A/N: Happy B-day KiRaToYa! Well, it might not be the 28'th where you are, it's still the 27'th here, but I'm going to be at work all day tomorrow, so better early than late, huh? ; )
KiRaToYa wanted a master/slave thing involving collars, but not dark, which made me think for a bit, and I came up with this…. A long story, almost 30 pages, and I'm not claiming that the set-up is original at all (it's really not), but I got a chance to explore a slightly different aspect of this kind of relationship. I did skimp a bit on the hardcore stuff, I'm afraid, but I just had to run with this idea when I got it, and I couldn't fit it in…
Freestanding story
Warnings: not dark, but Slave/Master and punishments are included… Partly OOC but for a reason.
Little Kinky Hero
"The Teen Titans, so nice of you to help out!"
"It's no trouble, sir, we're glad to help," Robin smiled and shook the hand of Jump City Historical Museum's superintendent. "Could you tell us a bit more about the situation?"
"It's mostly a hands-on job. Parts of our new exhibition about the Viking-age have just arrived. We have borrowed things from all across Scandinavia and Europe, and among them an almost complete ship, on loan from the National Museum in Norway. It's delicate but also heavy, so, to put it frankly, we need your strength."
"No problem," Robin said. "What else? Are you expecting any trouble?"
"No, not really. The items are of very little commercial value, though we have a selection of gold ornaments arriving in a week or so, with the last of the exhibition."
"When does it open?" Raven asked.
"In just under three weeks. We hoped you could help with the major crates and things today… we have the staff and trucks and things too, of course, but with so many large pieces… if we could take some things through the walls…" the man said and glanced at Raven. He looked a bit embarrassed about asking the heroes for help, Robin noted.
"As I said, we're glad to help. We do things like this all the time. If we get an alarm, though…" he said.
"Yes, yes, of course! The safety of the city comes first, naturally!" the man nodded. "Well, should I show you where to start?"
A few hours later most of the job was done, and the Titans were mainly hanging around to watch the staff unpack the smaller items. They curiously looked at pieces of daggers and swords, shields, helmets, brooches and pots. Beast Boy made the huge mistake of asking why the helmets didn't have horns, and got a lecture about the 'falsification of Viking history' from a very passionate historian.
"What's that?" Cyborg wanted to know and pointed to something that looked like a large round metal band, which was hinged and had a lock at the opposite side.
"Oh, that one is very interesting, and amazingly well preserved," the historian said. "Look, it's made of iron, but it could have been made yesterday…" he handed the thing to the Titans who had been equipped with special cotton gloves to be allowed to touch the objects.
"What is it, though?" Beast Boy asked and turned the thing over.
"It's a slave-collar. Look at the runes inscribed on the sides. It's supposed to make the wearer obey his or her master."
"This I gotta try!" the changeling said, and, before anyone could react, he had latched the collar around Robin's throat and closed it with a click.
"Beast Boy!" the rest of the team yelled, and the historian looked like he was about to faint or throw up. Possibly both.
"What? It's not like it's going to break, right?" the young hero said, his ears drooping.
"These are historical artifacts, not TOYS!" Robin growled so fiercely that the employee didn't really feel the need to add anything. Robin turned to the man and to the superintendent who had hurried over at the yells.
"I'm so sorry," Robin said, "I can't believe one of my team members would be so irresponsible."
"I'm sorry!" Beast Boy whimpered.
"Not quite enough, is it?" Robin snarled. "If they have to break this thing to take it off, you will be working off every cent of its value, and no pizza until you do! And turning into a kitten does not help! Turn back this instant!"
"There's no need to break it, it has a key," the superintendent said. "Let's just locate it… I have the inventory-list here somewhere…"
Robin glanced around at all the unopened boxes and sighed. This might just take a while.
"No pizza for a month, then BB. And that only goes for you."
When the man came back with the list, the teen could see at once that the news wasn't good.
"Err… it seems… We are, as I said, expecting another shipment in about a week, and the key is scheduled to arrive then."
"So… what do we do?" Robin asked.
"Well… we could try a locksmith, but the lock is not only of Viking design, it's also unique… and the collar is priceless…"
"I hope you're not suggesting chopping my head off?" Robin grinned nervously.
"No… of course not…" the man said but looked like he considered it nonetheless.
"The condition is, as I said, very good… it would take very much to break it," the historian said. "I'm afraid you will have to wear it until the key arrives."
"I'll try to take good care of it… is there something I should think about? Protect it from water, perhaps?"
"Salt water, yes, but as long as you dry it quickly after showers and try not to expose it too much, it should be fine… but if you see any rust or damages, please come by as soon as possible."
"I will. And again, I'm so sorry…" Robin said and gave his green friend another glare.
The Titans left the Museum shortly after. Beast Boy looked pretty broken but Cyborg had apparently found something funny about the situation.
"Hey, Robin! Bark like a dog!" he joked.
His leader felt a huge surge of irritation.
How DARE he try to tell me what to do! he thought and had to control himself not to bite the other teen's head off.
"No pizza for you either," he growled.
His metal friend didn't have time to argue, because at that moment they got an alarm.
A few days later and Robin was getting more and more irritated. He felt strangely lost and had a hard time making decisions about mostly everything. He knew that he wasn't doing a good job and could hardly sleep at night, which didn't exactly improve his mood. And then all that changed.
It started with the alarms of a research-facility on the outskirts of the city going off, and the images from the security-cameras picked out a very familiar figure; Slade. Usually, when heading towards a confrontation with the man, Robin felt on edge, nervous, his muscles coiled tightly from the expectation of a fight. Now, as he zoomed down the streets on his bike, he felt… elated.
Robin reached the building first and quickly ran inside thorough a kicked-down security door, which, it appeared, were not all that secure against meta-humans. He continued deep into the vast building, following the trail of alarms leading from the kicked down door, up several floors and then to a specific department. Robin had his communicator, which kept him updated, firmly in one hand. He knew Slade was well ahead, and he didn't think the man would take the same way out as he had come in. His hunch proved correct as a red dot on his communicator suddenly appeared, telling him that a window just had been forced open on the floor above. He rushed to the closest one on his floor and saw a dark shadow jump over to the next building. Robin quickly got the window open and fired his grapple hook, letting that pull him across. Looking up he could see the shadow climb upwards, so he followed, reaching the roof just seconds afterwards. As he swung up on the roof the shadow was waiting for him.
"Following me, Robin?"
The teen looked up, feeling a sense of calm wash over him for the first time in days, and smiled.
"Yes, Master."
Fifteen minutes later and several blocks away, Robin was not as calm anymore.
"I'm telling you, I have no idea why I said that!" he yelled at the masked man. The two of them had quickly realized that something was very, very wrong, although Slade didn't agree on the use of that term.
When the Titans had shown up and run into the first building, the two had, in a silent agreement, moved away.
"So you haven't suddenly come to your senses?"
"No!"
"So I'm not your Master?"
"Yes! I mean… no! I… don't know…" the teen fingered the iron collar nervously.
"New piece of jewelry, Robin?" the man asked. "Come here."
The teen was only too happy to comply, and shivered slightly as the man raised his chin to take a closer look on the collar.
"You didn't happen to steal this from the National Historical Museum in Stockholm, did you?"
"No, Mas- Si- Slade," the hero answered and frowned at the way his tongue, indeed all of him, seemed to be very keen on making the man happy. The thought of what that might mean made him blush a little. "But it might come from there… it belongs to an exhibition the museum in Jump is setting up," he said, and then went on to explain what had happened.
"And you have been going around calling people Master since then?" the mercenary asked.
"…No… only you…" Robin mumbled.
"Ah, good. I'm relived you're not easy." Those words didn't help the teen's blush, and the man chuckled. "So… let's try this out…" Slade purred.
"N-no… let's not…" Robin said nervously and backed away.
"Oh, I'm afraid we must. Stand still."
