A/N: Happy B-day supporteroffreelove (April 7)!

This is a sequel to "The Other Way Around", the fourth in the "Christmas Drabbles 2011" (this link may or may not show up/work: .net/s/7599396/4/Christmas_Drabbles_2011 )

So you might want to refresh your memory before reading this one. If you are stubbornly going to continue anyway, let's just say this: Robin's bad, Slade's good. Caught up? Great! ;) It should be said that the world beyond this is pretty much the same, though… Just remember that when you read the word "hero" it means Slade… because I was confused myself at some points…

The original drabble was in first-person narrative, but this will be in third person, as I wanted to include more character's POV's (Slade's)… and is easier to write… ;) Nah, it's actually mostly for the first reason…

Oh, and, once again, you will have to accept the presence of Red X, although he shouldn't be able to exist in this universe in his canon form… but you were so good about that last time, so… ;)

One last thing… ummm… This does not follow the request to the letter, because, again, this story didn't want to… it's a raw, gritty universe, where the character's baser instincts get to come out and play, which, of course, makes the OOC-ness apparent… so it's not for the pure fluff-lover, this one… ;) Although maybe it is…

The Only Way Forward

"You didn't come."

Slade startled awake by the accusing voice. He stared at the slim shadow standing by the side of his bed in the Tower.

"What?"

"You didn't come. And that's a double innuendo, because you didn't show up, and so, you didn't get to come either…" the shadow, Robin of course, growled, and then threw a parcel on Slade's bed, which the man very well recognized. After all, he had left it by the teen's pillow just the other night.

"I came to my senses," the hero claimed, battling his own emotions. He was so filled with guilt, lust, rage and worry so his mind just wasn't able to settle for just one. He had had sex with a minor, and a boy to boot. And he had enjoyed it. Immensely. And it had been filmed. It had been involuntary, but the film, he knew, didn't show his shackles, and by the end of it… well, pretty much from the middle of it, in fact, the 'involuntary' part had pretty much lost its two first letters. But that was not all he was worried about. No, his own reputation and crime didn't concern him as much as the fact that Robin was a killer and clearly obsessed with him… so what might he do to gain and keep Slade's attention? The man didn't know, because it was hard to judge how sane, or insane, the teen was. He was intelligent, for sure, and he could act perfectly clear-headed, but at other times…

"Senses? You don't love me anymore?" the young man whined.

… other times, like now, for instance, he was… somewhat unhinged. Slade didn't know if it was an act, the teen was trying to be funny, perhaps, but he had learned enough about criminals to know to be careful.

"We're not in love," he said firmly.

"But we had sex!"

"We both know how that happened, and sex is not the same as love," the man tried to keep a calm, reasoning tone of voice.

"Oh. Yeah. I had hoped you were one of those heroes that had those things confused from watching too much Disney…" the teen sighed. "But I guess you are too experienced for that…" he continued with a purr.

"Get out," the hero growled.

"I was thinking of getting off… don't you want that too?" the young killer asked innocently, sinking down at the end of the bed. As he took that step forward he came out of the shadows and the man discovered that the assassin was completely naked, apart from his mask.

"Only if it's you getting off the bed," Slade growled, but found it impossible to do anything about more it, as if the slim teen had the hypnotizing ability of a fairy-tale snake.

"Want to do it on the floor?" Robin grinned.

Slade found some willpower somewhere and moved too quickly for the teen to even see. Robin let out a strangled gasp as the man's hand closed over his throat and yanked him up, before slamming him down again, on his back, on the bed. The killer would have purred again if he had been able too, but spots were dancing in front of his eyes.

"Listen very carefully, Robin…" Slade, who was kneeling between the assassin's spread knees, growled in a tone so low that the teen felt like his chest was vibrating from it. "You are to leave me and my team alone. I know you have that tape, but if you don't leave willingly, god help me…"

"I…. I knew there was… darkness in you…." Robin forced out.

"Oh, my boy… you don't know the half of it. So don't try to open that door again," the man sneered.

"But… I need it…! Slade… I need you! I told you… only you… only you can… control me."

"I don't want to control you. I don't want to control anyone," the man stated firmly.

Robin managed a smile and suddenly his hand was resting against the man's boxer-clad groin.

"Liar."

The hero froze, a gasp of surprise escaping his lips, and Robin's smile widened. The man hadn't realized he was getting hard and now he was clearly confused about why. Well, time for the assassin to be a good guy for once and help him figure it out.

