Teen Titans; Foxes Upon Foxes – Snippets and Magical Galore -

/

SUGAR CRUSHED

Summer means…. avoiding diabetes and staying cool. I made this statement twice that Slade has a super strict dietary code – Grayson though? It's about Slade being aa forceful act of good this time. Read on! Takes place through new gen arcs collection, time skips and flashbacks are gonna happen. Noted, I deal with post surgical pcos ibs and no gallbladder and malabsorption so I guess it falls into borderline. I can no longer eat my sweets without real protein. I had thyroid issues and was skinny fat for a very long time. Remember – we are not as invincible as we claim. Humans were never meant to live past thirty, so always have diversity in your greens and even alt sugars like fruit. Bon Appétit!

/

When Dick had been Slade's apprentice for nearly over a week, there was no dessert involved. He never asked of course, and Slade never even offered a granola bar unless it tasted like exact….

Saw dust.

Into his Nightwing years, Crocky – crunch was the only desert and once again.

Thwarted, when Slade left himself to the window or a locked door of Dick Grayson's one bedroom apartment.

By the next day in his pantry, those clustered…. green balls of cornstarch had been replaced.

With more sawdust.

When Dick made his mark on the world and had settled in Cali with Kori, the wedding cake and the man NOT invited, didn't take that as an offense on the first day – not until after the couple's honeymoon.

"Here."

He'd forced the cop to spar on his shift, why? In an alley with no back up?

It hit so hard then, that Dick understood.

Slade was almost sacrilegious in his hatred of all things sugary. He even swapped Dick's vitamin tab with a cleverly disguised Senna tab to get him to reject the food he'd eaten with Donna and Barry at a fancy place the night before their spar. "Want to send me a text next time you're in town? Why are you so anal about a little cake –

"Cake kills." Was all Slade said before their fight had been left a draw. So far, he still wasn't satisfied with the result and called it high cortisol. (Crack kills and research shows processed and simple sugars have this same effect on dopamine in the brain. Be wary, non-raw cocoa be scary.)

Rose told Dick that Slade was a survivalist and a know it all. If you told him the skies were burning, he'd make you look again and then tell him that they weren't.

As the family grew, so did Dick's worry that his ability granted by the merc would be found out, and then… again!!

Dick took Anna, Ava and Aiden out to an ice cream joint with the intent of cooling off from the summer temps in a nearby square. The park wasn't far. They could burn it off and go home…Right?

Around the side of the long line of people, he didn't give up in thinking that his efforts would be thwarted today, a pointless resistance. Anna pointed to a raspberry banana gelato, while Aiden made the mistake of wanting a chocolate lava bowl.

That, was where Dick's skin prickled. For the first time, he knew if it were ok to him, the godfather would prove that no cocoa was to be had today. Period . Dick tried to mask his fear of losing a finger and pointed to a lower sugar alternative. Then, the kid threw a fit.

Dick was in hot water. Say yes; piss off the big and scary lurking... man - child with a "sweet – detta" against every birthday cake ever digested on the planet by happy tots. Or, say no and be the bad guy and the hero, until this blew over with his mini migraine to properly explain to Kori.

Had to beat the heat…

Damn, global warming.

In the end, Aiden added chocolate sprinkles and hot fudge sauce to a vanilla gelato cone to make his dad less antsy around their invisible health inspector. Ava gave her lavender honey paleta a quiet lick. Annie and Aiden were this close to having their six-year-old tummies blown wide open. (They exist, so does azuki and matcha. Have a shop in the next town but nondairy due to chronic health so…making my own this summer!)

"Aww! I WANTED CHOCOLATE TOO! NO FAIR !!"

It has begun.

Dick was mentally biting his nails to the quick. He raised a finger with Aiden's cone pulled away, a dash of metal – a bb ball barely scraped his epidermal while the kids just blinked back fresh puppy – dog tears. Ava looked at the small bridge by a bus stop only feet from her location. Her eyes were better than most, eagle sharp.

The cone was a disaster of starch, cream and corn syrup topped confectionary fillers. (basing this on the archive fic where Slade shoots Dick's late-night burrito out of his hand. It's a hoot! Look it up!)

Aiden was in shock of course; a rogue asshole had cocked a gun at a little kid's cone, knocking it onto the hot pavement. Ants had swarmed the spot as their buzz was there for one clan at a time to enjoy. Apart from the Grayson clan.

Aiden was too busy whimpering and then bawled out while Anna joined in. Her cone was already dripping from her hand onto the equally messy, busy ground of insectoids. "Oh…. wait… we'll get you both another, but no sauce this time. Please, too messy…" Dick swallowed.

