A/N: ok im going to keep this short and sweet because i want to go to bed :)
emeraldhearts: i just updated a chapter for it, so go and check it out if you have not :)
xoxo: i like seeing how some people get so riled up over my imaginary characters :P and thank you for the compliment c: oh, its a given that dimitri will talk to rose about what happened, but the real question is what he would say... ;D
Vampymusik: you're in for a treat then, this and the next chapter will have a lot of C&L, though this chapter might not be THAT cute :/
lilyparker: seeing how i used to play pokemon, i know for a fact that you spelled it correctly :) i'm STILL thinking of inserting jesse somewhere here, but... idk. THAT'S what an author is supposed to do - cutting off in the worst parts ever to make sure you guys are going to die wanting to read the next chapter :D its something that i made sure i mastered before starting to write on FF and seeing from the complaints, im doing a pretty good job of that! :D i think it might be longer than 10 chapters though, but i'm not sure because i haven't planned that far ahead. we'll just have to see how things go, won't we...?
mina81: im sorry, i didn't understand much of that :/
lupeters: i like dimitri fine, but i prefer christian over him because im a bit like christian. erm... yeah. i'm actually a bit of every character in this story, and ill just leave it at that. christian just seems to resemble my attitude a bit more, and that's why i'm giving him an easier time than the other characters, but not by much :P
notadreamyetnotanightmare: again, you never cease to brighten my day with your reviews. ill continue to update as long as you continue to brighten my days :P
oh, oh, one more thing! i've updated for S&D, (seduction and deceptions) my other story, and due to some technical errors, some of you guys might have missed it because you were unable to view it. it's now working fine and you can go and read it if you haven't. that's all! happy reading :)
Eddie let loose a whistle when he saw his lodgings for the next couple of weeks. It was a simple affair; a middle-sized log cabin that looked as if it belonged on a magazine advertising camping in the woods with its rustic feel and how it blended in flawlessly with its surroundings. Located in the outermost ringlets of the circular training facility, it provided him with privacy and anonymity – as long as he didn't announce his presence. A creek flowed down from the vast mountains towering in the distant horizon, just a few steps away from the doorstep of what would be his humble housing, the water luminescent as it caught the afternoon sunlight, glinting invitingly. The fresh smell of pines wafted around him, and he closed his eyes as he savored the incredible sensation of being in the embrace of Mother Nature again, and not in the middle of a busy and noisy city.
"Mr. Castile." One of the four Guardians sent along with him for his protection – which he had allowed only to humor his agent, who was deeply concerned about his safety in this 'barbaric' land – approached him, motioning with his hand to what he assumed was his luggage in the boot of the car. "Where would you like us to place your belongings?"
Eddie waved his hand dismissively, his gaze never leaving the startling beauty of the snow-capped mountains. "I'll take care of that myself."
The Guardian hesitated. "Are you sure? We can – "
"I'm sure," Eddie interjected firmly, the tone of finality in his voice making the Guardian give him a stiff nod instantly. "Oh, and tell the rest that you are all dismissed. I'll be fine on my own, so just come back three weeks from now to collect me."
He didn't bother to question Eddie anymore about his orders – the Guardian nodded once again and strode off back to his comrades, who were leaning leisurely against the side of the limousine and inspecting their surroundings with a nonchalance that said they were used to such environments. A hushed exchange later, they took off.
Sighing in relief – he had never felt so unrestrained before, what with his constant unwanted company of Guardians – Eddie trooped into his cabin to take a look at his living quarters. It was homey, with the cackle of the already lit fire in the middle of the spacious living area. His gaze sought out the sofa that dominated a large part of the space was beige colored; a two-seater that reminded him the main reason for his stay here.
Viktoria.
It had been over six years since he had last seen her. He had tried to call her up numerous times ever since their separation – if you would even call it that – but she had never graced him by answering. It always went to her voicemail, and despite leaving multiple messages of earnest apologies, they were never returned. He suspected that she deleted them without even hearing them over.
He knew that they had parted on less than amicable terms, but Viktoria had never came off to him as a person to hold a grudge for so long. Sure, he might have hurt her when he had left to pursue his dream career as a singer, considering that he broke their engagement for it, but. . .
God, he had been such a damn fool.
He just hoped that it wasn't too late to make amendments.
"Adrian's out of commission for a while."
Dimitri looked up from the pile of paperwork he was drowning in, glad for the reprieve – no matter how grim it might sound. "What do you mean by that?"
Christian was ostensibly concerned. "He was shit-faced drunk when he came back here – God, I don't even want to think about how he managed to do that in that condition – and he's currently at Sydney's, resting. Apparently, he headed straight there when he got back and fainted like minutes after Sydney found him."
Dimitri rubbed the back of his neck, soothing out the soreness. "Is he injured? Sick? Anything serious?"
"Not from what I've heard," Christian replied, bending over curiously on his desk and flipping through a thick book which contained records of the health conditions of every single recruit. "Wow, I sure am glad I wasn't assigned to sort out all these shit."
"Don't mess that up," Dimitri warned. "I'll have your hide if you do. It took me fucking ages to arrange it all by alphabetical order."
Christian quirked an eyebrow, as if daring him to act on his words, but closed the book anyway. "So." There was a gleam in his eyes now.
Dimitri knew Christian well enough to know where this was going. "Go away, Christian."
"Not going to happen." He shifted a large pile of books down from a seat and patted it down to get rid of the accumulation of dust.
Dimitri sighed.
Christian smirked as he sat down on the empty seat. The slanted rays of light from the sole window to the side of the seat lent him a devilish look. "I won't beat about the bush – how was the sex?"
