Until he met his father, physical contact had always been for usually it only brought pain.

Kick, punch, slice, slap, kick, slice.

Sometimes physical contact was need to heal him after a hard or cruel training. Everything was methodic, cold and detached.

So he cannot understand for the life of him why Grayson,the fool, needs contact so much.

The man does not seem to know or respect personal space and dares to ruffle his hair,
to touch his face, to hold his hands, to kiss his forehead, carry him or embrace him without warning at all.

When he asks why, Grayson just shrughs and answers with some silly sentimental comment, like
that he loves him and feels like it, or it is just the way he is.

Pennyworth mentioned something about Grayson being kinesthesic. Damian looked up the term,
and found out that kinesthesic people needs touch and movement to learn and communicate feelings.

He thinks it is bullshit and confronts the man everytime he circles him with strong warm arms
and picks him up, holding him again his chest like he is some stupid 5 year old.

But no matter how much he complains stupid Grayson still does it.

But he is curious and analytical (like Father of course) so he decides to analyze physical contact for another angle.

Because even if he hates it ,the physical and chemical reactions his body suffers when subject
to Grayson´s stupid need of contact is quite pleasant.

When he gets a hug, after the initial struggle, his body relaxes. There is no pain involved.
Just pressure and warm. And then the chemicals in his brain makes him feel...safe.
Like nothing could happen there, in that little spot of the world between Grayson´s arms and chest.

Which is dumb and childish of course, but is the chemical reaction fault, not like he can control it.

He also feels...well...loved. Which is weird, because he does not need love or ask for it.

He is the son of the Batman. The reason he is alive, his purpose and fate is to become the Batman himself.
And Batman does not need to be loved...needs to be feared and Damian has always been good at being feared.

But..all the endorphins that his brain releases while he is being hold, makes his chest fill with emotion, something that he is no familiar with, but feels ok. Good. Natural.

Damian thinks all about this while watching Pennyworh work on Grayson´s injuries after a patrol went bad
with Harvey Two Face. The old butler works shiftly and methodically, but with care. No detached and cold, like he was used to, because is obviously that the old man loves the circus boy as much as he loves Bruce.

"Is he going to be ok?" Damian asks quietly to the butler once he is done and Dick is moved to his own bedroom.

"Yes Master Damian. He only needs to rest for a while. He will wake unil tomorrow. I will stay in his room tonigh to make sure everything is alright and..."

"That will not be necessary. I... I will stay with him...You can go to rest." Damian says quickly. He is
Grayson´s Robin, and he did not protect him as he should. So Batman is hurt, least he can do is stay and make sure he gets better.

Alfred hesitates for a second, but looks at the boy with more attention and smiles a little bit. "Of course Master Damian. If you need anything just call me"

Damian just nods and sits on the chair next to the bed and waits for Alfred to leave.

When they are finally alone, he pulls himself up and sits on the bed. He experimentally, holds Grayson´s hand and looks at it. Does this really make people feel better? A simple gesture like this?

He then proceeds to move his hand to his face. Gently, so not to wake him. What will his mother say if he sees him being this...weak? He runs his fingers near a small scar Grayson got as Robin many years ago.
Is showing affection really only for the weak? Grayson, not that he will admit it aloud, is one of the bravest man he knows.

His hand moves to his hair and he runs his fingers through it. When he is in the receiving end the sensation is comforting, but the motion from the other side is nice. Grayson´s long hair, is silky and soft, tickles his fingers. For a while he continues this until Grayson starts fidegeting and murmurs something in a language he does not know. Then he remembers Grayson has Romanian origins so that is probably the language. He has heard that word before a couple of times, when his mentor is having nightmares. Seems it is the case right now.

"It is ok. You are ok. Rest." he whispers putting his hand over the former Robin chest. That calms him down a little bit.

He does not know what posses to do what he did, but suddenly he finds himself lying next to Grayson and he lies his head carefully in his chest and hugs the man as far as his arms let him. Grayson settles down slowly, his breathe and heartbeat steady and comforting. He is satisfied this worked, he can´t have Batman hurt himself further, means no patroling for him (he does not want Grayson hurt...or in pain...)

Damian does not mean to, he really does not, but he is exhausted and sleep wins him over.

Next morning, Dick opens his eyes and feels a little disoriented until he realizes he is at his room. He remembers Harvey, taking a beat, a bullet and managing to capture the lunatic...Robin shouting at him and Alfred´s face.
He tries to sit, but there is a heavy weight on his chest and left side. The boy, still wearing his Robin´s custom, had an arm over Dick´s chest and is curled next to him sleeping like the dead.

"Oh Damian" Dicks grins and settles back down. He does not want to wake up his baby bird.

The photo he took in that exact moment, is one of Alfred favorites.