Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The faint caress of lips against skin had the boy instantly recoiling and jumping two feet into the air.

“Wha-what do you think you’re doing!” Damian balked while wildly rubbing the area he’d just been kissed.

It was all unexpected. One moment, Damian was confessing apprehensions about his upcoming competition, and the next moment Jon was leaning in and placing a soft peck on his cheek.

Jon blinked back at his friend, eyes pooling with azure confusion.

“Eh?” he answered before his brow furled. “I was just giving you a kiss for luck.”

That’s right. Even though he’d never admit it, Damian was anxious. He’d never really experienced failure until his first year of high school. That’s when he finally got a taste of defeat.

Eliminated in only the second round of his first major competition was quite the upset for the young violinist who never really lost.

Damian tried to feign indifference over the loss, but Jon knew his friend’s seemingly limitless confidence had been shook.

That’s why Damian started to practice even harder and became even more receptive to his father and Maestro Kyle’s instruction.

Biding his time and waiting for a chance at redemption, and though he was still teeming with his usual confidence, Jon could tell Damian was nervous.

The way Damian’s lips pierced tightly together, the pale color in his face, the bit of sweat collecting inside his palms. There was no denying it.

That’s why Jon decided to comfort his friend, but the reaction that followed wasn’t what he expected.

All the pigment returned to Damian’s face along with a few more heightened tones of pink.

“A kiss for luck?!” Damian exclaimed. “What kind of absurdity…”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence before it got stifled by an incredulous growl.

“I…well….” Jon stumbled back before innocently looking back at his friend “Was that not right?”

The way Damian’s nose flared was all the answer he needed.

“But my dad always gives Maestro a kiss before he performs.”

Jon didn’t think it was possible, but somehow Damian’s face turned an even brighter shade of red.

“I-” his words and thoughts turned into an incoherent mess, “those two…” No longer able to bear Jon’s questioning gaze, Damian turned his face away and muffled into his hand.

“That is to say…”

Sometimes he forgot how substantial a three year age gap could be.

The heat from his cheeks was hot against his palms as Damian failed to hide the blush taking up the entirety of his face.

“Those two are much better friends then we are.” He finally managed string out. Hopefully Jon wouldn’t ask him to elaborate, and quite frankly, Damian didn’t feel it was his job to explain their unique friendship.

The look of disappointment was not missed though when Jon slumped his shoulders. “Oh, I see,” he mumbled while lowering his head. He really thought he and Damian were pretty close, but this kind of answer told him otherwise.

Damian felt a tinge or guilt when he realized Jon was misinterpreting his words. Then again, this was still a better alternative to explaining exactly what he meant.

Eventually, Damian decided to change the subject causing a familiar sneer played its way on his lips.

“Well, it’s not as though I need luck to win any competitions anyways.”

Jon couldn’t contain his snort. Seeing Damian’s haughty expression should’ve been annoying, but instead he felt relieved he was back to his typically confident self.

“Alright, then you better make sure you win.”

“Ttt.” Damian spat back. “As if I need you to tell me that.”

***************Jon 13/Damian 16********************

“Really, Damian, I think we can call it a night,” the boy groaned with a weary sigh.

The older boy scowled down at the younger pianist. Currently Jon was slouched so low over his piano his face was practically pressed down on the keys.

“If you wish to give up because you can’t cut it, that’s fine by me. It’s not as though you’re all that instrumental to my success.”

“Hey now!” Jon groused. “What happened to all that talk of me being your one and only important accompanist?”

“It was a lapse of judgement made back when I was three years too naive.”

Jon’s nose wrinkled, and he frowned. For over three years he’d been putting up with Damian. To think things between them were still like this. Sure they were closer than ever, but that still didn’t change Damian’s superior attitude and even sharper tongue.

Then again, it wasn’t as though Jon didn’t know how to deal with Damian by now. Rather than argue further, he calmly closed the piano fall and stood up. “Okay.”

Damian’s face didn’t change but the way he inhaled was a tip off he was surprised by Jon’s reaction.

Then again, the older Jon got the less patient and more defiant he seemed towards Damian’s attitude. Still, there was no way he’d abandon Damian now? It’s not as though Damian really meant what he said. Surely Jon understood how important he was as not only his accompanist but also as his friend.

After patting down his jeans, Jon gathered up his things and started to leave. Damian gritted back his protest and watched Jon’s movements with a stoic scowl.

It wasn’t until Jon started to pass him that he stopped.

Damian’s annoyance spiked when Jon leaned down over him. He really hated how Jon lorded his superior height over him. He started to back away but Jon’s drawl voice made him stop.

“Just so you know, I’m not giving up.”

Jon’s lips turned to a smile and for some reason it was the only thing Damian could look at.

“I get that you’re nervous about your qualifier, Damian. I know how important it is that you to get first chair, but I really don’t think we need to practice anymore because I know for a fact there isn’t anyone who’s going to beat you.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed. Why did Jon have such a questionable smirk?

“But if you’re still worried that your skill alone isn’t enough…” Damian’s eyes widened. Why were Jon’s lips getting closer?

“Maybe a good luck ki-”

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” Damian exploded as he pushed Jon with all his might.

