Chapter 24- December

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Dick pushed around his scrambled eggs not really eating.

Slade had noticed that Richard has been like this for the past 2 weeks. Taking a sip of his coffee he narrowed his eyes.

"You eat your food Richard not play with it"

"sorry" he mumbled and took a bite out of his eggs.

Will raised his brow and did a head shake towards Richard. He looked at Slade and he knew what Will wanted to ask.

putting his coffee down, he cleared his throat "Richard what is going on? You've been..moody these 2 weeks why?"

Dick placed his fork down "umm..I know I've been stuck here for 2 months so...That makes this month December, I don't know what day though."

"and what's that got to do with your mood?"

Richard sighs"well, I was just remembering how much fun I used to have when I was little because Christmas is coming..and I guess I'd be disappointed if I missed it or if I already did"

Will smiles and looks and Slade with a glint in his eyes.

"Don't you dare-" Slade began to say to Will.


"what?"

"nothing you have to concern yourself with just go to your room now" Slade Ordered.

Dick nodded and left and as soon as the boy was out of the room Will spoke.

"He needs this"

"no will, I will not celebrate Christmas with the boy"

"If you really want to get close to him, make some memorable memories by celebrating a special day with him"

Slade scratched this head "Will I haven't celebrated this since my family-"

"well they may be gone Slade but right now you have a chance to start a new one with him" Will moved his chair closer to Slade.

"since the moment you got the boy you where bound to become his family, this is not about apprentice and teacher this is about family now. He's going to start seeing you as a father and you're going to start to act like one too"

Slade groaned "but don't I have a choice in this matter-"

"the boy needs a family and if you just shut the door of being a possible father to him he's going to feel alone"

Slade sighs and stands up "being a father again? I haven't been one for a while"

"and you'll do great"

"I'll go tell Richard"

Dick was excited, They had just come back from cutting down a pine tree together, he couldn't believe Slade had told him they would celebrate Christmas together that made him start thinking of possible presents-like what do you get for a mercenary?

They decorated the living room, decorating the tree together, Will putting Christmas songs.

Dick had found that it was a week before Christmas so he was so happy that he hadn't missed Christmas yet.

at night after decorating he grabbed a sketchbook, something Slade had given to him when he first came here and began to draw, perhaps a drawing? He didn't know but he was determined to give a gift to both Slade and Will.

---

Christmas day came and Dick got up and rushed to the living room to find the Tree with presents underneath them.

"Uh not yet Richard, breakfast first," Will said grabbing the boy's arms and leading him to the kitchen.

He just gobbled it all up and rushed back this time finding Slade sitting at a couch with a present in his hands.

"Oh!"

"Uh I don't know- Do you want to open them now?" Slade asked.

"yes"

Will entered back into the room with his arms crossed "That's the last time you eat like that Richard you could hurt yourself eating too fast"

Richard sat down and opened the present. "I hope you like it" Slade said uncertainly and what Dick found inside shocked him.

An album was in it, he slowly opened it up and found pictures of his mom and dad, memories of the circus that he had once lost because he was too young to remember.

"H-how did you get this?"

"Turns out that the police had it under your files, they never gave them to you because you were too youn-"

Slade was cut off by a tight hug, he didn't know what do to but he slightly patted the boys back.

When he pulled away he was crying.

"This, Is SO important to me, thank you"

Slade smiles "uh your welcome....do you uh want to-"

"let's look at them together" Richard got closer to him and opened the album again "This is when-"

Slade spent a good hour listening to all the stories behind the pictures and he liked seeing the boy genuinely smile, genuinely being happy and he decided that this is what he wanted to see ore of and if being a father meant that he'd get to see this more then he would...fill that roll in Richard's life.

Will gave Richard an iPod filled with songs he likes with the help of Slade of course that man knows everything about the child, And the boy also gave him a big hug.

"Now my turn" He gave his present to Will first.

When Will took it out he was surprised that it was a painted coffee cup.

"you went out without permission?" Slade asked.

"No, I uh sorry Mr. Wintergreen I uh took a cup out of your drawers and painted over it"

the white cup was now red with the words neatly painted "Merry Christmas"

Will smiled "it's alright child I love it and you can now call me Will"

"I can?!"

Will nodded and pointed at Slade "now his turn"

Dick gave Slade a piece of paper, He opened it and smiled. There was a picture of them fighting side by side against black covered goons. Underneath it was written.

"I don't have much to offer but I will try- to compromise with you so that...we'll be better partners."

"Thank you, Richard, and may I say I am very impressed with your Art skill's we look very intimidating"

Dick chuckled he was filled with joy and he forgot about his friends and his situation because all he wanted right now is enjoy this moment without thinking about the blackmailing and kidnapping.

"Merry Christmas Richard"

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