The tragedy about the conflict of s3…
… Is that neither of them wanted it.
Okay, Neal kinda wanted it, I’m sure. Temptation. But he didn’t act on it, and he didn’t want it like this. Neal’s fault in this is that he could have walked away or said something at any point after, but he didn’t want to be in this situation. Mozzie forced him into it.
Peter sure as hell didn’t want it either. You can tell by how he either freezes up or get uncharacteristically emotional whenever it’s brought up. Esp by this point he genuinely cares deeply about Neal and wants him to get clean. The three things Peter loves most in the world are literally El, the law, and Neal at this point. He’s full on adopted this kid. He wants to be wrong, but he can’t compromise his belief in the laws and the system and the truth to not pursue it. He hates it, it takes so much out of him, and I think seeing Neal be hurt by his suspicions makes it all the worse, but this is Peter, finding the truth is who he is. S1 and 2 were slowly building the trust and relationship between them, and from Peter’s perspective, Neal may have just completely destroyed that. Thrown away everything he thought they had, and Peter’s attempts to help him go straight. But as much as it hurts him, he keeps the painting scrap out of evidence bc he wants to know first. He doesn’t want it to go on record and to have the whole Bureau come down on Neal. Despite himself he still wants to give the kid a modicum of chance—he also shows awareness that it could have been Mozzie or Alex.
And like I said above, Neal hates it, too. And not just being under suspicion again. At first, having Peter, the one person he completely trusts, accusing him, from his perspective, out of the blue after he just nearly got shot, after Peter just killed a man to protect him… Like that clearly just breaks his heart. Even during the opening interrogation, when he’s calmed down some, he’s still got that wounded look in his eyes—although I think he’s also clocking Peter’s unhappiness by that point bc it’s less offended and just sad. By that point he knows the treasure survived, but he does know he didn’t do it. He’s hurt by Peter’s suspicion of him but now he knows there’s a reason to be suspicious and he is hiding something. But even after he finds out that Mozzie did it… Even from the onset, he’s not quite truly happy. And even though he knows it’s now justified, that there’s very possibly evidence connecting it to him/them… Even though he goes along at first… You can tell there’s something off. Old Neal would be much more excited, not hesitating and looking vaguely shell shocked. And I think when he finds out it was Mozzie and that Mozzie took it ‘for them,’ he feels like he has betrayed Peter. He gets visibly more awkward about deflecting, which I think is actually honest as opposed to a deception. He’s letting his real emotions dictate his behaviour—he’s genuinely hurt by Peter’s suspicion, he genuinely cares what Peter thinks, he’s genuinely uncomfortable with his new position. But even after all of it, Neal instantly realises that Peter is still protecting him by w/holding the painting scrap—and I think that realisation is the stepping stone for his character development the rest of the season, bc in that moment, he realises he hasn’t wholly lost Peter, and not in a ‘I can still play him way.’ In a ‘thank god he doesn’t hate me now’ way, bc Neal doesn’t want Peter to hate him, he never did, and he esp doesn’t now. As early as s1 he didn’t want to let him down, and now he feels like Peter’s completely cut him off—only to be given that one bit of hope for making things better. Which is what makes him believe in everything else.
Neither of them wanted to be put at odds like this.
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A super-hero takes advantage of Dick and forces him to blow him. Dick of course hides what happens but Slade knows something's up. A while later he runs into said "hero" and the two battle. The man brags about "fucking Nightslut's mouth" which allows Slade to piece the whole thing together and separate his head from his shoulders. :)
A week later Dick receives a bloodied item belonging to the man. Everyone interprets it as Deathstroke threatening Dick and basically telling him he's next. Only Dick knows that Slade is telling him he is safe now.
(Their relationship is a secret, but it is the best secret Dick has ever kept.)
I love how everyone would get scared and tried to get Dick somewhere safe and Dick would be just sighing in love, thinking about his man 😂💕 Lemme just-
"Grayson, please!" Damian begged, closing his fists on his brother's sleeve. "This is a serious matter!"
"Nothing good ever comes from a man like Deathstroke sending others things." Tim looked close to crying. They all knew that nothing could stop Deathstroke if he was set on something. "And this is a bloodied weapon of a hero who got killed just a few days ago, wrapped in a gift paper!"
"Calm down-" Dick began, though he wasn't sure what to say.
He didn't want his family to see the packet, he didn't want them to know what was going between him and Slade. He especially didn't want them to know why exactly Slade sent him a belonging of a dead man, killed brutally with Deathstroke's own hands.
But now they all think that Slade's going to kill him and are desperate to keep Dick safe. Dick knew his family, knew he would act the same if it happened to one of his siblings. Maybe... maybe he should just tell them about their relationship? What's the worst that can happen...?
