I didn't want to admit to myself that I was too comfortable when I woke. I hadn't slept so well in weeks, and to find myself intertwined with Dimitri, I didn't want to leave the bed. Looking up at him he had his eyes closed, and I wondered if he was in a doze. I rested my head back on the pillow and let myself become aware of my body. Even in sleep, and even after what happened in the kitchen, Dimitri still held me gently, his hands resting on my shoulder and the small of my back.

I could feel my toes pressed against his shins, and I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest in perfect time with mine. I could feel that my anger had subsided considerably and my chest didn't ache so much.

I knew that to a degree my anger wasn't justified, but it was hard to let go of it. I wanted to be angry at him, but I knew that deep down he did all of these things with my best interest at heart.

I chickened out of submitting all of my applications, and he submitted them for me, not wanting me to miss out on the opportunities because of what my mom said. He knew what I was capable of and had more faith in me than I did.

Dimitri's hand on my shoulder started to move, his fingertips brushing over my shoulder blade.

"Your thoughts are very loud," he said with his eyes closed.

"Sorry," I said meekly, "I didn't realize I had let my barriers down."

Dimitri nodded his head. "You can't keep your barriers up when you're in REM sleep. I would keep mine up out of respect. But last night it was too loud to block out," Dimitri said quietly, his voice just above a whisper. I rolled enough so I could look at the clock and found that it was still early. I rolled back towards him and rested my head back on the pillow, looking up at him when he shifted.

"I'm sorry if my thoughts upset you," I said meekly, knowing that I wouldn't be able to filter what he heard.

"It's okay. I understand why you're angry and upset. It's justified. I did make choices without your consent, but I never did them to be malicious. I only want the best for you."

I nodded and rubbed my eyes. "What happened that night?"

Dimitri knitted his brows together. "What do you mean?"

"When I died. What happened?"

Dimitri's arms tightened around me and he rested his cheek on the top of my head. I could feel the flicker of sorrow in him before he cut the emotion off.

"It was unbearable," he whispered, "The moment I realized you were dead, it was like my chest was burning from the inside out. It felt like someone had stabbed an ice pick into my chest. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. All I could think about was that I lost you, and in that minute, I didn't want to be here any longer. I would have rather died and taken your spot."

I absently reached up and rubbed at my chest, feeling an echo of that burn. Dimitri lifted his head so that I could look at him and he reached for the hand rubbing at my chest. He held it gently and squeezed it.

"Ya'aburnee," Dimitri whispered. Hearing him say the phrase I had said the first time I told him I loved made my heart stutter a beat. His pronunciation was off, muffled by his accent, but I couldn't help but love hearing it come from his mouth.

"Ya'aburnee," I whispered back, resting my head against his chest, and wrapping my arm around his waist. Dimitri pulled me tight against him and kissed my forehead.

"You don't have a reason to be jealous of Ellison," I said, "He's just a friend."

"Eddie is just a friend," Dimitri replied immediately and I raised my brows at him.

"Ellison isn't interested in me like that," I returned softly.

Dimitri sighed and I knew that he was going to try and make a point but I stopped him.

"Ellison is asexual, comrade. He is not sexually attracted to me, nor is he romantically attracted. A mutual friend made a comment about us at a party a month ago and Ellison pulled me aside afterwards. He didn't want me to think that he was going to be some creepy roommate," I explained, "I'm not really sure how it works, and it's his life, but he isn't attracted to me that way. I think he sees me and Sydney as the only family figures he's ever had. He got bounced around foster homes so much he never really made familial attachments."

"Aside from Ellen," Dimitri said. I nodded and smiled at him, glad that he understood.

"Yes, exactly. Besides, I couldn't be with anyone else if it wasn't you."

Dimitri raised a brow at me. "Really?"

I smacked his shoulder. "Obviously, dumbass. You know why I couldn't be with anyone else. It wouldn't feel right," I said with a shake of my head, "Besides, I don't want anyone else."

Dimitri's lips quirked up and I warmed at the sight. Dimitri rested his forehead against mine. He knew that I hadn't forgiven everything, but he knew that I was starting to heal.

"If I kiss you, are you going to punch me again?"

A laugh bubbled from my lips as I cupped his neck, pulling his head down to mine. I pressed my lips softly against his, our kiss slow and languid. It didn't feel forced, and it reminded me of the mornings when we'd lay in bed together just like this.

I licked my lips when I pulled back, resting my face in the crook of his neck.

"Are you still tired?"

