A/N: Here we go, the last part of fuzziness! Thank you for reading, please leave a review too! If you have a plot bunny, please leave it there too! After all these fuzzy feelings, maybe something dark? Any ideas out there…? 😉
Part 3
Slade knew to give his young husband a bit of time to breathe. He refused to give him enough time to stew, however.
He walked downstairs with Rose on his arm. The girl was babbling and Slade had to admit that she was rather… adorable. He hoped she had only inherited his hair and not much else. Well, her eyes should by genetic probability also be dark, not that strange blue that looked almost fake compared to Robin's amazingly sky blue eyes. He didn't want to consider what else he might have passed on, so instead he went to find Alfred.
"Could you look after Rose for a moment?" he asked.
"Of course, sir," the man answered with just a tiny amount of stiffness in his voice. Slade almost smiled. Robin must have stormed by. "Thank you. Do you happen to know where Robin is?" he asked. The man's eyes flickered downwards for a fraction of a moment. "Thank you for telling me," Slade said.
"But… I didn't?" the old man claimed.
"You did. But it would be the first place I looked for him anyway," the man smirked and handed Rose over. "Be a good girl to Uncle Alfred now," he told her and left to hunt down a certain young man.
Slade found him, like he knew he would, in the Batcave, fighting the wooden dummy. He watched for a while, letting the teen work things through. The boy was still good, very good, but he would need some real-world practice soon or he would lose his edge. Slade didn't know how he felt about that. He loved Robin for what he was, he knew they shared the same need for adventure, but at the same time he wanted the young man safe. Home. With a helmet and padding on, if possible. Perhaps only a helmet and padding on.
"I don't like your leer; it doesn't bode well for me." Robin's voice suddenly cut into the man's thoughts.
"Sorry. I'll save that thought for later," the man smirked.
"Much later," the teen muttered.
"You don't want to know about my past, Robin, there's a lot of blood in it. It will get messy."
"I don't care!" the teen claimed. "Soak me! I can handle a bit of a mess."
Slade, who was in a deflective state of mind, smirked. "Are we still discussing my past or are we talking about golden showers?" he asked.
Robin closed his eyes, briefly. "We will never talk about golden showers. Ever. So, yes, your past. I'm not saying I need to know about every kill, but the big stuff, you know? Meeting Wintergreen, becoming a meta-human… becoming a DAD?! And hell, Slade, losing your family? Those things have a huge impact on who we are… you don't think it's important that we share that, as a married couple?"
Slade sighed. "Really, Robin, it was a long time ago-"
"If you are afraid of loving Rose because of the children you lost, I need to know," the teen cut in, almost harshly. "I need to know so that I can understand. Or I might judge you. I might start thinking that you don't really love me either."
"That's not fair," the man growled.
Robin smirked. "Aw, the big bad Deathstroke is crying out for a fair fight?"
"Maybe you need to respect my wishes to keep the past in the past," the man told him coldly, turned around and walked away.
Robin blinked. He hadn't expected this. He was sure he was right in this, so why did Slade's words make him feel like he was a terrible person?
"Slade, wait!" he called out before the man had made it half way to the stairs. The man stopped but didn't turn around, like he was ready to keep walking. "I'm sorry," Robin added. "I understand that it must hurt. Immensely. But… if you ever feel… I mean… I just think that it's important…" He could see the man's shoulders slump a little and relaxed.
"Fine." The mercenary turned around. "But not now. On my terms, Robin."
"Yes, of course!" the teen assured him and hurried up to the man, sliding his arms around him. "Sorry," he mumbled into his chest.
"I understand your reasoning," Slade sighed. "But you have to understand that I've been suppressing these memories for so long, to be able to even function. I won't be able to just tell you out of the blue."
"No, I understand," Robin mumbled.
"I could tell you how Wintergreen and I met, though, but I think he'd like to be a part of that."
Robin smiled up at him. "I want Will to be there too, just to make sure you're not glorifying yourself."
"Who? Me?" Slade tried to look innocent.
Robin snickered. "Maybe after dinner tonight, when Rose is asleep?"
"I know better things to do with that time, but alright," the man smirked. "Which reminds me," he said and gently stepped out of the teen's embrace to walk over to a row of lockers where some gear was stored.
"What do you need?" Robin asked curiously.
"I'm just getting some padding," the man said, picking out protective gear.
"Are we going to spar? With protection?" The teen looked confused.
The man leered. "Nope."
They heard Rose wailing as soon as they came up from the bat cave.
"There you are," William muttered as he spotted them. "Take care of your hell spawn, she's giving me a migraine."
