Sharp sunrays reflected on the light layer of snow outside and bounced in through the window, where they found Robin's eyes. He blinked awake and it took him a moment to realize where he was. On the floor, in a cave made of pillows and blankets, surrounded by candy hearts, and with a sweet blonde boy--who he'd done very naughty things to the night before--in his arms. Tyler remained asleep. It appeared he could sleep through most events--including earthquakes, zombie apocalypses, and alien invasions. Although, the crinkling of a candy wrapper was known to render him wide awake in an instant.

Robin wished he could once again join Tyler in sweet dreams, but unfortunately, this day was filled with things to do. They needed to pack up the last boxes from his dorm room and load them into Lance's car before noon. So he placed a kiss on a sheet-marked cheek before reluctantly leaving the warm nest.

Hot water washed away remnants of naughtiness and sleep. Robin finished the shower quickly, hoping to sneak in some additional cuddle time before they had to be productive.

Cold air made the hairs on his arms stand on end as Robin, clad in only his underwear, left the steamy bathroom behind and stepped back into normal room temperature.

"Good morning, cutie," Tyler greeted him from the kitchen counter. Something must have woken the bear from its slumber. His boyfriend sported a pair of Robin's sweatpants and hadn't even bothered to put his leg on yet. Since Robin's dorm room was small, Tyler preferred to jump around the place on one leg instead of strapping on the leg, which could be uncomfortable to wear for extended periods.

"Morning... sweetheart?" Robin tried, his tongue not accustomed to such words of endearment.

"You sleep well? I was quite exhausted. You wore me out last night." Tyler grinned widely and took a bite out of the muffin in his hand.

Robin did a double-take. He didn't remember there being any muffins in his room.

"Blueberry, right?" Tyler asked, nodding toward the treat in his hand.

Blueberry muffins. That's what Robin's mother had always brought him at the hospital.

"Where did you get that?" Robin shouted, unable to keep his anxiety from spiraling. In a move that parallelled the agility and speed of an Olympic gymnast, he jumped to Tyler's side, shoving the sweet snack out of his boyfriend's hand.

Tyler looked in horror as crumbs shattered all over the floor. "Why did you do that?" he asked. "I found a whole basket of them in the pantry. I figured it was part of the romantic setup yesterday. Sorry if I ruined the surprise."

Robin could only shake his head. "I didn't..." he mumbled. "I didn't put them there."

Tyler gave Robin a puzzled look. "So where did they come from?"

"My mother must have been in here..." Robin mumbled, trying to keep it together as everything fell apart."She probably still has a key. She must have put them in the pantry when we were at the cinema."

"Why?" Tyler asked, rubbing his still sleepy eyes. It seemed he wasn't still grasping what was going on yet. It was too early in the morning for such mental exercises.

"She must have laced them with something, hoping you would eat them." Robin stared in horror at his boyfriend. "How are you feeling, Ty? We need to get you to the hospital right away. I don't know what she may have put in there."

Tyler shrugged, still not comprehending the gravity of the situation. "I'm fine," he said. "I only ate one."

"It doesn't matter." Robin reached for his pants on the floor, preparing to rush his boyfriend to the ER. Ty had to be fine. He had to be. The alternative was incomprehensible. "We need to go. You don't know her... You don't know what she can do." He threw Tyler his t-shirt to speed up the process. Time was of the essence right now.

"Calm down, Robby," Tyler urged him, reaching a hand toward Robin's shoulder. "We can go to the hospital, but I'm feeling fine. I'm sure it's nothing I can't handle." He jumped down from the counter, swaying a bit as he landed before falling to the floor.

"Ty!" Robin quickly ran to his boyfriend's aid, cradling Tyler's naked chest in his arms.

"Perhaps I am a bit woozy," Tyler admitted, sweat drops adorning his forehead.

Before Robin could help Tyler get on his feet, there was a sound from the door. A sound that made him freeze, despite the warm sunlight bathing the room. The sound of a key in the door.

No one should have that key. But yet, someone did. And Robin knew exactly who.

