Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't give me trouble about it 'casue I'm really not in the mood.
A/N: Have no time to write AN's tonight, so I'll keep it short… but it's a really looooong chapter! Thanks kitsunechibiko for alerting me to the fact that short-shorts/cuttoffs are also called Daisy Dukes! I had no idea! Cool name, I'm using it… ;o)
Oh, just another thing: sorry, but the characters gaind some depth in this chapter. It won't happen again. And there is a LOOOOOT of talking… they just WOULDNT shut up, and I couldn't decide what to keep and what to edit out, so…
And Apprentice08? I did it! Just for you…;o) so here is:
Innocent Games 6: Black
The next day went better, mostly because Robin did his best to stay away from dark corners. The Titan's leader could avoid embarrassing encounters all together, until Wednesday afternoon, when the team ran into Red X. The thief didn't seem to be up to anything at the moment, and Robin actually suspected that they had simply surprised him in his stalking. Since he was wearing his suit this time, however, he was a target.
"Look! It's my favourite Titan! Hello sexy," Red teased looking in the red headed alien's direction, and Robin noted how Starfire snorted but, at the same time, her chest did expand some, showing off a little more cleavage than usual. Robin smirked slightly at this, but that grin quickly froze when Red seemed to turn a fraction and continued. "…looking hot today, Robin…"
Starfire's expression was almost worth it, though…
Red X had no trouble getting by four Titans with their mouths open, and as he brushed past Robin, the boy heard a quiet: "See you tonight, babe." And the thief was gone.
Robin closed his eyes briefly. Yes, he couldn't wait until tonight… actually knowing where the two of them where would be simply wonderful. Robin opened his eyes and glared at his stunned friends.
"What are you waiting for? Get him!"
Of course they didn't. Red X was long gone. The glances Robin was getting from his teem, though, stayed.
"Err… dude? Aren't you… ya know… pissed?" Beast Boy asked nervously.
Robin really didn't feel like playing nice anymore. No one had played nice with him for days.
"Yeah, I'm pissed… pissed that you just froze! What? Criminals are going to get away now because they say stupid things? Well, Mad Mod or Mumbo will rule the city by tomorrow!"
"Hey, man you froze too." Cy drew himself up and glared.
"Please, you would have birds nesting in your mouths by now if I didn't yell at you…" Robin muttered. "And stop looking so disappointed, Star… if you want him, then just ask him out next time!"
With that Robin turned on his heal and left. He was glad he had taken the R-cycle today, as that meant that he would be home at the tower ahead of the others.
As soon as his anger wore off, Robin started feeling deeply ashamed of himself. This wasn't his team's fault! He needed to get himself together or he would lose their trust completely. He couldn't do that at the tower, though, he realized, as he entered the common room. It was too constricted. All… Robin… no Gray… He left a note on the kitchen table saying he was sorry for being a lousy leader and a worse friend, that he would go out to cool down and would be home very late, maybe even spend the night somewhere else.
He left by his secret entrance, in civilian clothes and taking his old-looking bike, since he planned to go to the club as soon as he was done thinking. Couldn't very well show up in his Robin outfit, now could he? On the other hand, it might turn some of the men on…
He shook his head, irritably.
This is what happens when you think with the wrong head! Robin scolded himself as he zoomed through the city, heading for its borders. He would take the bike to the mountains. The air and serpentine roads would most likely help clear his mind.
He didn't return to the city until around ten in the evening, shivering from the long ride. It was a good thing he had absentmindedly stuffed most of the tips from the other night into his civilian jacket, or he would have been dragging his bike with him by now. Although the gas station attendant looked a little bit curious about the fact that Robin paid for gas and a meal with, rather used, one-dollar bills.
He pulled up to the club, several hours early, and let himself in. Nick heard the beep as the door accepted Robin's code and met him, wanting to know who came in this early and why.
"Gray? What's up?"
The man sounded worried, and Robin smiled a bit.
"Nothing much… just came back to the city and didn't have anything else planned, so…"
"You left? Holiday?" the man grinned, not expecting an answer. "No matter… did you come over the mountains? You look freezing… go take a hot shower and come see me afterwards, okay?"
Robin nodded. A hot shower was exactly what he needed.
He spent some time sorting though his closet first, throwing away everything that made him look younger than he was. He would never, ever wear anything like that again.
The shower helped, loosening up some of his tensions. Robin smiled to himself. It felt great to be here. Sure, it wasn't exactly the same anymore, but both Slade and Red seemed to want to keep his secret safe, and as long as he could get them to stop the 'mini-kidnappings' during missions, which seriously could get him killed, and limit their show of affection to this place, then he could live with it. They would tire of it eventually… unless Slade got what he wanted… Robin frowned. He really wanted to talk to someone about the auction!
