*EDITED*

♥

The bed beneath Rose shook roughly, and she woke with a start. She looks left and right, unable to figure out where she was. Then suddenly, it dropped on her like bricks. Iran's room!

She looked down to her right, and saw a sleeping Iran. He shook with sweat while mumbling rubbish. Rose tries to wake him up, using her palms to roll him like dough. But it didn't work. He had his arms wrapped around her body tightly, forcing her to pull herself up, with full strength.

"Iran, wake up!" She whispers.

His eyebrows connected in a straight line as if he was trying to process something in his sleep.

"Iran! Please get up!" Rose tries again.

"Ira-"

He jerks upwards, and releases her from his grip. Iran gripped the sheets, staring blankly around. His eyes landed on Rose, in her panicked state. "R- Rose. Wh- what are y- you doing h- here?" He looks at her with wide eyes.

She slides off the bed to get a towel from his dresser, and then slowly, hands it to him.

"Here." He takes it and begins to dry himself off.

"Did we have s- sex?" He asks while throwing the cloth to the side. Rose coughs, turning to face the drawing.

"No, we slept." She answers simply after a while, "you were drunk weren't you?"

"Yeah. I think so, I don't remember anything. Wait! How did you get-- um, in my room?" Iran trails off, looking down at the mattress where her body once laid. He cleared his throat. "I guess you like me better when I'm not myself. Drunk me got you in bed easily I see."

When Rose doesn't answer, he continues. "I've been trying for a while." A nervous chuckle broke her silence.

"Great."

"What?"

Iran looks at her confused, " what- why? Did we do something."

"No, no. Of Course not." She lies. Rose tried hard to hide the embarrassment she felt. How could she kiss him? He was her tormentor for god's sake. A light blush crept into her cheeks. Apart from it all, she had really enjoyed the kiss and night spent, and that made her feel even worse. She should have known better!

"Then how'd you end up in my bed?"

"I s-snuck in. Nothing happened alright!" Rose snaps, she picks up her kimono off the floor, "I should probably go anyway."

"No, no. Please don't." Iran stands up and grabs her shoulders, bringing her back towards the bed, "just sit."

She crawls back in the sheets, covering herself. Iran wraps his arm around her as she rested on his chest.

"I was having a nightmare." He begins.

Rose didn't say anything.

"When I was fourteen, I saw my father. He told me to retrieve some files from the school-" he pulls Rose close to him so she straddled his hips. "- I guess he forgot that he already got them. And when I was about to leave, I saw the documents on the kitchen table. I- I ra- ran and got them a- and when I w- went to h- his office, I- I -"

"You don't have to tell me everything," Rose interjects.

"No, I have to tell someone. I've been holding it in for too long!" He takes a deep breath and continues, "and when I went back to his office, I saw his secretary on his lap. She slowly took off her clothes, my dad's eyes lighting up with every piece of cloth that met the floor. A- and then he pulled her in for a kiss. She rubbed her dirty hands all over his body. He touched her....and I saw it all."

Rose snuggles in his hold, "it's ok"

"No it's not! I've been so scared to tell my mother, t- that, I've lost all hope in ever being truly happy again. Rose, do you know how hard that is?-" he studies her face, "- to be closed out from the world for three years, not trusting anyone?"

She shook her head 'no.' "Whenever I see my dad show my mother affection, my mind always trail back to that night. And I know it's just an act he is playing, I should have told her. I'm a monster-"

"Iran, you're not a monster!" Rose rubs her fingers on his cheek, she didn't know whether she meant what she was saying or not. But it seemed right in the moment. "Iran, you're so beautiful inside and out. You're a light and a star."

He shook his head forcefully, "no, don't say-" he began to say.

"Don't tell me what to say. If I want to say something that I believe is true, I will. You're an amazing artist and you are sometimes sweet."

Rose looked at him, his lips curled up in a lopsided smile, "you truly are amazing, Rose Ella Wood." He grabs her chin, making her look up into his eyes.

Iran stops smiling, not dropping their eye contact, and suddenly, his voice felt small.

"Can I kiss you?"

Rose sits up, "Iran-"

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mea-"

"Can I say something first?"

He nods.

"I'm so sorry for taking your diary, I really should not of-"

Iran cuts Rose off by covering her lips with his.

"Oof!"

"Hmm!"

They parted, and intensely, Iran looked into her eyes. "Can I take you out? Please?" Rose nods, looping her arms around his shoulders.

"But right now-- I'm tired. Let's go back to sleep!" Iran chuckles.

"Okay."

♥

thank you for reading.

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