Work Text
Four Months After the events of “Taken By The Parents”
.......
Dick had been crashing at Slade’s for four months, too afraid to face his family and tell them what had happened.
The two had fallen into a decent, regular, routine schedule which Dick was rather impressed with considering Slade used to try and kill him for sport.
A nightly ritual for them had turned into, basically, sex.
Well, not so much nightly ritual as it was Dick would wake up in the middle of the night, crying because he could still feel his captors’ hands on him (they’d never touched him sexually, but it was the whole bathing and diapering thing that was freaking him out) and Slade would engage him in sex to help replace ‘Mommy and Daddy’s’ touch with his.
Of course, only if he was given Dick’s consent. If Dick ever woke up and was too distressed to be consoled with words - speaking being the first thing Slade did until Dick calmed down enough to consent - then the mercenary would move them into the living room to sit quietly together until Dick relaxed and fell back to sleep.
To say they had eventually fallen into some sort of relationship was, well, true.
“You have to tell them eventually, little bird,” Slade said as the two of them stood in the bathroom, getting ready for bed.
Dick sighed. “I know,” he said quietly. “I just...they’re going to ask who had me and what happened and I just…” he shuddered, closing his eyes tightly. “They’re going to ask why I didn’t fight back,” Dick whispered. “And the thing is, Slade, I still can’t remember.”
“You were drugged,” Slade replied. “Brainwashed. Tortured.”
Dick shook his head. “For the Bat, those are just excuses,” he murmured, opening his eyes to stare blankly at the sink where the water was still running, toothbrush clutched in hand. “He’s going to ask why didn’t I fight harder? Why didn’t I fight against the drugs, and the brainwashing, and the torture, and I just-”
His breathing hitched and he closed his eyes tightly against the onslaught of tears. “I used to be
perfect
in Bruce’s eyes,” Dick said softly, leaning into Slade’s side when he felt the mercenary move a little closer. “Well...not perfect, but he was proud of me, a long time ago. There was no judgment. There was no, ‘why couldn’t you do this better?’ ‘Why didn’t you try harder?’ There was just...encouragement. And now I’m nothing more than an old, disappointing model.”
He let out a very long, tired sigh. “I can’t do this anymore, Slade. I stopped being Nightwing, stopped doing what I
loved
...because of him.” he opened his eyes, watching as Slade quietly leaned over to turn off the tap and gently pry Dick’s toothbrush out of his hand, setting it in the holder. He still said nothing. A silent indication that he was still listening. “If he knew...that I hadn’t left the country. That I’d been kidnapped...would he have even looked for me?”
He sighed, leaning into Slade when the mercenary placed a gentle kiss on his temple, on the burn marks that might stay forever. As an unwanted reminder of things he couldn’t remember.
“I’m sure of it, pretty bird,” Slade murmured, placing his hands on Dick’s shoulders to guide him into the bedroom, gently pushing him into bed before crawling under the comforter after him. “He cares for you. He just doesn’t show it right.”
Dick shifted, waiting for Slade to lay on his back so he could rest his head over the mercenary’s heartbeat as a reminder that he wasn’t alone. Wasn’t back in the nursery, in the crib.
He melted under Slade’s touch when the older man placed a large, warm hand flat between his shoulders blades, rubbing a soothing circle.
“Thank you,” Dick whispered, closing his eyes and letting himself go lax. “For saving me.”
“I couldn’t leave you there,” Slade murmured. “It was cruel.”
“Still,” Dick said softly. “I know a few people who would have milked it for all it was worth.”
Slade hummed quietly. “I’m not one of them.”
“No, you’re not,” Dick replied. He was almost asleep when Slade said something in reply, but he was too tired to try to decipher it or ask Slade to repeat it.
He felt asleep to the sound of a mercenary’s even heartbeat, feeling safer than he had in a long time.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He was cold. It was cold. Why was it cold?
Dick shifted, frowning, letting his eyes flutter open. He was still in Slade’s bed, still in Slade’s apartment. The mercenary was still lying beside him, fast asleep.
But Dick was on top of the covers and it was only when he pushed himself upright on his elbows that he found the cause of his discomfort.
He was only dressed in a diaper, ankles bound together.
“No,” he whispered, shaking his head and looking up when he heard the bedroom door creak open to find Mommy and Daddy walking in, the electrodes in their hands.
Dick struggled to scramble back. “Slade?!” he begged loudly. The mercenary didn’t stir. He tried again, tears pricked his eyes. “Slade, help! Please!”
“It’s alright, baby,” Daddy cooed as he grabbed hold of Dick, using his strength to restrain the acrobat while Mommy tightly tied Dick’s legs and arms together with the rope she had in her hands.
Dick cried out, thrashing against the hands on him as The Parents stuck the electrodes on his temples and flipped the switched.
He screamed in sheer agony, body going rigid, head thrown back and mouth open as electricity coursed through his veins, scrambling his mind and thoughts until all he could think was-
-nothing. Nothing but empty, mindless, soulless obedience.
It’s okay, kid.
He heard Slade’s voice echoing through his head, even as the brainwashing erased everything else.
You’re alright. I’m here and you're safe. I need you to calm down for me though.
Dick sobbed, crying out at the hands he felt on him yet again, even if these hands felt a little more gentle than the ones before.
I know, I know.
Slade continued to sooth.
But it’s just a nightmare, Grayson. You need to wake up.
Dick shook his head, even as the hands became a more warm and solid presence against his freezing skin. Tears fell down his cheeks and his head throbbed from the electricity. Something wet trickled down the side of his face before hands were on his cheeks.
Come on, kid.
Slade said again, this time with a little more force. There was a hand on Dick’s stom-chest. His chest. Rubbing gently. Soothing.
Don’t give yourself a concussion. I need you to wake up, Dick. Focus on my voice.
Everything is okay.
Dick screamed.
……………...
Dick’s throat burned, body shaking violently. He weakly shook his head and pushed Slade’s hand away when the mercenary tried to offer him a glass of water.
He was curled in Slade’s lap, face buried in the man’s neck. A large bandage was on the side of his face, over the cut he’d made in his forehead when he shifted enough during his nightmare to hit his head against the corner of the bedside table.
Violent, red scratches covered Slade’s chest, face, and arms, some of them bleeding. Dick’s arms, stomach, and legs were as well covered in the same marks. When Slade caught him staring, he spoke softly.
“You were scratching yourself,” Slade murmured, gently taking Dick’s wrists and stroking the acrobat’s palm with his thumb. He had noticed that it often helped to calm Dick down and seemed to sooth him in times of distress.
“I hurt you,” Dick whispered, voice hoarse.
“I heal,” Slade replied, tightening his grip on Dick’s shoulders. “You don’t.”
“They were here,” Dick whimpered. “Th-they were taking me again and you didn’t do anything to stop them. You just...you just
let
them.”
“I wouldn't do that, kid,” Slade murmured. “You know I’d never do that. Not if I could help it.”
“I screamed for you.”
Slade sighed quietly. “I heard,” he murmured. “And I’m certain the whole building heard as well.”
Tears pricked Dick’s eyes and he sobbed, drawing his hand away from Slade to curl into a smaller ball.
“I’m sorry,” he whimpered.
Slade sighed quietly, gently rubbing Dick’s back. “It’s alright, kid,” he said gently. “Everything is okay.”
