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Dick knew he should be heading back to the Cave, patrol was over and while nothing detrimental had occurred, Bruce would still be expecting a report by the end of the night. Although despite it all, his eyes could not leave the overlook from where he found himself perched, the glistening city lights and the quiet hum of the people was so easy to get lost into. In moments like this, he was reminded as to why he fought, to protect and preserve this atmosphere that so rarely showed itself within Gotham’s walls. A thud sounded behind him, drawing him from his calming thoughts. While the prickle of wariness darted across his neck, he knew better than to attack, after all the arrival had long been expected.
“Slade,” Dick spoke at last only once the man drew closer. “Oracle said you were spotted in Gotham.”
Just as he anticipated the man was dressed in his typical armour, while the eerie mask concealed any reaction to his existence, Dick had grown used to reading between the line with the mercenary. The relaxed stance and swords firmly strapped to his back was more than enough of a sign to lower his own guard.
For whatever reason Slade wasn’t here to fight, small mercies he supposed.
“Don’t worry yourself kid, no blood on my hands tonight.” The sound of the gruff voice soothed an unknown ache in his chest. “I was merely in the area and decided to pay a visit.” At this Dick couldn’t help but turn to face the older man, eyebrows raised in suspicion. Slade didn’t bother with simplistic trips, let alone to Gotham of all places. The man travelled with purpose and direction, constantly planning out his next move for whichever contract he had pending. Idle travels were nothing but a waste of time, so for the man to come visit him, here and now, there had to be a motive.
“Any reason this visit just so happens to fall under this month?” Dick grinned playfully, the pieces scattered across his mind slowly falling into place as the man across him released an amused huff of indignation. Slade knew as well as Dick did, that his nonchalant manners were not fooling anyone.
“None at all.” The mercenary replied before he reached to tug at an unfamiliar weapon which dangled from a strap at his waist, finally cutting to the chase of their seemingly unexpected meeting. There was no use prolonging the inevitable when it was just the two of them present, such things had become unnecessary even before their rivalry had grown placid. The hairs at the back of Dick’s neck raised in instinctual apprehension, yet his own curiosity drowned out any fear which may have risen.
A katana much like the ones Slade had trained him in from years ago rested in the man’s grasp. It was beautiful to say the least . The black and blue which wrapped around the weapon complimented each other as well as it did on his own suit. Dick could only watch entranced as the moonlight danced across the blade the moment Slade pulled away the sheath, the near silent shriek of the weapon's release being the only sound to be present amongst the silence encasing them both. He swallowed roughly as Slade removed his mask, the initial glance at the man’s piercing azure gaze halting his breath ever so slightly. Slade drew a few steps closer before ultimately dropping the weapon into Dick's instinctively waiting hands. The weight of the object brought back memories he had long since forgotten, and without meaning to Dick found himself slashing the blade out before him with more grace and expertise than even he expected himself to have after all these years.
Judging by the smirk lacing Slade’s lips, the man had presumed otherwise.
Contrary to popular belief, his time with Slade had not been as dreadful as the Titans thought, he himself was startled with how similar it felt to his early days as Robin. By no means did he miss it, even during those months he longed for nothing more than to return to the Tower. There were moments he even found himself yearning for the Batcave despite his strained relationship with Bruce. Nevertheless, Dick could not deny that at times he found himself somewhat content in the presence of the mercenary, the man had cared for him much more than he had foreseen.
“Don’t act so surprised, little bird.” The smirk on the man’s face never failed to aggravate him, and even though the words were true, Dick could feel the familiar flames of defiance rising up within his chest.
From the second Dick had learnt of Slade skulking within Gotham's borders, it was predictable that he were to receive a present sometime soon. As weird as it may have sounded to outside ears, nothing about this interaction should come to be a shock to either of them. It was routine at this point, every year during the late weeks of winter since their unlikely truce had first begun all those years ago, Dick had always awaited the mercenaries' appearance. Be it money, information, or a mercifully rescinded contract — the man always held through with a present before even the first signs of spring had dawned upon Gotham's doorstep. It seemed the man never failed to one up the competition, always striving to be the greatest at anything he did even when it came to something as simple as this.
It was almost amusing how easy to read Slade had become to him.
“I don’t even use a sword.” Dick muttered, as he toyed with the blade in his hands, unsure what to think as the weapon felt uncomfortably natural in his grasp. No matter how often he attempted to rid himself of the man's influence, it appeared that some scars were too deep to ever truly fade away.
Dick tried his best not to feel so content at the thought.
“I’m sure you’ll find some use.” Slade hummed before backing away, signalling their encounter had ultimately drawn to an end. It was always like this, never too long to aggravate a fight and never too short to feel as though it was solely an affair of business. That was merely what their relationship was. Dick never liked to ponder too hard on the matter. It was what it was, never to be questioned and never to be spoken of aloud. When you've been a vigilante for as long as he had, you understood that there were just some things that didn't need to be probed. When it came to small blessings and even smaller comforts, you knew when not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Thank you.” Dick spoke before the man could depart, the softness of the words making Slade freeze from where he stood. Moments passed in silence, and Dick quietly wondered if he had said too much. That was until the mercenary turned around to approach him in swift and quickened steps, moving so fast Dick could not prepare himself for the sudden sensation of padded fingers carding through his hair before they trailed down to clutch briefly at the nape of his neck.
A feather-light kiss was planted firmly on his scalp, gentle as the icy breeze that blew past. They stood in silence for a beat, the world around them draining out for only a second before the clamour of the city returned to his ears.
“Happy birthday kid.” The quiet words whispered into the night as not a second later the man jumped from the roof. Dick wasn’t entirely sure what had just occurred, although he knew for a fact that he wasn’t as shocked as he should’ve been.
Just as he had said before, there was no point in finding fault in such a thing.
It was what it was.