Isolated Interview

Secondly: Robin Landry

Robin was anticipating waking up late and then making some breakfast. It might be breakfast, it might be lunch, for the rest of the household, but he was fully intending to stay in bed until eleven. He'd climb back out of bed for a shower, then put on some sweatpants and go cook. The shirt was optional. He was normally comfortable being half naked, but now that his boyfriend was living there, he was more conscious. The conscientiousness began when his father got a roommate, turned boyfriend, turned fiancé, turned brother of Robin's boyfriend.

Shirts stayed on around people that Robin found himself attracted to. Even if those men happened to be sharing his room with him. He was not uncomfortable with his body, but he still found himself more comfortable with the proper number of clothing items. Maybe it was a holdover from being the way-too-skinny kid all those years ago. Maybe it was just part of his DNA. The question did not bother Robin enough for him to dwell on it.

He was comfortable when he sat up and started stretching, but he realized quickly that he was in an unfamiliar place. Anxiety that he hadn't felt in years settled loosely in his chest. It was a small space, not his spacious room and his queen bed. He put his hands down and felt rough carpet under his palms. Little blue gym shorts and a white shirt with a brown teddy bear on the front. He felt small, getting to his knees and pushing against the door. His insides twisted as he fiddled with the stubborn handle, the pushing soon becoming banging. The banging bounced around his head until his shaking fists went to his sides.

Its fine. Robin. Robin. Its fine. Teagan is your dad. Its not real. You were just in bed last night with Kai. You are so perfectly fine. Calm down. Calm down. He felt his heart knocking against his ribs, but he kept his eyes closed tight. You are just... in your room. At home. At home in bed. If you just... just sit up, just put your feet down you will be there in your room. The boys will be in the living room ready to jump all over you, and you are just being absolutely stupid. Freaking stupid.

He raised a hand to his forehead for a moment and managed to get his feet on the ground. There was sunlight visible in glimpses through gingham curtains, but this was not his room. He subdued a curse as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He looked down. Gray t-shirt and some flannel pajamas pants. It looked like what he'd gone to bed in, if a bit crisper. Maybe he was just sick, or he'd had a coma and his dad had relocated them for a vacation. Yeah, that made about as much sense as anything else.

While discomfort at his unfamiliar surroundings rolled through him in uneven waves, Robin searched the room. He hesitated to flip on the light despite telling himself that he was crazy. This isn't Hollywood. There is no bomb going to go off or people spying to see that you turned on the light... The dream just has you messed up. Chill. He opened the closet. Empty. It had a sliding door though, not like the one that was in his dream. You shouldn't be having stupid dreams like that. Some clothing was folded on the floor there.

There was a soft rug over the wooden flooring, but not much by way of soft things. The curtains might be soft, the bedding too, but the nearby bench was wooden with no pillows. No desk, but there was a bookcase. Several books, about a third of which Robin knew. A few titles that sounded interesting, but none of it enticed him right now. He wanted to figure out what was going on, and he couldn't quite settle his mind or his stomach.

There was an envelope taped to the inside of the door. Robin frowned at it when he saw his own name in fancy script on the front. Someone knows their penmanship... He pulled it off the door, carefully peeling the tape back so that none stuck to the door. The envelope was not sealed though, and so Robin opened it and pulled out a single folded piece of paper. This was typed but signed in cursive at the bottom. Robin turned on the light finally to get a better look at the actual content.

Your compulsory participation is expected for a short interview. Upon honest completion of the interview you will be returned to your regular surroundings.
Thank you,
Management

Robin gave the paper an unimpressed look. "Management." Who were they? Where was he and who was really expecting him to answer an interview under duress? This counted as a kidnapping, right? He was starting to feel his stomach turning again.