"Why is she upset?" Robin asked, looking over at the two butlers, who also seemed to have migraines brewing.
"She wanted banana and dropped a piece on the floor. I wouldn't let her eat it, and…" Albert said, gesturing to the child who, red in the face, was sitting on the floor crying her heart out.
Slade sighed and picked her up, but she only started crying harder.
"Maybe throwing her out into the snow will stop this?" the mercenary pondered.
"Well, it probably would, but I think some people might frown upon it," Robin smirked.
"Any of those people here?" the man asked, looking around. No one indicated that that was the case. "You're all evil. I like it," the man chuckled. "Unfortunately, as her father, I'd better deal with this in some other way. Rose?" The girl glared at him. "Quiet."
Rose did fall quiet. For a second. Then she wailed even harder and pummeled his shoulder with her little fists.
Robin burst out laughing. "I would have hated you if that had worked," the teen chuckled. "You're not getting away that easily."
"Apparently not," the man grumbled. "Alright, Rose, I'm taking you up to your room before we're both thrown out."
Robin smiled at the two as they left, Rose crying a bit more silently now.
"I'm going to let them work it out," he stated to the others. "They need to bond."
"Speaking of working it out, I assume you and Mr. Wilson…?" Alfred asked.
"Yeah… for now." Robin sighed. He still had trouble quite grasping why Slade couldn't just tell him everything, but he understood enough to know that he had to respect that he couldn't, at least not at the moment.
"Very good, sir," the old man nodded, seeming pleased.
Robin went to his office to look through his work mail and get whatever he could get done, done. Half an hour later Slade entered with a much happier Rose.
"Bin-bin!" she exclaimed.
"Is Bin-bin busy working?" Slade asked teasingly.
Robin stood and stretched. "Nah, there's not a lot more I can do for now, and not much coming in on a Sunday either," Robin said and took Rose as she reached out for him.
There was a knock on the door and Alfred entered. At once it was obvious to the teen that there was something on the man's mind, and he could see from Slade's body language that the man noticed it too, and was on his guard.
"Master Richard?" the old butler started.
"Yes?" the teen said, expecting bad news.
"I was wondering… since Rose has joined us… and as you have just gotten married…"
"Yes, Al? What is it? Please spit it out, you're freaking me out a bit," the teen begged.
"I was wondering if we could… rethink the decision regarding the Christmas decorations?"
Robin let out a relieved sigh. He had told the butlers to keep the decorations minimal this year, mostly because he didn't want them to have too much to do, as Albert was still in training, so to speak. Robin was stressed himself and had thought he was doing the old man a favor. Obviously that favor had been seen as a punishment.
"Of course, wonderful idea, do whatever you want. But use Slade for any heavy lifting, alright?" Robin said.
"What am I, a fork truck?" the mercenary muttered.
"I was thinking another word starting with F, but ok…" the teen grinned at him.
"Will do, Sir, thank you, Sir," the man beamed and ducked out of the room.
"Good. He was looking like a kicked puppy for weeks after the Christmas conversation in November," Slade claimed.
"He… he did? Now I feel really bad!" Robin said. "Why didn't I notice?"
"Well, you were looking at either the computer screen or the ceiling," the man leered.
"You should have told me!"
"I didn't think it was a bad idea to tone it down either… lot less boxes for me to carry."
"Mr. Wilson?" came a call from down the hallway. "If you could lend a hand…?"
"See?" the mercenary sighed. "I won't see you again for a long time. Goodbye. Don't sleep around behind my back. Raise my daughter well."
"I can promise I'll try. With one of the things, at least," Robin grinned at the man as Slade headed for the door. The man paused.
"Which one?"
"That will be a surprise for when you come back, dear," the teen smirked. "Be brave out here!"
Slade snorted, but the teen heard him chuckling as he left the room.
"Guess it's just you and me for a bit, huh, Rose?" Robin asked the toddler in his arms.
"Da-da bye-bye?"
"No, no, he just needed to work for a while. Should we go read a story?"
"ESS! Moo-moo!"
"And hence the Boy Wonder got to solve the great mystery of what the heck moo-moo is," Robin sighed.
"Eck!"
"No-no-no, moo-moo!"
"Eck! Uck!"
"I'm so glad your articulation is off…" the teen muttered and took the child downstairs.
He found Wintergreen reading in front of the fire. It was funny to the young man that people like Wintergreen and Slade who were both quite dangerous, Slade at least for sure, and Slade didn't have just anyone as a best friend, could kick back and seemingly enjoy the most peaceful of activities. The major looked like someone's grandpa, basically blissful, and the mercenary had the same sort of aura in similar situations. Robin smiled at the man.
