did you cross your fingers when you said forever? | POST-S4v2 RONANCE-CENTRIC AU

4.

max and el led the way through the door. the apartment was cozy, and the scent of lasagna wafted throughout from the kitchen. vickie perched on the couch, the cable TV quietly humming across from her.

robin stumbled in behind them, her eyes glossy. "hi, vick!" she called, her voice vibrating through the sparse place they coined 'home.' vickie glanced over to them,

"max, did you drive robin back?" she asked, dismissing robin's greeting. robin felt her chest grow heavy with the exhuastion of the day, her druken state rarely extended this late into the night. vickie rarely showed any form of affection towards robin, the lack of interest in a small greeting pained her even fir the than usual. it really drove the bullet into her gut.

"yeah," the ginger girl responded sharply, squeezing el's hand. then vickie squinted, her gaze now shifting onto robin.

"go to sleep, girls," vickie grunted, her focus still firmly fixated on robin's now teetering body. her legs felt like jello beneath her, maybe that was the alcohol. maybe it was vickie.

the house rocked back and forth gently, robin's eyes darted around the room. the oscillating motion was both nauseating and an unequivocal reminder of the grandfather clock that doubtlessly struck a deep sense of fear into her.

"robin?" el's fingertips ran along her shoulder. robin jumped ever so slightly, gasping in a desperate breath of air.

"she's drunk," vickie hissed, her voice was louder-- closer. her body was less than a foot away from robin, hands balled up into fists at her sides. their sheer proximity frightened robin.

"sorry," robin muttered. el retracted her hand delicately, passing a look between max and vickie. max had scooted away, her arms crossed over her chest defensively. her gaze was filled with concern, though. she knew what robin was going through, it wasn't just the liquor or vickie's menacing stance. it was the recollection of the upside down that remained in the recess of her mind, willing to leap out unforgivingly at any moment.

"tell them to go to bed," vickie demanded, her eyes ignitied with a familiar, intemperate emotion. robin recognized it all too quickly and knew where her night would be headed.

"stop bossing all of us around!" max snapped, her voice raising an octave. el pressed her hands up to her ears-- to which max softened her tone, "let robin decide things for herself, for once."

"go to sleep," robin said, her words melded together and came out of her mouth sort of funny. she straightened herself out, the air feeling thick.

max's eyes widened, she looked like she'd been smacked with betrayal. "or don't," robin added, rubbing her glistening eyes, now wet with the approaching tears. "but if vickie wants to speak alone, i'm certain it's important," she landed on logically through her haze.

vickie released a huff of annoyance. max glanced to her feet before softly guiding el back through the empty hallway, towards their room.

robin waited, involuntarily holding her breath in. she ran her gaze along vickie's outfit, she was dressed in a pair of sleep-shorts and one of robin's hoodies. her posture was too relaxed considering the argument that had just ensued, she knew she was in comfortable control.

"look," she began, taking a small stride closer. to which robin felt her chest constrict with discomfort. vickie's features were void of emotion, as usual.

"i don't care what you're thinking or feeling, you need to understand that I'm the one who matters here," she stretched out a hand and tenderly rubbed robins jawline.

the taller girl stared back at her, her tongue running dry. she knew vickie was right-- painfully correct, infact. so she mechanically nodded. the sharpness of her words contradicted her reassuring touch.

vickie's fingers continued to caress her face. her body was still and a overwhelming sense of dread consumed her. her clothing felt tight, and her mind was spinning once more-- this time accompanied a sense of 'fight or flight' and warning bells chiming in her ears.

"i'm tired of being pushed aside for your social calendar, i want to the be only thing on your itinerary," the petite girl continued.

robin felt herself slipping away. her body yearned to be held by someone who truly adored her, not demeaned her constantly. but vickie was the only girl who had ever given her attention, even if it was just the scraps, so robin devoured her love.

she nibbled on her lip. "what do you mean, baby?" robin tried to pull away, but that was to no avail.

"don't call me that," vickie growled, her eyebrows pinched together.

"vick, sorry," robin corrected herself, her breath was warm and the taste of alcohol danced on her lips.

vickie was now dangerously close, she grazed her hands along robin's hipbones. it was suffocating, really. robin felt her mind pirouette, but it wasn't anywhere near as pretty as a ballerina's pirouette. her brain was just jumbled and all wrong.

vickie propped herself up on her tippy-toes and pressed her lips to robin's jawline, chewing on her a little. robin stood like a deer in headlights.

"it means, no more preforming. i see the way they look at you in the audience, baby. they want to take you away from me," vickie whispered in an enticing tone. her hands moved languidly over robin's body.

tears stung her eyes, and before she could process it, robin was softly crying. she clenched her hands at her sides, willing herself to sink into the floor. vickie peppered kisses along her face, "stop crying," she ordered.

"sorry," robin slurred.

"why are you upset?" vickie inquired, it was a secondary thought to her inital annoyance at robin's emotions.

"i'm..." she hiccuped. "i'm not sure why i'm even bothering trying to understand you, vickie. how will i make any money? i won't be able to afford rent."

"don't use my full name," the ginger's hands tensed around her frame. again? you've fucked up again, buckley. this is your last strike, she warned herself. robin melted into vickie's grip, exhaustion overwhelmed her intoxicated mind. her mouth worked in overdrive to compensate.

"sorry, vick. i-i mean, i'm trying to say i thought we were on the same page. but maybe we're not even speaking the same language, or something."

vickie bit down on her neck, robin stifled a squeal as to not scare max or el. blood dripped down onto the collar of her sweater. "you understand what i'm saying, don't you? you're mine," she emphasized her last sentence, staring at robin with a touch of anger.

"can w-we go to sleep and talk about this over coffee like normal people, or something?" robin cried, her tears streaming across her cheeks now.

"no, baby. i wouldn't want to seem like a dyke in public," her words dripped with malice. robin felt her mind rush back to the bullying and compulsively wriggled, freeing herself from vickie's harsh hold.

"i'm going to sleep. i'm sorry, i'm sorry-" vickie shut her up, her hand connecting with robin's arm. a red mark appeared across her freckled skin.

"sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry," robin mumbled incoherently, backing away.

vickie's jawline twitched.

robin ran, she fled for her bedroom-- through held-back sobs.