"Take control, Slade… I'm yours… own me… punish me… hurt me… take me… please… please…. Master?"

"You just want to be fucked," Slade snarled through clenched teeth, spitting out the last word like it was the filthiest he had ever spoken. Which it might be, Robin had to admit. The man's hand clenched even tighter.

"No… not just… Fucked by you…" Robin breathed. "Only… you." He could barely get any air at all by now and started to wonder if the man might really kill him, but still… it didn't matter. Even Robin realized that that was very screwed up.

Something hard and cold was digging into his side and the teen scrambled for it. The lube. He managed to get the bottle open, spilled half of it over himself and the bed and then pushed a slick hand into the man's boxers, freeing and preparing the tool of his punishment all at once.

"I had forgotten how big you were." Robin's voice was barely more than a whisper now but the desire, and the slight hint of fear, could still be heard. The last part had an impact on Slade which he didn't want to admit.

"I hurt you the last time," the man said, his grip remaining, He knew it was too tight, but it was like his fingers were locked in that position and he couldn't do anything about it. He felt as if he was holding on to a snake, and if he let go, it would bite.

"Yes… it hurt… but I deserved it," the teen moaned.

"Yes, you did."

"Do it again… you have to… please Master!" the ten raised his hips and they were in position, He was begging for it with every breath, every shiver of his body, every jerking movements of his hips. But Slade wanted more.

"You think you are vulnerable now?" the man growled, and moved his other hand up to the side of the teen's face, without letting go of his throat. "I'll make you more vulnerable than you've ever been…" and with that he slowly started to pull the assassin's mask off.

"No!" Robin twisted, trying to push the man off him, but his lube-covered hands merely slipped on his skin uselessly and, due to the lack of oxygen, his punches hurt the man as much as getting head butted by a pet cat would. But Robin kept struggling, because this he hadn't expected, and he didn't want it either. His identity had to stay a secret or his life was over. Bruce would do everything to hunt him down and he would end up in Arkham before he could say 'jail bait'.

"Yes. I'll find out who you are… and I'll get to see the pain in your eyes as I fuck you," the man leered and tore the mask all the way off, and, at the same time, buried himself to the hilt in the tight, young body beneath him.

Robin was in shock as stared up at the hero, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out. This was supposed to be a game. Yes, he liked to feel dominated, but, in all his previous encounters it had never been real, he had always known that he, in fact, had the upper hand. He could escape or even kill his partner at any time, and they had never seen him without his mask. Ever. Because Richard Grayson didn't have sex. Only Robin did. Until now.

"P…. please…" he gasped, his vision blurry from tears.

"Too late to beg for mercy now, not after begging for punishment," Slade growled and snapped his hips forward again. "Hmmm… Eyes so blue I can even make out the color in this light… you will be easy to find. In fact… I feel like I've seen you before…"

Robin was sure that they had never met, but the Titans had connections to the Justice League, and it wasn't impossible that Slade knew Batman… or had at least seen pictures of Richard in the papers when he was younger. He groaned as the man's hips pushed forwards once more, filling him, stretching him to, and somewhat beyond, the point of pain, but also giving him so much pleasure.

Robin struggled feebly still, the man's hold on his neck keeping him in place as the thrusts sped up. The teen was torn between his desires and his fears, but didn't want to give in to either. He had wanted to awaken the beast, but had been a fool in thinking that he could control it once roused. Slade was an animal; a raw, instinct-driven creature who, right now, only wanted to dominate and fuck him, and the teen had nothing to defend himself with. Why the hell had he gotten naked? Why the hell didn't he have a taser?

Desire won out eventually, though, it had always been the strongest urge in Robin. Desire for revenge, for money, for power, for sex, and, also… for punishment. He was getting the last two in abundance tonight, that was for sure.

Lube and sweat was making their skin slick, their bodies sliding against each other. Robin barely noticed as he could breathe freely again, he only wound his arms and legs around the man who still held him in place with his weight and one hand on his hip. He was seldom on his back like this. He preferred to ride the men he let fuck him, or being taken from behind. This position was just too exposed for his taste, but that went for everyone else, not Slade. He'd be on his back for Slade.

