Okay, the way I set up my DC Family story line is that Bruce has Clark, Dick has Kara, Jason has Chris, Tim has Conner, and Damian originally had no one. Anyway, I really want to continue that whole thing about the BatFam and the SuperFam being best friends.
So, I am going to force Damian to have a SuperFriend.
Damian is 9 and Jon is 7.
Chapter 9: Super Friends
Jon's POV
My eyes were wide open as I stared up at the poster of the Justice League on the ceiling before rolling onto my side and squeezing my teddy bear tighter. Dad has friends, Grandpa and Grandma have friends, Mom has friends, and Chris and Conner are always hanging out with their superfriends. Everyone and has friends… everyone except me.
Peering over the side of the top bunk, I found Conner snoring with Krypto sprawled out halfway on Conner and halfway hanging off the edge of the bottom bunk. The covers lay discarded on the floor. I looked over to the tiny twin bed on the other side of the room where Chris laid softly whimpering in his sleep. Ever since he came back, hardly a night goes by where doesn't wake up screaming.
I kicked off the blanket before softly climbing down the step ladder. Krypto raised his head off Conner's stomach and whined before I held my finger to my lips and shushed him. He dropped his head back down onto Conner's stomach and silently watched me tiptoe to Chris' bed.
I shook his arm before dropping to the floor. Chris had almost melted Mom's head off once when she tried to wake him up from one of his nightmares. Lucky me this time. No heat vision this time.
Chris grunted as I slowly stood up peeking out from behind my teddy bear. "Jon?"
"Can I sleep with you?"
He rubbed his eyes as he slid over. His back was pressed against the wall as I climbed in. curling up next to him, I could make out the rough and jagged scars littering his torso from where his tank top had been pushed up. Chris caught my eye and pulled his tank top back down before yanking the blankets back over both of us.
Chris asked, "Bad dream?"
I shrugged. "Sort of."
"You wanna talk about it?"
I shook my head as he sighed. "You know you can always tell me any-"
"Will you two shut up!" Conner barked from across the room.
Chris glared at him before hissing at Conner to shut up. Krypto jumped down from the bunk before wriggling himself under Conner's bunk as if he sensed a fight. He was right. A couple of insults later, Conner was hovering over us in his t-shirt and sweatpants. Every now and then, the light would reflect off his earing.
"Jon had a bad dream, Conner," Chris finally explained.
Conner's expression softened slightly before he replied, "Dreams can't hurt you, Jonno."
I didn't say anything; I just looked at my teddy bear. Conner poked at me a couple of times before he jabbed his finger into a really bad bruise on my stomach. I gasped as Chris immediately hissed, "Conner!"
"I didn't do it hard!" he hissed back before the two of them swapped glances.
Chris reached over and flicked on the lights. The next second Conner was grabbing my arms as Chris lifted my flannel pajama top up to reveal a footprint left on my stomach. The two gasped before Conner immediately demanded to know who'd hurt me.
"N-no one," I stammered. "I… I fell."
Conner growled, "Under someone's foot?"
"Just tell us what happened, Jonno. Please, Chris urged.
After like ten hours of the three of us sitting in silence, I finally told them about how the kids at school hated me. They picked on me all the time and I did nothing to defend myself. It wasn't like I could do much to begin with anyway. I don't have any powers (Yet).
"What are their names?" Conner asked.
Completely ignoring Conner's unfinished threat, Chris promised that things would get better. Wrapping his arms around me, Chris pulled me into his chest. He patted the tiny space beside me before offering it to Conner.
*******Break********
I swallowed hard as a portal opened. I slipped my hand into Chris' as he assured me that the Zeta Tube wasn't going to hurt me. Conner had already gone through.
"What if he doesn't like me?" I asked hesitantly.
"What's not to like?" Chris responded.
"What if he's scary like his dad?"
"Mr. Wayne isn't scary. He's… definitely not. Dad's not afraid of him. They're best friends after all."
"How do you know that Dad just doesn't pretend to like him so Batman won't kill him?" I asked.
Chris just shook his head before telling me that I worry too much. He then asked me if I was ready.
Clenching my eyes shut, I nodded slowly before whispering, "Just don't let go."
Chris smiled at me before promising, "I won't. I've got you."