"Found anything fascinating?" he asked.
"Your library is extremely interesting. I have been thinking of writing in my retirement, I won't have to look further than here for good sources."
"Actually, William…" Robin knew what he wanted to ask but wasn't sure it would be received well. "Unless you have somewhere more important to be… would you like to stay for Christmas and New Years?"
The man lowered his book and looked thoughtful for a moment before giving the teen a small, warm smile and a nod. "I think I'd like that very much. I usually spend the holidays at some tropical beach somewhere, but that idea doesn't quite have the same pull this year, I admit."
"Great! Then that's decided!" Robin beamed. "Now, one more thing… do you know what 'Moo-moo' is?"
That evening Robin got to hear some very interesting stories from Slade and Will, and how their friendship was formed. Despite the very serious subjects of wars and prison camps, the men had him in stitches several times. They were enjoying some tea, hot chocolate, juice and brandy respectively in the sitting room when Alfred walked in.
"Master Richard, there's a visitor to see you," he said.
"I swear Slade, if someone else is dropping off another kid of yours…" the teen warned.
"Hello," a someone said awkwardly at the door.
"C-Superman?" Robin gaped.
"Come to ask my husband to whore himself out again?" Slade drawled.
Clark, in his superman uniform, blushed. "I- no, I- wait… husband?"
Robin held up his hand, flashing the gold band with a grin. "Yup," he grinned, enjoying the look on the man's face. "And I don't think you've met our daughter, Rose?" he said and lifted the girl off the floor to show her off.
"I… I… wait, did I fly here too fast or something? Pass into another dimension? Travel in time?" the hero asked himself.
Robin laughed and shook his head. "You just happened to stop by on a rather crazy weekend. What are you doing here anyway? Did something happen?"
"Not at all, I'm just helping all along the areas the storm has hit. Even crime seem to have been snowed in."
"So you're helping it out on the streets again, how kind," Slade grunted.
The kind alien actually looked a bit confused and doubtful for a while, but then straightened up. "People are snowed in, there has been quite a few accidents, I'm merely helping out. I thought I'd just look in as I was in the area."
"Of course, that's nice of you, I do owe you a lot," Robin said with a pointed look at Slade to tell him to play nice.
"And we will never forget what you've done for us," Slade smiled sharply and coldly, which actually managed to make the man of steel look a bit nervous.
"Some tea, Sir?" Alfred offered.
"I… uh… no thank you, Alfred, I should get going… as long as everything is under control here…?"
"If you could clear the entire drive way and make sure the road down to the city is cleared as well…?" Slade asked in an overly sweet way.
"Y-yes. Sure! I'll do that. Um... good night… um… sweet kid! And… um… congrats!" the hero said, nodded to them all and almost slunk out the door.
"And that's the man you wanted to raise Rose?" Slade snorted.
"Firstly; he'd be a great dad, and secondly; you know I only suggested him so you'd want to keep her, right?" Robin snorted.
"Well, I thought so, but the arguments were sound too…" the man muttered. He looked out the window. "Driveway's clear," he stated smugly. "It's still snowing, though. Nasty weather. Hope he freezes his balls off."
"What the heck did the great American hero do to you?" William chuckled.
"He decided to be Robin's pimp," the man grunted.
"It wasn't like that!" the teen objected.
"Imp!" Rose said happily. "Uck eck imp!"
"We're ruining her! She's been with us for two days and we're ruining her!" Robin groaned and handed the child over to Slade. "Go put her to bed. Maybe she will have forgotten this by tomorrow."
"One can hope," the man muttered. "But you're coming with me to help."
"And why is that?" Robin groaned, as he wanted to go back to his hot chocolate.
"Well, as you said," Slade smirked. "She's our kid."
Robin grunted. He had said it for shock value, even though he supposed it was basically true… and would be legally true further down the line. It felt kinda nice, though… "Well, I can't say no to that," he sighed.
"There's a lot of other things you can't say no to either, I'll go through all of them with you later," the man leered.
"Can't wait," Robin grinned back.
"You're going to sleep really quickly, young lady," Slade told his daughter.
"Don't forget to brush her teeth, Master Richard," Alfred reminded them.
"If you don't forget to go to bed at a decent hour," Robin told him. "I don't want all these boxes touched tonight; you have plenty of time to decorate for Christmas during next week."
"Yes, sir," the man nodded.
When Robin came downstairs the next morning the whole first floor was transformed, however. He was carrying Rose who was practically screaming with glee seeing all the sparkles of tinsels and lights.
"Alfred, what did I tell you?!" Robin exclaimed while still looking around like a child himself.
