Title: Truly Alike
Author: Jordan Herbert

Rating: T for situations mentioned
Genre: Angst/Slash/Drama
Pairing: Sladin, well duh
Summary: After 'The End' all of the Titans want to be alone for a bit and reflect on what has happened. Robin decides to think on the rooftop, too bad he's never alone. How could he expect to be alone after everything he and Slade had been through together?

Truly Alike

"Do you still doubt our similarities?" Robin whipped around from the setting sun. Nothing was there. He was the only one on the Titan's rooftop. Of course, he had told his team that he wanted to be alone.

Robin placed a hand over his already masked eyes and slowly shook his head, trying to clear the thought away. He hadn't just heard Slade's voice; it was all in his head. Turning around again he gasped as he found a large figure obscuring his vision from everything else.

"Slade." he hissed as he regained his composure. He stepped back a few feet to provide plenty of room between himself and the madman.

"Hello Robin, miss me? I certainly missed you while I was away." Slade folded his arms behind his back. He was always so natural in every situation.

"You shouldn't have come back." Robin glared as he stepped into a battle stance. He was ready for anything the larger man might throw at him.

"I'm not here to fight Robin." Slade approached Robin slowly and the boy tensed. "I merely think we should discuss some things."

"There's nothing I have to say to you." Robin held his ground and stood up straight. He wasn't about to let Slade intimidate him. He made himself appear as big as he possibly could but, being abnormally small for someone his age, it was a hard task.

"Nothing at all Robin, not a single thing you might want to say to me? Now I know that's a lie. Surely you can at least thank me for my help with little Raven's father." Slade's hidden lips smirked as Robin's eye twitched a bit.

"If you hadn't worked for him in the first place Slade, then none of that would have happened!" Robin's hands clenched tightly into fists as he glared up at the man.

"That's also a lie; we both know that if it wasn't me then it would have just been someone else. But that's not what I wish to discuss. I came here to talk about us." Slade leaned forward and Robin backed up another step.

"Us, there is no 'us' Slade." Robin gulped as the man tilted his head to the side and continued to look at him. There was something different in Slade's eye. He had seen that look before when he was the man's apprentice. But those were time's he liked to repress. Like the time he had finally seen Slade mask less, when he had his first real kiss stolen from the man, when he had been blackmailed to sit in the man's lap while his neck was nibbled on.

"Oh but there is Robin and in fact, I think it doesn't need to be said. Words tend to be rather useless when you can simply express yourself better with actions. Don't you agree?" Slade started advancing on the boy again. Robin shook his head and took a step back with every step Slade took forward. "You don't? That's a pity." Slade mocked as his strides grew longer, closing the distance between the boy and himself.

"Slade stop, stay away from me." Robin's foot hit the edge of the roof and he looked behind himself at the dark water lapping at the shore below. It was a long way down…

"When have I ever been able to stay away from you?" Robin jumped as a hand was softly pressed against his cheek.

"Slade, I mean it, stop." Robin wished he was as confident as he sounded. His eyes were wide and his hands were trembling slightly. "I told you along time ago that we were too different and we still are now. It won't work, it never could, we're just too different."

"But we're not Robin and we never were 'too different'. We've always been the same and you can't deny it anymore. Think about it, my boy, you and I were in step with each other while 'saving the world'. Not only that, but we're both skilled fighters of the same technique, have crafty minds that think above all others', and are both misunderstood. You a hero who's played the part of a villain while I a villain who had played the hero role. We also share the same personality traits; determined, serious, focused--"

"Maybe," Slade stopped as he waited for Robin to continue. "I mean you do have good points and like I said before it's not the matter that I'm not attracted to you but simply that I'm a hero and you my foe. But seeing as I was a villain before, as Red X not your apprentice, and you did help save the world, maybe this could work."

Slade was actually caught off guard. He blinked a few times and ran his thumb lightly over the boy's cheek. "You finally agree?" Maybe Slade had just heard wrong. Robin never gave in before. All the times he had tempted the child, given him an opportunity, Robin had never complied with his desires. But now, on the Titan's rooftop, while the sun was setting, it seemed that he was.

"I can't really deny it anymore, can I?" The corner of Robin's lip curved upward into a light smile. Slade loved that smile

"No," Slade leaned down while Robin closed his eyes. "You can't, not anymore." Slade's other hand rested on the boy's hip. "And I'm glad, that you can finally see that," Robin's arms gently wrapped around his neck as his hands removed his mask.

"We're so alike." They spoke in unison as they became one that night.

A.N. Yay for snow days! Two chapters in one day, what a treat! Besides, I thought I needed some fluff after that rough chapter 11 and all. Why do you guys think Slade wasn't in the Brotherhood of Evil? Because he didn't want to go up against his lover Robin after they made up of course! Also, he's too good to be in some sort of league and many other reasons, but that reason is the biggest one in my mind.