Chapter Text
There’s a room where the light won’t find you
Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down
When they do I’ll be right behind you
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Lorde
When Ra’s Al Ghul summoned him to the throne room along with his mother, Damian knew that something was up. His grandfather would never interrupt his training unless it was worth it. Talia had scowled at one of his grandfather’s servants when they relayed the message but said nothing. Her grip on his arm as she pulled him along spoke volumes of her fury.
But she couldn’t do anything about it, she couldn’t ignore Ra’s calling.
There would be consequences. Damian knew that his grandfather viewed Talia as disposable. The only reason she wasn’t killed was due to the fact that Damian existed.in the first place. Nevermind how she had him, drugging the Batman’s drink and sleeping with him. Ra’s had told him in the hopes that Damian would turn against his mother and side with him. Ra’s was a demon and Talia was a snake, and they both expected Damian to pick a side, choose who he will serve.
Will he walk in the garden of snakes or cowl become demons.
He hasn’t decided yet.
Damian stood still, head high up as his mother bowed deeply before her father. There wasn’t a need for him to bow down, it was a sign of weakness according to his grandfather, given to him by one of his many, many ones on one spar. But they could be considered to duels. Ra’s al Ghul didn’t allow Talia to force Damian to bow.
“Heirs do not bow to their sire, daughter.”
A reminder to his mother, that she was not the heir to his grandfather’s great empire.
He was.
“Father, what a pleasure you have called upon us.”
Ra’s grunted from his throne and stood up, “Hn, I called you as there needs to be a witness. Damian, come here.”
An order, not a request.
He turned briefly to his mother and she nodded through her gritted teeth. Damian knew she hated being treated like this, even though it was rightfully deserved . She does act like she is above Ra’s judgements and decisions. Damian moves forward, walking up the steps, his mother’s eyes glaring into the back of his head. His grandfather grinned wickedly as he moved aside, letting Damian have a good glimpse of the throne.
The throne that will soon be passed down to him.
Damian’s birthright.
“Father, I don’t think it’s wise-”
“Silence woman!” Ra’s snapped. A hand rose and Ra’s own guards paused in their steps, weapons nearly drawn to defend the Demon. It was a death sentence anyway, they would have been dead within seconds. Talia wasn’t his grandfather but she was capable of taking out servants without breaking a single sweat. Perhaps, Damian would be the one to draw the final blow.
Maybe.
Ra’s glared at his mother, daring her to speak out of turn again before grinning at him once more, his voice sickly sweet as he spoke, “What do you think Damian?”
Damian chooses to focus on the details of the throne. Gold and green, just like the colours both his mother and grandfather draped themselves in on a daily basis. It sat underneath a canyon of light green and gold silk drapes, decorated with all the different precious gems one could imagine on earth. He touched the handles lightly, feeling cold metal. It was lovely….
Damian wanted to melt it into nothing.
He hated the damn thing.
Hated it with every fibre of his being.
Still, he played the game and moved to sit down on the velvet cushion. He smiled as he crossed his legs, purposefully making eye contact with his mother. He just turned thirteen years of age, she could no longer beat him like she used to. Not without answering to his grandfather.
Damian was seen as a tool, he was meant for a higher purpose but he was a tool. Or at least that was what he wanted them to see. Even at the ripe age of thirteen, he was capable of making his own decisions. It was the reason he decided to win his tenth birthday challenge but reject his mother's offer to meet his father, the Batman of Gotham.
Ra's had been thrilled. Both Talia and Ra’s were clueless of the real reason he didn’t join his father. His grandfather was right about one thing, his father was weak. There was no point in joining him if he had to go by the rules of his father. He was a prince of an entire empire. His mother had surprisingly raged about it, not speaking to him outside of training.
It was a decision he did not regret making.
Damian nestled back on the throne, moving to look highly comfortable as his mother and grandfather looked up at him. "Grandfather, I'm sure you didn't summon me just so I could get comfortable on the throne." Ra's chuckled, his warm green eyes gleamed.
"The world is changing, and I believe it's time the League allies itself with forces that can bring the world to its knees."
The boy leaned front on his hands, interest sparkling in his green eyes. "Do tell, and what forces do you mean."
Ra's opened his palms, "Superman and his kin. They have agreed to meet us here to discuss a partnership."
