"I have to go," she breaks the moment, eyes falling from his as she exhales a shuddered breath. It hurts too much standing here in his new apartment, pictures of Roland lining the shelves much like the ones she has back at home, the only difference being that she isn't in any of them. Not anymore.
It doesn't smell like them here, doesn't feel like them and she knows it's her own fault. She'd pushed him away like she did everyone else and despite her absolute regret in doing so, she knows it's for the best. She's poisonous, just like her mother had said all those years ago before she'd slammed the door in her face. "Can't you stay for bedtime?" he asks and she hates herself for wanting to. Hates the flicker of hope that lights within her at his question because she can't.
"I can't."
And she knows his "Why not?" is coming but even still, she wavers when he voices it. Lifts her eyes to find his once more and how she wishes there wasn't so much distance between them.
"It would only confuse him," because it would, she knows it would and god help her, she's caused enough pain in this family as it is. "He doesn't understand why we're living apart as it is."
"Neither do I, in all honesty."
She staggers back when she realises he's moving towards her, her heart hammering in her chest, climbing into her throat. She wants to fall into his strong arms and let him hold her, let him make it all better like she knows he can. "Robin," she shakes her head, eyes pleading but there's a determination in his as though he's realised the one thing he hasn't tried since their split, the one thing he knows will break her. "Robin, we ca-"
"Shh," he breathes, within reach of her now and he lifts his hands to catch her own. His thumbs rub over her knuckles, following as she goes, only stopping when her back hits the wall behind her and she has nowhere else to go. No escaping him. "Shh…" he repeats before he lifts a palm to her cheek and lowers his face to her own.
She feels as though she can't breathe, like the whole world is falling in on her even as her head tilts up towards his, lips like magnets. She's always been drawn to him, since the very beginning and she knew she shouldn't have come here. Knew it was dangerous because she loved him with absolutely everything she had. The pull only intensifies when he catches her lips in a soft kiss and wraps his arms around her waist to keep her from falling when her knees buckle beneath her because this is all she's been dreaming of for the past month. Ever since he'd listened to her order to get out.
She understands it then, when he slants his head and deepens the kiss with her permission, with the inevitable parting of her lips beneath his. He's been waiting her out. Giving her space. Holding off until the time was right and she's still not sure that the time is right but it's hard to think at all when he's kissing her like he is, as though asking her to give him another chance, to give them another chance.
"Okay," she whispers against his lips in a pause for breath, unsure of when her hands had taken a grip of his hair but uncaring as she nodded, her forehead brushing against his own before she repeats, "okay."
And he seems to understand, of course he does, as he lets loose a stressed breath that washes over her mouth and replies, "Thank you," before capturing her lips once more and pouring every ounce of love he has into it.