A/N: Here I am again! It's soon vacation time, so I hope I'll be able to write more then… this is one of the stories I had in the works for a while… it's done, and thank you soooo much to Aikino for being my beta!
The Perfect Boyfriend
"Robin! Robin! Slade has arrived!" Starfire called out happily from the common room where all the Titans were currently residing. Cy and BB had occupied the couch –and the remote– Starfire was trying a new recipe in the kitchen and Raven was lazily browsing a news site on her laptop.
Robin hurried in from the hallway, grinned at Starfire and went to greet the man, who was geared up against the unusually nippy cold front Jump was experiencing at the moment. In jeans, a thick jacket and gloves the man looked nothing like the coldblooded villain they knew him as only a year ago.
"There's my little bird," the man smiled and kissed Robin lightly on the lips, just short of having Beast Boy and Cyborg starting whistling. The black-haired teen blushed and smiled again as the man's lips left his, his blue eyes glittering. Slade had confessed that he loved the young hero's eyes and since then Robin seldom wore his mask indoors. His friends knew about his identity and Slade, of course, did as well.
"Oh, shut up," he chuckled. "We have work to do, remember?"
"Yes, I do," the man said.
"Hey, Slade!" Beast Boy called out, "Will you have time to play some games later?"
"Sure, unless your slave driver of a leader keeps me up all night."
"With work, or…?" Cyborg grinned. "If it's an all-nighter, there's gonna be waffles in the morning!"
"All-nighter it is," Slade chuckled.
"Please, would you like the snacks?" Starfire asked, bringing a tray of suspicious looking things.
"Sure, Princess." Slade picked up something green and wriggling. He gulped it down, having a stomach that had proven to be able to withstand anything. He smacked his lips and smiled at the alien. "Delicious as usual. Maybe a bit more salt?"
"Come on, now!" Robin called for him.
"Yes dear," Slade said in a mock meek tone. "He's a bit bossy, isn't he?" he added to the others.
"You know our Robin well!" Starfire beamed.
"You should go, or he'll use the Glare," Raven smirked slightly.
"Better hurry, then," Slade chuckled and followed the young man. "After you," he said as they came to the teen's combined bedroom and study. Once inside Slade closed and locked the door so they wouldn't be interrupted. Interruptions ruined so much fun.
"On your knees," the man ordered.
"But-" Robin had paled. Slade's features were no longer jovial and friendly; that was just a mask he wore. The mask he had switched to from the black and orange one. Robin desperately missed that one.
"Do I need to tell you again, Richard?"
"N-no," the teen quickly obeyed, sinking to his knees in front of the man. "S-sorry," he added as he reached for the fly and unzipped it.
"I thought I had you better trained than this. I'm disappointed."
Robin winced. He knew what that would mean. Pain. Pain and, in this case, not being able to breathe properly until the man in front of him saw fit. He still fished the half-hard length out of its confinements and took a deep breath before letting it sink down his throat.
He needed spit for lubrication, but his mouth was pretty dry. Slade, however, didn't care. The young hero whined as his hair was grabbed and the length forced deeper. Every instinct told him to try to stop it, but he knew what the man would do if he felt any teeth, so instead he opened his mouth wider, craning his head for better access. Then he just let it happened. He wasn't allowed to close his eyes; Slade wanted to meet his gaze when he did this, but Robin had found a way of trying to shut the world out anyway. The pain, the humiliation and the fear was pushed down and he was able to hold it back as long as the man didn't speak. Slade's voice, his real one, not the one he used in front of his friends, wouldn't let him rest, though.
"I was offered fifty million for Batman's identity last night. The price is going up quickly. I'm starting to wonder if you're really worth that much." Robin made some eager noises through his nose, and the man smirked. "Don't speak with your mouth full, boy." He pulled the teen off him and arched an eyebrow. "Well?"
"I'll… I'll do anything!" Robin croaked, trying to breathe as well.
"I know you will. In fact, you already are. What else do you have?"
"I've… I've already offered you money! I-"
"You don't have enough."
Robin felt his stomach turn to ice. It had finally come to this, then. Slade had started his blackmail badly enough, with the young hero having to work to clear the man's name and vouch for him while helping to cover up the villain's new crimes. That was enough for some time, but then the demands started getting more personal, degrading and painful.
It began with him having to undress. Just undress and kneel on the floor. Slade would mostly ignore him as hours went by. The pain of not being allowed to move had long since conquered over the embarrassment when he was let up again. Sometimes he had been made to hold a tray of drinks and such, or be the man's footstool while he read. Then things started to get more sexual. Slade ordered him to pleasure himself and if Robin wasn't able to get hard he would receive strikes with a riding crop. Always strategic places which weren't visible with clothes on and never too many in one spot so he would limp or move stiffly.
Using his hand was only the beginning, though. Soon Slade wanted him to use his fingers as well and, after that, different kind of sex toys. Then he demanded his first hand job, and not long thereafter a blowjob. By then he had already forced Robin to pretend that they were a couple and had charmed his way into the other Titans' hearts. Not even Raven could tell that something was off, and her leader didn't dare give the slightest of hints. Slade was serious. He would sell Batman's identity to the highest bidder, and soon enough Wayne Manor would be under attack. Bruce was one thing; he could and would defend himself, but Alfred? The old man was tough enough and had dealt quite a few punches in his life, but Robin didn't dare think about what might happen.
He tried to limit the time he had to spend with Slade in front of his friends, usually by claiming that they were working on a case like he did today, because he was afraid to give anything away. The man seemed to revel in it, playing games with the guys, watching movies, even barbecuing just to make Robin pretend everything was alright. More than alright; that he was head-over-heels in love with the 'former' villain.
Now Slade wanted more, and there was only one thing they hadn't done yet, at least as far as Robin knew. And he had to make the offer.
"I… I… we could… You could…"
"Speak clearly, boy, I'm not in the mood for your stutter."
