❦Rose x James❦

United West Nations, formerly Europe. Today is the year 3023 A.G.E -After the Great Explosion-

Almost three thousand years ago, a meteor destroyed big part of the Earth as it's was known until that moment, they call it "The Great Explosion." Almost all islands, countries and even a continent disappeared but humanity survived and they rebuilt. Those lands that remained united forces and constructed a new world. That generation said that they weren't going to make the same mistakes as the previous civilizations but people never learn. For centuries things went well, but then human ambition and avarice took the wheel.

Under the new regime, things began to change and those in power began to feel like Gods, as it happened before, only the fair benefits the citizens had prevent the rebellion. Free and good health care, high salaries, almost no unemployment, nice homes and excellent education for children and young adults. Free choice. No racism. All of that in exchange of living without love. What it began as an experiment soon showed the utilities and that never changed, because they determined that people were more useful when they didn't have distracting thoughts in their minds.

What they didn't tell people bit all knew about it was the high rate of suicide, the abuse of drugs and antidepressants. The alcoholism and the rage in the streets. They didn't speak how the elitism still existed and the richest had access to something that the rest didn't. All that wasn't something the new neon world talked about. It happened in the shadows.

The United West Nations were a beautiful place to live in if you ignored all that.

• 30 years ago. (2993 A.G.E)

Rose, five years old, was crying in his mother's arms after the blonde nurse took her blood for analysis for the first time. The candy the nurse gave her afterwards did nothing to calm the little girl but still Mary put it in her pocket to give it to her daughter later at home.

"It's over, Rosie. They won't touch you again, sweetheart," she said, holding her against her chest and keeping her there until her daughter slowly calmed down.

It was just routine, a healthy kid was going to be a valuable member of society in the future and if the kid had some sickness, the chances to detect it early could help to find a cure, if was one. Only that the little girl wearing that floral dress, was what they called a miracle. Even if they weren't a miracle but for sure it wasn't common at all.

Medics, chemists and members of the government opted to wait but they promised to keep that girl not far away from their sight. She was too young to understand how valuable she could be. Too soon to know if they were right or not, but everything in her showed the same signs other people like her did before her.

A case like hers deserved a special treatment, deserved the best. Mary Coldwell got a new modern flat, Rose was enrolled at a good school and the following year, when she was six, was going to start first grade there.

Mary knew better than say no. Rose's father disappeared one morning and she didn't hear of him since then. It was fine, Samuel was just a close friend that one night life and alcohol put together in bed and nine months later Rose came. He accepted his new duty as father and after Rose was born he became Mary's husband because it was his responsibility, he said. For four years they lived together in armony until he vanished in the air. Mary called the authorities, she called some friends but none heard from him. Police never found him, they swore.

One morning, when Mary knowing he wasn't coming back and was putting his things aside discovered that Samuel hadn't been taken his pills. Several boxes remained untouched, hidden in the bottom of the wardrobe and suddenly everything made sense to her. Mary had noticed some changes in him, the way his eyes looked softer, the way he touched her hair and the way he was with their daughter, but she preferred to ignore it. Mary understood that Samuel hadn't disappeared but someone made him disappear and he wasn't coming back, this time she was sure of it.

Mary accepted all the gifts they gave her just because her girl was special because Rose needed it, but inside herself despise it and promised herself that Rose was going to grow up knowing the truth about her father, the man who chose to love in silence but in the end lost everything.

Year: 3021. Two years before Rose's eviction.

Paris was the name. It was an exclusive place full of rich people and the building indeed was a VIP club. The wooden floor was shining after it was polished several times that day, the seafood was the best and the colorful drinks were waiting for the guests to arrive. Same as the drugs on their respective little boxes waiting for the costumers. Synthetic happiness in form of pink hearts, made to stimulate the brain and the hormones. In a world where love was eradicated, they created something to compensate that in a laboratory and people craved that.

