Damian's Education
Repairing the Damage
Chapter 8
Repairing the Damage
While Dick talked with Tim, Bruce went to speak with Damian, though he really had no idea what he was going to say.
“Damian, may I come in,” he asked from outside his youngest son’s room.
The red-eyed twelve-year-old opened his door and stepped aside to let his father in and then moved over to the bed and sat down, Bruce sat beside him and asked, “Are you alright Damian, I guess all of this was pretty confusing and upsetting to you.”
“Yes, father why was Drake with the Kryptonian half-breed anyway?”
“First of all, Damian that’s a very unkind thing to say, I don’t want to hear you referring to Conner by that term anymore, especially around Tim.”
“I don’t know if you’re old enough to be able to understand being in love, or that some people are attracted to people of their own gender instead of the opposite sex; Tim is that way and he and Conner have formed a relationship together.”
“I understand that some people prefer their own gender, father and I believe I understand being in love though it does seem like a ridiculous waste of time and energy. What I don’t understand is why Drake would choose the Kryptonian half-,” he stopped himself before saying the phrase his father didn’t want him using; “Kon-El” he finished.
“People don’t always choose who they fall in love with Damian, it just happens that way, other times when people work together closely they form strong bonds; Tim and Conner were leading members of the Titans and founding members of Young Justice and somewhere along the way they became more than friends.”
“Does that make sense, son?”
“Yes, I think so, father,” Damian answered, “What should I do about Drak-Tim; he’s never really trusted me, now he must truly despise me.”
“Well, it’s up to you but in your place, I would give it a little bit of time to allow him to cool off and then try to talk to Tim, I think you’ll find that he’s more forgiving than you expect.”
Damian gave that a bit of thought and a crooked half-smile broke through his anguished expression, “I will, father thank you for the advice.”
“So, you’ll be alright?”
“Yes, father I think so.”
“Alright, son try and get some sleep, it’ll be daylight in a couple of hours.”
“Yes, father.”
Bruce rose to leave and switched off Damian’s light before closing the door behind him, he met Dick in the hall he had changed out of his Nightwing uniform and showered while Bruce was talking to Damian.
“I think it went well, understands being in love and that some people prefer their own gender to the opposite sex; how did your talk with Tim go?”
“It went about the same, he really cares about Kon, and was worried about what Superman would say to him, but in time I think he’ll be willing to let by-gones be by-gones and forgive Damian.”
“Thanks for talking to him, Dick.”
“No problem, Bruce what’re big brothers for?”
Bruce smiled in gratitude at his oldest son and put an arm around his shoulder as they went downstairs for an early breakfast, neither of them was likely to get much sleep tonight after all the extraordinary events that had happened.