In other words, gain their trust, betray the Kryptonians at the last moment and pray that their fury doesn't rain down on them. Ra’s would send Talia to cry out to the Bat to help them, twisting the Kryptonians' words, it wouldn't be hard. His father had a tendency to let himself be manipulated until it was too late.
It was a perfect but delicate plan.
Damian knew his part of this plan. He grinned, showing teeth, "Anything else I need to know, grandfather?"
"Kal-El has a son. The boy is three years younger than you but still powerful. I want you to befriend him, gain his trust. It’s time we stepped out of the shadows and their power will place the League of Assassins on the map.
"Of course, grandfather," Damian said, rising from the throne. He moved down the steps and immediately went to his mother’s side. Her manicured razor-sharp nails gripped his shoulder, digging into his skin as she led them both out of the throne room. Damian looked down briefly at the white marble floor with a hidden smile. It was the little things that brought a smile on his face. What kept him sane in the League.
He will not be his grandfather.
His mother turned around sharply, her eyes narrowed at him. "You will do as you are told without fail. Understand?"
"Yes, mother," Damian said lowly, holding Talia's gaze. She blinked before turning around, flanked by her servants. He smiled before going to his chambers.
Researching who these people are is the top priority.
+++
"Are we there yet ?"
"You ask that one more and I am kicking you out of the air," Kara growled from Jon's side. Kon merely flashed a grin as he nudged his cousin, unbothered by her behaviour.
" Are we there yet?"
Kara hissed and launched herself at Kon just as Clark moved between the both of them mid-air. Jon snickered covering his mouth as the two glared at him.
" Enough , how is it that Jon is the youngest and yet he's acting much more mature than the two of you combined? Clark said with raised eyebrows, his normal blue eyes tinted with the smallest hint of red. Kon and Kara were silent as he moved to join Jon's side. Jon smiled up at his father, as they continued flying in silence before Jon opened his mouth again.
"So why are we accepting an invitation by Ra's AL Ghul?"
Kara nodded, “Yeah, what’s with that? They never needed our help before and we had offered before. He's Batman's archenemy and the Bat isn't particularly fond of us either."
" Most of the Justice League are not fond of us Kara. Getting the backing of the League of Assassins solidifies us in our cause," Clark spoke, slowing down to grip Jon's shoulder. "Doing that will help Jon in the long run."
Oh yeah. The grand plan.
In the end, Jon was the one that was going to take over, with his cousins as his advisors. To make the world a better place, where criminals have judged accordingly and not allowed to run around murdering innocents. His dad said that he would be a king among mortals.
"And if they betray us?" Jon muttered quietly.
Kon grinned wickedly, "Then we burn them to the ground."
"Talia al Ghul has a son. Just three years older than you Jon," Kara said with a smile as the three landed in the desert sand. Kon groaned, shoving his sunglasses onto his face, to block out the glare of the sun that shone too bright above them.
Jon kicked at the sand, hands behind his back. His dad had taken him aside before they left to speak to him privately. He was to befriend the heir of the League.
Damian al Ghul.
"Get the boy on our side, he can help us in the long run. We could have partial control of the League with his help."
He couldn't fail that.
"Looks like the welcoming committee has arrived.”
Jon moved to stand behind his dad, peeking out from the side. Part of his image as the powerful yet shy child of the strongest being on planet Earth. He watched in awe as armoured guards marched towards them, blocking whomever they were with. Focusing his hearing, he could hear two-no three people murmuring to each other. Not about him or his Dad but something about training?
Was he going to meet Damian al Ghul for the first time? Here and now!
Kara nudged his shoulder, attempting to brush down his hair. Jon shrugged her off, moving forward to evade her reach. Realising that was her plan all along, he turned quickly to glare at her just before the guards parted.
Holy shit.
Damian was…really pretty.
Is he allowed to say that? Can he call another boy, pretty?
However, Jon just realised he didn't practically care about the social norms. He can call Damian pretty, end of the story. Though if he can say it to the other boy is another issue that Jon would deal with later. The same bright green eyes that had Jon hypnotised on contact were now on him. He felt his dad gently push him forward. Damian moved forward until they stood facing each other, almost nose to nose.
Damian was…shorter than him. Nothing compared to what he imagined in his head. Then again, the other was only three years older than him, and Jon was growing like a weed.
