A/N: STOP! You need to read "In Perfect Control" to understand this one-shot.
Happy Halloween! Here's a little treat for you! And you didn't even have to get dressed up and fly to Sweden to get it! So, it's an environmentally friendly treat. By reading this you will PRACTICALLY save the planet. Too bad the characters don't think in quite the same way… 😉 Oh, well… ironic…
Control Your Pets
Robin was woken up by the phone, groggily rolled over and reached for it.
"Mmh?" he answered.
"Richard?" a slightly concerned voice at the other end said.
"C-Clark? Robin was suddenly wide awake.
"Did I wake you?"
"Yes, I had a… late meeting last night," the teen explained. "But don't worry, I should get up now anyway," he added and glanced at his alarm clock. It was nine thirty on a Saturday morning.
"I'm sorry to disturb you anyway," the man of steel let him know. "I'm calling because I… we… have a … favor to ask…"
"Considering how much the JL have helped me the last couple of months, count me in, whatever it is!" Robin said honestly.
"Well… It's… umm…"
"Ok, I'm starting to like this a bit less now… why are you hesitating?" the young hero asked.
"Well," The man on the other end seemed to take a deep breath. "We suspect that Luthor is involved with people who smuggle things that potentially could be made into a chemical weapon," the man said.
"Clark, if I knew anything about that, I would have told-" Robin started, a bit hurt.
"No, no, it's not that," the other man interrupted. "No, it's a bit more… ummm…"
"You're starting to say 'ummm' again, please stop scaring me?" the teen only half joked.
"Well, alright, we… we need access to his house and-"
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable planting anything. We kind of have this 'do no harm' deal… I'd break it in a second if there was proof that there were lives at the stake, of course, but-"
"We'd like you to invite him away for a weekend. Distract him… you know…"
"Aaaaah, so you want us to fuck ourselves into oblivion so you can search his place in peace?" Robin suddenly realized.
"I… um... well… we… we thought that… maybe…"
"Well, it might break our deal, but I guess that if he's involved with stuff like that, he kinda deserves it," Robin sighed. "All he's been talking about lately is his new gardens."
"Gardens?"
"Yeah. He's decided to restore the grounds formal gardens, it's going to be beautiful, we've looked at plans and-"
"Gardens?" Clark repeated like he couldn't quite believe it.
"You know… green areas with plants outdoors? Surrounding a house?" Robin teased him. "You're sure all this hasn't to do with the fertilizers he's importing? He decided to buy some weird fancy stuff from Europe for his roses… miiiiiight be a bit suspicious to import that much, he said, so he was going to look into ways."
"And… you're sure it's for his… gardens?"
"Well, as sure as you can be when you're dealing with super villains, but he had no reason to bring it up with me, and this was weeks ago… but sure, look into it, there might be something going on."
"So you'll…"
"I'll whore myself out for the safety of the nation, yes," Robin grinned.
"You… you don't have to make it sound so…"
"Correct?" the teen cut in, with a chuckle. "Don't worry about it, Clark, I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything. I don't even know if I can get out of my own responsibilities for a weekend."
"We understand. It would really help, though, so if he agrees…?"
"Of course. I'll call him right now."
"Thank you, Richard," the man said a bit awkwardly and hung up,
Robin immediately called up Luthor.
"Hi, Lex, busy?"
"Never too busy for you," the man answered smoothly.
"Awww… so, are you up to something that the JL wouldn't like at the moment?"
"… not as far as I can recall, no…? Maybe some tax evasion?" the man sounded genuinely confused.
"That's great! Well, you should support our country and pay your damn taxes like a big boy, Lex, but apart from that… wanna fuck me silly in a beach bungalow for a weekend?"
"A generous and very tempting offer… Slade isn't in town? Feeling lonely?"
"Slade won't be a problem, let me handle him," the teen chuckled. "And yes, a bit. Well, bored out of my mind is more like it. I need a break. Please?"
"I am unable to deny you anything. I think I could get out of a few things the weekend after next; how does that sound?"
"Absolutely perfect!" the teen said without checking. If there was something he 'had' to do, he had a butler that could say he was sick. Two actually. "I'll make all the arrangements! I'll get in touch soon!"
"Very well, have a nice Saturday," the billionaire chuckled and they hung up.
Robin was contemplating the situation for a moment and then rolled over, into the arms of a certain mercenary, who had, of course, heard it all.
"Okay, so …" Robin started. "You're not going to like this, buuut…"
Robin walked out on the terrace that surrounded their bungalow and took a deep breath of the clean sea air. From here he could step right into the tropical waters as their temporary home was in the middle of a small lagoon with just a narrow walkway leading out to it and a handful of others, placed in a row facing the horizon. Even better, it was built into the water, so the bedroom was below it, a whole wall of thick glass looking out onto the tropical reef outside. One-way glass, Robin had been assured, so no one could look in. The reef itself was an artificial one, man made to replace one that had been destroyed by bombs years ago in a devastating war. The whole resort was built to be environmentally friendly, although Robin had snorted a bit at that, considering you had to fly there. Still, they could lie in bed and watch tons of colorful fish swim by, accompanied by some more exciting things like turtles and one or two smaller sharks. That was, they could, unless they found something more exciting to do in the bed.
