Prompt based on:

(+44):

I was like a migrating bird last night. Navigating on pure instinct. Don't remember how... but I made it home.

Another part to my 'Texts From Last Night' string of fics.

Bit of Underage Dick/Damian romance here, but nothing more than fluff I suppose as I acknowledge age limitations.

This fic would take place sometime after Bruce's return. I am neither acknowledging the 'New 52' nor dismissing it here, so place it where you will.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Oh…. That was such a bad idea…" Dick groaned, clutching his forehead as he attempted to cocoon himself within the blankets.

"Tt. Of course it was."

Dick froze, and slowly poked his head out from beneath the sheets, squinting in the artificial darkness the curtains provided.

Curtains that were clearly maroon, even in the blackened room, instead of blue…

"Damian?"

"Of course Grayson, who else?" The boy huffed, jabbing him in the side with a sharp finger.

The older man blinked hazily, and shuddered within the sheets, pulling them tighter around his form.

"Why 'm I in your room?" He mumbled, furrowing his brow as his brain seemingly pulsated against his skull.

"I have been wondering the same thing. For the past four hours. It is currently 5am. You infiltrated my dwelling and commandeered my bed at 1am. I was tempted to stab you in the thigh with my letter opener, but judging by your state of inebriation, I figured you would be punished enough upon waking. As is typical, I was correct. Medicine, Grayson. Use it, or not, I could care less." Damian smugly held out his hand containing two small capsules, and smirked as Dick gingerly scooped them up and downed them dry. With a small tsk, he passed the man a bottle of water, and watched him drink half its contents before burying his face within the pillow.

"Why're you being so good about this?" He murmured, opening an eye to stare at the boy.

"Tt… I have already explained myself, I will not repeat it again."

Dick frowned.

"But, that was about you not stabbing me, not why-"

"I will not repeat myself." Damian sniffed, turning his head. "Moving on, how did you manage to get yourself home in once piece in your state? Especially when the manor is clearly well out of the way compared to that haunt you insist on living in squalor within…"

Dick groaned.

"It's not that messy… it just lacks Alfred's special touch." He whined, wanting all too much to curl up and pass out once more, even if that risked getting shanked in his sleep. "I'm not sure really. I was like a migrating bird I guess... Navigating on pure instinct. Don't remember how, but clearly I made it- home…"

"Indeed…"

"Remind me to NEVER go out with old friends ever again without the only intentions being me serving as the designated hero driver. Being the Bat shot my tolerance to hell…" He groaned, re-covering his head with the blankets.

"You will not have to worry about that. I will not allow it to happen again. When you are intoxicated as such you are vulnerable and excessively chatty. Someone might seek to take advantage of you." He stated quite simply, crossing his arms.

"M'sorry…"

"Yes, yes, I know. Sleep Grayson, you need it."

"What about you?"

"I shall be right here," the boy patted the mattress space beside Dick. "attempting to do the same whilst making sure you do not choke on your own vomit. One of us has to be the responsible one."

Dick grunted in response, and Damian lay down beside him atop the blankets.

All in all, the night was not a total annoyance.

He had won, quite simply.

He had felt utmostly perturbed and betrayed when Dick had stepped down from being Batman, and his father had taken back the mantle permanently. Ending in the man moving back out on his own and returning to his role as Nightwing, all without ever once consulting him about it. It had hurt.

But now, he was quite content, for Dick was a chatty emotional rollercoaster when inebriated.

A truthful emotional rollercoaster that had made his day.

With a small sigh, Damian let his eyes slide shut, and curled into a ball at Dick's side.

He could do nothing now; that he was sure of. Dick would have little to no recollection of this night, and regardless, he would not act inappropriately. That would not change. However Damian was patient. Patient, and always determined to get what he wanted. And if he wanted one Dick Grayson to be his, and Dick himself had those very same feelings buried deep within, he would have him… in time.

Even if he must wait several years to accomplish such a feat.

On the bright side, he had plenty of time to plan.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Four hours earlier…
-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Damian awoke to the sound of his door thudding shut and a figure rushing towards him.

In his sleep muddled state, he ran on autopilot, grabbing the sharp letter opener from his nightstand, and bracing himself for attack. Years of his grandfather's men invading his chambers in the dark of the night simply to test him and keep him on his feet had conditioned him to handle such occurrences.

However, in no instances had he been prepared for this…

When no attack came, and the figure stumbled slightly in the darkness, Damian reached over and turned on his lamp.

"Grayson? What in the blazes are you- …are you alright?" Damian raised both eyebrows as the off balance Dick took one look at him and gave him a dejected, crestfallen face.

Without answering, and before Damian cold react accordingly, Dick launched himself forward onto the bed, gathering the boy up in a tight embrace. He stiffened briefly, before attempting to thrash his way out of the man's arms, only to be pinned down to the mattress with the man snuggling into his neck.

"Grayson!? Unhand me! What is the meaning of this insanity? OFF!" The boy snarled, wrenching an arm free, intending to inflict harm with his instrument, to release himself from Dick's grasp.

"Missed you…" Dick murmured, nuzzling Damian's shoulder gently.

Damian froze, ending his struggle as he sniffed the air.

"You lie, otherwise you would not have abandoned me in the first place. You have also been drinking… "

Dick let out a choked off protest of a whine, and shook his head rapidly.

"M'not lying… missed you soooo much. Didn' wanna leave, had to. And m'fine…"

"Tt… no one was forcing you to leave. Father seemed genuinely surprised by your departure, given that you would still be patrolling within Gotham. You could have been Nightwing, and still lived in the manor. No one was stopping you." He huffed, pushing against the man's chest, hoping to be let up.

Dick rocked back on his knees, straddling Damian's thighs as he stared down at him, biting his lower lip.

"Could'n stay… I wanted Nightwing. M'not the Bat. Didn't wanna be the Bat…
And I know Bruce. Wanted his son t'himself, was only in the way. Thinks I was hogging you, making you prefer me- n'maybe I was…bein'selfish. And it was inappropriate how I was starting to feel about things. Had'ta go."

"Uhg, nonsense… quit your babbling, get off, return to your own chambers, and sleep this stupor of yours off .You are making no sense, and you are wrinkling my sheets."

"M'sorry Dami… know you hate me, but that's fine. Love you all the same, even if I should'n…" He sighed, rolling over onto his side, wrapping an arm around the boy's.

"…wait, what?"

"Nothin, nothin… m'babbling." he murmured, pulling the blankets up around himself, snuggling in.

"But you just- oh, never mind, just sleep…" He muttered, blush creeping across his face as he squeezed his temples.

"M'kay."

Damian lay there silently watching the man slip slowly into sleep and sighed.

'Of all things to- and at such a time… uhg.'

"You know, honestly? This is not home. Not without you. You made it home… Richard…"

"Mmm…"

"Also, on the subject of me hating you? It is far from the truth… just thought you ought to know. Perhaps you will sleep better at night and not do such foolish things."

And at that, one Dick Grayson fell asleep… for a few short hours, grin across his face, and Damian at his side.