Half past eleven he walked out into the club. It still hadn't officially opened, but there were a few guests here already, talking at tables. Robin had never been here so early, but he guessed that it was now that most of the business was being taken care off, before the fun began. He found Nick at the bar.
"There you are, Gray. You were so upset the other night, I completely forgot to give you this."
Robin took the thick envelope the man handed him and looked puzzled.
"What's this?" Sometimes Nick gave him tips that had been left for him, but this felt like more money. Much more money.
"It's your cut from the auction, of course!" Nick said, grinning. "Go on… open it…"
Robin did. His expression must have been rather funny, because both Nick and the bartender laughed.
"This… It has to be five thousand dollars in here… Slade paid that much?"
"No. He paid ten thousand… we agreed to split it 50/50, remember?"
Actually, Robin had not agreed to anything like that, that deal was for the main auction, but he didn't argue the point… besides, the money had never mattered to him before.
"That's… that's crazy!"
"No, that's just loose change for a man like Slade… you got lucky there, kid… play your cards right and you'll never go hungry again…"
Robin didn't disagree. He knew that Nick thought that he was from the poorer district of town, even if he wasn't homeless.
"Yeah... I guess…"
"Come on, kid! I've seen the clothes you wear when you come here, not to speak about that beat up bike of yours… think about it! Soon you'll be able to afford a new one! Get an apartment by the park, perhaps… a nice place to… bring people?"
Robin stiffened and glanced up at Nick. Did the man just suggest he became a prostitute? No, a luxury prostitute, no doubt. And as he suspected, Nick continued.
"I'll set you up here at the club, naturally… just a few clients, nice and safe… but that's after the auction, of course… you'll be rolling it in… quite a few are asking about it, you know… there is already bidding going on… but just tell me when your are ready."
"I... will…" Robin said, clutching the envelope. This money was going directly to the kids, as would everything he could earn here from now on… he had never really done anything to ask for tips, like the dancers that put their groins, butts and cleavages in people's faces to they could stuff bills into their clothes, but maybe it was time to start…?
"Gray! Already here? You couldn't wait to see me, could you?" Red shouted and waved from across the room.
Great… I didn't think any of them would show up until opening time… Robin thought sourly.
Before Red had walked up to them, Nick leaned in closer to Robin and whispered.
"I should get rid of him if I were you. He's a good kid, but not exactly rich and stable… and money makes the world go round, eh?"
"Yeah… don't worry… Slade, Red and I… have a little understanding…" Robin lied. He didn't want to hint at the hold the other two had over him, it would only make Nick curious.
"Is that so? Well, then it's all right, I guess…" Nick grinned, and nodded at Red as he arrived. "I'll have a lot to do before we open… have fun!"
"Will do!" Red grinned.
Robin only sighed.
"What are you doing here this early?"
"Business… oh, I gotta take care of that, by the way..." Red said. "What about you? No more monsters to fight?"
"Nah, I knew I would meet you here, so…"
"…funny boy…" Red snorted. "Hate to leave you, but I'll just be a few minutes, 'kay, baby?"
"… kay…" Robin said quietly, not really feeling up for more bickering at the moment.
Robin went and tucked the envelope away with his clothes, and then returned to the bar. Red was gone a lot more than 'a few minutes' and didn't appear again until the club was about to open. Robin barely noticed, though. He sat by himself, deep in thought.
"Hi baby, sorry it took so long… tricky client didn't wanna pay overtime…"
"Thief's have overtime?" Robin snorted.
"That's what he said!" Red exclaimed, looking upset.
Robin looked down on the bar desk again.
"Hey, Red… can… can we talk? Seriously?"
"Wha…. sure… sure, R-Gray… What is it?"
Robin looked around.
"Not here". He dragged Red away to the back of the room, where the corridors led away to the storage- and changing rooms. They were still, technically, in the club, though, so if Slade showed up he couldn't complain. "I… I have been thinking about the auction…"
"Really?" To Robin's surprise, Red sounded reserved. Robin had expected him to grin, wink and come up with lewd suggestions.
"Yeah…. I…"
"Has… has Slade said anything? Is he making you…?" Red interrupted.
"What? No… no, he's not… it's… you know the orphanage that burned down?" Robin told Red the whole story. "So you see? What if it's my fault he did those things? What if-"
"It's not." Red interrupted again.
"I… I want to believe that, but…"
"It's not. I guarantee it." Red sounded firm, and a bit angry. Robin looked up at him. He had been staring at his feet almost the whole time.
"How can you? You don't know-"
"I used to live there."
Robin stared open-mouthed at the older teen. Suddenly he saw something behind the brash façade. Something very vulnerable.
"Red…"
"It was a long time ago, okay? Before you came to Jump… and I didn't stay long… but I know… I left because of him…"
"Did… did he…?"