If he had been here with Slade, Robin knew, the man would have already thrown him on said bed by now, they had been here for about five minutes, after all, why wait? Lex, on the other hand, had just expertly opened the complimentary champagne and poured two glasses, one of which he now handed the teen with a small smile.
"Welcome to paradise, Richard," he said.
"Well, for four days at least," the teen grinned and took the glass.
"When it comes to paradise, I just have to take what I can get," the billionaire smirked.
Robin chuckled. "Not too late to join the good guys, Lex. Not too late."
"I can't abandon my experiment now," the man told him.
"What experiment?" Robin said, slightly worried.
"You know how Superman is almost impossible to kill or injure?" the man asked.
"Lex, what-?!" the teen said, suddenly alarmed.
"I have a hypothesis that if I annoy him enough, then maybe an ulcer will finally get him," the man deadpanned.
Robin burst out laughing, "Shit, you scared me!" he said, and got a smirk back.
The teen sipped on the champagne, which was good, while Lex took it upon himself to serve them some local fruit from a small basket that had also been waiting for them. Robin was soon in his trunks, sitting on the edge of the terrace and dipping his legs in the warm, salty water. A few fish stopped by, being curious. He tried the fruit Luthor offered and they both agreed that it was miles better than what usually could get at home.
"There is apparently a dance show featuring local dances tonight with dinner," the businessman told him. Lex had changed into slightly longer bathing shorts paired with a short robe, and was sitting down next to the teen with a fluid, graceful movement.
"I'm not sure if you want me to apologize or if you are looking forward to it?" the teen asked teasingly.
"Well, war dances are always educational."
"I'll pay you, real actual money, to try one out against the JL," Robin begged urgently.
"It's not money I want from you," the man leered.
"Oh, really? Then what might you possibly want, sir?" Robin purred and leaned closer.
Their lips were just about to meet when-
"Hello Robin."
The teen startled so badly that he toppled from his precarious leaning position and fell into the water.
"Do you understand how pathetic this is!?" Robin almost screeched. All three of them were inside Robin and Luthor's bungalow where Luthor had herded them, trying to avoid a complete scene. The man was now leaning against a wall alternating between looking pissed off and a bit amused as Robin was verbally tearing into Slade. "How the hell could you sink so low!? The great Deathstroke the Terminator is so pitifully fucking JEALOS that he needs to crash a little getaway trip?! When will you realize that you don't own me?! You don't even LOVE me, Slade, not that that would have made this less pathetic! I mean seriously?! Aren't you ASHAMED of yourself?!"
The man in question was showing how unthreatened he felt by the other two people in the room by sitting in a low arm chair, looking completely relaxed. As the teen's rant ended, however, he shrugged slightly.
"Well… a bit."
"You…" Robin had to pause to let it sink in. "You admit to being pathetic?"
"Of course not," the man snorted. "This particular act, however… perhaps. One act doesn't define the man, however."
"No, that would be you shooting people in the head…" the teen muttered.
"Thank you."
"Not meant as a compliment."
"It's not like Luthor loves you…"
Robin grabbed his chest in a mocking way. "Oh, no!? I shall perish from the shock! At least he actually seems to enjoy spending time with me!"
"I enjoy spending time with you," Slade said, sounding dangerously close to petulant.
"You enjoy fucking me!"
"Yes?" the mercenary deadpanned.
"He enjoys talking to me! He LISTENS to me!" Robin's voice rose again.
"I listen to you."
"Sure, you do!"
"You tell me to go faster, I go faster," the man smirked.
The teen almost gave up right there. He turned around, walked away and sank down on the edge of the bed, head in his hands.
"Why the fuck, Slade?" the groaned.
"Because it feels good?"
"Shut up."
"I'd appreciate," Lex finally said, "if you would leave the island right now, Wilson."
"No can do. They only fly people in and out every couple of days."
"I'm sure you could manage," the billionaire growled.
"Yes, but I don't particularly want to."
"I have connections-"
"If you have more connections than I have bullets I'm impressed. Shall we see?" Slade said lightly and leisurely stood up, which had Robin shooting up on his feet.
"No! No, we shall no fucking 'see' about anything!" he yelled.
"Aw, you made him leave the bed. First lesson; always keep him in the bed," Slade smirked.
"You!" the teen barked. "Get out! And stay the hell away!"
"I'm right next door if you miss me," the man chuckled and left. On the way out his shoulder 'accidentally' bumped into Luthor's.
"Holy shit, I'm a pedophile!" Robin groaned. "I've actually fucked a four-year old!" He noticed Luthor looking at the door the mercenary had just walked through with a very dangerous look in his eyes. "No, no, no, please don't tell me I've fucked two!" Robin begged.
"Hmm?" the man said, turning towards him again.
"Don't do anything childish or stupid. Don't sink to his level!" the teen begged.
"Of course not," the man scoffed, but the teen didn't like the lingering look in his eyes.
The teen came up to the billionaire and wound his arms around him, giving him a bit of a smile.
