I wanted to give you guys something before the year ended. Somebody once told me to have a whole bunch of one-shots in a story so here it is. Inspiration is from Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. Make sure you sign in to review so I can reply. Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: not mine.
HUG O' WAR
I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.
-Shel Silverstein
We were both so stubborn.
"I am not going to play tug o' war with you, Robin," I growled defiantly. My hands lazily grabbed the book but I was nowhere near of letting go.
"Then just give up so I could read my book."
Give up? I couldn't believe he just said that. Me? Give up? Surely Robin had known me longer than that.
"Your book? You gave this to me for my birthday."
I remember that birthday. It was the smallest present I had gotten but it was the most cherished. I thought it sweet that he had found the book I had been secretly eyeing for months. But I would never tell him that.
He gave a sudden pull and I lurched forward. "Yeah, but you let me borrow it."
I regained my balance and firmly held my ground. My hands gripped a little tighter on the small leather-bound novel.
"You left it in the living room for a whole week so I took it back."
"I was still reading it."
I fell forward from another one of his pulls and braced myself against the couch. "I'm not playing tug o' war with you," I repeated, "So stop being childish."
For a moment, it seemed that I had won when Robin's hand relaxed. However, that weird smile that appeared on his face worried me.
Before I knew it, I was wrenched forward and smashed into Robin's chest as he quickly wrapped his arms around me in a death-grip hug.
The TV cracked and some dishes in the kitchen shattered. "Robin, let me go."
I wiggled in his grasp but it was no use. My arms were firmly pinned on my sides. True, I had the book in my hands, but at a costly price.
"Wouldn't you rather play hug o' war?"
…Maybe. "No." I flinched as the Gamestation was crushed by my magic.
"Then give me the book."
No. If I gave him the book, that would mean I had lost. This was all a mind game he was playing and I wouldn't let him make me lose control.
I pushed violently against him to loosen his grip but that move proved fatal. He fell backwards and I, being trapped in his grip, fell with him.
I flushed bright red. "Let me go."
And do you know what he did? He laughed. Just… laughed
My anger burned and objects around us floated around us. I should have teleported away but my powers were helpless to this outburst of embarrassment and…something else. I quickly shook the thought from my head.
Meditation was what I needed. Lots and lots of meditation.
Robin saw my shiver and hugged me tighter than I thought possible. "Are you cold?" My faced pressed against his chest and I blushed even harder.
"No," I answered and raised my head to look at him only to find my face millimeters from his.
I turned away. "I don't like this game," I mumbled.
"Then just give me the book and we'll stop playing hug o' war."
Hug o' war? Surely Robin was just making all this up. Stupid pride. I couldn't let Robin get to me. I wasn't going to let him win.
"No. Let go."
I could see him roll his eyes under his mask. It would have been easier to tell Slade to turn to the good side.
"No."
"Let go now."
"Nope."
"Let go!"
"No."
"Robin!" The fridge and its contents splattered all over the kitchen in my rage. Fed up with his stubbornness and annoyed with my own lack of self-control, I buried my face in his chest and yelled out all my frustration.
He was messing with me and I knew it. He was trying to break me. Make me angry and stressed.
The sad thing is, it was working.
I chanted in my mind to calm myself and raised my head. I could feel his breath on my face and hoped he didn't notice the heat that was slowly coming to my cheeks. Oh, how I wished I had my hood.
"Are you done?"
I took a deep breath and forced the barriers around me. Relax Raven. Don't let him win. "Yes, I am." I didn't like that weird look on his face.
"Good."
I gasped as he closed the small distance between us and forced his lips to mine. The whole room was engulfed in black and I could feel strings of magic destroy everything in their path. I mumbled in protest but that didn't stop him.
My grip was slipping. Happiness was going ballistic; running in circles and screaming. Close behind her was Lust, who started jumping up and down and singing like she was at the opera. I couldn't lose control. That seemed to be my new mantra lately. Don't you dare close your eyes, Raven. Just focus. I couldn't lose…
The feeling was overwhelming. My barriers had crumbled and I nearly melted into him. I tingle ran down my spine and seemed to vibrate throughout my whole body. Why was I reacting like this?
I ripped myself away. "Fine. There's your stupid book," I muttered, shoving it into his chest. I was angry. He had no right to do what he did. Not only had he violated me but I felt this sinking feeling in my stomach that I didn't like one bit.
"Raven, I-"
"Shut up." I got up and practically ran out of the living room praying that he wouldn't give chase.
After the door closed behind me, I sank down to my knees.
I shouldn't have kissed him back. He was just toying with me, I knew it. In some stupid way, I guess I lost. Yet, I couldn't help feeling the tingle of his lips or that my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't help my quickened heart or that feeling of happiness that I pushed to the back of my head. The thought kept running through my mind; I had enjoyed the fact that he had kissed me.
The door opened and I looked up.
"Here." The book was handed to me and I hesitantly grabbed it. "I'm sorry Raven. I never meant…I mean, I shouldn't have…"
I was going soft. "Sit down. I'll read it to you."
He looked confused for a moment but his face lit up and it quickly turned to happiness.
"Really?"
"Well, unless you don't want me to…"
He was already sitting next to me. I opened the book and started to read, aware that his arm slowly sneaked around my shoulders. I smiled.
Maybe we both could win.