Never Return

Today was Harry’s day off. Or at least, he's having a day off for the next few months. How he got that day off? Well, for Damian it was simple. He and Father donated a bunch of money to his boss to ask for months day off and the rest was history. Harry wasn’t pleased about the bribery, but it was done and Harry couldn't do nothing about it. However, for Damian, he got a sick day from school. Father made up a story that Damian had a strange illness or something. Damian wasn't sure what illness, but he just went with it.

Damian was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Ever since he realized that the way he was acting might be feelings for Harry...Damian just didn't want to believe it. Of all things that made him realized was a goddamn movie. Harry was his friend and his first friend that he made that wasn't connected to his vigilante life. He thought everything he acted was a friend kind of way, but the more he thought about it, the more he didn't want to believe it. He was so confused on everything that had happened and his actions, Damian just wondered if it would go away.

Then Damian sat up and stared at the finished painting of Harry and Hedwig. The painting was covered with a white cloth so it wouldn't get dust and ruin. Damian had finished the painting not too long ago. It was one of his most precious masterpiece. He already knew what he painted. Hedwig's majestic wings in the air and Harry's kind smile and soft smile as he stared at his beloved owl.

Damian! The voice of Harry called out to him.

Narrowing his eyes, Damian growled. "Why am I thinking about him now?!"

Damian slammed himself on the bed, running his hand through his hair, messing it up. Then he stopped and sighed as he had a hand over his forehead. He could feel his face heating up and his chest pounding.

"What's wrong with me?" Damian muttered.

Damian got off of his bed and opened his balcony door. He walked out and stared at the view of the Wayne garden. The garden was beautiful and well tended as always, despite the cold season. The garden was covered with light snow. Down below he could see Harry playing with Titus and Hedwig. Hedwig was flying above them and Titus was chasing after Harry. Harry was wearing new winter clothes that Pennyworth insisted to buy for him because the winter clothes Harry had barely fit him. Of course Harry refused, but ended up accepting the offer because Pennyworth didn't take no as an answer.

Harry looked up and Damian froze. He waved at him and Damian, glanced to the side, barely waved back, trying to keep his composure. Then Harry went back to play with Titus and Hedwig. Damian let out a sigh of relief. He turned his back tot he scene and stared down as a gentle breeze brushed against him.

"Hey Little D!" a familiar voice spoke.

Damian looked up and saw Richard on the roof. Which was no surprised because since when does he not go on the roof? Much less hanging from chandeliers. Damian pursed his lips and crossed his arms. He really wanted to be alone right now.

"What do you want, Richard?" Damian asked.

"Just seeing how my baby brother is doing!" Richard smiled. "I see you're watching Harry! Don't worry! Jason's nearby!"

Damian's eyes widened. "I-I wasn't watching! I just h-happened to saw him!"

Damian didn't know where that stammer came from. In fact he wondered if Richard thought he was stalking Harry, despite Harry staying in his home. Besides, Richard should know that the more important taste of guarding Harry was at night because it's where that Snape might most likely would strike.

Richard frowned and held his hands up. "Woah, there, Dami, I just thought you were guarding him from the distance."

Damian blinked a few times. "Oh...sorry. I-I thought you meant something else."

Rolling his eyes, Richard shook his head as he jumped from the roof and landed on his balcony. He ruffled Damian's hair, which Damian glared at him for messing up his hair.

"Don't worry Little D!" Richard said. "Besides, Alfred is out buying groceries. He wanted to make some international food for Harry and Sirius. I can't wait to see their reaction!"

"Harry would eat anything."

Richard chuckled. Then he pulled out a bag from who knows where. As he opened it, Richard put his hand in the bag, pulling out a mistletoe. Damian raised a brow. It's not even Thanksgiving yet and Richard was now celebrating Christmas.

"I'm going to try to have Bruce and Sirius under the mistletoe!" Richard smiled evilly.

Damian sighed and shook his head. He knew that those mistletoes would go gone in an instant because from the potion books that Harry lend him, wizards to use mistletoes. Besides, Damian remembered Pennyworth needing mistletoes anyway. Damian couldn't be surprised if those plants were gone the next day. Then Damian took one of the mistletoes from the bag and stared at it. Damian always thought the mistletoe was a useless tradition to get people to kiss when he came to Gotham.

Suddenly, an image of a bashful smiling Harry came into his mind. Eyes widened, Damian shoved the plant to Richard. He growled in frustration as he had his hands on his head.

"Why did he come up all the sudden?!" Damian shouted and ran.

"Damian!" Richard called.

Without a second thought, Damian ran out of his room. He raced down the stairs, wondering why. Why does he kept thinking about Harry so much? Damian knew he doesn't have feelings for Harry. He just doesn't! Harry was just his friend and that's it! Then why does he kept thinking about him more than anyone else?!

