gave him a soft, drowsy smile. "Hi."
Setting the book on the bedside table, he turned towards her. "Did you sleep well?"
"I'd say so. This mattress is pretty nice. And you?"
Her words were as sluggish as her movements while she pulled the comforter up to her chin with a yawn. Jess's gaze followed the way he readjusted himself from his seated position to lay right beside her.
"Dreamlessly."
He didn't fail to notice how her lips twitched for a moment as if she was about to speak. But then she pressed her lips together, analyzing his face and continuing to wear that faint smile that teased him. Damian raised his head to give her a long kiss, his hand falling to her bare shoulder.
He murmured, "You have something on your mind."
Her nose was inches from his, and the short distance seemed to enlarge her doll-like eyes. "I'm just… reminiscing."
His fingers traveled up and down her arm inattentively as moments from the previous night flickered through his mind. It was easy to recall the incoherent noises she'd made in his ear and how painful yet gratifying her digging fingers had felt. He actually had the pinkened marks on his skin to prove it.
Neither of them had to say much. Reading body language was easy, although when it came to the kind that happened behind closed doors and under sheets, every motion was always so obviously dictated by undeniable lust. Damian's hand pushed into her tangled hair as he kissed her again with impatience, the two of them on an appetite that wouldn't be satiated by anything but each other.
It was different with Jess the second time around. Now that they'd shared this intimacy once before, there was a new energy; this morning, he didn't have to wonder what she was thinking like he had the night before or try to pay close attention to how he made her feel.
Because it was less thinking and more of exactly that: feeling. Damian knew that much as he watched her above him. He'd already memorized the details that told him what was going through her mind and body, from the wrinkles between her brows to how desperately her fingers clutched his skin. Jess seemed to melt under every touch, holding his stare before bending to kiss the faint sounds from his mouth.
In spite of the iron grip of his hands, he allowed her full control of their rhythm, sinking into both the sheets and the pleasurable depths of her body. Bliss rang through each nerve and bone as he watched her succumb to the sensations. Rose tinged Jess's cheeks and around her collarbone, which vaguely reminded him of all the times she would blush from embarrassment or be out in the cold. It had always been endearing, a look that he found he adored.
Now that he knew it also painted her skin in pleasure, Damian was realizing it was his favorite shade of pink.
When her head fell back, his fingers seemed to move of their own accord, gravitating to the base of her throat that had opened up to him. Jess leaned her weight into the bed, one hand on his chest, as she rode him faster, making him suck in an unsteady breath and close his eyes. Fuck, he wanted to do nothing but lay there until he met nirvana.
But Damian forced them open a second later. He needed to watch her fall apart before him, and soon, she did. Her cries to the ceiling matched the wild tempo of her hips against his. That dewy, pink glow across Jess's naked skin, the way euphoria rocked her core and nudged him closer to it — witnessing his exquisite lover being consumed by their bodies was nothing short of seductive, far too irresistible for even his own self-control. Whatever expletive he groaned was lost between their mouths as every part of him burst into a satisfying, carnal release inside her.
"Did someone do this to you?" Jess murmured a few minutes later, fingertips tracing one of the longer scars running down his shoulder blade.
On his stomach, staring at her, Damian felt his throat tighten.
"No."
The lie, after the last twenty-four hours of the most honest and sweetest happiness he'd felt in too long, tasted bitter on his tongue.
There was a certain peace blanketing them as they sat in the standalone bathtub large enough for them both. It was a kind of serenity he'd only dreamed about, one powerful enough to lift the weight Damian always carried in his shoulders and in his heart. (There weren't many things that could do that.) The world beyond the bathroom door ceased to exist as his eyes followed the drops of water sliding down her collarbones. He could smell the sweet shampoo she'd washed from her hair, meeting their fate as foamy bubbles on the surface of the warm water.
Time meant nothing as they stared at one another, those hazel irises as tender as her skin was soft beneath his wandering fingers. Neither of them said a word, perhaps too afraid to disturb the silence or finding there was nothing to say at all.