“But it’s not,” Dick said quietly, adjusting his head so that he could gaze blankly at the wall, head on Slade’s shoulder. “They’re still out there. And-and what if...what if they’re still looking for me?” he lifted his head to gaze up at Slade. “What if they find me again? Slade, I have
no
idea how they found me the first time! I don’t remember anything! What if-”
Slade cut him off with a gentle kiss, cupping Dick’s cheek when he pulled back and stroking his thumb over the soft, pale skin.
“Do you trust me?” he murmured.
Dick swallowed thickly and looked like he wanted to object, but nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“Then trust this,” Slade whispered, leaning down to speak softly in Dick’s ear. “I will
never
let anyone hurt you again.” he leaned back to look Dick in the eyes. “I love you.”
When Dick cried this time, it wasn’t out of stress or fear. Not like it had been over the past four months.
It was out of happiness and relief. Because ever since his parents died, he’d never heard the words ‘I love you’. From Burce, it was just ‘good job, chum’. And with his previous girlfriends, well, the relationship never lasted long enough for them to get to that stage.
“I love you too,” Dick whispered quietly. “More than you know.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Two Months Later
Dick was paranoid, terrified of being alone and terrified of falling asleep. It became bad enough that in order to sooth him, Slade forced Dick to fly to Tanzania with him for a two week vacation.
It worked and when they returned to Metropolis where Slade’s current safehouse was, though he had been meaning to move elsewhere for sometime, Dick was more relaxed than he’d been in a long time.
Everything was looking up.
Until it wasn’t.
They’d come back from Tanzania and Dick hadn’t had a single nightmare or panic attack/freak out in over a month.
At the moment, Slade was sitting on the living room couch, scrolling through his tablet as he checked through his emails while Dick was out going for a run.
Slade glanced out the window. The rain had started as a trickle a few minutes earlier but now was a full on downpour. Slade checked his watch before getting to his feet and heading into the bathroom to grab a towel to leave by the door so Dick couldn’t track rain all through the apartment.
When he returned to the living room, he found Dick standing by the door, soaked to the bone and shaking.
Slade huffed, walking over to toss the towel over Dick’s head. “Dry off before you move anywhere else,” he requested. He was halfway to the couch when he realized Dick hadn’t moved except to pull the towel off of his head.
And then he saw the glazed look in Dick’s eyes and realized the shaking wasn’t from cold but from shock and fear.
“Kid?” Slade murmured gently, walking over to insert himself in front of the acrobat, bending down and cupping Dick’s cheek so they could make eye contact. “Hey, come on. Don’t blank out on me. What’s wrong? What happened?”
Dick took a shaky breath, slowly lifting his trembling hands to weakly wrap his fingers around Slade’s wrists, towel abandoned on the floor.
“I saw them,” he whispered, gazing up at Slade, pure fear shining in his voice. He was edging towards a panic attack. “I-I s-saw them. I don’t think they saw me, cause I turned around and-and ran, but I think...I-I don’t know-”
“Alright, come here” Slade murmured gently, wrapping an arm around the acrobat’s shoulders to guide him over to the couch. “First, breathe, okay?”
“But-”
“Just breathe, Grayson,” Slade murmured, taking Dick’s wrists and stroking his thumb over the acrobat’s palm. “Just breathe. Okay? Once you’re calm, we’ll talk.”
“But-”
“They did not follow you,” Slade said firmly. “Okay? You’re fine. Now, please, breathe before you pass out.”
Dick took a shuddering breath, closing his eyes tightly. It took almost ten minutes before Sladed felt he was finally calm enough.
“Are you good?” he asked gently.
Dick nodded. “Yes.”
no.
“Can you calmly tell me what happened?” Slade requested gently.
“I was coming back from my walk,” Dick began softly, leaning into Slade’s warm side. “And they were coming out of a gas station I was walking by. They...they said hello and they were polite, but I…” he buried his face in Slade’s shoulder. “I couldn’t
breathe
,” he whimpered. “I just...I just started running.”
“Do you think they knew who you were?”
“I don’t know,” Dick whispered. “I don’t...I don’t think so?”
“Then they would have no reason to follow you home,” Slade said gently.
“They didn’t have any reason before,” Dick said in a whisper. “The first time.”
“You don’t know that they followed you home,” Slade pointed out.
Dick glared, yanking away. “Oh, yeah, thanks for the reminder. You’re right, for all I know they kidnapped me off the streets!”
Slade gave a very soft sigh. He stayed where he was on the couch as Dick vented and raved before the acrobat finally went still in the middle of the living room.
Slade carefully stood. “They won’t get you again,” he said. “I won’t let them. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then trust me,” Slade murmured, stepping forward to place a gentle kiss on Dick’s forhead, stroking a thumb over the bright red burn marks, forever embedded in Dick’s temples.
Dick nodded before taking a shuddering breath. “It’s time.”
Slade raised an eyebrow. “Time?”
Dick nodded. “To tell Bruce.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was two months after deciding to tell Bruce that Dick actually got the courage to tell Bruce.
“Sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Slade asked from where he was seated on the couch as Dick was sliding his shoes on.
“I’ll be fine,” Dick replied after a moment, giving Slade a weak smile. “But thank you.”
………….
“Master Richard?”
Dick gave a weak smile. “Hey Alfred,” he whispered.
The butler’s eyes were wide - god, he’d aged in ten years - before he moved forward and pulled Dick into a tight hug.
“You’re alive,” he whispered.
Dick chuckled, stepping into the manor and letting Alfred close the front doors. “Yeah,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry, my boy,” Alfred assured him. “Come. Everyone is in the living room. I presume you’ve come to tell us what happened?”
“Yeah,” Dick replied as he followed Alfred through the manor to the living room.
……….
“Grayson?”
“Hey Dami,” Dick said, pulling the younger boy in for a tight hug, surprised when Damian let him. “You got big.”
Damian clicked his tongue. He was as tall as Dick now. “You’ve been gone for ten years,” he reminded the acrobat.
Dick gave a weak laugh. “Yeah, I have been haven’t I?”
“Are you alright?” Tim asked.
“I am now,” Dick replied.
“What happened?” Bruce asked.
Dick sighed. “I don’t remember,” Dick said quietly. “Not everything. I was brainwashed. Tortured. So forgive me for having gaps in my memory. But...I remember a little.” he looked up at Bruce. “I was saved by Slade Wilson. If you want more detailed information, then go to him. But I can only tell you what I know.”
“So tell us,” Damian demanded. “What happened?”
………………
Dick couldn’t meet their gazes when he finished the story.
“Are they still alive?” Jason asked.
Dick frowned. “Yes?” he replied tentatively.
Jason hummed, standing up. “Sweet,” he said. “I’m going to go shoot them both in the crotch, then the knees, then the head.” he tilted his head to the side. “Maybe.”
“No!” Dick nearly shouted, jumping to his feet and stepping between Jason and the doorway. “Don’t, please! I don’t want them to take you too!”
“Where are they now?” Tim asked.
“I saw them two months ago,” Dick replied. “But I don’t think they knew who I was. At least...they didn’t react aside from saying hello.”
He looked over and froze when Bruce walked up to him. The two stood there in silence for a long time before Bruce spoke.
“How long have you been free from them?”
Dick forced his heart to calm down before he spoke softly. “Six months,” he whispered.
“Where have you been all that time?”
“I’ve been living with Slade,” Dick replied quietly. When Bruce was silent for too long, Dick almost started shaking. “Are you mad?”