Then Damian stopped. His face flushed and his chest pounded as he got into the living room. The first thing he saw was Harry. His friend was with Hedwig and stroking her, which Hedwig love the attention. Titus was sitting at Harry's seat and Alfred the cat was laying against Harry's leg. Harry turned and a smile grew across his face as his eyes softened.

"Damian!" Harry said.

Damian didn't know what came over him, but the only thing he did was yelped and ran. It was the only thing he could think right now. He ran out of the manor and down the street. Why? Why didn't he acted normal like he always did? Why was he acting like an idiot?! Damian knew he didn't had any feeling for Harry. He just knew it. Dammit! Damian thought. Finally, Damian stopped running. His hair was now messy and over his forehead. Beads of sweat was dripping from his bangs. Damian looked around and saw he was at a playground. It was one of those wealthy playgrounds that the neighborhood took their kids to.

"Master Damian?" a voice spoke.

Damian turned and saw Pennyworth. The butler had groceries in his hands and it seemed that he just finished too. Damian looked around and saw there was no car. He suspected that Pennyworth was probably apparating to the manor, which now Damian thought about it, was probably a faster way.

"Are you okay, Master Damian?" Pennyworth asked.

"I-I," Damian stammered and sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know."

"Why not we sit at the swings?" Pennyworth suggested.

Damian was about to ask about the food, but he remembered that Pennyworth would put a cooling charm on them. Nodding, Damian did as he was told and sat at the swings. Pennyworth sat next to him. Damian stared down, barely kicking the dirt. Everything was so quiet and Pennyworth wasn't saying anything. Instead he just looked up at the sky, as if he was expecting something to happen.

"It seemed something is bothering you, Master Damian," Pennyworth finally spoke.

"I guess so," Damian merely shrugged.

"Care to explain?"

Damian sighed. "I-I don't know how I feel...when I'm around Harry. I've been noticing it for a while, but I kept brushing it off. The more I ignore it, the more I kept wondering why I'm acting like this - my actions. Harry's my friend. That's all he-he...is..."

Why did he sounded so disappointed on that? Damian clenched the chains as his knuckles turned white. Why was this so frustrating? Usually Damian knows what he wants and how he feels, but this time...this time he doesn't! Maybe it was because there were so many things going on or maybe it was because he was having his as Richard called it "dumb-dumb" moments.

Then Pennyworth put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a smile. "Master Damian, I do think you need to calm down."

Damian frowned. "Calm down?"

Pennyworth nodded. "Yes. If you calm down and face your heart, you'll realize how you feel towards Mister Harry."

Damian narrowed his eyes. What was that supposed to mean? Was this some sort of wizard saying? Damian wasn't sure, but he was just so confused and not sure how he should feel around Harry. He's good at acting his usual self around him like always, but at the same time...he didn't. Hell, Damian wasn't sure how he was supposed to do that when there were so many things going on.

Pennyworth stood up. "I do think it's time to get back home, Master Damian. I do plan to make dinner and Mister Harry did asked to help."

Damian raised a brow. "I thought you don't allow anyone in the kitchen."

"Unlike Master Bruce, Mister Harry doesn't get distracted. Also, it may just be a feeling, but I do believe your father is cooking behind my back. I've been noticing my ingredients been missing."

Father? Cooking? The thought was foreign to Damian. Everyone knew that whenever Father cook, he ended up burning something. He even burned cereal and it was after he put in the milk somehow. It would be a miracle if Father did cook well without everyone watching. If that was the case...since when did father cook?

"He must be hanging out with Black too much," Damian said.

Pennywort chuckled. "Perhaps, but if that's the case, then I do not mind if your father...as you younger folks would say, loosen up a bit. Master Bruce has always been too serious, even after what happened to Master Thomas and Mistress Martha. After all...he did made it on the news, yesterday."

"Don't remind me."

The news about Batman with an Irish Wolfhound on a flying Batmobile was still making headlines. Everyone yesterdays thought that Father would scold Black for their stunt, but instead, Father wanted Black to make more flying vehicles for them. Of course Black didn't mind since he liked the idea. Father offered to pay Black to make the flying vehicles, but Black didn't want the money because he's already wealthy, but Father insisted. Black finally gave in and took the money, but swore to Father that he will regret paying him when he's already...in Black's own words "bloody stinkin' rich!". Damian swore something was going on between those two. He wouldn't be surprised if Father did had a crush on Black. The way they talk to each other was like they were flirting. Damian wondered if this would drag on like in his shoujo manga.

After a few minutes or so, Damian and Pennyworth apparated home. The two appeared in front of the manor and they went inside. Damian didn't realized he wanted some warmth after being outside for a while. When they got into the living room, the first thing Damian saw was Black at the dining table, with a large piece of paper, and tons of material, which Damian figured was for magic. Father was pacing back and forth shaking his head.