Robin didn't feel like his body froze or was out of his control, he just simply agreed that standing still was a very good idea and exactly what he wanted to do.
"Hmmm… Stand on one leg," Slade ordered.
Robin only snorted, crossed his arms and glared at the man.
"I see there are limits. I'm guessing I can't make you cluck like a chicken either?"
"Shouldn't think so," Robin muttered.
"Kneel."
"No."
"But you are."
Robin blinked and yes, he was.
"Crap."
"I think I can get used to this…" the man sounded very pleased.
"Well, I don't want to. Keep away from me!" Robin growled, still on his knees.
"Do you really want me to?"
Robin lowered his head, waiting for all the conflicting feelings inside him to come to a conclusion.
"…no…" he finally said.
"I thought not. You can stand up, by the way, not that I don't enjoy seeing you like this…"
Robin muttered something ugly under his breath as he climbed to his feet.
"If you try to make me steal things…" he growled.
"I don't think I could…" the man said thoughtfully. "But I will find out… Meet me here tomorrow morning at seven. Tell your team that you are taking a few days off until the key arrives and pack a bag."
"What makes you think I'll agree to that?" Robin snorted.
"If you don't I'll leave the city and-"
"No!" The cry was unexpected even for Robin, who it came from.
"I thought so. You could lock yourself up for a few days and wait for the key, but you don't want to do that, do you? Not now."
"No…" Robin shook his head. "I don't want you to leave… I… need… need something from you. I just don't know what…"
"I am sure we will have a lot of fun figuring that out… well… I will," the man smirked.
"Why do you even care?" Robin hissed, deeply embarrassed.
"Don't you realize that you are in danger, Robin? Maybe it's not just me; maybe other people can give you orders? This could very well get you killed."
"So? All the better for you," the teen sneered.
"Oh, no. No one messes with my little bird but me…" the man purred.
Robin knew he should have felt insulted, but instead a very warm feeling filled him, something almost like… pride? He did his best to look displeased, however.
"I don't want to be messed with by anyone…" he muttered.
"It's not just that… that collar might turn out to be a very interesting weapon… I want to find out everything I can about it."
"If you think I'm going to let you keep it-!"
"There, there, Robin. It's the knowledge I'm after first of all… we can discuss details later… I will see you tomorrow. Oh, and here," the man pulled a small flash-drive out of his pocket and handed it to Robin.
"What is it?" the teen asked.
"The information I just stole," Slade answered.
"You… You're giving it to me?"
"Why, yes," the man chuckled. "That drive contains readings that, though very valuable if you know what to do with them, will be useless in just a day or two… and I have just gotten myself a much more interesting project…"
Robin's stomach was infested with a million hyper-active butterflies as he stood waiting on the roof the next morning, in civilian clothes and with a sport-bag across his shoulder. He had no idea what to expect, he wasn't even sure he wanted to do this, but somehow he had to. He had been counting the minutes, hell, even the seconds, until he would see Slade again, and therefore he was very early. At seven o'clock precisely, Slade appeared on a nearby roof and gestured for him to follow. Again the teen felt that elation, as he set off.
Slade led him to a low, nondescript building in an industrial area. The inside was mostly one, open area, and the teen was shown to a corner where some stacked up crates, about as tall as the teen's shoulder, closed off a space with a mattress on the floor.
"Cozy," Robin muttered.
"All I could manage within a few hours, I'm afraid," the man shrugged. "I'm right next door."
The hero glanced over the makeshift wall, and yes, another mattress was laid out there. The teen was suddenly nervous. Slade would be so close to him, at all times. Even when he had been the man's apprentice, Slade had kept his distance, never showing him as much as a hint to the fact that he had any kind of human needs… and now they were supposed to sleep in the same room? Slade slept? Did he keep his mask on?
"The bathroom and a small kitchen are through there," Slade said and pointed to a door, "Don't expect any gourmet meals, though."
"Will everything be deep-fried and/or covered with cheese?" Robin asked.
"No?"
"Then it will be gourmet meals…" the teen smirked. "You forget who I'm living with."
"I will tell the Society of Villains that we have nothing to fear from the new generation of heroes, then. You will all be dead in heart-attacks before you turn twenty."
"There's a Society of Villains?" Robin asked eagerly, his detective senses tingling.
"No."
"I bet there is!"
"You didn't hear it from me," the man muttered and turned around to gesture at the opposite wall. "I've set up computers for research and testing over there. I expect you to help, as we have many sources to go through."
"You don't know everything about it? You recognized it, right?" Robin pointed out.
"I did, from a visit to the museum. There were interesting myths surrounding it. I wouldn't take any of them too seriously, but it might be a place to start…"
"Sure, tell me what you know," Robin said as they crossed the room. The teen took up a seat at one of the computers and looked up at the man expectantly.
"The Vikings had a rather extensive slave-trade, it was one of their major incomes, in fact. These were taken from all places the Vikings pillaged, like England, Germany, France, Russia, and even from neighboring areas. Important slaves, such as captured noblemen or even favored personal slaves, wore collars, similar to yours, as a sign of status, not for them, but for their owner. Yours though, is different. It was described in the Yölkuur-saga as belonging to a chieftain called Ulfgrim Ten-Swords. When he conquered the larger tribe, led by Trond the Strong, he captured Trond as a slave and locked the collar around his throat. And, from that moment, it was said, Trond was his faithful servant and advisor."
"Why was he called Ten-Swords?" Robin asked.
"That's what you took from that? He apparently had ten swords. Those were a sign of wealth and status among the Vikings."
"Ah. Well, okay, are there any more myths about it?"
"Several, although this one is the most documented. It is also said to have been used by a man who had a very willful wife, with great success."
"Right..." Robin muttered. "So… myths… but it seem to work! Does that mean it's really… magical?"
"Hardly," Slade snorted. "I don't believe in magic."
"Errr… maybe you should talk to Raven about that?"
"Raven is a meta-human, half demon. There's nothing magical about her powers."
"But aren't demons themselves magical?"
"Are Tamaraninas? They are a species, nothing more."
"…but…?"
"Magic can't be explained, Robin, that's the definition of it… meta-powers can be, although science have not come quite far enough to give us all the answers yet."
"So in your world there's all science and no magic?"
"Correct."
"But you still believe in Santa, right?" the teen deadpanned.
"Very funny."
"I thought so too."
"I'm beginning to hope I really can make you cluck like a chicken…" the man muttered. "Well, what I want to find out is how the collar works and what it can do. Let's begin, but first ground rules, okay? Nothing, and I mean nothing about this ever gets out. Ever," Robin growled.
"Agreed. But it goes both ways… if not, I'll gladly tell the world about our time together… or at least Batman."
"Don't you dare!"
"As I said, only if you tell your team any of my secrets…"
"What secrets? That you suck at home decorating?"
"You never know what a few days can reveal," Slade shrugged.
"Oh, damn, you snore, don't you?" Robin sighed
Two hours later Robin massaged his temples.
"My head is killing me, and we're getting nowhere…"
"You obey some commands and not some… all we have to find out is what sets them apart," Slade said, writing something down.
"'All' huh? Any ideas?"
"Yes. As we are both male, this will be difficult for us, but you have to talk about your feelings."
"How is that difficult for you?"
"I have to listen."
"Ah. Right. So… feelings?"
"Yes," the man said and sat down in his chair. "Robin, bring that book to me," he ordered and pointed to a volume on the next desk.
"Yes, Master," the teen automatically said, and handed it to the man. "Damn, I hate it when that happens…" he added with a mutter.
"Do you? How did the order make you feel?"
"…"
"Be honest, Robin, or you know I'll leave."
"So what, it's not as if I'll die! I'll just…"
"Just what?"
"Be miserable for a few days until the key gets here…" Robin mumbled.
"Right then," the man said and stood up. "Just try not to get yourself killed."
