Rose, not being able to handle another day cooped up in the penthouse, gathered her things for an outing. Mainly her drawing pad and some pencils, the girl was going to go to the park.
"Why the park?" Jerome had asked her during breakfast, when it was just the two. "Why not something more fun?"
Rose didn't respond, only poured her tea into a traveling cup before adding sugar and cream to it. "It's not like I'm asking you to join me." She adjusted the bag on her shoulder before slipping her flats on and grabbing the cup. "Unless you actually do want to come?"
"I am." And with that, Jerome pulled Rose with him, so she could she could find him appropriate clothes for the outing.
She wasn't surprised by the messy room of Jerome, with clothes thrown all over the place and his red robe thrown over a chair. She was careful, stepping over a pair of dirty underwear and wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"It can't be that bad," Jerome groaned seeing the disgust on Rose's face after seeing the messy room. He didn't think that Rose was that much of a neat freak.
"Just wear these." Rose stated, handing him a sweatshirt and some jeans. "And maybe a hat, which you might not have." She said while scanning the room. "Maybe just wear the hood up and you can borrow a pair of my sunglasses." She was quick to hurry out, not ready to see a naked man, to get the sunglasses for Jerome.
She stood patiently in her room, sunglasses in hand, waiting for Jerome. It was still considered early to go to the park, but that was what Rose wanted. Soccer players and basketball players wouldn't be there yet, so it would still be peaceful and calm. Dog walkers might be there as well as families taking early morning strolls, but Rose didn't mind those people.
"Well c'mon," Jerome's voice snapped Rose from her thoughts.
Rose was in awe though, of how normal Jerome looked with the sweatshirt and jeans. Like a regular teenage boy. Someone who didn't kill his mom. Some who didn't live in Arkham Asylum to do his time.
"What? Something on my face?" He asked waiting for Rose to do something.
The girl shook her head before handing the glasses to him. She walked past the boy and headed down the stairs. Ignoring the grumbles coming from Jerome, Rose hurried to the elevator so she could get to the park soon. Looking at the time, she confirmed that she would have at least an hour and a half before the park becomes overcrowded with the athletes and families with young children.
"I don't see the big hurry of going to the park." Rose heard Jerome grumble from behind. He trailed behind her, finding it a little hard to keep up with the girl. He was also surprise at how fast she was moving, considering she was in what looked like uncomfortable flats.
Once they got to the park, Rose headed over to a large oak tree that was near a small pond. She sat down quickly before pulling out her drawing pad and her pencils.
"This is why we're here?" Jerome complained as he sat down next to the girl. "I don't understand this obsess-"
"Can you please be quiet?" Rose almost snapped at him. "If you don't like it then you can head back to the penthouse."
There was a moment of silence between the two, unbeknownst to Rose that Jerome was smiling at her. He was amused that inside the innocent quiet girl, there was a way to make her snap. He just now needed to find the bad bone within her.
***
It had been a long day for Rose. She spent the morning in the park with Jerome, they then returned home for lunch and from there Jerome pulled her back out again for a walk through Gotham City. Their walk was going well, until Jerome almost fought a guy who glanced at Rose. That was when Rose decided it was time for them to return back to the penthouse for good.
It was late in the afternoon, and for once the penthouse was quiet. Rose was relaxing in her room, listening to her calming music while laying in her bed, resting on her side as she stared at the wall.
There was a quiet knock on her bedroom before the door opened and Jerome peaked in. He hurried in and closed the door behind him before jumping onto Rose's bed and laid down behind her. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist before grabbing a free hand of Rose's to hold.
They laid there in silence, mainly listening to the music and each others breathing.
"Have you ever had sex?" Rose felt her face heat up before she snapped up to look at Jerome. She wanted to know where this question came from, and what Jerome was thinking at the moment.
"No," Rose responded slowly and peeled away Jerome's inching hand. "And I would prefer to wait until marriage or until I find the right person."
This cause the smirk that had been of Jerome's face to fall. He looked at Rose now feeling slightly offended by her statement. "You don't think I'm the one for you?" He slowly sat up, slowly scaring the girl before him.
Rose had inched herself to the edge of her bed, ready to bolt out of her room if needed. "That's not what I-"
"You are the one for me my flower," it seemed that Jerome's voice was starting to raise. "Do you not feel the same for me?"
"No, I do Jerome." Rose quickly responded as she slightly fell off of her bed. She backed up to her bedroom wall as Jerome got closer to her. "I just-I just don't-" She was stumbling over words as Jerome got off of her bed, and approached Rose. She swallowed her own saliva as he placed his hands on either side of her, and her breathing started to pick up as he lowered his face down to her.
She seemed like she was struggling to breath, and not a single proper sentence could be said from her. He was scaring Rose. This was the moment she had feared the most due to living with someone like him. She said the wrong thing, and now should could end up dead in a ditch because of Jerome's mood change.
Rose panicked. She felt like she was going to be killed soon, so she blurted the first things that came to mind. "Jerome, you are the one for me," she told him quickly, feeling her breathing quicken as Jerome didn't back off. "I just want to make sure that I'm ready, and that the moment is special."
This had caused Jerome to smile before pecking her lips and jumping back onto the bed. He went on about how she was right; both should be ready and the moment should be special. He was oblivious to the terrified Rose pressed up against the wall with a single tear falling down her cheek. He didn't notice that he scared the one person who had genuinely cared for his well being, and he didn't know that his actions started a wedge between the two.
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