"If I may direct your attention over there, Master Richard," the butler said and gestured to a single, lonely box against the wall, "you will see that we indeed didn't 'touch all the boxes'."
"Malicious compliance, I like it," Slade chuckled.
"Sometimes I think Alfred is the biggest super villain of them all," Robin groaned. "Very nice work, Al, it's beautiful."
"And all out of reach of a certain young lady… or so we hope," the man declared, looking just a little big smug.
"It has stopped snowing," William, who apparently was an early riser, reported as he came in through the front door. "Cold as all hell, though," he added.
"What were you even doing outside?" Slade asked.
"Started to feel a bit antsy," the Major admitted. "I've been digging my car out, it seemed Superman didn't notice it last night. I was thinking about risking going into the city for the day."
"Please let me just check the roads first," Robin asked. "I wouldn't mind going myself, to be honest, even though the office is closed. Besides, Rose needs stuff, doesn't she?" he added to Alfred.
"Clothes first and foremost, all kinds, and we're running dangerously low on diapers, sir."
"That's it, I'll dare any amount of snow as long as that behind is securely walled off," Will joked.
"Make us a list, it seems we have a mission," Slade chuckled. "We'll take the station wagon so we'll have plenty of room for supplies. Will, old friend, I understand if you seek other type of entertainment… family shopping is hardly exciting."
"I have a few friends in the city I'd like to check in on, if you don't mind," the man smirked.
"Business contacts? Robin asked curiously.
"You can call her that…" the Major leered back.
"Will! You dog!" the teen exclaimed.
"Doggie!" Rose chimed in, looking around. "No doggie…?" she then said sadly.
"No, I said Will was a doggie," Robin explained. "But I won't tell you why. Anyway. You'll be fine with uncle Alfred and uncle Albert for a while, right?"
"Well… actually, Sir…" Alfred cut in.
"Yeah?" Robin asked,
"We know her size when it comes to clothes, but the shoes she was wearing seems too small and didn't have a size on them… It would be easier if she can try on the shoes, she needs proper winter boots as well, but I could take her if-"
"Nonsense, we'll manage!" Slade snorted. "If I know anything about women it's that they love shopping. Shoes especially. It will be a breeze."
The man would have to eat those words many, many times over.
"NO! NO DADA!" Rose kicked her foot so the cute pink boot on it flew straight into the face of the salesman trying to help them.
"Ok, that was impressive, princess, but this is about keeping your feet warm, not about headshots," Slade told her.
"I don't think it's a good idea to encourage violence," Robin hissed between his teeth.
"Of course not," Slade agreed. "Unless it's done well," he added.
"Slade!" Robin objected.
"Yes, dear?" the man answered innocently.
Robin just tried the bat-glare on him and shook his head in warning. The bastard smirked back.
The teen then spotted something that gave him an idea. He moved to another shelf and picked up a pair of boots there.
"Look Rose! These boots are just like daddy's!" he said, holding up a pair of dark green somewhat camouflaged pattered boots that somewhat looked a little like Slade's winter shoes. "Don't you want to have boots like daddy?"
The child looked thoughtful for a moment and then a smile exploded on her face. "YES!" she shrieked.
"Ah, my daughter, I'm disappointed in you… succumbing to imitation of idols…" Slade sighed, but quietly. He was smart enough to not want to risk these new developments going south.
"They seem to fit," Robin grinned.
"Um… Sir… Those are boy-boots…" the salesman said.
Slade straightened up. "Do boys and girls have anatomically different feet?"
"I… no? But-"
"So, the boots are for children, then?"
"Yes, but-"
"My daughter likes these boots. Are you trying to tell me that she is wrong?"
"I… no! No, of course not, Sir! I just thought that something in purple, perhaps…? Would be more… appropriate?"
"So now my daughter is inappropriate?" the man both looked and sounded very, very dangerous.
"N-no, I…"
Slade pulled the tag off the boots and handed it to the salesman. "Then ring these up. And I think a discount would be appropriate, considering what you have implied about my little girl."
"Would- would you like me to p-put them in a- a bo-"
"She's keeping them on."
"Yes, sir!"
The man scurried off and Robin finally broke down in a fit of laughter. "I love you so much," he forced out through the giggles.
In the next store Rose threw them completely off by choosing a bright pink hat with a unicorn and way too much glitter, but, like Slade said, she was a rebel, and wouldn't be tied down to one style.
It was a good thing that William had taken his own car because they filled up the station wagon to the brim.
"Shouldn't we get her a few Christmas presents too?" Robin asked.