Externally Robin looked almost as stoic as ever. Robin decided to change into the provided clothing. He doubted the pajamas were his either, so it didn't matter. At least he could be dressed appropriately for walking around. Loose blue jeans with slightly frayed ends, a tan cloth belt, a short sleeved white Henley top, plain gray socks, and black converse. It seemed uncomfortably close to what Robin might pick for himself. You're over-thinking it. Its just for some guy. Your size. You just wear generic clothing, Robin. Chill.

In the pocket Robin found a watch, claiming that it was ten past nine. It was very basic, nothing but the time, no dates or digital functionality, just minutes, seconds, and hours. Robin put it on and left the letter, back in its envelope, on the bed.

It was almost painfully bright outside and Robin blinked several times before rubbing his eyes and finally adjusting. Only then did Robin step outside and look around. It looked like a lodge setting in the woods. A little cabin here, a concrete bathroom off to the far left, a pair of picnic tables to the right, and a path leading straight ahead to a single building. Subtle.

Robin walked to the bathroom first. One room. Shower, urinal, toilet, sink. No mirror. Basic stuff. He went to the picnic tables next. They looked old, but lacked any carvings or gum so they definitely did not seem overly used. There was a clearing but thick trees surrounding the area. Since he had no idea where he was or why, he decided to head to the building instead of getting lost in the woods.

The door opened with a light dinging sound overhead. Robin clenched his jaw. Not a fan. The first room looked like a reception area with plush carpet. So don't track in mud... Robin stilled immediately when he heard movement in the next room. Two doors, the right door opened with a man in a suit. Well don't you look woodsy. Robin was nervous, his internal voice was getting faster. Like a fancy kidnapper. He took a breath and relaxed his shoulders.

"Hello Robin. I see you've accepted your invitation."

He had some kind of accent. Robin wasn't sure what to make of it. European? Greek? It was subtle but Robin heard something there. The man was tan with dark hair, a gray suit and black tie. Everything looked like it was made for his body from how well it fit. Robin wondered why he'd been dressed so casually while this man was dressed up. He took his eyes off the stranger for a moment and glanced around the room. A fancy desk with Management on a name card, some closed planner, and a pen holder with one pen inside. A rolling chair behind it and a filing cabinet.

Robin focused back on the man, "It was compulsory."

"True. Come in," he gestured for Robin to follow him into the room. Robin stood still. "It will go faster if you come."

"What's in there?"

"Just a sitting room. Nothing dangerous, you are over-thinking this."

Robin stared at him, hands tense at his sides. "That you feel the need to state as much is having the opposite effect as you intend." The man seemed to shrug. "Who are you? Management?" Robin immediately scolded himself for offering a response. He was nervous. He shouldn't offer solutions. No easy outs.

Surprisingly the man shook his head. "No. I work for the management. I will be conducting the interview. Are you ready to start?"

"No. What's your name?"

"Titus," he said with a sigh. They looked at each other, and then he gestured back to the door. Robin frowned but finally allowed himself to be led in. It looked like a therapist's office, but for rich people. Or a rich man's office, with liquor. Titus sat on a couch across from Robin. Robin set his hands on his thighs, hardly letting his eyes move from the stranger.

The standstill continued for a long moment as the man poured himself a drink. "This is not an interogation. Think of it more like an intereview. It is not meant to be hostile, it is merely meant to be informative and thought provoking."

And yet I am a hostage here under duress. "Our impressions of the situation differ." Substantially.

Titus leaned his head to one side, "That is completely understandable. Let me emphasize that you will be free to go home as soon as we are done with a limited list of questions."

"How limited? Am I free to go without answering the questions?" Robin did not enjoy talking about himself, especially not with strangers. He supposed that his father must be better at it. He'd been in therapy for years. That must have helped. Robin did have some therapy as a child. It was a repercussion of being a neglected child put into foster care.

"There is not an exact number of questions, some are straight forward, some involve elaboration, and some have more than one part." His level tone felt as if it was there to pacify, and Robin disliked that it also felt effective. He argued inside his own head. Was it better to be difficult to keep information to himself, or would it be better to just breeze through things and test the assertion that he would be free then? He was torn.

