Chapter Text
Renegade smiled as he dragged a suitcase behind him, his body feeling extremely giddy. It had been awhile since Slade had let him stay somewhere new, so he just couldn’t seem to relax.
He was wearing a plain t-shirt and some jeans, as his master insisted that they would have to play civilian during the day. They were staying in a cabin deep in the woods, but may run into some people here and there.
Renegade was excited. As he waited for Wintergreen to unlock the front door, his master approached from behind. He placed a hand on Renegade’s shoulder, his grayish-blue eye glimmering in the light.
“Remember, if we meet any civilians, you are my nephew. Your name is Richard Wilson, got it?”
The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! I’m Richard.”
Wintergreen couldn’t stop his body from freezing momentarily as he heard those words. He continued to unlock the door though, turning the knob and swinging it open. He gestured for the two to come inside first, which Renegade happily obliged.
Or wait…was he Richard now? Yeah, Slade wanted him to be Richard. He could do that. He could do anything for his master.
Richard rolled his luggage in, observing the cabin quickly. It had a lot of space and was full of interesting furniture. There was also a wide assortment of colors—the display differing from Slade’s base.
Slade followed from behind while Wintergreen shut the door firmly. He let out a breath. “Richard, follow me with your luggage. I’ll show you your new room.”
The man quickly made an about-face, walking down a corridor to the left of the front door. Richard chased the man down the hall, the wheels of his suitcase rolling. As he followed, he made sure to stick close to Slade. After all, Richard was his apprentice. He was supposed to stay by Slade’s side longer than anyone else. Anyone.
Slade passed by a few doors, before opening the very last one. He gestured Richard inside, to which the boy halted in his footsteps.
The room was rather plain with only basic amenities: a small bed, an alarm clock, a window to let in the sun, and a plain, brown dresser. It was in the line of what someone would expect from a rented cabin in the woods.
It was upsetting that Richard’s Slade poster wasn’t on the wall, but it would do. It’s what his master wanted him to stay in, and so it was where he would reside.
(Richard would definitely miss those nights though—the nights where he would wake up randomly, about to call for Slade, until his eyes settled on the poster. It was just a photograph of his master, but wasn’t he perfect? Striking. Fearsome. Admirable.)
(He remembered the feeling of pride that consumed him as he stood up from the bed and walked to the wall. Placing his fingers on Slade’s mask, Richard would stare at the mercenary for hours.)
(Robin would tell him to rip it off the walls, but how could Renegade—Richard—do that? A loyal apprentice is not supposed to disrespect his master. So instead, he would go back to bed and sleep until morning. Just like Slade ordered him to.)
Richard walked into his new room, his hands dragging the suitcase behind him. He felt Slade’s eye watching him as he moved.
Richard acted accordingly.
He mentally listed all the possible escape routes, and checked the room for any bugs, cameras, or suspicious tech. After finding none, he simply laid his hand on the mattress, testing it out. The bed was soft. Nice.
But it would be nicer if it was Slade's chest beneath his head. Or the floor after a successful mission, when blood still stained his gloves and his master smiled at him with quiet approval. Richard liked those smiles. They made him feel useful.
He loved his master.
And his master loved him too. Right?
Well yes, he had to. He invited Richard on vacation! He wouldn’t have done that for a bad apprentice. He likes Richard. He likes Renegade. He doesn’t want Robin, he chose Renegade!
Richard Wilson. His master had lent Richard his last name. And Slade wouldn’t have done that unless he loooved his apprentice!
He felt the corners of his mouth rise again, a big smile on his face.
“Thank you for the room, master!”
Slade nodded his head. “You’re welcome, apprentice. But make sure to call me ‘uncle’ if we have a guest over. This place isn’t that populated, but still has a good amount of hunters in the woods.”
Richard jumped off the bed. “Of course! I was listening—I always listen!”
“You do,” Slade agreed, before pointing to the door across the hall from Richard’s. “This bedroom is mine. I won’t be far away from you, okay? I’m not leaving you. Don’t cause a scene.”