"Let's forget him? See what the bed can do?" he suggested huskily.
"It would rather feel that we'd have sex just to spite him. Not that I'd normally mind that, but in this situation, it feels a bit… juvenile."
"Then let's shower, change and go and explore the island?" the teen suggested, just a bit disappointed.
"Yes. And…"
"Yeah?"
"Maybe you can limp a little as we leave?"
The island was a bright mix of colors and sounds, very clean and very tourist oriented. A place like this would bore Robin normally, but as a getaway for a long weekend it was perfect. If there was nothing to really see then there was nothing to miss. Besides, he enjoyed nature and there was plenty of that, from colorful birds to lizards basking in the afternoon sun.
They had some fruit smoothies at a café and ended up walking on the beach back to the hotel as the sun was setting. Robin was smiling warmly by then. It was nice. Really nice. They stopped under a palm tree and kissed, and the mood wasn't ruined until they came back to their bungalow and Slade was sitting outside his own, toasting them as they passed.
"At least he didn't follow us," Robin muttered.
They changed for dinner which was an explosion of taste and as colorful as the island itself. It consisted of fish, crayfish and other delicacies of the sea. Robin wriggled his eyebrows at Lex as he handed the man a plate of oysters.
The man snorted. "You underestimate me," he claimed, and the teen giggled.
They were seated outside, the tables forming a circle with a stage in the middle. From cloth canopies above them hung lanterns that were, they had been informed, charged by sunlight during the day. As soon as the first two courses were over, the entertainment started. Men and women, all dressed in their traditional garb which covered very little of anything, danced stories that was also narrated so they would have a chance to follow them.
After dessert, drinks were served and the entertainment got a bit less serious. Some of the tourists were invited up for dance lessons and, before he knew it, Robin was dragged up there as well. A 'skirt' or more like a belt of large leaves were fastened around his hips to represent the dancer's garb, and the teen decided to just go for it and started imitating one of the dancers. Robin, thanks to Slade, still kept up a strict exercise program and was proud of his limberness. Soon the dancers actually took notice and started to cheer him on. The teen had noticed that some of them were dancing especially for men and women in the audience, so with a lecherous grin he danced his way up to Luthor and used everything he had learned to seduce a very amused looking man through dance. Once the music, mainly drums, stopped, everyone cheered and Robin sank, laughing and breathing a bit hard, down on his seat. A female dancer bent over and whispered something to Luthor who chuckled and nodded to her.
"What did she want?" Robin asked, a bit worried that he'd be left alone while the man decided to get a taste of the locals.
"She wanted to compliment you and to tell you that you danced very well… only you danced the female part."
"What? But…"
"It apparently has to do with which foot you start with," Lex smirked and Robin burst out laughing about it all.
"Well… I'm ready to play the 'female part' any time you want," he claimed huskily, and the man leered in reply.
They entered their rooms practically undressing each other and soon fell on the bed kissing. Robin was impatient, but he knew Lex liked to take his time. That was normally very appreciated, but tonight… well, the teen had been ready for hours. It was practically torture. Instead of intensifying, things started to slow down, though. Robin tried to get things back on track, but after a while Lex pulled away.
"It's been a long day. Maybe we should go to bed," the man suggested.
"That's kinda what I'm aiming for here," Robin joked but realized the man wasn't meeting his gaze but rather turning away from him. "What… is something wrong?"
"No. I might have had too many glasses of wine."
Robin knew the man had only had two, so that was bullshit. He wondered what had gotten into him when it suddenly hit him.
"Oh! …oh... you… you can't…? I mean… you're not getting…?"
"It was a long flight, a big dinner, alcohol. It happens," the man all but snapped.
"Of course!" The teen tried to navigate a situation he not only hadn't found himself in but also had trouble imagining… as long as he wanted to have sex things always… cooperated. Still, he reminded himself, Luthor was older. And he wasn't a meta human like Sl-
"Is this Slade's fault?! I'm going to kill him!" Robin growled and shot to his feet.
"I am somewhat insulted you'd think that I'd let myself be influenced by that man," Lex told him flatly.
"No, I mean… I'm sorry…" Robin deflated again and sat down.
"Not that I would mind you killing him," the billionaire stated. "I'd be happy to welcome you to the right side of the law; mine." He smirked and Robin smiled back a little before crawling up to the man and tentatively reaching out for him.
"You'd let me know if there is anything I can do, right?"
"Of course," the man welcomed him into his arms and Robin sighed happily. "Sorry," Luthor added, almost reluctantly.
"Don't be. This is nice. Maybe better. More romaaaaantic," the teen said the last part teasingly, making the man chuckle.
"I guess this has never happened with Slade?" There was a defensive edge to the words, easy enough to pick up on.
"Today wouldn't have happened with Slade. I wouldn't have gotten so see the island, swim, have that amazing dinner and watch the dancing… all I would have seen was the ceiling of this room, and all I would be feeling right now was sore," the teen snorted.