James was there because his brother Jared invited him. As a doctor working for the government, Jared Walsh had free access to places where most citizens in Great London City had to pay a fortune. Jared was there because he helped to create the new and expensive drug that rich people were desperate to consume. He wasn't proud of it, but was forced to do it. Eventually he discovered that one of those little hearts helped to avoid guilt when he invited a young man to a hotel room and it was a good way to forget that he, as many others, had lost the moral compass long ago.

Rose was invited and decided to go because had nothing better to do and because, honestly speaking, she wanted a man to spend the night with. Paul Mendes was an engineer that designed the Tall Tower IV where important politicians lived in and invited Rose because he had met her during a birthday two weeks ago. She had designed the dress the birthday girl wore and he had been behind her since then. She found him infuriatingly dense. But no one, not even Rose, could deny that spending an evening in the Paris was a delightful chance to have something new to do.

The soft music playing in the back made the ambient more sophisticated. Men talking about business with others, women wearing dresses that showed more skin than what covered. Some people were dancing and others were drinking and chatting. Paul was talking to some men, one of which gave him the drug and he accepted. Rose rolled her eyes. At that point of her life, with 32 years, she had seen enough to know that people was desperate to feel something and had learnt to not judge. Maybe even herself did it twice or thrice, but she expected that at least he had wait a couple of hours before jumping directly into that. Whatever Paul wanted to do, wasn't going to be with her

Rose was sitting alone at the bar counter when looking around she saw him. Wearing a cream suit with a blue tie was a tall man that caught her attention. He was smoking and talking to another man with black hair that had a glass of champagne in his hand. It was him who said something to the the tallest one who turned his head to look at her.

---

"A pretty girl at your eight has been looking at you for some time, James," Jared said smirking and curiosity killed the cat.

When James saw Rose, on purpose, she let her shawl slid down her arms revelling her shoulders. As if her backless dress didn't stop exactly at the end of her back leaving him with the desire to see more.

A rushed "see you later" was all Jared heard of him before he went directly to where the girl was.

Rose felt his breath behind her and his fingers brushing her skin when he put her shawl back on her shoulders.

"Night is cold, sweetheart," he said, almost kissing her ear and a pleasant shiver ran down her spine. "What are you doing alone here, …?"

"Rose."

"Rose, what are you doing alone?"

"The man who invented me found a new friend, I guess," she said pointing at Paul who had a brunette in his arms.

"Paul Mendes. He's such a prick."

"Do you know him?"

"I do. He hired me once to take photos of his buildings. I did it, but it was the last time I worked for him, he tried to scam me. So, it's good he found a new companion because it means you don't have to deal with him and because I can invite you a drink."

"I don't even know your name, stranger. All I know is you're a photographer… and that you smell really well."

He chuckled and sat down on the high stool next to her, "I'm James, nice to meet you, Rose," he said as he was looking for his cigarette case. He offered her one but she shook her head.

"I don't smoke but I'll accept you a drink."

The red and green beverage both ordered came with four happy pills. Two for each of them. In clubs like Paris that came included with the ticket. That was why it was so expensive. They put them apart, for later if the circumstances allow them to take them. Although considering the way they were looking at each other, his hands on her knees and how she found any excuse to touch his arms then they were going to need it soon than they expected.

She did the first move when the topics to talk about something as excuse to be closer soon began to feel forced. James saw the moment she took one of the pills and put it inside her mouth, but didn't swallowed it, she showed her tongue at him. He smirked.

Same as Rose, James did it before too like most people around there. The heart shaped drug on the tip of her tongue was something he wasn't let it go, so he pushed her to him and kissed her. The sweet flavour of the pill soon reached his taste buds. He pressed his fingers on her lower back as he felt her hands on the back of his head.

They went to a dark corner of the Paris, on some couch she sat down on his lap and let out a moan when he kissed her neck as if he was a vampire thirsty for blood, after he crushed another of those pills and sprinkled it on her. James was thirsty only it was for her skin and the rest of the drug on her. In the future he was going to cursed that moment, but that night he felt alive probably for the first time in long time and he didn't know if it was the combination of the drug and Rose or if he simply should blame her.