Richard couldn’t hold back his smile from widening. “Master! Thank you!” He clapped his hands together. “I can’t wait to spend this vacation with you.”
Slade hummed. “Really?”
Richard nodded his head rapidly. “Yes, master!”
The mercenary let out a small smile. Then, he made his way to the bed. He sat down at the end of it, making room for Richard to sit on the other half. Richard immediately hurried to the other side, the two’s shoulders now almost touching.
Slade looked at the boy. “Tell me, then. What do you want to do on this vacation?”
Richard didn’t hesitate. “I’ll do anything you want me to, master.”
Slade’s smile dropped instantly.
“Is that so?”
Richard felt beads of sweat build on his forehead as he registered his master’s sudden discontent.
He opened his mouth, faltering once, before rushing through his words anyway. “I—I’m sorry. Did I upset you, master?” He panicked. “I’m sorry. What did I do wrong? I never meant to offend you, I—“
“I know you didn't mean to offend me, Richard.” His master interrupted. “You never have that intent. However,” The man paused.
“…Do you think you could come up with something you want to do? It could be by yourself, with me, or with Wintergreen. Or both of us, really. Anything you want, but you have to make the decisions. Do you think you could do that for me?”
Richard blinked. “Something…I want to do?”
Slade inclined his head. “That’s right.”
Although Richard was smiling, his face was twisting into something…strange. He felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. He looked down at his shoes, his mind jumbled.
“I…I don’t know. All I ever want to do is serve you, master. I only think of you, and what you would expect from a loyal apprentice.”
Richard heard Slade sigh next to him.
“Well, that was to be expected.”
He stood up from the bed, turning around to face the boy.
“But if you ever get any feeling—any inkling of something you might want to do while we’re here—tell me. It’s about time we do something about the willow’s drawbacks. Wintergreen is starting to worry, and if I’m being honest,” he sighed again.
“I would also like to see you be a bit more normal.”
Richard's smile wobbled.
Oh.
He wasn’t normal.
But he had killed for Slade. Bled for him. Learned every order, memorized every preference, and carved his master's name into his own flesh. But still, it wasn't enough.
His master wanted something else now.
Something normal.
Something Richard didn't know how to be.
The two stared at each other for a moment—master and apprentice gauging each other’s appearances.
Even though nothing was happening, the air felt heavy.
Heavy like the days where Renegade had possibly sinned, fearing the inevitable punishment from his master. He feared that he would one day be like Lucifer, cast out and unable to gain the approval of the man he regarded as his god. That they would one day be separated and have their ties severed forever.
Richard wanted to be good. He wanted to be with his master forever.
But he also heard a voice deep in his head telling him that Slade couldn’t complain about the willow—that Slade had made the wish. It was all his fault. Slade wasn’t allowed to pick and choose whatever he wanted from Richard. He didn’t deserve the privilege. He didn’t deserve anything.
But instead, Richard found his lips departing to say the same two things he always said:
“Yes, master.”
Renegade—Richard—couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear.
He was outside. Outside! And it wasn’t even for a mission—he was just with his master. Only his master, and with no Wintergreen in sight.
It wasn’t like he hated the butler. It was just nice to spend some alone time with Slade.
Richard, who was in the passenger seat of a rental car, looked at Slade fondly. The man had one hand on the steering wheel, and was driving in such a way that it seemed effortless. He was stunning.
Richard couldn’t stop staring, and he couldn’t stop the way a smile creeped onto his face.
Slade only glanced at the boy once before snorting. “Promise me you’ll act somewhat normal at the grocery store? At least try to?”
Richard nodded adamantly. “I promise, uncle.”
Slade smirked at that, his foot pressing on the gas. “Good boy.”
After a few minutes, Slade powered off the car, the two now in a parking lot. They were in a small city, but there were still enough people for the parking lot to be one-fourth full. Richard practically bounced out of the car the moment Slade unlocked the doors, ecstatic.
Slade rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the vehicle. “We’re only buying food, calm down.”
