Ah, feels good to be writing again. It's only a matter of time before the new school filter blocks again, but what the hell, might as well take advantage of it now.
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Slade growled slightly as he tried to tighten a particularly stubborn bolt on his latest…'invention'. He wasn't really the servant or slave owner type, so he had to build all of his own tools, and that was quite tedious.
A small buzzing noise, the vibrating of his cell phone, caught him off guard. He had only bought the stupid thing to talk to Starfire, so he knew it was her calling him. He turned around and stared at the phone as it buzzed at him. It looked so very out of place in the dark room. He waited for it to buzz a couple more times before he opened it up.
"Starfire. I've been expecting your call." He said with an almost bored air to his voice.
She wanted to see him. Which was expected, but her voice sounded worn and upset. Not the usual cheery, loud voice he normally heard on the other end of the phone. Her tone wasn't suggestive either, causing a very small twinge of disappointment to run through him.
He had almost been looking forward to having her over again….
They had plans to meet tomorrow afternoon, he would pick her up at the tower. That thought alone made him grin maliciously. To see Robin's face now…
The 'snap' of the phone hanging up lingered in the room for a few seconds as Slade let out a lengthy sigh. He went to go back to his work when his television screen, the one he received intermissions from fellow 'villains' on began to crackle. He dashed to his work bench and slid his mask back on, growling for the umpteenth time that night as he glanced over at the screen.
"How the hell did you get this number?" He asked through clenched teeth.
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Starfire dropped her communicator onto the floor, staring up at the ceiling. She was sprawled out on her bed, still not out of the dress she had fallen asleep in. Her mind replayed sections of last night, excellent and horrendous, right in front of her eyes. She could smile at neither, feeling regret for enjoying her night with Joseph and just plain sorrow for her minutes with Robin.
She was going to meet Joseph tomorrow, to tell him about her problems with Robin and various other things she had been wondering about.
Now whether or not she would end up going back to his place again….
Well, that would be decided later on.
Before that though, sometime tonight, she desperately needed to talk to Robin. She hadn't seen him out in the main room all day long and was slightly worried. She had a lot to tell him, too. A lot that would hurt him…but…it had to be done sooner or later.
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"I have my ways. But that's not the important issue here, now is it?" He spoke smoothly as he could, trying to lessen the spite in his tone.
Slade glared at the screen. "Impudent little…." He muttered low under his breath. "Well, then what is the important issue here?"
His expression became a bit darker then. "I have a deal for you, Slade. One that I believe will interest you."
He leaned back in his throne, fingers gripping around the arm rests quietly. "Please, do explain."
"Let her go, end your whole little plan now. Just send her off without a word of who you really are…and I will be your new apprentice"
Slade gave a sarcastic, short laugh. "Please, you think of me as that foolish? I've already made my choice."
"No. I will serve you if just let her go." His stomach felt tight as he spoke, but it had to be done.
"Hmm, and here I thought you would be working on trying to convince her to stay away from me. Trying to unmask me while you're with her, show her the truth…" His voice was full of dark mirth. "But instead, you're giving yourself to me in her honor…how touching.."
He merely shook his head slightly in response. "She'll go insane if she found out that she gave herself to…you. I can't let that happen, so this is my ultimatum. Take it Slade, you know you want to."
"My, my. Such a hard decision….To have you my apprentice, or use the valuable bit of information you just gave me…"
"Information…what are you….?"
His broad shoulders shook with malevolent laughter, "I could reveal my identity to her and cause her to go 'insane', as you say. After days of self loathing, she'll come crawling back to me. Knowing that you won't accept her because of who she's been with. It's quite simple, really."
Slade pressed his fingertips together, peering intently at the screen. He had only had the boy as an apprentice for a few short days, but even in those few hours, he could sense the vast power streaming within him. Power that was held back because of those pesky friends of his…
Another chance, for god knows how long this charade could go on, could prove to be very beneficial. He smirked wickedly under his mask, eye glittering maliciously as he made his decision.
"Very well then, Robin. Come to the docks tomorrow evening, I'm more than certain you still have your old suit lying around somewhere."
The transmission ended here, the screen fading into a sea of gray and black, crackling slightly in the silent room.
Robin turned off the television. He had used one of the older systems downstairs to contact Slade, as not to rise any suspicion of the team. It was considerably smaller than the screen upstairs, covered in a silhouette of gray dust. He stared idly at it, mind turning over the thought of what he had just done…
What he had just agreed to….