Robin swallowed and started over. "You can f-fuck me… if… if you want?"
The man looked down at him, knowing very well that he had forced this, and smirked. "You're such a slut, aren't you?"
"Yes, Master," Robin answered, almost automatically. Almost. It still infuriated him to submit to the man, but the anger was deep, deep down, buried by fear and love for his family and friends. Robin was sure Slade wouldn't stop with Bruce. He would merely change the focus of his blackmail to Robin's friends, threatening them instead.
"Good. I need to shower first, though. You're going to join me." The man took off his gloves. "As you can see I need some assistance."
Robin gasped. The man's hands were covered in blood. Hope that it was Slade's own arose in him for a second, but it was quickly shattered.
"I had to get rid of a witness just before coming over," the man said as he shed more clothes. The t-shirt under the jacket was also soaked. "The kid put up quite the fight for a street urchin."
"K-kid?" Robin asked, swallowing back bile.
"He was around seventeen… maybe. I'm sure you'll find out tomorrow. The police will probably ask the Titans to help solve the case. Won't that be fun?"
"Y-yes, Sir…" Robin mumbled, as he followed the now naked man into the bathroom. A look told him to strip, so he did. The sticky blood which had soaked through the man's clothes and spread over his chest and stomach made Robin want to vomit. He was made to clean it off with his own hands and worked while trying not to see or think about the situation.
"It's so hard to get blood out from under your nails," the man said in a relaxed tone, "here; see if you can do better." The fingers, barely cleaned at all, were presented to him. Not to his hands but to his lips.
"Slade, I-" Robin began to pleaded, but the bloodied digits harshly pressed into his mouth.
"I just saved you from a lot of pain, boy, by stopping you from refusing to obey me," the man said darkly. "You better show me how grateful you are, starting now."
Robin had tasted his own blood plenty of times. Often thanks to Slade, in fact. He had never, however, tasted someone else's. Copper, iron… it was hard to decide. He wanted to bite Slade's finger and add his blood to the mix, but that would be idiotic. The bile kept rising in his throat, and he kept forcing it back down again, as he mentally retreated to his inner 'safe place'. This was too new of an experience to completely withdraw from, though. He felt his tongue slide over the man's nails, pushing up against them in an effort to clean under them as Slade wanted. The man grew impatient and pressed more fingers inside until Robin had to breathe through his nose and could barely move his tongue. He tried not to think about the boy, the young man, whose killer would go unpunished. Maybe he had family? Parents who would never know why, because Robin would be protecting the killer with all his might. It made him feel sick, but the alternative… the boy was already dead, but Bruce and Alfred… his friends…
He had sworn to protect people, though. Everyone. Not just those he loved. Where was the line between being a hero and being selfish? Was he even a hero anymore? He despised what he was forced to do. What Slade forced him to do in private was one thing, but vouching for the man, covering up his crimes and making his friends trust him… His private torment hurt and tore at his very soul, but at least it only happened to him. No one else had to pay. It wasn't much of a comfort but it was all he had.
The fingers were roughly yanked from his mouth.
"You're useless," the verdict came. "Wash yourself, and once I'm done in here clean yourself out like I taught you. Do it very well or you'll regret it."
Slade mostly ignored him from then on, as he rinsed off and washed his hair. Once he was done he grabbed a towel and headed for the door. "Oh, and Robin?" he said, turning in the doorway.
"Yes, Sir?"
"I don't want you looking like a drowned puppy when you come out. Dry off. Wear a towel. Make yourself look pretty." The last part was said with a smirk.
Robin hurried. He hated cleaning himself out but he knew he had to do it a few times before he was certain to be clean enough, and with the threat hanging in the air he didn't dare doing a half assed job.
When he was sitting on the toilet for the third time, pushing water out of him, he started trembling. It continued as he finished up, dried his hair with the hairdryer to make sure he wouldn't look like that drowned puppy, and finally donned a dry, clean towel around his hips. He swallowed. Okay. So this was it. And he'd survive this too.
He ran his hand through his hair. Slade preferred it without any products in it, maybe because it just felt nicer to grab that way. It wasn't like the man lovingly played with it or anything. Well… not the real Slade. The fake one, the one in front of his friends, did that quite a bit.
Just as he reached out to open the door, the bile he had been holding back wouldn't stay put anymore. He spun around and just made it to the toilet before throwing up. There wasn't anything much in his stomach. It was difficult to eat these days. Once he got his stomach under control he brushed his teeth and gurgled. Then he squared his shoulders and left the bathroom.
"You took your sweet time."
Robin swallowed nervously as he saw Slade, stretched out naked on the bed. Robin's bed. Like he owned it. It made tiny bubbles of anger rise inside him, but they were quickly suppressed. Too dangerous.
"I wanted to make sure I was good enough," he answered quietly.
"Good answer. I heard you puking your guts out in there. Are you that afraid, boy?" The man seemed pleased and Robin didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the floor. "Come here. You can start by giving me a blow job. I'll tell you when to stop."
This part he knew, so he crawled into bed with the man and began pleasuring him as well as he could. There was always a tiny chance that Slade might actually come from this and not be able to go further. Robin almost snorted to himself. Yeah, and Batman could crash through the door, riding a dinosaur.
It didn't take long for the dreaded words to come.
"That's enough. Get on your hands and knees."
Robin tried to relax, to slow his breathing. The toys hadn't been as big as Slade. That was most likely on purpose, because Robin knew there were bigger things out there. He remembered how pale he had gotten when he had watched Slade buy toys online and the mouse had hovered over a huge rubber fist.
The man didn't say anything as he got behind him. Robin felt lube being dribbled down between his cheeks, but no other form of preparation. He wasn't used to any. When the head of the man's cock pushed against his opening Robin tried to relax further, pushing against it so it would go in easier. He also made the decision to not try to make any sound. That was a mistake. As he hadn't just pushed in, it seemed the man had decided to take his time to tease and torture him as long as possible, but the upside to that would have meant less pain. The teen's silence was apparently not satisfying enough to the villain, though. He snapped his hips forward.
