"Betrayal, destruction, revenge… We really do think alike."
In a blind flash of anger, his apprentice lunges at him, desperately reaching for the control. It's easy to evade the boy, however, and Slade ruthlessly twists him by the arm. The young novice cries out as pain severs his back, rippling down his offended limb. The sting is so intense it brings him to his knees.
Slade's grip is relentless, the iron shackle of his imprisonment. His hand twitches in desperate, irregular convulsions. Every muscle feels as if they are tearing from the bone.
The heat of Slade's breath vents through the slits in his mask. "I monitored your vital signs during the mission: Elevated heart rate, adrenaline, endorphins. You won't admit it but at some level you enjoy stealing for me. It was a thrill… wasn't it?"
Through grated teeth, the victim lets out a strangled, bestial growl. His master releases him and thrusts him across the dark room. He turns towards his workbench, resuming his work as his apprentice tries to sooth the damage to his burning wrist. "You're going to keep stealing, Robin. And you're going to keep getting that thrill. And sooner or later, you will see things my way." Walking towards the boy, he equips him with the stolen lethal weapon. "Who knows? I might even become like a father to you."
Beneath the mask, he glares at the older man. The quiet, seething distain is unmistakable. "I already have a father."
A/N: Set during "Apprentice II." I've always been fascinated by Slade and his interactions with the Titan's. He's a villain like none other.
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