Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

From the initial normalcy to the blossoming of a faint blush on her cheeks, and then to the deepening red that spread all the way to her ears, the entire transformation unfolded in less than ten seconds. Each stage of change was witnessed by Roseanne, and it was truly

hard not to be taken aback.

Owen murmured, "...might be a bit stuffy in the car."

Quick as a flash, Roseanne rolled down her window, "Feeling any better?"

"Yeah."

...

After dropping her off, Owen remembered an experiment he had initiated midway through the day and hadn't yet concluded, prompting his return to the lab.

Roseanne sprawled on the couch, the adrenaline rush now subsided, leaving her feeling as if her bones had turned to jelly, wishing she could meld into the couch.

Closing her eyes, the car scene involuntarily flashed through her mind. The details seemed magnified tenfold. She recalled Owen's distinctively jointed hand, the tenderness in his touch when it rested on her head, giving her the illusion of being cared for and encouraged... Perhaps it wasn't an illusion?

He really was encouraging her.

was... all there was to

lay on the couch, a simple tilt of her eyes

former tenant had left the place in a bit of a state, with traces of smoke-stained yellow

with wallpaper or using light

it might not be noticeable. But if you looked closer or turned the lights up bright, all the ugliness was

others discover its unsightly aspects, to be loathed and despised, it was better to maintain a distance from the

meant not seeing too

let out a long sigh of relief,

rate had returned to

stood up and headed

Everything else could wait until tomorrow! And if not tomorrow, then the day after. If not the day after,

Ah, how wonderful!

...

Another busy week passed.

Sunday, Roseanne's day off.

call and, as Leda was also off work, they decided to catch

tail end of the holiday season, Roseanne picked

of familiar comedic faces. Even Roseanne, who wasn't