"AAARGH!" Robin cried out, completely unprepared for the amount of pain. With the toys it had mostly been uncomfortable, but now his inner muscles were screaming, cramping, trying to push something out which just forced its way deeper inside.
"NO! Slade, stop! AAH! Hurts! Please! Stop!" Robin yelled. His instincts had taken over from his common sense and he was actually trying to get the man away from him. In this position, however, with the man's weight on top of him, there was not much he could do, and none of it seemed to faze Slade. Quite the opposite. The man chuckled as he grabbed the teen's hair and forced his head back.
"I love to hear my little bird sing like that," he purred in the pain-stricken teen's ear.
"Get off me! Get off!"
"I will. Just not in the way you want me to. But I've hardly started yet. Shall we get started?"
"No!" The teen's insides were burning, probably bleeding, he wanted to get out of this at whatever cost. The man had him pinned, though. There was nothing he could do. Nothing but scream as the thick pole inside him first pushed even deeper before retracting, only to plunge back inside again. "Ngh! Ah! Please!" Robin hated begging, but he hated this even more. He thought it wouldn't be so bad, he thought he had gone through enough humiliation to be emotionally desensitized as well, but he had been wrong. With the man on top of him, inside him, he felt more vulnerable than ever. Suddenly it all got too much and his body just collapsed against the bed. Slade was holding his hips up with a firm grip, but other than that the teen had turned into a ragdoll, physically and emotionally. With every thrust a small sound, like from a wounded animal, left his lips, but he had no more strength to fight back. None at all.
Robin clutched weakly at the sheets as the thrusts intensified. More pain meant more sounds as well, but finally the man gave a couple of final, hard, thrusts, grunted… and it was over.
Robin whined as the length slid out of him. The sound made Slade chuckle. The man patted his ass.
"Aw, I know you liked it, but you'll get more later," he said.
The teen rolled away, desperate to just close his eyes and pretend nothing of this ever happened. Instead he received a hard push and landed on the floor.
"You don't have time to lie around, you're not done," the man told him as he sat up, his feet on the ground next to Robin's curled up body. The young hero received a kick. "On your knees. Don't make me wait."
It hurt to sit up. The pain took a second place to revulsion as Robin understood what the man wanted from him.
"Clean me up," Slade ordered.
It had been inside him. Robin was actually grateful that Slade had made him clean himself out before this, but it had still been inside him. It was covered with lube, and around the base of the shaft there was blood.
"Not interested? Such a pity, but I'll guess I'll make some money, then," Slade said and made to stand up.
"No! Sorry! I…" Robin swallowed, and then got to work. It was as disgusting as he had feared, and at one point he was sure he was going to throw up all over Slade's lap, which surely would get people killed. Once he was done Slade was hard again, but this time he just came in the teen's mouth, something Robin was very grateful for.
"That's a good boy," he was told. "Now clean yourself up and get dressed. I think we should be a bit social, don't you?"
Half an hour or so later, Robin was curled up on the couch next to Slade, leaning his head against the man's shoulder while his supposed boyfriend was playing idly with his hair. Slade was dressed in clean clothes. He kept quite a few personal belongings at the tower now. He had practically moved in.
"You two give me cavities," Raven let them know with a smirk.
Slade chuckled and kissed the top of Robin's head. "Why don't you and your cavities go and get us some popcorn for the movie?" he joked.
"So rude," Raven snorted jokingly back and then just used her magic to both pop and bring over a huge bowl of the steaming, salty treats.
"Here you go," Slade said and put one to Robin's lips. "Any good?" he asked when the teen chewed.
"Very," Robin smiled, feeling that emptiness his fake smiles always brought.
"What do you guys wanna watch?" BB asked.
"Don't ask them, love birds always wanna watch romantic stuff!" Cyborg objected.
"Action is fine," Slade snorted. "Or horror. What do you think, Robin?"
"Sorry, I have a bit of a headache, so-" the teen moved as to get up, but then felt the man's arm tighten around him. He was obviously not allowed to leave. "…so it doesn't matter much, but maybe nothing too loud?"
Something was eventually chosen and Robin turned his eyes to the screen, thankful for not having to interact in the next two hours or so.
Slade got bored by the end and decided to start making out with him. Not in the hot-and-heavy kind of way, but worse: the sweet, tender, whispering-lovingly-endearments kind of way. The teen was, of course, forced to respond in the same way to the man who had just raped him and whose grip and eye now and then hardened in a reminder as to who was in control. As if Robin didn't know.
After the movie was over and every popcorn crumble had been cleaned away, Robin couldn't put it off any longer. He had to bid goodnight to his friends and return to his bedroom with Slade.
"Are you guys gonna doooo iiiiit?" Beast Boy sang teasingly.
"They are so gonna do it," Cyborg agreed.
"What is this 'it'?" Starfire asked.
"Too lewd for your pretty ears, Princess," Slade chuckled. "And what we choose to do behind closed doors is our business, isn't it, love?"
"That it is," Robin nodded, blushing.
"But without bragging, just let me tell you that if the walls hadn't been soundproof you would have been able to hear some very interesting things sometimes," Slade continued with a smug smirk.
"Slade!" Robin gasped, his abhorrence real but thankfully also fitting to the situation.
"He's a bit of a… screamer…" the man continued.
"Slade's joking, we're not… we're not really-"
Cyborg made an appeasing gesture. "Oh, come on, Rob. You were raised by Batman; you're probably a put-a-ring-on-it-first kinda guy, aren't you? We know Slade's joking!"
"He's hysterical," Robin muttered.
The teen got more and more tense the closer they got to his room. Once they entered he was practically shaking. The door was closed and locked once more. Slade didn't immediately order him to do anything, so Robin just stood there while the man walked further into the room, pulling off his T-shirt as he walked.
