Work Text:
Dick was trying to do the paperwork that had piled up on his desk these past days, biting his cheek as he clicked the pen repeatedly. It was a tedious task.
He much preferred going on patrol, helping people out and the sorts. But the paperwork had to be done eventually.
It did help that he was used to this process, being a vigilante since he was ten and having trained under Batman and all.
He put his pen down to brush a hand through his hair. It was greasy. Ugh. He hadn’t had the time to take a shower after his patrol as Nightwing earlier this day, having instead fallen asleep when he got home and then woken up late by his alarm that had him scrambling to get to work on time. He hadn’t intended to keep doing this job. The hours didn’t really work well with his vigilante job. He had simply wanted to get rid of the corruption, entering the police force to do just that, to help Blüdhaven in and out of uniform—well technically he was still in uniform. Just a different one.
Still he was contemplating quitting—he didn’t want to be stuck working a job and at this point his resume was pages long—, but he never got around to it. So he kept doing his job. Like the paperwork pile he was trying to make smaller.
He rubbed his eyes and clicked his pen.
A shout broke his concentration and his head snapped up to look towards the commotion happening near his booth.
“Sir! You can’t enter this area without telling us why.”, One of his colleagues said frantically, footsteps thudding and voices coming closer to where Dick was seated.
“I will state my reasons, just not to you.”, A painfully familiar voice responded.
His heart stopped.
He locked eyes with a person he really didn’t want to show up at his workplace.
Slade.
The older man made a beeline for his desk, dressed casually rather than in his Deathstroke armor. Thank goodness for that.
Albeit Deathstroke’s identity wasn’t a big secret and someone, especially one of Dick’s colleagues, could easily recognize him.
Not many men were this tall, muscular, white haired and wearing an eyepatch.
Why was Slade here?
Slade halted. “Grayson.”, He greeted, smirking slightly.
Dick glared at him momentarily before his colleague caught up with Slade, shooting Dick a worried look.
“Sir—“, His colleague, Jake who usually sat at the reception, tried to get Slade to listen, but Slade paid him no mind still. “You can’t be back here—“
Dick interrupted him. He couldn’t let his coworkers interact with Slade. It was prone to be dangerous. Slade was dangerous. Seriously why had the old man shown up at Dick’s workplace? Dick wanted an answer, preferably without his coworkers able to hear him converse with Deathstroke. “It’s okay. I know him.”
Jake blinked. “You do?”
Dick grit his teeth, but nodded, smiling disarmingly at his coworker. “Yeah. He’s here for me, right?”
Slade’s smirk grew sharper. “I am.”
Jake looked between the two of them. “Oh? He should have just said so.”, He uttered.
Dick shrugged, shooting Slade an unamused look. “Yeah. He should have.”
Slade huffed. “Well the only police officer I want to speak to is you, Grayson.”
Dick rolled his eyes and moved to stand up from his desk, shooting his remaining paperwork a look. Damn Slade for interrupting him. He was almost done.
He grabbed Slade’s arm. “I’m going on break.”, He informed Jake, who was watching the two of them with a confused look on his face.
Then he dragged Slade out of his work place and into an alley just a few blocks away to glare up at the man. The audacity that Slade just kept smirking down at him honestly. Dick hadn’t had enough sleep to deal with this nuisance of a man.
“What was that? Why are you here?”, He exclaimed, pointing a finger at Slade.
Slade looked down at the finger pointing at his chest and snorted. “Ouch. Such hospitality I’m getting from you.”
“I’m wasting my break on you, so get to the point.”, Dick rolled his eyes.
Slade leaned closer. “I’m going to be in Blüdhaven for a bit. I thought you would want to know.”
Dick blinked. “That’s it? I would have known that regardless!”
Dick kept a close eye on whatever went down in Blüdhaven, especially when Slade would show his bicolored masked face around his city. It always spelled trouble for Dick.
So the need to inform Dick that he would be staying in the city for a bit was highly suspicious. The older man loved to keep Dick on his toes.
“A gang contracted me to make sure they win against some rival gang.”, Slade told Dick.
Dick frowned. “A gang?”
New ones were popping up constantly and usually they went under Dick’s radar until they got too rowdy and power hungry.
“A gang.”, Slade shrugged. “The pay is decent. And I get to bother you by intruding into your territory.”