Robin might have joked that heroes didn't know the difference between sex and love, but the truth was that he wasn't too sure himself. He thought he had only had one kind, but now… now he didn't know, because this feeling… it had to be something more, didn't it? He desperately wanted it to be something more, because, after so many years of emotional isolation… he needed it.

He cried out as he came, almost sobbing with the overwhelming feeling, not caring one bit if the whole Tower heard him. He suspected the room was all sound-proof-though, or Slade would have tried to muffle his moans by now.

Heavy breathing and a throbbing heartbeat was all Robin was aware of for a while. He didn't even know if they both belonged to him, or if they were from Slade and him combined. He winced, snapping back to reality, as a finger traced the skin on his throat.

"You wanted a Master." It wasn't a question, not quite, but the teen still made a little strangled sound of agreement. "Fine… then this is your collar," the man informed him, still touching Robin's neck. "And I'll consider it my job to make sure it stays there."

"What are you talking abo-?" Robin sat up and looked towards the window, which in the gloom had turned into a mirror. He gasped and let his own fingers trace angry red bruises which were slowly turning blue. It was a collar, alright, but he didn't want one of those. He wanted to play at having a Master, but this one he couldn't take off.

His eyes caught Slade's smug expression in the reflection and that was all Robin could take. He bolted from the bed and hurried over to the dresser where he had left his clothes.

"I thought you were supposed to be a good guy…" he muttered as he started to dress.

"You told me that you know how to be a hero… well, I know how to be a villain," the man shrugged and sat up. "I think we're even, Robin. Leave Jump now."

"No! You think you've won?" The teen hissed. "Well, you haven't! I'll have you eating out of my hand in no time, 'Master', trust me."

"Not likely," the man snorted. "You're filth. Only good for fucking, it seems. And, by this time tomorrow, I will know your true identity… the playing field will be completely even again."

Robin's hand had gone to his face at the man's words. His mask! Where was it? The next moment he spotted it between the smirking man's fingers.

"Give it to me." the young assassin hissed.

"I thought I just did."

The teen let out a growl and stalked over, determined to snatch the black and white mask away, but he was the one who was grabbed instead. He was pushed down against the bed once more and, for a second, he thought the man wanted him again. The next moment, however, he yelped and screwed his eyes shot from the stinging pain of bright light which was suddenly flooding the room.

"There. I just needed one good look at you before you go," the man drawled. Robin, who knew that it was too late to try and cover his face up, just glared defiantly instead.

"Give me my mask."

"Of course. I wouldn't keep a trophy from you," the man snorted. "It would be like the fisherman keeping the worm."

"Well, you didn't seem to mind mounting it," Robin muttered, making the hero chuckle.

"No, I did not. Now go," Slade said and pressed the mask into the teen's hand. "And remember, as long as you stay in Jump, you'll be wearing that collar."

"We'll see, Slade…" the young man growled as he got to his feet and hurried over to the window he had come through. "We'll see."

Robin didn't leave at once; he climbed to the roof of Titan's Tower and sat staring down over the edge, feeling… he didn't even know. His fingers kept going back to the ring of bruises, and he snatched his hand away ever time, with a sound of disgust.

He had gotten more than he bargained for, that was for sure, but if it was one thing Robin hated it was self doubt. He straightened up as the dawn drew closer. He hadn't failed. He hadn't. Because he had known there was darkness in the man, and this had proved it, beyond a doubt. He would rather have that darkness directed at other people but himself, but this was at least a step in the right direction. A small smile began to play on his lips and he drew a deep breath. It would all be just fine… Slade would be his, and- who the hell was that?

Robin leaned over dangerously as he peered down. Someone had just climbed out from another window and was making his way down. Was one of the Titan's sneaking out for breakfast pizza? Or, more interestingly, had more than Slade had a visitor last night? Robin grinned and attached his grapple-hook. He couldn't help it; he had to find out.

"Good morning!" he said brightly as he landed just in front of what was quite obviously a young man.

Said man made a croaking noise and grabbed his chest.

"Way to give someone a heart attack!" he hissed.

The two stared at each other for a moment, caught in the 'what side does this one belong to?'-conundrum. Judging by the skull mask and tattered cape, and the colors as well, Robin would bet that the guy was a baddie… on the other hand, he could also be a vigilante, as those tended to dress just a bit more bad-ass and darker than your regular hero. And the stack of Playboy Magazines under the guys arm was another riddle.

