"Trials of the Heart"

Gotham City

Wayne Manor

8:30 PM

"So, let me get this straight, you and Jon...are dating?" said Dick.

Dick, Jon, and Damian were now in the back garden of Wayne Manor. They had shooed Dick out of the room, gotten dressed awkwardly, and made their way with him out of sight so they could talk this over. Damian was scared Dick would mouth off to Bruce or some of his other family, he was also scared Dick wouldn't support him. Damian threw a tennis ball to Titus while they talked. The night sky made this talk even more dramatic.

"Yes. we both realized we had feelings for each other, and here we are." said Damian.

"Well, look at you, little man. Finally got someone who'll put up with you." said Dick.

Damian looked at his brother coldly. This gaze scared Dick, and made him realize this wasn't the time for jokes. He had to be there for his little brother.

"I'm just joking Buddy. But in all honesty, I'm really proud of you, Damian." said Dick.

Damian started to well up with tears. Almost no one besides Jon was ever this supportive of him, and it completely broke him emotionally. Dick saw how his brother began to cry. This startled him. He had never, EVER seen Damian cry before.

"Hey Little Man, come here." said Dick.

He extended his arms, and the two brothers hugged.

"I love you, Damian. I'm so happy for you." said Dick.

"Thank You, Dick." said Damian.

They ported, and Damian wiped at his tears.

"Well, it seems we have a new addition to the family." said Dick.

He and Jon had never really interacted, but from what he heard from Alfred, and a little bit from Bruce, Jon was the perfect person for Damian. They completed each other perfectly. He walked up to Jon and they shook hands.

"It's really good to meet you, Jon. I've heard a lot about you." said Dick.

Jon smiled, he really liked all of Damian's brothers. They were all really unique, but at the end of the day, they were still family. They were always there for each other. That's something he loved about the Wayne Family. Despite being in such a dark environment. They all were kind and loving souls.

"I hope you've heard good things." said Jon.

"That's all there really is." said Dick.

"It's good to meet you too." said Jon.

Dick now addressed them both as he and Jon stopped shaking hands.

"I suppose everyone in the family knows but me, huh?" said Dick.

"Well….about that.." said Damian.

"Me and Damian mutually agreed that we don't want to tell anyone until we are both comfortable enough to make it public." said Jon.

"I suppose you guys will have to stop being all over each other if you want to keep hiding it." said Dick.

"We think Alfred knows." said Damian.

"Of course he does. Alfred knows everything." said Dick.

"He did basically saw us kissing, so yeah." said Jon.

"You little lovebirds have got to calm down a bit. Don't let the teenage hormones get to you or else-" said Dick.

"GRAYSON?!" said Damian harshly.

Jon blushed and looked down.

"Sorry, kiddo. Just trying to help." said Dick.

Damian and Jon were both extremely happy with the results of this talk with Dick. it went way better than expected.

"Group Hug." said Dick.

He extended his arms, and the three of them hugged tightly.

"I love you guys. I'm so proud of you both." said Dick.

They parted.

"Hey Damian, can you give me and Jon a minute to talk alone?" said Dick.

Damian looked at his partner, as if asking if it was ok. Jon nodded at him and smiled. Damian walked back inside the manor.

Dick then stood on one knee before Jon, and put his hand on Jon's shoulder.

"Thanks Jon, for everything you've done for Damian. I hope we can get to know each other better." he said.

"I appreciate it. Thank you" said Jon.

"If you ever need something or need any advice about Damian, here's my cell." said Dick.

"Thank you. I might take you up on this someday." said Jon.

Dick nodded. He was so happy he would be able to be there for them, before anyone else.

"Let's get back inside before Damian thinks I killed you or something." said Dick.

Dick leaned on the batcomputer as he and Alfred talked.

"So, Jon and Damian?" said Dick.

"Master Dick, I don't know what you want me to say." said Alfred.

"I mean, Damian in a relationship? That's gotta be interesting."