"No. He just tried to touch me… I was like… ten, I think, but I had practically grown up on the streets, so I knew the type."
"What… what did you do?"
"Kicked him in the nuts and got out of there… been living by myself since then…"
"Since you were ten?!"
"Wasn't so bad… regular Oliver Twist… picked pockets and everything…" The older teen shrugged.
"Red… I'm sorry…"
"Don't be, I'm okay… and see? Not your fault the shit-head did what he did."
"Why didn't you tell anyone? Go to the police?"
"Errmm… I was… kinda known by the police, ya know? They knew I liked to tell tales… I didn't think they would believe me, so…"
"But now? Later? I mean, not the cops, obviously, but… god, Red, you saw him here every week!"
"I didn't really recognize him at first… I was ten and it only happened once…and he had changed a lot… No one here knew who he was, either… but when he started that 'daddy'-business with you… well, I remembered…"
"And then? Did you tell Nick?"
"Nick?" Red laughed harshly. "Don't you think Nick knows, babe? The requests for you in a school uniform? Who did you think made Nick suggest that?"
Robin looked a bit green.
"I… he… he made me dress up like that because…?"
"Yup. You know Nick… everything for the customer, right? Well… I did other stuff…"
"Like what?" Robin asked, intrigued by the rather evils smirk on Red's lips.
"Well, like spiking his drink… with anything really… everything from making him pass out to having to spend two days on the can… I really enjoyed that… although… I enjoyed one thing more…"
"What?"
"Stealing you away…" Red smiled.
Robin looked blank for a moment, before he got it.
"All the attention? All the dragging me away to meet people across the room for no reason? Wait… the clothes requests?"
"Yeah, I didn't want you to dress up for him, after all, now did I?"
Red then received the hardest hug he had ever gotten. It wasn't the hot kind, more like the brotherly kind, but Red found that he didn't mind it… at least not right now…
"Thank you…" Robin whispered into the thief's chest, and Red grinned and hugged the little hero back.
"You're welcome, kid… I'm just really, really glad the bastard is dead… So you see? You don't have anything to feel guilty about! Don't go through with the auction because of guilt…"
Robin slowly released the other teen.
"I… I have been thinking… about… not doing it at all…"
"What do you mean?" Red asked.
"I… I don't really want it to happen that way, and right now… with everything that's going on… I can't concentrate on the team… I… I think I'm going to leave 'Not'… I… I think this will be my last night…"
"Really? What about Slade?" Red asked, but Robin could here the 'what about me?' that was just under the surface.
"We… we'll work something out… I'll talk to him tonight… You… you don't think he will force me, do you?"
Red looked down at the nervous boy and shook his head.
"He's a domineering son of a bitch, but you know what…? I think he really cares about you… he smiles when he looks at you, you know…"
"He does not!" Robin snorted. "I would have noticed."
"Oh, not when you are looking… that just wouldn't do... Big bad Slade, making gooey eyes at someone? Can't have that, can we? No, no, no…" Red grinned.
Robin burst out laughing.
"Hey, shouldn't you be bad mouthing the competition?"
"Yes. You are right… damn! This way I'll never become president!" Red exclaimed.
Robin shuddered.
"Let's hope not, or whole countries would go missing…" he smirked.
"Nah… only the pretty ones…" Red grinned back. "Now, let's go wait for big bad at the bar, huh? I could do with a drink after all this…"
As they walked away, they didn't see the shadow lurking in a dark corner. A shadow that had heard everything.
It didn't take long for Slade to appear, push Red out of the way in a friendly manner, that is; he didn't break any bones, and kiss Robin senseless. Robin kissed back, telling himself it was because he wanted Slade to be in a good mood for later. He still tried to tell himself that when his pants started to get tighter and he couldn't pretend that the needy little sounds didn't come from him anymore.
"Gray! Fifteen minutes to show time!" someone called.
"Damn you, Nick…" Slade growled, making Robin giggle before he stopped himself. Heroes did not giggle.
Robin pried himself away from Slade's grip and hurried to the dressing room to change. He entered the stage just as the music started, and, as he had promised himself, he made sure to get a lot of tips. Perhaps a little too much, as he could barely walk normally when he headed over to Slade's booth afterwards. Red followed him immediately and, with snorts of laughter, he started emptying Robin's skimpy Daisy Dukes of cash.
"Hold still, or you'll be picking bills from your undies for a week…" Red grinned.
"But it tickles!" Robin squirmed and laughed. He was on an immense natural high, and even Slade's frown couldn't bring him down.
"Are you two quite finished?" the man asked and pulled Robin down in his lap.
"Just helping your boyfriend out financially…" Red said innocently.