"What is all this then?" Slade said, gesturing to the car, which was now also equipped with a top of the line car seat.
"Necessities…?" Robin suggested. "I just…. I can just get her a toy, right?"
"As it's apparently that important to you, sure," the man shrugged, studying him carefully. "But hurry back." Rose then started to cry again for no other reason than being over stimulated. "Please," Slade said, and he was really begging.
Robin grinned and dashed off. Soon he returned with a bag, which he had to keep in his lap, and they set off home. Rose fell asleep in the car and it was actually quite cozy.
The roads were just barely alright, and the cold had done a number on the city as well, they saw several signs of water leaks on their way, and the storm had left a lot of trees and electrical wires knocked down.
"No wonder we don't have electricity," Robin muttered when he was the damage.
"I'm glad I just kill people for a living, this kind of job is too messy," Slade chuckled and nodded to a crew of electricians who seemed to be freezing their asses off as they worked.
"Ha-ha," Robin snorted.
They just barely made the hill climb home because of the ice on the roads, which was a lot more noticeable when you were trying to climb the hill than going down.
"We have to call Will to tell him to take it easy," Robin said.
"He'd be extremely insulted," Slade said.
"It's called caring!"
"Still," the man insisted.
"Fine. I guess you know him best," the teen muttered.
Just before they arrived Slade's phone rang. "Push the speaker button, I need to keep my hands on the wheel," the man told Robin.
"Wilson?" a voice said.
"Speaking."
"We are happy to report that you have qualified for the position you applied for."
"I'll get back to you," the man said and nodded to Robin to hang up.
"You… applied for a job?" the teen said.
"No, that was the government. Code for they have a mission for me."
"Oh."
"You know it can happen at any time."
"Of course," Robin said hurriedly, trying to hide his disappointment and fear. He wanted Slade here for Christmas and he wanted him here with Rose. He couldn't say as much, of course, because he knew the man wouldn't like it. "So… you'll let me know some basic stuff after you have called them back…?"
"Of course."
As soon as they were home, the man disappeared to somewhere to make that call. Robin handed Rose over to Alfred and then single handedly carried everything first inside and then packed everything away. He even wrapped the gift he had bought for Rose. He had already finished the Christmas shopping for the others, and he and Slade had picked up a nice bottle of old whiskey for William, so he'd have a gift as well. It was almost an hour before he was done, and he went to find Rose, knowing Slade would eventually find them.
Rose was not a happy girl at the moment.
"She refuses to take the boots off," Albert sighed.
Alfred didn't like shoes in the house. He had reluctantly accepted that the Americans saw things differently, but always made sure that the inhabitants of the house changed to indoor shoes as soon as possible after coming inside. Now it appeared that the young lady of the house didn't agree with this rule.
"One moment," Robin said and then ran up to get a pair of thick soft socks with rubber soles which they had just bought. He returned to the scene of despair waving them around.
"Look, Rose! Your bunny socks! Do you want to wear these?"
She didn't.
"What is she upset about now?" Slade asked.
"Look Rose! Daddy isn't wearing his boots inside!" Robin said pointing to the comfortable indoor shoes the man had apparently just shoved his feet into. "The boots are for outside. The bunny socks are for inside, and they really want you to put them on," the teen tried.
The girl was drawn to the fluffy white and purple things shaped like deformed, flat rabbits and decided to change her mind about wearing the boots forever. She let Robin take them off and put the socks on and then happily followed Albert into the kitchen for a snack.
Robin looked up at Slade and stood up.
"Sooo…?" he said. "When…?"
"Early tomorrow morning."
"I… I see. And… for how long?"
"A couple of weeks. At least." The man's voice was clipped. He let very little emotion through. Robin was teeming with them, though, and all negative. He didn't know how Slade would react if he showed him how much he hated this situation, however. Would the man take it as proof that they couldn't handle having Rose? Robin hadn't particularly liked Slade leaving for any type of work, but that was because he was worried for him, and, having been in a similar kind of business himself, he had accepted it… but now…? A child just changed things. For the first time Robin wasn't just worried about Slade, he was worried for his own and Rose's sake too. He sighed.
"Well… it's how it is." He tried not to sound like he was angry at the whole world. "I'm sure Alfred can make us a nice dinner tonight… like an early Christmas one."
"You're allowed to say that it sucks," Slade told him, a little bit of a chuckle in his voice.
"IT REALLY SUCKS!" the teen exclaimed. "For fuck's sake, we're newlyweds! And Rose! And it's CHRISTMAS! And NEW YEARS, and-"
"Apparently some people still need to be shot," the man tried to joke.
"I know," the teen sighed and then blinked and gasped. "What am I saying?!" just as Slade burst out laughing.
