A/N: I'd like to recommend a story to you if I may… It's called "Hellfire" by Lady Venamisa and you might not have found it, because it's under Robin/Raven. It's NOT a rob/rae pairing, though, it's a friendship story BUUUUT it will have Sladin in it! And it seems to be dark, so far, so I'd go have a read if I were you… Well… after this chapter of 2061, anyway…

Damn, I should really learn to put recommendations at the end…

Oh, and this is not VERY long, just over seven pages BUT it does NOT end with a cliffhanger! I swear on Robin's sexuality!

And cookies for corrections!

2061

Touchy Feely

Robin had never felt satisfaction as intense as when his fist smashed into Slade's jaw. He saw the man reaching out for him, so he threw himself backwards on the table, holding himself up with one hand as he let his feet kick out instead, hitting the man in the chest and making his chair topple over. As Slade went down, Robin followed, landing kicks and punches in front of the stunned and mostly terrified board-members.

It wasn't even about Slade anymore; it was about all the grief, all the anger, all the helplessness he had felt for the last twenty-four hours.

Of course it couldn't last, and, once more, it was the blind rage's fault. Robin was never at his best while fighting in anger. He didn't have the bulk to go into a berserk-like mood and still win, and without enough brute force he needed his agility and his speed; he needed to think… and when he was angry enough, he couldn't.

"That's enough, Robin." Slade's voice was cold, collected, and, though he had gotten to his feet, the man seemed unwilling to really fight back. Robin, however, had no problems with that, and didn't agree with the man's words. He launched himself towards the man and snarled as he attacked him again.

Slade blocked the punch and sent the teen into a wall, but, again, he didn't follow up with a punch of his own. Robin stood up, shook it off and attacked once more.

It was the board-members, the teen realized. Slade didn't want to fight him in front of them. The teen smirked and imagined the amount of pain he would be able to inflict on the man, but in that moment, just as his mind flickered over to fantasy-land for only a split second, Slade's hand shot out.

Robin found himself with his back pressed up against the man's chest, gasping for breath. One steel-like arm was across his throat and the other around his middle, holding his arms in place.

"I told you it was enough, Robin," the man growled in his ear.

The teen felt an icy chill through his body. Slade had been angry before, yes, but this time…

"Let… go..!" the hero gasped.

"No. I think I've had enough of you."

The movement was sudden, Slade let go of his middle and grabbed the side of his head. Robin felt a scream grow inside him as he realized what the man was about to do, but there was nothing he could do to stop him. His head was suddenly jerked to the side, there was a horrible, cracking sound… and everything went black.

He woke up with a startled gasp and a stab of pain down his spine which disappeared immediately, like it was only a memory.

Robin blinked up at a familiar ceiling. He was in Slade's apartment. In the man's bed. He felt an urgent need to flee, although he couldn't quite remember why yet, and tried to push himself off the bed, but a yank on his wrists stopped him.

"Don't bother, Robin. I have contemplated chaining you to my bed for a while now, and I thought it was time," he heard Slade say, off to the side.

"What… what happened?" the teen mumbled. He still couldn't quite remember. He turned his head to see Slade standing by the glass wall, looking out over the city, his back to Robin. At the young man's words the man turned around.

"I broke your neck."

"W-what?"

"I warned you, but you wouldn't listen. You attacked me in front of my own board members, tearing down the front we have worked so hard to maintain in one idiotic move. You've been a very, very bad pet, Robin."

"I'm not-!" the rest of his objection went unspoken as the teen saw the look on the man's face. Robin swallowed instead and then fearfully stared down at his legs. He carefully moved one foot and then the other.

"No you're not paralyzed. I had to break your neck again, though, because I left you on the floor until the meeting had finished and by then you had started healing," the man told him coldly.

"How… long?"

"Two days."

"What? I have to-!"

"You don't have to do anything apart from thinking about your situation," the man told him. "Try to think of a way to make up this to me."

"To… to YOU!" Robin suddenly remembered. Everything. "You... the busses… you… you BASTARD!"

"I called to ask if you wanted a reprieve. You chose to ignore my call," Slade said, stepping closer until he was staring down at the teen.

"You should have KNOWN that-"

"We have a business-deal, Robin, you can't expect me to disregard that just because you feel it's the right thing to do; these things have to be negotiated. You choose not to negotiate, which means the old agreement stands. To make things worse, not only did you react violently, but my people were attacked by a mob of Mongrels when they came back yesterday. This is a very serious breach of contract… what reasons do I have not to tear the whole thing up?"

"So you chained me up to your bed?" the teen snarled sarcastically. "Let me guess, to make things good again, all I have to do is spread my legs, right?"