Jon lost his balance and fell over backwards.

It wasn’t until the erratic thrumming of his heart settled that Damian heard Jon’s hoots.

The younger boy could barely breathe and didn’t even attempt to stand back up. He was too busy holding his stomach and trying to contain his laughter.

All the warmth in Damian’s face transformed from embarrassed heat to blazing fury.

“Jonathan Samuel KENT!” He snarled. “HOW DARE YOU-”

“I’m sorry Damian, I’m sorry,” Jon tried to apologize in between laughs.

Unfortunately his tear filled eyes and breathless chortles did nothing in the way of convincing the angry violinist and soon after Damian was shoving his instrument back in its case and storming off the stage.

Just as he reached the doorway, a hand suddenly caught his arm.

“Damian, wait!” Jon pleaded.

Damian intended to ignore him, but the desperation in Jon’s voice tempered his rage.

“Damian, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean anything by it,” he tried to assure.

Damian couldn’t’ explain why, but hearing those words made him feel more disappointed than relieved.

“Really, I was just trying to help calm your nerves, but I see my joke wasn’t really funny.”

“Your humor is about as tactless as you are, Kent.” Damian huffed.

Jon let out a small nervous laugh. It wasn’t a good sign when Damian reverted to calling him by his last name.

He cleared his throat and hoped speaking more soberly would help.

“Yeah, but regardless of my bad humor, I really did mean everything I said.”

Jon took a step closer and Damian felt his breath hitch when he met Jon’s sweet smile and kind eyes.

“You really are the most talented violinist I know, and you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You’re going to kick butt during your tryouts tomorrow. There’s no way anyone can beat you.”

A low hum sounded from Damian and his features softened.

How did Jon always manage to ease him so effortlessly? Even after so many years, Damian never had to worry because Jon was always there beside him, both on the stage and in his life.

Finally Damian smirked back at Jon and simply replied. “As if I need you to tell me that.”

************Jon 15/Damian 18********************

“That’s the last of it.” Jon smiled while triumphantly clapping his hands together in a dusting motion.

“Yes, the movers will be here soon,” Damian nodded while thoughtfully looking over all the boxes.

“We barely finished packing in time. Did we really have to practice so long right before?”

“Typical,” Damian ticked. “Kent is bellyaching.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Jon defended. “I was just saying that we were cutting it kind of close, but really I wanted to practice even longer since this is our last…”

Jon’s voice trailed and suddenly the room was silent.

He didn’t need to finish his sentence. Both boys already knew what he was going to say.

“Damian…” Jon quietly spoke. “I’m glad you were accepted into the college you really wanted to go to…”

He started to sift a restless hand through his hair. “I just wish it wasn’t so far away…”

Damian’s eyes fell shut, but he didn’t reply.

Now Jon’s gaze was drifting towards the ground. “I hope I’ll get along with my next roommate.”

“I’m sure someone like you will,” Damian sighed.

Jon swallowed hard as though it would swill back his next words but failed.

“And I hope you’ll get along with your next accompanist…”

Damian’s grimace tightened and the dull ache he felt every time he thought about their inevitable separation returned to his chest. Once again, a three year age gap was coming between them.

“I mean, it’s not as though we won’t still talk online, or over the phone, and I’ll see you when you come to visit, I just…” Jon let out a dejected laugh. “I’ll miss playing with you is all…”

“Then practice hard,” Damian commanded.

Jon looked back at Damian. “Huh?”

There was not even an ounce of hesitation in his voice.

“Practice hard so I don’t have to settle with your replacement for very long.”

“I…” Jon met Damian’s gaze.

Even if his mouth said one thing, Damian’s eyes never lied. They were so piercing and resolute. So much so, they stripped away every one of Jon’s pretenses till there was no doubt left in his heart.

“Okay,” Jon promised with a smile. Then it faded, and his demeanor darkened.

Damian couldn’t quite read Jon’s expression. Sure he looked a bit nervous but there was also something vaguely ardent behind his eyes.

“And in the meant time…” Jon hummed while leaning in closer. Damian felt a shiver run up his spine when he heard his deep voice.

He instinctively took step back but was met with the resistance of boxes stacked behind him.

“How about a kiss farewell?”

“What?!” Damian recoiled.  

This only caused Jon’s lips to arc further.

“My dad always gives Maestro one before he leaves to play abroad.”

Now Damian was frantically searching Jon’s eyes. Was this another childish prank or naïve misunderstanding? How could Jon look so playful and sincere at the same time?

Not sure how to react, Damian tried to brush it off and lightly pushed Jon away.

“I already told you before. We’re not friends like them.”

One of Jon’s hands suddenly came up and planted itself against the boxes pinning Damian in place.

He leaned in closer. “Why can’t we be?”

Damian felt trapped both by his position and by Jon’s gaze. This wasn’t a game anymore and both boys knew it. So why did he look so certain? Did Jon’s chest not feel like bursting too?

“J-Jon?” Damian asked.

“Damian…” he softly answered before drifting his eyes shut and closing the distance between them.

The erratic thrumming pulsing inside of Damian started to drown out the world leaving Damian with only the noise of his thoughts.

