Your Ginger Housemate (Jerome Valeska X Reader)

4

It hadn't been the same ever since the night Jerome had rested his head in your lap and placed his hand on your cheek. Just remembering the night sent a wave of butterflies through your stomach.  This was how you knew you had finally fallen for the murderous, rampaging, cackling psychopath. You'd always accepted for there to be slight feelings, but never this emotion. You didn't want to say... love. No, that wouldn't do. But those sneaky glances, smiles and brushes of your hands? 'Ugh, it's all so confusing.' You slammed the plate you were washing into the sink, causing soap suds to splatter all over your front and onto the floor.

Jerome's fiery head of hair popped into view from behind the couch, "What's up doll?" He'd been practically living on the couch for almost week now, the bullet wound preventing him from doing much else other than sleep, eat, crack jokes and laugh. However, even laughing he struggled to do without hurting his abdomen. "Don't worry couch potato, just me being a clutz."

"So nothing new?"

You glared at his mischievous grin, knowing he only wanted a reaction. Shaking your head and continuing the chore, you mumbled under your breath, "Asshole."

You didn't know how, but somehow, amazingly, he heard you because he started cackling. Cackling, which eventually halted with a cry of pain, "Shit! You ran over, not used to Jerome ever yelling out in distress. Except for the night, he tumbled through the window and was "stabbed" with a needle.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Just, yeah. Don't worry about it y/n."  Your brow furrowed in concern. Jerome seemed distracted, and what was even weirder? He was avoiding all eye contact. 'That's unusual. I wonder...' Quickly, you yanked his shirt from his side to see a heart-dropping sight. The bandages, pristine only days ago, were now stained with blood.

"Jerome! Oh my god! This is bad, this is very, very bad. How long has this been happening for?"

"Well," Jerome looked over at you, one laugh escaping his mouth, "You see dollface..."

"Jerome, do not dollface me, I want a proper answer."

He rolled his eyes, his natural charisma taking place once more. "Okay, okay. Jeez. It's been doin' it on 'n' off, all right?"

"And you didn't tell me!?" Annoyance. Frustration. Betrayal. So many emotions began to fill your mind. You thought the two of you were growing closer. You thought the barriers were finally starting to fall. Now?

'I don't know. I just don't know." Jerome raised his hands, obviously thinking you were overreacting. Which only made you even angrier. "I know, I know. Maybe I shoulda told you. It's just... Listen. I was gonna clean it up.."

Your voice began to shake, becoming increasingly more emotional the more he opened his mouth, "So you're telling me, that not only has this been happening for the past three days! But you haven't even changed the bandages?!"

"Lemme' talk, would ya'! I didn't want you to worry," You began to interrupt but he pressed his hand against your mouth, "Shut your lip and 'lemme talk!" Slowly, he removed his hand from your face and lowered his voice. All humour left his face, and it scared you. He was rarely dangerous. Jerome could and would find fun in everything. "I didn't want to scare you y/n. Apparently, that didn't work, but I tried. I was gonna' wait 'till you left, and then clean it up. I... I hate having you worry about me. Having me... in your life... I know it'd scare anyone. Somehow you stayed. Somehow... you accepted me. I worry about you all the time. And I... I don't wanna lose you."

"Jerome, you better not be... You better not be lying to me again."

'He's lied once. About something so small. How am I supposed to trust him again?'

"I guess you'll just have to try."

"You better not be bullshitting me Jerome, or I swear to God."

"You swear to God do ya'?  Well, I guess you already swore. Ha ha ha!"

You looked down, blushing profusely, "Be quiet." Jerome only laughed louder, holding his side tightly. His husky cackle becoming contagious, and soon, you were laughing too.

*****************

- Jerome's POV -

Something changed when y/n was cleaning my godforsaken stitches. I couldn't stop staring at her. Her hair, her nose, her lips, her eyes. 

Ugh, her eyes are gorgeous. They would flicker up to my face and just as quickly back down again. When we made eye contact, a smile would play on her lips. 
Y/n's head is on my chest. 

Her hands clutching my shirt. Just looking at her stirs feeling's for her I've never felt before in my life. I dunno what they are, but they feel nice. 

'You like her you, idiot!'

Huh. I guess I do. I dunno why, but I never want to let her go. 

Who else would I taunt? 

Who else would I hang with? 

Who else would help me when no one else either can't or won't? (Not without a little encouragement from a gun to the head anyway.)

Who else would accept me for who I am?

Y/n does. 

She doesn't seem to care about my stained record, the scars that plague my face or the fact that I bring her endless trouble. She's amazing. I'm not a serious person. I despise it actually, but tonight was a one-timer. 

How in the hell am I supposed to tell her how I feel. 

For the first time in a long time, I'm scared to tell someone something. 

I'm afraid to tell her how I feel. But she's asleep now. 

She can't hear a thing...

- Y/n's POV -

You woke to hear Jerome whispering in your ear obviously not wanting to you to know. 

Thinking you were still asleep,

"I'll never let anyone hurt you y/n.  Never."

A smile crept along your face. 

As you began to drift off to sleep again, you thought,  "I'll never let anyone hurt you either Jerome.  I'll never let anyone hurt you either."