"Are there more or less than ten questions?"

"More." Robin scowled at him. "Less than thirty if I were to break them all down." As if sensing Robin's conflict he pressed forward, "Shall we begin?" Robin ran his tongue over his teeth behind his lips, but didn't speak. There was a longer moment of silence before Titus decided to press again. "Keeping in mind you should answer fully and honestly, without," he looked for a moment like he was speaking from a specific example, "being needlessly exact. The first question asks for your full name."

Name. That wasn't a terrible question. Robin's name was quite important to him, actually, but there was no reason to bring that up. Full name, he supposed would include his middle name. "Robin Caleb Landry."

"And it was Dwyer at birth, correct?"

Robin maintained moderate composure despite a disapproving narrowing of his dark brown eyes. Just get it over with. "Yes." If Titus knew so much about him, he wondered how prying the rest of these questions would be. They hadn't made it past the very first one without some discomfort.

"Very good. How old are you currently?"

"Twenty," he said, keeping it succinct.

"What is your sexuality?"

Uh... ugh. "Heterosexual," he decided, although there was some disconcertment on his features. Kai was special, but not representative of a whole opening of sexual interests. Well, okay, maybe, but... not with other men.

Titus again looked like he knew more than he should, but he did not pry. Heterosexual plus, perhaps. Heterosexual plus Kai, at the very least.

"What is your relationship status?"

"In a relationship." Because I have a boyfriend...

"And what do you like about your significant other?"

That's... the question? That's too broad to beat around the bush... ugh. How many points? He opened his mouth, picked a spot on the ceiling, and began. "He is very creative and impressive. He is not at all absent minded, so he has the benefit of being both artistic and intellectual. Not 'intellectual' in the haughty sense. He..." he picked another spot on the ceiling after giving Titus one glance. "is very considerate and patient. I feel humble and pleased when we are together. I think that I could grow a lot with him and that prospect is comforting."

Why did I say so much? Ugh. I should... ugh. I feel weird. Stop. It felt like he was more relaxed than he wanted to be, which was not something he was used to.

"An obvious question is, if you are heterosexual and male, why is your significant other also a male?"

Robin immediately felt his shoulders rise up, his body pushing slightly back against the couch. He gave Titus a hard look. "I frankly don't see why any of it is your business." If the subject of this interview was romance, it was going to get even worse. He still felt like he needed to defend himself, as if Kai would hear and feel some kind of way. "I am attracted to him. Being interested in him has not suddenly made me attracted to any other men, but I am very into him so I can define my sexuality as I see fit, thank you."

Titus's brows went up for a moment, but then settled back down in their normal space. Robin, meanwhile, felt like an impatient child.

"Very well. What does he not know that you don't want him to find out?"

"This entire encounter's existence," he said grouchily. No, wait, he was being absurd. The man didn't deserve to know, but Robin shouldn't be getting that touchy over it. Or... should he? He wasn't quite sure. "I don't..." Stop. Reset. This took some thinking. "Any of my insecurities. That I sometimes feel inadequate and inexperienced. Well, he might know that, but I would prefer he not, especially if he does not yet." That I want to be more physical than we are now but I'm afraid if I do that and have to reel it back in, he'll be disappointed... I guess that counts too.

"What is your greatest fear regarding your significant other?"

Fear... Robin really didn't like to linger on fears. He was very positive that this wasn't an interview. It felt like a therapy session. The questions just didn't go anywhere. It made him think, but didn't offer any advice. Fortunately there was not advice because Robin would not have appreciated any. His limbs felt strangely limp. He shifted his shoulders. "That he will get tired of me."

Wow. That sounds even sadder in the open air than in my head...

"What is your greatest fear unrelated to your significant other?"