“He’s going to kiss me?! This scrappy cheeky child is going to kiss me! The one whose been by my side for the last five years. The one who always puts up with me and seen me through thick and thin…The one I care for deeply…my treasured accompanist, my best friend…my…”

Any thoughts beyond this were fleeting now as Damian realized his eyes were shut too, and he was holding his breath.

The anticipation was coursing fear inside his veins but even more so an exhilaration that made his heart skip.

He could feel Jon’s warmth, hear his breaths, and practically taste his approaching lips.

A light tapping sounded.

“You boys ready?” a voice asked from outside the door.

“JON! DAMIAN!” Clark shouted.

The large crashing of boxes had the man instantly rushing the room.

That’s when he saw Jon practically lying on top of Damian with a clutter of boxes scattered around them.

“Oh, h-hey dad,” Jon sheepishly laughed while looking at his dad with the most guilty smile.

Damian sat up and roughly pushed Jon away.

“Damian, are you alright?” Clark asked. The boy’s face was beet red, and his eyes looked a little shot.

“Fine,” Damian gritted lowly.

“Umm…” Clark mumbled. He then looked towards his son who still had a dopey uneasy grin, and the flush Damian who refused to make eye contact with either of them.

“Yeah, so I just wanted to let you know your dad will be here in a few minutes so you can start making your way outside now.”

“Okay,” Damian answered with a nod as he went to retrieve his rolling luggage.

Clark handed Jon a second suitcase and smiled at his son. “I’ll stay behind and watch for the movers so you can get the last of your goodbyes.”

“Ah yeah,” Jon laughed nervously. “Was working on that…”

After that, the two friends walked together in strained silence until they reached a sleek black Lexus waiting just outside their dorm.

“Thanks Jon,” Bruce smiled as he took the bag from him and started to load it in the trunk. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride with us to the airport?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I don’t need to put this off anymore. I’ll just stay behind with my dad and help with the moving. I already got to say my goodbyes, so now it’s your turn, Maestro.”

Bruce let out an amused chuckle of acknowledgement before waving at Jon and heading back inside the car.

Damian was already buckled up inside the passenger seat still refusing to meet Jon’s eyes but conveniently had his window rolled down.

Jon leaned inside and brushed back the messy curls always obstructing his face and smiled. “Damian, I promise I won’t be far behind. So…you’ll wait up for me…”

There was a hopeful inflection at the end of Jon’s sentence as though he were asking rather than making a statement.

The older boy snorted and smirked up at his friend. “As if I need you to tell me that.”

************Jon 17/Damian 20****************

“Did you just hear her play? She was AMAZING!” Jon exclaimed before sinking lower into his seat and mumbling dejectedly. “They were all amazing…”

He started to wreck his fingers through his hair causing the rarely combed curls to come undone.

“I…there’s just no way I can do this. I’m not nearly as good as them. I…”

Damian watched quietly as his friend wallowed deeper into his existential despair.

Why was Jon always so hard on himself? Didn’t he realize how talented he was? Not only did his father handpick him as one of his students, but he was also the one Damian recognized as his accompanist. Of course they were best friends, but Damian had too much pride in his work to choose Jon solely for that reason alone.

Damian knew he should’ve said his thoughts out loud. He really wanted to encourage Jon but knew he was no good at expressing himself.

Usually if he tried comfort anyone, it was misinterpreted and escalated into some kind of argument, and really that was the last thing Jon needed right now.

“Damian, I’m so sorry,” Jon half sobbed into his hands. “I don’t think I will do well enough at this audition to get accepted.”

Damian clenched hard on his jaw and frowned when he heard these words.

“I really wanted to attend the same school as you. I don’t want to stop being your accompanist anymore. I-”

The words chocked inside his throat when he was suddenly yanked up by the tie.

What followed after was clumsy, desperate, and filled with a passion bridled for one too many years. Jon didn’t even know how to respond properly. He was too stunned to move, and when Damian finally pulled their lips apart, his stupefied expression hadn’t left his face.

Damian’s cheeks were heated a crimson shade, and Jon could tell he was struggling to maintain his frown.

“If the talent, skill, and hard work both I and father recognize you for isn’t enough, then surely there is no way you can lose after receiving a good luck kiss from me.”

Jon felt his breath return when Damian finally released his tie, but it was more due to the grip around Jon’s heart being freed once Damian closed his brilliant blue eyes.

“Mr. Kent, are you ready?” A woman asked from the doorway.

His mouth was still agape, but he couldn’t verbalize an answer and just nodded.

She didn’t look at all startled when she entered. More than likely she missed what occurred just seconds before her entrance.

Damian had his back to Jon, and he was unable to see his face.

Jon tried to straighten up his appearance before following her but still looked about as ruffled as his hair.

“J-just so you know,” he stammered when he reached the door. “Once I get admitted into the school, I expect something much better when I’m congratulated.”

Damian’s body stiffened a little, but when he answered his voice was light enough to give away his smile.

“Then you better not disappoint me.”

Jon grinned from the deepest part of his heart and answered.

“As if I need you to tell me that.”

The End!