Damian staggered out of the car, Dick, still unaccustomed to anything resembling normal driving hopping after him.
"Well, here we are, and in one piece none the less." Damian straightened his collar with a flick of the wrist, glancing back to check on Dick as Jason meandered after them.
"Although, if Todd drives so recklessly with my pets in the vehicle, he will find that he has made a grave miscalculation concerning his continued survival."
Dick glanced between the two curiously, before fixating on Damian. "...What?"
"Nothing you need concern yourself with." Damian pushed into Super Paws Kennel, striding forward with the confidence of a man ready to challenge a fierce opponent to a duel.
What followed was some of the most aggressive paperwork Dick had ever seen in his life, as Damian spurred Jason as hard as he could into completing the filing, and Jason attempted to lollygag as much as humanly possible.
When the Great Dane and cat of dubious ancestry were let into the room, Damian wasted no time setting them loose.
"Titus! Alfred!" Damian fell to his knees, and Titus ran into his waiting arms, above the protests of the staff.
Alfred launched himself onto Jason's face, with the energy of a be-clawed hurricane.
Damian beamed. "Good boy, Alfred!"
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Jason, face patched in Slyvester and Tweety (Dick had helped pick the band-aids) slunk into the house, Damian and Dick trotting in, beaming, behind him.
"With me, Grayson!" Damian led Dick and his furry companions into the living room, Dick excitedly trying to pet Titus the entire time they walked.
Damian plopped onto the rug, motioning for his pets to fall on either side of him and for Dick to sit facing him.
"Alright. Titus already loves you…" Dick reached out and let Titus slobber over his outstretched hands, "so all that remains is Alfred. I have taught him to assault both Todd and Drake with extreme prejudice, but he ought to like you."
Dick looked up with alarm, but Damian simply scooped up the cat and held it out to inspect Dick suspiciously. "We like Richard, Alfred. He is a friend and family and you will be very nice to him, understood?"
Damian reached out to hand Dick a few treats, smiling reassuringly. "Fear not, Richard. No harm will come to you. Alfred is going to protect you fearsomely with his life."
Dick looked a bit intimidated by this concept, but held out the treats obediently. Alfred seemed a bit confused by this new human who smelled quite similar to the bigger human who sneaked him tuna sometimes and who gave his human cuddles often, but seemed to consent to the clear instructions his human was giving him.
"There, see?" Damian said, pleased. "I told you he would like you." Damian set Alfred down, and he explored Dick in an apparent attempt to understand who he was, exactly, and also to determine if any more treats were forthcoming. Damian handed Dick some more, which pleased both the younger boy and the cat in equal measure.
Alfred thereupon decided that he had lost interest in this interaction and meandered off to do whatever is deemed important in the life of a returning monarch to its kingdom.
"You will realize shortly," Damian began, "that cats are far less personable than their canine counterparts. Do not expect them to be cuddly or remotely sociable. Titus, on the other hand... " Damian released Titus, who promptly glomped Dick with much enthusiasm.
Dick gave a shriek of laughter. "He thinks he's as little as the puppies!"
Damian cracked a grin at Dick, now sprawled out on the ground as Titus bathed his face. "He is under that impression, yes."
Dick giggled, and petted Titus's head awkwardly. "Good doggie."
Titus settled down, pinning Dick by lying his forelegs on either shoulder. Dick chuckled a bit, and settled in.
"...Damian?" Dick waited to be acknowledged, then continued, glancing at Damian before staring up at the ceiling. "I know that you like me. But, why do you say I'm so good?"
Damian glanced at Dick quickly, before turning away. "... I know that you do not have much experience with people. But trust me when I say that you are a good person, Richard. I have seen bad people. I used to be one of them. But you are not. You want good things for everyone. You are… selfless and kind and… good."
"But… doesn't everybody want good things for everyone?"
"No. Most people are more worried about helping themselves than others. Most even would be happier hurting others if it would be to their own advantage."
"... Why?"
"It depends on the person. Some people are just… like that. Sometimes they think they can't live without hurting people. Some people are scared. There are lots of reasons. Richard…" Damian shifted to look straight at Dick, now.
"If I can convince you that you are better than most people, or that there is nothing that makes you a worthless person… will you try to believe it?"
Dick bit his lip, and his eyebrows pinched together in the way that meant he was fighting off a pain attack.
"I… don't know. I mean. I don't think you could make me believe either of those things."
"Don't you want to believe them?"
Dick's chest jolted, and Titus ducked to try to comfort the small human under him. Dick reached up to hug the warm body on top of him.
"I shouldn't. I shouldn't want that."
"But doesn't it make you angry?" Damian leaned forward, pulling to remember what he remembered of Grayson's sometimes-tumultuous relationship with Father. "Don't you want better than he gives you? Don't you want to be your own person, or to be loved, or free? Isn't it unfair that he treats you like you are worthless?"
Dick shook his head reflexively, violently, but his eyes watered and spilled. "O-of course I don't want that. That'd be bad. And I don't… I'm not…"
Dick caught Damian's eyes again, before jerking away. "I mean, I didn't even know what being loved was like before you guys showed up, so I can't… I can't ever've wanted… right? No. No, no, no, no."
Dick grabbed Titus closer and tried to bury his face in his fur as the dog whined in concern.
"Good doggie. Good doggie."
Damian looked away, and forced himself to un-tense. "It is alright, Richard. You do not need to say anything more. Just think about it, alright? It is all I ask."