"Jealous, Slade?" Robin grinned and, straddling Slade's knees, he rubbed his crotch against the man's own. "Don't be… wanna go fish?" he added, looking pointedly down onto the front of his pants where bills where still sticking out.
Slade snorted, but started pulling them out.
"If I get a paper-cut down there, I'm going to be angry…" Robin pointed out as the man yanked one bill up a bit too quickly.
"If you do, can I kiss it and make it better?" Red asked over Robin's shoulder.
"Didn't you already do that?" Robin chuckled and then felt like he had turned into stone. Stone was soft, though, compared to how much Slade tensed.
"You did what?"
"Damn! Sorry, Red! Run! I'll try to keep him down!" Robin urged the other teen and pressed his thighs together while he hooked his arms around Slade's neck. Seeing the look in Slade's eyes, Red actually took Robin's advice, and at least retreated out of sight, hoping Robin would be able to calm the man down.
"What exactly did he do?" Slade growled, sending little shivers of fear, Robin again convinced himself, down his spine.
"Blew me. In an ally the other day…" Robin blurted out.
Slade looked down on him for the longest time.
"Did you… return the favour?"
Robin shook his head quickly.
"And, if I kill him… you will be even more difficult, won't you?"
Robin nodded with vigour this time.
"Well… seems to be there's only one way to make this go away, then…" Slade said seriously. Then, almost too quickly for Robin to see, a predatory smirk appeared on the man's lips and Robin landed on his back on the padded sofa.
"Wha-what are you-?" Robin started.
"I'm making sure that you will forget all about Red's pitiful attempt at pleasuring you…" the man above him purred. Robin's eyes widened, and he tried to close his legs but Slade grabbed his knees resolutely and parted them until Robin felt more exposed than he had ever done in his life.
"I'll buy you a new pair." Slade said and Robin frowned, confused.
"What do you mea-"
Denim shouldn't rip that easily. The worn pair of cutoffs was no match against a single minded male with Slade's strength, though.
"Slade!" Robin hissed, frantically looking around. The table and the darkness were his friends here, however, and seemed to shield him. Still, if anyone would walk by, they would see his legs sticking up in the air, and Slade's body… between… them…
"Ahhh…god… uuuuhhh…" Robin slammed a hand over his mouth to stop the sounds, but Slade cruelly pulled it away. The man caught Robin's wrists and held them down by the boy's side.
"No holding back, Robin… I want to here every delicious little sound you make… think of it as payment for your little betrayal…"
Slade then returned to what he was doing, and Robin fought a losing battle with biting back his moans. He wriggled and bucked, trying desperately to pull his arms free, but as the man licked his cock from root to top in quick swipes, Robin arched his back and cried out. The fear that someone might hear him over the music was swept away by sheer animalistic desire, and Slade grinned to himself, letting Robin's wrists go. Slade had other uses for his hands, after all. Robin himself barely noticed. The sensations were so overwhelming that he soon had tears in his eyes. He wanted to come so badly, but where Red had given him a quick release, Slade had all the time in the world, and he took it.
A thought managed to nudge its way into the forefront of Robin's mind, and, somehow, it made it turned into words as well.
"No… hmm… Slade… please … we-unggghh… we… we need… need to… talk…"
The line 'we need to talk' was one every man feared, and never wanted to hear. Especially not when he was pleasuring his partner orally. Slade couldn't help but see the humour in the situation, though, and chuckled, making Robin almost howl.
"What, right now?" Slade said, abandoning his task. Robin's knees snapped shut, capturing his head in a vice-like trap.
"No… can wait… keep... going... please… don't stop…" Robin begged, cursing his stupid mind. Yes, he needed to discuss his decision with Slade, but was this really the time? No way in hell…
"If you insist…" the man purred.
Slade didn't only attack with his mouth. Robin arched again when he felt his balls cupped and then lightly tugged. As Robin had, Slade used his tongue there as well, and Robin was close to heaven as the man returned his attention to his cock. Unconsciously Robin had wedged one leg over the back of the sofa and the other on the table, and he started lifting his hips up, thrusting into the man's mouth. After a few thrusts, on the way down. Robin suddenly felt something at his entrance. It was too late to stop, though, and he all but impaled himself on a slick, oddly chilly, finger. Robin's whole body went rigid until the finger flexed inside him, prodding something that, Robin was sure, was only supposed to be prodded behind locked doors in a bedroom. This time people could definitely hear something over the music. Robin's body completely took over, just doing what felt good. What felt good was, apparently, to slam himself up and down on the digit, making grunting and keening noises. It was then decided, by unanimous vote, that this was the best thing that had ever happened to this body and it was going to show its appreciation accordingly. As he came, Robin arched his back until only the back of his head was touching the sofa, spilling himself into Slade's mouth with another cry. He could feel himself clench and unclench around Slade's finger, making him come again in a violent shudder.