Except there was something at the back of his throat, a peculiar longing that couldn't seem to make it out.
"It should've been you."
Her words, in all their gentleness, managed to pull him from the rising sound of his heartbeat.
Something had shifted in Jess's eyes. He caught it for a split second before her gaze fell to the water and she began pushing her fingers through the bubbles.
"My first time," she spoke again, a slight crack in her voice. "It should've been with you."
An ache erupted in his heart and spilled into his chest as he watched her smile falter.
"It should've been last night."
First, it was anguish that he felt at seeing her like this, at how she could be so easily plagued by such negative thoughts. Knowing exactly what she meant hurt Damian even more — and so came the resentment.
Perhaps there was only so much he could do to erase the pain Kade had left, and that may have been one reason the former assassin didn't believe he would ever look at the young man without hatred. Jess might have moved on and even forgiven him… Damian didn't have to.
His reflexive outrage simmered into something milder. What mattered in this moment was that she did not deserve to continue to suffer or doubt happiness in these ways he'd seen her do before. Damian could say he also wished he'd been the one to take her innocence, although the one thing he wanted to take now was her pain.
She shook her head, eyes averted again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
Without hesitation, he reached for her cheek.
"No, Jessica. You should never apologize for how you feel," he insisted in a low voice. "Not to me... and certainly not to anyone else."
Her gaze flickered over his face. "It just doesn't seem right that you weren't..."
Only a sigh completed the sentence before she met his eyes. "I know I can't change that, but I'm really glad that now... it's you."
Some shuffling and splashes later, she had turned around and was leaning back into his chest. Damian kissed the top of her wet hair, prompting her to take one of his hands in both of hers. They sat in the tub like this for a length of time that didn't matter, not when the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow were lost in the stillness. And it was then that he knew he would tell her.
Because Cassandra was right. One day, Jess would know his secret, the other half of who he truly was.
But not today. In this moment, he would allow her to see him as he was now… not as Robin, as Damian al Ghul, or even Damian Wayne.
Simply Damian, the young man who loved her more than he had ever thought he would.
"I can finish this up if you want to browse for a movie or show to watch."
Damian's gaze flickered to the pot of pasta boiling on the stove. "Are you sure?"
Jess's mouth fell open while she pushed at his crossed arms. "Hey, I'm not going to burn pasta, okay?" she frowned, taking a moment to stir the noodles. "In fact, I think I've improved in the culinary arts."
Fighting a smile, he bent over her shoulder to kiss the top of her cheek. "You have," he agreed then added, "otherwise I wouldn't have used that card and risked food poisoning."
The dry comment earned him an offended glare.
She was asleep against his shoulder not much later with less than half the movie left, so Damian carefully slipped out from under her head and carried her to bed. After pulling the comforter over her, he took his time cleaning up their dirty dishes and tidying up the couch. Tiredness was creeping into his own body — he realized he was looking forward to falling asleep beside her at half past nine in contrast to the late nights and early mornings during which he'd finally get into his own bed after patrol. For once, he had the luxury of having a "normal" night of sleep and waking up when he wanted. It seemed surreal.
Stifling a yawn, Damian entered the bedroom once again… yet what he saw had the world coming to a standstill.
A tall figure was standing next to Jess, their hand reaching for her face as if they were about to touch her. In the soft light of the bedside lamp, Damian immediately recognized the mane of dark hair and even their stature beneath the long coat.
Yet the green eyes, nearly identical to his, were confirmation alone that he was indeed staring at his mother.
"Hello, Damian," Talia al Ghul said.
At first, he couldn't speak. He could hardly react with the blood pounding in his ears and alarm flooding his body… but then the former assassin was clenching his fists and stepping forward, senses on high alert, ready to launch himself across the room at the first sign that Jess was at risk.
His offensive posture didn't go unnoticed because Talia was soon saying, "I have no desire to harm her."
She glanced back down at the teen and took a few strands of hair into her fingers, examining them.
