Missing Hope

{16}

Bruce raged as he threw a wooden chair, watching silently as it smashed into nothing more than splinters. Bruce would make that man pay, even if it was the last thing he ever did in his lifetime!
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Chapter 16: Intensive Arguments

Bruce was having a meltdown. Deathstroke has used that serum to make robin immortal against his will! He would kill that orange and black Halloween knock off even if he died doing it. That man was going to regret EVER going after robin in the first place!

Bruce was knocked from his thoughts as robin spoke again. "Can I please just enjoy the news?" He said irritated.

Everyone looked at him concerned. Robin had been moody at times but never this easily irritated.

"Friends robin. What is the bothering of the you?" Star asked.

"It's nothing." He sighed

"Rob we are so not buying that." Cyborg said bluntly.

"Guys, seriously. It's nothing." He was growing more irritable.

Slade had ordered him not to speak on the matter. The less he gave them about any of slade's plans or information the better. The man would get him back eventually. Even if he had to wait for each hero to die in order to do it. Time was on his side after all.

"Nothing? Or an order from Deathstroke to keep silent?" Bruce snapped.

He wasn't mad at robin, but he couldn't help the tone.

"Bruce. You can try all you like. I will not spill my mast-" he got cut off.

"Dick!" He growled.

"Don't you dare call him that." Bruce growled further.

He knew robin had probably been conditioned to use the word, that however didn't make him like hearing it come from robin's mouth one bit. Robin however wasn't having any of it.

"You know what bruce...." His tone was dark as he stood.

"I'm not a child anymore." He ground out with a dark glare towards his father.

"You don't control me. You don't own me." He took a few steps toward him.

"....and you sure as hell don't decide what I will and won't call people....." He wore a look of pure fury by now.

"My master will come for me....he always does..." The raven haired teen sneered before stomping away in anger.

No one moved to run after him. They were all shocked, confused, angry and sad all at the same time.

"Will we ever do the getting of the older friend robin the back again?" Star asked sadly.

"I don't know...but we're gonna try..." Came the only reply raven could speak at the moment.

A murmur of agreement filled the room as their former leader, friend and family member disappeared from view.

Robin in turn made his way to his room, slamming and locking the door as he entered.

"Who does he think he is!?" He screamed grabbing a nearby snow globe and hucking it at the wall.

He had always hated that particular one so it seemed like a good choice of object to take some anger out on.

"Wally May have backed out like the scared kitten in a dogs alley he is just because he had to kill a few people, but I am in too deep to go back now! I can't go back now, why don't they get that!?"

He threw a few more things about in his fit of anger. The reality of the situation had hit robin a while ago. He wasn't kidding when he said he was in too deep. Though there were numerous reasons to the statement the main one holding true was he became the literal definition of Stockholm syndrome. Though not entirely directly but in a way partially directly, robin had fallen right into the skillful hands of capture bonding. Though he refused to admit it all the clear signs were there.

"NO!" He snarled shaking head.

"Not true, NOT TRUE!"

He wouldn't admit to his denial either.

"I chose this myself and I refuse to believe anything else! How dare bruce imply I was forced into this! How dare he cause me to doubt m-" he paused as a knock came from the door.

"Robin?" Came starfire's soft voice.

"What!?" He growled without opening it.

He had never used that tone with star fire before. He had almost never used it with anyone except slade and occasionally Bruce during a really really really bad argument. Though he couldn't see the redhead flinch he knew she did.

"The man of bats friend with the silver of the hairs would like to do the knowing of if you'd like the cream of ice?" She asked, tone quieting a little.

Robin grumpily opened the door blocking the carnage of items he had caused in his room.

"Fine." He mumbled pulling the door closed and walking past her into the kitchen.

'Damn it Alfred. You know ice cream is my favourite comfort food' he grumbled internally.

Robin had noticed Wally joined the group as he passed the living room. He shot a glare at him, which didn't go unnoticed by the intended target and kept walking. While everyone else enjoyed their ice cream in the living room casually talking about random things, robin sat in the kitchen on a bar stool. It was both a means of avoiding everyone (especially Wally) and of having time to think once more.
Alfred handed dick his favourite sundae combination of strawberry ice cream with a chocolate drizzle, a couple slices of chocolate orange on top of the scoops and whipped cream with banana slices.
Although after inspection it was simply a strawberry banana split with a few artistic liberties, which dick refused to accept and just called it comfort food. Robin was still irritated but Alfred had a way of making that melt away.

"They're worried about you sir.." The man spoke tentatively.

He sighed out of frustration.
"I know Alfred, okay?

"I know...it's just....difficult." He spooned a mouthful of ice cream before jamming it in his mouth.

"If I don't just give in at this point, he'll either kill you all to make a point, expose Bruce and the League publicly or just wait and watch as everyone I know dies around me while I stay the same." He was ranting and had completely missed his slip up.

Bruce had walked in at that moment and glared in thought.

"So that's what he has on you then."

Robin jumped in surprise. He had not expected Bruce to come near him so soon. He could just say the man didn't know he was in there but robin knew better than that. His wayward father knew robin would be in there.

"I don't know what your talking about." Robin growled.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! He's threatened you to stay by threatening those you care about." Bruce said firmly leaving no room for doing or argument.

Robin growled.
"Contrary to your belief Bruce," robin paused emphasizing his wayward fathers name. "Not everything is about you!" He snapped.
"It May have started out that way but it sure as hell didn't stay that way! You all abandoned me to that monster!" Robin yelled in fury and hurt.

Bruce sighed.
"Dick I know this isn't about me, or the league, or the titans."

Robin faltered. Bruce never admit he was wrong. Ever.

"I know you better than you think. I raised you for the most part with a lot of help from Alfred of course. Teenage rebellion is normal, Hell I thought you'd never rebel worse than-" Bruce cut himself off. If he reminded robin about his 'replacement' as dick had seen it, his point would be lost.

Bruce shook his head.
"My point is, I know you dick. Your loyal and you live to help others, and this-" he gestured to the uniform and robins overly broody and moodya attitude. "This isn't you.."

Robin's faltering gaze hardened.
"And what would you know about me and about loyalty..."