I nodded. Dimitri chuckled and rolled so he was on his back, tucking me into his side. I smiled to myself and threw my leg across his, getting comfortable to go back to sleep. When I woke up the next time I could smell food cooking. I sat up and frowned to find myself alone in bed, but found Dimitri in the chair, book in hand.

"How many times can you read the same western?" I yawned. Dimitri glanced up at me from the pages.

"It's not a western this time," he said, holding the book up so I could read the title.

"The Green Mile?" I asked, "I didn't think you liked Stephen King."

"I doubt there's an author I have found that didn't have some sort of merit to them," Dimitri said dryly, "Well, no, that's a lie. Vika read one of her vampire books out loud and I wanted to gouge my ears out."

I snorted a laugh and rolled out of bed, pulling my t-shirt down. Dimitri smiled at me when I came closer and toyed with the edge of my shirt.

"I wondered where this went," he said.

I shrugged. "Why would I spend a lot of money on nightshirts that are going to be too tight when I can just steal a shirt from my boyfriend?" I chuckled, twisting the fabric that hung around my thighs..

"Boyfriend?"

"If you behave," I retorted, leaning down to kiss him quickly. "C'mon. I'm starving!"

Dimitri stood up and followed me out of my room. We were halfway down the stairs when I stopped and Dimitri bumped into me.

"What?"

"What am I going to say to my parents when you come downstairs?"

"Nothing, they already know," Dimitri said stepping around me. I gapped at him.

"Pardon me?"

"Your father came in about forty-five minutes ago. I was going to wake you up in five minutes," he explained. I rolled my eyes and troughed down the stairs behind him. As we rounded into the kitchen, my hand found his and I slipped my fingers between his. Both my parents and Ellison were at the island when we came in, a smirk growing on my parents' faces.

"Shut it," I grumbled, heading straight for the mugs and coffee pot.

"I didn't say anything," Baba chirped, a grin on his face. I glared at him and poured two cups, handing a black coffee to Dimitri before dumping milk and sugar into mine.

I sat down at the island next to Ellison, resting my forehead against the counter. I could smell food and my stomach growled as my mouth watered.

"What did you make?" I mumbled into the counter.

"I felt like treating your mother," Baba said. I looked up at knitted my brows together, taking a deep breath.

"Did you guys already eat?"

Baba nodded and went to the fridge and pulled some things out. I watched him and eyes the cast iron skillet on the stove.

"Did you have a Scottish breakfast without me?" I pouted. I hadn't had a traditional Scottish breakfast in so long. Baba winked at me and started heating up the skillet again, ready to fry the bread in the fat. I was practically salivating thinking about it

"What did you think of it?" I asked Ellison.

"Oh man, if I ate that every day, I'd be fat. That was so good."

I chuckled and tiredly sipped my coffee. Mom sat at the island too and nursed her cup of coffee.

"Would you like a plate as well?" she asked Dimitri

"He's probably full still from dinner," I muttered into my mug. Dimitri poked me and smiled at Mom.

"No, but thank you for the offer," Dimitri said politely. I chuckled into my mug and brushed my hair out of my face, but it fell back anyways. Dimitri chuckled when I blew my hair out of my face and came to stand behind me, carefully pulling my hair out of my face and securing it with his hair tie.

I smirked at him. "My hero," I laughed, remembering the times he had done it when I was painting my final assignments.

I looked away from him and found Mom watching us with a small smile on her face.

"What?" I asked.

Mom shook her head. "I'm just happy to not see you at each other's throats. I was worried for a while, she said. I nodded and smirked at Dimitri, raising my brows at him.

Remember when she hated you?

Dimitri laughed into his mug. Yes. I remember. It made sneaking in difficult.

I giggled and covered my mouth, looking up at him again.

"This is much better than the last time you two were in the kitchen," Baba laughed as he put food on a plate for me. My eyes widened and I pressed my lips together.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Baba set the plate in front of me and raised a brow. "Remember when you broke my favourite mug because you threw it at him?"

I blanched and Ellison laughed into his coffee. "So, you've always thrown things at people?"

"Yes," Mom said dryly, "She has good aim too. Be careful and always duck."

"Why did you throw a mug at your cousin?"

I chewed on my lip and grimaced. "Dimitri isn't my cousin. And I threw it at him because we were fighting. I found out he submitted my college applications when I chickened out. All six of them. And paid for it," I said hesitantly, "I'm surprised I missed you."

"I'm surprised you didn't break your fist when you sucker-punched me last night," Dimitri returned, making both my parents look at me.

"You did WHAT?!" Mom exclaimed. I looked at Dimitri for help but he just grinned at me.

I shrugged. "I will admit, my hand does hurt."