"Then you will not touch her," Damian seethed through gritted teeth, struggling to keep his voice low despite the slim chance Jess would awaken.
Talia didn't even look back up at him as she released the hair, seemingly unimpressed with what she saw. But then the woman turned her full attention onto him, a peculiar glint in her eye.
"Is it so astonishing that a mother wants to see her son after two years of no contact?"
"When it comes to you? Yes."
She appeared unbothered, taking a few steps towards Damian, who fought to remain still. Her gaze swept over him, and he knew she was seeing what had changed since the last time they'd met. His mother, however, didn't look much different: her eyes were still calculating, her voice a poisonous velvet, the way he'd always remembered her. He'd long surpassed her height years ago, though the difference hardly suggested any disadvantage. The expression she wore looking up at Damian was the same as when she'd looked down at him ten years ago.
"Why are you here?" he demanded slowly.
The question earned a shift in Talia's disposition.
"Let us talk elsewhere." She looked over at Jess's sleeping figure before brushing past Damian and adding, "Perhaps you will be less… hostile."
It took a few moments of steady breathing, but he was able to follow his mother out into the hall, shutting the bedroom door. She stood in the middle of the living room, analyzing her surroundings with a characteristic air of disinterest.
From where he stood with his arms crossed tightly, Damian could feel his patience wearing thin — and he hadn't had much to begin with. A part of him suspected she was here for the one reason he could name… because why else would she seek him out? Another plausible explanation was that she needed his help for whatever business she was tending to, yet that didn't seem likely. No, he was counting on being right.
"You were supposed to have claimed your birthright by now," Talia suddenly said, leveling him with a stare.
And he was right.
"My refusal stands."
He watched as her eyes narrowed by a millimeter, mirroring his own glare.
"It's a pity. Even after Irene, you've still managed to concern yourself with another civilian girl, one who is pathetically incapable of controlling that power she wields."
"You know nothing of her or her abilities."
The silent scoff she gave was more than enough to make him realize he was apparently wrong.
But Damian stood his ground. "Is that why you're here? To remind me again that my personal interests inhibit those of the League?"
"They inhibit your potential. Are you going to continue believing this delusion that you would have had a future with that other girl years ago?" she scoffed with a wave of her hand then nodded behind him towards the bedroom. "At least with this one, she is not so detached from reality, from the world we live in."
He almost laughed. Here his mother was, criticizing him for his relationships and for supposedly acting a fool when she herself was stuck in her own fantasies. It was no secret that taking his late grandfather's place was an unwritten contract and that one of its stipulations involved continuing the family lineage. In that, Talia expected him to find a woman "worthy" of bearing more al Ghul children, someone who checked all the boxes and passed all the tests. Preferably, this bride would join his side at the League, upholding the House of al Ghul and carrying out the League's campaigns across the world.
Irene was too soft, too kind, Talia had said years ago.
Now, with Jess… Damian assumed from his mother's comment that Jess's past — and perhaps her meta-human status — spoke to her significance as a potential spouse.
Frustration flared under his skin, making him unfold his arms and step forward.
"I do not intend to involve Jessica in my past or old life. And that is where you and the League will remain — in the past."
Talia sighed. "Damian, did you not find it strange that I didn't seek you out until now? Despite your mistakes years ago, I allowed you time to heal… That time has run out, yet you've done nothing but show me your arrogance in return."
"You 'allowed' me to grieve? I suppose I should award you with Mother of the Year."
As she began to speak, Damian took a step towards her and went on:
"I've spent ten years at Father's side. There is nothing that will convince me to change my mind."
"Yes… You've certainly proven your disrespect of our family name and your grandfather's wishes by joining your father's company," Talia drawled. "Tell me, my dear boy…"
Her movement towards him set off his instinct, causing his muscles to tense in preparation. Yet the woman only stared into his eyes as if searching for a sign, an indication of vulnerability in the son she'd always expected to be anything other than weak.