“But I’m doing it with you!” Richard laughed, his eyes creasing in delight. “I’m so excited! Can I push the cart for you, uncle?”
Slade hummed as the two walked inside the small grocery store. “I don’t see why not.”
Richard ran to a nearby shopping cart, dragging it forcefully into his hand. The wheels scraped against the floor loudly as he pushed it to his master. “What do you want to purchase?”
Slade hummed as the two stepped into the store, the automatic doors sliding open. “Just basic stuff like food and napkins. I don’t know how long we’ll be here, so it’s best to stock up for now.”
Richard nodded in agreement, pushing the cart inside as the two strolled through shelves. “Of course, uncle.”
The teenager looked around as he walked, his eyes observing the civilians around. It had been awhile since he had seen so many different families. He saw a woman picking up fruit, shoving the produce into a plastic bag. He saw a teenager on their phone, typing something while smiling. He saw a family of four at the bakery section, little kids jumping and laughing.
Slade was examining some fruit in his hands, while glancing to look at Richard. “Why don’t you go get us some bread?”
Richard smiled. “Okay! What kind do you want?”
“Any. Doesn’t matter.”
Richard’s smile widened despite his sudden inner turmoil.
“Oh. Okay.”
He walked to the small bakery in the store, his footsteps heavy.
What did Slade want? Why did he want him to choose? He knew Richard had a hard time choosing things on his own!
The boy recalled what Slade had said a few hours earlier.
“I would also like to see you be a bit more normal.”
Richard sighed. Right, this is what his master wanted. He needed to do it to make Slade satisfied. If not, then was he really a loyal apprentice? No, he’d just be junk. Useless.
The teenager stood in the bakery, standing still like a deer in the headlights. He didn’t know what to do, let alone where to even start. He approached a shelf, poking at a few packages, before feeling something crash into his legs from behind.
“?!”
Richard quickly spun around, ready to attack and neutralize a threat, only to meet the eyes of a little boy. A child. He looked like an elementary schooler.
Richard could only stare blankly as the boy giggled, arms clinging to Richard’s leg.
What…what am I supposed to do?
The teenager’s eyes darted to Slade for orders, but saw the man preoccupied with shopping instead. He wasn’t even looking at his apprentice.
Richard exhaled a breath. It’s okay. He could do this. He was a good actor.
(And for some reason, he had a feeling deep down that he was well-versed in things like this.)
He lowered his head down slightly. “Hey! What are you doing here?”
The boy giggled again. “Your hair is funny.”
Richard frowned at that. His hair wasn’t his proudest feature. Wasn’t his proudest moment. Robin had cut it once with scissors in the bathroom—leaving jagged shapes and uneven layers in his hair. Renegade had tried to resist, but it didn’t work. And when Slade found out, he was pissed. They decided to let it grow out for a while, until fixing it up to be back to normal. Or as close to normal as they could get.
Richard awkwardly laughed, his fingers touching his bangs. “Yeah, it’s about time I get a haircut, huh?”
The child tilted his head slightly. “Are you from here? I’ve never seen you before, and your voice sounds weird.”
“Weird?” Richard asked. “How so?”
“Like…” the boy stopped hugging Richard’s legs to think. “Like it’s different.”
“Oh, my accent? Yeah, I wasn’t born here.”
The child widened his eyes in amazement. “Really? Where?”
An uneasy feeling washed over Richard. He didn’t like to think about his past much. It was all blurry in his head, and made him feel woozy. “Well, I’ve been all over the world. My voice is a mixture of many different places.”
“Cool,” the boy replied. “So, why did you come here? This place is soooooo boring. I keep asking Daddy to take me and my sister anywhere else but he says no. I’m only here because of his job or whatever. But it’s boring!” He stamped his foot. “What’s so good about hunting, anyway?”
Richard raised an eyebrow about that. “Have you been hunting here? I heard it’s a good site.”
The child nodded. “Yeah, sometimes. My dad owns something here. Something about cabins and guns? I don’t know. He just likes the woods a lot. I don’t. Too many bugs.” He stuck his tongue out. “My sister doesn’t like it too, she screams and cries, and then it gets even more annoying.”