Dimitri gave me a dry look and took my hand, probing it and examining it. I hissed when Dimitri pressed one of my fingers.

"You just bruised it. You'll be fine," he said softly, pressing a quick kiss to my knuckles. I blushed because the gesture was so sweet and in full view of my family.

"I'm still waiting to know why you punched him?"

I glared at Dimitri and he laughed, grinning at me again. "I kissed her."

Baba rolled his eyes and put all the dishes in the sink. "I'm not surprised anymore. The two of you are an odd bunch," Baba stated, refilling Ellison's mug. I shrugged and glanced at Ellison and found that his eyes were focused on Dimitri. I couldn't figure out his expression before his hand hit the counter tip.

"Now I know why you're familiar! He's the guy from your award piece!"

I blushed and looked down at my food, finding more interest in that and hoped it would prevent me from having to go into detail on the sketch.

Dimitri smirked at me, tracing his finger over the shell of my ear to make me squirm. "Which piece?"

I shook my head and continued eating. Ellison laughed and picked up his phone. He was quiet for a moment before turning it towards Dimitri. My blush was hot on my cheeks and I knew that it was creeping up to my temples. Dimitri took the phone from Ellison, and he glanced at me with a mirthful look.

"Wow, Roza. Spend enough time looking at me?" Dimitri asked, winking at me. I groaned into my food as Dimitri passed the phone around so my parents could see. Mom's face changed to surprise and her brows raised to her hairline.

"My, my, my," Mom said before looking at Dimitri, "Good job."

My eyes widen and I was slightly mortified. Dimitri chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, kissing my cheek as I ate.

"I'm proud of you, Roza," Dimitri whispered in my ear. I smiled and looked at him as I chewed on the piece of black pudding. Dimitri smiled at me and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before looking at the clock.

"I should get going soon, I have a make up test today," Dimitri said as he tucked a loose curl behind my ear. I was disappointed that he was leaving but he rubbed his thumb over my cheekbone.

"I'll see you before you head back to school," Dimitri promised. I nodded and Dimitri kissed my head and stood up. He moved around me and extended his hand to Ellison. He took Dimitri's and shook it with a smile.

"It was nice to meet you, Ellison," Dimitri said, "I hope to see you again soon."

Ellison nodded. "You too, Dimitri. Maybe one day I'll come and see the campus you teach at. Rose had mentioned the local university was beautiful."

Dimitri nodded and dipped his head down, speaking quietly to him. My parents wouldn't be able to hear, but I heard him.

"Rose said that you have been a great help to her these last few months. Thank you for being there for her when I couldn't. It means a lot to me that she has people in her corner."

Ellison nodded. "No need to thank me. She's an incredible friend to have."

Dimitri nodded and said goodbye to my parents, stopping one more time to kiss me goodbye. I smiled at him and playfully shoved a piece of the fried bread into his mouth. Dimitri rolled his eyes and bite the bread, nodding at all of us as he headed for the front door.


The week being home was both perfect and terrible. I got used to being home that I didn't want to leave. Not just because the food was good and I got to see my parents. I also got to see Dimitri.

We were slowly mending and I was worried that being separated again would put a riff between that.

Dimitri came by every night that week, holding me in my sleep. Tonight, I told Ellison that I would be going out and asked if he was okay with that. When he smirked and asked if I was going to see Dimitri, I smirked at him and shrugged.

And when I got to Dimitri's I didn't leave his arms much.

We just laid there on the couch for hours, holding each other. I could slowly feel the cracks in my chest heal, and I could feel them heal in Dimitri too. I relished feeling Dimitri heal more than myself. I never realized just how exhausted I felt until now, being so close to him. I had thought that I was simply tired from school, but the more I was with Dimitri the more I realized it was the strain in the bond.

After about an hour or so Dimitri got up and claimed that he needed a shower, but I didn't like the idea of being away from him even then. Even in the shower, I was held close. While the shower hadn't led to a sexual nature, but holding each other, hands twisted into hair, gentle caresses, and kisses that consumed, made the damage heal.

"Anything interesting happen in your classes last week?" I asked as I lay against him on the bed, wrapped in nothing but the sheet. Dimitri shrugged beneath me.

"No. They were more or less to start preparing for examinations," Dimitri said as he twirled my hair around his fingers. While it was wet it brushed below my shoulders, but I was starting to miss my long hair.

"Do you really think it looks nice?" I asked absently. I tilted my head so I could look up at him and found a guilty smirk.

"You look beautiful, but it looks a little odd on you. You haven't had short hair since you were five," Dimitri said with a slight chuckle.