He was surprised when Bruce pulled him into for a tight, comforting hug. When he pulled back, he didn’t release Dick, keeping his hands on Dick’s shoulders.
“I never looked for you,” he said quietly. “There was a public declaration that you were leaving the country ten years ago. We fought and I just believed it.” he forced himself to meet Dick’s gaze. “We fought and all I could think was I was glad you were out of the country. Glad I wouldn’t have to see you again.”
Tears filled Dick’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“
I
am,” Bruce said firmly. “I should have known that you would never do that. No matter how angry you are with me, you would never leave the country without giving
someone
a direct explanation. I’m sorry I never looked for you and I promise, Dick, I won’t let them get you again.”
……..
“Slade?” Dick called, as he entered the apartment, halfheartedly tossing his keys on the table next to the door. “You home?”
He walked a little farther in, noting a piece of paper on the coffee table. He picked it up, reading quietly to himself.
“He went out,” he muttered, sighing as he dropped down onto the couch and tossed the paper aside. “Which means I’ve got the house to myself.”
“And we’ve got you.”
Dick’s eyes flew open and he stood quickly, turning and staring when he found Mommy and Daddy standing behind the couch. At the sight, his heart instantly began to speed up and he took slow steps backwards, tripping over the coffee table and falling to the floor with a gasp.
“How did you get in here?” he demanded, scrambling to his feet as they both came closer.
“What’s the matter, sweetie?” Mommy asked as Daddy easly stepped forward and grabbed Dick’s arm, holding the acrobat tight despite his squirming. “Aren’t you happy to see us?”
“Let me go,” Dick begged, unable to make his voice any stronger or struggle any farther than squirming. “Please, please, let me go!”
“We already let you go once before,” Daddy said, brushing Dick’s hair out of his eyes. “We won’t let you go again.”
Dick sobbed as Daddy grabbed both of his arms, forcing them behind his back. His fear morphed into partial confusion when he was dragged to the bedroom and not the front door.
“Wh-what are you doing?” He asked weakly as they shoved him to his knees on the floor, painfully tying his hands together behind his back before looping another rope between his arms and tying that to the poster of the bed.
“Well we have to wait for your brother of course,” Mommy replied as she knelt in front of him, pacifier gag in hand. “Then you’re both going to have to be punished for running away.”
“Don’t,” Dick whimpered, struggling to pull away as Mommy brought the gag closer. Tears fell down his face as Daddy grabbed his head and held him still. “Don’t, please!”
He was sobbing as Mommy forced the rubber part between his lips, pushing it in and tightening the straps behind Dick’s head so that the leather bit into his cheeks.
“Now be a good boy and be quiet, okay?” Daddy whispered, pressing a kiss to Dick’s temple and ruffling his hair before he and Mommy slipped out of the room, closing the door behind themselves.
…………….
Slade heaved a sigh as he entered the apartment and walked the grocery bags into the kitchen. Once he’d put everything away, he walked back to the living room and made his way to the bedroom. The door was closed so Slade slipped off his shoes, figuring Dick was in the bedroom taking a nap.
He was not prepared for what he was greeted with.
“Fuck,” he hissed, sliding to his knees in front of Dick, reaching behind the acrobat’s head and quickly unstrapping the gag, throwing it to the side. “Dick?!”
“Slade,” Dick whimpered as tears coursed down his cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak but his eyes went wide. “Look out!”
Slade turned but not in time to dodge the fist flying towards his face, sending him falling back to the floor with a groan. He pushed himself upright, glaring at Mommy and Daddy.
“You were really bad, buddy,” Daddy lectured as Mommy walked over to card her fingers through Dick’s hair since the acrobat was furiously trying to slip out of his bonds and escape.
“How did you find us?” Slade asked.
Daddy hummed. “Wasn’t hard,” he replied. He looked over at Mommy. “I think they need to be punished, don’t you Mommy?”
“Oh, I think they do,” Mommy confirmed, nodding.
“You take Dickie out to the living room and wait,” Daddy ordered. “I’ll bind bubba up.”
“Should I do anything to punish Dickie while we wait?” Mommy asked, already removing the ropes restraining Dick, holding him tightly and dragging him out of the room.
“No,” Daddy replied, shoving his foot into Slade’s chest when the mercenary tried to move. “We’ll be out shortly.”
…………
Daddy was good with ropes and good with his metahuman strength because he didn’t find it hard to wrestle Slade into submission. All too soon, Slade’s forearms were tied tightly behind his back, hands gripping his elbows as he was forced to his feet. Daddy gripped Slade’s long hair tightly, using it to drag the mercenary into the living room where Dick was kneeling on the floor, struggling against the grip Mommy had on his arms.
“Sit,” Daddy rodered, shoving Slade onto the couch before quickly switching with Mommy so that she was sitting next to Slade while Daddy grabbed Dick by the arm, taking a seat and slinging the acrobat over his lap.
“No,” Dick whispered, kicking his legs and trying to escape or fight back as Daddy easily yanked his sweatpants and boxers down to his knees, exposing his ass. “No, no, no, please!!”
“You know,” Daddy murmured, stroking a hand over Dick’s ass. “None of this would have happened is bubba had just been a good boy.” he glared over at Slade before looking down at Dick. “Look at bubba.”
Dick stubbornly shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed as he continued to kick and struggle. Daddy sighed before bringing his hand down on Dick’s ass in a hard, loud slap. Dick yelled and began to sobbed, shouting apologies as Daddy continued to bring his hand down on Dick’s ass, harder and harder until the acrobat’s normally pale skin was bright and painful red.
Dick whimpered as Daddy pulled Dick’s jeans off and tossed them to the side, setting Dick down on the floor on shaking legs, giving his ass one final painful spank before standing and walking over to Slade.
“Take Dickie down to the car,” Daddy ordered. “I’ll stay here with bubba.”
Mommy nodded, standing and walking over to Dick. She took him by the shoulders, whispering softly to him as she walked him to the front door, closing it softly behind them.
Slade and Daddy were alone.
“It was our fault, I suppose,” Daddy muttered, tightly gripping Slade’s shoulder. “After all, we trusted you when we really should have done several more sessions to make sure you were well and truly obedient.” he leaned down into Slade’s personal space, eyes hard. “We will not allow that to happen again.”
Daddy’s fist flying towards his face was the last thing Slade saw before his world went dark.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Slade woke up on his side in what he assumed was the trunk of a car if the rumbling noise was anything to go by. His hands were restrained tightly behind his back by the wrists and he couldn’t quite feel his hands. His ankles were restrained as well but it felt like they were also tied to something else.
“Kid?” Slade murmured, rolling over just slightly enough to feel his shoulder knock into Dick’s. The acrobat didn’t reply. “Dick?”
Still no reply. Cursing quietly, Slade tried to move his fingers and force them to work on the knots bunding his hands behind his back, but Daddy must have drugged him after punishing him in the face because Slade couldn’t feel his limbs enough to force his fingers to cooperate. “Fuck,” he whispered.
“Slade?”
“Kid?” Slade asked. “Are you okay?”
Dick whimpered. “I’m sorry.”
Slade frowned. “Sorry?” he repeated. “Why?”
“It’s my fault.” Dick sniffled. It sounded like he was crying or about to. “They wouldn’t have taken you again if it weren’t for me.”
“No, kid,” he murmured. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine.”
“H-how?”