"I chose my bed because you needed to lie flat and still and I wanted you where I could keep an eye on you. The chains are because I didn't know exactly when you would wake up. If you want to 'spread your legs', as you call it; do. I'd gladly fuck you. But it won't change a thing. Not this time."

Robin was ashamed at the sense of desperation those words brought him. When dealing with Slade sex always was the way to go, from a few suggestive words to the full act itself. He had learned that all too quickly and, though it had usually been a last option, it was now gone. So what was left? Robin swallowed. He didn't know.

"I… people were dead… dying… I… I didn't think… I…"

"Exactly. You didn't think," the man snorted. "And now my board members, who you had convinced that you were really a spy working for me, are highly suspicious. Well, except for Duncan... How do you propose we fix that? Although I could kill them all off…"

"No!" Robin didn't want to be responsible for any more deaths. "Why didn't you think? You could have just fucking realized that there would be some kind of mourning-period! And if I didn't pick up you could have talked to Rose or Rebecca or the committee, or-"

"So I should have chased after you because I should assume that you want to change the rules? That's not how it works, Robin. You have taken me far too lightly lately, and it's time that changed. I've told you that I am generous only to a limit and you have by far crossed that line now. Call me an inhuman bastard if you like-"

"My thoughts exactly!"

"-but this is business. I'm trying to teach you how to take charge, how to rule, Robin. You can't run around trying to sort all the little things out, and you particularly can't demand favors without clearing it with me first. You practically commandeered two thirds of the city's medical resources yesterday-"

"It was an emergency!" Robin objects.

"Yes, your emergency. Either deal with it with your own resources or turn to the one who can grant you some of ours: me. But did you? No, you told your committee that I would cover all the costs and they believed you. I won't punish them for that, though, I'll let you take the responsibility, but it seems that you have forgotten who this world belongs to, or perhaps you think that you can have what you want as long as you flutter your eye-lashes at me?"

"Well, you said that you had trouble denying me anything just before the accident… Remember? In bed?" Robin said hopefully and Slade sighed.

"I do. Fine. I'll take part of the blame; I've been too soft on you. I'll remedy that, and you will think about how to make up for your mistakes. It's about nine in the morning and I have a meeting. I'll be back around lunch."

At that moment Robin heard a signal he recognized very well.

"That's my phone!" he said and looked around.

"Seems so. It's been ringing quite a lot," Slade shrugged as he buttoned the cuffs on his shirt.

"If you don't want the problems with the Mongrels to grow out of control, you should let me answer it," Robin said levelly.

Slade gave him a thoughtful look but then went and fetched the phone which was on a pile of what Robin realized was his uniform. He himself was dressed boxers and a t-shirt which he had not been wearing before. Well. Could be worse. Could have been a skirt.

"Here. Don't do anything stupid. Lives depend on it," the man said and handed the phone over. Robin shuffled up in a sitting-position, the chains running from cuffs around his wrists to the headboard were just long enough to let his sit up comfortably.

"I won't," he muttered and answered. "Emma? Yes, Yes I know, I'm sorry. There has been a problem with the signal, I had to send the phone to be repaired. How are you, what's going on?"

The teen listened for a while, and then sighed.

"Yes. I know. That was my fault, I didn't clear it with Slade, I thought… well, it was my fault anyway… Listen, I'm probably going to be gone for a bit... I'm going to try to clear everything up, but it's very important that there's no violence against Citizens, all right? We might lose everything. Has any help been coming in? No? I didn't think so… No, stick to the mourning-period, of course! How is the food-supply? Good… good… ah, Rebecca… bless her… Yes, I'll tell her so. I really messed up, Emma, and I'm sorry… tell people to stay away from trouble and be safe. My phone should work now, but you might not be able to reach me all the time and keep the calls to a minimum… but still, if there's any emergencies, I want to hear about it… don't worry, though, just take care of yourselves, okay? Yes, I will… thank you… bye…"

Robin looked up but Slade had left some time during the conversation.

He sighed and put his head in his hands, yanking on the damn chains, feeling miserable. He had not even been able to confront Slade about the fact that the building-sites apparently hadn't been surveyed properly… and he couldn't very well bite the man's head off now, without causing more harm than good.

Slade was royally pissed at him, and, though very unwillingly, Robin had to admit that he had some cause to be. Just a little. He didn't regret any of the punches or kicks, but maybe it would have been better if it hadn't been in front of the board…

He had only wallowed in his own misery for a little while before he suddenly realized that he had another pressing problem; he needed to pee.

The chains, no matter how thin and sparkly new they looked, wouldn't budge, of course.

"Will?" Robin called out. "HEY! WILLIAM!" No result. Then he remembered the phone and simply called the assistant.

"Yes, it's William?" the blond answered.

"Hi, Robin here… err… could you do me a favor?"

"Doubtful," the assistant said dryly. "My back still hurts."