"Sooo….sneaking out of the Titans Tower with porn… care to explain?" Robin asked.

"There's no way you're a Titan!" the other exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Hell no," Robin snorted. "And you're not either, right?"

"Hell no," came the reply, followed by a snicker.

"So… the porn?"

"This? Nah, it's just a prank," the skull-masked one shrugged.

"What? You leave dirty mags lying around the Tower?" Robin grinned, warming up to this guy.

"Nah, it's better than that… You see, I found the guy's stashes on one of my… sightseeing-trips."

Robin nodded; he had been on a lot of 'sightseeing' too in his day.

"So you steal their port?" he asked, much less impressed now.

"No way, I switch it! I mean, this-" he showed Robin the magazines he was holding, "is pretty innocent stuff after all, right? I switch it for… welllll… let's just say you can't get material like that other the counter."

"Really?" Robin was wearing a full out grin now.

"Really. This time I got some animal stuff… for the little green guy, you know… figure he'd like it."

"Oh, god… You might not be a hero, but you're my personal one," Robin laughed, and reached his hand out. "I'm Robin."

"Red X," the other chuckled as they shook hands. "So… what's your story? And what the heck happened to your neck?"

"Slade happened. He choked me while he was fucking me," Robin muttered, deciding to be truthful. He did like this guy and he had very good instincts about things like this.

Red X made a spluttering sound that just must have made the inside of his mask uncomfortably wet.

"What? SLADE? Slade did… did that while… really? Goody two-shoes Slade? I didn't think he knew what his cock was for, besides pissing!"

"Oh, he knows, alright…" Robin muttered and rubbed his ass with a grimace on his face.

"Want me to kiss it better?" the guy suddenly purred after a stunned moment of silence.

"What, my neck or my-?" Robin smirked.

"Why don't we start at your neck and work down?" Red X drawled.

"Tempting… very tempting…" the assassin chuckled. "But Slade might get… hmmm…"

"Jealous?" the other one said, and the grin on his face, although not visible, was no doubt wide.

"Yeeeah… have to think about it, though," Robin said thoughtfully. "Wanna come steal some breakfast?"

"Well, that's what I do… how 'bout you, what's your poison?"

"Well… poison is… although I prefer knives or bullets. I'm a killer," Robin told him openly. The other teen seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then shrugged.

"Okay, we all have to make a living, after all… so come on, kid… race you to the city?"

"You're on."

"You're right, stolen sandwiches do taste better," Robin said half an hour later as he and his new friend had found a nice, quiet rooftop to relax on.

"Want the big or the small coffee to wash down your defeat with?" the thief asked, his grin now visible as he had pulled his mask up.

"Hey, if you had been fucked by Slade all night you wouldn't have been able to move at all," Robin snorted. "Trust me on that, because after the first time…"

"This wasn't the first?"

"Nah," the teen, feeling very much at ease at the moment, fished out a certain memory card. "Got anything that can play this?"

"Yup," the thief nodded and pulled out a small device with a screen. Ten minutes later his eyes were all but pushing his mask outwards. "Wow… this… wow... I had no idea Slade was this hot!"

"Heeey, back off," Robin warned him.

"Nah, don't worry about it, he's yours… not that there's anything wrong with the size of my balls, but I wouldn't go there."

"Smart thief," the assassin nodded happily as the memory card was handed back to him.

"Damn… that made me hard… you wouldn't want to lend a hand, would you?" Red X asked. "Or a mouth?"

"But we barely know each other!" Robin exclaimed in fake indignation.

"Aaaaw!" Red sighed.

"Well…." Robin hesitated but then his fingers went up to that damn bruise again. "I… I'm sorry… don't think I can."

"Why? Is Slade gonna spank you?"

"Actually… I'm not sure he cares enough to do that…" Robin mumbled.

"Oh, please… don't tell me you're a punching bag?" Red X snorted. "Do you get off on that kind of thing or what?"

"I thought I did…." Robin admitted, gazing almost sadly towards the T-Tower which was glittering in the distance. "But with Slade… I don't know… he makes me feel… dirty. And in a bad way."

"I can't still believe it's Slade we're talking about here!" the thief exclaimed… "Slade having rough sex, hell, Slade having sex at all… and with a teen guy… that's like finding out that Superman eats babies or something! He's like… good old Slade, you know?"

"Well, I got the impression that he was a bit uptight…" Robin grinned. "But I had no idea I corrupted him that much!"