“I should have killed them when I had the chance,” Slade replied. Sighing, he tried to move his fingers again and was pleased when they responded. “Can you move?” he asked as he began working at the knots binding his hands behind his back.
Dick sniffled again. “No,” he replied miserably. “She gave me something before putting me in here.”
“Are you even restrained?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Dick replied. “I kinda blacked out and I can’t feel my limbs.”
“Alright,” Slade said softly, cursing under his breath when his fingers slipped on the knot. “Alright, that’s okay. Are you okay?”
Dick was quiet for a few moments, debating the answer. “I’m scared,” he admitted softly.
“Yeah, I bet,” Slade soothed as he finally freed his wrists before rolling over so that his front was to Dick’s back. He reached for the ropes around the acrobat’s wrists and Dick flinched. “Just me,” Slade promised gently. “I’m getting these ropes off.”
“Why?” Dick asked. His voice sounded empty and dead. “What’s the point?”
“To get out of here.”
“Slade, we’re never getting out of here,” Dick mumbled. “It’s over. They won.”
“Kid, you can’t seriously tell me you’re already giving up,” Slade said. “We can still fight. We can still get out of here.”
“Slade, they’re metahuman,” Dick reminded him, closing his eyes. “They’re stronger than
you
what can we do?”
“We can outsmart them,” Slade replied, finally untying Dick’s hands and rolling the acrobat onto his back. The trunk of the car was dark, but Dick could still feel Slade’s eye on them.
“How?” Dick asked quietly.
“We attack them when they’d never see it coming,” Slade replied. “We wait until we get to the house and-”
He cut himself off when they felt the car stop. Even in the dark, Slade knew Dick’s eyes were wide and terrified. He could feel the kid shaking.
“Everything is going to be okay,” he whispered.
Dick didn’t reply and a moment later, the trunk of the car flew open. Blinking in the sudden bright light, Slade glared up at Mommy and Daddy.
“Oh, mommy, I think bubba’s a bit cranky,” Daddy muttered, shaking his head. He bent down. “Do you have to potty?”
“Keep talking,” Slade said as he slowly sat up, leaning over Dick to form some sort of protection over the trembling acrobat, cowering beneath him. “And I’ll rip out your throat.”
Daddy frowned, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. “Now that’s not very nice, is it Mommy?”
“No, it’s not,” Mommy confirmed.
“What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should get them both into the bathroom, get them both in diapers,” Mommy said and Slade felt Dick go
tense
. “Then we can punish bubba.”
“I have an idea,” Daddy whispered to Mommy before turning back to Slade. “You gonna come quietly, bubba?”
“What if I don’t?” Slade snapped.
“Then we’ll just have to spank Dickie again,” Daddy replied.
Slade froze. “Why?” he demanded. “He hasn’t done anything.”
“Exactly,” Daddy said, nodding as he leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees. “Now, do you really want me to punish Dickie for something he didn’t do?”
Slade was quiet for a long time. Dick wasn’t moving and if Slade didn’t have a hand on the acrobat’s shoulder, he would have thought Dick had stopped breathing.
“No,” he finally replied. “Don’t hurt him.”
“Then be a good boy and get out of the car,” Daddy whispered. “Bring Dickie.”
“No,” Dick whimpered as Slade got out of the car and reached for him. “No, no, no.”
“I know, I know,” Slade whispered as he picked Dick up, holding him close against his chest since Dick was only wearing a shirt and hadn’t been given his pants or boxers before being put in the car. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
Dick whimpered as Slade followed Mommy through the empty parking lot to the outside family bathroom that was just as gross on the inside as it was on the outside.
“Put him down,” Daddy ordered as he stepped in, closing and locking the bathroom door behind him. “Mommy, do you want to put Dickie’s diaper on while I rangle bubba into his?”
“I’ll cooperate,” Slade said calmly as Mommy grabbed Dick’s arm and dragged the struggling, whining acrobat over to her. “You don’t have to-”
“See, but we’re going to,” Daddy said. “Because you still have to be punished for running away and kidnapping Dickie. So getting a diaper is going to be the first part of your punishment.”
“First part?” Slade asked.
“Let’s leave the rest as a surprise, Daddy,” Mommy said as she finished taping up Dick’s diaper, patting the trembling acrobat’s thigh before picking him up and holding him on her hip. When Slade looked over, he noticed how empty Dick’s eyes were and
knew
the acrobat was dissociating.”
At this rate, he wasn’t going to need shock sessions to get him to behave. He’d do it of his own free will out of fear.
“Alright bubba,” Daddy said, drawing Slade’s attention while Mommy carried Dick out of the bathroom and back to the car. “Are you going to behave while I put the diaper on or are you going to fight?”
Slade narrowed his eyes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“You shouldn’t have fought them,” Dick mumbled.
Slade glanced over. He’d thought the acrobat was asleep but apparently not. The two of them were in the backseat of the car, drugs in their system to prevent them from moving and unlocking the seatbelt.
They’d been driving for hours until Mommy and Daddy pulled over to use the bathroom.
“Like hell I’m going to let them force me into a diaper without a fight,” Slade snarled.
Dick rolled his head in Slade’s direction, giving a meaningful glance at the diaper the mercenary was wearing.
“They still won,” the acrobat noted and Slade was glad to see a small smile on Dick’s lips, even for a second.
“You talked to Bruce,” Slade pointed out, glancing to the window when he spotted Mommy and Daddy coming back. They didn’t have much time. “He knows my address, knows you’re back. He knows who took you.”
“So?”
“So when you don’t contact them for a long time, they’re going to come looking and I doubt it’ll take long for them to find us.”
Dick didn’t reply before Mommy and Daddy got back into the car. “How are my special boys?” Mommy cooed, turning to face them both with a beaming smile.
“We’re going to get out of here, just like last time,” Slade told her calmly. “And this time, I’m going to kill you both.”
Daddy clicked his tongue as he turned around as well. “Well bubba, that’s not very nice.” he glanced back at Dick. “Do you feel the same way, Dickie? Are you going to kill us too?”
Dick couldn’t meet Daddy’s gaze, eyes wide as he shook his head quickly.
“No what?” Daddy asked.
Dick seemed to tremble, still unable to lift his eyes as he whispered, “No daddy.”
“Good boy,” Daddy said with a smile, reaching back to rub Dick’s knee, ignoring the way the acrobat flinched. He looked over at Mommy. “Should we feed them now or when we get home?”
“Bubba is going to need to be force fed,” Mommy pointed out. “And Dickie looks tired. So let’s wait until we get home.”
“Mm, good idea,” Daddy agreed. He looked back at Dick and Slade. “Do either of you need a diaper change before we get going again?”
“No daddy,” Dick replied, almost without thought.
Daddy turned his gaze to Slade. “Bubba?”
Slade only glared. Mommy chuckled, shaking her head fondly as she rifled through her purse, producing two pacifiers. One she reached back and handed to Dick who slowly took it with a shaking hand, popping it in his mouth as tears filled his eyes.
The other, she held up for Slade to see. The mercenary noted it had straps on it.
“Are you going to be a good boy and not swear anymore?” she asked, eyebrow raised as Daddy started the car and started driving the long empty road again. “Or do we need to strap this on?”
“No,” Slade replied.
Mommy raised an eyebrow. “No what?”
Slade seethed. “No
mommy
.”
Mommy smiled. “Good boy,” she said with a smile, turning back around to face the front, though she didn’t put the pacifier away. After a few moments, Slade looked over at Dick. his heart broke as he saw the silent tears falling down Dick’s cheeks, the acrobat’s hands trembling violently.