Robin was breathing like he had just ran a mile, and could only lie there, looking up at Slade with glazed eyes. His breath hitched as he felt the finger withdraw, and the unfilled feeling as his sphincter clenched around nothing, made him feel strange. He then noticed Slade throwing something away in the small, built in, combined ashtray and waste bin.
"What was that?" He asked hoarsely. Damn, his throat was sore… had he really screamed that much?
"A condom." Slade answered.
Robin burst out laughing.
"You need to take sex-ed, Slade… those aren't for your fingers…"
"I just didn't want to leave you to go wash up…" Slade replied.
"Oh." Robin blushed. Of course.
He suddenly realized that he was still sprawled out rather lewdly and with a hiss tried to sit up, getting completely jumbled up with Slade, the table and himself and consequently fell back down again. Cursing, and even more flustered by now, Robin finally found the remains of his shorts and pulled them across his lap. He might not be completely decent, but it was better now.
He finally relaxed enough to look back up at Slade.
"Wow." Robin breathed.
"Why, thank you…" Slade grinned. "Did it make your forget Red?"
"Red who?" Robin chuckled. "Take off your shirt."
"Excuse me?" Slade raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I can't very well go change like this… and you have an undershirt on, right? So give me your shirt."
Slade complied, and he did have an undershirt on. Not that it mattered. This wasn't exactly a dress-code place.
Robin had always connected wifebeaters with slobs, but Slade wasn't man who would wear a stained one in front of the TV, chucking beers… he wore it as it was supposed to. All in all, he seemed to like to dress, not old fashioned, but… maybe conservatively would be a better word? Slade was a man who not only owned cufflinks, but would also actually use them.
Robin hastily tied the shirt around his waist, and due to the size of it, he ended up well covered. He inspected what was left of his cutoffs and sighed.
"These were vintage Levi's, Slade."
"I said I would replace them." The man muttered, looking grumpy, which made Robin laugh. "Nick spends a lot of money on your wardrobe, doesn't he?"
"And I'm worth every penny. Speaking about my wardrobe, I need to go get decent." Robin said, and started to climb over Slade in the narrow space.
"Decent? You? I wouldn't have it." The man grinned and pulled him down by his hips.
Robin snorted but stayed still, partly because struggling would make him look weak and partly because his hands had, in an attempt to steady himself, gripped Slade's arms.
Seeing the muscle under the spandex was one thing. Actually touching… Robin ran his hands up and down those arms until he heard an amused chuckle from Slade.
"Do you like?" the man teased and, in his turn, cupped Robin's behind. Under the shirt. Hot hands on his naked skin. Robin's breath hitched as he felt his member giving an interested twitch. Yes he liked. He liked very much. Admitting it, though, was another matter. Instead he gathered every ounce of willpower and pulled himself together.
"Slade, we need to talk."
"So I've heard…" the man smirked, but then looked serious again. "What about?"
"I… I'm thinking about leaving 'Not'." Robin confessed and winced as his butt was squeezed almost painfully.
"And what about our… deal?"
"Can… can we change it? Make it work in some other way?" Robin looked at Slade with pleading eyes. "I don't want to risk anything, Slade… I'm not running away… I just…" Robin was quiet for moment and then he started telling Slade openheartedly about realizing who Jacobs were, how that had made him feel, the guilt, the fear that there might be others like him. He ended with "And… I'm afraid… are you one too? Do you like me because I'm… young?"
Slade closed his eye for a moment and when he looked at Robin again he seemed more serious than ever.
"No, Robin. It wasn't even any sexual attraction in the beginning…"
Robin gave him a look that clearly stated that he needed a lot more of an explanation than that for him to believe the man. "You were honest with me and I'll be honest with you." Slade continued. "You might not like everything you hear, but you will stay and listen, understood?"
Robin nodded eagerly. He really wanted to hear this, whatever it was.
"Well…" Slade started. "I came to Jump six months ago, came back to Jump, I should say, as I pass through here regularly. This time I came to do some business, but also because of a rumour about a new group of young heroes."
"You came here because of the Titans?" Robin asked, astounded that they would actually draw that kind of trouble.
"No. I came because of you." Slade smirked at Robin's incredulous expression. "I have heard that among a group of meta-humans there was a human boy, their leader, who was the best fighter of them all. I thought that I would take a look, so I watched. I felt like you weren't pushed enough to show your real potential, though, so I arranged some tests of my own."
"Tests!?" Robin was about to give the man a piece of his mind, when he was interrupted.