"I wish I had a recording of this… I would have loved to send it to Clark," the mercenary chuckled.
"I meant that I know that work still needs to be done… even though that kinda sounds just as bad. Damn…" Robin said and then simply stepped forwards into Slade's arms, hugging the man's waist hard, while burying his face into his chest. He soon felt arms encircle him as well. "You'll be damn careful. That's an order."
"Yes, sir," Slade replied, only partly jokingly.
They had a rather somber and light lunch, as Alfred was preparing a big dinner that evening. Rose was in a splendid mood, however, though she almost fell asleep at the table by the end.
"She's tired today," Slade remarked. "Two naps already?"
"Shopping takes a lot out of you," Robin chuckled. "Unless you think somethings wrong?" he added worriedly and felt her forehead. "She doesn't feel warm?"
"No, she's just had a big day," the man chuckled and lifted the girl from her high chair. "Should we take her up to her room?"
"I was thinking we could go into the sitting room," Robin suggested carefully. "And… talk?"
"Robin…" the man said warningly.
"No, not about anything you don't want to talk about, just… talk… Let's take Rose too, she will probably just sleep for a tiny bit anyway."
"Very well," the man agreed, and soon Rose was snoozing in a chair, surrounded by pillows so she couldn't roll out of it, and Slade and Robin were on the couch, the teen getting comfortable against the man's side.
"I'm sorry," Robin mumbled.
"For what?" Slade asked.
"You said keeping Rose would change things. I didn't want to believe that, not really… and here I am, freaking out because you're going to leave."
"It's understandable. I wish we had had time to register our marriage and begin the adoption process. It would make things go smoother if something was to happen."
"Oh yeah, because that was what I was worried about. Legal shit," Robin muttered, hugging himself even tighter to the man.
"Again, if I had only had a recording…" the man chuckled. "I'll be fine, Robin. You know it takes a lot to bring me down, and I'm rather good at what I do. Frankly, I'm a bit insulted," the man claimed.
"What I know and what I feel are two incompatible things at the moment," the boy claimed. "But yes. I know. But it's for Rose's sake too, she'll miss you."
"She's a baby, she barely knows who I am."
"Shut up, she's known from the moment she saw you! It's actually kinda creepy. Maybe some meta human stuff," Robing said. "She's going to be upset while you're gone."
"You are four adults here to distract her. She might be a bit grumpy, but there's nothing I can do about that. Are you trying to make me feel bad for leaving?"
Robin gasped. "No! Shit, no, Slade, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It's not like I don't work long hours and sometimes has to travel too… not to speak about my… other job."
"You're… thinking of taking that up again?" Slade asked carefully.
"Well, I'm starting to get the hang of the business side, and I don't have to do much with Lucius taking over the acting CEO role, I'm basically a figurehead who's also learning from him… I'm not saying it's not a lot of work, but helping the police to solve crime with the help of the bat computer is fun. Really fun. I'm just itching to go out there again as well. I've been… working on something."
"On what?"
"I'll show you," Robin promised. "Later," he added with a little leer.
"Can't wait," the man smirked back. "So… being out there… fighting crime…"
"Yeah?"
"I'm just thinking about Rose here… you're just human, and if something would ha-"
"Now you're doing it to me," Robin pointed out.
"Oh."
"I thought about not working when you're working, so one of us are always home 'safe' so to speak…?" Robin said.
"You have to let me train you. You're not ready for the streets yet."
"Heh, the way you train me I've been ready for the streets for a quite a while," the teen snickered.
"Cheeky," the man chuckled, just as his hand found the teen's ass and squeezed his actual cheeks. "But I'm serious. And you'll have trackers sewn into every part of your suit. And hidden ways to call for backup."
"I'll graciously accept all of those things if they make you feel better," the teen smiled. "You don't like the idea, do you? Me out there?"
"Not one bit," the man admitted.
"Good."
"Why?" There was a bit a growl in the man's voice, and Robin knew he had poked the beast.
"Because then you'll understand how I feel. You won't try to stop me, are you?"
"No," the man sighed.
"And why is that…?" Robin prompted.
"Well, I could say that I respect you too much, or I believe in your skills… but the truth is…" the man paused, like he was thinking things over. "The truth is that I'll lose you. And yes, I see the parallels. They aren't exactly subtle."
Robin chuckled quietly and kissed the man's jaw, which was as far as he could reach at the moment. He then laid his head down to rest on Slade's shoulder again and sighed.
"We're rather impossible, aren't we?"
"Of course. 'Possible' is for losers," the man snorted, making the teen snicker again.