This is your fault
. Something in his mind said. It didn’t elaborate, but Slade didn’t need it to since he agreed.
…………..
Slade was almost glad the kid passed out from panic. He wasn’t sure Dick would have been able to handle it being awake.
They got to the car and Slade didn’t even get a chance to try and fight before Daddy was at his side, tightly and painfully restraining his wrists before unbuckling the seatbelt and forcing him out of the car. The drugs had worn off a few minutes earlier which meant Slade was able to support himself on shaky legs.
As he was led to the house, he glanced over his shoulder to find Mommy following close behind, Dick in her arms.
He was really glad the acrobat was still unconscious.
When they got into the house and went to the kitchen, Slade was forced into one of the chairs and strapped in. He glanced over his shoulder when he noted Mommy was still standing in the doorway with Dick in her arms.
“I’m going to take Dickie up to bed,” she told Daddy who was over by the fridge. “I don’t want to wake him up just to feed him. I can feed him later if he wakes up in the middle of the night.”
“Alright,” Daddy agreed. “I’ll handle bubba.”
Once Mommy left and Daddy had finished mixing the milk and some sort of powder into a baby bottle, he came over to sit across the table from Slade.
“I don’t suppose you’re going to just take this without question, are you?”
“No,” Slade replied.
“It would be painless if you did,” Daddy told him.
“You said the diaper was only the first part of my punishment,” Slade said calmly. “So what’s the rest?”
“If I tell you, then you’re going to fight me,” Daddy pointed out. “If you don’t know when it’s coming-”
“Then I’ll fight anything.”
“Then Mommy and I will just have to punish Dickie for your misbehavior.”
Slade was silent for a long time. “Don’t touch him.”
“Behave,” Daddy ordered. “And he won’t be hurt.” he held up the bottle of milk. “Drink all of this then you can go night-night, okay?”
“Will Dickie and I be in the same room?” Slade asked.
Daddy shook his head. “That’s not a good idea,” he replied. “Remember what happened last time?”
Slade was silent. “If I drink all of that without complaining, you won’t hurt Dick?”
“Of course.” Daddy smiled. “So what will it be, buddy?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Slade had a pounding headache when he woke up the next morning and had to stare at the ceiling for a few moments before finally recalling where he was with a scowl.
He lifted his arm to glare at the heavy cuff around his wrist, unsurprised to find it. His body felt heavy and he knew trying to sit up would be useless and likely only result in him landing in a compromising position.
He wasn’t sure how early it was since there didn’t seem to be any clock in the room and the curtains - blackout to disorient him - were drawn.
With a tired sigh, Slade resigned himself to lay in bed until Mommy and Daddy came to get him. He closed his eye to try and quell the headache but it flew open a moment later when he heard the telltale sign of agonized screaming.
Dick.
He cursed loudly, or at least tried. He growled when he finally registered the fucking pacifier gag fromt he night before. He was grown ass man and this was probably the most humiliating gpositin he’d ever found himself it.
At this rate, he would have preferred to stay separate from Dick for a mere sake of not giving the acrobat mocking material. Although judging by how out of it Dick had been the night before, Slade didn’t think his own appearance would be the highlight of Dick’s concern.
He wasn’t sure how long the screaming lasted before the sound stopped abruptly. A few moments alter, he heard the sound of a key in a lock and the door to his bedroom opened.
“Hey buddy!” Daddy said cheerfully, not at all put off by the deathglare Slade was shooting him. As soon as Daddy had removed the pacifier, Slade spoke.
“What the-” he cut himself off at the last minute, not trusting Daddy to punish Dick instead of Slade if the mercenary cursed. “What are you doing to Dick?”
“Just giving him a session, that’s all,” Daddy replied. “He’s really tired though so he’s going to take a little nap while you have breakfast. How does that sound?”
“You’re very adamant at keeping us apart,” Slade grumbled as Daddy pulled the train themed comforter off of Slade, revealing the padded diaper.
Slade could understand Dick’s reaction to it at least. It was truly humiliating to have it on. Even worse when Daddy untapped it to look inside.
“Looks like bubba will need a diaper change before we go downstairs,” he said, grinning at Slade. “You made a stinky.”
Slade was going to kill this man with his bare hands as soon as he got out of here.
………………….
Daddy and Mommy would clever, Slade could give them that. They had the day so well planned out that Slade got up and went to bed without
ever
seeing Dick.
But god, he
heard
him. They must have thought Dick wasn’t deep enough the first time because Slade could hear Dick screaming in pain three times daily.
Slade himself was put through the session three times daily as well. But he had an advantage over Dick in that he was enhanced and thus not quite as susceptible to brainwashing as Dick was.
Slade still hadn’t decided if that was a perk or not when he was settled into bed on the seventh day they’d been there. He felt like he was starting to lose his mind and it had nothing to do with the shock sessions.
He couldn’t imagine Dick was faring any better.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dick had barely opened his eyes before he felt like he was going to throw up. He wasn’t sure how long they’d been there, the constant torture frying his brain even more than it had done before. He rolled his head to the side, gazing blankly at the crib bars and absentmindedly tugging on the cuff around his wrist.
He frowned. He was forgetting something, wasn’t he? He hadn’t come here alone, right? Someone had been with him...hadn’t they? But...no.
No, he didn’t think so. He was alone. He hadn’t seen anyone but Mommy and Daddy this whole time, so he was alone.
He was their good little baby. Why would they need anyone else? He was teetering on an edge, he knew that. It was familiar, too. He was hungry, he realized. He tugged a little more insistently on te cuff, whining a bit.
He was
hungry
. Why hadn’t Mommy and Daddy come to feed him yet? Usually they were the ones coming in to wake him up for breakfast, now he was laying there squirming as his bladder told him it was full.
Almost immediately, a thought crossed his mind to hold it. His frown deepened. Why? He was wearing a diaper and that’s what they were for. And he
really
had to pee…
He looked over when the door clicked open and Daddy walked in. Without much thought, Dick cooed at the sight of him, kicking his legs in eager anticipation.
Finally!
He thought as Daddy lowered the slats and unhooked his wrists, lifting Dick out.
They’ll feed me!
“Alright, come here squirt,” Daddy said, hiking Dick up on his hip as he carried him out into the hall and down to another room. Dick fronwed, kicking his legs and whining in unhappiness. This wasn’t the way to the kitchen!
He started to cry when he entered the other room with the laid back chair that caused pain to explode in his head. He kicked and screamed as Daddy and Mommy held him down and pinned his wrists and ankles.
He continued to fight as they taped the pads to his temples, turning the machine on. His throat was burning from all this screaming but he was
hungry
and had to
pee
! What were they
doing!?
He never even felt the zap of electricity flow through his veins.
………………
He came to as they were changing his diaper, eyes opening slowly and staring around him uncomprehendingly. His stomach gurgled and without rhyme or reason, he started to cry.
“Oh, it’s okay sweetheart,” Mommy cooed as Daddy finished zipping him up into his footie pajamas. “I bet you’re really hungry, aren’t you honey? Is your belly all upset?”
Dick nodded miserably, sniffling as Mommy lifted him up and tucked him into his side, petting his hair when he rested his head on her shoulder.
“Come on, sweetie,” Mommy said,
finally
taking Dick down the stairs to the kitchen, holding him close as she grabbed his baby bottle from the fridge and popping it into the microwave, rubbing Dick’s diapered ass as they waited.
