Wednesday, 9 December ~* Gives *~

Robin was a bit nervous about seeing Slade the next morning, but he had his steaming mug of tea in front of him like a shield.

"Morning," he said softly as he entered.

"Morning." Slade's voice sounded a bit rough and it looked like he had just woken up.

"You look better," Robin told him, and then took a sip because he got a bit embarrassed. Ginger and Cranberry. Well, it woke you up.

"Well, thank you," the man leered in the way Robin knew he would.

"I meant your wounds. You can barely see them anymore," Robin said, gesturing to the man's arms.

"Oh?" Slade inspected his arms and then pulled out his t-shirt, studying his stomach and chest. "Good. Seems rest works. Sometimes."

Robin chuckled and then checked the time. "I have to get ready for class, and then I have work. You'll be ok? Not overdo things?"

"Of course," the man promised.

When Robin entered the bat cave late that evening, Slade was lifting weights in the gym.

"What did I tell you?!" the teen almost yelled.

"I'm not overdoing anything, just seeing how bad it got," Slade said, putting the weights back. He was sweaty, more so than Robin had ever seen him, a sign that things might not be completely well yet. "It's pretty bad," he admitted with a grunt. Robin then noticed that the man hadn't lifted much more than he himself pressed, so yeah. Slade must feel weak as a kitten.

"Is Bruce here?" Robin asked.

"He's on a date. Who's the woman?"

"Mallory Carson."

"Of the Carson family? Second wealthiest family in Gotham?" Slade asked.

"Yup."

"You don't like her."

"I didn't say that."

"No, you didn't. It's obvious, though. More importantly; Alfred doesn't like her either."

"More importantly?!" Robin exclaimed, but after a look from the man, nodded. "Yeah, ok. Him not liking her is pretty much the nail in the coffin."

"But Bruce doesn't know?"

"Bruce is in love. Or at least have gotten it in his head that they would be a good match. Or something. I don't know," Robin grunted.

"I'm sure it will blow over," Slade chuckled. "So… interested in helping me shower?"

"Hah. No."

"You seem to need one yourself."

"I've been working," Robin told him.

Slade reached out his hand. "Alright, just help me up then."

Robin blinked, then wondered if the man was joking. It turned out that he wasn't and that his legs were shaking a bit once he got to his feet.

"For crying out loud, Slade, I'm going to chain you to the bed if you do this again," Robin growled at him, and put the man's arm over his shoulder, helping him towards the shower.

"Well, that sounds interesting," Slade let him know. "Don't tell Alfred," he added.

"About chaining you to the bed?"

"About me overdoing it. Because he would chain me to the bed. And that wouldn't be nearly as interesting."

Robin snorted.

The Batcave's shower room had two big shower cubicles. Once they reached I,t Slade took his arm off Robin's shoulders.

"You don't have to help, but if you are going to shower anyway, maybe make sure I just don't slip and can't get up," he said.

Robin couldn't help it. He snickered.

"It's not funny," Slade muttered.

"No, no, it's not. I'm sorry, it's just… so absurd seeing you even a little under the weather, and… you know… fragile?"

"Please never use that word regarding me ever again," the man grunted and started to undress. "And don't be shy," he added as he apparently noticed that Robin hadn't made a move to remove any of his clothes yet.

"I'm not," the teen objected sullenly.

"I've had my tongue in every one of your orifices apart from possibly your nostrils," Slade pointed out. "There is no reason to be bashful."

"No reason to be tactful either, I hear," Robin muttered.

"There seldom is," Slade philosophized.

Slade's wounds looked even better now, the teen was glad to see. He admitted that he glanced at… other stuff… too, just to, well… be sure it was all there. It was. As soon as Slade entered his shower stall, Robin undressed and entered his own. He was shy, in a way. Slade was right; he shouldn't be, but he was.

Afterwards they were standing wish towels around their hips and both realized at the same time that they didn't have any clean clothes to change into.

"We might be a bit stupid," Robin chuckled.

"No, no, I planned this, to keep you half naked for longer," Slade claimed haughtily.

"Aw, poor fragile old man, let me help you to your room and bring you some soup," Robin smirked.

"Of the two of us, you are the most evil," Slade muttered. "I'll speak to Alfred about you."

"You'll do nothing of the sort!"

"Then go get me some clothes. I need to keep working."

"No, you need to rest."

"I was just working out while the computer ran some numbers, I need to get back to that," the man claimed.

"Alright. I'll get you some clothes, you can check the numbers, but after that, you're resting again. Or I'll tell Alfred."

"Like I said; evil," Slade muttered. "Fine."

Robing smirked as he hurried upstairs. Alfred was a very useful threat. It was a pity it wouldn't work outside the manor…

To be Continued…