"Is a decade not enough for you, tayir saghir? Don't you wish to free yourself of your father's expectations and of that mantle that was never yours?"
Even if she hadn't called him "little bird," the phrase rolling off her tongue with acerbity that someone else would have missed, he knew what she meant. It was like she'd gotten a glimpse straight into the depths of his soul and pulled from it his deepest, unspoken desires; his mother was dangling them in front of him — except Damian knew precisely how she meant to use his own wishes against him.
And he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.
With a blank look, he said, "I won't turn my back on him and this city."
"Oh, Damian," Talia nearly cooed. "Why do you lie to us both?"
Friction burned between two pairs of emeralds, but Damian could feel the confrontation coming to a close. Any other time, there was a likelihood they would engage in combat to accompany their battling words — tonight, something told him she was putting the matter to rest. For now.
Within a few strides, she was standing before him. Damian held her gaze, aware of his body temperature matching his hot anger.
"I am no longer granting you reprieve. You have forced my hand, son."
The former assassin watched her walk past him but kept his gaze frozen in place, on nothing but empty air before him. Every muscle in his body urged him to turn around, to not allow his mother out of his sight.
And then he heard:
"Tell your father his attempts to access our satellite data did not go unnoticed and were successful only on my authorization… Your access, however, for that ludicrous bracelet has been revoked. Enjoy the rest of your weekend getaway."
Damian remained in place for several long moments until he could no longer feel her presence. When he finally returned to the bedroom, he saw that Jess was leaving the bathroom while rubbing her eye sleepily.
"I was about to go looking for you," she yawned.
"I wanted to clean up before bed."
The certain tightness that had been eating at his chest since his mother's arrival wasn't going away. It was still there as he climbed under the comforter, Jess rolling over to claim his shoulder after shutting off the lamp. Even her closeness did little to alleviate the discomfort no matter how much he tried to focus on her presence, the lingering lavender in the air, the warmth of her body against his.
"I love that you take me to bed when I fall asleep," he heard her say softly. "It's very considerate of you."
"You're welcome."
He thought she'd fallen back asleep after a long pause, but then she mumbled, "I wish we didn't have to go back tomorrow. I like it here."
"That makes two of us."
"I just like being able to do one of my favorite things with one of my favorite people."
Unfortunately, Damian didn't have it in him to banter with her and question who else counted as her favorite people. The dark ceiling offered nothing but a canvas for his distracted mind, sketching familiar green eyes and echoing taunting words that had him feeling something like… doubt. He hated that his mother could leave such an effect on him.
Jess murmured a good night, shuffling closer to kiss his cheek before settling back into his shoulder. It wasn't the most comfortable position for him, particularly when he was used to sleeping alone and any close contact would likely startle him awake — nonetheless, Damian let her drift off beside him, listening to her steady breathing and eyes turned blankly to the ceiling.
He doubted he was going to get much sleep anyway.
"What business do you have accessing the League's satellite data?"
Bruce had heard his son approaching moments ago, but it was the bitterness in his voice that prompted the man to finally look away from the computer.
It didn't take much to comprehend what the young man meant. Of course, Bruce's immediate question was "How did Damian find out?"
"I could ask the same of you," he replied easily, catching the way Damian's brows knitted together. "I didn't want to make assumptions. I wanted to see for myself before mentioning it to you."
Tim's suspicions aroused my curiosity.
Damian remained silent as he stood a few feet away, arms crossed and glaring at the data panning across the computer monitors. Although his posture boasted aggravation, there wasn't much else to suggest he was angry or upset — Bruce did find that a little odd but not quite concerning.
"I would think going out of your way to do such a thing already implies your assumption."
"Tell me I'm wrong, and I'll apologize."
They were interrupted by Tim's timely entrance into the cave, carrying a plate of leftover vegetarian tacos from Alfred's earlier cooking. He seemed entirely oblivious to the two men's conversation as he descended the stairs until Damian spoke. His green eyes were narrowed at him, less in displeasure and more in suspicion.
"You told him, didn't you?"