"Shhh, Robin. I told you that you might not like everything I would tell you…" Slade said and continued. "You lived up to my expectations. You passed the tests… so I started planning…"
"Planning for what? What did you want from me?" Robin suddenly had an icy feeling in his stomach and started to wonder if he wouldn't had preferred Slade when the man just wanted to fuck him.
"I had put the word out, for almost three years, that I was searching for someone special. Man or woman, meta-human or human didn't matter. Skill did. Intelligence did. Determination did. When word reached me about you, I had almost given up my search."
"Who told you about me? And search for what?"
"I knew I should have included a test on patience…" Slade muttered, but then chuckled. "As a matter of fact, the one who told me was Nick."
"Nick? He… he doesn't know, does he?" Robin asked, feeling his heart race. Not another one…
"No, he hasn't a clue… which I find very funny… anyway, what I was searching for was… an apprentice."
Robin blinked.
"An… what? You mean… to teach your trade to?"
"Exactly, my clever boy…" Slade smiled. "Someone who's skill would flourish under my guidance, someone who, one day, would take the place as my partner."
Robin blinked again and tried to let it all sink in.
"So… what you are saying is that you found out about me… put me through a lot of test… decided I was the one…" Robin became quiet for a moment. "I get the whole 'wanting someone to follow in one's footsteps'-thing… but… what the freaking hell was you thinking?"
"About?" Slade asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm a hero! How would you convince me to join you? No offence, but your line of work disgusts me."
"None taken…" Slade snorted.
"Come on, Slade. I've spent almost my whole life fighting crime…" Robin said like that settled it.
Slade only snorted again.
"Yes, all of fifteen or sixteen years…" he chuckled "Do you think I was born into my profession? I was never a hero in that sense, but I didn't start killing people on a whim because I was bored or thought I could rule the world…" Slade shook his head. "You are young, people change. Views change. And I was almost sure you could… as my last stage of research I tried to find some gossip about you… find out who you were, not under the mask, not your identity, but as a person… and if you want to get all the dirt on someone there is one place you need to go: to 'Not'." The man now burst out chuckling. "Imagine my surprise, as the first person I see when I walk in, is you."
Robin's eyes went wide and then he laughed as well.
"You must have had a nosebleed." he giggled.
"No? Why?" Slade looked blank.
"It's only an expression… go on…" Robin waved the question away. "You really recognized me at once?"
"Yes. But remember I had spent months studying you. Well, I did get a shock. I realized, of course, that you would figure out who I was, so I kept back first, making sure you didn't see me. I studied you here as well as with your friends, and I became even more sure. You were freer here. I thought I might be able to persuade you to leave them…. unfortunately my judgement became somewhat… clouded."
Robin snickered. He could imagine just what Slade meant, yes.
"You were oozing sex. You have perfected the 'come hither' look and you don't even seem to realize it." Slade continued. Robin blinked. He did? He had? He knew he was hot, yes, but… "First I was enraged that you would do this, endanger yourself, selling yourself. You clearly needed to vent, but there were other ways, I thought. Then, little by little, I understood that my reactions were not tied to you, but to the others. The others touching you. Yes, Robin," Slade glared into Robin's amused eyes. "I was jealous. But I didn't act. This was your life, at least for now, and I didn't plan to interfere in it. I let you see me, though. I wanted to find out what you would do. I never expected you to flirt with me. I still didn't act. But then, as I heard about the auction, heard that you hadn't sold yourself, it changed everything. Something of yours could still be mine. Will be mine. So I approached you. Perhaps a tad crudely…"
"A tad crudely? You all but hit me on the head and dragged me to your cave…" Robin snorted. None of them spoke for a moment, but something Slade had said nagged at Robin.
"You said that something of mine could still be yours… does that mean you have given up the apprentice-plan?"
"Mostly. Firstly because my plan involved blackmailing you with your friend's lives at the stake. It was a plan that would have been successful with most people, but, as I got to know you, even from afar, I found that you were much too proud and stubborn. You would never fold. Not in a way where I could trust you completely. Then there were my… feelings… for you. I knew I would never be able to train you like that, to have you suffer like that."
"Smart man." Robin nodded seriously before he made a face. "So? Now what?"
"What?" Slade asked in his annoying way.
"What are your intensions now? You say you can't get me to join you, so do you just want to fuck me, or what?" Robin sounded slightly hurt.
"It's… more complicated than that…" Slade said slowly.
"No, it's not. Just figure out what you want… you said you wouldn't rape me, and I'm not going through with the auction… if you insist, I'll spend time with you, but that's it."
"Then… I have no choice but to leave. I'll be out of your life forever."
Robin gaped. Slade leaving? There was a time when that would have been the cause of some serious celebration, but now… for some reason… never to see Slade again… felt bad. Very, very bad.
"Why?" he simply asked after a while.
"Because I can't stand seeing you with others. Is it Red? Are you two getting serious?"
