Friday, 25 December ~*Don't. *~

"Merry Christmas," Robin greeted the room with a smile. He had his arm around Slade, but he didn't really need the support.

"Merry Christmas, Dick, how are you feeling?" Bruce asked. He was seated in one of the sofas in the sitting room, with Selina curled up against his side, looking very content. The expression involving the cat getting the cream came to mind, but Robin really, really didn't want to think about that.

"A lot better," he said. "A couple of more days and I'll barely notice it. Slade doesn't even think most of it will scar."

"Splendid news. How about tea in here while we open presents and breakfast afterwards?" Alfred suggested.

Robin chuckled as he sat down in the other sofa, pulling Slade with him. He didn't know why Alfred even made the suggestion, as that procedure was tradition and they did it every year, but he supposed that was tradition too.

He had been curious about the last tea of the calendar, and it turned out to be gingerbread flavored. It was good, he decided, though paired with an actual ginger break cookie, it was a bit too much.

"So, Master Richard, has this made a tea drinker out of you?" Alfred asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Well, I don't mind most of them, some I might actually buy, but I don't know…" the teen chuckled. "I might not be British enough."

"I obviously failed in your upbringing if that's the case," the old butler joked.

Alfred was the one passing out the presents, and soon they all had a little pile in front of them. Slade was surprised to see that he had gotten a present from Bruce. When he opened it, he was even more surprised to see a small electronic key fob.

"What is it?" Robin asked.

"It opens the Batcave," Bruce explained. "Keyed to your fingerprints only, of course, Wilson. I thought you'd proven yourself to be enough of an alley. I expect you to only use it in an emergency, of course."

"Well, thank you," Slade said simply, and then added, "I got you a present too, but I dare say you've already opened it." He gestured to Selina with a smirk.

"Pig," Selina said with a chuckle. "But thank you, Slade, for contacting me. Lord knows this stubborn mule of a man wouldn't take the first step."

"You're welcome. Consider Bruce your present from me too," Slade chuckled.

Bruce looked like he wanted to be angry but couldn't quite find it in him, and in the end chuckled as well, pulling Selina closer. They kissed, and Robin tried very hard not to say 'eeeew'.

When it came time for Robin to open the present from Slade, there was none.

"Oh, right," the man said and disentangled himself from the teen. "Just a moment, I have to go get it."

A few minutes later he walked in, carrying a big cardboard box.

"It's heavy," he said, as he put it down on the sofa instead of in Robin's outstretches hands. "And I didn't bother to wrap it," he added, sounding a bit apologetic.

"That doesn't matter," Robin hurriedly told him, just happy the man had actually gotten him something. He opened the box curiously and first couldn't quite piece together what he was seeing. "This… what?" he said and then it clicked. "This… this is my required reading for my classes? All of it?" he said, looking up at the man.

"Should be, unless I forgot something."

"But… how did you…?"

"You showed me the list, remember?"

"This… this will make things so much easier! Thank you!" Robin exclaimed, pulled the man down for a kiss. He had not looked forwards to hunting used books or library books just so he wouldn't have to ask Bruce for more money. The value of the books in the box, all brand new by the looks of it, was more than he'd be able to scrape together at work for a very long time, so there was no way in hell he would have been able to buy them all.

"Well, I'd figure it's practical," the mercenary muttered, looking a bit embarrassed. Not nearly as embarrassed as when Alfred avidly thanked him for the selection of fine teas and traditional British Christmas treats, though. Robin had a feeling that Slade, then and there, decided not to buy another present for anyone, ever. Or at least not give it to them to their face. He chuckled at the man. Slade should feel lucky that his family was as small and as reserved as they were. What if this house had been filled with clingy children, who were demanding hugs and to sit in laps? The teen glanced over at Bruce and Selina. Maybe, one day soon, it would.

"That was the best Christmas dinner ever," Robin sighed blissfully to the room in general that evening. He and Slade were in one of the couches, Selina and Bruce were in the other, facing them, although Bruce was currently up to pour his girlfriend a glass of wine.