"He didn't have to," Bruce cut in.
Tim slowed in his steps as he approached, splitting a wary gaze between them. "Um, sorry. What did I miss? I told who what?"
Bruce added, "You don't have to do this, Damian."
"You are lecturing me on keeping tabs on Jessica and her whereabouts?" Damian snapped, eyes brightening with an inkling of annoyance.
"Yes. And it's because of my experience that you should heed my advice."
His other son was setting his plate down as if the unfolding conversation had overwhelmed his hunger. Blue eyes still clouded with confusion, Tim said, "Wait, are you talking about…?"
Damian's gaze landed on him. "I'll refrain from asking for your help since you cannot keep quiet about my business."
Understanding fell across Tim's face, but he didn't say anything. With a sigh, Bruce tried, "When you confide in her about your identity, will you continue monitoring her behind her back?"
The question seemed to put Damian off, causing his mouth to open as if he were going to answer but yielding empty air. The lack of response alone was enough to trouble Bruce, and the look on Tim's face reflected that he felt the same.
He'd been afraid of this.
"I'm no longer able to use the League's satellite to keep Jessica's bracelet functioning. It's operating off one of yours now, specifically Wayne Aerotech's," Damian suddenly said in an aloof tone. He moved to walk away, but Bruce was soon standing from his chair.
"Damian, you can't just claim one of my satellites for your personal use."
His son kept walking, sparking a burn of irritation through him. "Damian," he urged.
The father in him needed to make him stay, to force him to have a discussion about this behavior. But the Bruce Wayne that never liked to "talk" about feelings let alone face them stood there and watched the young man pause long enough to turn around.
"It's either yours or the Watchtower."
When Bruce didn't answer, the slightest arrogant smirk tugged at Damian's mouth before he finally left, leaving him and Tim in a long moment of silence.
Tim was staring at him with a look that said "Seriously?"
Bruce reached to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I know, I know."
The text came through on a Tuesday night.
Griffith and Prospect in 20. Don't be late.
She'd already put on her sleep shirt and crawled into bed, but the message instantly had her out and scrambling for a pair of pants. Her heart was galloping beneath her ribs later as she approached the intersection less than a mile from the Academy grounds, dressed warmly in a jacket and gloves (though the nervousness and anxiety were making her sweat a little under her hoodie). Thankfully, it wasn't snowing and the forecast was right about the night being a bearable thirty-five degrees. And as Jason had instructed, she'd left behind her phone and the bracelet with the lone burner in her pocket.
Since then, Jess had come up with so many questions, and it didn't help that she hadn't really seen him around afterwards. If he'd been hanging out at the manor, it wasn't when she was there as well.
Yet the teen reigned in that curiosity as she watched the headlight of a rumbling motorcycle approach where she sat at the bus stop on an empty Griffith Lane. After slowing to a halt, Red Hood wasted no time handing her a helmet.
"Where are we going?" she couldn't help asking while taking it from him.
"We're going to my place first. You and I need to set some ground rules. No devices on you, right?"
She nodded, reaching to pull down the visor of the helmet with a satisfying snap.
"Good… And you dressed in all black?" His robotic chuckle made her smile a little.
"Alright, doll. Keep this up, and things should go smoothly tonight."
Note: honestly, this entire chapter probably could've just consisted of DamiJess with a haphazard combination of smut and fluff, but I had to throw in a couple relatively important scenes outside of them lol… such as TALIA finally coming into the picture. I literally had her appearance planned since, like chapter 20-something. Sheesh.
anyway, obviously i decided to change this story's rating xD This certainly wasn't my first time writing more explicit sexual themes, but it's definitely my first time actually publishing it, so i hope it wasn't trash? Haha. thanks much to everyone who reviewed, followed/favorited, gave me their opinions.
Now that Talia's made her appearance, things will get rockier (duh), and i'm excited to continue sharing my wild ideas with all you lovely people :)
Also, can you believe it's April? i could've sworn it was January yesterday, smh