Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns VA and its characters. Plot is all I own. No infringement intended.

Bedroom Hymns

Chapter One: Tip of My Tongue

*Ten Years Ago*

"I don't know about this anymore, Comrade." Rose Hathaway breathes out between ardent kisses and searing caresses. She doesn't know if the deafening pounding of her heart beat in her ears is due to the nerves and desire or the tempo of the loud music playing in the lobby below her. For several days, Rose has known tonight this would happen. This being the big moment in every young girl's life; the moment she would give her virginity away.

Ok, so that sounds a bit… whorish. But that is exactly what Rose is doing, giving her virginity away to Dimitri Belikov, who is not even her boyfriend. Hell, he's her best friend, besides Lissa Dragomir. But Rose is eighteen years old, about to go into college and still very much a virgin. What an embarrassment it will be to go to her first university party and announce to the guy she will be grinding against all night and drunkenly kissing that she hasn't had sex yet? He will laugh! She will be the laughing stock of University of Massachusetts Boston for however long it will take to acquire her nursing degree.

With high school graduation around the corner, Rose asked Dimitri to be her first. The proposition would have sounded preposterous had Rose and Dimitri not known each other since infancy. When Rose's parents divorced, her mother moved them as far away as possible from sunny California to Boston. Janine Hathaway and Olena Belikova, Dimitri's mother, became fast friends both being neighbors and single mothers. The friendship between Rose and Dimitri was instantaneous, and soon they were spending every waking moment together. So the awkwardness and nervousness of tonight shouldn't have been constantly nagging Rose since the moment she and Dimitri arranged to go to St. Vladimir's Senior Prom. But alas, she can't shake off that tonight is the start of something bigger, something that neither Dimitri nor Rose expect. However, Dimitri's skilled tongue running up and down her neck make her forget the protests on her lips and instead of weakly shoving him away, Rose grips the fabric of his duster pulling him closer to her.

"Relax," Dimitri murmurs against her neck before moving to her jaw where he grazes his teeth gently.

Rose gasps and the moisture between her legs increases to the point she feels her dress is completely soaked, and he can surely feel her arousal. But she is past the point of caring, past the point of feeling anxious. There are no more doubts in her mind. There are only his hands, his lips, his tongue, and all of him. Her hands tangle in his soft, shoulder length brown hair which she tugs fiercely sending shivers of pleasure to run down Dimitri's spine all the way to his twitching cock. Unable to take the teasing anymore, Dimitri shrugs off his duster, pulls Rose up in his arms by cupping her ass, which he loves to stare at most of the time, and together they stumble onto the bed. As their kissing continues, Rose tears off Dimitri's expensive white, silk shirt she bought for him for tonight. When she tosses the concealing fabric aside, she doesn't feel remorse at all. Dimitri bare chested is the most glorious sight she has ever seen. Of course she has seen him without a shirt plenty of times. Every summer he volunteers as lifeguard in the neighborhood pool. Every teen, and even middle aged women, drool after him and his toned physique that, as cliché and cheesy as it may sound, is better than anything Michelangelo could sculpt. But tonight, Dimitri's chest, and everything that is him, belongs to Rose and only Rose. The thought causes her to let out a porn worthy moan and pulls Dimitri down for another passionate kiss of lip biting and tongue dancing.

Slowly, Dimitri gathers the fabric of Rose's black dress, which nearly caused him to have a heart attack when he saw her descend the stairs earlier tonight, and lifts the fabric up, his fingers caressing her bare legs as he moves up, up, up until he pulls the dress over her head. He catches his breath at the sight of her dark, laced and sexy lingerie covering her beautiful attributes. His eyes burn with desire as his gaze roams over her body. Dimitri would be a fool if he didn't admit, at least to himself, to having feelings for this girl. How could he not? He grew up with her; he saw her change from a little girl to a young woman. Everything about her, he loves. The way she is overprotective of her mother, Lissa, Dimitri's sisters, and even him. While Rose can be feisty and break Mia's nose in a heartbeat, she is caring and gentle enough to cry every time they watch The Notebook. But he knows Rose doesn't see him that way. They are best friends. And this is an arrangement.

