Who: KENDALL BROADMOOR AND ROSE KNIGHTLEY
What: !!!!
Where: MUNGO'S
When: FLUID TIME


While it was not unusual for Kendall to be a bit moody from time to time, even Rose had to admit this particular chilly spell of his was severe. He was ignoring her, she had begun to notice, to the point where if it was just the two of them in a room, he would walk out, or even worse, pretend like she wasn’t present. In the past, this usually meant that he felt she had done or said something that particularly offended him, but for the life of her, with all that was going on, Rose struggled to figure out or remember what she could have possibly done.

After coming up a blank, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Now, with all that Thomas was going through, really wasn’t the time for petty differences, so it was with some deep determination to resolve this issue that Rose set forth to confront Kendall.

Perhaps confront was a strong word. Address? Address Kendall.

Spotting her friend in the lounge area outside Mungo’s maternity ward. Rose slowly, as to not draw attention to herself, approached Kendall from behind. She waited until the very last moment before popping into view, and as smoothly as possible eased herself into the empty chair beside him. She settled only briefly before speaking.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Rose stated, matter of fact. Nodding just slightly, she pulled her legs up to her chest to rest her chin in her knees. Turning her head, she looked at Kendall with a soft face.

By now, Kendall had fully expected to be on an island somewhere soaking up the sun. Enjoying the off season and the fact that he improved the Wanderers standings significantly from the season before. The last thing he had ever expected was for this to happen. Of course he was going to stay and help Thomas in anyway he could.

And apparently so was Rose. It was annoying how she was just suddenly around all the time again. Hovering like a mother hen like she hadn’t avoided them all season just so she could spend all her time with Brookstanton and not have to tell them. Then she goes and tells Thomas and just doesn’t say a word to him? Of course that made him feel a bit bitter. It made no sense, Rose made no sense.

He pressed his hands into his knees, debating just getting up and walking out. He could never manage it though, blatantly ignoring Rose after being addressed directly. “I’m not avoiding you,” he deflected not looking over to her. What did she expect from him anyways? To just pretend she hadn’t been lying to them all season. That it was just fine for her to tell Thomas the truth but not him. So what if he already knew, that he had been the one to figure it out ages ago. Didn’t he also deserve the respect of being told as well? “I’ve just been busy. I’m sure you can understand that.”

She frowned. Sure, she could understand that if it was even the relative truth. But, with the season over, their lives were once again free to do with as they wished. What exactly was it that Kendall was so busy with? What else could he be doing that didn’t include being here? Rose’s face twitched in annoyance. This was not a very good lie. Must he insist on playing this game about it?

Rose let out a silent sigh. But, fortunately, she had become well-versed in this Kendall game over the years, and knew how to play along. Or at least, to her advantage. “Busy with what, then?” she pressed, her brow tilting less than innocently. Her legs dropped back to the ground, and she rested her hands on the armrests of the chair. Dropping her chin, she looked at Kendall expectantly.

Kendall stood, not wanting to have this conversation. He could tell that Rose wasn’t in the mood to let anything go. “I’ve just been busy,” he snapped. “Why is that so hard to believe? If you had been around at all the last six months, you would know that I don’t just sit around doing nothing all the time.” He shook his head making his way to leave, taking only a few steps before turning back.

There was this burning in his chest, and now that Rose had got him started, he couldn’t just leave it. This was so like her. Where was she all season? All season, she was scarce and now here she was acting like she’d never disappeared from their lives. Getting annoyed with him because he decided he had better things to do than to make small talk with someone who couldn’t even manage to tell him who she was dating.

“You can’t just--- what did you expect, Rose? You cut out your friends for your new boyfriend, fine whatever, that is your prerogative. Just don’t expect me to be happy when you finally decided that I’m worth some of your time.”

Her jaw dropped at Kendall’s sudden volatile shift, and Rose would have sat stunned in her seat if he had not turned back to address her further.

This was about Axe? She had to admit, she found herself a bit caught off guard at this subject. And, alternatively, a bit insulted, because she had very much gone out of her way to make time for her friends, enough so that they wouldn’t feel under appreciated, or less important because she knew, sometimes, she could get a bit wrapped up in her own little world, so…

Rose shot up from her chair, meeting Kendall with fists balled tight. “I did not--- I have not---” she began to rumble, fumbling for the right words. Her brow furrowed, and was about to let out her frustration when the vague recognition of shuffling from behind caught her ear. Her eyes glanced briefly away from Kendall’s face, and then Rose lowered her voice to an insisting hiss before turning back to him.