"I will never need to eat again," Selina claimed and absentmindedly reached for a bowl of homemade toffee.

Alfred was sitting in an armchair, beaming at them. They had all cleaned up after dinner, making the old man sit down with some tea. Robin suspected that Alfred would clean the kitchen again a bit later to make sure it was properly done, however.

They spoke of this and that for a while, mostly Robin and Bruce, until Robin noticed that Slade wasn't chiming in. He looked over at the man and grinned.

"I think he's asleep," he whispered.

"These two as well," Bruce said softly and indicating Selina and Alfred.

"Did you drug them?" Robin chuckled.

Bruce chuckled as well. "I'm not far behind them. But… this might be as good a moment as ever. I'd like to speak to you, Richard."

The serious tone made the teen nervous, but he nodded. "Of course… what about?"

"Let's leave them to nap," the man said, and carefully stood up. Robin followed him and fell into step with the man. They didn't seem to be heading anywhere in particular, but Bruce paused when they arrived at the picture gallery, which had paintings of the Wayne family going back hundreds of years, since long before they ever arrived in America.

"I wanted to speak to you about a few things…" he said.

"Will I like what you have to say?" Robin asked guardedly.

"Partly."

"Is it about Slade and I?"

"Partly."

"About you and Selina?"

"Partly." This time the man grinned slightly.

"Well, maybe you should just start," Robin couldn't help but chuckle.

"Slade and you… have you discussed… any sort of future?"

"Partly," Robin answered with a grin of his own. Then he shrugged. "He claims he wants to stick around. We'll go back to my place tomorrow, as you know and… we'll see."

"Are you worried that he'll… hurt you, again?"

"He didn't hurt me the first time," Robin pointed out. "Not intentionally. But, of course, we're… different. We were more similar, in a way, when I was a hero. I'm worried he'll be… bored."

"You might meet someone as well," Bruce pointed out. "Someone with… more clear morals. Someone your own age. Someone who has no connection to the world of heroes and villains. It would make it easier."

"It would, in a way, but who the hell wants it easy?" Robin chuckled. He couldn't hear anything in the man's voice that suggested that Bruce thought, or would demand, that he broke it off with the mercenary, so he didn't get defensive.

"Right," the man agreed, with a small smile. "I'm glad, though… that you have been talking about a future together, considering what I'm about to tell you."

"Ok, you're scaring me a bit…" Robin said worriedly.

"I'm retiring Batman."

"W-what?" Robin gaped.

"It's the right choice. Selina and I… we're going to start a family,"

"She's pregnant?!"

Bruce smiled widely now, more warmly than Robin thought he'd ever seen him smile. "No. No, not as far as we know. But soon, we're hoping. We're getting married too. Valentine's Day. Cheesy, but… it felt right."

"Wow… wow…" Robin said. "This is… a lot."

"You don't… object?" The worry in the man's voice was very real, and very vulnerable.

"Of course not! This is great! This is amazing! But you're sure… about the Batman stuff?"

"Yes. To be that absent, exposing myself to that kind of danger… that wouldn't be fair to Selina and any children we might have. Besides, I'm not getting any younger."

"It's been your life's work, though…" Robin said, just wanting to make sure the man had really thought things through. "For me… I felt guilty, as you know. Still do sometimes… that I'm not out there."

"I understand. I have plans, though. Plans to reroute funds into projects that will make Gotham safer again. Plans for kids and youth, for struggling families, educations, jobs… as a private person I can do a lot that politicians can't do, and if there needs to be political involvement, well I have contacts. And I can get into that business too, if I have to. But… I worry about the gap Batman will leave behind. He is a symbol for the city and he has, indivertibly, created very powerful enemies. Enemies Bruce Wayne can't fight. Gotham… it might need a Batman." Bruce gave the teen a very serious look.

Robin swallowed. "Yes, I… I know. And, I know you trained me, but… Bruce, I'm so sorry, but I'm not sure that world-"

"Oh, no, I know," Bruce hurriedly interrupted. "I'm delighted that you left the hero-world, I never want to see you hurt again. I was thinking about… Slade."

