Alpha, Beta, but Never an Omega

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Chapter 13: Lucky Night Lights - Leave Me in the Dark

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As does it propose, 13 used to mean in its rite, being magical numbers as they go – that anything would occur. So, Dick might seek the same in October. Will see!

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Slade searched over the scans of Dick's costume alterations he had drawn out. He recalled enough from detail he claimed; having seen himself in Starfire's plight to return her friends to normal, and it was very sleek. Fitting for a high-flying daredevil of the night to wear less reds.

Or…

A smile enveloped the thought as Slade pointed to the changes and made his full disclosure, spoken openly, "No. The blue isn't fitting for the image. Try another color. The name is fine." He paused, Dick's hair still being turned chocolate as he waited for Slade to be straight with him. The contacts were on the dresser. Those would be after step one was completed. "Also, Grey and what will be the surname to your identity?" Slade tapped a finger to the notepad. "I'd recommend something other than Wilson or Grayson. Not Johns-

"Patterson." Dick cleared his throat, rubbing at his arm unconsciously to self sooth. "It's as plain as you can get, but it phonetically fits to me."

"You had better not get called out on it." Slade paused, "I can double check to be sure there is no misstep in a second Grey wearing your skin. Doppelgangers are a mess to deal with-

"Don't kill anyone. That's my problem." Dick exclaimed. "I'll, modify it. It's fine."

"Back to the suit then." Slade ended that conversation. "The suit should blend but not that I can't locate you on a rooftop. See the that."

"No orange, we can't deny you would-

Dick bit his lip. "I, mean…he'd know." Dick scratched his arm, nervously. Slade grunted his approval; the bat could, abd as much as it hurt to say, he did want to see Dick in black and orange at some point other than with a kick go the mask.

"You can choose either the closest, red, navy blue which you have something more Robin…egg, blue." He coughed, seeing the boy roll his eyes, "Or even white which would feel off. Silver, maybe?"

"Already taken."

Dick was really putting the ball in his court today, Slade huffed.

"Fine. Red or blue, no yellows. Too natural to being stopped by the cops. Oh." Slade snapped his fingers as he leaned down to stare this kid up, "What do you saw to a mask for it? One that I can design with my resources, like the bat's so it can have us communicate as we need to."

"In, the mask. He has his comms for his cowl, I guess…"

"As a total you thought it wasn't a very idea you were ready for. The comm units you had were unique, but it's time to grow out of that fad. Not until you're a cop. You'd be at the academy right after passing, a few months while ready your arsenal and tools in my spare time."

"You took time off, for this." Dick swallowed. "I mean, your dedication is well, kind of expectant at this point…I can't back out, nor should it. But…"

"Always with your indecisive behavior, lately." Slade sighed. "Tell me, did the big bat spook you long enough to be so mellow like this? I've seen less fire in the time its taken to get you to hold a damned pen."

"I'm rusty, ok?" Dick snipped. "I, was mentally burned out, because of the kids. Mostly."

"Surprised Wayne never came out and said he wanted to bitch y –

Dick got up, the chair falling over as Slade watched the boy go into the kitchen. "Dick, what are you doing."

"Getting something to do, because this conversation is over." The kid shrugged. That…felt like an unnatural response.

"You're not..." Slade got up, Dick slamming open the fridge as the glass inside rattled up a storm.

"Hungry? I'll cook." He said it without passion, as if in and out of shock. Dick's face was emotionless and stern as he picked up a jar of minced garlic and a ton of stir fry veggies of Slade's pairing action. He found the wok, a little thing that had been left and transported from overseas at an outdoor market in Huangdao. It was no leisure trip. The Triads were involved and a very meaningful bunch of individuals before trade was further established under a different president. Dick was maybe just Robin. Not yet a Titan back then. Grant was in school, not having his father.

Slade got up, his steps working their magic in stealth as Dick only focused on what he was after. To end today, to not think about what Bruce really thought of his physiology.

~ Alphas of a certain distinction can be attracted to family, yet this should be discouraged since inbreeding is highly illegal under the laws we hold true to. This also avoids deteriorating bloodlines and medical complications for the Omega mother. If a child is effectively adopted for reasons of status or privilege by their alpha guardian, chances are that those later changes for the Omega are set in stone since the first time under their rites being established by the overlooking party. Adoptees must cherish and nurture the omega way of growth, or if they intend to wed and make their official presence realized under law, this should also be verified once the omega has consented and come of age. ~

Dick held the cleaver as a hand softly blocked out his daylight. The man's breath touched at his ear, a whisper there. "I'll do it. Please, just sit and relax for now."

Dick bit his lip and looked about ready to cry. "Why did this have to be a problem, Slade…" He let go of the blade, not an anger as an Alpha, or the deep thoughts alone of a Beta, but the tears that only came from a soft and giving, Omega.

"I don't want to give that up, that freedom. I'm not even close, my course is…it's not easy to stop him from wanting to…-

"Wayne won't have you." Slade smiled into his cheek as Dick shuddered at the contact. The man pulled back slowly, letting the pseudo – beta hybrid collect himself. "Is, how long is the heat, now? Is it over…?"

"Two more days, little bird." Slade answered softly. "Then, your tears won't have to hold you back. I never intended that at least, not yet."

"Yet?"

Slade went to the stove and let it set, dropping oil and spices as he tempered and seasoned the favorable wok. "Yes, because you need one more thing in this case to give your new life a purpose. A goal, not the academy. Not even myself, but…"

He added in more ingredients, watching the wok hay do as it could to perfectly align on the spot. There was a range for gas here as well as electric. A marvel that was possibly controversial.

