"Do you have any kryptonite on you?"

The question startled the shorter boy sitting on his bed, watching his unsuspecting crush run his fingers over the soft carpet rug on the floor.

"No... I stopped carrying the stupid rock on me a long time ago." The raven haired boy answered, turning his eyes quick back down to the History book in his lap. "Why?"

"Just wondering..." Jon looked back at Damian to x-ray vision his pants- not that way- to look in his pockets. There was a lead lined box there, small and thin in his back pocket. "I thought Bruce made you carry some around as some contingency plan."

"Since when do I listen to father?" A slight smirk came with the question. After all, the box Jon saw was empty. Damian only kept it there so his father thought he had it on him. He trusted Jon more than he trusted himself or his father.

"...Is there any way I could borrow some?" Jon hesitated to ask, playing with the slightly chewed and dented pencil in his hands.

Damian stopped for a moment. Setting aside the thick textbook, he got down off the bed, going over to his desk. "Why would you want to borrow kryptonite? Or even have it near you? Are you planning on killing your dad or something?" Although he said it with a dead serious face, he was joking about the last part. His face masked the confusion and worry the boy felt beneath the surface.

"No, no. It's for a project. I... want to try and make a suit that will protect my dad from... stuff. You know... I'm scared after what happened last time." Jon answered, avoiding eye contact.

Damian didn't turn to look at him and sighed quietly. "I... can get a small piece to you tomorrow. But I want to be present when you experiment with it. Just in case your incompetence gets you hurt."

"Ok. I want to be able to make it myself, as a present for him though." Jon answered.

"Suit yourself."

With that, Jon left, and Damian swiped a small batarang made of kryptonite from the Batcave. He snuck it past Bruce that night while he was changing from patrol. Bruce didn't even know. Only Alfred saw the boy swipe it. But he didn't question it directly to the boy. He'd inquire about it at a different date when Bruce wasn't looming over their conversations.

Damian gave the kryptonite to Jon the next day in a lead lined case when they met after school.

"Just be careful with it ok? It will cut you if you aren't careful. Leave it in the case and keep it away from your father while I'm not around. And Bruce doesn't know, so I'd like to keep it that way." Damian spoke.

'Since when you do care?' "I know. Thanks."