Slow Dance

In the quiet of the night Rosie sits at her desk, quill in her hand as she writes up one of her stories in a journal at her desk. She hums softly to herself, nodding her head back and forth to some unheard rhythm. Uno sits against the headboard of the bed and is currently absorbed in a book, something about practical magic and its techniques. Overall it was a quiet, typical evening.

Of course the night wouldn't be completely typical without Rosie gradually squirming in her seat, unimpressed by whatever she is writing. She slams her quill down, preferring it to a ballpoint pen even now, and turns around in her chair with a growl. "I can't get this scene to work! I've written this style before, hundreds of times really, but this one just won't stick!" She throws her hands up in frustration, tugging at her pigtails. Uno makes a "hmm" sound, acknowledging that Rosie is being heard but not quite sure on how to respond, so they continue reading. They barely get through reading a sentence before Rosie pipes up again. "Something must be wrong, perhaps it has been too long since I have done academic research on the topic."

Uno looks up again and sees that Rosie’s face is twisted into a contemplative expression, seemingly staring at Uno but more likely staring into space. They lazily lift their hand and hold it before the candle on the nightstand, puppeting against the wall. “What’s on your mind?” Rosie’s expression changes just slightly before snapping back into something more indicative of her usual face, rising from her chair to sit on the edge of the bed. “Uno, I need help.” “What do you need?” She turns her head, a mischievous smile scaring Uno immediately. “Let’s make out.”

Uno slams the book closed and her frame warbles with static as she visibly gets flustered, making Rosie laugh. “Sorry sorry, I just… okay so, obviously I have experience with this, right? I’ve been through enough one-night-stands in my life to know how to kiss properly.” Uno throws their hands around, telling Rosie not so subtly to get on with it. “Yes, right, so… even with my extensive experience on this matter, I feel like there’s still something missing, and it’s apparent in my writing now.” She crosses her arms and pouts, and Uno can’t help but laugh inwardly. The idea that this is what’s bothering her so much to the point of not being able to write, there is something comical about it, even when she tries to give her best pout.

    

Uno sighs deeply and puppets their fingers again. "I will still help, but, go slow." They look away immediately after. Even if their face is obscured right now, they can't look at Rosie after just agreeing to kissing her. Rosie looks at her shocked, a rare moment of her being caught off guard. "I… Uno you don't have to do it. I was mainly joking to get a rise from you, I'm sure I can figure it out-" Rosie yelps as she is hoisted into the air by Uno, plopping down into their lap. She looks up and sees Uno's glowing eyes staring back at her, leaning their head forward. "Use me, I'll be fine." Rosie splutters "U-Use you? You are your own demon, Uno. Don't make it seem like I am owed this." Uno shrugs and tilts their head. "I am yours."

Rosie fidgets in her seat on Uno's lap. There was something in the way Uno said that that set something off inside of her, but she couldn't place it. Whatever it was she liked the feeling of it, and it felt safe to her. Rosie adjusts and reaches up, carefully wrapping her arms around Uno's neck. She mumbles something about Uno being hard to reach with their height and Uno chuckles, hunching over slightly for a better angle. Uno then stills on the bed, watching as Rosie leans in with her eyes squeezed shut and gives a small peck to where Uno's lips would be. Rosie opens her eyes and frowns, not looking up from the space she just tried to kiss. "This… doesn't help. This form doesn't let me see anything."

Uno is confused at first, then understands as one of Rosie's fingers ghosts across their featureless face. Uno tenses up below Rosie before phasing into their human form, catching Rosie off guard. "Better?" Rosie's finger glides back over their face, now tracing along a nose and the subtle crinkle of their eyes. "Yes, I think this will do."

She gets back into position with an arm around their neck, her other hand still busy tracing the contours of Uno's face with the touches they both practice to make Uno more tangible. She leans in again, making the mistake of keeping her eyes open. Uno is looking back at her with the oddest expression she has seen on them. Well, it would be a lie to say she has never seen it before from Uno. She has caught them mid-look on quieter days when there is more time to sit back and catch details of the other, but seeing it this close and personal was making Rosie feel funny things.

She starts freezing up and can't will herself to go any more forward when suddenly Uno makes a 'tch' sound and surges forward, pressing their lips together.

Two things happen in this instance. One, Rosie becomes aware that it was Uno who got their faces to align against each other, not herself. Two, Rosie's face sets aflame as a warm sensation fills her stomach, butterflies and fireflies threatening to explode out of what was left of her heart.

Wh… what is this?

It lasted a few seconds at most, but Rosie swore she counted hours go by before Uno pulls away, Rosie embarrassingly chasing after her lips. She stares at Uno, completely awestruck and feeling weightless. Something flickers through Uno's eyes and they lean their head to the side, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you alright?" Rosie thinks to herself momentarily, Am I alright? "I…" She goes quiet, and then suddenly, "Can you do that again?"

Without giving room to second-guessing what she just asked for, Uno crashes back into Rosie, lifting his hands to cup either side of her face. Just as before Rosie feels like she is being lit on fire in the best way possible, and she quickly realizes she can't get enough. Kissing is something she has done many times, with many different people. She has never felt this feeling before with any of them, a feeling of being safe; home. The feeling of Uno's soft lips against her own, moving with her; there was no room for regret here, it felt too nice.