"That Dad and Byron won't get back to a good place" He cracked his neck, feeling mildly annoyed with himself. "I mean, not that it is any of your business." It would just... be awful, for both of them... and for the dogs... and Kai... well, maybe Kai... yeah, because Kai wants Byron to be happy... and Dad makes him happy... and... me, I guess...

Titus murmured some kind of affirmative noise. "What is a negative memory that you think impacts you to this day?"

It was a good thing that Robin rarely physically over-reacting to things. Internally he definitely felt like he was over-reacting though. He crossed his legs and slumped a bit where he sat, not wanting to bother trying to come up with any answer. He knew the answer. A negative memory? The closet. Of course. He rarely thought of it, but apparently it could still bring him down. Despite his better judgement, Robin spoke. "At some point when I was a kid I got locked in a closet. So that impacts me I guess." He wondered if his dismissive tone would keep away the follow up, or if there really wasn't interest for more information.

"Why was that?"

Robin glared. Yet he answered. "Its..." He closed his eyes and took a stabilizing breath. "My birth parents sucked and didn't handle children well. Sometimes, rarely, I think about it. It was a vivid memory. It makes me feel helpless and trapped, which motivates me to avoid being left in situations where I would be either of those things. Next."

"What is a vice or bad habit that you have?"

"I don't have vices... or at last not the standard ones... I have been told that apathy is a vice, but I am not apathetic... bad habits are easier." He had to take his time, he was rambling a bit and that was bad. "Being overly critical. Healthy scrutiny is good, but I can be overly critical to the point of it benefitting no one. At least I keep it to myself."

"Do you consider yourself open with your significant other?"

Robin found the fabric on his knee and began rubbing it between two fingers. Was he? "Probably not enough... not a whole lot. I tell him some things, but I don't like sharing a lot of things... like insecurities... and all of this. Tentative hopes, interests, things... he's really... confident. I don't like to tread out into unfamiliar water where I am even more likely to look foolish."

"Interesting."

"I need some air." Robin stood up then. He had been trying to push past the questions and strange sense of complacency but it was building up. Titus simply leaned back and made no comment. Robin walked at an acceptable pace out of that room, closing the door, and then getting outside. He wanted to keep going. He wanted to just catch his breath and avoid the conversation but he couldn't. Worst of all it almost felt like he should go back. He needed to have the conversation. It made no sense. This wasn't for Kai, it wasn't for Robin, it... was it even for anyone? Anyone at all? He rubbed his hand over his shoulder, finding it somewhat calming. He could go back... he just needed to get it done.

Robin walked back through the doors and plopped down onto the couch. "Next." Get it over with.

Titus nodded, looking at a piece of paper on a clipboard. "This one is more creative. If you received $10,000 in a contest with the condition of spending it in the next month, and time off, what would you do with the money?"

"Pay off debts and pay forward in bills." That was easy. He knew it didn't fit the spirit of the question though. Feeling frustrated over his last answer, he decided to go deeper. "Or maybe not. I would pay whatever needs to be handled that month, maybe some for the next month, depending on... how much that came out to. That is a lot of money though so I would take my boyfriend on a trip. Or we could... bring his parents here. Dad would like that." He might just defer to Kai, frankly, but he didn't think that would go over well for the "interview." He was worrying too much about making everyone happy. "A trip for us, and then a visit if we could arrange it, to wind down. I could manage winding down and having people over at the same time. I'd make it work." Final answer.

Another nod, with some silence to follow. It felt like Titus was giving Robin ample time to overthink his answer. Giving him time to start up again, since he'd had more starts and stops in his thinking than usual. Robin didn't like it. He rubbed his shoulder idly and then sat still again.

"What are three things on your bucket list?"

Robin didn't have a bucket list, but that didn't distract him. He could put a few things onto a list easily enough. Three. That wasn't asking much, and it didn't need to be anything final. "Visit every continent," he mentally debated Antarctica, although he supposed that was fine until he saw enough information to suggest that it was harmful to go there. "Have or adopt a child." Get married, have sex, maybe introduce my spouse to my siblings... if I can... find them. His brow furrowed as he considered that, but he didn't say any of it. "And attend the Olympics." Yeah... They were all things that he did in fact want to do before he died. He wondered only for a moment what they said about him, but was willing to move on without much concern.