Everything had worked out to his…pleasure, if one could call it that. He knew Slade wouldn't be able to resist his offer. He had quite a knack for apprentices, especially Robin…Their short time together had been Slade's pride, the fact that he had found a way to overcome him.
Must be a real treat for Slade to have him come willingly….
Slade was right though, he did still have his apprentice suit. It was in the room next door, the vault room. The others, especially Starfire, suggested he get rid of it, but something told him not to. It was serving as a silent reminder to why he hated Slade so very much, how easily he had let himself fall into the man's trap. A warning of how simply he could be manipulated…
Sighing slightly, he stood up and left the room. The wounds he had suffered yesterday were still fresh, still causing him pain as he moved about. His skin was littered with bruises from crashing into the walls, hand still burning with pain every time he applied pressure to it, and his wrist was still numb from the shattered bones. Every injury a silent reminder of Slade's strength.
He had almost made it to his room when…
"Robin…?" Her voice called from down the hall.
His bandaged hand was on the key pad, ready to type in the numbers, ready to pretend he hadn't heard her….
But since when did he have the strength to deny her…?
He looked over and saw her progressing down the hall, face worried and worn.
"Your hand…Robin, are you alright?" She asked gently, stopping next to him.
"Yeah…" He spat out instantly, hiding the agony of the pain he still felt. "I just got a bit hurt training, that's all…"
She took his broken wrist in her hand, gazing warily at it. "These injuries…are not from training…Robin, where have you been?"
He stared at the ground darkly, feeling her fingers trace over his hand for any other injuries. "Does it really even matter? I was going to go sleep…so, if you don't mind…."
Star put down his hand gently, letting it fall to his side again. "I am sorry to disturb your rest but…We really do need to talk…." Her voice was gentle now, no longer questioning or curious.
She was referring to the night before last….they did need to have a talk about that.
Certainly before he left off for….
"Alright, let's talk in my room." He put in the code and watched the door slide open, walking in and sitting down instantly on his bed. Walking took a lot out of him these days…
She stood before him nervously before finally taking a seat on his bed as well, head bowed slightly, regret lining her expression.
"Robin…" She began softly. "The other night…you told me that you loved me…."
He didn't react at all, not externally at least. His mind and heart screamed out how true it was…he was risking his life for her over and over again, all for her, because he loved her so damn much…
"And…" She looked up now, staring at the ceiling, trying to hold tears in her eyes. "And I love you also, for a long time I have loved you….but…"
Now he reacted slightly, gazing over at her, the smallest speckle of hope shimmering through his heart…
Then there was that single word…
'But'…..
"I am with Joseph at the moment and…I plan on continuing to see him, and perhaps we will not last for much longer but…I am happy with him right now, and I do not want to lose this happiness…."
"So you're saying…." The words has jumped out of his mouth before he even considered them, "You're saying you won't be happy with me…am I right?"
She opened her mouth to speak, a small gasp escaping her lips but they closed again, as did her eyes. She sighed and mulled his words over before speaking again.
"It is not that I will not be happy…I just fear that, things would become complicated. Fighting crime together would become a whole new world of danger. One of us would end up getting killed trying to save the other…."
Robin laughed sullenly. "Sounds more like my train of thought, doesn't it?" He became slightly bitter now…
"Just admit it Starfire, you love him much more than you'll ever love me. That's why you're going with him. Not out of fear for our lives."
"But Robin…" She looked over at him.
"Just go…" He commanded harshly, standing up and turning his back to her. Like an insolent child refusing to listen to a parent any longer.
She wanted to stay and attempt to console him, but her mind had no convincing argument. Slowly, she left the room, leaving him to his own brooding silence.
He lied down on his bed as soon as she left, wanting so badly to go to sleep, but finding it impossible. He should save up his energy for tomorrow…he had the sick feeling that he wouldn't get too much sleep after this, Slade wasn't exactly that kind…
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The next evening came all to fast for Robin, then again, even if this night had been six years away, that would still be far too soon. He was in his room, fresh out of the shower, re-bandaging his wounds and delaying every step he took.
The uniform was laid out on his bed, ready for later in the night. The orange and black stood out against everything else in his considerably plain room. His body ached with the thought of putting the gauntlets on, to have to have another serpentine 's' burn his chest…
He refused to put it on now…it was only around seven at night and he didn't plan on leaving until midnight or so. The time when no one would be awake to see him leave…
Then again, part of him refused to put on his normal outfit too. He felt as if he didn't deserve to wear it anymore, didn't deserve such an honorable title of 'The Boy Wonder'….
If only Bruce could see him now….
And his parents…
They were probably turning in their graves….