"You must have done one hell of a number of him… well… you did, I just saw some of it," Red laughed and pulled his mask all the way down. "Gotta go, kid, my balls are turning blue here… but don't think I'm giving up on you… you'll realize Slade's a dull-ass soon enough."

"Yeah?" Robin asked and snatched his hand away from his throat for the hundredth time.

"Yeah. Bye babe!"

With that the thief simply disappeared in front of the teen, who looked stunned before shrugging and going back to his breakfast. He'd seen weirder things.

As the days past his the bruises turned first an ugly purple, so dark that it almost looked black, and then they started to fade to green. Robin fought an urge to cover them up but he just couldn't give Slade that satisfaction. Besides, he'd look stupid in a scarf.

Speaking about Slade, Robin kept a close eye on him and his team, but he stayed out of view, trying to tell himself that he wasn't hiding. He watched the team fighting, laughing, arguing, eating, having fun… and he grew insanely jealous of them all, especially when Slade's hand would close over a shoulder or pat a back in support, because Robin knew what those hands could really do, and he wanted them to be on him. He swallowed. It should be impossible for the collar to actually feel tight, shouldn't it?

"One would think I added a leash to the collar, the way you are following me around."

Robin jumped and spun around, staring at the man who was his biggest nightmare and his greatest desire all at once.

"What-? How-?" he looked down at the plaza, where the rest of the Titans were enjoying pizza for lunch, sitting outdoors around one of the restaurant's tables. And Slade had been with them just a moment ago, sipping a protein shake from a straw, the teen was sure of it.

"I thought we needed to… talk…" the man purred behind him, and Robin yelped as a hand closed around his tender neck. He tried to free himself but was slammed into a wall, the air rushing out of his lungs in a whoosh.

"Now, now, you don't want to fight… do you… Richard?" the hero asked sweetly.

Robin's eyes widened and he forced himself to stay still.

"Good…. much better. Now… aw, the collar has faded quite a bit, hasn't it?" Slade tutted. "Good thing I decided to see you again now, then…"

"I… thought I… was a worm…?" Robin growled.

"Worms have great uses," his 'Master' chuckled behind his mask. "And so do you." The man pushed him down so hard and suddenly that Robin's knees just buckled, and hit the concrete ground sharply, making the teen hiss in pain. "Any ideas?"

Robin knew exactly what the man wanted, of course, and glared.

"I won't suck you off, Slade, so go to hell!"

"I imagine that's where you are going… and in this life too, if I call Bruce."

Fuck. Robin thought the word so intensely that it seemed Slade could hear it, because the grey eye behind the mask glittered in a cold, amused way.

The consequences of Batman finding out about him were just too horrific. He wouldn't be able to hide anymore. He wouldn't be able to be him… and, whenever he grew weary of this life, he wouldn't be able to go home. Ever again. Robin lowered his eyes and reached for the man's crotch.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing, you bastard?"

The yell was completely unexpected, and it was a good thing that Robin didn't have anything in his mouth or that bit might have been bitten off in fright.

Someone suddenly appeared from out of the blue next to them, and pulled Robin to his feet. Red X, the assassin's mind had time to register, and that saved the thief's life, as Robin was already reaching for a blade.

"I saw the whole thing, you fucking creep!" the thief was still yelling, and even waved a finger, in Slade's face. "So Robin's a criminal and you think that makes it okay to treat him like your personal whore? What the hell? Sadistic pig!"

Robin had been pulled into a protective embrace by the thief and he was too stunned to do more than blink stupidly. He couldn't remember if anyone had ever defended him like this, and sure as hell not as Robin-the-Assassin.

Slade, even with his mask on, looked shocked.

"I…" he started hesitantly. "You don't understand-"

"I fucking do understand! I know exactly what's going on you fucking fuck!" Red yelled. "Shouldn't you save people? Well, I'm saving Robin from you! Let's go, kid!"

The young killer was still too stunned to object, besides, there just was no way to give someone head after a scene like that, so…

He let Red X drag him away and then followed on his own accord until they entered a window to a small apartment half way across town.

"So… think he's shocked?" the thief snickered.

"You called Slade, the All American Hero, a 'fucking fuck' and practically set the police on him…. yeah… I think he's a bit… upset," Robin smirked.

"Yeah, well… he deserves it!"

