Forgotten Bonds

Thirty-Two - Puzzle Piece

February 23rd, 2009. Monday, 7:06 am. 

Dick had been relieved once again when he saw Slade returned from his secret mission. Dick didn't ask the man anything about it. He figured he wouldn't like the answer, whether or not Slade gave him one, and he didn't feel like fighting with the man over it. They had different morals, different opinions, but so long as the man didn't force the worst one of all on Dick, then he would just leave it at that. Dick fully understood why Slade thought the way he did, but that didn't mean he supported it or had to follow it – or at least for now, anyway. But hopefully he would never have to. 

Thank goodness for small miracles. 

There was something anchoring about Slade when the man was in Dick's presence. Once more, Dick was trying to ignore the thoughts he was thinking about over this man, but the more they tried to insistently flutter at him in their trilling ways, the more he knew it was only a matter of time before he accepted them. If he did, though, he was emotionally bound to the man. In his heart, there would be no leaving Slade. He'd always miss the special simple, even homey feel to this place. 

Feelings that he had long missed and long needed. 

But wasn't that what Slade wanted? Didn't the man want Dick to become emotionally attached to him? That way Dick wouldn't try to stop him any more. Even if there ever came a point when Slade no longer needed him – no matter how much it destroyed Dick – there was just no way Dick would ever find himself able to fight against the man. 

They were no longer just the Hero and the Villain in Dick's eyes. 

But what of the Titans? How would they feel if they knew Dick would choose to stay with Slade? This was Slade, after all – the criminal they had tried so hard to stop. But Dick saw the man for so much more than that. There were so many layers to Slade and Dick preferred the human side far greater than anything. He respected that man so much. There were even times where he wanted to aspire certain traits from the man in himself. 

It wasn't like Dick wanted to be the man's apprentice. He didn't want to be the criminal that Slade was trying to train him in becoming. He desperately wanted to stay here, but also be the person he wanted to be. He wanted to be a hero; he wanted to help others and not hurt them. But could that ever happen? Could he and Slade reach such an agreement? One where Dick was allowed to be in the man's life and learn from him, but also be the hero he always needed to be? 

Well, as if that would ever happen. 

But experiencing that special feeling of someone needing him was something that Dick himself needed to survive. After all, Batman had stopped needing him. Dick couldn't handle being thrown under the rug, so to speak. That's how he had felt with Batman. The first sign of danger and Batman was ready to give up on him; tossing him away so easily. Yes, Dick understood that the man had been, perhaps, protective over him, but that didn't mean Dick still couldn't be the man's partner and still be by his side, right? But it just didn't happen that way, leaving Dick far more worried about being left behind in more ways than one because of it. 

But Slade wouldn't, right? He wouldn't stop needing Dick, no matter what, right? He'd protect Dick instead tossing him aside, wouldn't he? 

There was no other apprentice better than Dick. 

Right? 

It was yet another morning where Dick was quietly eating his breakfast; cold cereal with a healthy sized plate of fruit. His thoughts kept him quiet; not really willing to talk much at that moment in fear that his feelings would come tumbling down on him in their crushing weight. Dick grabbed a slice of melon while he absently watched Slade read the newspaper.