AN: It never says in Frostbite when Dimitri turns down Tasha's offer so I imagined it happened after the scene on the roof. This scene happens right after what happened in my other story call Roof Romance, you don't necessarily have to read that on to follow along, but I would greatly appreciated if you did.
The hallway leading from the roof was deserted, signaling that the dinner must have ended some time ago. I had stayed up on the roof a while after Rose had left, thinking about all the things that had been said, and the things that hadn't.
I could no longer deny my feelings, the ones that I had been try to convince myself would fade. If anything, they had grown stronger with each passing day. But admitting to them would mean having to suffer knowing that they could never be expressed or acted on. And that understanding hurt, if felt like a fist was clamped around my heart and it kept getting tighter and tighter with every beat. But it also made me realize that I had to go and, as Rose put it, "break someone's heart".
As it happened, it was Tasha who had found me. She was leaning against the door to my room, still wearing the midnight blue gown from the dinner. She smiled when she saw me and pushed of the door towards me.
"There you are. I've been waiting for. I saw you leave the dinner."
"Yeah, my shift ended so..." The excuse sounded weak even to my own ears and Tasha was quick to call me out on it.
"You mean Rose left and you went after her." I gave her a confused look. Had it been that obvious?
"No one noticed," she answered my unasked question, " I only did because I was watching you. Which reminds, how long?"
"How long what?" I asked, though I had understood.
"How long have you had feelings for Rose?" She was no longer smiling and I knew I couldn't deny it. Her question proved that she already knew about them, probably for a while now.
"I'm sorry." I said, and she understood what I was really saying.
"I just don't understand why. I'm mean she's seventeen, Dimitri. She's naive, rash, and a childish teenager."
"No she's not," I replied quickly, "She may be seventeen, but she's more mature than people I know in their twenties. And she may speak and act without thinking, but she's honest, and compassionate, and strong." Tasha gasped, and I could see the truth of what I was said dawning in her eyes.
"You're in love with her." She whispered and looked up at me in shock.
I didn't answer. Not because wasn't true, but because the first time I say I'm in love with Rose, I want her to be the one to hear it.
But it didn't matter that I didn't answer her, Tasha could read it in my face and she shook her head and frown up at me.
"I'm sorry Tasha, but I can't accept your offer. I never meant to hurt you and I should have told you this a lot earlier. You were and will always be just a friend to me. A good friend. And I hope we can continue to be." Tasha rarely cried, but I could see tears welling up in her eyes. I felt horrible for hurting her like this, but I had to be truthful with her and to myself.
"She can't give you what you want. I know you Dimitri. You want kids, a family, and that will never be possible with her. I can give you that." There was desperation in Tasha's voice, and she was partially right. I did want kids, but I wanted Rose more.
"It doesn't matter. It doesn't if Rose can't give me those things, or even if she doesn't return my feelings. It wouldn't change anything. It won't change the fact that I can't give you what you want. And it definitely wouldn't change my feelings for her." All Tasha's expression showed now was anger.
She seemed to gather herself and started to walk past me. She stopped when she was right beside me and spoke in a hushed anger filled tone.
"You'll regret this Dimitri." I didn't reply and let her walk away. The truth was, no matter what happen, I knew I'd never regret this.
AN: Another author's note sorry, but I wanted thank so much for reading. I always wondered what Dimitri said to Tasha to turn down her offer and so I was inspired to write it. I hoped you liked it and if you did, please review, it would mean a lot. Thanks again!