The next moment, the door flew open to reveal a small woman with eyes void of emotion and lips that seemed incapable of producing a smile. As Liza peered at the sight in front of her--her only son with his arms around a sweet boy, next to mountains of pillows, a half-full bottle of lube, and wrappers from used condoms--her face turned into a grimace of disgust.

"I see you found my gift," she stated, nodding toward the basket with muffins on the kitchen counter.

"What did you put in them, mom?" Robin yelled, incapable of containing his anger and fear.

"What do you mean?" she replied, obtuseness veiling her voice. "I just wanted to leave you a gift, celebrating your achievement. I saw on the university's website that you received the scholarship."

Ignoring his mother's toxic presence, Robin turned to his boyfriend again, who was starting to shiver. He grabbed a hoodie from the floor and put it across Tyler's shoulders. "You need to get out of here now," he whispered, snatching Tyler's phone from where it had been left on the kitchen counter and pressing it into Tyler's hand. "Contact Miss Horn. She can help you get the care you need. She'll know what to do."

Truthfully, Robin wished Miss Horn could help him too. This seemed like a situation that called for a responsible adult. But he had to face his mom by himself to find out what poison she had fed his boyfriend.

Tyler nodded, understanding the instructions. There was a hint of fear in his eyes, as he started to feel the effects of those muffins. Wanting to alleviate his boyfriend's anxiety, Robin pressed a kiss to a clammy temple. "You'll be fine," he assured Tyler, even though he knew he couldn't promise that.

It was time. Time to face his mother. With a comforting pat on Tyler's shoulder, Robin stood up, placing himself between his boyfriend and his mother.

"You know what I mean, mom," he said. Taking a step forward, Robin stared down at her. "You put something in the muffins to make Tyler sick, just like you did to me when I was a child."

Her mouth fell agape, feigning an expression of shock. "I would never..."

"Just drop the act." Robin felt anger brewing in his veins. "I know what you did. But right now, it doesn't matter. All that I care about is finding out what you gave Tyler."

She sighed like this was all a huge inconvenience to her. "I just wanted you to know I cared."

"By poisoning someone I care about?" Robin threw the words at her, not holding back anymore. "You really are insane, mom. You need help."

But he wasn't going to help her. He'd wasted enough time on her already. She had to sort out her own mess.

"You're the one who needs help. Your head has been twisted by this... charlatan," she sneered as her gaze fell upon the blonde boy on the floor. "You're the one whose senses are deranged, poor son."

There was nothing deranged or poor about Robin. There was only one deranged and poor person in that room.

Throwing a look toward Tyler, Robin got a nod in reply. A signal that he must have texted Miss Horn for assistance.

"Mom," Robin said, wanting desperately to be able to proudly introduce Tyler to his only remaining relation by blood. "This is Tyler, my-"

"I don't care who he is," Liza proclaimed sharply, proving once and for all that, in this case, blood wasn't thicker than water. "He's no one of importance. You will see that soon. I'm the one you need."

A foot nudged Robin's leg from behind. It was just a small tap but the gesture meant the world to him. It made him feel loved. It made him feel brave. It made him feel free.

"He's the most important person in my life," Robin stared into his mother's eyes as he said the words. "He is my boyfriend and I love him. If you're not fine with that I don't want you in my life."

The room fell silent for a moment. Then, Liza started to laugh. The manic laughter of someone who was truly lost in their madness.

Robin looked toward Tyler, still curled up on the floor. He was unsure of what to do. He needed to get Tyler out of there, but he also needed to find out what she'd put in those muffins. It was the only way to ensure Tyler's safety.

That's when the door flew open, interrupting Liza's convulsing laughter. "I came as fast as I could." Miss Horn's cheeks were flushed from running across campus and her usually meticulously plaited hair stood in all directions. "What's going on, Tyler?"

"This doesn't concern you," Liza sneered. "This is between my son and me. You should leave."

Miss Horn did not leave. Instead, she rushed to Tyler's side, sneaking in right between Robin and Liza to make her way through the cramped dorm room. "Well, Tyler here is my client," she stated, "and he told me to come to help him. So it is a concern of mine that he doesn't appear to be feeling well."