Richard, surprisingly, laughed at that. “That sounds fun. I don’t have any siblings.”
“So who did you come here with?” The kid asked, his eyes bright.
Richard hesitated. “My uncle. He’s buying fruit right now.”
The little boy hummed in thought, before his sister ran to his side. They seemed to be about the same age. The girl tapped the boy’s shoulder. “What are you guys talking about?”
The boy pointed to Slade, who was putting things in his cart. “This guy’s uncle.”
The girl’s expression twisted. “Why’s he wearing an eyepatch?”
Richard felt his throat dry. He was planning to make an excuse, a little accident to explain why he lost an eye, but instead all that came out was:
“I don’t know.”
Because Renegade didn’t actually know, he realized. Slade had never told him. Not Richard, not Renegade, not Robin. No one.
Why did Slade never tell his apprentice what had happened to him? That didn’t seem right.
Did he not like him anymore—
Richard shook his head. Now was not the time to think about those things. He was in public. He wasn’t Renegade, he was Richard.
“…He never told me.” He continued. “A sore spot for him, or something.”
“Is he a pirate?” The girl asked, her eyes bright. “That’s cool.”
Richard wore a weak smile on his face. “Maybe.”
In another life, maybe Slade was a pirate. No, in another life, maybe Slade was just a normal man. Not a mercenary. Not a killer. Not a man who had used magic to bind Richard to him forever.
Just a normal guy.
Something that Slade wanted Richard to be. Renegade can be a loyal apprentice, but Richard needed to be a normal teenager. That was the mission. That was what Slade wanted of him.
The children’s parents approached Richard, their eyes delighted but worrisome. “I’m so sorry about them,” their mother said. “They can be a lot sometimes.”
Richard shook his head. “It’s no problem at all! I was just trying to figure out what bread I should buy.”
The father nearby paused, before grinning. “I got a recommendation, if you’d like.” He passed Richard a package of bread. It was a large loaf, already pre-cut. “This is my personal favorite.”
Richard took the bread with a grateful smile. “Thank you, sir.”
A new voice chimed in. “Yes, thank you.”
Richard quickly turned around just to see Slade right behind him, grabbing the loaf from Richard’s hands and placing it into the cart.
The teenager was speechless. “Uncle?”
Slade smirked. “I was wondering what was taking you so long. Who knew you were talking to the man who owns the cabins for our stay.”
Richard blinked. “Oh. I didn’t realize at all—“
The father of the family laughed. “Mr. Wilson! Nice to see you again. So this is your nephew?” He looked at Richard, who felt like shrinking under Slade’s presence.
“Yes, this is my nephew.” Slade wrapped his arm around the teenager’s shoulder. “Strong young man, isn’t he?”
“They do grow up fast,” the father agreed, looking at his two kids fondly. “Before I know it, these two will be taller than me.”
The two men proceeded to exchange polite platitudes, before eventually departing. As Slade walked away from the scene with Richard pushing the shopping cart, the mercenary lowered his voice.
“You acted normal without me, yes?”
Richard nodded fervently. “Yes, I did.”
“Thought so.” Slade replied, head turning to face the teen. “They didn’t seem to realize anything at all. An amazing performance, Richard. Just what I expected of you. Keep it up.”
Richard beamed in the praise.
So this is what it’s like to be normal.
This was what Slade wanted.
He could do it.
And later on as the two loaded their bought purchases into the car, Slade brought Richard aside.
“I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“While this is supposed to be a vacation, I’ve discovered some suspicious activity here. I intend to investigate it. Do you want to help me?”
The mercenary somehow looked slightly nervous, as if afraid Richard would deny it.
But why would Richard not help his master? He was loyal. Perfect.
“Of course I do! Anything you want, I’ll do it.” The boy insisted.
Slade smirked in delight. “Good boy.”
After all, being good was all Richard was known for.
He smiled throughout the car ride home, unaware of the pending conversation that was about to happen.
The pending conversation about the true purpose of this vacation.
One that he wouldn't like.