Thank you for the review Lana Blake.
….
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he felt was that his back hurt. But then he realized something.
He slept on Luthor's lap.
He slept with his head on the president's lap.
He got up immediately, fighting panic "I'm sorry Mr. Presi-"
"did you dream of something bad?"
He blinked and looked at Luthor with confusion, and Luthor continued "while you slept. You were moaning and begging someone to stop saying that you didn't remember"
Dick cleared his throat. He honestly didn't remember what he dreamt. He looked at Luthor "how long was I asleep sir?"
"just a bit. Maybe 15 minutes. Richard? Why are you making a big deal out of it?" he closed the book "I won't hurt you." He chuckled "actually, if I wanted to hurt you, do I need a reason to do that?"
"no sir"
"of course not. I can just order it. But instead, I will order dinner" he smiled "will you ask the cook to prepare it? Tell him dinner for two persons"
"yes sir" he said fighting the urge to ask if there was going to be any guests. But decided to keep silent and do as ordered. He walked to the kitchen and smiled when he found Luke there "hi"
"hey handsome. Wanna get something to eat?" Luke asked washing some vegetables
"Mr. president wants dinner, for two persons"
Luke frowned "did he say if he prefers a specific something?" when Dick shook his head, Luke looked at the chief "Președintele vrea prânz. am spune pentru două persoane."
Dick blinked when he recognized the words and understood them. Did he use to speak this language? "Luke? What language did you speak?"
"Romani? Did it confuse you?" Luke asked smiling amused that Dick was interested in his language
"no… I… I do understand what you said. I understand every single word"
"You're Romani too?" Luke asked "you know thinking about it; you do have the gypsy look. Just… your skin is whiter"
Dick smiled "so we are all here come from the same origin?"
"Just you and Chief Roland, He taught me the language"
"sunt fericit aici? Sunt"
Dick smiled at the chief "da! mulțumesc" it felt great knowing that he speaks more than one language. Somehow, it made him feel educated and smart.
"Go back to Mr. Luthor. Better not to leave him alone" Luke said "Dinner will be served in a bit"
...
Death stroke punched the man again. His nose was broken, well. That's a start "you will die anyway. You just have the choice to make things easier for you. So tell me… where's Nightwing?"
The officer looked at him with a smug look "you dare threaten me? I rank Brigadier General. I can hunt you down and cr-AH" he screamed when Death Stroke broke his arm
"I've dealt with more important people than you make yourself seem" he said holding the other hand "so?"
"go fuck yourself" another loud cry as the other arm was broken. The officer was panting heavily as he looked at Death Stroke "it's you, isn't it? It's you who killed the officers in their home you terrorist"
"I don't think you're in any place to be doing the interrogation here" Death Stroke said holding his chin roughly "now let's try again. Where is Nightwing"
"what part of I won't talk you don't understand?"
"let's see" he punched him "won't… that part is what I don't understand. It's not in my dictionary. So start speaking if you don't want to end up like the other officers" he gripped his hair roughly "I'm running out of patience, and as you see, I'm not the nicest person around."
"kill me then. I shall not speak"
Death Stroke glared at him "no. I'll make you wish you were dead" he hit his head on the wall and stabbed his back with the knife. The man let out a loud cry and Death Stroke let go of him letting him fall to the ground "you don't want to talk. Fine. You'll never be able to" he sat and held his cheek in a rough grip, the man's eyes widened when he saw the knife
"no… no"
"shut up" he thrust the knife into his mouth "open your mouth. Or do you want to lose your eyes along with your tongue?"
The officer let out the tears and the cries of despair and pain. He cried louder when he felt fingers take a hold of his tongue and the sharp side or the knife start cutting
After Slade let go, the man sat on his hands and knees, mouth open crying as blood poured from his mouth. Slade went and grabbed the phone calling ambulance and putting phone oh the officer's ear "tell them you need help"
The officer cried as he heard a man answering "911 how can I help you?"
Slade left the house ignoring the loud desperate cries of pain.
...
Damian stared at Tim as they ate their lunch. He wondered what had changed. For days, Tim seemed that he can't stomach anything. He would just look at the food with grim expressions
"Master Timothy, you can't do this to yourself" Alfred said pouring some soup into the bowl and Tim sighed then looked at Bruce "did Death Stroke contact you yet?"
"No" he said "don't let that sight get to you." It was getting to him too and Bruce knew it. He had black bags under his eyes and he did look tired "I will visit Commissioner Gordon today regarding this matter"
"I'll come along"
"no. we need to refrain from exposing our identities. I'm sure they already suspect it"
Damian watched them then cleared his throat "what am I missing?"
"Nothing" both Bruce and Tim said and he glared
"Something happened to Grayson?"
"it's just the killing" Tim said immediately "Death Stroke has killed many officers and the last one-"
"he cut his tongue. I know. Such thing should be expected if we contacted him the first time. It's not that bad. Stop being a little girl Drake" he said and Tim scowled. Of course. Damian was raised with assassins. He shouldn't be surprised
Damian stood and walked out of the dining room "I'm going to the bat cave"
Bruce watched him and sighed then Tim looked at him with panic "did you hide it?"
"I broke the CD" Bruce said and Tim relaxed "relax. There's no way I'd let Damian watch that"
"he looked so scared and lost." Tim said looking at his soup "he didn't struggle enough as they took turns on him. As if he didn't have the energy. And his eyes. So wide so confused… do you think he regrets being Nightwing? Or being Robin?"