"No, wait!" Robin grabbed the man's arm. "Damn, I'm… I'm sorry. Feelings, right? It… it made me happy… happy to help."
"I see..." Slade sat down again. "Run around in a circle."
"No thanks."
"This is what annoys me… an order is an order. How about other people, has anyone else tried to tell you to do something?"
"Yeah, Cy… and a photographer told me to pose for something the other day…"
"And how did that make you feel?"
Robin snorted at the man's shrink-abilities and thought about it.
"I felt… angry. They had no right to order me around, no right at all."
"But I do?"
"Apparently the collar has bad taste…"
"I don't think that has anything to do with the collar at all, but we'll see…" the man chuckled. "So why didn't they have any right? Cyborg is your friend, after all. You're a team, aren't you?"
"Yes but… ah! I'm their leader!" Robin exclaimed. "I mean, I'm not a complete Nazi, like someone else in this room, but I'm still the leader… and that photographer had no business telling me what to do either, he's just a paparazzi."
"I can see that, but again, we're enemies, what right do I have?" Slade asked.
"If I knew that I'd fix it and leave!" Robin growled. "Maybe it's… you know…"
"What?"
"From… being your apprentice?"
"Ahh… yes… the collar picks up on a part of you that sees me as an authority figure…"
"I need a lobotomy…"
"I wonder if it would work with Batman… It probably would," the mercenary mumbled, talking about the collar, not a lobotomy, and ignoring the sulking teen.
"Fantastic…"
"You think so? Do you want to switch Masters?"
"…no…"
"Really? You'd rather be in my hands than in your former mentor's?" the man sounded baffled.
"…"
"Speak up."
"Yes."
"Fascinating."
"It's not fascinating; it probably means I have a brain tumor the size of a grape-fruit!" Robin complained.
"That's not much of a compliment."
"Wasn't meant to be."
"I see. Well, I have to think things over. How about lunch?"
"Sure. I'd love to see you try to eat something through that mask…" the teen smirked.
"Oh, that," the man said and took the mask off.
Robin blinked a few times, not sure that he was seeing right. He could feel that his jaw had dropped as well, but didn't quite know how to get it back up again.
"As I said, I assume my secrets are safe?" said the white haired man now standing in front of him. Slade's face was wide and angled, with a square jaw adorned by a short goatee-like beard. His nose matched his face, and looked like it had probably been broken at one time, but what really had Robin staring was the man's single eye and his smirk. The iris, which Robin had thought was deep gray as it had been shaded by the mask, was in fact a grey-blue, and the smirk was much too youthful for the rest of him.
"Done staring? Maybe you would like to remove your own?"
"Not really… I mean, yeah, I'm done star- oh, forget it…" Robin sighed.
"You can if you want to. I knew Bruce before you became the Boy Wonder," the man told him.
"You… you know Bruce?"
"Yes. I wouldn't say that we're exactly pen-pals, but we've helped each other out a few times. Beaten the hell out of each other a few times too. He's annoyingly stubborn that man… just don't know when to stay down."
"Sounds like Bruce, alright…" Robin sniggered.
"Pity he would pass it on to you."
"Hey!"
"Enough talking. Go fetch a takeout-menu from the kitchen so we can have something to eat," the man said, and Robin, probably under the influence of the collar, happily obeyed.
"Did you notice what you just did?" Slade asked half an hour later as they sat down at a small, foldable table in the kitchen to eat.
"What?" Robin asked. He hadn't taken his mask off after all, it didn't bother him and he needed something to hide behind.
"You served me first, you didn't sit down until I did, and didn't start to eat until I did either."
"I was… being polite?"
"You didn't notice, did you?"
"No."
"I rather like this."
"You would. And put your mask back on, I don't like that grin!" Robin snorted.
Slade just shook his head and chuckled, and they finished their meal in a somewhat amiable silence.
"Hit me."
"What?"
"Hit me," Slade repeated. "Break my nose, hell, kick me in the groin if you feel like it."
"N-no," Robin hesitated and looked very uncomfortable. A few hours had passed in which they had tried to find out more about the history of the collar. It was more interesting to search for details now when they knew that part of its powers were actually true.
"It' an order Robin! Hit me!"
"I… can't."
"Feelings?"
"Scared… I really don't want to hurt you, I… I can't… it would be like hurting myself."
"How sweet."
"I'm not sharing anymore."
"I apologize. So… you can't attack me… well, I see how that could be useful for the Master of the slave… I still can't understand why I can't make you do the chicken-thing, though…"
"Are you obsessed with chickens or something?"
"I'm sticking to those since you freaked out about the duck-quacking," the man explained. "Still, you wouldn't jump up and down, or stand on one leg, but I can make you kneel and… Robin, go get the leftovers."
"Why?" the teen asked but was already on his way.
"An experiment," Slade told him and sat down in his office chair. "Good," he added when the teen returned with the carton. "Kneel".
As expected, Robin obeyed and kneeled at the man's feet. Slade opened the carton and fished out a cold shrimp with his fingers. "Eat," he said as he held it out to the hero.
Robin's eyes widened, but he leaned forward and gently took the piece of food from the man's hand.
"I wasn't sure you'd do that…" the man said almost absentmindedly and handed the teen another bite, which he ate as well.
"Best shrimp I ever had…" Robin mumbled.
"You just ate it at the table," Slade pointed out.
"I know… God, I'm messed up in the head…" the teen muttered and leaned his forehead against his enemy's knee.
"Yes, perhaps…" the man mumbled to himself.
"What!" Robin growled.
"Believe it or not, but I didn't mean it as an insult… The experiment is over, you can get up."
"Do I have to?" Robin asked and felt a bit miserable.
Slade arched and eyebrow at him and then shrugged.
"No, but make yourself useful. Try to find something in this book. It's just a mess of text with no index whatsoever. Have fun."
"Thank you," the teen mumbled so quietly that Slade could barely hear him. "Master," he added even more quietly.
For almost half an hour they were both quiet, reading, and then Robin's head snapped up.
"I know why!"
"Did you find anything?"
"What? No! I know why I don't want to do some things! They are stupid!"
"Right… but kneeling at my feet, eating from my hand, that's not stupid?"
"It should be, shouldn't it? In fact, normally I would probably rather do the chicken-sound thing if I had to choose…" the teen sighed. "But still… that's what it feels like… like it's not important, that you don't really want me to do them… that it's not…"
"…not?"
"Err… beneficial to you, you know? I mean, get you a book or something, that's for you… I guess hearing me cluck might be a laugh, but…"
"Having me feed you has no benefits for me, though," the man pointed out.
"Yeah… you're right… I thought I was on to something…" the hero said and leaned his head against the man's leg again, with another deep sigh.
"I think you might have been, at least partly… good job, Robin…" Slade said and placed his hand on the teen's head.
Robin gasped.
"What is it?" the man wanted to know.
"I… it's… No, I can't…"
"Robin…"
"No! No… I… May I go to the bathroom?" the hero asked hurriedly, his voice somewhat coarse.
"Of course."
Robin removed his mask and splashed cold water on his face. What he had felt as Slade touched him was… it was too overwhelming for words. Yet he knew that the man would demand an explanation when he came out, and, sure enough, Slade did.
"So? Tell me."
Robin was still wiping the water out of his eyes with a paper towel, and lowered it to look down at Slade who was still reclining in his chair. The teen made an uncommitted little noise and sank down on his knees.
"I should ask you to put your mask back on... that look in your eyes is killing me," the man said wryly, but made a calming gesture when the Titan made a move to rise. "No, stay. And talk."
"It was… okay, you know when you get a pat on the shoulder, right? How you feel when someone tells you 'well done'?"
"That usually involves opening a large envelope full of money in my case, but yes, go on…" the man smirked.
"Yes, well… when you said it… it was… well... like your whole family, all your friends, all the world leaders, and, hell, all the gods and even Santa Clause told you that they were proud of you, all at once!"
