Rose Lalonde has always baffled me.

I am getting better at the art of sarcasm; however, I am still terrible at telling when others are using the art or being sincere. I have often become flustered when trying to assess whether it is the former or the latter, especially in reference to Rose. She is…ambiguous, to say the least. It does not help when she gives that knowing smirk every time I cannot figure out the right words to say. This, of course, happens very often around her. No matter how hard I scrutinize her words and actions, she shocks me with a completely opposite word or action. I am in constant doubt of what to do and how to speak around her. Suffice to say, I have no idea what I am doing when I am near her. Most, if not all of the time, it makes my think pan ache. She is quite a fascinating and mysterious person. I wish to crack the mystery of her words and thoughts. Yet, sometimes, I wonder if there is more to it.

My capillary blood pusher used to beat loudly in my ears when it came to Vriska – when I had flushed feelings for her, that is. Now when I think of her, there is nothing. I guess that is what happens after a half a sweep or so. Yet, now, when I think of Rose, my blood pusher beats against my pusher protectors instead of in my ears. It pulses so fast that I think it is going to randomly combust any day now. My pale, glowing skin betrays me many a time, as it shows when my face colors itself all too well. My thoughts get jumbled and muddled to the point that, though I try to carefully enunciate, I stumble and stutter. When she speaks to me, this strange sensation happens in my digestive acid sac – almost like it is flipping over. It is embarrassing, and puzzling. Yet, it is not a particularly awful feeling all together. It is just something I have not encountered before.

"Kanaya."

I turn to look at her as best as I can from my sitting position. She smirks and points to the book in her lap.

Oh. I must have been lost in my thoughts again.

As usual, we are in the library – reading ancient tomes and such. We have read most of these twice over. We are still trying to glean any piece of information we can out of them, so it is not out of the question that we may have to read them more than thrice. The book I was trying to read is about the titles and classes assigned when playing SBURB or SGRUB. As the humans say, I "zoned out" while trying to read. I go to turn the page but, before I can, I am interrupted.

"Why don't we take a break? I'll brew some coffee."

I look at the book, and then look back at her. I am becoming tired – a break and coffee sounds like a wonderful idea.

"If that is what you desire, then coffee it is."

She stands up first – closing the book softly and putting it on the chair she was sitting in. I could swear on the heat of the Alternian suns that everything she does is elegant – even putting a book down on a chair. As I stand up and stretch, I can see Rose from the corner of my eye. She is brushing off dust from the tome off the side of her God-Tier outfit. I have noticed her body before. However, this time, something seems different than it was a…what do they say? A week? Yes, a week. Something about her body seems different than it was a week ago. I tend to note her figure so that I can see images of outfits I could make for her. Yes, that is it. I am pretty sure that is all it is. Going back to the topic at hand, something is different. I try to look up and down from the corner of my eye and there seems to be nothing differ –

Oh.

Oh dear.

The others might not see it; however, I see the difference now.

Her vestigial chest sacs became bigger.

For humans, I have learned that they are not so vestigial. It is for when they have little, fragile, humans called "babies". The females of their species provide food and nourishment from their chest sacs until the baby is of a certain age. It is the same as what the beasts on Alternia had to do, except for humans it is a long and arduous process. The little human is still considered a baby until it is half a sweep, and when they are four or so sweeps they are still too fragile and trusting to do anything on their own. I have always wondered how the humans have survived for so long with how weak most of them were. Nevertheless, I am glad they did. I would not have Rose to talk to if they did not.

She taps me on the shoulder.

"Kanaya?"

I clear my protein chute.

"Sorry, there are many things to think about at the moment."

A smirk.

"I suppose so."

I follow her to the coffee brewer. I start to notice something else. Rose has become shapelier. Just a short time ago, she had a relatively straight body. It is not in the way she stands because she still stands as rigid as possible. It is not a bad thing, as many trolls are also what she used to be – that is, flat as a board. We make it to the machine and she pours two cups worth of coffee. She puts two cubes of sugar in one. That is how I know it is mine. She drinks hers "black", if I recall correctly. She hands me a cup, and we sit at the table – we recently put a new one in, so that we could have one table that is not covered with book upon book. I take a sip of my coffee, and Rose starts up a conversation.

"Have you come across anything new in any of your books?"

"I still have not found anything we have not seen or read before, unfortunately. Have you?"

"Perhaps I did."