"no." Bruce stood "he knows what's right and wrong. Tim. Stop thinking about it. We will find him. And he'll be back to safety soon" he sighed "finish your food. I'll go visit commissioner Gordon. If Clark is here, stay with him. I won't be late"
"yes" he said watching Bruce walk out then down "I have a feeling… that he's dead already"
Since watching that video of Dick. Eating and resting seemed impossible to Tim. He knew prisons were dark and full of… wrongs… but for them to actually torture and rape the prisoners? For them to rape his older brother? He wanted nothing more than breaking there and get his brother out. He wanted to kill them. Every single one of them for making Dick suffer that much. And he regretted to believe, but specially after watching the video, he really believed that Dick, is no longer alive.
A hand wiped the tear that fell down his cheek. He hadn't realized he was crying. Looking up expecting it to be Alfred, he blinked "Clark?"
"it'll be ok, Timothy" Clark said, a hand on the boy's shoulder "we'll find him and get him out of there"
"where's there? He's not there anymore. Clark. He's dea-"
"no he's not" Clark said sitting beside him "Tim. Don't you believe in your brother?"
"Dick is not Bruce. He can't survive that. He has always been the most-"
"underestimated" Clark finished then smiled softly "Dick. Sweet and kind hearted. The most innocent when it comes to you guys. But everyone forgets… he's a detective. He's trained by the batman. Tim. I believe he survived because I know Dick. He's very strong."
Tim smiled and looked at him "you're right. He has been Batman too. And he survived that" he wrapped his arms around Clark when he felt the other hug him "I'm so sorry about Bruce"
"what do you mean?" Clark asked and Tim cleared his throat
"Bruce loves Dick"
"I know" Clark said smiling "and he'll get Dick back."
"but you wish Dick was dead, don't you?"
"no…" Clark half lied then looked at Tim's eyes "I wish Bruce would give me a chance. But it's not my place to ask that of him. If Dick is dead, I'll be very sad."
And this one was no lie. He did wish at the beginning that Dick would die and he would be with Bruce. And he hated himself for wishing that. But after watching what happened to Dick. He wished for him to be back and happily in Bruce's hold "you didn't eat your lunch" he held the spoon of the cold soup "come on. I'll take you to patrol with me when you're done"
"you're not half bad Clark. Now I see why Dick admired you"
"and you have no idea how I admired him too"
...
Dick stared at Luthor as he ate his dinner quietly. He had ordered a meal for two persons, but never did he imagine that he'd be the second person sitting with Luthor with a steak laying on his plate and a white wine glass in front of him.
'this feels like a date' he thought then looked at Luthor who looked back at him
"why aren't you eating?"
"sir? Aren't you upset with me?" he asked remembering the newspapers as they waited for Dinner.
"7 officers were killed in a terrorist attack. One has his tongue cut and both arms broken. The culprit left behind a bloody scene and a silent message" Luthor read then looked at him "they are looking for you, Richard"
He remembered, and he couldn't help but feel guilty about what happened because of him, and to add to his guilt, he did wish those officers mentioned in the newspapers were the same that tortured him
"why should I?"
He looked at Luthor who was looking at him intensely while drinking his wine. As if he wanted to read him "sir… I…" he looked down "what should I do?"
"you didn't answer my question. Why should I be upset at you?"
He swallowed and looked at his almost not touched stake "I… sir… it's all happening because of me"
"and what do you want to do?"
Dick looked at him with confused expressions. Begging for help "I don't know… I don't remember anything about my past, and I don't know anything about my future. It's like my own person is lost… and my mind can't rest" he looked at him "I can't decide what to do because I don't know anything"
"I'll tell you" Luthor stood and he stood in respect but quickly wiped his mouth and hurried to follow Luthor when he found him leaving "you're a child, born in a circus. Your parents killed by terrorists. You were known as the Flying Graysons."
"Flying Graysons?"
"after your parents death, you were taken by the terrorists, raised by them, used because of the amazing abilities you have." He sat on his bed and Dick sat on the futon on the ground. Luthor looked down at him, he made sure not to get Dick a bed to show him his true place. But also, to rise him up gently until the boy trusted him
"you became their precious bird. A robin with the most beautiful feather in the world nested in a bat nest. Caged by the large dark wings and fangs, forbidden to sing… unless they desire to hear it"
Confusion filled Dick's face and he looked at Luthor "I don't understand. Was it that bad?"
"they called you Robin until they forced you to be a Nightwing. So dark and so evil. Peoples souls were so cheap to you and them that you were ready to-"
"enough" he covered his ears "please enough"
Luthor hide the smirk and walked to him "but you're not the same person now, are you?" he sat down that they were in the same level "let me free you" he gently took a hold of the boy's chin and reached to press his lips to his.
"h-how?" he asked moving away in fright, but he masked it with confusion "how will that free me?"
"fear not, Richard" he ran a hand through the raven soft locks "everything will be ok. You will be free and no one will touch you, ever again" he gently ran his thumb over his lips "may I?"
"do I have a choice, Mr. President?"
Luthor let out a chuckle "you can call me by my name… Lex Luthor. Your president" and he pressed his lips to Dick's in a small kiss "is this alright?"
Dick stared at him. His mind screaming. No! give me time. I need answers. I need to know. Are you really my savior or are you the devil in disguise? If I said no. will I still be free? Or will I return to that torture?
He looked at Luthor who was looking at him waiting for him, his eyes promising salvation and sanctuary. He took a deep breath before hesitantly and softly pressing his lips to Luthor's in a short kiss "yes, Mr. President."
...
Notes:
I am so not content with how this chapter got. to be honest, I literally forced myself to write it. hopefully next chapter will be a lot clearer and better.