They just lay there for a while until Rose woke up. The girl came to snuggle with them until she was fully awake but then surprised them both by going over to her play area and happily starting playing by herself.
"She's probably had enough of us for one day, dragging her around, trying to force her to wear girl boots," Robin chuckled.
"If she's anything like me, you might be right," the man muttered.
At that moment Wintergreen came into the room. Judging by his rosy cheeks he had just come home. Robin just then realized that the color might not only have come from the cold.
"Nippy out there," the man commented. "The road was hell too. So… why are you two looking so gloomy?"
"Slade's going to have to work. He's leaving tomorrow," Robin lamented, the awfulness of it all rushing back.
"Oh, that was bad luck," the major nodded and endeared himself to the teen as he actually looked upset about it. The old man sat down in the chair Rose had napped in. "I understand if this means the offer to let me stay for Christmas is revok-"
"Don't you dare leave too!" Robin snapped. "I'm already losing one hunky whitehaired ex-military man; I'm not losing another!" he joked.
"Well, well," Wintergreen all but snickered. "I'd happily do my duty and stay, then."
"I don't like your tone there, old friend. Or your choice of words, Robin," Slade added and slapped the teen's butt lightly. Robin could hear the laughter in the man's voice too, though.
"Well, if you can't be here…?" the teen grinned.
"If I didn't know that Will is strictly a ladies' man, I'd bring him with me," the man grunted.
"Not me?" Robin asked.
"Will is better at killing people, and if I thought he had eyes for you, I would have no qualms about using him as a human shield."
"Love you too, old friend," William said dryly, but with a grin playing in the corner of his lips.
The dinner that night was just as good as their wedding dinner, though much more subdued for obvious reasons. Alfred had done his best to prepare something that resembled a Christmas dinner, but there hadn't been enough time to defrost and cook a turkey. Instead roasted chicken was the main dish, but nobody minded. Robin barely left Slade's side all evening. He wasn't being consciously clingy, it just felt wrong to work in his office when the man was going to leave next morning. They put Rose to bed together and as they left the nursery, Robin suddenly remembered something.
"I forgot to show you what I have been working on. Wait here!"
"Right here? In the hallway? Because I need to take a piss," Slade said.
"Bedroom then! I'll be back in five!" Robin said and dashed away.
It took a bit longer than five minutes but Slade was waiting patiently in their room when the teen opened the door. For a second the mercenary tensed, but then a rather lecherous grin spread on his face.
"What do you think?" Robin asked and turned around, showing off a black suit with blue details.
"Very nice…" the man purred and came up to him, running his finger along the blue stripe that started at his fingers and then traced it up along his arms until it merged in a bird-like design over the chest. "Very nice indeed. Take it off."
Robin burst out laughing and danced away. "I didn't mean if it looked hot, I wanted to get an assessment of its usefulness," he claimed.
"Oh, I might have time to look at it later," the man said and made a grab for him. Robin again slipped away, a teasing smile on his face.
"My ass doesn't look fat in it, then?" he asked and turned around, briefly.
"It looks perfect," the man claimed and stalked closer again. Robin moved away. "Come here," Slade growled, making the teen's stomach tingle.
"Make me," he challenged, and saw the man's lips part in a smirk.
"Oh, I will, boy," Slade promised.
The man was fast but also at a disadvantage since this was Robin's old boy room, and he had spent more time than he wanted to admit playing a very advanced form of 'the floor is lava' in here. He knew the place by the fire where the exposed rock wall offered both foot and handholds. He knew that the top of the windows, obscured by curtains, were wide enough to grab and swing from as well. He didn't however, want to leave the room, and that didn't give him a lot of options. Slade soon had him cornered, still grinning, and Robin pushed off the wall in an attempted to dive over the bed, when the man's hand grabbed one of his ankles and stopped his movement.
"Ouff!" the teen grunted as he hit the bed.
"Seems I got you where I want you," the man purred.
"Well, maybe this was my plan all along?" the teen piped up.
"Then I'll happily fall into your trap," the man claimed and actually fell on top of the teen, pinning him down.
"Outsmarted and overpowered," the teen grinned and wrapped his legs around the man.
"Yes," Slade said, but the tone of his voice told Robin that it wasn't his own defeat he had confirmed.
"Hey! Don't you dare-mmmmfff…"
Slade made sure the young man used his mouth for other things than talking from then on.
Robin woke up on the verge of what could be called morning. He reached out and found the rest of the bed empty and cold.
