Thirteen

Chapter Six - Fragmented

Chapter 6

October 19, 2012

{20:55 EST}

"Lesson?" Robin questioned, pushing himself up to his knees to stare at the man now towering above him, "W-what do you mean by lesson?"

Slade began to circle around the boy again, observing as the young teenager tightly grasped his bleeding shoulder. He still panted lightly to catch his breath; however, Robin forced himself to climb to his feet, this time turning his head cautiously to watch Slade as the man walked. Robin's stomach tied into knots when he made eye contact with Slade. Something about the man was just so intimidating that Robin could hardly look at him straight. It could have been the fact that the man physically dominated over Robin's own physique, but Robin wasn't sure. All he knew was that he needed to get the man to talk and spill as much information as possible.

"In due time, Robin, you'll know everything you need to. Tell me, how is the dear old Bat doing?"

Robin's eyes narrowed, "What do you want with Batman?"

To Robin's surprise, Slade stopped walking to stare directly at him and shook his head. Robin stepped back as the man approached him once more; he could almost feel disappointment radiate from Slade. The familiar pain gnawed at Robin again, biting away at his soul as usual. He hated this feeling; being so worthless. Despite coming from his opponent, Robin couldn't shake the pain off.

The man came to a halt in front of Robin, noticing the boy's... odd reaction. He hadn't anticipated Robin's shoulders to just drop in guilt or some other emotion thrashing around inside of him. Slade mused different theories back and forth, all of them leading back to Batman. Perhaps Robin never got the praise he deserved from Batman? It was a theory more than an answer, but the pieces did indeed go together.

Slade felt a sudden curiosity overwhelm him. Did the Bat do something to instill Robin to fear disappointment? A small smile tugged at Slade's lips; there was so much more depth to the boy than he originally thought.

"It was merely a question. Not everything revolves so heavily around your mentor. It's about you, Robin. It always has been."

"Why me?" Robin shot back quickly, glaring up at the man. He longed to read something in the man's unwavering eye; however, Robin failed to see anything in Slade's eye other than his own mysterious intentions. Why would Slade want him? He never even knew Slade before.

Obviously, Slade had different reasoning, "You're unlike your teammates. Determined, hard-working, focused. Even pouring hours of research into finding me when you didn't even know my name. It's astonishing how much you're like me."

Robin's shoulders instantly tensed up and he held his wound tighter, effectively taking a step back as well. No, this man was a stalker and a criminal; he was nothing like this man. He would not stand and be compared to someone as low as Slade.

"I'm nothing like you." He said hotly, clenching his free hand into a tight fist.

"Robin," Slade said as though he was talking to a small child, "How can you say that when don't know a thing about me?"

The Boy Wonder grit his teeth tightly. Slade would not talk to him like he was a little kid. Robin indeed realized he was young, only thirteen; however, that did not give Slade the right to child him. He was a hero, and he deserved respect for risking his life for hundreds of others because they couldn't do it themselves. Carrying the burden of a city earned him the right to be treated just like any other senior hero in the Justice League.

"You're a villain." Robin finally said, hardly leaving any room for debate. What more did he need to know about Slade other than he was a man who deserved to be thrown in prison? Nothing, Robin decided, because there was no gray area for Slade to wade his way through.