Many things have happened for John's roommate Rose. She and her troll-lover broke up, she left Kanaya's home, and had met the woman who was her mother – just younger. Being denied love and the comforting arms of her mother twice now certainly took a toll on Rose. She slipped back into another's arms for comfort. Well, if alcohol had comforting arms. The last thing Rose needed was to have her somehow biological brother talk about how great it was that he was getting along with the younger version of his parental figure. "I feel like I finally have Bro back again" was the last thing Rose needed to hear. She slumped against the kitchen wall, drinking straight from the wine bottle. She usually had the decency to pour herself a glass, but she hadn't a care anymore. The front door opened, and in John stumbled. "Sorry Rose, I was getting more food for us!" He looked to the couch where Rose usually would be sitting, knitting quietly. He shrugged, not paying much attention to it. He went into the kitchen only to see his friend against the wall with a bottle in hand. He dropped the bags of food in his hands to the ground and immediately went over to Rose.
Hey..Rose?" He put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him with sad eyes and a smile.
"Hey, John!" She dropped the bottle and it knocked over as she turned suddenly to him. John blinked, she was loud. Usually when Rose was drinking she was still her intelligent self, just in a looser fashion and more bold. She looked happy, but John knew she wasn't. Her eyes looked wet and bloodshot, even if they were turned up in a smile. Her cheeks were pale and tear-stained, her lipstick was smudged on her face and her right hand. John examined her with his eyes and Rose tilted her head.
"Whaths wrong, Johnny?" She looked straight into his eyes and John near gasped. He only then realized that Rose didn't even have pants on. His entire face flushed and he covered his eyes.
"Oh shit, Rose; get on some pants!" John took off his glasses so he could cover his eyes with his hands. Rose scratched her head and looked down. When did she lose her skirt? She thought to herself on when she lost it. She picked the bottle back up and raised her head to take a drink, only to find it was empty for only a few drops.
"You dihdn't happen to brhing more, did you?" She slurred, putting the bottle down.
"N-No!" John never bought alcohol. Rose probably left the house and bought some while he was showering. He tried to piece together how she could have obtained it in the first place before shaking his head. "What happened?" Rose stood up, not really listening to the question. John looked up, leaving his glasses off. "Where are you going?" Rose kept on walking to her room. John sat for a moment hesitantly and followed after putting his glasses back on.
Rose was in her room, looking around, wondering where her skirt went. John picked the skirt up in the hallway and walked into her room. Once by Rose, he tapped her shoulder and handed it to her. Rose put it on and looked at John with a wide smile. "Tfank you!" John adjusted his glasses and looked at Rose, worried. "What happened?" Rose sat on the ground and looked down, drawing circles on the ground with her finger. "Do you ever miss your dad?" John stood for a moment and crouched down in front of her. "Is that it? It's been so long, I thought you'd..." He looked at her expression and he nodded. "Yeah, I miss him." Rose hummed childishly. "I miss mom too." John nodded. "I know." Rose continued drawing circles into the ground. "Dave's been getting along with his, um, Bro." She sighed. "I can't even talk to Roxy anymore." John sat completely. "Why?"
Rose stopped and shuffled her legs. "Whenever I see her I just want to hug her and cry because I just want to see my mom again and I... " She paused. "I never did get the chance to apologize and tell her how much I really did love her." She started crying yet again, softly and quietly. John remembered what happened so long ago. The mixed blood of her mother and his father on the ground with a gray, flaming Rose. The image made him shudder. "I never got to tell dad, either." John's dad was always so, so proud of him. John remembered all of the cakes his father baked for him, how many time he'd refuse to eat the cakes, or how many times he denied his father time with him. John could feel his throat tense up and he took his glasses off to wipe his eyes. Rose sniffled and peered up at John.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry, too." She managed to croak out. John reached out to Rose and hugged her. He hugged her tightly, trying to keep his own body from shaking. He held her for a good minute before pulling away. Rose only then wrapped her arms around him and started to cry again. He held her neck to his chest and simply let her cry. He buried his face into her hair and closed his eyes. Rose eventually stopped crying, and John let her go. He stood up and held a hand out to her. "No more drinking, okay?" Rose nodded and took his hand. He kissed the top of her head so she'd smile again once she stood. She wrapped her arms around him again and mumbled silently. "Thank you, John." He nodded and whispered "No problem."