"M-master?" Robin asked.
"Yes?"
"May I go to sleep? There might be an alarm, and… please?"
The man gave him a disgusted look. "Fine. Do the laundry first," he said, nodding towards the pile of dirty clothes on the floor. "Make sure you get all the blood out."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you," Robin hurriedly said and gathered the clothes up. He took the sheet off the bed as well. There were stains on it, some blood. When he had cleaned himself up afterwards the toilet paper had come back red, but there wasn't really that much of it. He was scared of getting some sort of infection and hoped against hope that Slade would let him heal before doing it again, but he didn't dare ask.
He had been asleep for about five hours when the alarm, predictably, went off. After that the day went by in a blur of one alarm after the other. The day was crazy. Now and then Robin entertained the thought of just not getting out of the way quick enough. Make it look like an accident. Get it over with. But Slade would know. Somehow. He would know and his loved ones would pay. Others already were, though. He was reminded of that when he saw the staring, terrified, dead eyes of Slade's latest young victim.
He had considered, countless times, that he could just get in touch with Batman and warn him, maybe even find a way out. Unfortunately Slade seemed to track him anywhere and every means of communication. Even if he stole a phone from some random citizen and got away with it, it would still mean the end of Batman. Bruce might survive, but he wouldn't be able to function as either Batman or the head of Wayne Enterprises. He was sure Bruce would bounce back, somehow, but Gotham would lose a hero and an important symbol. All of that held Robin back, made him trying to endure it all just a little bit longer.
He was about to receive a much welcomed break, though. When they returned to the tower, tired, dirty, bruised, Slade was waiting for them with a bag and a fake sad expression on his face.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said, giving Robin a quick kiss on the lips. "I have to go away on business for a few days, but I'll have a big surprise for you when I come back, alright?"
"I'll miss you," Robin answered, trying to make it sound sincere, while he inwardly was dancing with joy.
"Will you follow me out?" the man asked.
"Of course!" the teen said as he silently whimpered. He wasn't quite free yet.
In the elevator Slade gave him a stern look. "So this is like the other times I had to leave town. I expect you to be a good little whore, or there will be hell to pay, understood?"
"Yes, Master," Robin nodded.
"Good. I meant what I said about the surprise."
"You… you won't tell me what it is?" the teen tried.
"No. But you'll love it. You love everything I do to you, don't you?" the man leered, caressing Robin's cheek teasingly.
"Y-yes, Sir," Robin said meekly.
"Such a little liar. But you're a polite little slut, at least. Keep that up and your family will live for a little while longer."
"Yes, Master," came the numb answer.
"Oh, and before I forget; I have a present for you."
Robin took the oblong box which was handed to him and opened the lid. It was a dildo, close in size to Slade's cock.
"I want you to use it. When I come back I'd like to find that hole nice and fuckable."
"Yes, Sir. When… How long will you be gone?"
"A week. Try not to be too happy. I'll be back soon enough."
Robin nodded. Inside he was still rejoicing, eager to desperately latch on to a few moments of false freedom. The first thing he did after Slade left, however, was collapse against the nearest wall and cry.
Robin gave himself three days to heal before he used the dildo for the first time. He would have liked more, but he simply didn't dare. With a lot of lube and going very slowly it was manageable and he didn't bleed. Slade' wouldn't be that gentle, though. The toy had a vibrator and Robin turned it on for a bit as he had read that that would help his muscles to relax. Maybe it did, but he also started to get a little hard, and once he noticed that he turned it off at once. He did not want to enjoy this, not even a little.
His freedom was over way too soon. The days flew past and suddenly Slade stood there in the common room again, clad in a tailored suit and with a smile on his face. Robin suspected that the man's clothes meant that they were going out. The villain enjoyed taking him out once in a while, making him hold his arm, flaunting him like a trophy wife.
For now he had to play the ecstatic boyfriend, though.
"You're home!" he smiled.
"Missed me?"
"Millions!" Robin beamed and flung his arms around the man's neck. He got a deep kiss which lasted until there were some coughs and giggles from the rest of the team who had gathered around to welcome Slade back as well.
"Are we going out?" Robin asked, eager to leave despite everything, just to get away from his friends.
"Yes, as soon as you change. I have your clothes right here." Slade gestured to a suit-bag he had put over the back of a chair next to the duffle bag of clothes –and most likely more sinister things− he had brought with him on his trip. When Robin reached for the bag, however, he was stopped. "Wait…" Slade seemed to hesitate. The young hero knew it was an act, he could read the man's eye, and he held his breath. Something bad was about to happen. "I was going to do this at the restaurant," the man continued. "But it feels more right here, in front of our friends." The teen let out a gasp as the man gracefully got down on one knee and fished out a ring from his pocket. "Robin, I love you and I can't imagine life without you. Will you marry me?"
"I… I…" Robin stuttered as tears welled up in his eyes.
"Just say yes already!" Beast Boy hooted.
"Y-yes… yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!" Robin sobbed and hugged the man, hiding his face against his chest as it revealed that the tears were not happy ones. He was then forced in another long kiss which never seemed to end.
When they were back in the bedroom, as Robin had to change, the teen spun around to face the man.
"Why? Why would you…? When will you get tired of fucking up my life?!"
"My, my, some alone time sure made you cheeky," the man smirked. "Maybe I should shove the gift you got up your ass and leave it there through dinner? Maybe that will help you quiet down?"
"I'm sorry, I just- Please, Slade don't do this! Why? I don't understand why!?"
"To meet the family, of course." The man continued to smirk as Robin paled.
"Y-you can't!"
"What was that, sweetheart?" the man said in a tauntingly sugary voice that meant Robin was in for a painful punishment.
"I− I mean… he'll know! He just will!"
"If you say a word or give him any clues whatsoever, Alfred will be the first to die," the villain promised.
Robin's knees buckled and he fell to the floor, close to hyperventilating.
