The Master Returns
They traveled in silence for several hours before Robin couldn't handle it anymore. He opened his mouth to snap at Slade and then stopped, grinding his teeth loudly. Slade snorted and tied his mask back on.
"Is that a challenge, Robin?"
"You tell me."
"You know I can't turn down a challenge, boy..." Slade looked up from the controls of the chamber, his eye shining with dark humor. "But it'll have to wait until we get home."
Robin narrowed his eyes.
"I already have a home... and it's not with you."
Slade laughed quietly, turning his attention back to the controls.
"Of course... your friends. They've done so much to find you. The Boy Archer didn't even know you were gone." he drawled, "But I'm sure they're doing their utmost..."
Flinching slightly at those words, Robin shook his head.
"They don't know where to look." He said in their defense.
Slade snorted.
"When did that ever stop you, Robin?"
"... It hasn't..." Robin muttered.
"You hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else, boy..." Slade paused deliberately. "As I do. I won't tolerate weakness in you anymore than I tolerate it in myself. You will separate yourself from those children."
-You can't make me-, he almost said, but stopped himself... Slade could, and he would... He growled faintly, enough showing that he didn't like that, but he wasn't about to smart off either..
Slade smiled behind his mask.
"When we arrive, you will restrain Speedy until my assistant is summoned. I trust you can handle that?"
Robin glanced towards Slade directly, a plan forming.
"Yes..."
"Good." Slade turned his head slowly, regarding Robin. "And I would suggest that you not try anything, Robin. I have been lenient up to this point. I don't think you would enjoy the alternative."
Making a face, he felt that little flicker of hope for the plan be crushed instantly.
"I won't." He growled, trying to cover his small internal defiance.
"That's my boy..." Slade murmured, his attention fully on controlling the chamber as the approached the Institute. "Go get ready to dock."
Robin didn't answer, he just stood there for a moment, before turning and doing as he was told. There was no point in snapping back anymore, it didn't do him any good.
"Is that a challenge, Robin?"
"You tell me."
"You know I can't turn down a challenge, boy..." Slade looked up from the controls of the chamber, his eye shining with dark humor. "But it'll have to wait until we get home."
Robin narrowed his eyes.
"I already have a home... and it's not with you."
Slade laughed quietly, turning his attention back to the controls.
"Of course... your friends. They've done so much to find you. The Boy Archer didn't even know you were gone." he drawled, "But I'm sure they're doing their utmost..."
Flinching slightly at those words, Robin shook his head.
"They don't know where to look." He said in their defense.
Slade snorted.
"When did that ever stop you, Robin?"
"... It hasn't..." Robin muttered.
"You hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else, boy..." Slade paused deliberately. "As I do. I won't tolerate weakness in you anymore than I tolerate it in myself. You will separate yourself from those children."
-You can't make me-, he almost said, but stopped himself... Slade could, and he would... He growled faintly, enough showing that he didn't like that, but he wasn't about to smart off either..
Slade smiled behind his mask.
"When we arrive, you will restrain Speedy until my assistant is summoned. I trust you can handle that?"
Robin glanced towards Slade directly, a plan forming.
"Yes..."
"Good." Slade turned his head slowly, regarding Robin. "And I would suggest that you not try anything, Robin. I have been lenient up to this point. I don't think you would enjoy the alternative."
Making a face, he felt that little flicker of hope for the plan be crushed instantly.
"I won't." He growled, trying to cover his small internal defiance.
"That's my boy..." Slade murmured, his attention fully on controlling the chamber as the approached the Institute. "Go get ready to dock."
Robin didn't answer, he just stood there for a moment, before turning and doing as he was told. There was no point in snapping back anymore, it didn't do him any good.