"So… pretty big, then?"
"Yes, and… and…"
"Yes?"
"Well… it… it was the touch…. The touch and where I was…"
"Kneeling?"
"Yes! God… I… it felt so damn right! Everything! Like there's only one place in the universe for me, and it's by your feet!"
"Something I've claimed for years…"
"Please don't joke about it? This is… it's so wrong…"
"Don't panic, Robin. The key will open the collar in only a few days," Slade tried to calm him.
"One would think that you wouldn't want it gone…" Robin mumbled.
"I know… it's surprising, and I am enjoying it, trust me, but… well, it's not perfect, I doubt I could ask you to commit any crimes, and, frankly, it's more fun if you're a challenge… so it will be over soon."
"If you had found your place in the universe… would you want to leave it?" Robin said quietly. "I'm just scared this has ruined the rest of my life…"
"Fine, whenever you feel the need to kneel at my feet, collar or no collar, feel free…" the man grinned. "I'm pretty sure you'll go back to your normal, uncooperative self as soon as that lock opens, though."
They didn't get much further that day, as Slade wanted to do some tests on the collar itself, but had had to order some equipment for it. They continued to read up on the myth and do some tests, until Robin, whose head had been buzzing all day, started to fall asleep in his dinner.
The teen was grateful when Slade more or less sent him to bed, but he had trouble going to sleep and was awake even long after the man himself had stretched out on the mattress on the other side of the crates.
Robin was… unhappy. He had felt very at peace most of the day but now the uneasiness that had been plaguing him for the last couple of days was coming back. He twisted and turned, but he knew what he had to do.
Slade woke up with an unfamiliar, warm weight on his ankle and raised his head. Robin was sleeping curled up by his feet, his head resting on the man's leg. Slade relaxed against his pillow again. He didn't want to disturb the boy, but did feel slightly bothered by this new side of the young hero. Not the actions themselves, but the force behind them. Something was controlling the boy, and it was not him. And that, really, was just plain wrong.
A few seconds after Robin woke up he was redder in the face than he had ever been, the blush continuing down to his chest.
"Please kill me?" he groaned.
"My own little bed-mate? Nooo…" Slade chuckled. "Don't feel bad, it's the collar, remember? And don't make me comfort you like this, it makes my teeth ache."
"Sorry, Master," Robin mumbled, feeling like he had just been hit.
"Just go take a shower and we'll have breakfast," Slade snorted.
Robin forgot to bring a change of clothes with him into the bathroom and had to come out in only a towel. Slade was tidying up his own sleeping area, wondering if he should just put Robin's mattress by the end of his bed, when the teen came out.
"Drop the towel," the man smirked. He constantly tried all kinds of different orders, most of which Robin actually ignored, but not this one. Slade blinked as the young man suddenly stood before him in all his naked glory. "Get dressed," the man then grunted and walked quickly over to the other side of the room.
When the teen had found fresh clothes, jeans and a t-shirt, Slade called him over.
"Explain."
"Why me? You gave the order!" Robin almost whined, his cheeks very pink.
"You have to try to explain to me why you obeyed it! I didn't expect you to; in fact I was sure of it!"
Robin blinked. He could see, and even feel, that Slade was frustrated, and that made him even more on edge himself.
"Master, I…" he walked all the way up to the man and sank down on his knees, pressing his forehead again the man's legs. "I'm sorry… please… I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Robin, just tell me. When I said 'drop the towel', how was that different from clucking like a chicken? Think carefully, because this might be the key to this collar."
"I… when you told me to, I… I felt happy… I… I don't know…"
"I think you do, but you're holding back," the man said as he frowned down on the apparently heartbroken boy. "I understand if this is embarrassing, but you need to do it. Close your eyes, pretend I'm not here and tell me everything. Now."
Robin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He sat up straighter and took another breath.
"I was happy. It felt right… it felt right that you should see all of me, because I belong to you. Every part of me. It felt like you really wanted me in that moment, you wanted more than before, you wanted… me, not just for me to pick up a book or something, but me… and I wanted you to approve, to touch me, to… to let me… touch you."
"Touch me?"
The teen's eyes flew open at what he heard as an invitation. His hands traveled up to the front of the man's pants, scrabbling for the zipper.
"Robin, what –" Slade took a step back. "What are you doing?"
He could just as well have spit in Robin's face. The teen crawled backwards, a hunted, hurt expression in his eyes.
"I… I… thought… I…"
"Where you going to do what I think you were?" the man asked stiffly.
"I… I think so," Robin mumbled.
"All right, that's enough. Get up from the floor. Go sit in the chair over there."
"But Master, please-?"
"No! Now!"
Robin scurried over to the appointed chair and sank down on it, his arms hugging himself and he curled up a bit, trying to look small.
"I think we're closer to the solution now," Slade said, "I think I even might know what it is, but I have to make sure. Robin, are you gay- or bisexual?"
"What..? I… I… I don't think so, Master."
"Weren't you just about to give me a blow-job?" The teen blushed to the roots of his hair and nodded. "Straight males don't tend to do that a lot…" the man pointed out with a smirk.
"I'm sorry, Master," Robin mumbled in a barely audible voice.
"Don't be. What the collar does is make you submit," Slade said and took a seat himself.
"Yeah? Sorry Master, but wasn't that obvious from the start?" the hero asked, just a tiny bit of his old edge seeping back into his voice.
"No, because I now have a feeling that if this collar had ended up on someone else, he or she, might not have acted like you. They might have been happy clucking like chickens or whatever I or their Master had ordered them to do… but not you… I don't control the collar, you do. To a certain extent, at least."
"But I didn't want to… I've never wanted…!" Robin objected, his cheeks still red.
"You are not doing it consciously… The collar tells you to submit to me, and to you, that means physically. It means serving me in any way, and the more completely, the better."
"But not sound like a chicken?"
"No, because, as you said yourself, that's not beneficial to me, not important. I think it's simply not enough… it doesn't give you enough of a kick."
"Kick?"
"Yes. The collar rewards you for being a good boy, doesn't it? It makes you feel good, loved…almost euphoric?"
"Yes… but it's getting weaker… I… need more."
"I've noticed." The man studied Robin for a while and then gave the teen a quick smirk. "You really are at my mercy, aren't you?"
"Yes, Master!" Robin said breathlessly, without seeming very unhappy about it at all.
During the day and into the afternoon Robin's anxiety rose until he was boiling inside. He tried very hard not to show it, answered every one of the man's questions and followed through with the tests the man did, but Slade seemed to almost avoid him, which made everything so much worse.
The real trial was when Slade got a message that the items he had ordered had arrived and went to pick them up. Robin was alone for almost twenty minutes and every second felt like a year.
"As I thought… archeologists are idiots…" Slade muttered to himself a bit later.
"Huh?" Robin asked. The man had attached several things to his collar, but that also meant that his fingers had brushed the teen's neck and throat several times, which felt like heaven to the hero.
"They see what looks to be an iron collar, so they expect it to be an iron collar," Slade said. "Never mind that it seems to be amazingly preserved. They probably thought that was because of the soil or something else. Did they look at the actual chemical composition of the metal? No. Did they x-ray it? No."
"Master? What…?"
"It's not iron, it's an unknown alloy, and it's not from Earth."
"It's… alien?"
"You live with one, you don't have to sound so awed..." the man snorted.
"Yeah, but… so what is it?"
"It's a slave-collar."
"Yeah, but what is it?"
"Are you dense?"
"What? But- oh. So it is a slave-collar?"
"Yes."
"But… the lock…? How did… and why… and…"
"Very intelligent questions, all of them," Slade said dryly. "This is my guess: at least over one thousand years ago, maybe longer, one or more members of an alien civilization visited this planet. The collar might have been dropped, the wearer might have been killed or maybe the original lock destroyed and the wearer escaped. No matter, humans found it, and figured out what it did. Maybe they had seen it for themselves, who knows. The lock is, undoubtedly, from the Viking-era, but all it takes for the collar to work is that the ends touch, to complete the circuit."