Dick swatted at him. He said that way too comfortable with Dick.
…Okay maybe Dick said way worse things to Slade himself. But he knew the guy way too well despite them being enemies. Hell, he was friends with his kids!
“That’s why you came into Blüdhaven’s police station? To get me to waste my break and tell me this?”, Dick grit out.
“I’m just doing my duty as a citizen. Informing the police of gang activity which they should check out.”
What.
“Informing the police?”, Dick raised an eyebrow. “You?”
“Do with this what you want.”, Slade told him and walked off, shooting Dick one last look before he was gone. Dick stood there, left reeling at Slade’s words and actions.
Dick couldn’t believe this man. What had that just been?
He did end up dealing with the gangs Slade mentioned, believing Slade would leave the city afterwards. He was wrong.
Slade showing up at his workplace kept happening much to Dick’s dismay.
His coworkers kept shooting him looks when he would drag Slade out of the building. He never got to use his breaks to eat food or get some rest. No, he had to deal with Slade instead.
Though after a few times of Slade showing up, he started bringing food with him for some reason. Dick was sure it was meant to mock him when during one time his stomach growled while he was dragging Slade out.
Eventually his coworkers grew too curious and spoke up about it.
“Who’s that guy that keeps showing up here?”, Louis asked while they were at the copier.
“What guy?”, Dick hummed, trying to copy his papers faster. Giving them any information on Slade beyond what they already knew would be stupid and dangerous.
“The one-eyed white haired giant that you drag out every time you’re going on break?”, Louis deadpanned.
Dick faltered. “Oh, him?”
“Yes, him.”
Louis stared him down.
Dick rolled his eyes. He had to say something. “That’s my… partner.”, Was what he settled on of all things. He facepalmed mentally.
Louis’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes.”, Dick sighed. Well he was running with it now. “He’s retired and gets bored easily so he keeps wanting to spend time with me during my breaks.”, He lied.
“Oh. That’s sweet.”, Louis laughed.
“So sweet.”, Dick agreed, wanting to hit his head against a wall. He took his copies and walked back to his desk. This would so come back to bite him in the ass later.
Which indeed it did.
The next time Slade showed up Dick was just returning from the restroom and spotted the man trying to ignore Louis and Jake who were trying to speak him with him.
Dick immediately made a beeline towards them, heart in his throat. Slade’s eye zeroed in on him and Dick had to keep himself from punching Slade as Slade put an arm around his waist.
“Break time, little bird.”, The man purred, smirking as he felt how Dick stiffed and forced himself to relax again, despite the arm around him.
Dick huffed. “You heard him.”, He excused himself from his coworkers, who looked bummed out that they hadn’t gotten Slade to converse much with them and was now leaving with Dick in tow. Dick honestly was glad Slade was adamant on ignoring the majority of Dick’s colleagues, it helped Dick avoid having to explain more about Slade.
He dragged Slade to the same alley, begrudgingly taking the food Slade handed him.
He choked on a bite as Slade chose that moment to comment. “So we’re partners, huh?”
Dick coughed. “W-what?”
“That’s what you told your coworkers.”, Slade stated. “They were very interested in how we met by the way.”
“You didn’t say anything, right?”
“What. You don’t want them to know that our first official meeting was when my son died facing teenage you in shorts?”
“Slade.”
“I’m kidding. Though I’m rather pleased that my advances placed me in partner definition.”
“What.”
Slade shot him a look. Dick returned it.
“I’m glad my flirting is finally getting acknowledged.”, Slade added on.
“Your what?”, Dick exclaimed, eyes widening. “You’ve been flirting? With me?”
He shook his head, holding up a hand. “Wait! That’s what you call flirting? Showing up at my work to bother me?”, He asked incredulously.
Slade shifted. “It’s effective.”
“Nuh uh. It’s not.”
“It is. I’m getting you food and we spent time together.”
Dick squawked. He couldn’t deny that. Still he huffed, crossing his arms. “Your flirting needs work. Serious work.”
“How about you teach me?”
Dick flushed. He spluttered, trying to keep his blush at bay.
He failed.
“I will, if you stop entering my workplace.”, Dick told him.
“Deal.”
Dick shook his head, though a reluctant smile pulled at the corner of his lips. This man was unbelievable. Doing this to flirt with Dick?
Dick was charmed dare he admit it.