She glanced behind her, prompting Dick to do the same. He frowned when he found Daddy standing there, holding the hand of someone who looked so painfully familiar. White hair and a choo-choo eyepatch. A diaper too. But the microwave beeped and Dick’s attention was drawn to more important things.
Mommy carried him out of the kitchen so he could drink his bottle in his playpen while she got work done in her office. But even as they walked away, he still heard someone bellow,
“What the
fuck
have you done to him!?”
It wasn’t important though, Dick thought as he began suckling at the bottle, happily cooing up at Mommy as she set him down in playpen amongst his stuffed animals.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Mommy, I’m starting to think Slade might be a lost cause.”
Dick looked up when Daddy entered the room before ultimately deciding to ignore them. They weren’t talking to him and he had animal crackers to eat. There were more important things at the moment.
Eventually he grew bored, looking around for something to do. It was then that he remembered he wasn’t in his playpen. Just sitting freely on Mommy’s office floor with the door open.
He pressed his lips together. Mommy had never really told him he wasn’t allowed to explore on his own…
He gripped his box of animal crackers and starting crawling out of the room on his hands and knees. Mommy and Daddy didn’t notice and so he took to exploring the upstairs. Down the hall, next to his bedroom, was a room where the door was always closed.
He’d always
wanted
to see what was inside…
He glanced over his shoulder but Mommy and Daddy hadn’t come after him. So he balanced up on his knees with a grunt, turing the knob.
He was surprised it opened. Most of the doors needed a key that Mommy and Daddy had. Still, he happily trotted inside. It was another nursery and he felt tears well up at the idea that Mommy and Daddy had another baby.
Didn’t they love him anymore?”
“Kid?”
He turned his head towards the crib, slowly crawling closer and recognizing the white haired figure from earlier. Was this who Mommy and Daddy were going to replace him with?
The figure’s expression was gentle. “Kid, can you hear me?”
Dick frowned before coming closer, sitting on the floor before offering the figure one of his animal crackers.
“Oh hell, kid, I’m so sorry.”
……………………..
Dick didn’t seem to understand anything, eyes glazed over as he happily munched on animal crackers and crawled around the room. Slade had had hope that maybe Dick was fighting back but this was…
This was worse than before. Before there had been at least
some
recognition.
Now there was nothing. A blank slate behind his cerulean blue eyes. Even
if
Slade managed to get the kid coherent again, there were going to be a
lot
of permanent repercussions as a result from what the kid had been put through.
One more session and they were going to fry his fucking
brain
if they hadn’t already. Slade, at least, was still mostly aware. At first, in the morning, he found himself on the edge of pissing his diaper like it was the most natural thing in the world.
It faded when Daddy came to get him and came back later when he was tired.
“We’re going to get out of here, kid,” Slade said even though Dick wasn’t listening. Too busy babbling to himself and throwing the rest of his animal crackers around the room. Slade glanced towards the bedroom door. It was still open. If he could find someway to slip the cuffs…
But no, Dick would cry. Slade was fast but not when he had to be careful with Dick. Not when there were two metas chasing after him.
He paused, looking over at the kid. The
kid.
God, how hadn’t he thought of this before!? Wayne was obsessive and possessive of his kid’s location at all times. He
had
to have put some sort of blood tracker into Dick after Dick told his family about Mommy and Daddy.
So where the
fuck
was the damn family?
As if on cue, the bang of a gunshot filtered up the stairs.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Slade barely heard the footsteps over Dick’s screams.
Whoever had broken in was running up the stairs only to be instantly met by Mommy while Daddy rushed into the room and scooped up Dick.
“Alright babies,” he said, rushing over to Slade. “Time to go.”
Slade waited for him to unlock both of Skade’s wrists before decking the meta in the face. He went down hard and Slade moved just barely in time to prevent Dick from hitting the ground.
“Sorry kid,” Slade whispered as he put Dick aside and turned around as Daddy was slowly getting to his feet with a groan.
“I
told
Mommy you were a lost cause,” he growled. “Said we should just slit your throat and toss your body to the side of the road.”
“This is going to be hard to believe,” Slade said calmly. “But I don’t die that easily.”
Daddy sneered. “Well, we’ll see about that won’t we?”
……………….
Panting and leaning over Daddy’s unconscious form, Slade straightened up when he heard the click of a gun, turning to find Jason Todd standing in the doorway, eyes glowing green.
“Back the fuck away from him,” Jason hissed.
He was referring to Dick who was curled in the corner behind Slade, sobbing. The mercenary did not do as he’d been told.
“He needs help,” Slade said calmly. “He’s been brainwashed.”
“Really?” Jason drawled. “I couldn’t tell.”
“Let me help.”
“No,” Jason said firmly. “How do I know this isn’t
your
fault?”
“Do you really think I’d be wearing
this
shit if it was?”
Jason’s lip twitched, giving away his urge to laugh. “Yes.”
“They’ve fried his brain,” Slade said as Jason shoved past him, walking over to Dick who huddled away with a scream. “Even if we get him back, we’re not going to get
all
of him back.”
Jason stared down at Dick before turning to Slade. “Then what do you suggest?” he demanded.
“I don’t know,” Slade replied. “The last time, he wasn’t so far under. He recognized me. Now, there’s nothing. Before,
I
was what brought him back. Now, there might not be anything.”
“Bullshit,” Jason declared. “Have you met Bruce Wayne? If he wants something, he gets it.”
Slade hummed. “Calm him down,” he said, gesturing to Dick. “There are drugs in the cabinet over there. Strong sedatives. They work on him.”
“Uh huh and where are you going?” Jason asked as he tucked his gun away and crouched a bit away from Dick.
“To change.”
“Really? I think diapers suit you.”
Slade chose to ignore him.
……………….
“He won’t stop crying.”
“Then drug him.”
“
No
.”
“Then we’re stuck here until he calms down or passes out.”
“You-” Jason closed his eyes, forcing himself to relax.
Slade spoke next. “Is she dead?”
“Yes,” Jason replied. “Him?”
“No,” Slade replied.
“Well,” Jason said, straightening up and moving towards Dick who had finally gotten tired enough to not fight back save for a whimper when Jason moved closer. “Looks like you’ll have a friend.”
“You can’t be serious about leaving me here,” Slade said, crossing his arms over his chest and watching as Jason tried and failed to prompt Dick to his feet. “He can’t walk,” he chimed in.
“He can, he just doesn’t think he can,” Jason corrected.
Slade grunted. “I can carry him,” he offered.
Jason looked like he’d sooner shoot himself then let Slade near Dick but the fact of the matter was that they didn’t have any other choice.”
“My car’s outside,” he said, pulling the keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Slade. “Take him out. I’ll handle the guy.”
“Will do.”
“And Wilson?” Jason asked as Slade gently lifted Dick up, ignoring the way the acrobat began to squirm and cry again. “If he’s as damaged as you say, if we can’t get him back, I
will
kill you.”
“Good luck.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Well?” Bruce demanded as J’onn stepped away from Dick, the brainwashed acrobat sobbing on the bed until Alfred kindly stepped forward and offered him his stuffed elephant Zitka fro his childhood.
“His mind is very badly damaged, as Mr. Wilson informed us,” J’onn replied softly. “But he’s not totally lost. While I do believe we can get him back, it is going to take time and patience.”