"Worldly interests."

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Actually, I don't care. No... I care. Just not about what this man thinks.

"What do you think that you are worst at in your relationship and how would you like to improve that?"

Lovely. More things to think about and scrutinize in his relationship. Robin exhaled, finding yet another point on the ceiling again. After a moment brown eyes turned back to Titus. "Being vulnerable. I am never a fan of that, but it is necessary for close relationships... to improve that I can trust that he likes me and will not suddenly become disinterested when he knows more about me. Force myself to speak more of the things I rather not say, and continue to include him in parts of my life." Robin didn't feel like he was doing too terribly. Maybe he was just slow at things. And hopefully Kai is patient... he seems... patient.

"What is a kink or sexual preference in your relationship that is new or unexpected?"

Robin maintained a blank stare for a moment. Where did that come from? That was a lot more physical than other questions. It did not make the question any easier. It was embarrassing and intimately personal. This was worse. He rubbed at his pants again, feeling the need to do something beside just sitting there awkwardly. He wanted to dismiss it on the word "kink" but the addition of "or sexual preference" seemed to cover that easy escape route. I just want to go home... Robin finally groaned. "Having... any interest in doing anything with a man, and... thinking... about sexual things more than once in a blue moon." He took a breath. "How many more?"

Titus looked down at his clipboard, as if he didn't know exactly how much he had left. That didn't bode well for them being near the end. "Two questions, technically, however the next one is three parts, and the last question will require a larger degree of thought from you."

"Larger than talking about sex. Awesome," he bit back sarcastically. "So what is the three parter?" He leaned back while he listened. The movement made him realize that his head felt heavy. Sluggish. Strange.

"Part one... what do you think of your significant other's family?"

"..." Robin suddenly started laughing. It probably wasn't even funny. Was it funny? Yeah... it was funny, at least according to him. "Wow!"

Titus was actually looking at him with some level of human emotion. Surprise and maybe discomfort.

Robin leaned forward, elbows on his knees while he mostly recovered, still feeling far too amused. "Yeah, okay. His family... well his younger brother is getting ready to become my step-dad so... that's kind of a weird thing." Another laugh. This was funnier than usual. "Okay... yeah. So, I mean, I like Byron. He's a nice guy. I don't know their parents, but they speak well of them."

"Mm. What do your family think of Kai?"

"Like I said, his brother is marrying my Dad... Dad likes Kai. I don't think he could think a negative thing about a single Tierney. Loves them all. So that is pretty supportive."

"Good. Do you think those attitudes are fair?"

"Uh... sure?" Robin sat upright again. "They are all wanting what is best for us, so that is good."

Titus nodded, then looked down to his clipboard. "The last question."

The one with the larger degree of thought...

"Describe a hypothetical road trip," it was clear right now, more than at any other time, that the man was reading something, instead of thinking off the top of his head, "with only you and your significant other. From West to East coast USA. Describe preparations, and three designated stops along the way."

Silence. Examining each facet of the plush room. It probably cost a lot of money to set up this place. Or maybe someone had done most of the work by hand, like with Robin's family home. His father had done a lot of working, building that place from a rough interior with a good foundation to something particularly lovely. He did that with people sometimes too. Not so much himself. Robin might not be "lovely" but he was vastly improved from that effort. It was hardly glamorous. It was hard work, and it didn't look rewarding for the longest time. He liked to think that it had paid off. He was a functional adult. Closed off, but pretty happy. Sitting in some room... talking about things that he didn't want to admit.

Somehow this question was the easiest. He didn't see much of a downside. Maybe if he had to specify the sleeping arrangements each night. Whether or not he would be sleeping extra close to Kai. He didn't need to specify that. It was just travel, and that he could handle.

