41Chapter 13: Wide Awake
Disclaimer: See chapter one. I do not own Katy Perry's song.
Author's note: Last chapter was short and it took forever to write but this one flowed relatively well though.
Awakening from a deep slumber, Robin caught sight of nothing but a brightness. When his vision adjusted, hovering over him loomed a tall figure, smiling down upon him. " Am I in Heaven?" Robin mumbled.
"No, Robin. You are alive and well."
"Slade?"
"Yes. I'm here, Robin," Slade crooned.
Robin's hands flew to his face. "I can see!" He laughed. "How is this even possible?"
"Along with Raven's magic and the regeneration process of the serum, helped you with a speedy recovery. We also removed the nanobots; they were altering your brain chemistry," Slade explained.
"The serum," Robin whispered, his memories divulging. Propping himself up from the hospital bed, Robin bore his tanzanite eyes deeply into Slade's. "The joke was on me. I thought that you were trouble. My saddest fear came creeping in that you never loved me, that our first kiss was meaningless, and that everything was just a lie. But everything is not what it seems. For a minute, I doubted you, Slade. I was left in the dark, out of the circle. I wish I knew what I knew now. I'm sorry. Without the serum, I would be dead right now. You saved my life. I've been born again. But why'd ya do it? Why didn't you just ask me first?"
"You're sorry? It was a foolish mistake on my behalf. I should have asked for your permission. I was afraid that you would say 'no' or 'not yet'. I had horrible nightmares that I was going to lose you. When you didn't kill Bruce the first time, I knew that he would be back. You were merciful not kill him but to only punish him. And I respected that. Yes, in a way, I saved your life but in the end, I took away your immorality. I was selfish, Robin. I wanted us to be together until the end of time. And seeing that knowing each other in our past lives was all just a hoax and that I broke my promise—that I would not do anything against your will, I would understand if you wanted to end our relationship and—"
"Slade."
"Yes?"
"Stop talking," Robin leaned over and kissed Slade with all the passion that one soul could muster. He grasped his face within his hands while Slade embraced his waist. Robin dominated the kiss, teasing Slade's tongue with his own. Pausing to let go, he shoved Slade to the ground and tackled the man. "You know, you still owe me that sparring match," Robin smirked.
"So, Beastboy came to you all by himself? I'll give him major kudos for that." Slade and Robin were strolling along downtown in Jump city. They had spent the entire day shopping, for Robin required new clothes due to his growth from the serum. Slade was carrying most of the bags. The people on the street that passed by all but gawked at Robin; his clothing was so tight that it looked like they were going tear by simply touching the fabric. His mid-drift was the best part of all. Luckily, he was sporting his sunglasses to disguise himself.
"That he did. He told me everything. That's how we found you. You're quite lucky, little bird. You have yourself a true friend. Hold on to him."
"I know and I will. Ah, nuts," Robin halted in the middle of the sidewalk.
"What is it," Slade quirked an eyebrow.
"My uniform. It will never fit. I have to make a new one," Pounding his fist into the palm of his hand.
"Have you considered making a completely different one? Perhaps, you could take on a new identity altogether?
"Holy ingenuity, Slade! This is my chance to spread my wings, to no longer be associated with Batman. Nightwing. That's what Starfire said my alias was in the future. It has a nice ring to it," Stroking his chin.
"Indeed, it-" Slade's sentence was cut off from a news broadcast from the television screens all throughout the city.
"Good evening. I am Megyn Kelley and this is a Fox News alert. Billionaire Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises was found dead in his mansion late last night. Sources say that there was a type of infrastructure collapse, being crushed underneath the debris. Another shocking discovering was that the Batcave was found underneath the very well known estate, concluding that the identity of Batman is indeed Bruce Wayne. Reports say that there is no word from Richard Grayson or Robin, Boy Wonder. It is unknown how the catastrophe happened at this point by investigators. Now, back to Hannity."
"Good thing you're going to change your identity," Slade mumbled, turning from the screen and beginning to stride forth.
"What I wanna know is why in Sam hill are they broadcasting Fox News in the most liberal city in the Bay Area?" Robin flailed his arms in the air with his shopping bags, unknowingly knocking out a civilian.
"They must have a death wish," Slade shrugged.
"Anyway, when we get back to the tower, I need to discuss some stuff with the team. Wait a second. Why do I have a feeling that I forgot something today?" Robin furrowed his brow.
"Oh, I'm sure that you'll remember soon enough," Slade flashed a mischievous grin.
