Chapter Text
Prom is a high school event that every teen just couldn’t wait to attend and experience.
Some might say that experiencing prom is a once (or twice–it depends on the school) in a lifetime experience that is essentially the pinnacle of teenage life. It’s supposed to be a night filled with a lot of fun dancing, eating, celebrating and even a pinch of romance in the air.
Which sucks because right now, Jonathan Samuel Kent aka Superboy is having a pretty hard time asking a certain Wayne heir to prom.
It all started when his homeroom teacher excitedly announced that prom was three weeks away and explained the initial things about the upcoming prom and reiterated the school dress codes that were still imposed for the event. Prom would be held in the lush and beautiful open gardens within the school campus.
The theme was pretty vague, something related to the greenery and floral scenery but Jon wasn’t paying that much attention with it since following the theme would be more of a girl’s problem with their gown designs and all.
Jon was initially very excited that he even joined in the cacophony of cheers and squeals of excitement inside his homeroom class. Afterall, prom is supposed to be a unique experience for any teenager, right? Just a night of fun with friends where they could dance the night away.
Though his initial excitement immediately died down when his Homeroom Teacher talked about having dates or a partner to prom.
He has to ask someone to be his date to prom.
But who?
That was when Damian's name immediately graced Jon's mind – the same guy who always seemed to find something to criticize about him, whether it was his intellect, skills, or just about anything, really. Damian was the person with whom Jon shared many disagreements, their polar personalities constantly clashing.
However, He couldn't think of anyone else. For some reason, in his mind, it was either Damian or nothing. There are no others but him.
The more Jon thought about it the more he realized that maybe it’s because despite everything, there was something about Damian that just felt right. Maybe it's the fact that Jon finds it adorable that Damian would take his time everyday to feed and spend time with the Campus cats when he thought nobody but Jon was there to watch him do it.
Or maybe it’s the rare but endearing small smiles Damian gives Jon whenever they successfully finish a mission together. Not to mention the way his deep green eyes crinkle in delight when found a breakthrough in a particularly tough case that makes Jon’s heart skip a beat everytime he sees it. He looks so cute when he does that and he wishes to see it a lot more from Damian.
Wait…Hold that thought.
Heart skips a beat? Damian is adorable and cute? Oh…Oh
Out of all the instances when Jon could have realized his true feelings for the bird-themed superhero, it had to happen when he was contemplating asking him to prom.
The timing couldn't have been more inconvenient him.
He’s going to ask Damian to prom and Jon already knows that this would be harder than fighting off alien invaders and going through any multiverse shenanigans especially because now he knows the reason as to why he’s asking Damian out in the first place.
Oh Rao…help him.
Whenever Jon watched teen romcom movies during his Saturday movie nights with his dad and mom, he always found the characters to be overly dramatic about prom night. The promposals depicted in the movies were infuriating to see because of the melodramatic emotions exhibited by the male lead. The guy would go on a downward spiral, agonizing over whether the girl would accept or not.
And true to the tropes of teen romcoms, this angst-filled ordeal would drag on until the male lead finally mustered enough courage to ask the female lead out, leading to a predictable "yes."
The young super always thought that when his own prom season arrived, he would simply be himself and casually ask the person he wanted to go with. He didn't want to go through the same troubles every male lead in a romcom goes through.
Oh he was so wrong because he’s currently experiencing the dilemma as those characters from the same romcoms he used to laugh at. Currently, Jon was already at his and Damian’s usual lunch table in the cafeteria as fourth-period was dismissed earlier than usual.
The leftover pasta made by his mom from last night in front of him looked more unappetizing than ever as his mind was plagued by a myriad of thoughts.
The more Jon pondered about it the more it had sunken into his mind that he’s literally planning to ask THE Damian Wayne to prom. Yes, THE Damian Wayne who hated dancing, despised social events with dancing even more, and had a distaste for public gatherings in general.
Would he even attend prom in the first place?
Lost in his thoughts, Jon didn't even notice when Damian was already with him and sat at his usual spot at their table.
Damian, who had noticed Jon’s lack of awareness of his presence, spoke to him, “What’s going on with that mind of yours Kent?” he asked, then gave him a teasing smile, ”Did Algebra finally break you?”
Startled by Damian’s voice, Jon snapped out of his musings and looked at him. ”A-algebra today was fine–great even! It’s just that there was s-someone—something! Just some things on my mind for a moment.”
Damian raised a brow and then replied, ”Care to tell me what’s on your mind then?”
Okay Jon, just be casual…be lowkey about it!
Jon tried to casually poke around his lunch, trying to find the right words to say, “So erhm, Prom’s coming up in a few weeks…” He began. "But, um, I think, you know—you already, know it."
Damian nodded as he opened up his lunchbox, then glanced back at Jon with a hint of curiosity on his face. "Of course, I'm aware of the event and the whole school knows of it.” Then he took a bite out of his lunch. “So, what about prom, Kent?"