“Something Bruce doesn't have,” Jason muttered.
Bruce shot him a glare before looking back at J’onn. “Are you sure we can’t sped up the process? Go into his head and force the memories back.”
“Doing so may damage him permanently,” J’onn replied. “You have to
ease
him back.”
“And how do you suggest doing that?”
“Keeping Mr. Wilson nearby, for starters.”
Everyone turned to stare at Slade. “Excuse me?” Slade finally asked.
“He’ll see you as a sign of safety,” J’onn explained. “After all, you were there with him, with the parents. Some part of him may not only recognize who you are but the brainwashed part may recognize you for the familiarity. You came from that situation, you’ll keep him stable.”
Slade made a grunting noise, arms crossed over his chest. “You think the master of the house is going to let me stay?”
Bruce glared at him but didn’t get a chance to say anything before J’onn spoke. “If he ever wants his son back, he’s going to have to. I’d recommend trying to keep you within his eyesight at all times.”
Slade heaved a tired sigh before nodding. “Very well.”
“In that case, I recommend we let the two of you get some rest.” And with that, he turned and left the room.
“If you hurt him…” Bruce warned.
“I won’t,” Slade promised. “In case you haven’t noticed, the two of us were in a relationship before this nightmare came back to bite us in the ass. If I wanted to hurt him, I would have done it earlier.”
Bryce sneered before turning and striding off, Tim close on his heels.
Which just left Jason.
“Yes?” Slade asked, eyebrow raised.
“Nothing,” Jason said, shrugging. “Just...wish I had gotten a picture of you in a diaper.”
Slade growled. “Get out.”
Jason gave a mock sollute and turned to leave, freezing when Dick burst into tears. Jason and Slade turned to the acrobat who was seated on the bed, Zitka forgotten in his lap as he sobbed and made grabby hands in Jason’s direction.
As soon as Jason took a few steps into the room, he stopped crying and went back to playing with the stuffed animal.
“Well, what do you know?” Slade said with a grin as he walked towards the door. “Looks like
you’re
the one he wants.”
As soon as he touched the door handle, Dick screamed until Slade backed away.
“Well, what do you know?” Jason mocked, hands on his hips. “Looks like
we’re
the ones he wants.”
……………………….
Dick had one hand curled in Jason’s jacket and any time the other so much as shifted, the acrobat’s face scrunched up like he was about to start crying.
Jason had not moved in several hours. His body was sore and he had to
pee
.
Slade wasn’t fairing any better. Worse, actually, since Dick had a fistful of his hair.
“So this is our life now,” Jason muttered.
“Unfortunately,” Slade replied, wincing when Dick tugged on his hair and laughed.
“As soon as he’s better,” Jason began. “I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Agreed.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dick Grayson was a living nightmare, that much Slade and Jason could agree on.
“Did you
have
to get up?” Jason snapped, hands over his ears as Slade got back into bed and pulling the sobbing acrobat into his lap.
“I had to piss, Todd,” he replied hotly as he tucked Dick close and stroked a hand over his back. “Would you have preferred I do it in the bed?”
“I would prefer you to wear diapers so
this
doesn’t happen,” Jason growled.
Dick Grayson was a living nightmare. A brainwashed clingy living nightmare with separation anxiety to the point that he was near inconsolable for forty-five whole minutes if Jason or Slade walked away from him.
By this point, Jason was ready to drop kick him out the window but he didn’t think anyone would be too pleased with that (and he’d feel sick as well) so he didn’t.
“You know what, I’m not going to kick his ass once he’s better,” Jason decided one night. “Let’s just film him chewing on your hand and kill him by embarrassment.”
“Agree,” Slade murmured as he brushed Dick’s hair one morning.
Jason sighed, flopping back on the bed. “We can’t even leave this fucking
room
!” he declared loudly. “He hates
everyone else
but us and is scared out of his damn mind of anywhere else.”
“The parents kept him locked away in one or two areas of the home, I believe,” Slade said calmly. “It’s no wonder the idea of anything bigger is mind numbingly terrifying to him.”
“Wilson, I cannot live in one room for the rest of my life or I will lose my fucking mind.”
“I’m certain you’ve already lost it.”
“Stop.”
Jason sat up quickly, eyes wide. “Dick?” he asked tentatively, pushing himself up further to see the acrobat who was curled up on his side next to Slade, an arm thrown over his eyes.
He didn’t reply.
“Little Bird?”
Dick’s voice was hoarse and barely audible as he replied, “My head hurts.”
“Dick,” Jason said in a soft whisper. “Can Slade go to get Bruce?”
“Mm hmm.”
Dick’s agreement lasted just long enough for Slade to get out of bed before he let out a pained whine.
“Dick, what’s wrong?” Jason asked, hands fluttering over the acrobat’s body.
“I don’t know,” Dick replied breathlessly, body minutely trembling. “I-I thought it was okay but he got up and I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“What if Slade gets back on the bed?” Jason asked, gesturing wildly for the mercenary to do as he was told. Once he did, Jason asked, “How’s that?”
“A lot better,” Dick replied with a sigh. He wasn’t trembling anymore.
“What if I leave?”
“No!”
“Okay, okay,” Jason soothed, holding up his hands. “Okay, I won’t leave.”
“Promise?” he sounded like a child.
“I won’t leave.”
“You have to
promise
!”
“I promise not to leave.”
“Good.” Dick reached down to tangle his fingers in Jason’s shirt. “Now you can’t leave.”
Jason gave a weak laugh. After a few more moments of silence, he asked, “how does your head fele?”
“Like it was shoved in the electrical socket.”
Jason and Slade shared glances. “What do you remember?” Slade asked quietly.
“I dunno,” Dick replied. “It’s…” he reluctantly released Jason’s hand to wave his hand aimlessly in the air before quickly grabbing Jason again. “It’s fuzzy.”
“Do you remember anything clearly at all?” Jason pressed.
Dick groaned, the sound hitching into a whine as he shuddered and buried his face in Slade’s thigh.
“Hurts too much,” he mumbled.
“Okay, we’re done,” Slade promised softly. “Get some rest, little one.”
“You won’t leave?”
“We won’t leave. We promise.”
As soon as he was sure Dick was asleep, Jason spoke. “What the hell?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean what broke him out of it?”
Slade was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. “We were arguing,” he offered.
Jason scoffed. “Of course that’s what broke him out of it,” he muttered.
“Elaborate.”
“His big brother instincts kicked in.”
Slade chuckled quietly. “Of course.”
“Now here’s the problem though,” Jason said. “He seems to have imprinted on us like a wolf pup.”
“Which means?”
“We’re still stuck here until Alfred comes with dinner.”
Slade heaved a tired sigh as he eloquently declared, “Fuck.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“So I’m super clingy now, I guess,” Dick whispered as he and Slade lay awake in bed late one night, Jason passed out on Dick’s other side. “Cause the shock ‘therapy’ messed with my head.”
“Be glad you don’t remember, little bird,” Slade murmured.
“Do you?”
Slade hummed his confirmation.
“Did it hurt?”
Slade nodded.
“What’s your side effect?”
Slade frowned, looking down at him. “What do you mean?”
“Well, like I said being clingy is my side effect,” Dick replied. “I mean, I was clingy before. It’s just worse now. So if that’s mine, what’s yours?”
“I don’t have one.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m above that, kid.”
“No you’re not.” Dick pouted. “Come on, Slade. I can tell there’s a side effect. The Mirakuru might have protected you from the brainwashing but it couldn’t have protected you from
everything
.”