"What!? No! Just fooling around… and that's all Red… well… almost all Red… I mean, he's a fun guy but… you know…"
"What?"
"He's… a thief." Robin finished lamely.
Slade laughed, but here was a hint of gruffness to the sound.
"So I guess a killer won't stand a chance, then? Well… I'm glad to have met you… Keep the shirt." Slade started to lift Robin off his lap to get up.
"No! I mean... wait a minute!" Robin exclaimed. "So what are you saying? 'Bend over or I'll leave'? That's low!" Robin was getting angry. Slade, however, merely looked surprised.
"I didn't mean it like that… It's just… if I let you go but stay here, seeing it happen, I might… I might hurt you, Robin. Force you. Or hurt someone else, including that pesky thief… and if you think you hate me now, you will hate me even more then."
"I don't… I don't hate you… I hate what you do, what you do to people, though... I thought that was the same thing, but… maybe it isn't."
"Maybe not." Slade seemed to agree and then the man kissed him. A quick kiss, more of a nudge.
"Do you have to be a criminal?" Robin sighed and pouted.
"Do you have to be a hero?" Slade countered.
"No."
Slade looked surprised.
"No?"
"No." Robin shrugged "But I DO have to help people. I do have to be one of the good guys…"
"Ah, I knew there would be a snag." Slade smirked.
"So…" Robin said after a while. "You are saying I'm more to you than a future sex-toy then?"
"Absolutely." Slade nodded.
"Then why," Robin started, his eyes getting cooler, "are you holding me in your lap like this?" To Robin's surprise, Slade's hands disappeared.
"I apologize." the man said, and sounded like he meant it. After a moment he raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
"Well, what?" Robin asked innocently.
"Shouldn't you move?"
"Just because you shouldn't doesn't mean I don't like it." Robin grinned.
"Then may I have your permission to resume my previous position?" Slade asked pompously
"You may. As long as you have learned your lesson." Robin kindly allowed.
Slade chuckled, sliding his hands up the 'shirt-skirt' again, and Robin joined him.
"You are going to be very high-maintenance, aren't you?" Slade sighed.
"Extremely. Are you really willing to put up with that?" Robin asked, smirking.
"Without a doubt."
"Why?"
Slade frowned. "What do you mean?"
"What I said. 'Why?' I'm a good fighter, yes. I'm terribly hot, yes," Robin grinned as he said the last part, but then he became serious again. "I'm also, though, not even half your age. What do you see in me? What do we really have in common? This is what makes it hard to believe that you don't only want to screw me… do you understand?"
"I do. And, as I said, if you can't see this working, somehow, and aren't willing to try, I will leave… if you don't want me to leave, you might want to ask yourself 'why'."
"Yeah, but I don't know!" Robin pouted.
"Same here."
"We are bad at this."
"Terrible."
"Practise makes perfect, though?"
"Definitely."
"I really need to go change."
"Awwww…"
"I do! I should have been started working half an hour ago..." Robin frowned.
"All right. I'll let you go… but walk slowly."
"Why?"
"Because only I know that you are naked under there, and I want to enjoy the show…" Slade grinned.
Robin laughed and, standing up, he arranged the shirt so it was tied around his hips more than his waist. Very low on his hips.
"Would I insult you terribly if I were to tell you that you look extremely fuck-able right now?" Slade grinned widely.
"Nah… " Robin shrugged, grinned back and winked "I promise not to get too upset."
"In that case: you look extremely fuck-able right now." Slade chuckled. "Walk away before I pounce."
Robin gave an amused snort and did. He made sure Slade was happy to see him go.
Without getting his hair wet, Robin took a really quick shower before changing. He smelled like Slade. Well... not a bad thing, really… the shower gave him some extra time to think, though.
What am I DOING? I was so mad at Slade and now I have spent half the night in his lap, enjoying myself?! Robin blushed. REALLY enjoying myself. What do I think? That Slade will be my boyfriend or something? Happily ever after? That's just stupid! And why am I even thinking about the future? A long term relationship at my age is what? One month? I don't know! I never had one! And that's another thing… look at Bruce… Clark… what can I really EXPECT? Can I even hope for a normal relationship with anybody, EVER? Not likely, huh…? Not as long as I wear a mask, anyway… maybe I should just take what I can get and enjoy it while it lasts…?
Robin didn't realize that he had entered the club again until he was surrounded by dancing people.
"Hey babe… how pissed is he? Will I live to the ripe age of twenty?" A voice asked by his ear, and Robin turned towards Red X and grinned.
"Maaaaaybe… but you'll owe me…"
"Really? 'Cause it sounded like you should be the grateful one…"
Robin blushed the deepest red ever.
"Shut-up!" he hissed.
