Chalant Candlelight

Chapter 16

(Zatanna's POV)

I couldn't watch anymore, everyone was so oblivious to the fact that Robin was having sensory overload right before their eyes. I led Robin out of the room and brought him into the library so he could compose himself. Once he was safely in the room and the door shut behind us I gave a sigh of relief leaning back against the door,

"Why'd you do that?" He asked, visibly more comfortable in the library but still in a daze,

"You are having trouble processing everything going on in that room," I rolled my eyes at him,

"I process fine, I'm a vigilante for crying out loud." He defended himself,

"Robin, you're not okay,"

"I'm fine." He huffed out, "If you excuse me I should get going, I have things to do." I noted sweat on his brow, yet when I took his hand, it felt cold through his sweater,

"You are in no position to be doing anything." I held myself tight against the door,

"I really don't understand why you are obsessed with me now,"

"I'm not!" I argued back,

"Did I say or do something to make you think that we're friends?" He asked his eyes wincing as he stumbled back a little, I quickly reached out to him before he fell. I brought the back of my hand to his forehead against his failed struggles to get away from me,

"You're burning up, Robin," I said as he passed out and his legs gave out under him. I caught him against my body feeling how cold his chest was, "What happened to you?" I sigh, I was able to move him in a way where I could lay him down on the couch. I huffed wiping the sweat from my brow, "What do I do now?" I asked myself, sitting on the ground, my side against the couch.

I waited, every once in a while looking over at the sick, sleeping boy, he finally looked restful, he was never restful. I watched his face as he slept, his red cheeks and nose were almost cute, dare I say.

The warmth of the room caused his sleeping self to stir. With a yawn he rose up, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn followed by some sniffling. Robin slowly looked around the room assessing the situation, when it hit him where he was,

"Oh shoot!" He jumped up, unsteady but standing as I followed him,

"You need to lay back down." My plea fell on nonlistening ears,

"I have to go!" He said looking at his watch,

"You need to rest." I grabbed his tense arms, that rest he had come to in sleep had completely vanished from him, and that pale ghostly cast fell over his skin once more. He finally acknowledged me, looking down at where I was standing,

"I've got somewhere to be." His voice was shaky,

"Robin, you collapsed." I looked into his blacked-out sunglasses, then searched the rest of his face looking for any indication that this man had a soul or at least enough of a mind to care about himself, "You're spread too thin, you need to take a break."

"I have to go."

"No you don't, stop being so difficult, you have to rest."

"If I don't, I let people down." He uttered, a tenderness in his voice,

"Don't you care about yourself?"

"Zatanna," The way he spoke my real name felt so familiar, "I can't do that."

"And why not?" I put my hands on my hips awaiting a response,

(Robin's POV)

If I stop now, everything will unravel. Can't you see? I'm doing all that I can to keep everything from falling apart...Yet it still feels like I can't get these hands off my throat. I feel like everything is trying to suffocate me like I can't be free.