"We're just-"

"What? Playing a game? Yeah, well, I can tell you don't think it's fun anymore," Red said and glared at Robin, challenging him to object.

"I can take care of myself," the teen huffed.

"Sure! When it comes to killing or fucking… but I am damn good at reading people and you are interested in Slade. As in… INTERESTED. He's not just some conquest to you and you shouldn't be that to him either."

"You said your name was Red X, right? Not Cupid?" Robin smirked.

"I'm moonlighting…"

"Don't quit your night-job…" the assassin snorted. "So what if I'm interested in Slade? I was getting laid, wasn't I?"

"Not in the right way."

"There's a wrong one? Come on, the guy is never going to take me on dates or buy me flowers… it's this or arresting me, really…"

"Nope."

"Nope?"

"Nope, because Slade's a good guy. And right now he feels really bad. And you know what that means, don't you?" Red asked.

"Exploit it?"

"Exactly."

Robin was sitting on a rooftop, hugging his knees and looking miserable, all according to instruction. He had been here for twenty minutes, and if they had thought correctly-

"Robin."

The teen gasped and got to his feet, backing away from the man.

"I'm not going to hurt you." It was half a demand to stay, half a plea, and Robin would have smirked if it wouldn't have ruined everything. Instead he caressed his own neck.

"You sure? You seem to enjoy it."

"I came to apologize. Can we talk?"

"I… I guess so."

"Good. Then come," Slade said and turned around, clearly expecting Robin to follow. "And cut the crap, I knew you were waiting for me," he added with a snort.

"What… what do you mean?" the teen asked, trying to sound innocent, as he hurried along after the man, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

"The 'I'm so scared, innocent and hurt'-act," the man actually chuckled. "We both know you liked it."

"Most of it," Robin pointed out.

"Yes. Hence my apology."

"And when will you come to that, exactly?" the teen asked sweetly.

"As soon as we are inside. Here." The man entered what looked like a rundown building, and the teen's eyes widened as he followed. It was a medium sized room, a studio apartment, and it had everything from a computer to a small workshop and even a kitchenette. Oh, and a bed.

"Later," the hero purred as he caught Robin looking at it, and the teen had to fight a blush. "Sit."

There was a couch in front of a TV, and Robin sank down on it, still looking around.

"What is this place?"

"My getaway," the man shrugged.

"Hah… I knew it!" Robin grinned. "I knew you couldn't stand those brats!"

"Their… antics does make being their leader tiresome on occasion," Slade confessed and sat down himself, in an arm-chair. He took his mask off and put it on the small coffee-table. Robin immediately wanted to run his fingers through the man's hair. "I admit that, and this how I deal with it. I go here, to get some alone-time… or just some-"

"Peace and quiet?"

"Exactly."

"Don't blame you." There was a moment of quiet and then the teen squirmed. "Soo… that apology?"

"I brought you here so I could explain my actions… to show you that you were, at least partly, right about me. I know I don't really belong with them, I'm their guardian more than a member of the team, but I've taken it upon myself to protect them. For now."

"And then? Later?"

"They are growing up. I imagine I will be on my own again. Some days I look forward to it, and others I know I'll miss them… but that's not what I was trying to say…" the man seemed to think about what to say next and then sighed. "You saw through it, Robin. The rest of them, all of them, see the hero, the man that would give his life for others, but you… it seemed like you spotted the darkness in me from the first moment we met… have you any idea how much that scared me?"

Robin blinked. He had scared Slade? Really? Cool!

The man saw the look on his face and snorted before continuing.

"Something else scared me… when we fought… the few words we exchanged… I felt something. Something I absolutely did not want to feel for someone like you. A teen. A male. A criminal. But it was there, and when you… pulled that little stunt of yours…" the man gave him a glare now, while Robin smiled innocently. "I couldn't think of anything else until the night you came to visit. Nothing. I tried to set up a meeting of my own, but as you know I… bailed, is probably the right word… You seemed to bring out the worst in me, in a way, so, when you came by… Well…"

"You decided to show me… yeah… I know…"

"I thought you deserved it."

"Maybe I did," Robin shrugged.

"No. Because you may be able to read people but so can I. It wasn't just physical. You were reaching out to me. And I made it worse."

"Sheesh, are everyone Cupid today?" Robin snorted.

"What do you want, Robin?"

The question was sudden but the teen thought it was honestly meant, which made it harder to answer.