“Ah, Nothing Much!” Jon stammered. “I was just wondering if you’re gonna attend?” he asked as casually as he could. “You just don’t look like the type to join these types of events so…I’m kinda curious, D.”
Damian closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment, then he sighed softly, as if he was conceding to another person. "Well, Alfred and Richard will never let me hear the end of it if I don't go, so I guess I'll be there," he replied, his tone tinged with slight irritation. "But I'm not at all thrilled about it."
Jon let out a sigh in relief, the confirmation that Damian would attend eased his mind for a bit.
“Yeah ‘cause you don’t know how to dance.” he teased, flashing a mischievous smile at the older boy.
Damian rolled his eyes. "My dancing skills are perfectly fine," he retorted as he crossed his arms defensively. "I just choose not to put myself through such trifling activities."
“ Uh-huh, of course, whatever you say~”
“Watch your words Kent, because I'm one hundred percent certain that I could out dance anyone in this Vicinity.”
“ Sure Dames, whatever makes you sleep at night.”
“Alfred said I’m already getting there–!” Damian retorted defensively, slamming his hands on the table.
Jon bursted into laughter which only made Damian scowl even further, he just can’t help it though; teasing Damian was always fun. He continued to laugh until Damian visibly sighed, and asked him, "Anyways, do enlighten me, Kent, the genuine reason behind your absentmindedness earlier."
“Uh…” Jon paused.
Leave it to Damian to always be so perceptive. Jon couldn’t really hide anything around him. There are times Jon thinks that Damian is as perceptive as his mom and the thought does sometimes send a shiver down Jon's spine.
So…How was he going to explain this? Well, the truth was that Jon was still figuring out how to approach the topic. He wanted to ask Damian to prom, but he was searching for the perfect moment to do so.
Okay, fine, he was planning on beating around the bush until he found the right time to bring it up.
“Kent…?”
"IT'S NOTHING, REALLY!" Jon practically exclaimed, causing some of the students near their table to turn their heads in slight curiosity.
Aware of the attention, he sheepishly waved his hands in apology, prompting a few students to snicker in amusement before turning their head back to their own tables.
Damian looked at him incredulously, “Well clearly, there is something on your mind hayseed. Just spit it out already.”
Jon tried to steady his racing heart, he could do this, just ask him already.”L-look D, It’s really nothing.” He said while his thoughts were scrambling for a more coherent response. ”It’s just, me and you know…”
Damian continued to study Jon’s face, looking as though he’s trying to decipher whatever the hell is happening inside Jon’s brain. “I know what?”
“Prom! Uh–we go to prom? I-I mean you would go to prom? Like…Since we’re like, Besties and all—But I don’t want us to be besties! I mean we’re best friends. I just want something—nevermind!” He said while chaotically moving around his arm. ”It was just I was thinking about that ... like maybe I and you—YOU and I go to prom!”
Jon practically mentally slapped himself. Way to go, Kent. That was real smooth.
He wasn't even going to be surprised if Damian laughed at his audacity in trying to ask him. It wasn’t like Damian would actually ever agree to go out with him.
Yet, as Damian gazed at him with a gentle expression, Jon felt his cheeks grow warm. Did this mean there was a glimmer of hope?
Jon was about to entertain his assumption until he heard Damian's condescending response.
“Jon, I really think that maybe you should finish your meal...your thoughts are quite...jumbled...today.” Damian began. “Did the kryptonite from our mission last evening scrambled your brain that much? Of course we both have intentions of attending prom. I have already conveyed my intention to participate, and it is expected that you, being the social butterfly that you are, would also participate and enjoy such festivities."
Damian didn’t get it at all!
The point practically flew over his head. Damian completely misunderstood Jon’s true intentions thanks to him being this incoherent rambling mess.
Trying to save himself from further embarrassment, he said. “Uh sure, of course! I was just trying to really confirm that you are like going dude because you might change your mind or something.”
Damian sighed but nodded. "If I've told you I'm going, then I am going. I am not the type of person to back out of things, regardless of whether I dislike them or not."
Noticing that this point of their conversation was done, Jon noticed that Damian decided to change to another topic, “Anyways, my Physics class earlier was terrible. Mr. Perez just decided to form us into groups for a project. He said it was random but he obviously placed me at a disadvantage by lumping me together with those fools who do not even know how to convert a kilometer to a meter.” Damian ranted, “It’s probably because I berated him after noticing the multiple errors on his test last week. It’s certainly not my fault that he’s utterly incompetent as an educator.”
As Damian ranted on Jon just inaudibly sighed in a mixture of disappointment and something else. It became clear that asking Damian out was easier said than done. However, he still has time to think of a concrete plan that would guarantee success.
He still has three weeks, what's the worst that could happen?