I raise an eyebrow. It is the status quo that she finds something new instead of me, with the occasional exception. However, new materials to fit into the puzzle are rare these days. I wait a minute to see if she will speak again – she says nothing more.

"What did you find?"

"Something I have known for a while. I kept missing the signs about it."

She usually tells me something like this right away, for the most part. It is imperative that we both have the proper information to divulge to the others when needed. She turns quiet again – as if she is contemplating something.

"Am I supposed to guess?"

"Why, Miss Maryam, that sounds like a fabulous idea."

I give her a quizzical look. What could I possibly guess that would be correct? I did not even notice which tome she was reading. Guessing right would be impossible. I think for a bit – for the sake of trying. Still, nothing comes to my think pan.

"I do not have the slightest idea."

Once again, a smirk tugs at her lips.

"Perhaps you are right, but I am sure you could figure it out."

I start to think that this has nothing to do with a book at all. How could she have expected me to know, especially if it was not from the book she was reading? Then it hit me.

"Is this what you humans call 'beating around the bush'?"

"I suppose you could call it that, though in this case it would be the 'proverbial bush'."

I am gradually getting frustrated. I do not like being unable to figure things out. This happens a lot with Rose. It is nothing new. I try not to be rude, since it is the farthest thing I want to be right now.

"Rose, if you are going to beat around your proverbial bush, then can you give me a stick to beat your bush with?"

At first she raises her eyebrows. Then her eyes widen, as if what I said only hit her a couple moments after it came out from my lips. She opens her mouth, and then she closes it again. Is she…is she speechless? I look down at my coffee, trying not to meet her eye. Was I too curt? Maybe I offended her – wait, what was that?

Looking up, I find that the noise that interrupted my thinking session was none other than a laugh.

Her laugh.

I have heard Rose chuckle before. Sometimes, I would hear something in between a chuckle and a giggle. It happens rarely, when I somehow manage to comeback with an equally witty comment or two, or when Dave does the same. However, that is not what she is doing now. Hhe is laughing – genuinely laughing. That flipping feeling in my digestive acid sac comes out with full force. Her laugh is spectacular. No, it is more than that. It is stunning. This is the first time I have ever seen her like this – doubled over with laughter. Even though I love hearing her laugh like this, I wonder what I said to make her do so. Did I say something that was really idiotic? I can tell from the heat on my face that I am blushing. The heat is even rising toward the tip of my ear. I must be jade all over. After another moment or two, her laughing slows to a stop. One arm is still around her waist. Her other arm is lifted up, allowing her to rub one of her eyes with the hand on the previously mentioned arm. She looks up at me, trying to catch her breath.

"That…That was quite the Freudian slip."

I do not remember what a Freudian slip is. Perhaps I will make one another time, if it means Rose will laugh like this again.

"Ironically enough, it is similar to what I was thinking about. Congratulations, Kanaya. Dave would be proud. In a way, it leads to a topic I have wanted to bring up for a long time."

She smiles at me. Not a smirk – a real smile. I have seen this before. This is also a rare commodity. Sometimes I feel like she is going to smile like this, but she tries to contain herself to the point that it turns into a smirk. I still feel like I am colored jade. The atmosphere has changed entirely. I was becoming frustrated, yet all of that frustration has disappeared. It feels like her laughter made me lighter. I smile back at her, though it might look funny with the tints of jade on my face. She stands up, pushing her chair in, ignoring the fact that it is groaning in protest. I take the hint and stand up too.

She starts to saunter over to where I'm standing. I look down – her hips are attracting my attention for some inexplicable reason. Her hips are moving rhythmically, back and forth and back and forth, in the most hypnotizing way. Have they always done that? She has grown, as well – a couple of inches above average height, according to Dave. I have not moved from my spot a single form of aforementioned measurement system. I do not know if I want to. Something is going on here. Something is happening that is not connecting to anything else in my think pan. In fact, my think pan is turning into goop as I am standing here. Before I come back down to the meteor Rose, merely a hair's breadth away now, stands in front of me. She is looking at me with a newfound glint in her eye.

"Since you cannot guess what I have recently confirmed, I am forced to tell you."

I gulp very audibly. What in the name of the mother grub is going on here?

Rose opens her mouth to speak again, the tiniest inkling of her signature smirk – one of the bigger all knowing ones – the "I know something you will never know unless I tell you" one.

"I did not say I found any new information in a book. I have been reading you, instead."

…Come again?

"I have been observing the things you have been doing for the past few months. I must say that I am very flattered by all the attention you give me."

…What.