"And the runes?"
"Viking as well, I would think, added after someone figured out what it did."
"Wow… do you know what aliens it was?"
"We don't know much about our own species one thousand years ago, so no, I have no idea. Many races have used different kinds of slave-bonds and mind-controls, but if you are curious you now know what to look for. This might not be a neck-collar, though, it might very well have been meant for a wrist or an ankle… or a tentacle… Either way, riddle solved." The man started to pack things away, looking content.
"But… what now?"
"Well, the collar is interesting, but, as I'm rather sure it affects different people differently, I'm not very interested in it; there's not enough control."
"And what about… me?" Robin asked quietly.
"What about you?"
That was it. Robin had tried to behave, tried to keep his feelings to himself, but he had now reached his limit. He shot up from the chair and struck out as the neared monitor, knocking it to the floor.
"What about me? What about me! I need you, you fucking bastard! I'm going crazy! You are my Master but do you care? No!" Robin picked up his chair and flung it right into the other equipment. "You're not a real Master, are you? I hate you! You're weak! Pathetic! You can't control me! You're just not man enough to-"
The sound of the backhanded slap echoed through the room, and Robin sank to his knees, his head spinning.
"You need me to control you, do you?" Slade growled.
"Yes! But you can't! I need you to be my Master and you can't handle that! You can't even punish me properly!" Robin snarled, still too enraged to control himself.
"You just destroyed technology worth thousands of dollars… you bet I am going to punish you," the man growled.
"Yeah, I'm so scared…" Robin snorted.
"Hmmm…" Slade just said and stood there.
"What are you doing? Thinking about how you will talk sternly to me?" the teen sneered.
"No, I'm thinking about how the collar not only forces you into a role but me as well… I could ignore it, I guess, but, at this rate, I'm guessing that it might drive you insane…"
"I knew you were too weak!"
"And still you're not getting up from the floor," the man smirked.
It came as a shock to Robin that he was still kneeling, and he fought to get up on his feet.
"No. Stay," Slade ordered and the hero's knees hit the floor again with a dull thud. "You want a Master, do you? Someone to punish you, reward you and dominate you? Well, Robin… you got it. Let's play…"
Robin shivered in both anxiety and anticipation as Slade slowly removed his belt.
"Get up, undress and stand with your hands against the wall," the man told him.
The teen obeyed immediately, feeling a strange sense of hope inside him. He needed to be punished. He deserved it.
"You insulted me, you talked back and you destroyed my property. You get twenty lashes. You will count them and thank me for every one aloud. Is that clear?"
"I bet you won't even do it!" Robin snorted.
The feeling of the belt hitting his ass didn't sting or burn, the pain sliced through his body, and the sound of the thick leather connecting with his skin rang in his ears.
"That's twenty-five now, and that one didn't count. Do you understand your punishment, boy?"
"Y-yes, Master."
"Good. Let's begin."
The first strike didn't come at once. Robin was a trembling mess of knotted muscle and nerves as it landed on his lower back, causing him to yell out.
"Well, slave? No… I'm going to call you 'boy'… that fits you better. Did you forget something?" Slade purred.
"I…uhh… one…Master… Thank you."
"Good boy."
The next one came immediately.
"T-two. Thank you, Master."
By the time they had reached twenty-five Robin was shaking with sobs, his back and ass burning. He didn't think he had been in so much pain in his life, but then again, he had never been happier either.
"Good boy."
Wrong. Now he had never been happier.
"Th-thank you, Master."
"Go take a shower. Make sure the water is cold enough to be soothing without being freezing. I'll be in soon."
"Yes Master. Thank you."
Robin let the cool water soothe his skin, his mind wonderfully blank; at peace for real, for the first time since the collar was put around his neck.
"How do you feel?" Slade's voice rumbled behind him.
"Wonderful, Master," Robin replied with a content smile.
"Wonderful enough to drop the 'Master'? I know it must be hard to believe but I've actually tired of it," the man said lightly, and Robin felt a hand ghosting over his shoulder, touching a welt from the punishment. The damage wasn't really as bad as it had felt, and now only stung like mild sunburn. The teen tensed for a moment, not because of the slight ache from the touch, but from the question.
"I… I think so. For a while," he said at last, relaxing again when he found that it was true. He turned around and felt lightheaded as he saw that the man had taken off his shirt before stepping into the bathroom. He hadn't entered the shower, but droplets of water had still reached him. "I got you wet…" Robin mumbled apologetically. The teen raised a hand and started to wipe at he drops, but as he was wet himself he more or less only made it worse. Not that he noticed. Both his hands was now exploring the man's chest. He edged closer still, his naked body pressed up against the man's jeans-clad thighs and bare skin. A particularly large drop was glistening just below the man's collarbone. Robin stood up straighter, almost having to stand on tip-toe to reach, and licked it off.
"Robin…" the man took a small step back. He sounded concerned, but there was another tone in his voice as well; a deep timbre that Robin had never heard before. It sounded… almost dangerous. It made the teen's spine tingle as he moved closer again.
"Please…?" he begged softly.
"There's no need for this to get sexual, Robin. I'm sure that's not the collar's purpose. It means for the wearer to submit, and I can make you do that without…" the man paused as Robin sank down on his knees in front of him. Slade backed away again, but his back met the wall this time and Robin quickly followed. The teen's hands started to explore the front of the man's jeans, quickly undoing the top button.
"…please?" the hero repeated and looked up at him pleadingly.
"This is not a dirty little fantasy, Robin… I'm not that kind of man, I-"
"… but maybe I'm that kind of boy?" the teen smiled cheekily up at him.
"… right… have you ever wanted to do what you are about to do, Robin? Have you ever as much as fantasized about it?" Slade asked him seriously.
"No…" Robin shrugged a little and fingered the zipper, scratching at it with a nail. "But I want to do it now… to you…" the teen grabbed the zipper and pulled.
"I'm going to hell for this…" Slade muttered dryly.
Robin glanced up at the man.
"Race ya?"
As the man barked out a short laugh, Robin worked his trousers and underwear down. He was surprised, even disappointed, to find that the man wasn't hard, although he was on his way.
And suddenly Robin lost all interest.
He stood up and wrapped a towel around his waist before Slade had even noticed that the plans had been changed.
"What are you doing?" the man asked.
"I don't want to anymore," Robin just shrugged and walked out of the bathroom.
Slade followed, tucking himself in.
"Well. Good. No matter how screwed up our relationship is, I didn't really want to cross that line."
"I know," Robin said and gave Slade a contemptuous glance over his shoulder. "Because you're a pussy."
Slade just blinked once before bursting out laughing.
"No one dared call me that before…" he chuckled.
Robin was not amused.
"Well, you are."
"That collar is driving you a bit crazy."
"You're crazy!"
"Now you are just throwing my words back at me…." the man snorted. "What I was saying-"
"I don't care! I shouldn't have to talk my Master into pleasing him! You-"
"Shut up and sit down, boy!" The barked order made Robin's knees fold automatically. "Good. Now stay quiet until I tell you to speak, is that understood?"
Robin nodded quickly.
"As I was about to say, you were happy as long as I stayed in control, but when I tried to leave it all up to you, you went off the deep end again. Fine. I get it." Slade crossed the room and sank down on a chair. "I'll keep you happy, Robin… come to me. Crawl."
Robin did feel more content now, with Slade being dominating again. He crawled over on his hands and feet, not caring about the towel which he dropped half way.
"Yes, my little boy is very happy again, I see. Good. Finish what you started in the shower," the man purred.