She turned to the slumped-over blond boy. "Can you stand, Tyler?" she asked. "I'll help you get out of here."

"I don't know," he mumbled, curls hanging over a pale face. "I don't have my leg on and I feel a bit dizzy."

"Let's try," she encouraged in a soft voice, putting her arm behind Tyler's back. "We can worry about the leg later. Right now we need to make sure you get medical attention.."

"I don't know what she gave him," Robin told Miss Horn, ignoring his mom's glare. "I'll try to find out and call you once I know."

Miss Horn nodded in reply, busy helping Tyler get to standing. They had to pause a bit as Tyler got his bearings, but eventually, she managed to steady him. "Let's go," she whispered, taking small steps toward the door.

"You wouldn't dare," Robin growled at his mother, afraid she would try to stop Tyler's exit. In a spur of protectiveness--needing to shield his gentleman in distress-- he put a hand on her shoulder and guided her toward the kitchenette, which left a free escape route for Tyler. Robin kept his eyes peeled on his boyfriend, ensuring that nothing stood in his way.

He towered over his mom. He had never realized that before. She had loomed like a giant shadow over his whole life. Now she only seemed petty and small.

"You think such vile things of me, son." His mother tsked. "It won't kill him. I wouldn't do that."

"So you admit you gave him something?" Robin turned to his mother, rage in his eyes and grip. He balled the fabric of her coat into a ball, making his knuckles whiten. To actually hear her admitting wasn't something he'd expected.

"I just wanted you to know that I still love you. I always will."

"And you did that by poisoning my boyfriend?" Now it was Robin's time to laugh. The ideas in her warped mind were so ridiculous.

"Only to make you realize that you still need me, Robin," his mother replied, crocodile tears streaking her cheeks. "I can take care of you. You're still so weak. You don't know what you're doing."

"I don't need you, mom." Robin turned as the door slammed, confirming that Tyler was out of reach from her claws. "And I know what you did to me when I was little. You made me sick and I will make sure you pay for that. Because I'm not weak, mom. I never was. I'm strong. I'm gay. And I'm free. Free from you."

Before he had taken his eyes from the door, spindly fingers locked around his jaw, trying to pry it open. The move took him by surprise and before Robin was able to react a fistful of pills was shoved at his mouth.

Maybe once upon a time, Liza would have been able to pull such a move on her son. When he was small and pliable, obeying her every command. But he was none of those things anymore. He was strong and resistant, able to fend for himself.

His hand grabbed her wrist, steering it away from him. It was a freeing feeling to know that he was stronger than her. As Robin parried to avoid the bitter medicine reaching his throat, he hinted at an orange pill bottle in his mother's hand. He reached for it with his other hand, snatching it from her claws.

"Is this what you gave him?" he shouted, high on adrenaline and fury. "Is this what you gave Tyler?"

His mother didn't reply. It appeared she had shrunken, wittering away into a small shadow trying to hide in the corner.

There was a long medical name written on the label. Robin couldn't discern what type of drug it contained. But he did make out one thing. A name. His father's name.

"Is this my father's medicine?" he asked, trying to put the pieces together. "The one he was given for his heart condition." The cogs turned, and suddenly it all became clear. "Did you give it to me instead? Did you... kill him?"

Maybe killing wasn't the exact right word, but she had certainly contributed to her husband's demise if she had withheld the medicine he required for his life-threatening condition.

Liza took advantage of her son's shock. She sprung for the door, wringing it open before he could react.

With the pill bottle in his hand, Robin followed out the door, after quickly jumping into his shoes and pulling a jacket over his bare chest. Once there, blonde curls stopped him in his tracks. Because while his mother ran to the left down the hallway, Miss Horn and Tyler were slowly making their way out of the building in the other direction.

There really wasn't a choice. Robin had gotten what he needed from his mother. Now he could focus on what was important.

Robin veered to the right. With the lapels of his jacket flapping and the pills in the bottle rattling, he sprinted to his boyfriend's aid.