“I have too been around!” she spoke lowly, obviously irritated by his words. “What are you--- talking about! Cut you out?!” A baffled noise escaped her, and she unclenched her hands to open them palms up at him in frustrated confusion.

“Have you? I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve gotten together this season.” Kendall hissed back. This was so typical of Rose to get so caught up in her own world she forgot others were there. “You haven’t invited us over in ages. You take a liking to Brookstanton of all people, and instead of just saying something, you keep it this huge unnecessary secret. That months later you tell Thomas, but just figure I’m just dandy finding out about it second hand.” Kendall paced the length of the room before returning just short of her personal space. He should just walk away now. Just walk away and leave it for another day.

“You are so bloody frustrating, it drives me crazy. It just makes me want to-- want--” he held his hands up because half the time he just wanted to throttle his friend. Make her see just how insane half the things she did were. How they affected the people close to her. Instead he found himself cupping her chin and pulling her in for a kiss. A kiss that definitely crossed the line of just being friendly.

He blinked pulling back from the kiss that he certainly had not planned. Where did that even come from. He opened his mouth trying to think of any excuse to explain what had just happened, and promptly snapped it shut when he realized he didn’t have any. Taking a step away from Rose, he ran his hand over his head as a panic filled him. A panic because kissing Rose should feel like a mistake, he should be feeling instant regret, yet that was not at all crossing his mind. If anything, he found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss her again. He took two more steps, planning to flee, but he froze. Running would not help.

He turned back to face her, keeping the space between them. “You haven’t been here Rose,” he said simply throwing his arms out slightly in defeat. “You just haven’t, and I know because I notice when you are not around. I notice a lot of things I don’t think you realize.”

Well, that was not something she could say she’d been expecting.

As Kendall stepped away, Rose wished she had stumbled back, shrieked, or even jumped after him to whack him in the side of the head. Those would have been all appropriate immediate reactions, yes? But, instead, Rose found herself frozen where she stood, so shocked at the events unfolding in front of her that she couldn’t--- quite--- let any one part of her body function except her brain. And it, even, was sputtering at an embarrassingly slow rate to piece together what was in front of her. One moment, Kendall was insinuating she wasn’t paying him enough attention, and the next---

She could still feel his hands on her face. They were nothing like the ones she had become so accustomed to, not strong and easy, but tight and demanding----

A searing burn began to tear at her gut, and it spurred Rose to clear away some of the fog overpowering her gaze. It parted, enough, for her to entertain the idea that perhaps this was another one of Kendall’s jokes that she didn’t quite understand, or one of his brash acts to get her to pay attention to him. Yes, that must be it? What else could it be, why else would he possibly…? This line of thought instilled some comforting logic within her, and it was in those few moments that Rose felt life breathe back into her limbs. Her legs shifted, her hands moved to hold the opposite arm’s elbow, and she had been about to crack the burgeoning silence with an inappropriate joke about how Erin Kirke was going to be furious with her for having kissed Kendall Broadmoor first when Kendall finally spoke up.

That wasn’t what--- how did that--- what was he--- she didn’t understand. What was going on, what was he talking about? She couldn’t possibly--- he couldn’t possibly be saying what she thought he was saying. No, that was preposterous, what a silly thing to think. He couldn’t really be insinuating---

Rose barely spoke above a hoarse whisper. “What---” She almost didn’t want to utter a word, but felt entirely too overwhelmed and alarmed not to. Keen gaze never leaving Kendall’s face, she watched him intensely. “What are you saying?”

Kendall stood motionless staring back at Rose. What was he saying to her? He never once considered these feelings for her as anything other than platonic. With her having dated Thomas in school, and the three of them being friends for so long, Kendall never once thought that he felt anything more for her. Until right now. Right now when it made so much sense. The stupid amount of jealousy he felt when she started dating someone new. How they were never good enough for her. How distant he became when her and Thomas were together.