The man chuckled and his arms tightened briefly in a sort of thanks, the teen assumed. Soon enough Luthor's breathing evened out and he turned around again on his back, releasing the teen, who turned on his back as well, staring up into the ceiling. He had been honest with the man. Somewhat. That is… he was a bit disappointed. He'd been half hard all day, and it wasn't going away. He had really needed a good romp, and now that was out of the question. And of course he knew who was to blame.
He slipped out of bed and threw on a pair of bathing shorts. He was careful about not waking Lex, but that was never a problem as the man was just human, after all, and didn't have the hearing of a wolf like a certain bastard. Robin stalked over to said bastard's bungalow, seething, not really thinking about what to say, even as he knocked loudly on the door.
It didn't take long for Slade to open, wearing nothing but boxers and looking like he had opted for a somewhat early night as well.
"What?"
"Your very presence here is screwing with Lex's head and now he can't fuck me!" Robin half hissed, half growled as he marched right into the man's rooms.
"What, really?" the mercenary said, and started to grin.
"It's not funny! It's a huge effing problem, okay?" the teen snapped.
"Very well, I'll fix it," the man sighed.
"How? You'll leave? Talk to him? No, please don't talk to him!"
"I'm not interested in fixing his problems, I'm fixing yours," the man smirked and gestured at the landing and the stairs that led down to the bedroom.
Robin snorted. "Typical! Like I'd cheat on him!"
Slade's expression changed into something a whole lot colder and more dangerous.
"Cheat? How the hell can you cheat on him, you're not together! Or is there something you haven't told me?"
"Nu, but I'm here with him, aren't I? And we're having a great time! There's actually a world outside the bedroom, Slade!"
"You don't say? So you're enjoying your sugar daddy, then?" the man sneered.
The teen burst out in a short laugh. "He's hardly my sugar daddy, but yeah, we enjoy some of the finer things together… and have great sex!"
"When he can get it up. All he is to you is a substitute Bruce, but with benefits," the man snorted.
Robin was adamantly against unprovoked violence against innocents. He, however, was a very, very strong believer in provoked violence against Slade. Unfortunately, Slade had him figured out, caught his fist and pinned him against the closest wall.
"How dare you!" Robin hissed and what made it worse was that tears were prickling in the corners of his eyes.
"How I dare? How dare you? You bounce between us like a horny pinball, playing with both of us!"
"I let you play quite a bit with me too, if you haven't noticed!" Robin growled. "Have I ever even turned you down? Apart from the other week when I was literally out of town and I still agreed to phone sex? That was fucking demeaning!"
"I thought it was rather nice, forcing you to put into word exactly what you wanted me to do to you." Slade's voice had changed to a purr, and the way he was pinning the teen had turned from a fighting stance to something much more seductive and involving more body contact.
"Well, I'm never doing it again!" the teen hissed, his cheeks coloring. "And I'm not playing with you, that's unfair! You're not my suitors, I'm not about to choose either of you!" The teen noticed that the man paused and withdrew just a smidge, and realized why. He changed his tone then, to a soft, reasonable one. "Slade… you know I'm not, right? Choosing between you? Neither of you could ever be my choice for a real partner… that's… clear, right?"
The man let him go at that point, rather abruptly.
"Of course," the man said gruffly. "Just having fun. Why don't you tell your limp lover that he's won and see how many more little romantic dates and vernissages he'll take you on?"
As he talked, he, with a firm hand on the teen's back, escorted Robin to the door, and suddenly the young man found himself outside, almost pushed out, with the door slamming shut behind him.
The teen blinked. What the hell had just happened? Slade had thrown him out? That wasn't supposed to happen! If anything, it was supposed to be the other way around! He stalked back to his own rooms and almost forgot about Luthor in the mean while. Just in time he realized that he was about to wake the man up, however, and instead went to bed, quietly seething.
"You're quiet this morning," Luthor told him a bit flatly during breakfast. They hadn't talked about the night before and there had been no attempts at any passion that morning either. Lex had claimed that he was starving and they were now sitting on a huge balcony of the main hotel, surrounded by other people enjoying a magnificent breakfast buffet.
"Sorry, I'm just in a bad mood," Robin half grinned. "About Slade!" he added quickly when he saw the man frown. "I had really looked forward to this and now it feels like the damn oaf ruined it."
"Well, we have a few more days here, let's try to enjoy ourselves, shall we?" the man said, a small and slightly strained smile on his face.
"Let's!" Robin smiled and toasted him in orange juice.
"Whales! Whales!" came a shout suddenly and almost all of the guests moved to the railing to catch a glimpse of the creatures. Robin rather wanted to take a look too, but Lex hadn't budged and he supposed it might be a bit childish to join the others. Besides, he had just spotted a certain whitehaired man coming up the stairs on the other side of the balcony, and didn't want to run into him. Lex was sitting with his back towards that direction, luckily, Robin didn't want the man to see the mercenary either.
Slade wasn't looking their way at all, in fact, he was also walking towards the crowd to take in the view. Being head and shoulders taller than most of the people there helped him and he seemed to enjoy the sight. Around that time an angry wail rose from that area. A four-or-so-year old wanted to see too, but his mother was holding what was probably his baby sibling and couldn't pick him up. She tried desperately to hush him and looked around frantically, perhaps for the boy's father.