"He'll… he'll know! He'll—He'll just know! I won't tell him, I won't! But he'll know! Please, please, please don't-"
The kick hit his groin with a force that made the world temporarily go dark. He was lying in a fetal position on his side when the darkness cleared, gasping through the pain.
"I got tired of your whining. We'll leave for Gotham tomorrow."
Robin closed his eyes and let the darkness wash over him again. This wouldn't end well.
"We're going to wait until Richard's eighteen, of course," Slade said with a relaxed smile. His arm was resting around the young man's shoulders as they were leaning back on a comfortable couch in the library at Wayne manor. They had been greeted kindly but with Bruce's usual reserve. He knew about their relationship, but had never commented other than saying that Robin was old enough to make his own decisions in that matter.
Robin sipped his tea. With Slade's permission he had claimed to have a bit of a cold with a hoarse throat, so he wouldn't have to speak much and if anything he said sounded strangled, there was an excuse for it. He almost spit out his tea as Slade continued, however.
"This might be a bit personal, but… we've decided to wait with other things until then too."
"Really?" Bruce arched an eyebrow.
"Slade, please, we don't have to talk about that-" Robin coughed.
"I just want him to know that I'm not using you," Slade said, patting the teen's back firmly to help him get the tea up. "Are you alright?" he asked caringly.
"I wouldn't have expected you proposing if you had just meant it to be a quick fling," Bruce shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable.
"I guess. We also are preparing a pre-nup. I'm not marrying him in the hopes of one day taking over Wayne enterprises… although that isn't a bad idea, do you mind if we tear those papers up, Richard?" Slade grinned at him.
"Rather you in those board meetings than me," Robin shrugged back, mimicking the man's grin.
"Not that I expect to fall down dead any time soon," Bruce said dryly.
"Still, I guess what I want to say is…" Slade acted like he hesitated and scratched the back of his head. "I know I'm not your dream son-in-law, I also know how much Richard loves his family. I have made some very, very bad decisions in my life, but that is over with. Still, I won't make Richard choose between us. I had a family which I lost and so has he. I will make sure your ward doesn't lose his second one. Family is the most important thing in the world, after all, isn't it?"
Slade turned to him, and Robin nodded.
"So basically you're asking for my blessing?" Bruce said, not falling for any sentimental crap.
"Basically, yes. I don't expect it to receive it yet, but if I don't have it by the wedding… it's off."
Robin tried his best to look worried and alarmed, something that wasn't that hard considering that those were the exact feelings he had been trying to hide up until now.
"You might just tire of each other before then. It's some time to go," Bruce, ever the romantic, replied.
"I don't see how, you raised one hell of a young man," Slade grinned.
"And still you're… waiting?" The tone of Bruce's voice made it clear that he wasn't talking about the wedding.
"We're intimate, just not in the complete sense of the word," Slade said, making Robin cough again. "Priorities change with age. I was happy to fuck anything that moved when I was younger. I'm not saying I need the little blue pill, but with Robin it has to mean something. It needs to be special. I'm not sure waiting makes it special, but it feels right. I can still hold him at night, kiss him and… well… we're getting a bit too personal here, but I can still show him that I love him physically without the pressure of sex. I really do love him." Slade's voice was so deep and filled with sentiment that no one in their right mind could have doubted him.
Robin's stomach lurched. Not because he heard the man's lie –he had heard it many times before− but because he suddenly desperately wanted it to be true. If Slade loved him they would all be safe. Robin didn't care about his own feelings, it wasn't important if he loved the man or not, but he craved safety like a starving man craved food. Safety for his loved ones and for him as well. If Slade loved him, he wouldn't hurt him. Not a lot, at least. A little bit was okay. As long as he wouldn't hurt anyone else. It would be wonderful.
Dinner was eventually served. Everyone was polite. Interesting but neutral topics were discussed. It wasn't until they were about to withdraw for the night that their relationship was brought up again.
"Alfred has prepared separate rooms for you, I hope that's not a problem."
Robin's eyes darted to Slade, ready to make a fuss if the man didn't like the arrangement.
"Of course not," the villain smoothly replied. "Besides, your house: your rules."
"Hear that, Richard? That's one thing I failed to teach you when you were younger," Bruce said with a little grin. Robin chuckled along with Slade.
"Before you withdraw, would you join me in my office, Richard? I have some forms you need to see."
"I'll go up to my room, then," Slade said but then added to the teen; "You look tired, how's that cold?"
"Yeah, I am. I have quite a headache, can those forms wait?" Robin said quickly once he realized that the man didn't want them alone.
"Sure, it's just concerning you being my ward and accessing your funds, just as long as we take a look at them before you leave…"
"Sure Bruce, thanks. Goodnight!" Robin said with a tired smile. He had to catch up with Slade who were just walking out the door.
"Hey." Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder, making Robin almost jump. "Don't be so nervous, alright? I believe in second chances and if you like him so will I, okay?"
"Okay," the young hero forced another mile on his face. "Guess I'm a bit tense, huh?"
"Like a long tailed cat in a rocking chair factory."
"What did he want?" Slade asked as they were heading to their rooms.
"He just said not to be nervous, Sir. That he'd accept you, because I… I… liked you."
"Oh, you do more than 'like' me, don't you slut?" the man smirked.
"Y-yes. Of course. I… Um… so should I come to your room, or…?"
"No. We stay in our separate rooms tonight, respecting the house rules. Having Bruce as a friend might be beneficial for me financially too, eventually."
"Eventually?" Robin asked carefully.
"Well, yes… it's a long game… the rest of your life, after all," the villain said easily. "At least if you play your cards right. Now," he added as they came up to the guest bedrooms where Alfred was waiting for them. "You have a good nights sleep now, love." Slade pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. "I really hope you feel better tomorrow… maybe Alfred could draw a bath or bring you some tea? Something which is good for a cold?"
"Already done, Sir," the old man said a little bit stiffly but not unkindly.