He shook his head and put on a pair of old, faded jeans and a t-shirt. He didn't bother putting hair gel in, finding it really unnecessary at this point. With a slight sigh, he walked out into the main room. Finding it full as usual, everyone up to their normal business, not suspecting a thing.
It had been days since he had seen them…
"Robin! Man, where've you been?" Cyborg asked, looking over the couch.
Raven gazed over at him, instantly noticing his bandaged up hands and bruised arms that were revealed.
He put on his normal persona. "Ah, just needed a lot of sleep, that's all….Anything to eat?"
As Raven had tried to do on her 'last' day with the titans, he heeded to all of their requests. Playing video games with the guys, eating both tofu and meat, and drinking a strong cup of coffee. They seemed pretty satisfied with his return, but he could sense Raven's uneasy and suspicious looks every now and then.
She wasn't oblivious to his façade.
It was late now as they were the only two left in the kitchen. The clock read out a dismal '11:45' as Robin stood up slowly.
"Well…I'm going to bed…" He said slowly, taking a good look around the room….
Everything was for the last time…
He scowled at that thought. How horribly cliché it was. There was nothing to be sentimental about here, he chose this path…
No regrets.
"Robin…" Raven said watching him stand. "It's not normal of me to ask this…but is everything alright? You seem…tense…."
He took a deep breath and nodded, closing his eyes for a few lingering seconds. "Yeah, just coming down with a cold or…something…"
"And your hands….?"
His eyes instantly glanced down at them. "I won't lie to you like I did everyone else….It was Slade. We got into a bit of a battle the other night…I'm okay though, really."
"Is she really worth it?" Raven asked softly.
Robin froze for a second, his gaze locking with Raven's. "Yes."
It was useless to try and find anything else out. He would just keep lying. "If you say so…."
He turned away, giving a quiet 'good night' to her as he left the room. Steps accelerated slightly as he went to his room. His face set into a grim, cold expression. He prayed to god that Raven, or anyone else for that matter, wouldn't see him as he left.
The door slid open and shut instantly behind him as he stood before the outfit. He stared at it for a few seconds, dismal amounts of second thoughts and regrets running through his head.
Then he thought of her…
What she would become if she knew the truth….
His mask was the first thing that left his face, fluttering to the ground silently, followed soon after by the rest of his attire.
The suit felt cold against his skin as he slipped it on, feeling it grip to his skin in the familiar fashion of any spandex. He pressed the mask onto his face, fingers tracing the edges to the pointed tips. The gauntlets were fastened on after that, followed by the steel boots and finally, his gloves. He flexed his fingers gently as he let go of the ends of the glove, like a doctor preparing for surgery.
He didn't dare to look at the mirror as he padded out of the room silently, leaving all of his past life behind. The door hissed slightly as it closed behind him. His back was pressed against the wall as he gazed down the hall, watching Raven float into her room without so much as glance in his direction.
His gaze locked solely on the door at the end of the hall as he began to walk slowly. All the doors down the hall were shut tight, no sounds at all emitting from them, no lights peeking out from underneath.
Nothing but his soft metal footsteps and light breaths. He was about six feet or so from the door, in the homestretch of finally leaving here….
"Robin…What are you….?" A quiet, shocked gasp escaped her.
He couldn't will him self to keep moving forward and ignore her. Again, he never did possess that ability. He simply raised a dark, gloved hand to silence her. "I'm leaving…" He said darkly.
"But…We need you…" She whispered. She didn't dare ask why, part of her knew that she wouldn't quite understand the answer…
He closed his eyes and forced himself to walk, it took all his power and will to ignore her soft pleas. He just had to keep remembering one thing…
All for her…
He kept walking, knowing that the door was only five feet away, which progressed into four…
Starfire ran after him, grabbing his hand and stopping him in his tracks for the second time. Her bare hand felt strange against his black leathered palm. She gazed up at him, so many questions in her gaze alone.
He had to leave, and now. She would suffer now as he left her with no explanation, but it would be a lot less than the suffering of finding out what she had unknowingly done…
His hand slipped from hers as he progressed forward again, hand turning the knob, starting his new life and leaving the old behind.
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A/N: Ah, so ends another chapter. I really have a lot of ideas for this story, a great deal of them violent, but awesome. Hah, so good. Oh, and for those of you who may be worrying, this is not the end of SladeStar in this story, hell no. Since when did Slade do anything Robin wanted him to? And look forward to Robin going totally off the edge and becoming quite crazy for a while. Fun. Sheer, violent fun.