"The worst sound in the world," Lex sneered, looking disgusted. "Can't someone remove that child?"
"I take it you don't like kids?" Robin chuckled.
"Of course not. I abhor them. Unless their parents buy our products, of course."
Robin chuckled again and then spotted something surprising. The wailing child and his mother was right next to Slade, who turned to say something to the mom. She looked a bit hesitant but then nodded, and Slade kneeled down in front of the young boy. The teen suddenly had a crazy image in his head of the man knocking the child out, but a second later, after a shy nod from the boy as well, the kid was happily sitting on the man's shoulders, whooping with joy as he got to see the whales as well.
After a few minutes most people had gone back to their breakfast, but Robin, sneaking peaks, saw the man still patiently standing there, the kid's hands in his hair, pointing and apparently having a conversation with the child and his mother. Not much later the estranged father showed up, there was an introduction, a short handshake and the kid got to switch shoulders.
"Is Wilson here yet?" Lex asked, looking around.
"What? Oh, yeah, I see him, he's just sitting down to breakfast."
"Perfect," the man said and looked in the direction Robin indicated. He spotted the other man who still didn't seem to have noticed that they were there. The place was crowded and they were at opposite sides of the balcony. Lex then snapped his fingers. An attractive waitress came up to them and Robin saw the billionaire pointing Slade out to her and slipping her some money.
"What is going on?" the teen hissed.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," the billionaire leered at him.
Robin did, though. He worried a LOT. He saw the woman take what looked like a smoothie up to Slade.
"You're… you're not poisoning him, are you?!" he whispered.
"Well…" the man said airily. "It's nothing that will really harm him, I'm sure. I'm actually not sure it will have any effect at all."
"Lex-"
"Just relax and enjoy. He has deserved a bit of pay back, hasn't he?" It almost sounded like a challenge, and the teen folded.
"Okay… as long as you're not really harming him," he said.
Slade had gone to get his breakfast and Robin watched him drink the smoothie while enjoying quite a large pile of fried eggs, bacon and sausages.
Lex was reading something on his phone and seemed in no hurry to leave. Half an hour later Robin caught Slade stiffening up a little. Sitting up straighter. A strange look on his face.
"Something is happening," he whispered. A moment later the man got up, leaving some of his breakfast behind and started to very briskly walk away.
"A lovely sight," the billionaire chuckled evilly.
"What am I looking at here?" Robin begged to know.
"The effect of the local tap water," the man smirked.
It took a moment for the penny to drop, but then Robin burst out laughing. "You didn't!?"
"I sure did. Now, how about going back to our rooms? I've booked room on a snorkeling boat before lunch, but, well… we have some time to burn."
Robin grinned at the man. It seemed revenge was not only an great cold dish, but also an aphrodisiac.
Lex delivered that morning and then some, so it was a very satisfied teen who was later snorkeling over a beautiful reef. The boat then served them lunch while they were cruising around the island. They came back in early afternoon, both with a little bit of a sunburn, but nothing worse than feeling some extra heat on the skin where their sunscreen hadn't covered them properly. It didn't stop them from having sex again, as soon as they got inside the door.
Robin had this nagging memory of what Slade had told him in the back of his mind, however, and as he was feeling very content once more, stretched out naked next to Lex, he grinned.
"You win," he said.
"And that is supposed to mean?" the man hummed, apparently close to drifting off.
"Well, it was just something Slade said at some point," Robin let him know. "About you two kinda competing over me? You win."
"I do, now?" the man sounded dangerously pleased.
"Yup. I think you deserve to," the teen grinned. It earned him a second romp in the sheets.
Robin came out from the shower, drying off, and found Lex frowning down at his phone, texting. The teen's own phone was restricted at the moment so only Alfred's number could ring through in case of emergencies. Lex could call too, of course, in case they were separated on the island. The teen assumed something had happened on Lex's side.
"Bad news?" he asked.
"Hm? Well, a deal seems to be going through sooner than expected," the man replied, distantly.
"You need to deal with it? I was gonna ask if you wanted to take a stroll before dinner… on the beach?"
"I have to look into this at the moment, go ahead, I'll take a shower and maybe catch up with you later?"
"Of course," the teen smiled, "business before pleasure."
The man didn't reply, he was typing away furiously, lost in his work.
Robin took a leisurely stroll on the beach, sitting down at one point to look at interesting shells, stones and pieces of colorful glass that the ocean had softened the edges of. He hadn't really expected Lex to catch up, but when he walked home over the bridge an hour later, he got a surprise. He met the man, holding his suitcase.
"Lex? What…?" Robin said.
"Sorry, business calls, I have to go back," the man told him. "I have chartered a jet."
"You were going to leave? You didn't even call?" the teen said, gaping.
"I left a note. I'm in a hurry," the man said in a way of apology.
"You didn't want to ask if I wanted to leave too?"
"I'm going straight to Metropolis, and you should stay. Enjoy your vacation."
"I am… so… the philharmonics next month?" the teen asked, testing the waters although he had a feeling where it would lead.
"Yes, we'll see. I might be a bit too busy next month. I'll call."