"I pay for the hotel room, if you want" he said. His erection was so painful in that moment that he didn't care where, but he needed her.

"Yes, I want. I really want," she replied making him smile.

Jared was the only one who saw them leaving the Paris.

---

There was a hotel in front of the Club. Nice and expensive, perfect for them and luckily had some rooms available. The elevator left them in the third floor and James' hands couldn't be more quickly to open the door and slam the door right after they entered.

"Come here," he said, taking her in his arms. He lifted her and walked until her back hit the wall and Rose hugged his hips with her legs.

They kissed again as with one hand he tried to unbutton his trousers and she helped him to remove his jacket and shirt. Rose's dress was long gone, probably fell near the door, only her panties were on and James couldn't wait to make them disappear as well. Lucky for him that didn't take long.

Rose dig her nails in his shoulders when she finally felt him. The two shared one of the two remaining heart shaped pills. The other one was on her body, between her breasts and like a predator animal, he was taking care of it and also her. Both were high, to the point where reality began to vanish but were enjoying a sex encounter that was barely beginning.

She forgot how many times came, but the last one was when were in bed and felt her body relaxing, completely satisfied. His cock finally softened too and James plopped down on the mattress with her resting on his shoulder.

The effects of the drug were wearing off but they felt so well that they didn't care. That little pink heart was a miracle of modern science and it was worth to take one or two once in a while. Like that night.

Rose stroke his hair and he looked at her. His thumb brushed her cheek softly as they stared at each other.

"Thanks for this night, Jamie," was all she said before falling asleep.

James stayed awake for some time looking at her. The saddest part after a night like that one was that taking the Killer the next morning was like erasing all those happy moments and send them directly to the bin. Even if this time he didn't want to forget the feelings.

---

Rose had bought a shirt and pants in one of the stores inside the hotel itself because in the morning she couldn't wear that revealing dress that had the night before. Both were taking a breakfast in the bedroom before saying goodbye forever.

She noticed the change in James and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The sparks in his eyes disappeared and the apathy she knew so well because had seen it in all the rest had taken the control of the man in front of her.

"I hope I can see you again," she said when, finally they left the hotel and they parted ways. "If not, I wish you the best. You're a good man, Jamie."

He smiled and kissed her cheek "and you're the nicest woman I ever met."

Rose saw him walk away and sighed. There was no words to describe how much she despised that awful transformation in just a couple of hours. True that she was also drugged but at least in her case the morning after didn't crash her soul. She wished she'd comfort him, something that didn't happen to her with another man before but she tried to ignore the feeling.

It wasn't until four months later that their paths crossed again.

Rose had been looking for new and prettier place to live for at least half a year, and found the perfect one in the sixth floor of a modern building that had been empty for three weeks since the previous owner died. It was sad, but someone had to take the chance and luckily they accepted her offer.

It was him who saw her this time. While some workers were dealing with her bed and the big furnitures, he saw her with some boxes in her hands. He had to look attentively to confirm it was her, but clearly was.

"Rose," he called.

Hearing her name was something she wasn't expecting and let alone that the one calling her was him.

"James? James! How are you? What are you doing here?"

"I live here and I see you're going to, too."

"Yes! I'm just moving in… I can't believe it."

"Me either. And the only available space was in the sixth floor where Mr. Colemann lived, right? That's under my flat. I live in the seventh one."

She smiled at him when she heard that and even if he didn't respond the same way something in his eyes changed. "Let me help you with those boxes," James said and she nodded.

Rose was going to say in the future that the immunity in her disappeared when she realised that couldn't and didn't want to live without him, after a long time sharing time together but it happened in that clean elevator both shared when they were going to her apartment. When her hand found his. When that same night he invited her to have dinner in his place because her fridge was still empty.