“Why do you want so badly to know?”
“Maybe so I know I’m not the only one fucked up by this.”
Slade paused and glanced down at Dick who refused to look at him, idly playing with the edge of the blanket.
The mercenary sighed softly, wrapping an arm around Dcik’s shoulders. “There are mornings I wake up and forget I’m here,” he began softly. “I forget that I am in control of myself and they’re dead. I forget that they’re not coming in to wake me up and I am a full grown man who is in control of himself.”
Dick frowned. “What happens?”
“Some people become incontinent once they’re older. I just never thought I’d be one of them.”
Dick blinked. “Are you calling yourself old?”
Slade paused, letting the words sink in before laughing quietly. “Thank you for
that
being what you choose to focus on.”
“You’re welcome,” Dick returned. “But I am curious. Have you ever...um…”
“I’ve never
wet
myself if that’s what you’re trying to ask,” Slade replied. “But it’s been very close calls.”
“I guess we just have to potty train you,” Dick said with a grin.
Slade heaved a sigh. “Of course, and here come the jokes,” he muttered.
“No, no, I’m sorry!” Dick rushed to assure though a smile still stayed in place. “I’m sorry, I won’t mention it again.”
………………………
That lasted until the next day and really it was Slade’s fault it was brought up at all.
Slade had gotten up before Dick (with Dick’s permission since the acrobat still freaked out if they walked away with his say-so) because he wanted to go for a run so he was seated in the kitchen when Jason stepped in, Dick attached to his sleeve.
“When are you going to stop following Jason around?” Slade asked, taking a sip of his coffee without thinking about the next words coming out of his mouth. “You look like a duckling.”
Maybe Dick was just tired or maybe his pride was a little hurt because he snapped, “When are
you
going to stop wetting the bed?”
“Oh,
fuck
you!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“You doing better, kid?”
Dick heaved a tired sigh, rubbing his thumb over the condensation of his glass of water.
“I’ve been better,” he admitted. “I don’t lose my
mind
whenever Jason walks out of the room anymore. I
did
have a panic attack after you left but...but it got better.”
“Good,” Slade murmured with a small smile. “That’s good, little bird. I’m proud of you.”
“I’m not ready to go out in public, at least alone,” Dick admitted. “Not yet. It...it took me a lot just to come over here today.”
“Someone bring you?”
“Yeah, Alfred,” Dick replied with a small smile. “And he agreed to come up to the door when he gets here to take me back and he...well, I…” he sighed.
“I can walk you down to the car, if that would make you comfortable,” Slade offered.
Dick nodded. “Thank you, Slade. And...I’m sorry.”
Slade raised an eyebrow. “For?”
“Dragging you into this,” Dick replied quietly. “It was my fault.”
“No it wasn’t. Not at first. Remember, as much as I hate to remind you of this, you were there with them for ten years before I showed up. You did not draw me into this.”
“I did the second time.”
“No. Kid, you have to stop blaming yourself for things that aren’t your fault.”
Dick gave a quiet laugh. “In case you haven’t noticed, Slade, that’s kind of my thing.”
Slade shook his head with a roll of his eye. “I had noticed, actually,” he replied. “So, have you been cleared for patrol yet?”
“No, not yet,” Dick replied. “And honestly, that’s...that’s the best thing. I’m still unstable, I still wake up from nightmares. I don’t sleep well, I still have separation anxiety.” he took a deep breath, dropping his head from the counter. “Sometimes...sometimes I...I forget where I am and I resort back into…” he gave a weak laugh. “It’s so stupid but I resort back into their
fucking
puppet.”
“You were put through severe and traumatic brainwashing methods and treated as their child for ten years,” Slade soothed. “Not to mention however many months we were both there.”
“Yeah, I know, I just-” he scoffed. “I just want to get better.”
“Stuff like this doesn’t get better right away.”
“It’s been a
year
, Slade!” Dick shouted, lifting his head to stare at the mercenary, eyes blazing and furious. “It’s been a damn
year
and nothing has changed!”
Slade stayed silent and still as Dick continued to shout, waiting quietly until the acrobat tired himself out before saying,
“So do something about it.”
Dick scowled. “Excuse me?”
“If it’s been that long and you’re pissed that nothing’s changed, then get off your ass and do something about it,” Slade declared firmly.
“I
can’t
-”
“And why not?” Slade cut in. “You know why you still feel like you’re a slave to them? Because you’re
letting
yourself remain a slave to them. They’re
dead
, Grayson, and they’re not coming back. So grow the
fuck
up and get over it.”
Dick jerked back, reeling, eyes wide and lips parted though his brain was drawing a blank on what to say in response. The kitchen was silent for a long time save for the sounds of Slade getting up to refill his cup of coffee.
By the time he sat back down, Dick had mostly gotten over his shock and fury though he still looked somewhat upset.
“I thought you said stuff like this doesn’t get better right away.”
“I did,” Slade confirmed, taking a sip of his coffee before going on. “But that’s only if you’re
trying
to get better.”
“I’m-”
“You’re wallowing in your misery,” the mercenary cut in. “you’re letting your fear take control. You’re waiting for others to make the first move, waiting for someone else to determine what move you make.”
“No I’m no-”
“When was the last time you left the manor of your own free will before I invited you over?” Slade asked calmly, leaning back in his seat and idly sipping his coffee as he waited patiently for Dick’s reply.
The mercenary swallowed thickly, ducking his head. “You...I…”
“Sometimes the truth is hard to see through blinding terror,” Slade said softly, leaning forward and setting his mug aside before reaching out to place his hands over Dick’s which were clasped together and shaking atop the table. “Which is why you have to take a deep breath and relax. I know you’re scared and that’s okay.” when Dick looked up at him, Slade added softly, “I’m scared too.”
Dick blinked, surprised. “You are?”
Slade hummed. “Not for myself, of course,” he responded. “But...for you.”
“Me?”
“You forget, Grayson, we were in a relationship before they returned for us,” Slade told him. “I...
care
for you. Deeply. Seeing you hurt, seeing you struggle...scares me.”
Dick shook his head. “Why?” he whispered.
“Because there’s nothing I can do to help you anymore,” Slade replied.
“How do you know?”
“Why do you think I moved out of the manor?”
Dick frowned. “because...Bruce made you?”
Slade chuckled at the reminder of that conversation. “Partially,” he agreed. “But I moved out for you.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“With Todd and myself around, you were becoming dependent,” Slade explained. “We were your crutches. When we left, you panicked and you were using us as a way to stay calm.
To stay sane, so to speak.”
“You left to help me become independent again,” Dick realized. “That’s why Jason left soon after too.”
“I made sure he’d check in on you more often,” Slade said. “But yes. I contacted him shortly after I left. He shared my concern and decided it was the best thing for you.”
“Did you talk to anyone else behind my back?”
“No,” Slade replied. “I wanted to see you become more independent first. I wanted you to get over your separation anxiety before I moved on to anything else.”
“But now it’s too late.”
“I waited too long,” Slade agreed. “There’s nothing I can do to help you anymore. The rest of your recovery is going to be up to you.”
Dick swallowed thickly. “How do I do it?”
“That’s all on you. You have to figure it out,” Slade said, giving DIck’s hands a small squeeze as he added, “But that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help.”
“And if I ask?” Dick pressed. “You’ll help?”
“I’ll help. Always.”