Robin opened the man's jeans again and, this time, found him harder. He grasped the shaft, carefully at first and then, hearing an appreciative grunt from the man, harder. It was… surreal. Like suddenly finding a toy or a game in your room, that you had no idea you had… and what a toy… Robin had never looked at other men, not that he had had much of an opportunity, of course, but still. The male body, to him, had always been just a body, and the genitals? Well, he'd much rather pretend that all other males looked like Ken-dolls, thank you very much… he was not curious in the least… apart from the general 'am I normal' questions he, as well as everyone else, had battled with as a young teen. When it came to Slade, however, he couldn't imagine anything he'd rather touch and… taste… he ran his tongue carefully across the tip and glanced up. He was pleasing his Master. He was being a good boy.
"Don't dawdle…" Slade told him. "Go on."
Robin did.
The teen paid a great deal of attention to every breath and grunt his Master uttered, trying to learn what he liked the most. When Slade grabbed his hair to force him down deeper on his shaft, Robin felt his own arousal rise and almost peak as he tried to force his throat open. Anything for Master.
Soon thereafter a salty taste flooded his mouth.
"Swallow."
Robin already was. To spill anything his Master had given him was completely out of the question. He licked the softening length clean, reveling in the way the man was running his hand through his hair.
"You're very hard, aren't you?" the man chuckled at him. Robin looked up and blinked, not sure if the man was praising him or scolding him. "Stand up."
The hero did, and gasped as his Master just brushed his fingers against the tip of his cock, cupping his hand in front of it.
"Come."
Robin gave a strangled yell as the sudden orgasm racked his body. He had never felt anything like it and fought to stay on his feet.
"Good boy… here you go…" Robin opened his eyes to see Slade's hand in front of his face, filled with his own seed. "Go ahead… lick it up…"
As soon as he understood what his Master wanted, Robin immediately got to work. His cum didn't taste as good as his Master's of course, but that didn't really matter. His eyes never left Slade's as he licked the man's hand.
Once all traces of the seed was gone, Slade lowered his hand and just studied the young hero for a moment.
"Fuck…" he growled, the curse-word sounding strange coming from the normally controlled man. "I enjoyed that way too much…"
"Master?"
"It's late. Go to bed."
"Yes, Sir… was… was I a good boy, Master?"
"Yes. A very good boy, Robin. Go rest."
Robin woke after having a long, wonderful sleep. He yawned and stretched on his bed, before sitting up.
"Good morning," a voice rumbled from their work-station.
"Morning…" Robin grinned and then the activities from last night came rushing back and his cheeks blossomed.
"Look at that… you can feel shame. Amazing," the man said dryly. "Will you start screaming rape now?"
Robin blinked.
"No… no, I…" he stood up, not realizing that he was still naked, and walked over to the man. "You made me feel fantastic. I've never felt like that in my life. Thank you."
"You might not thank me when the collar comes off."
"Then I'm an idiot."
"Well…" the man smirked up at him, and Robin snorted. He was about to say something more when there was a beep from his bag. He went over and retrieved his communicator, reading the message he had just gotten.
"It's the museum. The key will come in tomorrow afternoon."
"Well, that means I might have to start packing…" Slade muttered.
"No… that means we have a whole day left to have fun…" Robin grinned.
"Are you looking to be punished again? Because that was fun…" the man smirked.
Robin's hand automatically went to his ass, which, he just discovered, was still tender as well as his back. Both was also bare.
"I'm naked!"
"That you are…" the man confirmed with a bigger smirk.
"I'm getting dressed…" Robin growled and started to dig through his bag again.
"In fact… no," Slade said after giving it some thought.
"What?"
"No. I'm not letting you get dressed."
"But-"
"Are you arguing with me, boy?"
"…"
"What was that?"
"… no, Master."
"Good. This might keep your perverted fantasies under control…"
"Yeah? What about yours?" Robin muttered.
"Mine will run wild and free as they always were intended to do… in fact, I'm trying to decide which ones will come true…" Slade chuckled, making Robin blush again. "Until then, go and make us breakfast."
"Um... Mas- Slade?" Robin asked as they ate.
"Yes?"
"I just remembered you saying last night, that you didn't think the collar made people do sexual stuff… so… is that all me?"
"I think that it makes you submit to your Master in the way you consider to be the biggest possible way… if that means fighting by your Master's side, giving up all your secrets or waiting on him or her hand and foot, well, that is, I think, more or less up to the slave."
"But… shouldn't my Master be Beast-Boy? He put this on me, after all…"
"Yes, but as we already discussed, you don't consider him to be superior to you. If he had defeated you in battle, and then put the collar on you, it would probably have been different. Instead, your instincts sought a replacement Master out. Me. I'm so lucky…"
"Don't be ironic."
"I wasn't."
"Right… well, okay, I guess I have to blame my subconscious, then, for wanting you to fu-" Robin bit his own tongue, but it was, of course, too late.
"Fuck you?"
"Yes, please…" Robin breathed. "Crap!" he hissed.
"Maybe I will. If you're good. In the mean time I'll try to control your little outbursts… Put the food away and clean up. Come to me when you're done."
"Yes, Sir," Robin half sighed and got up.
"Do you remember me saying that I thing the collar is controlling me too, to some extent?" Slade asked, some time later.
"Yes?" Robin was curled up at the man's feet, his chin resting on Slade's thigh as he looked up at him, his hand idly tracing patterns on the villain's jeans-clad legs.
"Partly it's controlling me because it makes me control you, unless I want a very obnoxious brat yelling insults at me. Which I don't." The man's hand, on top of Robin's head, tightened in his hair for a moment. "But I think it might actually…encourage me as well… or maybe your behavior is just bringing out that part of me… I do tend to be on the controlling side-" here Robin snorted softly and got another tug on his hair for it, "but I never planned to do anything like this to you before… or I already would have, when you were at my mercy as my apprentice… you know that, don't you?"
"Yeah… and I have to admit… there were moments back then… like… split seconds… like when you gave an order or praised me, when I… kinda liked it. A bit."
"Seems like we're a match then…" the man purred. "I like to boss you around and you like to be bossed around."
"Great…" Robin muttered and then sighed. "I'm getting restless again…"
"That's all right, I'm in the mood to take advantage of you…" the man smirked.
"What would you like me to do, Master?"
"Oh, I know exactly what I want you to do…" the man leered. "Get dressed… I have a little… mission, for you."
Forty minutes later Robin came back to the building blushing to the point where his ears almost melted from the heat.
"And was the mission a success?" Slade asked as the teen took off a pair of borrowed sunglasses.
"Yes Master." The hero produced a plastic bottle from a small bag.
"Good. And what did you say when you entered the pharmacy?" the man smirked.
"'My Master sent me to buy a bottle of a good anal lubricant, could you recommend one, please?'" Robin repeated in a tortured voice, his blush heating up a notch.
"Good boy."
Robin immediately felt a little better.
"Thank you, Master."
"Now, let's see if it's any good, shall we?" Slade suggested and gestured to their sleeping-corner.
Robin felt warm all over, but not in an embarrassed way anymore. He was about to be allowed to give himself to his Master completely, and, although he was a bit nervous, he also felt like he was bursting with anticipation.
"Undress me."
Robin jumped at the opportunity to obey and started to unbutton the short-sleeved shirt Slade was wearing. He couldn't help but run his fingers over the man's skin a well, here and there, and when he helped him to shrug the shirt off, Robin brushed his lips against the man's shoulder, breathing in his scent.
After carefully folding the shirt and putting it on one of the crates, Robin dropped to help the man out of his shoes, and, finally, his jeans. The teen's hands were shaking with anticipation as he pulled down first the trousers and then the black boxer-briefs. Robin was about to lift his hands to fondle his newfound toy once more when Slade stopped him.
"No. You haven't earned that yet, have you?" the man sat down at the head of the make-shift bed. "Undress for me."