They separate again and Rosie can't recall any other time Uno has looked so utterly pleased with herself, idly smoothing her thumb against Rosie's cheek with a smug grin stretching onto her face. "Well, I see you are quite happy with yourself." Rosie says, still trying to reel in the new, sudden feelings and thoughts swimming around in her head. Uno shrugs, keeping the grin on their face. "I'm just good at what I do." Rosie reddens. "You've… done this before?" she asks, quieter than before.

She watches Uno think to himself for a moment, something crossing his face before it settles on a smile that can only be described as 'melancholic'. "I have." Rosie is shocked, and can't help a snort to escape. "What? Since when, Uno!? You are constantly by my side." Uno shrugs again. "You asked, I am telling you the truth." "But when? How could you have-" Rosie cuts herself off, a realization blooming in her head. "Was it, in your past life?"

Demons are interesting creatures; Rosie of course knows this being one, but they are interesting for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is how a demon can come into existence. She knows that Uno was once not a demon, as alluded by the shadow demon themself, but the details are left out and Rosie never pries. She never once considered that they may have had a lover in their past life.

Was their connection with each other keeping Uno from going back to someone? Was Uno put into this bond unwillingly, being held captive without either knowing? Suddenly she is thinking too many things irrationally. With these thoughts running wild she forgets she even asked a question until she hears Uno's very short reply of "Yes."

"I see… Did you love them?" 

"I still do." Uno's fast reply makes Rosie wince. If they were still in love, after literal centuries going by, this person must have been incredible. She wonders idly how it must feel to be loved by Uno, with that fierce loyalty they have and their charming smile when it shows. The kindness that they display, even after long hours of the day dealing with Rosie's antics.

Something about this makes her blood boil. She realizes she is jealous. Absurd.

"I see." She sees, but she is no longer looking at Uno. She chews on her lip, keeping selfish thoughts at bay and trying not to scream. Why must her relationship life be so hard and upsetting?

"Something is wrong." Uno states, doesn't frame it as a question. Rosie wrinkles her nose and shakes her head, looking away, to the side, anywhere that isn't Uno's face. "It is nothing. Thank you for your help, I think I know what was missing now."

As she goes to shift out of Uno's lap their grip tightens on her waist, keeping her in place. She frowns at that. "Uno, we are done. Release me." 

"Something is wrong."

"Something is always wrong!"

She doesn't mean for that to come out as harsh as it does, but Rosie can feel herself on that teetering edge and her connected lines are slipping from her hands. "I'm always the one messing things up for others. I can't stand it. Relationships with me always end up ruining something for the other, no matter if it's platonic or not. And to think that our bond has caused you this whole time to be away from your lover…" 

Ah. Uno starts piecing the picture together on what made Rosie so suddenly upset, and that melancholic smile makes its second appearance that night on their face. They take Rosie's face into two hands, softly turning and tilting her upward to face them. Rosie makes a point of keeping her eyes downcast, but that doesn't deter Uno. They gently brush away her bangs with their fingers, Rosie's third eye revealed and looking startled to be seen. Uno leans in and places a soft kiss at the space above her third eye, leaning their own forehead against Rosie's afterward with a small sigh. "My rose, you haven't ruined anything with me."

Oh, now that stings. Worse than a rose's thorn that you missed on a stem. Why would Uno even address Rosie in such a way?

"Don't call me yours if I can't have you, that's just cruel."

Rosie scowls inwardly at herself, hearing how pitiful she just sounded. Wounded. It hurts even more when she sees Uno is still looking at her and making no notion to stop. “How… can you still put up with me?” she asks, barely above a whisper and scared that her voice might crack at this point.

Uno has the audacity to look stunned that she would even ask that question, as if she just asked why humans need to breathe. "I am not putting up with you, I chose to be here." "Right, because of how we got stuck together-" "Because of how you saved my life!"

The room grows perfectly still and heavy with silence.

"You told me you didn't know how our contract was formed." "I don't," Uno lies easily, "but I remember you saving me and being the reason I exist in some form in front of you." They take Rosie's hand ever so gently. "I value our friendship, above all else, but I am also yours."

By contract, seems to go unsaid, or so is what Rosie imagines. She blows air out her nose in frustration and Uno only smiles in return.

"This fact, if it is one, will still not help my thoughts of guilt though I appreciate the effort I guess. Losing someone you love due to circumstances out of your control… I don't know why I resonate with that, but I do." Her exasperation at herself grows until she gives a single yell and falls to the side, smashing her face into the plush mattress and sheets. Uno only watches, waiting for Rosie.

After a few minutes of acquainting herself with the silks of her sheets with her face, Rosie lifts herself up. She scooches until she reaches the edge of the comforter and slips under, keeping herself turned away from Uno. "It's late, we should get some rest." she says quietly, curling into her side. Uno understands that the conversation is dropping (hopefully for now) and gets up to leave, only to have a hand shoot out swipe at their wrist. "Y-You may stay here tonight, if you wish."

She hears nothing at first aside from the quiet static of Uno's form in the distance when suddenly the noise gets louder, alerting Rosie of Uno slipping under the covers behind her. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep without thinking of proximities.