The Aftermath

Robin had barely slept after everything that happened, the morning light filtered through his blinds, telling him it was time to face the day. He groaned, covering his face with his hands before sitting up.

He listened for the usual sounds of John getting ready for work, not ready to face him yet. Robin waited until he heard the sound of keys and the front door close which signaled that John was off to work. Robin sighed in relief then gathered the clothes he had impulsively trashed the night before, tying up the clear garbage bag they were stuffed in. Just as he was about to leave and head to the dumpster, he realized he still had the bowl from his midnight ice cream run. He grabbed the bowl and headed to the kitchen but as he placed the bowl in the sink, the front door suddenly swung open. Robin's heart leapt into his throat as John walked back inside, a frustrated look on his face.

"Hey, Robin," John said, running a hand through his hair. "Car won't start."

Robin quickly sat down at the kitchen table, the clear trash bag clutched in his lap, trying to act casual as John moved about the kitchen.

"That sucks," Robin squeaked out, unable to look John in the face.

"Yeah, I called Dan, he is going to to swing by and pick me up," John told him as he sat at the table.

There was a long pause, Robin unable to find the words to even start talking about the previous night. His thoughts spiraled in the silence as he clutched the bag tightly in his small hands.

John spoke first, "Didn't sleep well?"

"...No," was all Robin could say, wishing the ground would just swallow him up.

"Well," John said after another pause, "I hope you sleep better tonight."

Again, words escaped Robin "Thanks."

Robin stared at the table as John spoke again, "I had a pretty good night."

Robin frowned at what John had said, not expecting such a jarring sentiment while he had been falling apart inside. Robin finally found the nerve to look up at John who was looking at his phone.

"What?" Robin asked.

John smiled, still focused on his phone, "Yeah, it's weird though. I had a dream about some pretty lady and I've been thinking about her all morning. She was wearing a nightgown and her hair was in an adorable braid."

Robin's heart nearly stopped. He felt his face flush with a mix of relief and embarrassment, realizing that John didn't remember the details of the other night. "Oh, really?" he managed to say, his voice wavering slightly.

"Yeah, it was just a dream, but it felt so real," John's phone chimed, "That's Dan, he is outside. I'll see you later."

As John left, Robin let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The tension drained from his body, replaced by a strange sense of exhilaration. John didn't remember, and he had indirectly called him pretty and adorable. He should probably feel insulted but as the words echoed in his mind, he felt a warmth he couldn't quite explain.

It took Robin sometime before he stood up, the clear trash bag still in his hands. He started walking to the door to throw out the clothes like he had planned, but something stopped him. Instead, he took the bag back to his room, carefully putting the nightgown and pajamas away but not before swapping out his boxers for a pair of panties.

The rest of Robin's day was fueled by the unexpected compliment from John. The words "pretty" and "adorable" played on loop in his mind while he distantly wondered why he felt so flattered. It was this bubbly mood that led him to the shopping district, where he wandered through the women's section of a clothing store.

"I really shouldn't be doing this," he said with a grin as he collected a few tops and pants off the racks. Among the items that he tried on was an off-the-shoulder top paired with tight jeans.

"Oh wow," he said seeing how the jeans accentuated his backside.

He couldn't believe how good they made him look, how comfortable it felt to be dressed this way. Once he was ready to check out he went to change out of his clothes but stopped as an idea hit him.

"Maybe I should wear them out?" he thought before laughing the idea away and getting changed.

Back home, Robin couldn't wait to get changed back into his new clothes. He found himself looking at his reflection off and on until he was ready to make dinner. With some ****, he tossed the top off and changed into his hoodie.

When John came home that evening, he found Robin in the kitchen, humming to himself as he prepared a light dinner. John smiled seeing that Robin looked like he was feeling better.

"He bud," John said as he entered the kitchen.

Robin jumped, startled but then turned, a smile lighting up his face. "Hey, John! How was your day?"

"It was alright. Yours seems to be going pretty well too," he replied as he peaked at what Robin was cooking.

Robin blushed, his mind flashing back to the shopping trip and the outfits he had bought. "Yeah, it was a good day," he said, trying to sound casual.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, the two of them chatting about mundane topics as they ate dinner. Robin yawned a few times until John encouraged him to get some rest, telling him he would finish up the dishes. Robin thanked him and headed to bed while John, not wanting to be a creep, continued to ignore how the new jeans looked on his friend. After going to the kitchen, he gathered the dirty dishes and placed them on the counter when he saw a full bowl of melted ice cream in the sink. He glanced at Robin's closed bedroom door, a sad smile playing on his lips as he emptied it before getting to work.