Robin hesitated for a moment and then grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt. He lifted it up slowly, revealing his flat, taut stomach and then his chest. He then quickly pulled it all the rest of the way off and put it next to Slade's shirt. Before continuing, however, he bent down at his waist and picked up the man's jeans, making sure Slade was looking at his ass while he did. The man's eye didn't waver for a moment.
After that Robin started on his own jeans. He went just as slowly as before, hoping to work up his Master's appetite for him as much as he could. Soon enough he was naked, however, and kneeled at the end of the bed.
"Master?" he asked carefully.
"Prepare yourself," the man ordered, gesturing to the bottle Robin had brought along.
"Err… h-how?" the teen asked, blushing.
"Figure it out," Slade smirked.
Robin swallowed. He understood what the lube was for, of course, he wasn't stupid. He had to get some... down there… somehow.
He took the bottle and glanced quickly at the text on the back label. There didn't seem to be any instructions. Nor was there any kind of dispenser or measurement included. Could he use too much? Too little? Did it have any side-effects? Was it allergy-friendly? How was he supposed to-
He was startled from his musings by Slade, chuckling.
"Put it on your fingers, boy."
Ah… applied by hand… of course. Robin nodded to himself and poured some of the oil-like substance into his hand. It sure was slippery…
"Ooops…" he had poured too much, and it dripped between his fingers, down his arm and onto his chest and belly. As he put the bottle down and tried to brush the cool drops off, his fingers simply slipped in them, leaving a slick path across his skin. It felt pretty nice… he dropped some more onto his chest and played with it, reveling in the feeling of the oil heating up.
"Very nice, boy, but don't waste all of it…" Slade purred and Robin's head shot up, having forgotten all about his audience.
"Sorry, Master… I'll… get started then?"
"Please do," the man nodded and made a benevolent gesture like an emperor giving a bunch of gladiators the go-ahead to start chopping each other to pieces. "And turn your ass towards me and lean over so I can get a good look. I want to make sure you do it properly."
Robin turned around on his knees and leaned down on his elbows, his ass high in the air. He bit his bottom lip and slipped a hand between his legs. On the way it brushed his cock, which felt very good, but he didn't dare stop. He went further back, behind his balls, and tentatively starting prodding the area there. When he found his opening he almost jumped. He had never touched himself there with his bare fingers before…. it felt… weird, like… like… no, Robin couldn't really think of anything similar. It was oddly wrinkled and the skin felt very soft, like velvet… he rubbed his finger across it again. Would this be enough? It felt very slick now, but should he try putting a finger inside? It couldn't possibly work, though; the entrance itself felt very tight… Robin gathered a bit of courage and prodded a bit harder with his index finger.
"Oh!" His fingertip had slipped inside! As soon as it had, his body had somehow pushed it out again, however, or maybe Robin had, in surprise, pulled back.
"Good boy. Again," his Master ordered, and Robin preened. He was good at this, wasn't he? He pushed again, more bravely this time, and now the finger went in quicker and deeper. The sensation was strange, like he had forced his finger through a row of rubber-bands into a soft, open, hot space. He carefully pushed the finger in a bit further, meeting no resistance inside, only the tightness around the opening. He moved it in and out a few times, and then some more, liking the feeling it created around his opening.
"Add another finger."
The order was unexpected and seemed impossible.
"But Master-"
"Do it!"
Robin's whole body relaxed with the order. His Master wouldn't order him to hurt himself, and the man knew best after all. He was safe with him. He pulled out and put his first and second fingers together tightly before pushing at the wrinkled centre once more. It took a bit of pushing and wriggling, but he had soon managed. He moved both fingers as he had done with the first. His position was a bit uncomfortable and he couldn't reach very well, but the feeling was even better this time.
"Very good…" Slade praised him. "Now a third."
Robin grunted but didn't question him this time. It was very tricky to get a third finger in, but he managed that as well eventually. He wondered fleetingly at the fact that it didn't hurt. He felt… stretched, yes, like when he stretched every muscle after working out, but it didn't hurt. Strangely enough, it actually didn't feel like enough. The stretching-part was fine, but he couldn't get deep enough by far. He made a small, irritated noise and wriggled his ass.
"Ready for me?" Slade asked with a chuckle. Robin looked back over his shoulder, the words 'yes, Master' on his lips, but when he saw Slade sitting there, leaning against the wall and stroking something that glistened with lubricant but also looked much wider than three fingers, he hesitated. It hadn't looked that big when he had sucked it, had it?
"S-Slade…?"
"Come here, boy."
Robin shivered, but his Master's voice was firm and there was no way he could disobey him. Again he couldn't really believe that Slade would hurt him, so he scooted closer to the man who grabbed him firmly, but gently, and made him straddle his knees, facing away from him.
"That's it. Sit up on your knees and then lean back. Good. Now sit down slowly…"
Robin gasped as he felt the head of the man's cock slide up and down his cleft a few times before it found its target.
"M-master?" Robin whimpered as the pressure against his opening built up.
"Relax, Robin. You're mine. Let go… you belong to me… show it." Slade's voice was low, suggestive, but still steady; there was no lenience in it, no hint of 'if you want to'.
Robin took a deep breath and leaned back some more.
"NNGH! AH!" Suddenly the tip of the man's length was inside him, and the shaft seemed to follow automatically. Robin's hands scrabbled on the man's thighs, trying to stop the descent, but Slade spread his knees, making the teen's knees spread as well, causing him to slide further down on the shaft. Not long after, the hero's backside was resting completely on the man's pelvis.
Robin was breathing in gasps, almost sobs. He couldn't make up his mind about whether it hurt or not, it was just very… much. Slade's hands slid over his chest and pulled him back so he was leaning against the man's chest, still trying to catch his breath.
"Good boy…" his Master purred, making Robin warm all over again. He let out a little moan as he felt the man's lips against his neck and throat. Turning his head, he caught those lips in a searing kiss, their first, and he felt completely… loved. Robin didn't know any other word for it… 'safe' and 'cared for' felt too small, too insignificant… 'Loved' on the other hand was maybe wrong as well… he didn't expect Slade to suddenly dote on him, recite poetry or even take him out on dates… it wasn't that kind of love… he was a treasured possession, not a spouse, but, to Robin, that felt absolutely right.
Slade moved then, pushed Robin forwards and slowly pulled out of him, before repositioning himself behind the teen and thrusting inside once more. The teen's breath hitched as Slade's cock left him, the ridge under the head causing a bit of pain, but as soon as he was inside again, it all felt better. Especially as he started moving, and Robin felt something brush against his prostate for the first time. If it had been a Disney movie, all be it and extremely perverted one, birds would have burst out in song at this point. Or there might have been fire-works. Robin, as the fair princess, might not sing out his love for the prince right now, it was more moans and single words not fit for any kind of lyrics, but he still made his appreciation known. Slade had gone from his Master to his hero with one push of his hips.
Robin was in heaven until Slade uttered his next words.
"Don't come, boy."
He might just as well have ordered him not to think, not to feel.
"But… Master… please! So… close!"
"Not until I tell you, or I will be very angry with you," the man let the hero know.
Robin bit his bottom lip hard and tried to arch his back, to get out of his current position which simply felt too good. Slade wouldn't let him, however, and held his hips in a viselike grip. Robin was clawing at the bedding in front of him, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes from trying to hold back. Slade's thrusts quickened, getting short but deep and Robin was convinced he would die if he couldn't come, but equally convinced that he would if he did.
"Now."
The word, delivered in a grunt, came as a blessing from the gods… or rather; Robin's own personal one. The teen yelled out as he shot strand after strand of seed on to the mattress below. At the same time he felt the man's cock swell inside him, filling him up even more as hot cum coated his insides.
Robin's arms shook like he had been doing a handstand for an hour instead of merely supporting himself on all fours for no more than about ten minutes. He felt like he thought an untrained person must feel after their first ever aerobics-pass and didn't quite know how to avoid passing out.