He was about to take the same approach as he did with Viktoria – feigning confusion – when Christian shook his head wryly. "If you're wondering how I found out about it, I was just leaving Sydney's cabin when I saw Rose walk out of yours. And she had that look of silly satiation on her face. Trust me; I know these things."
Dimitri couldn't help himself from swelling with pride. Rose was satisfied. By him. It must have showed on his face though, because Christian laughed. "Like knowing that you've satisfied your woman?"
His woman. He liked the sound of that. His Rose, his Roza – Wait. What in the world was he thinking? Rose wasn't his. Will never be his, because he will never allow it. "What about you? You're spending a lot of your time with Lissa."
Christian stared him down. "This isn't about me."
Dimitri shrugged. "It is now."
Christian gave him a look that said 'this isn't over' before nodding. "Yeah, I am. So what?"
"You told her anything yet?"
"No," Christian muttered. "I haven't. I just know I enjoy spending time with her – that doesn't necessarily equate to love, does it? I mean. . ." he expelled a frustrated breath. "You know what I mean."
Dimitri's lip twitched at how at a loss his friend seemed. "You're afraid," he guessed.
Christian stood up and looked out the window, his eyes unfocused. "I think you're right," he agreed a long minute later, his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "I'm afraid. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, what I'm expected to do. This being in a relationship thing. . . It's new to me, y'know? I just want to treat Lissa right, and I'm sure that means not rushing into things, but fucking hell, Dimitri." Christian shoved a hand through his hair. "I don't think I've ever gone so long without sex. And it's driving me crazy, especially when I'm with Lissa."
"I think we've gone over this before," Dimitri answered patiently, used to Christian coming to him for advice though he thought that, this time, he wasn't the right person to consult. "And the only way I can see is for you to discuss that with Lissa."
"I don't think she will understand," Christian said, finally meeting his gaze. "She'll just think that I'm sweet talking her into bed with me, and to a certain extent, that's exactly what I'm doing."
"If she's just going to turn you down flat without hearing you out. . ." Dimitri lifted his shoulders in a helpless gesture. "Then you might be barking up the wrong tree."
"But she has every right to deny me of it." Christian's voice was low. "Our relationship is still a fragile thing, Dimitri. Just add a little bit of tension, it'll snap. And I'll never get a second change at it again."
"If she really likes you back, Christian," Dimitri told him, setting down the pen he was twirling with his fingers, "she'll find a way to compromise. Just give it a shot – you never know until you try. It might go better than you'll ever expect it to."
Christian pulled open the door, pausing with one feet over the threshold. "Or," he said quietly, without turning his back, "it might backfire on me."
The door slammed shut behind him.
Lissa was working up a good anger.
She knew it was childish of her to act that way, but she was about as unreasonable as a testy little child with its beloved toy as she was with Christian. He had left her about an hour ago to see who was buzzing up the gates of the facility with a promise to return ASAP, but he had yet to make an appearance.
And it wasn't as if there was nothing to keep her preoccupied – Adrian had been causing an uproar just half an hour ago with his drunken slurs and shouts of protests, only to stop when he fainted. Lissa had tried to offer a helping hand to drag the unconscious Instructor into one of the cots, but the glare that Sydney had sent her way stopped her in her tracks.
After that, when the action and drama died down, her thoughts went back to where the hell Christian was, and it was all downhill from there. She was trying to get herself to mull over what she was going to accomplish during the weekends because she was going to be – finally! – released in just a matter of days when the person responsible for her simmering anger walked into her room with small, measured steps.
Lissa didn't know what was it about Christian that always made her breath hitch, always made her heart beat faster whenever he was around her. It couldn't be just his looks – even though he was undeniably handsome – because she had always been immune to just pretty faces. There was something else, something much deeper to it. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, as if she was the only girl in the world. Nobody had ever looked at her that way.
Not even her parents.
And then Christian smiled at her – a tat ruefully, she noticed – and her stomach was once again filled with little, fluttering butterflies. He walked over to her bedside and sat down, his hand instinctively reaching to seek hers out. A shiver of delight went through her body at that small yet unexplainably huge contact.
"Sydney told me that you can be discharged on Wednesday." He was still smiling, but it looked strained to her.
She tried to ignore the flitter of uneasiness through her bones. "Yes," she mustered as much enthusiasm as she could into that single word, smiling broadly back at him. "I can hardly wait."
"Good." Christian's smile dropped, and the warm façade slipped off entirely. He removed his hand, and Lissa suddenly felt unaccountably cold. He wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Is something wrong, Christian?" she asked quietly, the unease building into nervousness and an underlying sense of dread that he was about to drop a bomb on her. He was going to break up with her. No, that can't be – they weren't even in a relationship. Well, not officially, but. . . She swallowed down a bout of hysteria.
"Yes. I mean, no. No. Nothing's wrong." He laughed mildly, shaking his head. "God, I haven't felt this tongue-tied since Middle School, when I first asked a girl out. She was – " He stopped talking, briefly closed his eyes, and sighed.
"What is it?" Lissa prompted with a diminishing voice a short, uncomfortable silence later, a lump forming in her throat. "There must be something you want to tell me. . ." She rather get it over with fast, then to draw out the awkwardness and hold in the tears that will certainly come with his announcement that they were over for too long a period of time.
She saw him visibly brace himself by taking a deep breath. His electric blue eyes landed squarely on hers, and she shrank back from that visual caress that she usually longed for. It felt too intimate now, too piercing, as if he saw through her to her roiling emotions within. "Yes," he murmured, the hurt in his voice apparent when he saw how she reacted. "I do have something to tell you."
Lissa closed her eyes and prayed for strength. "Then let's get it over with."