"You do that, Lex," Robin said flatly and stepped aside. "I'll see you around."
The teen watched him go while trying to sort through his feelings.
"You told him he had won, didn't you?" Slade asked behind him.
"How can you still be full of shit after this morning?" Robin growled, turned and walked back to the bungalow.
Slade stopped him, however, and looked down at him with a raised eyebrow.
"So it was you?" he asked.
"Luthor," Robin said. "Tap water."
"Huh. I have to pay him back at some point," the man said, almost sounding impressed. "It took almost three hours for my healing factor to figure that one out. It wasn't nice."
"Good," the teen muttered and pulled away. "Now fuck off."
Robin entered the bungalow and made sure to lock the door properly. He found the note, which didn't put him in a better mood as it was short, to the point and didn't even apologize or show any regret about the sudden departure.
Well, he's a businessman first and foremost… Robin thought to himself. Maybe it really WAS something urgent and important. It's not like Bruce didn't do the same now and then. Maybe I should just wait and see… give him another chance.
"What the hell am I THINKING?!" the teen exclaimed loudly. Giving him another chance? For WHAT?! Occasionally doing things together and having sex? What the hell was that? Why did he even entertain the idea of missing the man? "Fuck this!" the teen snorted. He had contemplated ordering room service and sulk in his room with comfort food, but hell no! There was a gorgeous island out there full with gorgeous people, and he'd be damned if he didn't find one to at least flirt with!
He took a quick shower, dressed up nicely and spent some time getting his hair just right. He then left to get a bit to eat. He found a restaurant with a small table with a perfect view of the ocean and the approaching sunset. He might have to eat alone, but he didn't mind it if he could lose himself in the view.
Afterwards he made it to the hotel bar. It had both a very long bar manned by five bartenders, tables and chairs both inside and outside and led into a club with a dancefloor for those who were so inclined. Robin ordered a drink and started to look around. He only now realized that he had no idea what to do. At all. He figured that he had to wing it.
Twenty minutes later he sighed. The place was a romantic paradise. For couples. Some with kids. He'd seen one group of guys but he had no idea if any of them were gay or not. It might also be a bit too early; kids were dancing happily on the dancefloor of the club and the music playing was rather kid friendly. He sighed again and turned towards the bar. Maybe one of the bartenders…? He sipped his second drink and tried to judge his chances. Then he felt a presence behind him. He knew who it was.
"Fuck off," he growled, not turning around.
"S-sorry?"
Robin's head whipped around to find a man around his age, maybe early twenties, standing there, looking a bit flustered. And good. Tall, lean, surfer body, blond, half long hair, blue-grey eyes… "Oh, shit, sorry! I thought you were someone else!" the teen apologized. "So sorry!" he added again, for good measure.
The young man composed himself and a smile started playing on his lips. He had dimples.
"No worries, I'm Darren. Darren Rutherford."
"Richard Wayne," Robin smiled, shaking the other man's hand.
"I admit I recognized you, but I wasn't sure," Darren grinned, looking a bit bashful. "I wouldn't expect you to know, but our families' businesses are connected."
"Rutherford… that rings a bell… the New York Rutherfords of Rutherford Steel?" he asked.
"Yes! Wow, how the hell did you know?"
"Sometimes I have a good memory," the teen smiled, not mentioning that he knew because he had been given the task, by Slade, to look into if they were losing them money as one of the many practice tasks he had had to do as the man's 'apprentice'.
"That's brilliant," the young man beamed.
"Did you want to discuss business?" the teen half joked.
"I was actually wondering if I could buy you a drink?"
Turned out he could. Several.
"So, yeah… finishing up my degree…" Darren told him, his voice slightly slurred. Robin couldn't blame him as he was in a similar state. They had discussed all sorts of things, and were now talking education. "Pops refuses to give me a proper position, though… thinks I should work my way up… kinda bullshit."
"Well, you learn the business?" Robin suggested.
"Sure… sure…" Darren sighed. "Hey… can't you hook me up?"
"Huh?"
"At Wayne industries? Some upper management position? I know my stuff, dude, and… I'll make it worth your while…"
Robin tried not to be offended. Friends asking friends to help them get a job shouldn't be such a big deal, after all… but he couldn't help but feeling a bit used.
"Worth my while?" he repeated as his brain was a bit too sluggish to ask a proper question.
"Like, I'd… suck you off or something. I mean, no homo, but you are, so…?"
"I am… what?" the teen blinked.
"Ho- I mean... gay? Right? You're here with Luthor, right? I'd figured that if he could do it, I can."
"You… lost me…?" Robin claimed.
"Well, Luthor isn't gay, but… yeah… you have some sort of deal? He's with hot women all the time, so…?"
"I think…" Robin said, standing up a little bit wobbly. "I think the interview is over."
"But-!"
"Fuck off, Darren," he snapped and stalked out.
He didn't know when the tears started, but they rolled pretty steadily as he, stumbling, made it down to the beach and the exclusive row of bungalows. Tears obscuring his vision or alcohol obscuring his mind, something made him take a wrong step on the narrow walkway. There was just a rope here, not a proper rail, and Robin stumbled right over it.
