Foxfire and Rose Briars: A Rose's Thorns

Chapter 20, Drunk Confessions

Rosaleen’s PoV

I still sat next to him as he kept a respectable distance, I glanced at him, my body swaying slightly as I moved my head to the side. He smiled slightly at me, his dark eyes watching me worried as I yawned slightly and slumped into him.

He caught me slightly but allowed me to slump onto his shoulder, cuddling into him mumbling softly and he chuckled at me and pushed me up slightly. I looked up at him confused as he hesitantly cupped my cheek slightly. With that I sobered up slightly, my eyes snapping to his clearing up.

“Alan…?” I whispered confused, he stared into my eyes as I whispered his name. His lips twitched slightly as if he was in deep thought and trying to find words, my mouth parted slightly as he hummed softly.

“I like you.” I blurted in a drunken stupor and he laughed slightly in amusement at my words.

“Have you never enjoyed my presence before?” He asked head to the side, the curiosity clear in his gaze as he stared at me still. His face a few inches from mine, his breath fanning on my face as he spoke causing shivers to rocket down my spine.

“No… That’ssss not what I meant…” I slurred out and he looked at me confused still as I stared back at him, my words grumbling.

“I like, like you.” I said and his deep eyes glittered in amusement as my drunken ones met his sober ones, I wasn’t sure if he was understanding what I was saying or not, my lips drawing into a thin line.

“I am not sure what you’re referring to Flower… But you need to sleep beau-” I stopped him short surging forward pressing my lips to his but in the process I drunkenly crashed my teeth against his and I yelped in pain rearing back.

“Flower…” He whispered his eyes catching mine as I brought my hand to my lip to check for blood, when none was found I licked my lip again to wet them.

“Sorry… I don’t know what I was doing…” I mumbled, my eyes going downcast as I curled into myself. Withdrawing but something stopped me, his hand was clutching my wrist tightly.

“Stop. Look at me.” My eyes didn’t meet his as I tried to hide back in my shell of shame.

“Flower.” His pet name made me listen only slightly, his index finger snaked under my chin lifting my face and my eyes to meet his.

“Don’t you ever apologize for expressing yourself.” He said, his voice low and calm, his face was close and intimate as his eyes met mine. His breath fanned across my features still as he brushed a thumb across my cheek, gently almost feather-like as my mouth parted slightly.

“Let’s get you to sleep, Flower.” He said softly and he brought my face closer to his, moving my head down and pressing a kiss to my forehead. His eyes glittered as he moved my head back to normal and smiled softly, his hand rough but gentle.

“Come on, lay down.” He coaxed, I followed along as he helped me lay down. He was at the edge of the bed. He stood to leave but I reached out and grabbed his hand instantly.

“No… Don’t go… Please… I’m worried about Cara and Ryder… I can’t be alone…” I whimpered and Alan looked at me, his eyes looking back at me, his eyes worried as he frowned. He without shaking my hand, and kicked off his own shoes, and his vest leaving a button down shirt and jeans. He crawled over me and laid down behind me, but he just laid there not doing anything else as he did so, his body caused the mattress to dip underneath him.

“Alan…” I whispered softly, my voice cracking as I turned and moved onto my left side and stared at him. I was tired of being sad and feeling nothing but defeat.

“Yes Darling?” He whispered softly, he was laying on his side staring at me as his head rested on his arm as he studied me quietly.

“I’m sorry… For everything that’s been happening… About what happened last week… And avoiding you…” I whispered my voice cracking and his hand reached over again and cupped my cheek gently catching my attention.

“Don’t apologize, you needed space, I did too. I understand and I felt you may have talked about it when you were ready.” He said softly, brushing some hair from my face as he looked over my features.

“I had… A PTSD attack… It’s why I… Attacked you…” I whimpered softly, his hand reached and grabbed my waist pulling me to his chest. I let out a drunken yelp of surprise but it was muffled against his toned body, without any hesitation I relaxed not fighting against him.

“I want to transfer to Vagastrom, from Frostheim… I want to stay here.” I said, my words muffled but I knew he heard me, his arms tightening around me in a protective manner.

“Go to sleep Flower… It’s okay…” he whispered into my hair, butterflies fluttered through my chest and stomach. I curled into him further, my hands tightening into his shirt.

“I like you too Darling.” He whispered into my hair, thinking I was properly asleep, I was drunk but I heard it and I didn’t hear anything else after sleep took me out.

“No. Don’t wake her up, she’s had a rough night.” I heard one voice whisper as I kept myself still, unable to move as I wasn’t completely awake. Listening to the conversation behind me.

“Why… I haven’t seen her in more than a few days… This mission took us to the bottom of the ocean Alan.” I heard the second voice say, the British accent smooth and desperate.

“Ryder. Seriously. She needs sleep.” Alan warned and Ryder huffed softly as an idea struck him.

“Fine, can I at least lay in bed with her?” He asked the Vagastrom Ghoul. I felt eyes on me from beneath the comforter that covered my body.

“Yeah… Whatever.” Alan’s grumpy voice resonated within me, I could feel the jealousy pouring off him in waves. The bed dipped again as a different cologne wafted off the new being, a cool strong arm snaked under the blanket. Wrapping around my waist and pulling me close, making me wake slightly but sleep was too strong making me fight against keeping my eyes open.

