Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. There.
Pairing: Slade/Robin
Warning: Not very slashy. Warning for awkward conversation…
Background: I'm back in the usual "future" universe again, but IF the stuff in "the Date" happened (I haven't decided yet) this is set before that, m'kay?. It's just a stupid short drabble, not serious but not really crack… just an idea…


Heart-to-Heart

"You are not going. End of discussion." Slade stated decisively.

Robin growled.

"I won't let you go alon-" he started.

"I won't be alone, I will bring some bots."

"Same thing."

"We know that they will be targeting you to get to me. You are staying at home."

Robin looked up at Slade, having to crane his head back quite a bit since the man stood very close to him at was using his "I'm-going-to-stand-here-and-glare-down-at-you-until-you-give-in'-technique. It didn't work. Not this time.

"Make me."

"That's it young man, you are grounded!"

Robin snorted.

"You can't ground me, we are a couple."

"Try me."

Robin snorted again and walked away from Slade.

"I'm going to take a shower and start preparing for the mission. I'll see you in a hour." he called over his shoulder.

Slade sighed and sat down, a bit heavily, in his chair in the main communication-room. That kid drove him crazy some times… His fingers lingered over the keys, hesitantly. He really shouldn't do this… he typed in a command.

The screen in front of him blinked into life and he saw that he was lucky. He must have caught the man on his way out.

"Slade!"

Slade nodded.

"Hello Bruce."

Batman's masked face had an expression that probably would make even the Joker wet himself if he was to see it. Slade merely shrugged. The man was a long way away after all.

"What's happened? If something's happened to Robin, I will-"

"Robin is fine."

"Then what do you want, Deathstroke?"

"I just called for a little… advice…"

Batman seemed to lean back in his chair, clearly surprised, and probably a little bit amused. Slade suddenly wished he was wearing his mask as well.

"About what?" The dark knight was clearly disgusted with himself for not turning the screen off, but he was simply too curious.

"About Robin." Slade admitted reluctantly.

Bruce just stared at him, and Slade shrugged. It seemed that he had to provide most of this conversation. Well, he was the one who had called, after all…

Slade leaned back in his own chair and crossed his arms.

"How did you do it?" he asked

"Do what?"

"Keep him safe."

Batman smirked and Slade wanted to hit the screen in front of him, but settled for a frown.

"You are having trouble…"

"Yes, all right? Consider yourself the fucking help-line if you wish!" Slade snarled, uncharacteristically loosing some control. That damn smirk! THAT'S were Robin gets it from! The man took a deep breath to calm himself. "You started training him when he was just a kid-"

"He is still a kid, Slade." Batman interrupted venomously.

"Hardly." Slade announced "In this matter, though… We have been tipped off by one of our spies that a planned meeting is in fact an ambush, targeting Robin."

Bruce tensed at this and Slade continued.

"He refuses to see reason and stay here in safety. He insists on coming with me. Knowing how… persistent he is, I assume you have faced similar situations…?"

Slade let the 'not-quite-a-question' hang in the air for a moment, but the Bats weren't biting. He frowned again, more irritably, and continued. "How do you talk him out of it?"

The Bat's smirk had now turned into a grin, and not a very friendly one. If the Joker would have seen this expression he would have done far worse than just wet himself.

"So you really want my advice…?"

"Pardon me for thinking that you wanted to keep your son safe…" Slade snarled.

A flash of pain passed over the masked features.

"More than anything…" the hero snarled back "the only thing stopping me, for now, is you."

"You can wish for my head on a platter for your next birthday, Bruce. Now spill. How did you keep him away from danger?"

Bruce seemed to think back, and grinned a bit again.

"Well… I usually just put him to bed."

Slade grinned back.

"Excellent idea."

The grin on Batman's lips disappeared instantly.

"Bastard."

"Ahhh… been a long time since I have been called that…" Slade's grin widened.

"Not long enough…"

The mercenary made a calming gesture.

"I'm sorry. Old habit. So. You just tucked him in and told him to stay, did you. And that worked?"

"No." Batman admitted, more than a little taken aback at Slade's apology. Maybe Robin was having a good influence over the criminal. Not good enough obviously, but… "not after he found out that I was going out without him."

"So what did you do then…?"

"What did who do then?" the voice was coming from behind Slade and he turned his chair slightly, seeing Robin, dripping wet with only a small towel around his waist, leaning against the doorframe. As the chair turned the boy caught a glimpse of the screen.

"Bruce?!" he hurried forward and stood beside the chair. "Why are you calling? Is something wrong?!" he sounded very worried, Slade noted. He probably thought something had happened to Alfred again.

"Actually it was Slade who called me." Batman informed Robin and Slade winced inwardly. If Batman told the boy… well… let's just say that kind of dog house hasn't been built yet.

"Really?" Robin sounded suspicious "what were you two discussing?" He sat down gingerly on the chair's armrest and put an arm around Slade's neck.

Slade beat the Bat to the reply.

"We discussed plans about the ambush. I figured that your mentor would have had more experience with these kinds of situations." Slade answered as truthfully as he dared.

"Well… yes... About that… " Robin twisted a bit, making Slade really want to rip that towel off him. "I have been thinking. You are right. I'll stay at home, all right?"

"Really? Are you sure?" Slade was astonished.

Robin smiled and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before standing.

"Yeah. Just hurry back, okay?"

Slade smirked.

"Count on it."

The boy nodded to his old mentor and disappeared out the door. As it closed behind him Slade turned to Bruce again.

"And when he is actually agreeing with you…?

The man smirked.

"Expect company."

"Thought so."

"Devious little bastard, isn't he?" Bruce commented.

"Oh, I thought that was my influence…"

"Don't flatter yourself. He was probably devious before he could walk."

"Can't help but love him, though…" Slade sighed.

"… right…" Batman's voice was uncommitted, but at least he refrained from the usual 'you-don't-know-what-love-is'-rant.

"Well. I have an ambush attempt to stop. Thank you for the advice."

"You know what he will do, right…? Batman asked. "He will show up-"

"-at the worst possible time-" Slade continued.

"- and at the worst possible place…" Batman finished. "Right…"

"Right…"

Both men grinned at each other rather sheepishly for a moment.

"Let me know." Batman said warningly. "If I don't hear from you in four hours I will have the Justice League invade the city…"

Slade chuckled and reached out to cut off the communication.

"Make it five, Bat… Robin likes to celebrate after a mission…"

Slade chuckled as the man's snarls were cut off as the screen turned black. He then went to hunt down his little bird. The mission wouldn't start yet after all… there was still a little time…

THE END