When he accidently sabotaged her relationship with Octavius Pepper under the guise of ‘doing what he thought was best’.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he breathed unable to tear his eyes from hers. He was terrified, standing here before her, realizing what his feelings were. And if he were to speak them aloud, nothing would be the same. Everything between her and him would change, and there would be no going back if it turned out less than favorable. And it wasn’t just his friendship with Rose on the line either. Kendall would be dumb to think what he said next wouldn’t also affect thing between him and Thomas. The two most important relationships he had in his life hinged on his next words.

“Rose.” Deny. Deny. A joke in poor taste. A plight for more attention. A joke. “I think-- isn’t it--I think I l- ” Kendall struggled with the words, running his hands over his face. He was just figuring it out himself, how was he suppose to vocalize it now, mere minutes after his own realization. He should just lie, yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Those words tasted bitter in his mouth even if the truth meant changing everything. Kendall loathed change yet, here he was ready to gamble his oldest friendships. “Do I have to say it? Because I think I love you. Perhaps all this time, and just haven’t been smart enough to realize it.”

And suddenly she was extremely aware that this was all happening in the middle of the lounge area in St. Mungo’s maternity ward. The weighty presence of other bodies in the vicinity, the subtle buzz of a busy building; it had all gone silent in these last few moments, but with Kendall’s declaration, the world around her shattered back to startling attention. Her chin inclined forward and her eyes widened, her arms still locked within each other.

What--- what was he--- he loved her? And not just loved, but was in love with her. That wasn’t the kind of love you felt about a non-romantic friend of over a decade, but the kind that made you want to kiss and hold and share and--- Rose’s mind began to race faster than it could process what she was even thinking, thoughts upon thoughts building on top of each other until---

“I can’t do this,” she let out suddenly, overcome with alarm. He had changed everything, he was changing everything with the most meaningful of words, and what could she say to him in return? She couldn’t give him what he wanted, so what could she possibly say that wouldn’t ruin their relationship than it already was being upset…? She grappled desperately for a string of words, something, anything that would help alleviate this situation, but none came to mind.

“I’m sorry, I just---” Rose shook her head, and finally looked away from Kendall to partially cover her face with her hands. All this time? How could he--- how could he---? She ran her fingers through her hair, unable to turn away from him as she stumbled back. It was too much--- she couldn’t--- she didn’t feel--- what could she possibly say? Her heart was not his, not in that way...

’I can’t do this’. Kendall felt like the floor tilted at the words. What was he even thinking? Why had he even let the words leave his mouth. A joke, he could have said it was a joke. Anything but this sudden irrational thought of love that fill his mind. He took a step towards her. Maybe if he just gave her a moment, but then she was moving away from him and he quickly stopped.

Ruin. That is what this felt like. Ah, and what a knack he had for that.

“Right.” he said with a quick nod of his head, hoping he imagined the crack of his voice. “This was-- it’s--” He scrambled to find words to salvage the situation. He should have known, what was he expecting for Rose to say. That she loved him too? That it was about time he realized---That what? How could he have had a realistic hope of this turning out any other way two seconds ago when it was so glaringly obvious now that this was the only possible result.

“I’m going to go.” he said decidedly, quietly. It was really his only option now. What he should have done when she first cornered him. Turn and walk away. Why was the concept so hard whenever it came to Rose. “Sorry. I just--yeah.” He turned on his heel quickly, desperately wanting to be free of this situation. He need distance. Distance and time to figure out what had just happened and just what he was suppose to do with it.

Her tongue felt swollen in her throat, and it was with an unfulfilling frown that Rose watched Kendall retreat from her. She hadn’t wanted to hurt him, the last thing she wanted was to hurt him, yet, there it was, all in his voice. Dejection. Disappointment. Longing.

Regret now took a strong hold within her, and it laced itself into the current concoction of emotions and thoughts brewing within her. She shouldn’t have said it like that, she should have, she should have---

She wanted to reach to him, call out to Kendall as he walked away, but her constricted throat knew better. There was nothing she could say that wouldn’t wound him further, and because of that her hands moved to cover her mouth and grip it tightly. Rose could not call out to him, she must let him walk away even if it meant hurting him more--- she pulled her lips back, and she looked down at the ground to spare herself the image of one of her best friend walking away with his head held low.