"But…tell me! What am I missing besides a suit, a job…a –

"A, rival." Slade did a small flip of the foods as Richard's eyes watched; his breath caught in time.

Just as the last, flip.

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Jason only sat back as he watched Bruce in the cave, his mind and body on standby. The others were trying to mentally battle Damian after his rut had sent him home with were underwear.

"He's too young."

"He's stressed out." Jason snorted. "Kid lost his brother to a whacked out love drunk mercenary. You think he'd bust a nut on purpose?"

"Jason, please." Babs was there too. Her eyes on the bat as he didn't try to hide it. That this was her real reason for dumping the boy wonder. Affair challenged, yet Jason saw right through them. She didn't even tell her folks, and their relationship was so air tight that Dick shut his brain off to even care anymore.

She needed an alpha in her life, Dick was none of that. Or beta, anymore.

"Gonna fawn over my boss like that, princess? You know, I bet Gordon is really hoping you'll make it back, without pushing past –

"JASON." She yipped his way. "We're thinking, unlike you "

"FUCK YOU –

"OUT." Bruce growled. "Both of you."

"Wait, I didn't-

"Barbara. Jason won't end this, and I don't want to have you both at each other's throat when my work, Dick's keeper is still at large. If you can't cooperate like adults, then you won't be on this case."

Jason sneered at Babs as she froze, her fists held tightly at her side. "I won't. Dick…I owe home to stay, so please." Sge unexpectedly softened her face as Jason was unable to retort. That sge had dumped Dick all that time to be with his dad? That Jason shouldn't bare his gmfangs at the both of them?

"Fuck it, you two. I'm out." He conceded without staring at all, just waving himself out, not wanting to show how a real alpha took out the trash.

Dick, was used and hurt more than one time. He knew, because right now, he and Kori…

He went up the steps as the elevator remained unused. The new system still getting some maintenance since Cassandra had gotten curious to see how many buttons one could press in tandem.

That was no picnic for Alfred. That day, Dick had been called down from his own study break to co pilot the mistake. And the time after, Alfred had Dick help him sweep up the wood from the dining room project that Tim was constructing since his room was too small for a full sized catapult.

Or when Stephanie reenacted Dick's chandelier jump.

That was the time it really wound Dick down, to stay in the manor if anything ever became of his kids.

That's right.

Jason stomped away, assuming no funny business was still going on between Babs and her mentor. She'd been forced to break it off after an incident where the Joker was after her for dirt on their kiss upon rooftops. That was sweet up, and Jim Gordon was saved back then, Dick had been with the Titans when he'd found out about Babs. (She won't get shot in this until later. Promise.) Joker had even thrown around that revenge card once or twice. He wasn't done, that was less than a few months to a year. The clown was stewing at Arkham since, not trying to get out. Jason was back from Bruce's bravery, and once again Dick as a Titan had bitten his lip apart when he saw the kid. (In this, Jason is saved and lives but it becomes clear that his frustrations are due to the trauma once he's healed up thanks to Bruce. No resurrection. We are doing the blue ray alternative ending of death in the family here because it rocks.)

Dock had blamed himself for going off to fight a psycho in Japan with his friends. And that Slade had sent his robot servant to spy on Beastboy while Tara lived out her life like a normal teen.

Tara Markov, the apprenticeship.

Stopping, Jason remembered Dick's file when Tim decided to hack for both their sakes. That was before Cassandra and Duke, before Damian.

Stephanie swore she would go by the biggest secret she'd never speak to a soul, yet everyone found out and Bruce was yelled at by his eldest child. Bruce had known about Deathstroke, the probes, because the Titans had filled in blanks that he'd refused to, immediately he'd been carted off to the manor to heal and went back to Cali early on good behavior.

It was punishment for crossing the line too far, for becoming the man he'd swore to keep in confinement elsewhere. By Lady Justice, there was no such bargain, Jason sighed.

Only death, but Deathstroke…

He opened the door to the clock and stepped out of it. Dick was sleeping with the enemy, and now he couldn't get free on his own.

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Jason decided on not getting in the way, yet the youngest bat wasn't satisfied with their answers. He needed more leads to go by than just rumors, yet Gotham was built on falsehoods and threats from psychological trauma. Those in danger of losing their voices, turned into either vigilantes or the bad guys…or, the in-between.

Slipping by the cracks of subtle moonlight as he could, Damian landed with a soft crouch by one gargoyle decorated building. Atop it, was a woman of both cunning and mind over matter. She got as sge wanted, found out things that none other could, and had a knack for being the quickest escape artist in the world over.

Her powers cane from an accidental testing cosmetic when she needed the cash after losing her position at a big firm – now bankrupted by the one in charge of its findings.

As it went, she knew how to get even. In and out, without a sound.

"Cat, come out. I need you to stay out of those shadows a while."

She lanky moved like one, like a dark curtain as her hips maintained a strong sway which was toned to be, less proactive around budding alphas she wasn't asking to mate.

Selina Kyle, despite all if it, was an Omega. She wasn't his mother, who was pure Alpha, yet in his mind she could have been a little less fire and pop behind those half lips. Her lip unfurled as she finally said her part.

"Mind your manners, kid. Where us the big boss, tonight? Isn't this after your curfew time?"

"It's for a time sensitive matter that requires your intel. I know you are not without the knowledge of a certain hero's disappear-

"Shh." She motioned a finger to her lips quickly. "Not here." Her whip tail might have bobbed as she turned, to beckon. Or, to warn him of others wanting the same information from those dark shadowy corners under the moon light.

"We'll talk more, follow."

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