Rose One Shots/Drabbles

The heist was over. You couldn’t believe the nine of you had actually pulled it off. You didn’t think any of the others could believe it either, except maybe Debbie, who seemed to know it would work all along. 30 million dollars for each of you. You knew it would take a few weeks, maybe even months to let it sink in, to wrap your mind around just how much money that really was. But for now, you were sitting in the kitchen of Lou’s flat with the others, bathing in the afterglow of success. Maybe it was just the adrenaline, but the champagne really did taste like stars tonight. Rose was next to you, leaning casually against the counter, smiling and laughing as she engaged in the conversation. From what you’d seen of her, it seemed out of character. She was always so jittery, so anxious. Whether it was the excitement or the booze or the sense of camaraderie that had developed between the group, you were happy to see her finally coming out of her shell.

After awhile the group dispersed. Tammy, Daphne, and Amita had decided to head home, while Lou and Debbie went upstairs. Constance had been content to stay in the kitchen, raiding Lou’s fridge for munchies, and you weren’t sure where Nine Ball went. You and Rose had ended up on the sofa, with her sitting with her legs tucked under her, and you at the opposite end, with one leg bent at the knee, the other stretched out towards her. She had her elbow on the arm of the sofa, head resting on her hand as the two of you discussed your plans for the exorbitant amount of money you now owned. Obviously, Rose said, she would first be getting herself out of debt. Then she went on to explain her plans to purchase her own studio, a headquarters for her fashion line. She spoke of her hopes to get her brand back to its glory days, back when she wasn’t a joke in the fashion industry. The fact that she had dressed Daphne for the Gala would certainly kick start it. She had already planned exactly what the studio would look like, and spared no detail as she told you her plan with remarkable clarity. She was painting a picture with words, and you could see it forming in your mind as she spoke. You found that when she was in her element, she was very adamant and expressive, and you enjoyed watching her eyes light up, making wild hand gestures as she moved around in her seat, tucking and untucking her legs.

She told you everything, from the floor plan to the wall decor to where her sewing machines and and fabrics would be located, and when she finally reached the end she trailed off with a sigh, appearing just a little out of breath.

“So yea. That’s… that.”

“Well it sounds absolutely wonderful, Rose. You’ll have to let me come and see it sometime, when it’s finished.” You smiled.

“Oh of course.” She said. She took a sip of her drink and her eyes flickered towards the back wall. She had been doing that a lot. All night, actually. Whether it was the floor or the wall or one of the odd decorative items that Lou possessed, Rose always found something else to focus on, seeming to not be able to look at you for more than a few seconds at a time, even when she was ranting about her studio. It was the only nervous habit she carried over from before the heist to this night.

“You can’t seem to look at me very long, can you?” You said with a light laugh.

She seemed startled. “ Oh! I’m sorry-”

“It’s alright!”

“I don’t mean to be rude, I just… ” She trailed off again. You waited patiently for her to finish. Once again, her eyes flickered to you momentarily, and when she realized you weren’t going to speak, she sighed.

“I just… don’t want to stare.” She mumbled.

“What? ”

She seemed to be regretting saying anything, shrinking back into her nervous is self. “I, well,” She huffed “ I’m afraid if I look at you too long I won’t be able to stop. ” Her words came out in a rush, and it took you a moment to comprehend what she had said.

“Why?” You asked .

She shrank into the sofa a bit. “You’re beautiful.” She whispered.

Your lips parted in shock. You supposed you should’ve suspected, but for some reason her admission hit you like a truck. Maybe it was because , well, you thought she was beautiful too. And not in the admiration-of-a-friend kind of way. In the butterflies-when-you-look-at-her kind of way. You had always assumed she didn’t feel the same. It’s easy to let your own feelings keep you from seeing what’s right in front of you.

“I… Thank you.” You finally said. She nodded, looking at the floor. You made to move towards her, but stopped when she visibly tensed. She was all pre-heist Rose now, and she reminded you of a bird. Beautiful, but nervous, flighty. One wrong move and she might fly away. So instead of just doing what you desperately longed to do, you asked first.

“May I kiss you?”

She looked up at you, surprise written on her face . This was clearly not where she expected this to go. Not seeming to trust herself to speak, she gave a little nod.

You moved towards her and leaned in. She tilted her head towards you. There was a pause as both of you hesitated, your lips barely grazing each other. She smelled like flowers and chocolate, tinged with a spark of champagne on her breath. Then you closed the gap, connecting your lips with hers. She was shy at first, but as the kiss lasted she grew more confident. She lifted a hand to caress your cheek, deepening the kiss as she swung her leg over to straddle you. You grabbed her hips and pulled her close, reveling in the feeling of your bodies pressed together.

“Ugh, get a room.”

The two of you broke apart and looked to see Lou leaning against the railing of the stairs.

“I mean, honestly. I have a guest room if you two really need it.” She said with a teasing smile.

“Thanks for ruining the moment, smart ass.” You said. You smiled to show you weren’t upset, but it was a little frustrating. You scanned Rose’s face, trying to gouge what she was feeling. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked a bit embarrassed, but not the least bit regretful.

“Remember how I said I would visit after the studio is done?” You said.

“Yea.”

“Maybe we should make it a little sooner.”

She smiled, a real genuine smile with not an ounce of nerves. “I would like that very much.”