Ava was the only on unfazed. By the time they were cleaned up, Dick found a local café and swapped to an indoor glass framed box to replace their treats.

Later, the kids were one by one complaining of stomach cramps.

Dick had a feeling the dose was low, but fucking prick!

Slade wanted to talk to daddy bat's eldest? So be it.

/

"Hey!"

Slade stood outside the precinct after hours as Dick was just locking up. "Any idea why this got into my kid's faces?" He held up the metal pellet as Slade just put his hands in his pockets.

"Sure, you torment me about your goddamned banning of the good stuff, but not my –

"Is Ava the only one with any manners?"

"Huh?" Dick stepped back. "She likes to be mindful because she's like that, she can indulge…rarely –

"She's not even human. What would she want to hurt her chances for, by getting chunky."

"Oh – oh! This is about! –

Dick threw back his skull and let out a low groan before pointing the finger. " You're just there because we're stuck like this in the same damn city – while tomorrow, I bet you can't swap out their school lunches –

"It's summer break."

"Not for the world's deadliest assassin, it's not." Tutted the former boy wonder. "You made me upchuck my vow to Kori. And the cake –

"Would have given you a reason to run to the toilet anyway."

"Stop smirking!" The man would not laugh to his face, yet Richard looked very annoyed in a funny way right now. "If teasing me is your way of being a good god parent, then who am I to stop you? But my kids –

"Won't be sugar demons, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Uh huh." Slade turned away to look at the next roof, aimless attention in one place while Dick imagined he'd believed himself golden in this light. "You never partake in pizza, pasta and donuts when you can, Grayson –

"Slade, the –

"Still, you only have a touch. Get a few inches off and then come back and talk to me."

/

It, was enough to piss him off to up his gym time. He upped, it somehow. Dick knew Slade was perceptive, was that what he saw?

Dick pinched a portion of his skin and buttoned his jaw.

Holy shit. Aging sucked !!

Premonition powers. He honestly would not have Rose's curse…great.

/

After his humiliating reaction in the locker room mirror, Dick made sure the kids non – aggressively learned not to pig out while off for the summer before they went into second grade. Ava would be in third or forth. It was a weird and stupid reason though. Slade wanted to control the family, and with this scare tactic….it had to be a trick or maybe…

As the weaning began, the imported coffee from Alfred and Tim's excited buzz compared terribly to how Dick did a Colombian special. (not true, it's the crap in cities that sits too long and can become highly concentrated. They way they do, isn't like they do in an hour for one cup. Had cousins interning overseas and a friend is going back to family in Puerto Rico. Even Mexico calls American brand dish water, so I know from friends who have family in the country side. Best honey ever!)

He needed a candy bar. Stat .

Richard had never dealt with this before. He'd assumed the coffee was black or just decaf, yet to his shocker, he had withdrawal of his own to fight. The kids were doing fine, but him?

It was like being Robin again, so he ran to find Slade as Nightwing before the sun came up, to get this straightened out.

"I…. don't know what you said, was it hypnosis?" He panted, body feeling weak as if there was a drain on him. A time that could be Roku induced, yet wasn't. (In this universe the pharmaceutical industry has come a long ass way. So, see it as a tampering like with the meds, he gave Dick and his kids like some religious sociopath – he isn't??)

Slade turned back with his gun to his hip. "You look like shit, Grayson. What hypnosis?"

"You…. made my withdrawal…. I did what you said! What the hell ! There was nothing wrong. I got on the scale and I fixed my own problems. Tell me then, why my condition –

"An allergy –

" No." Dick shook his head.

Slade scratched his cheek, looking no more innocent than a burning building and a cat next to a box of matches.

"You seemed so uptight about getting those kids in line, that I decided to get you off your ass since I knew you'd crack up eventually."

"What the –

"Wait, I put a very…. different formula into your usual coffee blend. Soon, you'll have no choice but to give up garbage like I have, and the kids will follow –

"God damn it!" Dick stomped his foot. "Why? When does it run out? The drug – you drugged my body to hate –

"Only certain sugars. The garbage type."

"Oh my…" Dick grabbed his skull. "Slade, you need to let me parent them. I'm not going to get sick and drop dead –

"I'm not talking about only you, kid."

"Why my kids?? Rose still eats pizza –

"Flexitarian. She also works till she drops."

"What about Joey –

"Just a full vegan, as of last spring. Has a belief in reduction and fasting. That kid is thin as paper without losing his gains." Slade praised in his own head.

"Sugar is in carbs too –

"He cooks his own meals and has even churned his own butter." The male smirked. "Do you cook your kids their own lunches and churn your own butter, Grayson?"

