Blurred Lines | ✓ [1st Edition]

17 | Persuasion

"I hate you," I muttered under my breath. "I hate you so much."

"Do you now?" he replied teasingly.

"Yes, I do," I grumbled, thumping my head against his chest. "I'm trying to be mad at you and you just swoop in and do...do this!"

Yuko laughed, his arms pulling me closer. I didn't bother to ignore the way we fit so perfectly anymore. When he calmed down, he spoke in a more serious tone.

"I mean it, Ris. I didn't mean to hurt you that way just now," he murmured. "I was just...angry at Siobhan and blurted out really unintelligent things without thinking. But I promise, everything that happened between us is genuine."

I could feel him hold his breath as he waited for my answer, and reluctantly I sighed and nodded.

"Okay," I said quietly. "I believe you."

My cheeks felt like they were on fire when I felt his exhale and plant a kiss on the top of my head.

"Okay," he whispered, resting his chin atop of my head. We stayed there for the rest of the hour.

-

"I don't want to hear it," Robin growled, glaring stubbornly at the wall. He had just woken up an hour ago, and Emily immediately started to beg him to tell Alex. So far though? No luck.

"Robin, please. What would you do if she was in your place? You'd want to know, right?" Emily said, eyes wide with desperation.

"Shut it, Emily. Alex will not know about this," Robin seethed, swivelling his head and locking eyes with her. Emily gulped, looking torn between continuing to persuade him and running far, far away. Robin's eyes were dark and haunted, his face pulled into his signature scowl that sent even the strongest men cowering in fear.

"Robin," Asher began, warning evident in his tone. He placed a protective arm around Emily and held her close. I tried to suppress the small smile that tried to creep into my lips. Despite Asher's tough facade, he treated Emily like she was a goddess. It was pretty cute.

"Why are all of you suddenly bringing this up?" Robin finally asked, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I thought we all agreed that it'd be best to keep it from her. Why the sudden change?"

"Because it's not the right thing to do," Logan said quietly, refusing to meet his best friend's eye. Robin glared at Logan, before finally locking eyes with me. I swallowed thickly, but kept my head high. He wasn't going to intimidate me into submission.

"It's because of you, isn't it?" Robin accused, narrowing his big blues at me. Pursing my lips, I nodded.

"You're making a mistake if you think it's the best thing to keep this from her," I replied monotonously, unaffected by his venomous glare.

"This is none of your business," Robin hissed. "You have no right to come barging into my life and trying to tell me what to do!"

"Robin, calm down," Yuko said softly, his eyebrows creasing with worry as Robin's heart monitor sped up.

"You're not the one that's sick," Robin growled, completely ignoring Yuko's gentle warning.

"You're not the one that has to distance yourself from people you love because you don't want to hurt them. You're not the one that dying!" Robin shouted, his words rising a tone in bitterness and hatred.