"Cool... Start on the west coast so that we're travelling back toward home. We could fly out to the west coast. Start in Washington maybe. Is money part of this?"

Titus arched a brow, and then shook his head, "Imagine if this is something you had prepared for. Not spur of the moment, but not outlandish either."

"Mm." Maybe Seattle. "Is this only three designated stops?"

A moment to look back down at the paper. "At least three. If you think that you would stop at more places, feel free to add them to the agenda."

"Cool." ... am I high? He blinked several times, concerned but then rejecting the notion. Titus seemed fine. He was fine. Yeah... just fine. "... May I borrow a clipboard, paper, and pencil?"

Another strange look. Then Titus looked perfectly normal again. "Certainly, one moment." He stood up and went to the nearby desk. Titus unlocked and opened a drawer. Robin watched him more in her peripheral vision than with any real focus. He wanted to focus. He needed to focus. His mind was buzzing with several ideas, some of which he assumed were good. He just needed to remember them. He'd thought about this before. It was strange how many places he could think of without properly consulting anything, but he didn't think he could order them on the fly.

Paper, a pencil, and a clipboard were all handed over to Robin shortly, and he went to work. He wrote down a list of places by state, and other spots to see if he could fit them in. Titus watched him silently. It might have been the incorrect decision to say that Robin could pick more than three places. At least he was relaxed, plotting and planning. After a stretch of time that could have been five minutes, or maybe fifty, Robin sat back, satisfied with his plan. Now he only needed to articulate it.

You definitely put way too much effort into this...

"Okay, so we fly out to Seattle. Pack however much is appropriate. I would say travel in the summer, or fall if work allows so that it is starting to cool off. Actually I think mid July to make sure we have time, even though its hot then." He wanted to push it back later, but he also didn't want to put so much stress on things, and worry about getting back right before classes started.

"Stay in Seattle for a day. Lunch, Ellenos Yogurt, go to the art museum, get a snack from hot cakes molten chocolate cakery. Spend the night there. I'd like to eat at the Space Needle. I like the view and the food." He supposed that he didn't need to justify his choices. "If we fly from NYC, I know we can get a nonstop flight in about six and a half hours. If we left at seven in the morning Eastern Standard Time, we would land somewhere around 11 AM Pacific Daylight Time... so, we could get lunch, go to the museum, snack, check into a hotel, nap... go to dinner, and then leave in the morning.."

Titus took a long drink from a particularly opaque black glass.

"Then since it is a road trip, we would be driving down to California."

Titus mouthed the word "down" as if surprised at the direction Robin was taking them. Robin didn't notice.

"That will take thirteen... without stops. We could stop in Oregon somewhere for lunch... probably better I not pick where, because I don't know how hungry we will be. Travel from around eight in the morning until ten at night? Depending on how Kai feels about being in a car for that long. I can do the driving.. Maybe we should..." He tapped the pencil against his temple for a moment. "Yeah, that's fine... stay at Shasta Lake that night, so its two less hours, and only two more hours to drive the next day."

Robin did not stall for any input from Titus. He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Titus at this point. "Then go to San Francisco. I wanted to see Alcatraz and the museum of modern art... I'm not really sure what Kai thinks of that, but I can't ask him so we're going to roll with it. Spend the day there, and leave the next day... drive to approximately Fort Irwin, camp there for the night, and the next day drive to Zion National Park in Utah..."

Titus was looking quite amused by now.

"Spend the night around that area, visit that and then head to Antelope Canyon in Arizona... that's only about two hours away. Then sleep in that area also. I figure mostly camping, and if I can't find a campsite... a hotel works... hm... Anyway," he shook his head, "head to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado the next day." He wanted to go to the museum of digital art in Austin, Texas, but he decided to cross it out. He was already running imaginary Kai a bit ragged.

"From Colorado, spend the day, I can drive, heading to Fort Worth." That should cut off a couple of unnecessary hours.