"Robin said you were a saint, it seems he was right." Slade smiled warmly. "Goodnight, love. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you more," Robin smiled back. He received a kiss on the lips this time, not too chaste and not too long, and then the man let him go.
After showing Slade where the towels and such were, Alfred followed Robin into his room, to pour him some tea.
"Are you happy, Master Richard?" the old man asked.
"Yes of course!" Robin answered quickly, his heart beating a million miles an hour. "This situation is just a bit… strange."
"Of course." The old man nodded. "If there's anything you want to talk about, though…?"
"I know, thank you," Robin forced another smile on his face. Damn, he was tired of those smiles! It was easier to be alone with Slade in that regard.
He slept the sleep of the dead that night. Where you don't dream, don't wake up until the morning and where you feel like you haven't slept at all. He took a long shower, dressed and came down to a full breakfast table which only made his stomach roll. Slade was already there.
"Hello, sleepyhead, you sure took your time this morning," the man smiled at him.
Uh-oh. "Sorry, it must be the cold in my system, but I feel much better now," Robin excused himself to Bruce and his fiancé. Slade reached out for him, forcing the teen to come up to his seat and giving him a morning kiss.
"So what are you two love birds going to do today?" Bruce's voice was dry but teasing.
"I don't know," Robin said, looking to Slade. "See the city, perhaps?" He wanted the man out of the house as much as possible.
"Sounds like a plan," Slade agreed, "Although I had hoped to get a proper tour of the house as well… especially a certain famous cave. Unless that's too forward?"
"I guess not," Bruce shrugged, but Robin could sense some hesitation. "I need to go into the city, though, so tonight?"
"Thank you, I would like that very much. I admit I'm curious," the villain said.
"Who wouldn't be?" Robin laughed, a bit nervously. "So, what do you want to see in Gotham, Slade?"
Turned out Slade wanted to see Robin's ass, because they went downtown, checked into a sleazy hotel whose owners would ask no questions and Robin had to endure hours of pain and humiliation. As usual Slade was careful about leaving marks or any long-lasting pain. Robin preferred it like this though, away from his family.
"I think I should let some of the bidders know I'm in town. That might raise the price," Slade said to himself while resting on the bed. "Did I tell you to stop licking my shoes?" he added to the teen.
"S-sorry, Sir," Robin hurriedly said and bowed his head to the task. The shoes were leather. It wasn't that bad. He'd had to lick grosser things. He had had to swallow grosser things. Slade was fully dressed, while he himself was naked with a butt plug in his ass, keeping the man's seed inside him. It hurt a little bit less now, to be fucked. He had been made to ride the man this time, and that had been easier on him, even though Slade smacked his ass or penis every time he slowed down.
Slade got on the phone and was making pleasant conversation by the sound of it.
"I'm just relaxing at a hotel with a whore. You should come over and fuck him. Free of course," Slade said to the man or woman on the other side of the line. "I'll dress him up as the boy wonder, he has the looks for it. Might give you a laugh to have him suck you off. No? that clown-chick of yours has a tight leash on you, huh? Well, if it's not your thing you could just beat him up for a while? Oh, well, some other time, then. I'll find a nice Robin-costume and send you some pictures so you'll see what you're missing, shall I? My pleasure. Now go kill someone. Put a real big smile on their face…"
Robin had deducted long ago who the man was talking to, and his offer made him sick. When Slade hung up, the teen dared to ask;
"Would you… would you really let someone else…?"
"If it's entertaining enough I'd let a horse fuck you," the man said coldly. "Hmmm… that would be an interesting way for the boy wonder to die, wouldn't it? Might teach you a little lesson about obeying and staying in your place."
Robin shivered. He couldn't let it go that far, but he had fought Slade so many times and the man always won. Easily. Even a good hit barely seemed to faze him. And now even the thought of fighting back made him nauseous with fear… Slade had taught him something, alright. Still, hearing the man speak like that gave him some courage.
"Why do you hate me so much, Master?" he asked, meekly but insistent. "What did I do?"
"What you did, pet, was not staying in your place."
"As your apprentice? I was rescued!"
Slade chuckled. "Please, are you trying to say that you would have stayed if you have been given the opportunity to leave?"
Robin shook his head slowly. "No. Not back then. But if I could have stopped all this from happening… yes. You didn't hate me back then, did you? You… you saw something in me?"
"That I did. Now-"
"Now I'm just a toy, a slut. I know," Robin bowed his head. "I… I used to see something in you too. Something… different from the other villains…" He didn't know where he got the courage to do this, but he desperately needed things to change and he remembered what he had thought the day before; that he wanted Slade to truly love him. Maybe this was the way.
"Oh?" The man sounded interested. A good sign.
"I… respected you. The others, they were all crazy loons with small ideas. Not you. You were intelligent, strong, unbeatable. You had a plan, a goal, but it wasn't obvious. It wasn't anything silly like making the world British." The teen snorted at that idea. Mad Mod was dead now, by the way. Slade had killed him and made Robin watch. It had been slow. "When you caught me I was… almost a bit happy about it-"
"Bullshit." It was Slade's time to snort.
"No, I was!" Robin insisted. "Not because you would have me commit crimes and I was scared to death about having to hurt my friends, but it was an opportunity! I thought I would finally find out more about you; get to know you, maybe! … I didn't, though… and now, the man behind the mask was just… was just another monster."
Slade smiled at that looking smug.
"You're such a sweetheart," he leered.
"But it could be different! I could love you!" the teen pleaded with the man, crawling up into the man's lap, imploringly running his hands over his arms and torso. "If you promise not to hurt them I'll love you!"
"And why would I want you to do that?" Slade still sounded amused, but it was clear he wasn't buying it. Robin sighed and slumped where he was sitting, fighting down the sobs which were rising in his chest.
"I'm starting to wonder why I'm even trying. You will kill me and everyone I love, anyway… why am I still obeying you?" he whispered.
