Grey

Thirty

[RORY]

I was seeing red as I stared at the two of them who seemed to have forgotten how to speak. While I was standing in nothing more than a pair of barely there underwear and Finn's wrinkled t-shirt, that was hardly the reason I felt horribly exposed.

"Not all at once."

"I, uh...Rory," Finn fumbled, setting his mug on the counter to his side. "Let's go talk, yeah? Let's go to your room, I can explain."

"No, we can stay right here," I laughed bitterly, walking up to the table and pulling out a chair roughly before taking a seat. "I'm all ears, seems like you want her involved in our shit anyway."

Em was awkwardly staring down at her coffee, knowing better than to say anything. For the first time, I enjoyed watching Finn's nerves get the best of him - his hand immediately finding solace tangled in his hair.

"I swear to you that was a business dinner. I know the pictures look-"

"I'm not asking if you fucked blondie, I'm asking what the hell you were talking about just now."

"I saw Max at the festival and he was such a prick, Rory. And I've asked you a few times, to talk to me about that. You kept dodging it and I dunno, I didn't want to upset you so I texted Em."

"And you responded," I monotonously stated, looking directly at Em. She didn't deny it and I didn't expect her to. "Sweet, so you both think I'm a charity case. That I need to be tiptoed around."

"That's not true, Rory," Em muttered, shaking her head and looking blankly at me. "I'm sorry but-"

I directed my gaze back over at Finn. His silence made me angry, but the fact he was so calm made me even angrier. "Is that why you keep telling me how pretty I look? Poor girl didn't hear it enough so I need to shove it down her throat?"

"Rory, come off it," he pleaded, shaking his head at me. "You know it's not like that-"

"Is that why you keep telling me how good I look on top? How good I taste?"

"Rory," Em hissed at the vulgar statements, standing up abruptly. "I'm going to give you two your space."

"No, you stay, I haven't even fucking started. He needs to leave."

Finn stared at me sheepishly, shaking his head as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving, Rory. Not until we have a proper talk."

Em seemed uncomfortable, subtly glancing back and forth between him and I. I finally gave up, standing up. "Okay great, then I'll leave. Since you guys are besties now."

I walked out of the room, completely unsurprised to hear Finn's feet padding behind me. I was thankful he didn't try and grab my arm or wrist, feeling too worked up to have full confidence that I wouldn't smack him. He kept quietly repeating my name as we made our way to the bedroom, hoping that I'd give him what he wanted.

"Finn, go."

"Rory, please. It's really not as bad as you think."

The fact that he was still defending himself was enough to send me over the edge as I spun around, him nearly running into me in the doorway. "Finn, get the hell out."

He huffed in defiance, just staring at me as if that would break me down. I took a step back, making enough space to shut the door in his face. His hand stopped it, palm flat against the wood.

"Rory, come on. Please? Please just hear me out?"

I let him push the door open, stepping into the room and facing the window. I could feel him behind me, the usual magnetic pull very present but for the first time, in a bad way. It was too much as I felt his fingers gently wrap around my biceps - as if trying to comfort me. I jumped away like I'd been burned, holding my hands up.