/

Slade wanted to treat Dick like his own son, in an extremely overbearing way. Years later, after the last apocalyptic happening, Anna Grayson was happy enough in raiding her partner/teacher's fridge…and saw only empty gaping spaces in the freezer. Then, the pantry was a "do it yourself and not by a kit or go fuck yourself" kind of situation. She growled and went for the shelves - not even one box of Crocky – fucking Crunch of Bat - mite munch discs. Did they still make those, anymore?

"Slade? I know you have at least one secret box of rusks – why so Midwestern – momish, huh?"

"Stereotypes, my dear." Slade was home, though it never bothered him when she'd climbed up to the high-rise last week to snap a polaroid of him in his birthday suit. (She's like a prankster. And seeing him not swap at her is a challenge.)

"What do you care, anyway." (Quoting his attitude in the comics.) Slade entered the room from down the hall of the safe house, he was still wet to his hair only. The man had on his one patch as Anna poured on her complaints. She wanted a damn cookie. "I have to have something or I'll go and bother the Titans. I so, know you'd hate that."

"Go get something from the local market. Take this."

Anna nodded, not giving an extra thought to question as he handed her a card to chuck for later. A pre – loaded amount. "But." He withheld it a second as she watched his expression swap, towel over his shoulder from the shower earlier. (no slash) "Try to not be spotted, and be frugal if you can."

/

Anna didn't like to be bossed around, yet the orders were as followed.

Until Slade saw her selection in that paper bag and choked.

A whole gallon of "graham cracker dipped in milk chocolate, crumbled into double Dutch chocolate ice cream." (SpongeBob joke.)

By that night, as the kid dozed down the hall and sliding hard bottomed slippers made it to the freezer, getting down to work. No way this stuff would be pumped from a single minor's intestines. He'd sworn a new oath. Sugar be damned if it win over his god kid's devotion before him!

/

Anna felt better for getting one night to not be shot at. As she thought of her summer treat locked away and her training session planned for that afternoon, she suddenly had a wicked craving for something sugar - driven. Quickly, she took her butt to the freezer and tugged the door back, only to relive her father's same expression outside with a bb dart at age six. She should have gotten the chocolate.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!? SLADE !!"

/

Slade stood and crossed his arms while Anna stared at a ton of frozen protein mixed veggie packs, fruit puree and…no ice cream. With a heavy head, she returned with a fired - up face to badmouth her current companion. "Why'd you go that far?? I'd burn it off –

"You have no limit. Fire eats everything, you eat everything. And mood swings, break outs and aggressive chronic health concerns in the future should be left to the more, undeserved."

"So, you're force feeding me what you eat." Her eye twitched. " All. Summer."

"Correct." Smiling, he walked past and pulled out a few mixes before grabbing a jar of almond butter and his famous protein powder from the coffee cabinet.

As the slosh blended in a whir round the kitchen inside his strongest blender, wall to wall, Anna put her head down and muttered into her hands. "You are such a control freak –

Yet again, Slade's moment of OCD had to wait. The phone rang and the two saw that Rose was calling on the ID. Slade pressed speaker and the call was easier to handle.

" Y'ello!" Anna waved as the woman spoke with a giggle in her tone. Slade kept the Ninja booming. He didn't look too displeased, as if he knew already what his own daughter had to confess over this long-distance call at seven A.M.

~ G'day! Dad isn't making fuss for you, Annie? ~

"He's a handful, but we manage…. how about –

~ Oh! Right. You are both invited to my wedding next month. Are you still bringing the heat, Firestarter? ~

"Like yeah!" Anna bounced while Slade just hummed a "yes." The blender was still whirring to liquid in a bottle. "I'll see if Lisa's band can get you in, I'm sure if he finally stops footing the bill…" Aiden was a wimp for a hero, it made sense in Anime but not real life.

~ We decided to have it in New Zealand cause, I love the atmosphere. It's not a good time to go home to my fam in Asia, not yet. Lot of tension right now, but he's got such a big venue – you're going to flip! ~

Anna grinned, before letting her eyes shift. Sneakily, Slade was picking up on the vibe as he let his finger go, putting more protein mix into his creation. Anna smirked. "Will there be cake, too? How big are we talking?"

Slade halted his hand, Anna reaching for a cocao tin in the guest room she'd saved from his prying grip a week ago. Slade held the scoop and slowly shook his head. It was a standoff, one that Rose wasn't around to find out about. "Where did you get that –

" Secret." Whispered Anna. "Hand it over –

"No."

~ Ah, I think it's Swiss Chocolate or something? His aunt is paying for a chunk, dad maybe should one up her. Are you still on? Did the connection wonk out again –

"One, sec. Your dad is in the bathroom."