Slade sat up straighter in bed and caught Robin's chin in his hand. For a split second the boy thought he was going to get hurt, but the villain only held him, making sure their eyes locked. "Because you are a hero. Because you feel something as silly as hope. You'll endure anything as long as you still have hope."
"And once I lose hope?" Robin asked, his voice trembling.
"Then the killing begins. But you haven't lost it yet, have you?"
"N-no, Master."
"Good pet. Now, I'm going to call your daddy and ask if we should have dinner at a restaurant together. Why don't you suck me off one more time while I do?"
Robin obeyed, trying to tune out Slade's voice as the man spoke to Bruce, discussing suitable restaurants and such. He was pulled into the conversation, though.
"He has his mouth full, but one moment…" The phone was handed to him. Robin swallowed nervously and took it.
"Hi?"
"Hi, spoiling your appetite?" his guardian asked.
"Just some ice cream," Robin said with difficulty as Slade kept rubbing the tip of his cock against his lips. "Couldn't resist the strawberry," he added.
"I see. Well, tell Slade that I'll make the reservations as I'll be sure to get a table. See you there at eight."
"Yeah, bye," Robin gasped as Slade chose that moment to come all over his face, getting quite a bit of it in his mouth as well. The teen coughed but swallowed and then obediently licked the man clean without being ordered. He couldn't decide if it was more humiliating to wait for the order and obey or to just do it… but holding out could mean pain as well, and as he couldn't avoid doing what the man wanted him do anyway, he might as well avoid the punishment. Unless his pride flared up. Right now it was barely even there. He was wrung out. He had nothing more to give for the moment.
The hours until the dinner were long, but sitting down to eat was even worse. As a joke Slade had spanked his ass until it was a bright red, just enough so sitting through a long dinner would be uncomfortable as hell. He tried to keep up a cheery front, being involved in the conversation, flirting back with Slade by sharing food with him and so on.
They drove back in separate cars. Robin resisted the urge to ask if he could go with Bruce, because he had no feasible reason for it.
He ended up having to suck the man off while Slade was driving, of course. It wasn't the first time, but it was always terrifying, as every jolt could make Robin accidently scratch the man with his teeth. And if he did, he paid for it. The young hero would have cherished the moment, though, if he had known what was soon to come.
Almost as soon as they got back to the manor Bruce asked to see him about the forms. Slade was about to interrupt when Alfred spoke up.
"If you wouldn't mind, Mr. Wilson, could I ask your help bringing in the deliveries? They left it all outside again, those little snippersnappers. Never heard of being service minded in their life…" the old man continued to mutter complaints as he led Slade away.
Robin, in turn, followed Bruce, keeping his face carefully blank. It was all for nothing, however, because as soon as the heavy oak door closed behind them his guardian looked him straight in the eyes and asked:
"How long has he been beating you?"
There was nothing, absolutely nothing, Robin could do as his façade shattered. He tried denying it, vehemently, he tried doing the innocent and outraged acts, but Bruce was just calmly waiting for him to finish.
"He's… it's… it's… blackmail," Robin finally admitted.
"How bad is it?"
"Pretty bad… he's going to sell your identity."
"I meant how badly is he hurting you?"
"I don't… I don't want to talk about it," the teen whispered. "How… how did you know?"
"I'm afraid I thought it was all you being nervous about what I would think about him, but then Alfred told me he had a bad feeling and then on the phone today… you don't like strawberry ice cream… I thought you might be trying to tell me something."
"I… I didn't even realize I said that…" Robin blinked.
"Your subconscious was trying to revolt, perhaps. I watched you closely at dinner and all the signs are there. You're too tense, your voice was strained, and he… he seemed to enjoy making you squirm. Something wasn't right. Now… how do we solve it?"
"He'll attack if you confront him. He'll happily kill both you and Alfred before he kills me! Please, pretend nothing's wrong!"
"Of course we can't do that! We're going to stop it!"
"How? If you send him to jail, he'll tell!"
"Well, the world finding out isn't the worst thing that can happen, not when we have time to prepare. Take him on a tour of the Batcave, we'll handle it down there."
"Please don't, I-"
"Go, Richard. I'll be down there."
It was a relief, of sorts, that the end was closing in. That feeling made him able to smile at Slade and Alfred when he spotted them. They were busy packing all the food away.
"Bruce wanted to know if you wanna see the cave now?" Robin asked, hoping against hope that the man would say no.
"Certainly," Slade said instead, actually looking somewhat interested.
"Would you like me to escort you, Master Richard?" Alfred asked.
If there was one place Robin didn't want the old man right now, it was the cave. He wanted him as far away as possible.
"No, no, you're busy here. Let's go," Robin told his supposed fiancé and practically dragged him out of the kitchen.
Bruce had changed into the batsuit when they got there.
"Robin, give me the folder over there," he ordered as they entered, pointing to a lonely desk which was a good thirty meters away. He then turned to Slade. "Welcome. Let's have a talk, shall we?"
The teen understood that the request was to make sure he was out of the man's reach, and he hurried away. He was in his civilian clothes, unarmed, and he wasn't sure he was psychologically strong enough to fight Slade at this point.
"What about?" Robin stiffened when he heard Slade's answer. The man already knew. Bruce had picked up on it too.
"About that if you hurt him again, I'll rip your spine out and beat you to death with it," the dark knight growled.
"Good luck, because that's pretty much what you have to do. The little slut is mine, and he'll be very dependent on me after tonight." Slade had a lazy smile on his face, like he was really enjoying what was happening.
"So no reason to ask you to come quietly?"
"Where would you take me? You know what will happen if you take me to a prison… news travels fast in there."
"I'm arresting you as a member of the JL, you will be taken to an isolated facility while we investigate the crimes you are suspected of."
"Clever. Have one of your members try to root around in my mind, maybe? Have me forget who you are? Well, I decline." With that Slade threw the first punch. It was fast, a blur in the air, but Batman parried and struck out in return.
