Collection of one shots, all Rose and Dimitri-centric. Most of it's just pure fluff. Enjoy!
NOTE: Spoilers for Silver Shadows. If you haven't read it, don't read this!
"I can't…I can't even…" I stuttered, shaking my head profusely. Dimitri, ever the observant, calm one shook his head back at me, a small smile curling at his lips.
He unlocked the door to our apartment and led the way in, flicking the lights on.
Meanwhile, my mind churned in confusion, a tornado of complete disarray. Adrian. Sydney. Married.
How had none of us seen it? It had taken them marrying each other to even alert us to their romantic relationship. But it had also all immediately made sense. All the pieces suddenly drifted together and fit perfectly. Adrian's anxiety when Sydney went missing. His return to drinking. His missing status when she broke free from the facility. Of course. How had we all been so blind?
Even Lissa, the queen and the assumed 'all knowing' one had been thrown.
"Okay, what are thinking?" Dimitri started. I pulled myself out of my reverie and settled into a bar stool.
Dimitri's eyes flicked up from his chopping board. The smells of his spicy, pungent, tomato paste drifted around the kitchen, finally reaching my nose. I promptly stood up and started in on boiling the spaghetti.
"How are you not shocked?"
"Shocked? Well…I had a feeling. Sort of. Little things, really." Of course he had.
"Okay, how did you know this Comrade?"
He waved his chopping knife at me in a dismissive manner. "The way Adrian and Sydney were when I visited. The way Adrian began acting when she went missing…" he paused. "Well, it felt all too familiar. Like he was trying to hide something."
I shot him a puzzled look. "Familiar?"
Dimitri turned from his tomatoes and caught me around the waist, pulling me close to his chest.
"Yes, familiar. He was acting like…well, what I acted like when you went to Spokane. When you were missing."
Of course. When we had gone missing, Dimitri had been a part of the team that had searched and found us. He had started by questioning Lissa, and even through her eyes, I could see the distress and love for me. He was right, I realised. Adrian had looked the same way. Again. How could we have missed this? Correction: How had I missed it?
Dimitri pressed a kiss to my lips and pulled back a little, narrowing his eyes a little.
"Why are you so worried by this? Shouldn't you be happy for them?"
His tone was light, and I knew immediately he didn't ask because he thought I was jealous. He was curious.
It was simple. Growing up, I had learnt that relations between humans and Moroi were…not forbidden. But…frowned upon. Disgraced. I had assumed the same position, frowning upon relations between humans and Moroi, as well as relations between Dhampirs, especially when blood became involved. Blood whores. Call me judgemental, and horrible, but it was what I had grown up. With anything different, well, it was a shock to the system. Mine and the vampire world. Things like this happened of course, but when they happened, they became the source of ridicule and gossip.
I knew that Adrian and Sydney were ready to take on anything for their love, but well, now? With the situation being personal now? I couldn't stand the fact that they would live in disgrace.
Dimitri was different. Growing up in a small town in Siberia, Dimitri had seen it all. He was less concerned by these so called 'forbidden' relations.
I swallowed and finally spoke. "I don't know. I grew up in a world that discouraged these relations. It's just…weird."
"I know. Believe me, I know. But, they're happy. They deserve to be happy. After all they've gone through, and how much Adrian has changed…well, isn't it obvious? They are perfect for each other".
I smiled. "I know. It's just going to take some getting used to. You're right. As always."
He grinned and kissed me again, this time deeper and hotter. His knowing hands slid down my arms and around to my waist, gripping me tight. In one smooth move, he swivelled us around, placing me on the island top and continuing to kiss me. Jeez, the man was quite good with all his manoeuvres. I made a happy sound of protest and pushed him away a little. The pressure of his lips moved to my neck and around near my ear. I ran my hands through his hair and closed my eyes, memorising the feel of him. His smouldering heat, his silky hair, his musky cologne. He was perfect. And all mine.
"Okay, as much as I love this," I started. His lips moved back to mine, momentarily cutting off my next sentence. "I think that your sauce is burning".
That did it. He pulled away quickly and attended to the sauce. Watching him fret over the pot and adjust the heat, a slow smile spread across my lips. Turning around to find me staring at him, Dimitri's face became amused again.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He moved so he stood in between my legs. I moved my hands up his chest and settled them on his shoulders. I shook my head happily, smiling.
"Nothing. I just can't believe that this is our life. When did we get all domestic?"
He frowned. "You don't like it?"
"I. Love. It," I declared, punctuating each word with a kiss. It was true. This life, its simplicity. It had been what I had craved all those months without Dimitri. And even before all of that, with those months where we had to hide our romance. We had always been running around, hiding things, trying to kill each other, failing, and finally, denying our love for each other.
All I had wanted was in in this moment. We were both happy. Blissfully, crazily, happy. Dimitri was here and alive. He was cooking. I was watching.
He cleared his throat and gave me a sly smile. I narrowed my eyes. "I know that look. What is it?"
He kissed me again. "Well, maybe you could prove that love…by maybe marrying this lovely guy?"
Ha. I slapped him on the shoulder and pushed him away a little, laughing. "I had to try," he laughed.
"You know my answer to that. And nice try."
He shook his head in amusement and turned back to the stove.
In actuality, with everything that had happened with Sydney and Adrian, it had gotten me thinking. I know that they had gotten married quickly out of necessity, but…I don't know. I still hadn't changed my mind about my answer, but well, it didn't seem like such a horrible idea all of a sudden. I was nowhere closer to saying a yes any time soon…but I was certainly a little more open to it.
Review? Slow starting, but I promise the pace will pick up. Let me know if I should continue one shots. And please give me some ideas!