"I don't know… you?"

"That's a start," the man smirked.

"I know what I don't want…" Robin continued. "I don't want to be locked up. Constrained. Smothered. I want to be free, always wanted that… and rich…" he added with a grin. "And happy… and sometimes…"

"Yes?"

"Sometimes I want to be safe too…" Robin said quietly. "Slade… what do you want?"

"To be free," the man smirked "I'm already rich."

"I love you, let's get married!"

"Nice try."

"Just a joke… for now…" Robin snickered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt… you don't feel free?"

"Not always. I don't think anyone does," the man shrugged. "There are always 'musts' and that's good… these things shape us, makes us smarter and stronger… just as long as we're not buried by them."

"Yeah, I know… I should have been half way to med-school or something by now, if I hadn't run…" Robin sighed.

"Horrible thought."

"Hey! But, yeah… I don't think I have the empathy…"

"That's a hard thing to fake," Slade nodded. "Trust me," he added grimly, and the teen chuckled.

"Not having all mushy feelings about mankind?" he asked.

"Most of them are idiots," Slade stated, which made Robin flat out laugh this time.

"True."

"Doesn't mean they deserve to die."

"Weeeeeell…" Robin dragged it out and then shrugged. "I have a feeling it would be pointless to even discuss that…"

"You're right," the man said. "But if you are interested in doing more than talking with me… there will be some rules."

"Aw… must there?" Robin complained.

"Yes."

"Okay… what rules?"

"You will not commit any kind of crime inside the city borders, and that includes stealing coffee."

"You heard about that?"

"I got yours and Red X's descriptions from the vendor, yes," the man muttered.

"No crimes at all… sure. What else? Let me guess… you want me to give you the memory-card?"

"No. The 'no crime' was it."

"No? You don't want it?"

"I wouldn't mind if you erased it, of course, but things stand pretty even at the moment. We both have information that could really hurt the other person… and I think we can promise to keep this to ourselves, right?"

"Yeah, no problem… um… except Red X have already seen it."

"What?"

"What? I needed to brag!" Robin defended himself. "Don't worry, he won't tell a soul, I'll make sure of it." After a look from Slade the teen sighed. "I'll make sure of it by asking him nicely, damn it! He's a friend!"

"Good. Probably," Slade muttered. "But we were talking about what we want, and I don't think you are quite true to yourself…"

"How so?" the teen asked, a bit puzzled.

"You say that you want to be free and not be constrained… but at the same time you have told me that you want to be punished and controlled…"

"Oh…" the killer thought that over for a while and then squirmed. "I… I want to be free… I don't want other people to have any control over me at all… except… except you."

"And you taught me that I like it…" the man growled disdainfully.

"Sorry," Robin muttered.

"No, don't apologize. You taught me something new about myself… unlocked something I had no idea was there… have you any idea what a rush that is at my age?"

"Ew, don't talk like you're an old man," the teen shuddered.

"Well, I am… in years, if not in body and mind," Slade shrugged with a small smile. "The trouble is… I want more."

"Huh?" the assassin said and then gasped as the man stood up and pulled him to his feet and towards his body.

Robin felt the man's breath against his ear and shivered in anxiety and excitement.

"I want it, Robin…" the man whispered huskily. "I want to hold you down and fuck you. Control you. Own you… just like you told me to. I want to paint red stripes over your body with a belt. I want to chain you up like you did to me. I want to punish you and make you scream… and cum… harder than you ever had before. Let me."

Robin was close to panting by now, his own eager body feeling just how truthful Slade was.

"As… as long as you want me," he groaned, as it almost hurt to hold back even that much. "As long as I'm not the worm anymore…"

"Oh, you're not. You never were. That was my own guilt and anger talking," the man said and then started pushing the teen towards the bed. "You, Robin… are the catch of a lifetime."

The End.

A/N: Yes, I know they are completely screwed up. And my dear Supporter of Free Love, I'm sorry that there wasn't as much Red X action as you had wished for. The original wish was for a story centered on Robin trying to make Slade jealous 'using' Red, which was a great idea, but the story just didn't want to become that. I realized this when I was more than half way through and it was either deleting the whole thing and rewriting it or letting it go in the direction it wanted to go, and I was afraid that a re-write would turn out too fluffy/cute for this universe… I hope you still enjoyed the story, and happy b-day!