"However, there is still one thing I have to do to confirm these observations as the truth. In order to do this, I need to ask you a favor."

I look down to meet her gaze. A favor? What could she want – she could have asked me at a farther distance. Yet, curiosity always kills the meowbeast.

"What is it, Rose?"

"Bend down a bit."

"…if that is what you desire."

I do as I was asked – cautious as I am curious, I slowly lean downward and then all I can see is Rose grinning – why is she putting her face this close to mine? What is – mmmph!

I let out a noticeably loud squeak. I am flabbergasted – completely and utterly flabbergasted. It dawns on me what is happening a bit after it starts. It does not matter now, though. My eyes automatically shut. Soft – soft is the first thing I feel. Then there is the tingling sensation on my lips as she pushes hers gently on to mine. I am pretty sure my earlier prediction of my blood pusher exploding is coming to fruition, due to how it is practically crashing against my pusher protectors. I dare not even mention the feeling in the pit of my digestive acid sac. She is putting her arms around my waist now, and pushing a bit harder. My fangs are scratching at her lips, since they jut out somewhat. I can feel her breath hitch each time, and how her grip around me tightens ever so slightly when my fangs scratch at her bottom lip. It almost feels instinctual when I put my arms around her neck and start kissing back. I can feel her blood flow. It is more than tempting for me to bite down. I try to resist the urge as much as possible. She licks at my lower lip and starts to suck on it – pulling it toward her as she does so. It sends a shiver down my spinal erector. Her lips come off of mine after the pull, and she loosens her arms around my waist – however, she does not take them off. I lower my arms so that they are around her upper spinal erector.

Dizzying. This whole sensation, this whole situation – my think pan is swirling. I am vaguely aware of Rose laying her head near my left upper rotational joint connector. When I finally open my eyes, I look down to have my vision filled with a purple headband and platinum blonde hair. I can sense her blood pusher beating since she is so close to me. It is easier to hear since there are no other...feelings to distract me. My breath is still fast – it starts to settle down soon enough. I think Rose is in the same state, as far as breathing goes. After a while, it seems like each breath we take is in sync. To be perfectly honest, I would like to stay this way for eons upon eons. She lifts her head to look up at me. Her face is still colored – so is mine. I do not know if it is the position we are in, or the lighting, or what just happened, but she looks so gorgeous that it is painful. She grins at me.

"So I was correct."

My face scrunches up in confusion. I was distracted; I completely forgot she was trying to confirm something.

"What was it that you were trying to confirm?"

"If you have what you trolls call 'flushed' feelings for me."

Oh.

Well, then.

"I believe that is an accurate depiction of what I am feeling towards you."

"I would hope so." Rose says, nuzzling me in a way that I can barely feel it.

"I've been waiting to do that for an excruciating amount of time, Kanaya."

... I thought she felt nothing more than pale. I thought that I had fallen into the trap of moirailship again. Yet, when I think about it, that certainly was not a display of mere friendship. So this means she feels the same? Quite frankly, this elates me and frightens me at the same time. Yes, I am happy she feels the same way. However, I have never gotten this far in either the red or the black quadrant. I certainly do not know what to do. I have no idea about how this is going to work. I –

"Kanaya?"

I look down at Rose, noticing that she took her head off my upper rotational joint connector. She has a worried look on her face – one that only people close to her can tell that she is worried. I did not notice that my eyebrows had furrowed while I was thinking until I relaxed my face. That happens when I am worried or concentrating, and I presume Rose knows this. I smile a bit, although I still have some hint of trepidation. She unwinds her arms from around my waist and lifts one arm to put a hand on my face, cupping it gently in her palm.

"We'll figure it out."

Rose lifts herself up on her the tips of her toes, and kisses me on the lips – much more chaste than the last kiss. I have this odd longing for it to be like the last, actually. She pulls back before that can happen, though.

"I am going to sleep. It is late. You should come to my room tomorrow. We will discuss what just transpired."

I trip over my words – an accidental stutter.

"Yes. Of c-course."

Rose nods, taking her hand off of my face. She turns and walks to the transportalizer – entering it and then turning back toward me as she leaves.

"I will see you in my room, Miss Maryam."

Since she has left, I do not know what to do with myself. I decide to sit and go sip my cold coffee. I pull the chair out – making sure it does not groan this time. As I drink my coffee, I decide I will go to sleep soon as well. Of the many things on my mind right now, there is one thought that stands out to me the most.

I must learn the art of the Freudian slip.