"It doesn't mean anything," Rose had shrugged when she offered her virginity to him. She had sounded so nonchalant that Dimitri found himself accepting. Not that it would take a lot to convince him because above all else he is a man of twenty with urges and desires. Besides, no sane man can refuse the beautiful and sexy Rose Hathaway.

But now, as he gazes at her big brown eyes filled with lust, anxiety, and even fear, Dimitri realizes he can't do it. He can't take something as important as her virginity from her. More importantly, he can't lie to himself or Rose that it doesn't mean anything because it does. At least to him. He shakes his head and sits up on the bed already searching for his ripped shirt in the dark hotel room.

"I'm sorry, Roza." Dimitri says avoiding looking at her sprawled on the bed because if he sees her half naked, looking delectable, he might not control himself. "I can't do this. I thought I could, but…" He trails off unable to explain what he's feeling. He shouldn't explain because Rose has made it clear she has no intention of ever getting in a relationship.

"Relationships fuck people up," Rose says every time Olena Belikova asks whether Rose has a boyfriend or even girlfriend. "I rather not get attached and let some asshole break my heart."

Instead, Rose tends to break hearts. She is not shy by any means and has had her fair share of adventures with guys from her school. None of those adventures ever end up with sex though. Rose knows she won't give it up to just anyone. But now that she's heading to college, her virginity is becoming a hindrance, a liability, which is why she needs to get it out of the way.

Rose sighs as she crawls towards Dimitri sitting with his back to her. He has his ripped shirt in his hands turning it every which way trying to figure out how and when Rose tore it apart. He is distracted when she throws her arms around his neck pressing her lips to his neck leaving feathery kisses on his flesh causing his breathing to become uneven.

"Why not?" Rose asks as she continues to kiss and graze her teeth along his neck and jaw while her hands travel down his chest rising and falling rapidly due to her seduction. "We agreed, Comrade. I thought you understood. It doesn't mean anything."

Her words are like a bucket of ice cold water. Dimitri pushes himself up from the bed like a striking cobra. He takes to pacing the room and shaking his head.

"That's the problem, Rose." He turns his gaze on her which turns out to be a mistake because she has removed her bra and is now exposing her perfect voluptuous breasts to him. She rises to her feet gracefully. Swaying her hips sensually, she makes her way towards Dimitri. Her hands tangle in his hair as she pulls him down for a small kiss. As their lips meet, she arches her back pressing her breasts to his bare chest. The small touch causes their blood to boil, and their hands to tingle with the need to touch each other everywhere.

However, Dimitri is well known for his self-restraint which is something that sometimes drives Rose insane, for he tends to let his brain do the talking which isn't necessarily a bad thing except tonight when she wants him to just take her, to fuck her until she is hoarse, to make her first time unforgettable. As much as it pains him, literally, Dimitri pushes her gently away. He takes a few steps back and breathes deeply to cleanse his mind and reorganize his thoughts. It takes him several long seconds to reorganize his thoughts when she is in the air, the smell of lilacs, in his tongue, the taste of her lips coated with strawberry and all Roza, in his hands, the feeling of her smooth and warm skin. Eventually, Dimitri manages to get the words out.

"I really can't do this. Your first time should mean something. It should mean the world to you, Roza. And it shouldn't be done with just anyone." Dimitri goes on to ramble about a lecture Rose has heard from her mother and every P.E. teacher she has ever had. Of course she shouldn't have expected more of him.

"Cut the Zen bullshit, Dimitri." Rose sighs frustrated and picks up her bra from the floor. She turns her back to him in an attempt to hide the hurt in her face. She's not only frustrated he has ruined the night. Now she'll most likely have to ask Jesse or Ralf to take her virginity, which does not please her at all as both are assholes. What hurts Rose the most though is that Dimitri doesn't desire her like she thinks every male does. This was a mistake, Rose knows because he probably sees her as a best friend, or worst a little sister. "This was a bad idea. I get it." Her voice trembles with emotion as she forcefully picks up the dress from the floor. She clears her throat gently hating herself for how pitiful she sounds and hopes Dimitri doesn't hear it.

"Rose," Dimitri groans when he hears her voice shake. Inwardly, Dimitri curses himself to hell in his native tongue for hurting Roza. He approaches her cautiously as if she is a tiger ready to pounce or a grenade about to go off, which she might be. "I only say this because I care about you…"

"If you did, you'd do this for me!" She yells whirling around to smother him with her fury. He doesn't understand. He never will. "You don't understand…"

"Help me understand then," he steps forward and grasps her shoulders gently. His eyes seek out hers, for he knows her eyes never lie. He can read her as clearly as he can read his Western novels.