Alfred sighed. He really didn't want to do this.

"Richard Grayson, listen to me. Jon is a godsend for Damian. He makes him happy, and that's the only damn thing I care about." said Alfred.

This move by Alfred genuinely scared Dick enough to make him shut up.

Damian and Jon now cuddled in bed. All the lights were off, and all they could focus on was each other. It had been a long and tiring day, but one that had gone better than both of them had ever expected. Their spirits were high, it seemed as though everything was gonna be ok. Jon smiled contently as he stroked Damian's hair. He truly loved Damian, and he wasn't afraid to say it anymore.

"I love you. So much. You're my world." said Jon.

"I love you too, Jon. you're my everything." said Damian.

The couple couldn't even realize how far they had come. From reluctant partners, to best friends, to eventually lovers, they had been through everything, and were stronger and better because of it. They had each other, and that was enough for the both of them.

They kissed, it was a long, deep show of affection. Even though Damian wasn't the best with words, he really was able to show how he was feeling through being physical, and Jon was fine with that.

Damian took off Jon's glasses, and laid them on the nightstand. Jon smiled, at least this time, they wouldn't be interrupted. Damian straddled his partner, and began to kiss his whole body. This experience with Damian was euphoric for Jon. Damian sat up as a bang came from the window above his desk.

"It's ok baby. It's just the wind." said Jon.

He rubbed his hands over Damian's bare chest and directed him back. The light of the night sky pushed through the window and into the room. Damian resumed kissing his partner. The both of them showed appreciation for each other at this time, going as far as they needed to show how much they loved each other.

The next day, Damian and Jon were both dressed, and were playing a game of chess in the living room of Wayne Manor. Damian's eyebrows were curled in concentration, his mind resilient. He was going to win, whatever it took.

Jon moved his final piece to victory.

"Checkmate!" he yelled.

"Damn it." said Damian.

"Aww what's the matter? Thought you were gonna win?" said Jon playfully.

"I was taught by Alfred, so of course. This is the first time I've ever lost." said Damian.

"Sore loser." said Jon.

"I guess I'm just too distracted by you." said Damian.

"Don't bring that up again." Jon said.

"Or what?" said Damian.

"Or…..I'm gonna have to stop you." said Jon.

"Really? You wouldn't do that to your completely innocent boyfriend, would you?" said Damian.

"Now you're just pushing it." said Jon.

"Am i?" said Damian.

Jon got up, and sat on the couch behind him.

"Come and find out." he said.

"Don't mind if i do." said Damian.

Damian got up, and put his arms around Jon's neck as he took his spot on his Partner's lap.

"This is all I've ever wanted." said Damian.

"You're everything I've ever wanted." said Jon.

Damian kissed Jon, but this was different. This was a slow kiss, one of gratitude, and pure love.

"Master Damian!" he heard Alfred yell.

"Dang it." said Jon.

He removed his arms from around Damian's waist and helped him up.

"I suppose we better find out what Alfred wants." said Jon.

Damian took his partner's hand and walked with him to find Alfred.

They walked outside the Manor and out into the bright sunny day. Alfred stood by the large fountain that surrounded the driveway and looked to the gates of the home. Damian let go of Jon's hand and stepped forward, onto the last step of the front stairs.

"What's going on?" he said.

"Your Father is back from his trip, and he's brought company." said Alfred.

"Company?" Said Damian.

The gates of Wayne Manor opened, and a singular black limousine drove up the driveway and came to a stop in front of the steps.

Bruce Wayne, dressed in a pristine tuxedo, exited the Limo.

"Hello, Damian." said Bruce.

"Father." said Damian.

'It's good to see you." said Bruce.

"You as well." said Damian.

Jon could tell from where he was standing by the door, that this was going to get interesting, quick. He knew Damian and his father weren't as close as they used to be. As Damian grew, they sort of grew apart. Bruce kept staying away longer, he wasn't there except for some holidays most of the time. Alfred was more of Damian's father then Bruce was most of the time.