"Throw this thing out." Jason suddenly growled, yanking the weapon out of Dick's hand. "This damn bastard thinks he can scare us-"
"No! Give it back!"
Jason's eyes widened in shock, the bits of green that began to show there dissapearing. Dick grabbed the weapon back. On the one hand he didn't want to have anything that reminded him of that so-called hero, didn't want to think back to what the man did to him but it was a gift from Slade, it was the sign that Slade loves him and cares for him and is ready to kill everyone who hurt him. Dick should feel bad about it, about a man dying because of him but after what he was made to do...
A small part of him was happy because of it. A small part of him felt good and safe that that bastard won't hurt him or anyone else anymore.
A bad, already corrupted part of him fell even more in love with Slade.
"I'm not throwing it out." Dick said firmly.
"Dick, think rationally." Bruce hissed, taking a step closer. Damian still didn't let go of Dick's sleeve. "Wilson sent you a weapon, still in blood, that belonged to the man he killed. There wasn't any contract over his head, Wilson murdered him just like that and you can be next-"
"Calm down, Bruce! Slade won't hurt me!"
"And how the hell can you be so sure of that?" Jason demanded.
"Because we're dating!"
Oops. He didn't mean to say this. Not like that.
A silence fell over the room, everyone taking in the meaning of Dick's words. Dick considered just turning away, maybe going back to his apartment in Bludhaven? Everything was already too much. But then Damian tugged him closer, his face twisting in a little frown.
"Well." he said slowly. "I suppose you always could choose a less suitable suitor. Wilson's at least a good fighter and is capable of protecting you. You have my approval, Grayson."
Dick breathed out in relief and ran his fingers through his brother's hair, more to calm himself than anything else.
"Thank you, Dami." he murmured. "It means a lot."
"Good." the boy scoffed, making Dick smile.
"Um? Can we go back to the part where deadly mercenary sent you some kind of a trophy?" Tim prompted. He looked confused and uncomfortable, perhaps because he was standing the closest to Bruce who was frozen in shock. Jason was stilled as well but it looked like he was at least breathing. "Is that some creepy way of asserting dominance or something?"
"I'm not telling you that." Dick pressed his lips into a thin line. He already said too much anyway.
"You are aware that we'll find out anyway, right?" Jason unfroze to snarl. He looked less furious than before but he still cracked his knuckles in a nervous habit.
"I'm pretty sure you won't. Slade won't tell you anything and the only other person is already dead."
Dick felt drained. It was a really tiring couple of days and he just wanted to curl in his bed. Maybe cry a bit too if he got any tears left.
Damian curled his arms around Dick's waist at his words. Jason's mouth fell open. Tim's knees buckled a bit underneath him.
They didn't need to hear anything else. Whatever that man did to Dick to made Slade furious enough to tear him apart...
"Dick-"
Bruce marched forward.
"What did you do?" he demanded and Dick suddenly felt very grateful for his little brother holding him.
"I'm-" he began and his voice cracked. He couldn't help but to think back to that man, to what happened just a few weeks ago- maybe if he just-
"Bruce, what the fuck!" one of his brothers hissed but he wasn't sure which one.
"I didn't- he-"
It was my fault, my fault, I should fight more, I shouldn't let it happen, then he still would be alive-
"You don't have to say anything, Dick." Jason stepped between him and Bruce, stopping the older man from coming even closer to his brother. "We won't ask."
"Jason-" Bruce began warningly.
"I didn't want him to-" Dick couldn't think, couldn't breathe-
"Shh. Let's get you somewhere comfy, Dick." Tim threw his arm over his shoulder and slowly lead him towards the door. "We can watch a movie, huh?"
"He made me- I didn't want to-"
"Shh, it's okay. We'll get some snacks too. What do you think? Maybe we can convince Alfred to let us eat some of that sugary cereal he hides from you."
"I'll go get it!"
"Slade-" Dick tried again but he didn't know how to form words anymore, he just wanted to know that he's safe and he was always safe with Slade.
"I'll call him." Jason offered, already slipping his hand into Dick's pocket to fish out his phone. "He'll be there soon, try and realx for us, alright Dickie?"
Dick noded and let his brothers lead him towards the living room. Bruce stayed behind without another word, his fists clenching by his sides.
----
Alright, this got dark pretty quickly! 😂 Im gonna stop there because I won't be able to stop myself and its so long already fsgdvs but anyway Slade came over, watched a movie together with boys and when Dick went to sleep he went to have a talk with Bruce. They fought, obviously, yelled and argued but Bruce came back to his senses and apologized to Dick for blaming him when he was a victim. Dick forgives him obviously 🙄 and Slade takes his little bird home and reminds him that he'll always keep him safe 🤗
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