Jon tilted his head with a shy smile, "You're…shorter that I imagine you'd be."
Damian scoffed and crossed his arms, "And I expected you to be less…sunshine." At the corners of Jon's eyes, he noticed the woman wrapped in the hijab stiffen at his comment. Her own green eyes matched Damian's, just duller. Probably his mother, though Damian's eyes were like polished jade stones compared to hers. His attention broke from Damian to his dad, who was greeted warmly by what he assumed was Damian's grandfather.
Ra's al Ghul.
"Now, if you will follow us, please.”
Jon ended up falling in line with Damian in the end, side by side. Clark was chatting with Ra’s in front of them while Kara and Kon both hung around at his back. Jon wondered where his mother ran off too, one moment she was standing mere inches away from Damian, almost breathing down his neck. The next, she is nowhere to be found.
He didn’t know if that was going to be a problem but he will keep an eye on her. Maybe he should let Kara and Kon know…
No, he was expected to handle his problems on his own, especially at the age of ten. Well, technically he was going to turn eleven in a few months, but regardless, he should keep an eye on her in case she tries to do anything. This agreement means everything to his dad and the rest of his family, and he didn’t have an issue with eliminating people that might get in the way of that. Even if that meant losing Damian’s approval - though he doubts that the other boy feels any affection for his flesh and blood, judging by the side glance Damian would give her.
He can do this on his own.
Jon smiled to himself before also gasping out loud.
There is a palace.
A freaking palace in the middle of the desert of Nanda. Well, the palace was surrounded by resources to survive. His expression of awe must have amused Damian for he spoke then after a long period of being silent. “There is more where that came from. Grandfather has multiple fortresses around the world but this one is his favourite.”
Jon waved a hand at the building, blissfully unaware of the attention he was attracting, (“)That is not a fortress. That is a freaking palace and you called it a fortress?” Damian said nothing else but his eyes were glittering with amusement and his mouth curled into a sly grin. A loud chuckle drew their attention to Ra’s, who looked both amused and like a doting grandfather. He was probably amused but Jon doubts he could even be a doting grandfather.
He knew better.
“I am flattered you speak of my humble home with such high praises. Damian is simply being modest.”
Jon doubts it. He has only been there for twenty minutes but he has some grasp of Damian’s character. His dad always spoke about developing observation skills. Observing the enemy or a possible friend. Anything about them, their body language, their breathing, and their heartbeat. And not even just that, their attitude as well.
Damian was arrogant, that much was very clear. Jon has reviewed the files that they had on the al Ghuls that Ra’s had willingly passed onto his dad. All the blood on Damian’s hands, the battles he had started and ended.
Well, Jon was in his right to admire that.
They continued, Clark squeezed his shoulder in silent praise. Jon beamed inwardly, unaware of Damian’s eyes narrowing with interest and suspicion. The front doors slowly creaked open and they entered just as servants opened another set of doors that were decorated with gold. Almost ninety per cent of the door was made of gold.
“Wow.”
The floors were made of pure white marble, polished until it shone. Jon could see his reflection if he looked down. He felt giddy as his family was given a grand tour of the place. Kara and Kon were rendered speechless for once in their lives. The latter’s sunglasses were on the tip of his nose, threatening to fall off. Jon counted five armed guards at every corner, each wearing a different shade of the same colours: green and gold. The colours were either duller, normal or brighter.
A pattern. It was meant to be something.
Was this a test?
Jon squinted at the guards with curiosity. He was always praised for figuring out the minor details that people overlooked. He was called a prodigy of sorts, but that was expected of him. Being the son of Kal-El, though he was kept a secret in fear of what Batman might do.
Something that he and Damian unknowingly had in common.
“Jonathan, all of the guards don’t have even a sliver of Kryptonite on them. So there is nothing to worry about."
Jon refrained from giving a loud snort of disbelief, Ra's al Ghul's eyes had a sort of a hunger to them, watching his every move.
So it was a test.
They must have gotten wind of his potential, so it was necessary to figure out the reason for it. Jon gave Ra's a tight smile before turning back to the guards.
"Damian, my pride, why don't you give Jon a separate tour? You both will be getting more acquainted with each other soon."
