Can be read as platonic.
Summary: Damian Wayne and Percy Jackson sit on a rooftop in Gotham, watching fireflies.
.・。.・゜✭・»»——⍟——««.・✫・゜・。.
The sky above Gotham was unusually clear, stars twinkling faintly through the faint haze of the city’s ever-present light pollution. On a rooftop perched high above the streets, Damian Wayne sat cross-legged, his cape barely moving in the light breeze. His sword was unsheathed, resting next to him, its edge reflecting the pale light of the moon.
He wasn't alone. Beside him, sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the roof, was Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. The demigod seemed oddly at ease despite Gotham’s looming shadows and constant danger, casually tossing a golden drachma in the air and catching it.
“This place is all gloom, you know that, right?” Percy said, breaking the silence. “I mean, you live in a city that’s basically one big scary movie set.”
Damian’s eyes flickered to the side but remained focused on the distant horizon. “I find the gloom comforting. It reflects the world as it is—shrouded in darkness, only illuminated by those willing to cut through it.”
Percy rolled his eyes, catching the drachma mid-flip. “Right, poetic and broody. I almost forgot who I was talking to.”
Silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They weren’t exactly friends, not in the way Damian was with some of his other allies, but there was a strange understanding between them. Both of them had seen too much for their age, carried responsibilities far heavier than they should have, and it was a relief, in some way, to be around someone who understood without explanation.
A faint glimmer caught Percy’s eye, and he turned his head slightly. There, in the dark alley below them, tiny lights began to flicker—a small swarm of fireflies, glowing gently as they floated in the night air. For a moment, the harshness of Gotham seemed to fade away.
“Fireflies,” Percy muttered, watching them lazily move through the shadows. “You don’t see those much in the city.”
Damian didn’t respond immediately, but his gaze had shifted to the fireflies as well. The sight of them stirred something deep within him, though he didn’t let it show. He kept his expression neutral, but Percy wasn’t fooled.
“You can admit it,” Percy said, smirking. “They’re kind of nice.”
“I don’t need to admit anything,” Damian shot back, but the sharpness in his voice lacked its usual edge.
The fireflies danced below, glowing rythmatically, like tiny stars up above. Damian didn’t like distractions—he was always focused, always prepared. But tonight, something about those fireflies reminded him of something he couldn’t quite place.
“Does it ever feel like...” Percy started, then paused, as if deciding whether or not to continue. “Like the world’s telling you to slow down, but you just… can’t?”
Damian turned toward him, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What are you talking about, Jackson?”
Percy shrugged, the drachma spinning idly between his fingers again. “Just, you know, that feeling. When everything is telling you to be careful, to stop, to rethink your next step. But instead, you’re just… going. Not because you don’t care, but because you don’t know how to stop.”
For a second, Damian didn’t say anything, his mind processing Percy’s words. Then, he leaned back, his hands resting on the rooftop behind him. “You’re reckless.”
Percy barked out a laugh. “Coming from you? That’s rich.”
“I’m not reckless,” Damian countered. “I calculate my actions. I take risks, yes, but they're necessary. I don’t charge blindly into danger.”
Percy didn’t argue, but he didn’t agree either. “Sure. But sometimes, risks are just risks. You can’t always calculate the fallout.”
Damian scoffed, turning his eyes back to the fireflies. “I don’t have the luxury of acting without certainty. My life—our lives—require control.”
Percy was quiet for a moment, watching the fireflies, the soft glow reflecting in his sea-green eyes. “Control’s good,” he admitted. “But every once in a while, it’s okay to let things happen, too. Not everything needs to be a battle.”
Damian didn’t respond right away. His mind was too sharp to dismiss the conversation, but his instincts pushed against the idea of relinquishing any kind of control. Still, the fireflies continued their slow dance below, flickering in and out of sight.
“I don’t like uncertainty,” Damian finally said, his voice softer than usual.
Percy leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head as he lay down on the rooftop. “Neither do I,” he admitted. “But sometimes, that's all we’ve got. Doesn’t mean we’re any less ready for the fight when it comes.”
Damian’s eyes flickered to Percy, watching him for a beat before he stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his suit. “You speak like someone who’s never had to make the hard decisions.”
Percy smiled up at him, but it wasn’t cocky—it was understanding. “I’ve made more than you think.”
For a long moment, they stayed like that—Damian standing tall, Percy lying down, watching the sky as the fireflies continued their quiet glow beneath them. The night stretched on, calm and strangely peaceful.
Without looking at Percy, Damian finally muttered, “I don’t dislike them.”
Percy sat up, looking at Damian with confusion. “What?”
“The fireflies,” Damian clarified, his tone matter-of-fact. “I don’t dislike them.”
Percy grinned, standing up and clapping Damian on the back. “Well, there’s hope for you yet, Wayne.”
Damian shot him a glare. As they turned to head back down the building, the fireflies continued to glow in the darkness.
And maybe, just maybe, not all uncertainty was bad.
End
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Lost in the Void, Found in the Stars | Damian Wayne Oneshots
FanfictionExactly as the title suggests. Lots of rare-pairs to heal my multi-shipper heart. Every fic is centered around Damian, that means they'll love him more than anyone else, if you feel like a character would actually like someone else more, womp womp b...