Robin watched with baited breath, feeling useless and scared, none of which were familiar feelings to him in this kind of setting. He even wanted to flee, but told himself that he couldn't fall that low.
"Did he tell you what I did to him?" Slade said. "No? Aw… you should know why you are about to die, after all…" the man didn't let the fighting even put a stutter in his words, while Bruce seemed all but unable to answer in more than grunts. "I choked him, ripped his ass open, made him lick me clean and then, just as a treat, I pissed in his mouth," the villain continued. "He loved it. It was so easy to make him do anything for you…"
Batman roared and threw himself into a vicious attack. Robin had never seen him so angry, but all he felt was shame. Why did Slade have to say those things? It was true, though. All of it. The teen gasped when he mentor was thrown back by a hard punch. The fighters had been moving around and were now outlined by the lit up display wall where artifacts from missions had gathered over the years. Robin suddenly noticed hat Slade was moving purposefully towards a specific place.
"He is going for the sword!" he yelled out in warning. The sword, a 200 year old Katana which Robin couldn't remember the origin of at the moment, was well protected behind armored glass, though. Slade couldn't possibly get to i-
The glass shattered like it was made of sugar.
"Forgive me for being lazy, Bats, but I'd like to have the time to thoroughly fuck your ward again before I go up and kill that snarky butler of yours," Slade said as he withdrew the hand, holding the sword. The blood leaking from multiple cuts didn't seem to bother him one bit.
Robin steeled himself, trying to get his body to move, to throw himself into the fight, but he couldn't budge. And when he could, it was too late. The sword flashed, and in its wake an arch of red glittered in the harsh industrial lights.
"NO!" Robin ran forwards. By the time he reached Bruce the man was almost dead, his throat cut open, a deep gash spewing blood, some of which was running into his open air pipe. "NO!" The teen kneeled next to the man, trying to stem the blood which was pooling around them. Slade was almost forgotten. Another slash, towards his own throat, was something the teen would have welcomed at this moment.
"Aw, such a pity…" Slade's cold, amused voice said from behind him. "Unbuckle your pants right now and I'll kill Alfred quickly." The sword landed on Batman's body, thrown away carelessly as Slade prepared to focus on other things. At that moment the Dark Knight twitched one last time, a wet gurgle coming from his throat, and then he died.
It wasn't that he snapped, not really. Robin had broken long ago, in stages. But Batman had been his last hope. Now there was none. Alfred would die, he would die, and the Titans would die with them. Slade would probably spare him for last, but Robin wasn't interested in the odds anymore. He got up on one knee. Then, as he heard the man's zipper being pulled down, he grabbed the sword, stood up and swung around, all in a lightening fast, single movement. The sword cut deeper this time. Almost separating Slade's neck completely. Robin couldn't avoid getting showered in blood as he jumped away from the now charging man. Even Slade couldn't live without blood or air, though. Robin didn't feel any triumph when the monster collapsed, face down, in Bruce's blood, now mixing quickly with his own. He just felt empty. He still felt empty an hour later as Superman's hand was resting on his shoulder and Alfred was trying to wash his hands with a wet sponge.
"I'll take Bruce to Metropolis and make sure his death is labeled as an accident. I'll write a story on it and some friends owe me a favor so we can cover it up. I dumped Deathstroke's body in a shady neighborhood. It will be written off as a mugging or gang related; I heard the cops who found it report it in. If or when they find out who he is and connect him to you, you just have to release a statement saying you're shocked and in mourning. Your friends will give you alibi if you ask them, I'm sure. Or Alfred."
"Of course, Sir," the old man said. His voice sounded so much older now.
Robin just nodded. It was over, but so what? He had lost Bruce, and how could he ever tell his friends the truth? He hadn't told Alfred or Clark either, but they had watched the security tape, and as the surveillance also recorded sound… They had looked at him with pity, pity he didn't feel he deserved. He didn't see how things would ever be normal again.
The night passed with members of the JL coming by, expressing their condolences, offering to help with whatever Robin and Alfred needed and leaving again. After returning from Metropolis, Clark stayed and so did Alfred, of course. Robin refused to go to bed, but as dawn approached, he dozed off in his chair to the sound of Clark being on the phone. The man was busy with both Bruce's 'accident' as well as making sure Slade's case didn't take an ugly turn somehow. They could have just destroyed the body, of course, but the man had become a prominent figure in Jump, and, just as with Bruce, there needed to be an explanation for his disappearance, or the media wouldn't stop digging for years. Robin knew he wouldn't be able to have it thrown in his face all the time. It would be bad enough for a couple of weeks, especially as he would have to officially mourn as both his identities; for Bruce as Richard and for Slade as Robin. His friend would know the truth, as much of it as he could muster to share, but he would never let the public know that Slade had blackmailed him in any way.
As soon as he woke up Alfred pressed a mug of tea into his hands. He drank automatically, the warmth from it actually lending some sense of security, of familiarity.
"How are you holding up, sport?" Clark asked him carefully.
Robin only shrugged in an 'I'm okay' sort of way, and then his eyes landed on Alfred. The old man had aged overnight, not just his voice. The teen felt a punch to his gut. Al hadn't had any rest, he was sure of it. Robin had lost a father figure, but the old man had lost a son. The teen drew a deep breath. It was time to stop feeling sorry for himself and actually be there for the only family member he had left. He stood up as Clark's phone rang.
"What?" The Man of Steel's voice made Robin turn his focus to him. "But… I have to go. I'll call you back."
"What is it?" the teen asked.
Clark had gone somewhat pale, a strange sight for the strongest man on earth. He opened his mouth but closed it again, like he wasn't sure what to say. Then he tried a second time. "Slade's body is missing."
The End
A/N: Hmmm… sequel? No, you just have to imagine it, sorry. I just wanted an open ending because I like those… ;)