"Oh, I'm just jealous…" Red laughed.
"You should be…" came the muttered answer.
Robin soon lost himself in the music as usual. It was amazing how it could just wash away every worry and confusion. After an hour or so Nick's 'classics from the eighties' seemed to take the stage, but Robin only smiled as he heard the lyrics of this song, and hummed along to it.
Well, I guess it would be nice,
if I could touch your body,
I know not everybody,
has got a body like you.
But I've got to think twice,
before I give my heart away,
and I know all the games you play
because I played them too.
It's just a game, isn't it? Robin thought, somewhat sadly, as the song moved on. The chorus made a small smile appear on his face again, however.
Yeah… maybe I 'gotta have faith'… He looked over towards Slade's booth and his grin froze. One of the new girls stood by the man, probably taking an order, but, as far as Robin could tell, she was leaning over just a bit too much in that skimpy top. Not really thinking, Robin slammed the cage door open, hitting someone in the face in the process, and elbowed his way over to the man, placing himself firmly in Slade's lap. He glared up at the waitress.
"Beat it, Bunny, he's mine."
The oh-so-fake-blonde looked like she had been hit on the nose, which she would be in a moment if she didn't disappear. She turned with a huff and walked away.
"And that was…?" Slade said, his voice warm and amused.
"One thing you need to know about robins…" the boy in his lap said "They are very territorial birds."
"I'll remember that. Aren't you going back?"
"No. Seems I can't trust you around the pretty girls and their big… jiggling bits…"
"Oh, but I only like your jiggling bits." Slade smirked, sliding his hands around Robin's hips.
Robin snorted. "I can't decide if that was cute or gross."
"You're welcome." Slade chuckled.
Robin left the man's lap, feeling that he had made his point, but stayed in the booth, talking, for the rest of the evening. The pair worked the conversation carefully around secret identities and painful pasts, but found more common interests than either of them had expected. They barely noticed as the club started to empty, and when they finally looked up, only Nick and the bartender were left, chatting by the bar.
"Oh… good thing I let the team know I was going to be late…" Robin said.
"Are you going to talk to Nick now?"
"Yeah… I better…" Robin cringed. The man had been so nice to him, after all. Well. Nicer than could have been expected.
"Want me to stay?"
"No… no I don't want him to think you are making me leave or anything…" Robin said.
"As you wish. I'll call you on your communicator tomorrow." Slade said, leaned over the table and captured Robin's lips with his. He then threw on his abandoned jacket, looking rather hot with only the undershirt on under it. "Good night. Get some rest."
"Will do. Dream of me?" Robin smiled.
"I don't think I'll be able to avoid that…" Slade chuckled and left.
Robin drew a breath to gather some courage, and then walked up to the bar.
"Hi, Gray!" He was greeted happily. "Great night, eh?"
"Sure was…" Robin grinned back, and managed to keep his blush to a minimum. "Hey, Nick… I need to talk to you…"
"Sure. Thirsty? Water, right?" Nick nodded to the bartender, who poured a tall glass of chilled water, added some ice, a twist of lemon and topped it off with an umbrella, grinning. Robin grinned back, picking out the umbrella and started twirling it nervously, before sipping at the water.
"Well… it's like this…" He started explaining, saying the same things he had said to Slade and Red, bar certain details of course.
"I see…." Nick said slowly, looking at him seriously. Robin had to look away and busied himself with his drink. "How about still working here, but with an older theme, and holding off the auction for now?"
"I… I can't… and Slade…"
"We both know he is going to win it anyway… hell, I'll fix it so he's going to win… just tell him it is back on." Nick urged.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Nick, you have been great to me, and maybe I can come back now and again? And maybe when I'm older, who knows?"
Nick sighed.
"I understand, Gray… I really do."
Robin managed a warm smile.
"Thank you. I knew you would. And, hey, why not auction off my wardrobe? I bet that would bring in something, at least, and since the clothes are yours, all the profit is too."
"That's not a bad idea!" Nick looked happier. "I think I'll do that…"
"I got a feeling Slade will buy one or two of the outfits…" Robin chuckled. "Well… I gotta go…"
"You can try…"
"What?" Robin smiled bemusedly and jumped off the barstool. The room suddenly swirled around him. Robin gasped and fell to his knees.
"Make the calls. We're holding the auction tomorrow night." Robin heard Nick say before the world turned black.
To be continued…
A/N: I usually don't use lyrics in stories, but in this I have already used… two? Three? Although the others were only mentioned…. if you are wondering about the bad taste, they are just from this radio station that is always on at work, where they play 'the best hits from the eighties until today'… and I thought these lyrics matched so well I HAD to use them… ('Faith' by George Michael, if you hadn't figured that out).
Oh, the next chapter is probably the last… it depends… but probably…