Short Ones
by Em

04. Ahora Quien, Marc Anthony

"A quien van a engañar ahora tus brazos?/ a quien van a mentirle ahora tus labios?"

"I told you—"

"I know you did," he interrupted her before she could finish the sentence. He didn't need to hear it again. He already had it etched in his memory, echoing.

She turned away from him, perhaps sensing that he needed time to compose himself; he couldn't hope that she needed time to compose herself, but he thought it.

He caught his own reflection in the mirror and wondered if he always had that stupid look in her presence. Surely, he didn't.

"So, what now?" he asked instead.

She paused in placing the purple leotard neatly on top of the cape on top of her pjs.

Odd that combination.

"Now, I walk away," she said, her voice low and steady.

"That's not what I meant," he chastised.

"I know," she sighed. She turned to face him unexpectedly and he caught a flash of something across her expression, but it was gone before he could name it. "You want to know where I'm going? What I'll be doing-?"

"Who," he interrupted her again, anger zesting his words like the smell of fire.

He could almost kid himself that it looked as if he'd physically wounded her, but he blinked and it was gone. Her shoulders were squared, her jaw tight.

Did he really want to hurt her? Did he really want to fight with her?

It was easier than pretending that it wasn't hurting.

"Who'll be next?" he asked, steeling his voice. "Who will you kiss, hold, whisper to in the dark?" He took a step towards her and felt the anger rise when she didn't back away. "Who's bed will you leave with that smell of lavender and vanilla?" he pressed. "Who will get to watch you get dressed in the morning? If it's not me, Raven…who?"

When he was done, he was breathing hard and so close to her, she had to tilt her head up to look at him. He could see the biting retort in her eyes. He felt the intake of breath as she prepared to speak, but something died in the seconds between breath and words, and her eyes were almost sad when she finally spoke.

"Goodbye Robin."