"Of course Grandfather. Right, this way Kryptonian." Damian didn't look back to see if Jon was following him as he turned down a hallway lit with green flames, servants bowing as he passed them by. Jon followed in after him in the air, unaware of another pair of green eyes narrowing at his person.
+++
She didn't like the young Kryptonian.
Talia didn't like the way he had looked at her pride and joy. She has spent too long forging out the perfect plan. Using the only leverage that she had over her Grandfather. The fool has reigned supreme for too long, it was time for a new ruler to rise.
Not her son.
He… was a failure. Just like the others.
Too much like his father.
Too emotional.
Talia saw how Damian reacted to the son of Kal-El. It was the same with her the moment she had laid eyes on Bruce Wayne. The Dark Knight fighting her father, blow for blow. It was love at first sight.
So it wasn't requited love, that never stopped her before. A drugged drink and a passionate night never hurt anyone. Talia could see it, soon Damian will not see Jon as a means to an end but as a significant other. It was only a matter of time.
Time that she did not have.
She stalked down the halls opposite of her son's path, watching their every move. The clock was ticking and she will not have her son's bumbling emotions ruin what is rightfully hers.
Talia took a decorated blade that was sheathed and smiled wickedly. She'll make sure that her son's beloved dies in his arms.
Mother knows best after all.
+++
Jonathan Kent was weird.
That's all Damian could come with to describe his floating companion next to him. He was...cheerful and in a state of constant amazement at everyone and everything. Hell, the fact that he caught on to a mere clue that was placed was remarkable. Ra's didn't plan that clue, Damian did. And the alien lived up to his reputation.
Also, the boy doesn't even have a Kryptonian name. Why?
Damian had voiced that concern to Jon and the boy merely shrugged. "My mother is human, my dad says that I remind him so much of her. Perhaps it is his way of remembering her by."
Ah, yes.
Lois Lane.
Kal-El's human lover and wife. Murdered by the Joker just a year after Jonathan's birth, causing the Kryptonian to fly off-world with his newborn child and family in tow. Only for the man to come back as a conquer, ready to take Earth by the reins and guide it. Of course, the Kryptonians are not going to rule the world by themselves.
Or at all.
If Ra’s plans come to fruition.
Damian stood there awkwardly, as Jon flew around the area just before turning to him with a smile. Why? Why is he smiling at him? Shouldn’t he be more cautious about who he is dealing with?
This boy...has no sense of self-preservation.
Regardless, information was important. It was the reason his grandfather assigned him to this task. A task that could be easily fulfilled by a servant but that was just his opinion. He grumbled to himself and crossed his arms, looking up at his alien counterpart with narrowed eyes.
“Do you have any idea what’s happening?”
“What do you mean?”
...Is he serious?
“The plan.”
Jon chuckled and floated on his back, looking at Damian upside down. “Oh right! The ‘plan’.” Damian could practically hear the quotation marks in his voice, making him roll his eyes. He took a step back just as Jon came close to him, nose to nose. Blue eyes looked into his green eyes, glittering with an emotion Damian did not recognise. But then again, he was taught only three emotions:
Hatred.
Fear.
And bloodlust.
Though Damian doubts it could be considered an emotion.
Jon grinned at him, “Rule the world.” He then moved to float vertically and forced Damian to face him, his hand underneath his chin. But it wasn’t harsh like whenever Talia would do it to him, Jon was gentle. Far more gentle than what he had expected like he was trying his best not to harm a single hair on Damian’s head.
Why?
“Rule the world,” Jon repeated softly to him. “You and me. Any day.”
Damian’s eyes widen and he turned away from Jon’s touch to look at the ground. Yes, the plan was to rule the world, guiding humanity in the right path to a better life. But the two of them? Jon didn’t even mention his father or Damian’s relatives.
Rule the world, just the two of us.
Why did that sound so appealing to him?
Why did Damian feel that it sounded almost right?
“Love your hair.”
His cheeks flushed red almost immediately and he turned quickly to look at Jon, almost giving himself whiplash. Did the other boy, compliment him?
“ What?”
Jon’s cheeks were also as red as his own when the other turned back to face him. “I...I...um...I meant I love the air ! The air here is a lot fresher than Metropolis.” Jon let out an awkward laugh before turning away from him.
Weird.
Damian decided then and there that he enjoyed Jon’s mindless ramblings.