I opened my eyes to see that we were in some kind of cave with a giant dinosaur, a big penny, and… Oh my cow! We're in the Batcave!
"Chris! It's the Batcave!"
Looking around some more, I found Conner smiling at a really short kid who was showing him something at a chemistry station of some kind. Wait a minute, Conner doesn't smile though. I shook my head and glanced around to find another teenager wearing a leather jacket prodding the shoulder of a scowling boy around my age. The older boy barely dodged a knife as the younger one told him to back the hell off.
"Chris, let's go. I don't want friends anymore."
Chris rolled his eyes before dragging me over to them. "Jon, you remember Jason, right? Well, this is his little brother, Damian."
I swallowed before brightly smiling at them. Damian scowled deeper as I brightly introduced myself. I swear he growled before holding out his hand to meet mine.
Jason spoke up, "Damian, take Jon upstairs and do whatever."
Damian just gave his brother a dirty look as I looked up at Chris, who told me he'd be down here if I needed him. Damian analyzed me for a minute before turning on his heels and headed up the winding staircase.
After what felt like forever of silence, he added, "My notes conclude that you have no powers."
"Dad says I'm just late in getting them."
"Hmm," Damian hummed before continuing up the staircase with me behind him.
I was then taken on a tour of their mansion. My mouth practically hung open in wonder. I didn't even know houses could be this big. Their house was huge! I'd only known Grandpa and Grandma's farmhouse and Mommy and Dad's apartment. They both were pretty small, especially the apartment. Chris, Conner, and I were stuck sharing a room until we could get a bigger place. Mom and Dad kept promising that we'd find somewhere better to live but we just couldn't afford it right now.
"And this is my domain," Damian announced as he opened the door to his huge bedroom.
A few cats peered out from various angles around the room as a big, black Great Dane trotted over to us. I petted the dog as I looked around the room. His bedroom is bigger than my whole apartment. I then notice the couch and videogame consoles.
"Is that Super Mario?" I asked.
*******Break*******
Chris' POV
"You think they're okay, right?" I asked.
Jason briefly glanced up from where he was about to sink the eight ball and win the game of pool before shrugging. "They're fine. Damian won't kill him… most likely."
"Seriously, bro. Jon's having a hard time making friends and I just really want him to have someone around his own age to talk to."
Jason knocked the ball in before adding, "Chris, they're fine. If it'll make you feel better, we can go check on them."
"Please."
The two of us left the game room and headed for Damian's bedroom. Opening the door, we found Damian holding Jon in a headlock.
"Jon!" I gasped.
"Damian!" Jason snapped before pulling him off Jon.
I knelt down beside Jon and asked him if he was okay. Jon nodded and smiled up at me. "Damian's so cool! He was showing me his moves!"
I just blinked at him before looking over to where Damian had bit Jason's arm before snarling at his older brother.
Mumbling, "Yeah… the coolest," while thinking what have I done?
*******Break*******
Cark's POV
Bruce and I peered down from the catwalk in the Batcave. Conner and Tim were still working on some experiment. The only time I really ever saw Conner smile was he was with Tim, Bart, or Cassie. Jon and Damian soon entered yacking about some videogame with Chris and Jason in tow.
Chris announced that it was time to go. He and Jason bumped fists before the zetatube was opened. Conner waved to Tim before stepping through. Just as Chris and Jon were about to go through, Damian called out for him to wait.
Using my super hearing, I eavesdropped to hear Damian say, "Kent… I'm having a sleepover with Abuse and Aquababy this weekend… You have my permission to attend."
"Really!" Jon shouted happily.
I smiled before glancing over to see Bruce with a tiny part of his lip pulled halfway back between a smile and a smirk. Turning to him I said, "It's funny. Pa and Alfred, me and you, Kara and Dick, Chris and Jason, Conner and Tim, and now Jon and Damian. I guess every generation of Supers needs a Bat for a best friend, huh?"
Bruce rolled his eyes before adding, "Who said we were best friends?"
"You're right. In your case, you're more than a best friend. You're my pain-in-the-ass little brother. But, I still love you, Bruce."
His lip curved back into that smirk/smile before he turned his back to me. over his shoulder, he mumbled, "I know. We're a family."