Robin took a step backwards in shock. He stuttered for a bit before finding the words. "S-Slade? What… why… I….?"

"I know, I know," Bruce said, raising his hands. "It sounds insane, but there's a method to the madness. Slade is who he is. He's not, I think you agree, someone who will just settle down in any kind of job. Speaking to Selina and you about your experiences leaving this kind of life behind, in preparation of doing so myself, I've realized that it will be tough. For Slade… I think it will be impossible. And then… he's going to hurt you. One way or another. Longer and longer missions, being restless when he's here… and I don't blame him, I think it's only natural. If he agrees to it, he'll be allowed to change the character, of course. I don't expect him to become 'me'… honestly, sometimes I think a bit more ruthlessness might be what this city needs. Just don't tell him I said so."

"He'd love to hear that though…" Robin grinned. Then he started laughing. He was close to hysterics before he finally managed to pull himself together. "I… I need to be there when… when you ask him…" he gasped.

"Actually, I don't think you should," Bruce told him firmly. I need to have a very serious and honest conversation with him, and I'm not sure you need to hear that.

"I just want to see the look on his face," Robin pleaded.

"I'll tell you all about it. Do you think he'll say yes?"

Robin hesitated. "I honestly have no idea. I think his first reaction will be no. There is no way he would like to be 'Batman'. But if you explain your thinking behind it… maybe. Maybe." Robin said.

"Do you want him to say yes?"

Robin hesitated. "Yes. But, no offense, he needs to be completely independent from you, somehow. From your input, your money… there is no way he'll work for you, probably not even with you, not for long at least. If you can think up a way that that will somehow work…?"

"How far do you think Alfred's cooking will get me?"

"Probably pretty far, to be honest," Robin grinned. "You might even get him to wear the suit with that in the deal…"

"So, I have your blessing to ask him, then?"

"Yes. And… good luck. You'll need it," Robin let him know.

When they returned both Slade and Selina had woken up, both looking a little sheepish. Alfred was still snoring softly in his chair, and someone, most likely Selina, had put a blanket over him.

"We thought you both decided to leave us at the same time," Selina joked.

"And leave Alfred with you? Not a chance," Robin grinned.

"Slade, may I have a word?" Bruce asked.

The mercenary frowned, looking defensive. Robin went up to him and kissed him. He didn't say anything, though, as he didn't want to sway the man one way or the other. It needed to be his decision.

As the men left, Selina gave him a look.

"So… what do you think?"

"About what, because the you and Bruce thing is fantastic, congratulations," he grinned. "The Slade filling in for Batman… it sounds a bit too good to be true. But we'll see."

It took two hours for the men to come back. By that time Alfred had woken up and been very embarrassed. He had served them tea and snacks although Selina and Robin had almost begged him not to. They had, after the first half hour had passed, been increasingly worried about their significant others. They had told each other that going to try to find them would just make things worse, however. That this was something they had to work through themselves.

When they finally walked into the room, Robin almost expected them to be bruised and disheveled but, apart from looking serious, they didn't seem to be at each other's throats in any way.

Robin and Selina both shot to their feet when the men entered, looking as nervous as someone waiting for news about a loved one's surgery. Slade walked up to Robin.

"I won't be wearing the cape. Or the stupid bat ears," he told him, and then added, with a small grim. "But I might keep the car."

The End… but the story will return on New Year's for one, last installment.

A/N:

I hoped you've enjoyed the story! As I'm writing this it's the 29'th of November 2020. I have no idea how this will be received, and I don't know if you have picked up on the extra little treat in the chapter titles, or if you have thought it was just a weird mistake… 😉

Put together, it reads:

"That's the lesson

of life, isn't it?

It gives us one

person who both,

shows us that

true love exists

and that fairy tales don't."

It's written by Leo Christopher, and when I was looking for something for the chapters, I knew I wanted something with 25 words. And this was perfect. If you are anything like me, you would have looked it up the moment you realized that something was going on and gotten enough of it to google, but… yeah 😉

If you are still here, please leave a review and tell me what you thought of the story now when you've read it all… and I'll see you for New Year's.