"What's all of this?" Pennyworth asked.

"Making playboy a map of all of Gotham," Black smirked. "You're welcome!"

"I thought you're making those flying motorcycles."

"I'm taking a small break from that."

This is a break? Damian thought. There were a lot of things Damian never questioned about Black and this was one of them. However, Damian knew what kind of map Black was talking about. It was a map that Harry told him about in the third year and how that map shows all of the students, teachers, and staff of what they're doing. Having Black making a map of all of Gotham would be useful. Even though they have Barbara, but the map might be useful.

"This is a bad idea." Father muttered.

"How so?" Black turned to him. "Don't you want to know what your rouges are doing every day and every minute?"

"We already have cameras!"

"What's the fun in that?"

Father sighed. "Sirius, I paid you to make the flying motorcycles not a map of Gotham."

"Well you should've thought of that when you paid me. I told you, I don't need the money. I'm already rich."

"You're my guest, Sirius. I shouldn't be taking things from you for free. It should be the other way around."

"I don't see the problem with that, playboy." Black smiled. "Besides, I just wanted to do something for you."

Damian could've sworn Father's cheeks went a bit pink. It was hard to tell, since Father was keeping his usual mannerisms, but Damian did saw a faint pink tint. Father crossed his arms and muttered something under his breath as he sat down next to Black, watching him making the map.

"Fine," Father finally said.

Black chuckled. "You're lucky you gave in. I would've turn into my dog form and serenade outside of your window."

Father's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

"I would."

Father stammered a bit. Damian blinked a few times. He had never saw Father reacted like this before. Usually, Father was always composed himself, but this time he wasn't. Even with his past relationships, Father never acted like that. Usually it was with confidence.

Pennyworth shook his head and headed into the kitchen as Damian followed him. Damian set the groceries onto the counter and headed upstairs, passing Father and Black. When he got upstairs, the doorbell rang, but Damian paid no attention to it. As he got upstairs, he walked into the halls and opened the door to the library. Eyes widened, Damian saw Harry there as he closed the door behind him. Harry was sitting at the window sill, staring at the outside world. The rays of the sunset shined his jet black hair. He looked like he was glowing. Hedwig was sitting in front of him, looking up, wondering why her owner was just staring into space. Harry looked like he was lost in thoughts, but from his body language, Damian could tell - from his eyes, that he looked worried. Why? Why was Harry worried? Was it because of their talk the other night? Or was it something else? Damian was sure that he assured Harry that everything would be alright.

Then Harry turned and he smiled. "Damian!" he got off of the window sill and hurried over to him. "Are you okay? You freaked out back there."

Damian flushed and glanced to the side. He knew what Harry was talking about. He really wished Harry would forget about that, but he didn't. However, he couldn't blame Harry for bringing that up. Damian had brought that up on himself.

"I'm fine," Damian said. "I was...just a bit under the weather."

Harry frowned and placed a hand on his forehead, causing Damian to flushed even further. "You seem fine, but your face is flushed. I don't know if there are any magical medicines for muggles, but I can ask Mister Pennyworth."

"Th-That's c-completely unnecessary, Harry!" Damian stammered.

The last thing Damian wanted was to make Harry worry about him. Damian already knew that Harry was already worried about him from all of this wizarding situation, but he didn't want to escalate it by thinking he's sick.

Harry chuckled. "It's fine, Damian! I helped take care of Dudley before! This is no different."

"Harry!" Damian sighed.

As Harry walked passed him, Damian reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him. Then everything was like in slow motion. Damian underestimated how hard he pulled Harry. Both of them slammed into each other, their legs tangled, and the two fell onto the ground. Harry grunted as Damian saved himself by placing both hands between Harry's head. Damian realized his face and Harry's face were very close to each other. Damian wasn't sure if there was a darker shade of dark red, but if there is, that was the color of his face right now. However, if he wasn't mistaken...Harry's cheeks were pink as well.

"Harry, are you okay?" Damian asked. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Damian, it's fine," Harry gave him a smile. "It was an accident."

Damian wanted to say more, but he couldn't. He didn't know why, but he just wanted to get lost in Harry's eyes and...Why did Damian find himself leaning closer to him? Damian stopped before he got any closer. Their noses were barely touching, but despite Damian's odd actions...Harry didn't seemed to mind.

"Damian," Harry muttered.

"Yes, Harry?" Damian asked.

Harry opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the door slammed open. Damian and Harry's eyes widened as their turned to the door. Right there was a man around Timothy's age. He looked similar to Harry, except he had tidy blonde hair with no glasses. For once in Damian's life, he felt a prickling fear in him.

"Harry, your favorite cousin is here!" Bernard shouted.