She takes a deep breath. While Dimitri knows her like the back of his hand, perhaps even better, there are certain things Rose can never confide in him. But if she wants to go through with this, she has to make him understand and see the situation for what it is. "I know you care about me, and I do too. I mean, we've been friends forever. That's why I asked you to be my first, Dimitri. You're right. I shouldn't do this with just about anyone. I have to be certain he's special, and you are special. Because no one else will care and love me like you do. And maybe doing this actually means a lot to me. Ok, it does. It would mean a lot more if you…"

She trails off and looks away already admitting defeat that Dimitri will never understand. But he does. He tears the dress from her hands, throws it somewhere in the room as he claims her with a passionate kiss, and gives in to the desire. In one swift movement, Dimitri unclasps the strapless bra Rose had managed to put on again. He drops the fabric onto the floor before pushing Rose back down on the bed. His hands seem to be everywhere at once exploring her body like no man has ever done before. When his fingers hover over her panties, Rose gasps loudly in his mouth. Dimitri stops his ministrations to look into her eyes and give her a small, reassuring smile.

"I promise I'll take care of you, always, Roza." As she nods her approval and understanding, Dimitri shreds off her panties leaving her completely exposed and bare to him. This time, he is the one to gasp loudly at the beauty lying underneath him. While Rose is beautiful in clothes, Dimitri must admit that naked, she is unbelievable. And for tonight, she belongs to him.

Aroused by the thought of having her all to himself, Dimitri lowers his mouth to hers once again devouring her lips as if he is a starving man, and she the cuisine of the gods. His lips travel down her neck as his hands continue exploring the undiscovered, the untouched. As he moves further below, Dimitri leaves feathery kisses and gentle bites upon her flesh and his tongue darts out to tease her taut nipples. Losing herself in the desire, Rose arches her back to encourage Dimitri to do more than flick his tongue up and down, side to side on her nipples. She wants him to bite, to leave marks, to make her remember for the rest of her life this first time. But Dimitri is just getting started; he moves further down to her inner thighs kissing and biting them while making sure to tease her clit with his fingers.

"Please," Rose breathes out as Dimitri seems to touch her everywhere but the burning spot between her legs. She's not completely sure what she's begging him to do: to stop his teasing or fuck her already? Honestly though, she is enjoying the foreplay too much. But if the foreplay is this gratifying, she can't even begin to imagine what the actual act will feel like.

"What do you want, Roza?" Dimitri whispers between her legs as his fingers hover over her clit. "Tell me what you want."

Rose tries not to combust at the way he says her name. While he has often called her Roza, her Russian name, at this moment, the name sounds and feels too erotic. She is unable to form a coherent response as he trusts two thick and long fingers into her. He slips his fingers out making sure to caress her walls on his way out. Suddenly, he picks up pace pushing his fingers in and out until Rose begins to tremble under him. When he feels her clenching, Dimitri replaces his fingers with his tongue; she jumps a little when his tongue makes contact with her sensitive flesh. He groans as he tastes her for the first time and realizes that he'll never have enough of her from now on.

"D-D-" Rose stutters as he continues to flick his tongue over her clit pushing closer to pure rapture. "Dimitri!" She finally shouts as her walls clench and she comes undone in his mouth. He hums and continues to fuck her with his tongue as she trembles and comes down from her orgasm.

He gives her clit one last lick before pushing himself up and claiming her lips. She can taste herself on him and for some reason that turns her on more. Shakily, her hands move from his neck, down his chest, to the hard and growing bulge in his pants. Instinctively, Rose begins to rub him over the fabric causing him to groan into her mouth and kiss her lips with more urgency and passion. Slowly, she gains confidence and slips her hands into the waist of his pants and takes a hold of him. As her hands wrap around his cock, Dimitri stops kissing her and instead looks into her eyes. He sees her innocence and desire to learn, to make this as perfect for him as he is trying to make it for her. He gives a lopsided and devilish grin before undoing his pants and in a single movement, disposing of them.