He got stunned by the impact with the water and just sank for a moment. When he started to realize this and could move again, he wasn't sure which way was up. He barely had time to panic, however, before he was lifted straight up out of the water by his shirt. He was put down on his feet.
"I can't look away for a moment, can I?" Slade growled at him. The teen, who was already on the verge of breaking down couldn't stand even a hint of disapproval at the moment, even though the man had probably meant it jokingly. He started sobbing and more or less fell onto the man's chest.
"No one loves me!" he blubbered. "Why can't I find someone?!"
"You're drunk?" the man asked, which only made the teen cry harder. "For the love of…" Slade muttered and scooped the young man up. He fished the teen's key card out of his pocket and opened the door. While he got rid of the wet clothes and took the teen into the shower to rinse off the salt water, he coaxed the night's event from the still sobbing, still very drunk, boy.
"You… you have to help me find someone! So-someone nice!" Robin ordered him.
"You don't want anyone nice; you'll tire of him within weeks," the man snorted, not really sure that he should even engage the boy in conversation right now. He probably should just get him to bed.
"Mmm…" The teen seemed to agree. "But… someone who likes me…?"
"Yes, sure."
"And not- not my money?"
"Of course."
Robin was still crying, but slightly softer now. Slade put him to bed and tucked him in. As he was about to leave, however, Robin's hand shot out and gripped his shirt.
"Don't go? Don't leave me?"
The man sighed.
"I'm tired, Robin."
"Are… are you tired of me?" The crying got somewhat more hysterical again.
"No, I'm tired. My healing factor has been working overtime since this morning, trust me, I would have preferred to get shot."
"I would never have let him do that!" the teen exclaimed, looking scandalized.
"Well… thank you…?" the man said.
"I just let him poison you a bit."
"I noticed."
"Because you were a bit of an ass."
"Yes."
"I kinda liked it, though."
"Poisoning me?"
"No, you being an ass… coming here…"
"Ahhh…" the man smirked triumphantly. "And why is that, Robin?"
"Because you're gonna find me a boyfriend…" the teen said, now mumbling as he was slowly falling asleep. "Don't go…? Please? Sleep here?"
The mercenary sighed again. "Very well. Just go to sleep," he said as he rounded the bed and got in on the other side. He had been barefoot, as he had just been out on his veranda when he spotted the teen coming back. He pulled off his shirt, dropped it on the floor and lied down. Robin was already snoring softly.
Robin woke up in the morning with both arms and one leg around Slade.
"What the hell?!" the teen exclaimed. "What are you doing here! Get out! Oh, fuck, my head!" his anger was switched to a grunt of pain. "What did you do?" he then groaned and suddenly went very green. He bolted out of bed and just made it to the toilet.
"May I go?" the man asked him a minute or so later, leaning on doorpost to the bathroom. "I wasn't allowed to last night."
"What are you talking about? Where's Lex?" Robin growled, although his voice sounded hoarse and miserable rather than threatening.
"Wait… you don't remember? You drank that much?" the man asked, suddenly sounding a bit worried. "You might need a doctor."
"No... I… just need to wake u-uuuuuuuuuuurrrghh!" the teen said, interrupted by a new bout of nausea.
"So, about me going…?"
"Don't you fucking dare leave me!" the teen threatened and then cut himself off. "L-Lex… Lex left…?" he asked like he wasn't completely sure that he was remembering correctly.
"Yes. Please don't start crying again."
"I cried? I cried over that son of a bitch?!"
"That was after you got drunk and tried to pick up a guy at the bar."
Robin silently contemplated this until some hazy memories returned. Then he groaned and curled tighter around the toilet, his forehead resting on the seat.
"Fuck."
"Then you tried to drown yourself."
Robin's head shot up and he stared at Slade, wide eyed, until the man smirked.
"Well, alright," the mercenary admitted, "you probably just fell off the walkway in your drunken stupor."
"How did I even manage to get up?" the teen groaned.
"You didn't."
"Is this one of those tv-shows or movies where the main character is told that he has died…?" Robin asked dryly.
"No, but only because I saved you. And you're not the main character. You're the romantic interest," the man smirked.
"Ha-ha…"
"It's 'thank you for saving my life, let me show my eternal gratitude by pleasuring you in all sorts of ways. After brushing my teeth'," Slade claimed.
"I'll show you something alright," the teen muttered and flipped him the bird.
"Alright, I'm leaving," Slade snorted.
"No! Sorry," Robin objected. "I'm just… sorry."
"You at least look it. Get up from that floor, clean up and get dressed."
"I feel like I'm gonna die!"
"You haven't thrown up in a while, you're fine. I'll go call for breakfast."
Half an hour later Robin was feeling slightly more refreshed. He was just in his boxer briefs as he couldn't be bothered dressing. He was thinking of going for a swim in the morning anyway. Slade had apparently taken a shower at his place and was just wearing swim shorts himself. Robin didn't let himself get distracted by the man's muscly chest and abs at all. Not one little bit.
Instead he grumpily tried to get through breakfast, glaring at a piece of toast like it had insulted Alfred's cookies.
"What the hell did I think would happen at a bar anyway?" he muttered to himself.