"You spend a lot of time driving in this."

"Oh... well if I'm making us go all around, I need to be willing to do the hard part... he's welcome to drive if he wants to. Or if I'm exhausted, but I am good at staying awake I think. So... Texas. Right, I wanted to sleep there and spend the day there. Eat at Kincaid's and go to a show at Bass performance hall." He had visited in the past and he really liked them.

"Sleep there again, probably a hotel both times... then head to Arkanasas in the morning. That's about six hours. We can camp in that area. I think it would be good to spend two days there to rest. Get there in the afternoon or so, stay the rest of the day, then the whole next day stay there, and then pick up and leave the day after."

"Head north through southern Missouri, stop by Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, and then head to St. Louis. We should be able to make it there for dinner at Gamlin Whiskey house... spend the night in St. Louis. Head to Chicago the next day. Visit the Museum of Science and Industry, maybe eat at Just Salad... spend the day hanging out there. Next day drive toward Pittsburgh... stop at Cuyahoga Falls shortly, then maybe drive another hour or two and stop for the night. The next day we get to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I wanted to see Independence Hall and the Andy Warhol museum there. Then we can spend the night."

He looked down at his notes. He was near the end. At that point it should be day 15. Arrive in Pittsburgh. Going into day 16. That wasn't too terribly long, for him. "The next day we can head to down to New York. Watkins Glen State Park and Ithica Falls. Camp in that area," he said, trying to be more mindful of just how much driving they were doing. "The next day spend it in New York City. Dig Inn, that's food, not an inn... uh," he scratched his forehead for a moment, "the Frick collection, kind of whatever we want to see in that area and what we still have energy for... I have a friend who has a place in Manhattan, actually and he would be able to let us have a place to stay if I gave him a heads up." That was the end of his list. "I guess just go home on the next day... which would be day... eighteen... yeah. Eighteen. So..." he cleared his throat. "Is that it?"

Titus was smiling at him. Why? Robin didn't even think about how long he'd been going on for.

"Sorry... that was... too much."

Titus chuckled, "No, that was fine. Its quite interesting to see about what you feel comfortable speaking. It sounds like you have given this considerable thought before."

Robin shrugged, fidgeting slightly. "So... are we done?"

"Yes, yes. I appreciate your candor today. You are free to go home. You should be able to make your way home just outside. It was a pleasure interviewing you." He stood up to bid Robin adieu.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Robin got up and set the clip board down on the couch. He didn't really need the paper. It was probably too much travelling to put on another person. Or... well, he'd ask and see. He turned to leave, and at the door he shot one more look at Titus. He looked calm, examining his own papers. Too weird...

Robin turned back and stepped out of the room, but his next steps were in a dark room. The shift in lighting was a shock to Robin's eyes, and he felt immediately blind. He stumbled forward and yelped out in pain as his foot knocked into a wooden dresser.

A groan.

Robin stilled immediately, despite bending down to grab his bare foot in pain.

A mumbling. "Stop attacking the furniture... come to bed."

Kai.

There was no delay. Robin straightened up, flinching for a moment in case he swung back too far and hit something again. Once he was in the clear, he made the three familiar strides to his own bed, and climbed in. The side he picked to climb in on was, whether fortunately or not, currently occupied.

The Englishman seem surprised by his new collegiate blanket, but the way his arms moved around Robin, Robin figured he wasn't that bothered. "What got into you all of a sudden?"

"I think I'm high..." Wait... He chuckled, pressing a kiss into Kai's forehead, unable to see if he looked surprised, amused, or even concerned in the dark. "Don't worry about it. I'm probably just tired. We should take a trip sometime." There were no complaints. Certainly not from Robin. He busied his mind in other ways. He was probably just crazy. Even if he wasn't crazy for this, maybe something else. It was good to think about, for later. For daylight. For the moment he was warm and finally he felt justifiably relaxed.