She lets out a small gasp when she finally lays eyes on him. Of course Dimitri would be gifted, she could even feel him as she rubbed him, but she never thought he'd be, well, that big. In fact, she swallows loudly as she considers how she will be able to accommodate him. Dimitri must see the apprehension in her eyes because he lets out a small chuckle to which Rose responds with a frown.

"Relax, Roza," he whispers between kisses to her earlobe and the spot just under it. His words and touch calm her down considerably and make her forget everything in the world. "Just relax."

"You won't break me will you?" She breathes out as he begins to rub the tip of his cock against her clit.

"No," he chuckles lightly again. "That's what the foreplay was for. To get you wet enough for me. Are you ready?"

Her eyes go all wide as she stares up at him. This is it. She is actually going through with this with her best friend. With the boy that kissed her scraped knees when she fell from that bike. With the boy that gave up his ice cream to her. With the guy that held her when she watched The Notebook for the first time. With the man that has threatened to nutter Jesse Zeklos if he ever makes a sleazy move on her. With the man that has been there for her through thick and thin. What if this ruins all of that? What if her yes is the start of something she is not ready for?

But looking into his eyes, gentle brown eyes that promise her that everything is and will be alright, she believes him. She nods slowly and pulls him down to kiss his lips gently, chastely, lovingly and sweetly.

"I'll take care of you," he promises against her lips as he slowly pushes himself in. "I'll always take care of you, Roza."

As he slides in, Rose gasps loudly causing him to still inside her giving her a chance to become used to his size and intrusion.

"Are you ok?" Dimitri asks quietly worried when she continues to breathe heavily.

"I'm ok," she whispers back. "Move." She commands a little forcefully because as the pain subsides, she feels wonderful. She feels… whole.

He looks into her eyes a little while longer making sure she is ready. When he is satisfied that she is, he begins to move. Slowly at first but eventually Rose meets his thrusts with her hips which lets him know she's ready for more. Tentatively, he pushes her thighs further apart, so he has more room to move and push all the way in and hit all the right spots.

"You ok?" He asks rather nervously when she scratches his upper arms.

"Yes," She gasps, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as he continues to thrust in and out at a harder and faster pace. "This feels so good… You feel so good… So…" Perfect, she finishes inwardly. It's like he belongs there with her. Like he was made for her, and she for him.

Her words rip a groan from his throat. His thoughts are exactly the same. She is so tight, so warm and delicate. She is that song he can't get out of his head; a sweet melody lingering in the tip of his tongue. She is the song of epic love, of eternal love; a love that never ends and only grows stronger. With those thoughts in his head, he looks at her writhing in pleasure under him, whispering his name under her breath, and he sees it. He sees the love he has for her; a love that will never end and will only grow. With that, he gives one last thrust and comes undone inside her. She feels him throbbing and that pushes her over the edge. Her walls clench around him eliciting a deep and muffled moan as Rose bites into the pillow.

"Dimitri?" she says as they lay in bed wrapped in each other's arms.

"Hmm?" he replies his breath against the back of her neck.

It takes her a while to gather her thoughts and put them into words out loud. She had been thinking about this since they both grew too tired to carry on with another round. The sex had been amazing, as she knew it would because, well, he was Dimitri. But as he took her closer and closer to God with every orgasm, with every thrust, every touch and kiss, she realized that she couldn't go back to not feeling him, to not tasting him, to not kissing him, to not have his arms around her again. This couldn't end. Not like this. So biting her lower lip, and bracing herself for rejection, Rose pops the question.

"Can we be friends with benefits?"

The question hangs in the room for what feels like hours. Briefly, she prays he has gone to sleep and didn't hear her, but suddenly…

"Yes." He whispers back knowing he cannot give her up now. Or ever.

AN: Hello! Happy new year! I wasn't going to post this story until I had at least 3 chapters completed or in progress. However, I wanted to make sure there was enough interest in this story before I continue. This story has been sitting in my laptop since Beauty and the Beast was coming to an end two or three years ago. As far I know, this won't be a complete story like Beauty and the Beast. I have several ideas, but I am trying to get back on my good writing frame of mind before I dive into a story as big as B&B. I'll say this will be about 6 to 10 chapters (hopefully) just small enough to get me back on track (again, hopefully). Do let me know what you all think. Thank you and much love to you all!