"You managed to get drunk, so I don't think you were too far off the mark," Slade, analyzing the situation, said.
"I meant trying to find someone," the teen clarified. "And then a guy my age. I should look for someone more mature."
"Mm-hmm." Slade made an agreeing sort of noise as he drank some coffee.
"Someone who doesn't care about my money."
"Yes, you said that last night too."
"But it's important! They can't want me for my money or the business and NOT be fucking Batman fanboys!" he added with a snarl, shuddering at the memory of people at a few events he had attended since he 'came out' as Robin.
"Noted," Slade just nodded, focusing on breakfast.
"And I'm not shallow, so they don't have to be super fit, but it would be cool to have someone to work out with… even spar with… but then he needs to be really good, because I don't want to feel like I'm holding back."
Slade just nodded, spreading jam on some toast.
"And he at least needs to be taller than me. I like tall men."
"Ok…"
"And he has to be smart. And rational."
Robin finally took a bite of his own toast, staring into the abyss that was the thoughts of his future lover. They were sitting inside, for full privacy, downstairs so they could look out over the reef.
"He needs to have his own will; I don't want a yes-sayer… and his own life. It's ok if he's not around all the time, but we should still be there for each other, you know?" He didn't get a reply, but he was too deep in thought to notice. "I don't want him to want to be in the media spot light either. Not someone who'd hire some kind of damn 'media coach' or turn our life into a twitter feed or youTube channel. Oh, and I want him to be able to act intimidating enough to keep people and media away, so I don't have to be the 'bad guy' so often… what?" Robin asked as Slade had just made a frustrated sound.
"You're so obtuse I'm losing interest in you," the man told him.
Robin blinked. "What?"
"You want a tall, older man you can spar with, who doesn't care about the Bat-thing, your money or fame, who will tell you no when needed and keep undesirable people away…?"
"Yeah?" Robin said. "What? Do you know anyone like that?"
The man gave him a level look and stood up. "You must have managed to kill over half your brain last night. I should go dive by the reef. Spend some time with some sea slugs, for more intelligent conversation."
Robin got to his feet as well, somewhat riled up.
"What the hell are you talking about, Slade?! I was just day dreaming about my dream man, ok?!"
"As I have to spell it out for you…" the man sighed. "Guess who fits the description?" he said and gestured to himself.
Half a second later something went 'click' in the teen's brain and he gaped, staring at the man.
"No… No! No, I said nothing about wanting someone who abused me!"
"Fair," the man nodded. "But I have two questions for you to answer honestly. One; have I abused you or overstepped any boundaries at all since my 'assignment' was ended?"
Robin thought back. They had had some rougher sex sometimes, but as he had initiated it…
"No, I guess not, but-"
"Second question." Slade interrupted and he got close enough to the teen to cup his jaw. "Do you wish I had?"
"No!" Robin spat out instantly, but the deep blush on his face betrayed him and the man smirked.
"It's the control, Robin. You like losing it. To the right person."
Robin's mind was still a bit muddled and torn since last night. He could feel Slade's words running through his system with the pain of unwanted truth to them. He knew the man was right, he knew he was right for him, but-
"You'll just leave me too. When you win." His voice was much smaller than he wanted it to be. He wanted to say it in a dismissive scoff, but instead it came out as something more like a pleading question.
Suddenly he was pulled close and kissed. He stiffened for a second but then kicked his pride to the curb and melted into the kiss with a moan. The next moment he was lifted up, with the ease only Slade could muster, and then he was put down again it was on the bed, the man's body covering his instantly. Robin wrapped his legs around the man, to pull him closer. As neither of them were wearing much, there wasn't much to shed, which fit as Robin was very impatient.
"Fuck me already!" he moaned around yet another kiss.
"Oh, I will. I'll fuck you until your poor alcohol-soaked brain realizes once and for all that you belong to me," the man growled.
And he did. Well, Robin still didn't trust the man fully, and was trying to find a way to voice that, but it was about an hour later and he was tangled up with both the man and the sheets so he wasn't quite sure where his body ended and Slade's began. They were also covered in sweat and cum, and it should be quite nasty, actually, if he hadn't been too happily worn out to care.
"…you sure you won't leave?" he mumbled, playing with the hairs on the man's chest.
"No one can make forever promises, but I'm rather stubborn," the man muttered back.
Robin huffed. "Alright then… you win."
"I thought Lex already won?" the man smirked, having to rub it in a bit.
"No, it was a test. He failed by leaving."
"So is it a test for me too?"
"Maybe," Robin smirked.
"Better be on the safe side and not leave then," the man smirked. "I hate losing."
"I know. I'll tell you when the trial period is over," Robin snickered.
"You never will, will you?" Slade snorted.
"We'll see. It's a good leash, after all, and you should always control your pets."
Slade rolled on top of him in an instant.
"I obviously didn't fuck you hard enough the first time after all. My bad. Let me correct that."
Robin grinned. He was, after all, very good at controlling his pets.
The End
A/N: * whispers* I might not be done with this universe quite yet. Not sure when there will be more, though... maybe for Christmas? We'll see… 😊