Bruce reached inside of the limo, and helped someone exit. A black haired female, probably about Bruce's age, dressed in a simple black dress, with very attractive features, was arm in arm with his Father.

"Damian, meet Selina Kyle." said Bruce.

"Catwoman?" said Damian.

"She's changed. She's not like that anymore." said Bruce.

Damian paused and took a minute to evaluate the situation.

"If you say so, Father. I trust you." said Damian.

Damian tried his best to support his father. He knew being Batman was a long and difficult crusade, and if this relationship helped him, then that was good for everyone.

"We're Getting Married." said Bruce.

"You….. what?" said Damian.

Jon gasped. This was BIG news.

"We're getting married. In two months." said Bruce.

"Wow, father. I'm….I'm happy for you." said Damian.

He then walked forward and hugged Bruce. Jon was surprised he was taking this that well, if anything, he was more surprised at Damian's reaction then what Bruce actually said.

"Thank You, Damian." said Bruce.

The two parted. Damian looked at Selina and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Damian." he said.

"Selina." She said.

"It's a pleasure. I'm looking forward to getting to know you more." said Damian.

"I'm looking forward to that too," said Selina.

"We've got a pretty big family, so you've got a pretty big package." said Damian.

Selina laughed. She knew this was worth everything.

It was late at night, and Damian and Jon sat on the couch, under a blanket and watched TV. Jon sat sideways, and was petting Damian's hair.

"So, how do you really feel?" said Jon.

"I'm happy for my father. Selina seems like a good person."

"I'm surprised you took it so well." said Jon.

"I was a little shocked at first, but i'm not against it. My father's never been one for commitment, so this was appalling." said Damian.

"I'm sorry, Damian." said Jon.

"It's ok. As long as he's happy, i'll be fine. I just wish he was around more, ya know?" said Damian.

"Yeah, i get that. I haven't seen my dad in nearly a month." said Jon.

"With this Wedding, he'll be gone even more." said Damian.

"Maybe you and him can make some time to do something?" said Jon.

"He can't." said Damian.

"You won't know that until you ask him." said Jon.

Damian frowned and put his head in his hands. He sighed.

"It's ok, Damian. I can help you do it." said Jon.

He moved closer towards his partner and wrapped his arm around Damian's shoulders.

Damian looked at Jon with sadness.

"I'm such a mess. I'm so broken. I can't do anything right. I cry so much." said Damian.

He started to break down. All this talk about Bruce's neglect had started to bring all of Damian's emotional trauma back to the forefront of his mind. He couldn't stand being such a pain to the people around him.

"I'm such a burden." said Damian.

He started to cry. Heavy sobs escaped his eyes as he relived every painful thought in his mind. Jon hugged him. He knew whatever was bothering his boyfriend, he would try to fix as much as possible.

"Damian, you are none of those things. You are so smart, beautiful, kind, everything someone could want in a partner. You are such an amazing person and my life would be so much emptier without you. You're my world, Damian. You mean so much to me and I love you so much." said Jon.

"How can someone as perfect as you stand such a loser like me?" said Damian.

"You're perfect, Damian. Please don't ever think otherwise." said Jon.

"I wish you never had to meet me. I'm such a bad person. I don't deserve you." said Damian.

"Damian, please listen to me. Please. I love you, more than anything, or anyone in this entire universe. You're so much better than you give yourself credit for. I want you to KNOW that, like I do, you're everything to me. You're the best boyfriend I could ever wish for. No matter what, I will always be here for you. It's my job." said Jon.

Jon's kind words began to sink into Damian's mind. If anything, Jon was always reassuring. He could always make Damian feel better when he was at his lowest.

"I love you, Jon." Damian cried.

"I love you too, Damian." said Jon.

Jon and Damian cuddled on the couch, Jon speaking soft, kind words to Damian as they began to drift to sleep, in each other's arms.