Slade squinted at the red-haired girl, his scoop going in to add more of that dirtier dry – as - ass powder. Anna pulled out a spoon from the drawer by her arm and was up to him like a sword in fencing. ~ Ann? ~

"Just making breakfast, tell me more about the venue!"

She and Slade used coffee scoop and metal spoon to find their powders to the merciless vat of green and now purple. Anna growled and extended her leg to trip the man as they danced around the kitchen, fighting to make a better bowl of slop.

~ Well, sure. My guy's got a big position at this tech company overseas. You sister's whiz kid friend might love if they met up, talked geek together…where we're all just dancing, being civil –

Anna leaped over the man, to the counter and plopped two scoops of raw cocao into the base. Slade lit up and dragged her into the carpet of the living room, throwing his two scoops back in.

Anna pounded the carpet with a fist and a grunt. "Dirk!"

"What about the place you booked? Will it be by the water, indoors?"

Slade added more low-fat milk as Anna forced back a bit of acid in her throat. She hated that crap!

~ We are going to have the coolest outdoor trellis and there will be doves released. I was thinking Tahiti but we already fell in love with the wildlife and the price wasn't too crazy on space and pricing. ~

"You should have adjusted things. He may be paying, but he's spoiled by what I see. You'd die twice, then what good is a man who is easily as sedentary ten years from now?"

" Dude! Rude?" Anna gawked. Yet Rose was as aware as Anna was annoyed. ~ You'd say he could be my "squirrel" in a way. We mainly benefit because he's like my very own "super hacker." Not like that should slow your lil girl down. ~

"No, never. I always want you to be, satisfied." He said the last part, a bit chipped. He really hated her fiancé. Ever since Anna had gone back in time to convince Rose, it just ended up happening – he never blamed her though. Mostly Eli from the UK for screwing up the attempt too early. Her dad back then was such a bad ass…why this now?

Anna was busy making her damn way to the vat as Slade slipped out a scoop and let the ashes scatter to temporarily blind her, while he added three more into the gap. The motor was lower now, only on pulse. Anna gripped her spoon and flung it like a boomerang, the thing falling into the vat with a SPITTING gurgle. Slade looked at Anna as they halted to get pincers to scoop it out. Anna stuck out her tongue and Slade just took that as word of his poison being a great plan – his ego inflated enough, Anna dove for the drawer to pull out an ice cream scoop.

~ Are you guys ok in there!? ~

"Fine, the stove gets pretty hot. We decided on something pan fried…." Anna lied.

~ My dad actually thinks that the world would be a smarter place without sugar, alcohol and smoking. He's kinda got a vendetta against the monopolies that promote –

"Ya don't say?" Anna parried a kick and then hit the scoop out of Slade's grip, his hand accidently pulling off the lid of the blender while on the highest setting.

"Look out!!"

~ Dad??? Anna! What –

A kersplat of purple mush hit the walls. Slade's eye patch and Anna's cheeks was layers like a sprinkler effect. The last of it, actually making Slade spit it out. "You ruined breakfast."

"Wood shavings aren't breakfast." Anna grunted. "It's not even edible –

"Are too."

"Are not -

~ Dad? Are you trying to convert poor Annie? Dick already said to stop that! ~

"She's my student, and I don't want to mar any of her progress while, here."

"Hah, well great plan, genius! We made a super gross mess and lost a decent meal! All because you think eating frozen custard is a sin!!"

~ I'm going to say it again, dad? You need to get it together – and absolutely NO poisoning or blowing up the wedding cake! – So…. See you in a month, you two? Oh! FYI. Vegan options for your cousin and Joe! Bye! Make up, soon? ~

Rose had spoken as she hung up, Slade getting up with the shame on his face as messy in representation as his now tie died sleep shirt. "Well, I guess it is."

Anna frowned. "Look, I can do an omelet with toast –

"We don't have any bread, sorry."

" Dang it! Slade….!"

If Dick Grayson had done his best to improve around the mastermind's tricks, so could his daughter. She only hoped….

Stupid, sawdust.

/

Goofy piece. Slade is the bad guy here, and super strict. I love his Kuudere attitude and Anna's Tsundere vibes in a kitchen utensil fight to make a sweeter smoothie – or make it not poison them…will Slade burn down the desert table at Rose's wedding? Find out! If it's good, I may try for a part two. His lack of sugar was in another one shot here where Anna was sent to the past to meet Rose and ask her to spar. Cause Slade hates her fiancé. He shows this. A lot. Find out this summer if Slade gets a stern talking to!