"Ow… sorry… but I really need the bathroom… please?"

"What makes you think I have the key?"

Robin gulped.

"You… you don't? Can you call Slade? Get me some tools? Hell, I'll take a bedpan!"

At that moment he door opened and as Robin craned his head back he saw William's smirking face just as the man snapped his phone shut.

"Please tell me you have the key?" Robin pleaded.

"I do. Slade said that you would have to go soon… something about your body having been shut down after… well… " When he just got a blank look from Robin, he continued. "You are under strict orders to be good, though."

"I will," Robin mumbled.

William reached over and unlocked something above the bed, and then there were more slack in the chains, but, Robin noticed, they were still attached to the bed.

"You're kidding?"

"No, sorry. Slade's rules," William told him.

"Fine…" Robin wasn't in the mood to argue and shuffled into the bathroom. Luckily the chains were more than long enough, although he couldn't close the door all the way. No matter. He needed to pee more than he needed complete privacy.

When he came back out a while later, William was waiting for him.

"I guess you're gonna lock me back on the bed?" Robin muttered gruffly.

"Yes, take a seat," William answered. Robin did, and as soon as the assistant had locked and thereby shortened the chains again, the man visibly relaxed. "Are you hungry?" he asked, a bit kinder than before.

"No," Robin mumbled and sat up against the headboard, hugging his knees. There was something in the back of his mind, something he had forgotten, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what.

"Thirsty?"

"No, I'm okay… do you… do you think I could ask Rebecca to come by?"

"You have to ask Slade…" William said uncertainly. "You're not his favorite person in the world right now."

"I know…. I just… wanted to talk to someone…"

"Are you okay?"

"No." Robin felt his eyes burning. He wasn't okay. Everything was starting to sink in now, all the deaths… John… Amanda…

"Robin…"

"No, it's okay… I… I need to be alone…" the teen said a bit harshly, refusing to look up at the blond.

"Call me it there's anything you need," William told him quietly and touched Robin's shoulder before he left.

Tears started rolling down the teen's face as the man walked away, and, as the door closed, he couldn't hold back the first sob.

He curled up, pulled the sheets over his head and cried until he fell asleep from exhaustion.

Slade returned around lunchtime as promised to find Robin sleeping with tears still drying on his cheeks. The man frowned and then sighed. He knew the situation was delicate. Robin had done something he deserved to be punished for, and, at the same time, he had lost people he obviously cared about, and the man did not want the boy to be catatonic and grief-stricken… just slightly more manageable.

He sat down on the edge of the bed heavily enough for the teen to wake up. Robin startled a bit but then only blinked up at him. Slade kept another frown back. It was clear that the usual fire had left the teen for the moment, but, he figured, this might still be an opportunity to tie Robin closer to himself. The hero still had the weakness of needing to bond emotionally with people, and Slade, though he knew the boy wouldn't easily connect with him, would rather see himself in that role over some Mongrels. And now, as Robin had lost his closest acquaintances in that group, might be the time to step in.

"William tells me that you haven't eaten," Slade said in a firm voice.

"Not hungry…" Robin answered and curled up a bit like he was trying to get back to sleep.

"Your body is. It has burned a lot of energy, so you will eat something or be fed."

"Slade, why weren't the building sites surveyed properly?"

The man blinked at the sudden change of topic and even more so from the fact that Robin's voice didn't sound particularly angry or accusing, only tired and dejected.

"I've been asking the same question," he answered calmly.

"But… it was the committee, the people you chose to help me, that said that it hadn't been done because the rebuilding wasn't a priority," Robin objected, but still without much of a bite in his tone. "They should have told me! I didn't know about the danger, Slade, I didn't know! Why didn't anyone say anything?" by now Robin's voice sounded broken and his eyes had refilled with fresh tears.

"It wasn't a priority, I made that clear. They should use only men and machinery available, for example; if they were needed on a city-site that would come first. I didn't intend for it to be no bomb-sweep, however."

"But… didn't you know?"

"Robin, what have I taught you? You can't possibly look over everyone's shoulders, and those are routine procedures. Do you think I did it on purpose? When you could have been killed?"

"… guess not…" the teen mumbled. "…I should have known, though…"

"Really? Because you have lived in a bombed city before? You knew what kinds of weapons the Brotherhood used? You were familiar with today's building procedures?" Slade asked dryly.

"I should have been… I should have known… I could have stopped it…"

"More people will die. They will fall off buildings or walk in front a machine at the wrong time. Should you know about those things as well? And be there to stop it? Be careful with that kind of thinking, Robin, you can't save them all."

"But…." the teen started, but didn't continue. He just shook his head slightly and closed his eyes.

"What?"

"No… it's… it's just so unfair! I've already lost one family! I lost everyone… and now I lose so many of my new family, it's… I don't know what to do!"