"That a boy…" the man behind him chuckled and patted the teen's rump amiable as his softening cock left its new favorite place.
"Thank you… Master…" Robin mumbled and sat up gingerly. There were some hints of pain now, when the pleasure had died down and his body was trying to figure out what had just happened to it.
"You're not satisfied enough not to call me Master?" the man asked, sounding surprised and just a tiny bit put out.
"Oh, I am…" Robin chuckled. "I just don't want to… you deserve it…"
The man chuckled and gave the teen another slap on the behind, with a bit more sting this time.
"Flatterer. Get up. We are going to shower and then you are going to clean up your mess here and go out and buy us lunch."
Robin groaned and climbed to his feet. Slade sure knew how to take advantage, and not just in the fun way. He still got a pleasant tingle from the orders, though, and obeyed willingly.
Robin sat down carefully on the kitchen chair, trying not to wince. He had bought them Chinese for dinner again, not because he was particularly in the mood for Chinese, but because that happened to be the closest restaurant he could find. Now he was naked once more and desperately wished he had a cushion.
"Ow…" he muttered and then looked up with a glare as Slade chuckled. The look was met evenly, however, and Robin lowered his eyes. He wasn't ready to butt heads with the man quite yet. "So… how about tomorrow?"
"What about tomorrow?" Slade said, putting a few giant shrimps on his plate.
"The key?" Robin tried to clarify.
"What? Do you want a ride to the museum or something?" Slade asked blankly.
"No… I… so… I'll go, then?"
"Of course. This was only temporary, after all," the man shrugged. "And, as I told you, I'm not interested in the technology anymore. They can have it back."
"Oh." Robin played with his own food for a bit, poking at a piece of bamboo. He felt the now familiar anxiousness slowly return. "So you don't want me anymore?" he asked, the snarl not far away in his voice.
Slade sighed.
"You have worse mood swings than my ex-wife ever had… including PMS and pregnancies…"
"I don't have mood-swings and I'm not a fucking woman!" Robin yelled and threw his plate into the wall.
"Corner. Now," Slade said and pointed.
"I'm not going to-"
The man yanked him out of the chair and pushed him face first into the closest corner. As Robin felt the man's body push into his, holding him still, he calmed down a bit.
"I'm sorry."
"I bet you are," the man snorted. "Now, you'll stay here. I'll speak, but you will remain quiet. Understood? Good. I quite like these kinds of conversations, I think we've started a good thing here…. Now… Tomorrow you will go to the museum, remove the collar and then return to the Titans. It has nothing to do with me 'not wanting you' as you put it –eyes forwards, Robin- but I don't think the collar is a good idea. It was never meant for humans, and it might even cause brain-damage in the long run… not that anyone will notice, if you keep wearing it… and I saw that gesture, Robin, you will get spanked for that." The man paused, thinking about what to say next. "You want to be a hero, Robin. You want to be free and independent. You don't really want to be a kneeling pet, catering to your Master's needs, at least not in the long run. You like it with the collar on, but without it? I don't know. No matter, I'm not letting you go just for your own sake, but more for mine. I have jobs to do, and the collar won't make you help me, we have already tested that…" Robin shivered as he remembered having Slade tell him to kill a pigeon with his bird-a-rang. It had been easy to resist, but what if it hadn't? "So," Slade continued, "I don't have time to be a full-time Master for you. Sure, I could lock you up, or order you to stand in a corner while I work, but it wouldn't be very amusing for long. Besides, I rather miss the ass-kicking part of you. It was at least fun when you tried."
Part of Robin agreed with everything the man was saying and part of him whined and wanted to beg and crawl to be taken back, for his Master to keep him. Slade's words were law, though, and the man had ordered him to leave tomorrow, so he would.
Robin waited patiently while Slade ate, and then the man called him over.
"Over the table or over my lap, boy?" he asked.
"Your lap, Sir," Robin answered immediately, since he craved the body-contact after his exile in the corner.
"Very well." Slade pulled out his chair and Robin arranged himself over the man's knees as quickly as he could. It was an awkward position, but then the man moved and locked the teen's legs with his own, steadying him and making sure he couldn't get away even if he had wanted to. "As I make up the rules as I go along, I would say that flipping your Master off is worth… twelve strikes. But I'll make it an even fifteen just to ensure you won't do it again."
"Yes, Master."
"You'll count and thank me for each one as before, of course."
"Yes, Master."
"Good."
Robin thought that, as Slade was using his palm this time, it wouldn't be as bad as the belt. He had been spanked once or twice before, as far as he could remember, and he mostly just remembered it as embarrassing, not painful. But he had never been spanked by Slade before.
By the end of it Robin was about to beg the man to stop. His already stinging behind was bright red and burned like the sun. This time Slade didn't send him for a cool shower either, but forced him to sit down on the hard chair and finish his now cold dinner, before, of course, cleaning up. Still, in the warped, enslaved mind of Robin, all was well, because few things were so good as to endure a well deserved punishment from a caring Master.
The next morning Robin awoke next to Slade, feeling heartbroken. He woke Slade up ten minutes later by gently licking and sucking on the tip of his cock.
"Hmmm… nice way to start the day…" the man mumbled with a small grin.
"Please don't be angry, Master, I just wanted to do something nice for you," Robin quickly explained, his eyes full of worry.
"I'm not mad… Continue, by all means."
"Thank you, Sir!" Robin gave the man a rare, brilliant smile. "And… if you feel up to it… I have prepared myself…?"
"You have now, have you?" the man chuckled. "Such a good boy. Keep doing that thing with your tongue, and we'll see if I'll feel 'up' to it…"
It turned out he did, which might not have been a surprise to anybody. Robin was on his back this time, biting the inside of his cheek as the man's entering stung quite a bit. He really wasn't ready for more of this quite so soon, but he knew he would have to leave in a few hours, so this might be the last chance. Slade was being gentle with him at first, until the little crease on Robin's forehead disappeared. The teen wrapped his arms around the man and smiled as his pleasure was building… he had had no idea that heaven was being fucked by his enemy on an old, ratty mattress on the floor of an abandoned building…
Almost two weeks later, Slade turned his head and looked straight at a particular piece of shadow.
"Yes, Robin?" he asked in a mockingly polite voice.
The teen muttered something ugly under his breath and stepped out into the light of a flickering sign advertising vacant rooms, which could be rented by the hour. Not the most classy neighborhood, this.
"Slade," the teen nodded in greeting. "I wanted to thank you."
"Could you specify that? I seem to remember doing quite a few things for you…" The man had a smirk on his face. Robin couldn't see it behind the metal mask, but it was clear by his expression that the teen knew it was there.
"For letting me go. You were right, I was not myself with the collar."
"I thought not… you are normally not that whiny as far as I know."
"Yeah… thanks…" the teen muttered.
"Was that all?" the man asked.
"Actually… would you like to do it again some time?" Robin's words were a bit hurried from nervousness, but Slade was surprised he had the balls to ask at all. He couldn't help but leer.
"Fine. I'll come hunting for you soon… it will be interesting to make you obey without the any help..."
"You might be able to do it… if you can catch me…" the teen purred.
"I'll see you soon, Robin…" Slade chuckled and turned away. He didn't have time tonight, regrettably, because he had a meeting to get to and-
"Ooof!" the man stumbled forward and then spun around to see a grinning Robin backing away.
"I just wanted to make sure I still could kick your ass… besides… you know you like it."
"You little-" Slade growled and took a step forward, but the teen was already gone, his teasing laugh echoing between the buildings.
The man hesitated for a moment but then smirked. His meeting would just have to wait.
The End.
A/N: Although the Viking slave-trade is not made up, the collars are, so everything connected to them like the names and stuff are pure bull, kay? ;)
Hope you enjoyed! Either way, leave me a review, please, tell me if I'm on to anything interesting here or not… ; )