"Hello? Titans? Why are the lights out?" Robin rubbed the back of his head. "Do you think they went out for pizza?"
"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROBIN!" The Titans shouted, jumping out, and activating the lights.
"Hey, hey, hey! You guys remembered. I totally forgot. You guys are the best," Robin beamed.
"Dude, we have a surprise for you," Beastboy said. From Raven's cloak, a familiar figure was presented.
"Alfred!" Robin cried, running into the ex-butler's arms. "Oh, how I've missed you so much!"
"As have I, master Dick. Do tell. What have you been eating? Is this the work of the serum that I have heard so much about?"
"Yeah. I hope that I don't look too crazy," Robin smiled sheepishly.
"Nonsense! You have grown into quite a handsome young man."
"Thanks, Al."
"Let's get this party started!" Cyborg howled.
For the next several hours, the Titans, Slade and Alfred included, celebrated Robin's eighteenth birthday—eating cake, ice cream, playing games and dancing. The vibrations of their stereo-system echoed across the bay and into the city. At one point in the night, Slade asked Robin to accompany him on the roof. It was a full moon and one could view the constellations of the clear sky.
"What a night, huh? You sure know how to dance for an old, white boy," Robin simpered.
"Soon enough you will see more than my dancing skills," Slade leered.
"Touché," Managing to hold down a blush.
"Richard," Slade sighed. "We have been acquainted with one another for a few years now and we've personally known one another for several months, but I feel that we've known one another for a lifetime. With your new identity as Nightwing, we can move to Blüdhaven and start a new life. I even asked Alfred to stay with us and your friends are more than welcome to visit at anytime." Pulling out a black box, Slade bent down on one knee and Robin felt his heartbeat pounding in his throat and his eyes grew like the size of saucers. "Will you marry me?" Opening the box to expose a ring.
Robin clutched his hands over his face, tears flooding from his shimmering orbs. "Yes, yes!" Robin sobbed, embracing the man. After a couple of minutes, they broke away and Slade gingerly slipped the ring onto Robin's ring finger. The ring itself was encrusted with black onyx with a red, oval-shaped ruby in the centre. The way that it illuminated in the moonlight was absolutely dazzling. "It's beautiful."
"Not nearly as beautiful as you are, little bird," Slade smiled, planting a chaste on Robin's lips. At that moment, a shooting star flew across the horizon and into the city lit sky.
Two months later, Slade and Robin were successfully married and now abided in Blüdhaven. Dick took on his new identity as Nightwing. Alfred aided in the making of the suit. Wayne Manor was now a memorial site and Robin donated all of Bruce's money to charity. Arriving back from the reception party, the odd couple was ready to make love to one another for the first time.
"Our sparring session from last month was something else." They were undressing one another and making small talk along the way.
"You gave me a run for my money," Slade grinned, unbuttoning Dick's collared shirt.
"Oh, I'm afraid I did more than that. I actually won," Pointing his thumb toward his chest. "You never told me that you altered the serum," The young man pouted.
"Must have slipped my mind. I altered it so that you had less of a likelihood to die victim of the drug's side-effects and I increased the healing factor, and the super strength ability of it," Slade slowly pressing Dick down onto the bed, mounting his husband.
"That explains what happened back at Wayne Manor," Unbuckling Slade's belt.
"Speaking about Wayne Manor, I have something to show you." Slade ambled to the closet and pulled out a shoebox from the top shelf. "Open it," Placing it in the young man's hands.
Robin tore the lid from the box and gazed upon its contents. There were pictures. Pictures of him with Slade when he was a child. "This is the one from the living room of Wayne Manor," Picking up the photograph. "The first time we met. This means the world to me. Thank you," He smiled, closing the lid and putting the shoebox on top of the nightstand.
"You're welcome." Slade was silent for a moment before continuing. "I know that this isn't exactly your first time but it is your first time willing. You are a virgin in my eyes, Richard."
"Mmm. Thank you, tiger," Dick purred, bringing Slade down for a kiss.
"Tiger?" Slade raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I promised to give you a pet-name, remember?"
"Ah, that you did," Returning the kiss. "I promise to be gentle with you, little bird."
Abruptly flipping Slade over, Dick wore a wicked grin on his features and said, "Who said that you were topping?"
The End
Author's note: Lucky number thirteen? What a good number to end a chapter. This was my very first story. Please, review this chapter and your overall experience of the story. Now, I am going to take a break and then start on some short stories before I start on a larger story that I have in mind and re-edit this story as well.