“I’m here Petal.” He whispered into my ear, my body relaxed into him not allowing me to move but I didn’t want to.

“Mmm..” I grumbled, my eyes finally cracking open as I protected my eyes from the bright light that's shining on my eyes.

“There you are~” The British accent cooed into my ear as I moved my heavy head to meet his eyes, the clear sky blue eyes looked dead tired as he looked down at me.

“Ry… You look exhausted…” I said my voice cracking from just waking up, he smiled tiredly and shrugged gently his hand coming up and brushing strands of hair out of my eyes as he hummed a soft British tune.

“I wanted to see you. Alan called me when he found out about us coming back, he said you were worried about me. I came as fast as I could, I brought Sunflower with me too.” He said rustling could be heard as the little peekaboo peeked over and squeaked happily at seeing me.

I smiled as Ryder’s disheveled look caught my attention. I was dazed and confused, a pounding headache rolled across my skull and I whimpered hands coming to hold my head. Ryder looked at me worriedly.

“Petal… Are you okay?” Ryder asked, his arms wrapping around me now, cradling me against him now as I whined in slight pain.

“Hangover…” I grumbled out my creaking voice, as I motioned for the pain meds and the water on the nightstand. Ryder sat up reaching and grabbing the meds and the water, handing them to me quickly.

“Thanks…” I mumbled taking a drink and swallowing the pills in one swoop, I laid back down after downing the whole glass of water. The bed was comfortable far more comfortable than my Frostheim one.

“I think I confessed to Alan in my drunken stupor last night…” I confessed, my voice rough but it was starting to smooth out as I curled into Ryder, my head resting on his chest.

“Oh?” He asked in shock, his hand running through my hair as I told him about everything I could remember about what had happened yesterday and last night.

“Well then.” Ryder hummed his hand still playing with my hair, making me sink into him, my head resting on his shoulder as I played with my fingers.

“I didn’t mean to.” I mumbled my hands still fidgeting and Ryder’s much larger hand grasped both of my hands gripping them gently stopping me from fidgeting with my fingers.

“It’s okay Petal, he stayed with you throughout the night. I am not 100% sure how he feels. How are you feeling now?” He asked, his clear blue eyes stared at me, worry obvious in his eyes I smiled up at him softly.

“I am alright Ry really, it's just a bad hangover.” I said softly, my eyes heavy as I yawned and looked around, seeing the open layout, the personal bathroom, the leather couch, and the colors that were a soft yellow and beige rather than the cold dark wood that was my Frostheim bedroom.

“This room… It’s…” I mumbled looking around in amazement at what everything looked like, my eyes raced around the room trying to figure out whose room this was.

“It’s pretty awesome, isn’t it?” Ryder asked, looking around himself, his hand back to running through my hair gooseflesh running across my skin.

“I want to transfer from Frostheim.” I confessed to Ryder who went quiet as he hummed softly, hands freezing within my hair.

“Does… Alan know about this?” Ryder asked, his eyes watching me. I nodded to his question, my teeth picking at my cheeks as the anxiety started to claw at my chest like a wild animal.

“I think so… I said it last night…” I mumbled and Ryder began to pet my hair, his hands running the same pattern that began to soothe me, my anxiety slowly began to leak away as I sighed.

“Ryder… I am sorry for my off the rails habits that have been surfacing lately…” I said my voice cracking slightly, and Ryder chuckled softly. His chin resting on the top of my head gently, his cologne wafting over my senses like a security blanket. My aura that contained anxiety was starting to soothe and relax.

“Darling, you have absolutely no reason to apologize for something out of your control.” Ryder hummed softly in reassurance, he sat up completely pulling me into his lap like a stuffed animal he cradled me to him.

“But… I have been an absolute mess for the last two weeks…” I whimpered softly, my eyes watering slightly as he hugged me to him tighter, his lips pressed against my head in a reassuring gesture as he sighed.

“I am… Going to share something from my childhood that ruined me growing up.” I said softly, my voice quivered slightly as he sighed softly listening as I explained to him what I went through in Middle School and High School, how I was outcast and how I had gotten my sister killed.

“Love. That wasn’t you, you did not know that the demon would take her. You can’t blame yourself, it's going to end up killing you.” Ryder cooed softly, his assurance making me feel much more relaxed and calm, my lips quivered as he whispered to me.

“Rosaleen looked at me.” Hearing him say my name in his rich British accent made me pay attention, my obsidian eyes flicked to him as he cupped my cheek kissing my nose, then my cheek, then he stopped and hovered just before my lips and stared at me.

“A Rose will always have its thorns.” He whispered, his breath fanning across my face as he cuddled me to him again. I nuzzled into him, a soft sigh leaving me, I smiled softly both him and Alan made me feel this way and I could never understand why.

“Ry…” I called out softly, he hummed in response, my hands toying with my blanket.

“Thank you.” I hummed out, he sighed and hugged me tighter nuzzling into my hair, still struggling to pinpoint how he smelled. But I inhaled again, something sweet tickled my senses like sugar but there was something tart followed crisp and noticeable for me. Lemon tarts. That was all I smelled as I slowly slipped back into sleep.

“A Rose’s Thorns. Protective of the goods, but can damage the flower if not taken care of. Petal you need to be taken care of in a way no one ever cared, but I promise you, Alan and I will do that for you.” His voice held an air of promise that made me hum softly and nuzzle him further.