The teen looked up at him with pleading eyes and Slade felt a burst of triumph. This was exactly what he wanted; Robin turning to him for support and strength. He needed to handle it carefully, though; not too coldly but also not suspiciously softly, because Robin wouldn't trust that kind of behavior.

"You will eat, and regain your strength. Put what might have been out of your mind and focus on how to fix the mess you got the whole project into." To the man's surprise the teen smiled a little. "What?" Slade added and raised an eyebrow.

"It sounds like what I told people after the accident…" the teen admitted.

"See? You are not a complete imbecile. Now live up to your own advice," the tyrant said with a short chuckle. He wasn't about to let the boy off the hook, however. "If you want to return to your people, you have some work to do. Until then, you will stay here."

"But can't I stay in my room?" Robin asked.

"Oh, no. It's still a punishment… I don't want you to get comfortable."

"In your bed? Fat chance…" the hero snorted softly.

"My point exactly," the man smirked. There was a knock on the door and a member from the kitchen-staff came in with a covered cart.

"Lunch, Sir?" he said and Slade stood up, gesturing to the dinner-table.

"We'll eat in a moment, Robin, I just have to change my shirt first," the man told his chained guest as he stood up.

"No trouble for my sake…" Robin muttered and raised an eyebrow, "or can I change too?"

"You don't have blood all over you," the man snorted and turned around. The teen's eyes widened as he saw that the other side of the man's shirt was splattered with little red-brown drops.

"How… what…?"

"Oh, just another meeting… the man wouldn't see things my way… But his replacement will."

"I bet," Robin muttered and pushed himself to a sitting-position on the edge of the bed, which was as far at the chains would let him go.

The staff-member left with a polite bow, probably happy to get out of the strange situation, and Slade shook off his shirt. Robin watched dully as he couldn't do much else.

Slade studied him from the corner of his eye. Normally the teen would probably either yank on his chains, demand to be released, or at least find some way to insult him, but he was just sitting. Losing almost forty friends might take more than two days to get over, though. He himself, after all, still missed William Wintergreen Senior from time to time.

"I was wondering… could I go see Rebecca? Or could she come here?" Robin suddenly asked.

"Why? Need her to provide for you little dogs?" Slade asked with a sneer. "Don't think you can avoid our deal by going to her, because I will forbid her to send any more provisions if you do."

"I wasn't, I just… I wanted to talk to someone…"

Slade winced. He had been afraid of this. He had dealt with Robin's initial grief, when he had woken the young man up after being frozen, by mainly ignoring it and ridiculing it. At that time he had to treat Robin as a true pet, though, both to keep him under the radar of potentially dangerous people and to divert Robin's shock somewhat, to make him focus on something else while he settled in this new time. He couldn't do that to the same extent now, and, again, he didn't like the thought of the young man bonding with someone besides himself.

"You can talk to me," he offered in the end, trying not to sound reluctant.

"I think you misunderstand the situation…" Robin snorted. "I wanted to talk to someone who actually gives a shit."

"And you think I don't?"

"Duh!"

"Don't make noises. Use your words," Slade told him dryly.

"Fine! What I think is that you are rather glad I wasn't killed. When I happened to make you look a bit bad, though, you snap my neck! That's caring for you…"

"It's not? If I hadn't stopped you I might have had a mutiny on my hands right now… and how do you think your precious Mongrels would have fared then? By breaking your neck, I saved them… for now, at least."

Robin glared at the man, hating the fact that he might very well be right.

"Fine. I still don't want to talk to you about my feelings…" he muttered.

"As you wish," Slade shrugged, "but for the moment… I'm all you have."

To be Continued…

A/N: See! No cliffy! Just a slightly ominous sentence and the next chapter will just start with them having lunch… So now I have no reason to update quickly, right?

Actually I have a bunch of half-finished drabbles, so I just want to focus most of my writing-time on them for a bit… I seem to get stuck half way in with most of them… Good thing Slade doesn't!... Oh, sorry, it's Friday, and I'm in one of those moods… ;) I also want to draw this weekend… maybe a bit of webdesign… We were going to go to "Liseberg" in Gothenburg, one of the biggest amusement-parks in Scandinavia, tomorrow, but that was cancelled and we're going to go next Saturday instead… so then I will be surrounded by green and pink bunnies (their mascots)! Scaaaary things… They are to me like ducks to Robin… ;)

Speaking of ducks, I'm currently on the hunt for a metal duck-pin to put on my jeans-jacket… yeah, I know, very eighties, and, in fact, no one seems to sell metal pins anymore… still, I'm going to keep my eye out, I kinda want one.. ; ) There might not even BE one, but if you see one, please let me know, that way I at least know that they are out there.. and I like the chase… ;)

/W