"Oh no…" he mumbled to himself and sat up. He quickly patted across the room in the nude to check the bathroom, but it was empty. He then hurriedly found a pair of pajama bottoms and a robe. "If you left without saying goodbye, you bastard, I'll fucking…" he growled under his breath as he headed down the corridor, intending to run down to the kitchen, hoping to catch the mercenary grabbing something to eat. The kitchen was empty too, however, and the teen's shoulders sank. Slade had left. Snuck away. "Probably too fucking scared of any emotions surfacing…" the teen muttered to himself as he dejectedly climbed the stairs in the dark. He had forgotten to grab a flashlight, but he didn't need one; he had grown up in this house, it didn't take much light to navigate.
As he was about to turn left, back to his bedroom, he saw a faint light playing over the wall to the right, however. He hurried that way, expecting to be disappointed as he pushed open the door to the nursery. But he wasn't.
"Slade!" he whispered. "Fuck you, I thought you had left!"
The man was cupping a small flash light, stopping most of the light, as he was standing over the cot of a sleeping Rose.
"Sorry to disappoint you," the man smiled flippantly.
"Not funny," the teen growled. "What are you doing in here anyway?"
"I heard a noise, but she was just dreaming, I think," the man said.
"Not from the bedroom, surely? You were about to leave, weren't you?" Robin whispered accusingly.
"Let's talk outside," the man said, herding the somewhat irate teen in front of him until he could close the nursery door behind them.
"Did you try to leave?" Robin said again, his vice more vulnerable than angry now.
"No. I just made a phone call."
"In the middle of the night? Wait, someone is picking you up then?" Robin said, trying to figure out what the call was for.
"No. Listen to me, Robin. I wasn't trying to sneak out, quite the opposite."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember when I got the government contract and how they tried to sweeten the deal to get me to sign?"
"Yeah…? I mean… quite a bit of money…?"
"And benefits. I got the full benefit bundle. Guess what that contained?"
"What?"
"Parental leave."
"WHAT?!" Robin whisper-yelled as he tried not to wake everyone up.
"Three months. I've just informed them that I'm taking one month off starting immediately. They weren't happy, but there's nothing they can do."
"I… I… Did you know…?"
"No, I just remembered about it. I didn't pay that much attention to the parental section, for obvious reasons."
Robin just opened and closed his mouth for a bit but then gave a quiet shout of glee and jumped into the man's arms.
"You're staying!"
"Yes," the man chuckled. "For a few weeks, at least. I figured I'd save the rest for when we might want to plan something later."
"That is so great! Thank you!" The teen grinned.
"Well, I'm obviously needed here… to influence my daughter's wardrobe," the man said dryly.
"Don't sell yourself short, I can think of a few more uses for you…" Robin leered.
"Really now? Prove it," the man smirked back.
"Dada?" a voice called through the door.
"Deathstroke," Robin groaned, "control your kid."
Epilogue
A little over a week later it was Christmas Day. They had had a busy time, pulling a lot of legal threads to register their marriage and Rose's presence in their lives. All wasn't settled yet, but both had unashamedly used every contact in their book. They had been spotted when they had gone shopping with Rose and media had been hounding them for a statement as well, which they had given two days ago. The media circus didn't touch them in here, though, in the 'snug', now adorned with a Christmas tree which Alfred and Slade had brought in from the grounds. Alfred had picked it and Slade had chopped it down and carried it inside. It was fenced in by something that was really a kid's play pen, to stop Rose from getting too close to it.
"This is nice," Robin smiled, sipping hot chocolate. It was early and Alfred would soon call them to Christmas breakfast. They had exchanged presents already and Robin was happily wearing what looked like a smart watch on his wrist. It was actually much more technologically advanced, and came with things like hidden lock pics. Slade had had it specially made for him, of course, and Robin couldn't wait to go through the manual. They had had similar ideas for gifts, because Robin had given Slade a new phone, which also had specific features like a direct connection to the bat computer, so the man had access to invaluable data wherever he was in the world. Of course, that connection was both well protected and hidden within the phone, which was also made to withstand a lot more force than a normal one.
"It is," the man agreed. William, who had already opened his whiskey to take a sip, hummed in agreement.
Robin looked over at Rose. The girl was grinning from ear to ear, hugging a big plush bunny that he had given to her. He hoped it would eventually replace that awful duck, but for the moment she clung to them both.
"What do you think, then, Rose?" he asked,
Rose looked up at him, and then around, taking everything in, and just as Albert and Alfred entered the room, she made her statement, loud and clear:
"Fuck!"
The End
A/N: Merry Christmas! Like I said above, plot bunnies are welcome, especially one-shot plot bunnies or of existing universes. I'm off to enjoy my holiday, I'll see you next time!