I snorted a laugh and grinned. "Like when I cut my hair on Christmas Eve?"

Dimitri laughed and ran his fingers through the strands. "That was horrific. I felt terrible for you, and partly agreed with your mother when she left you with that horrible hack job for a week."

I pressed my face into his chest and laughed. "It was horrific. I think I would have preferred a bowl cut than what I had," I groaned. My mother was so angry with me when I cut my butt-length hair on Christmas Eve when I was five. I had cut chunks out of my hair at random lengths, sheering my bangs back almost to the scalp. My mother cried while she cut my hair to try and fix it at nine o'clock at night, giving me a horrible comb-over until she could get me an appointment to get it fixed.

Dimitri's body shook in his quiet laughter and I sighed when he trailed his finger over the curve of my spine, his hand resting on my tailbone. I felt my body react to the sensations and grinned when I felt his reaction too.

"Don't tease yourself," I murmured as I looked up at him. Dimitri raised a brow at me with a grin I knew too well. I stretched my head up towards him and met him in a kiss, moulding my body against his again. There was something about having our skin pressed together that made me feel complete. Whether it be because nothing separated us or it was the intimate holding, but I loved every moment of it.

I hummed against his lips as he rolled me onto my back, laying over me. I loved the feeling of his weight on me, and I never told him how much it made me feel safe. Despite him being heavier than me, it was never uncomfortable.

In a move that seemed almost unconscious and second nature, my arms wrapped around his neck while Dimitri settled between my hips, my knees coming up to rest on his hips. I sighed as his hands glided over my skin, running over my thighs and up the sides of my ass, following my waist.

"I don't think that you have played your cards right," I chuckled as I peppered Dimitri's cheek and neck with kisses.

"Is that so?" he asked as his hands moved over the sides of my breasts, cupping them the best he could before slipping his arms around my waist and sitting up on his knees.

I nodded and smirked at him, toying with the hair at the base of his neck, twisting my fingers around the strands.

"That's right," I whispered leaning in to press my lips to his. Dimitri hummed quietly and pulled me flush against him, my chest rubbing against the coarse hair on his chest. There was something so soothing about the feeling. It felt too coarse sometimes, but it felt just as soothing as a gentle stroke on my cheek.

"I guess I should correct that," Dimitri smirked as he kissed the soft spot behind my ear, tugging on my ear lobe gently. I shivered and let my eyes close, tilting my neck to the side so he had more skin to cover. I sighed and smiled to myself, running my fingers over his shoulders and neck.

Dimitri pressed a hard kiss to the juncture of my neck and I tensed, not in a sense of fear, but anticipation. But the expectation was short-lived when the bite didn't come. I hated to admit that I was disappointed that it didn't come, but at the same time, I couldn't afford to be high going back home.

Dimitri pressed a kiss to my lip again, a small smile on his face. I rubbed my nose against his and smiled. Dimitri kissed my cheek and kissed my nose.

"I meant what I said, Roza. I'd rather die than live a life without you," Dimitri whispered. I licked my lips and cupped his cheeks. I had hoped that the moment wouldn't be brought down, but the conversation was starting to turn into one I knew had to happen.

"Dimitri," I sighed quietly but Dimitri stopped me.

"There is a way," he said, shifting my weight on his lap. My brows knitted together and I waited for him to speak. I bite my lip as Dimitri's hands rested on my waist.

"It's hard to find someone who will do it, but there is a way to end the immortality," Dimitri said quietly, "A way for me to become human again."

I took a deep breath, completely stunned by the idea. "I can't ask you to do that," I whispered.

"You aren't asking me to do anything," Dimitri stated, "But I refuse to lose you, or live a life without you."

The determination in his voice made my heart clench and my lips trembled a little. I cupped his cheeks and brushed my lips against his. Just as entering immortality wasn't something I wanted, I couldn't ask him to give it up for me.

"Let me think about it, okay?" I said thickly. Dimitri could feel my hesitancy and pressed his lips against mine, pulling me flush against him as he laid back in bed.

I traced my finger over his skin as I listened to his heartbeat under my ear.

"I never said I didn't want it," I whispered.

"What?"

"Immortality. I just… don't want it yet," I whispered.

Dimitri moved under me and looked at me, his brows creasing. "I don't want you to want that just for me."

"I don't want to live a life without you, and I don't you to live without me. I spent the last three months without you, and I never want to do that again. I just want to wait a bit. I want to live a little longer?" I said with knitted brows, "If that makes sense?"

"I wouldn't want that for you until you were older too," Dimitri said softly, "You're so young. Physically, you haven't matured yet either. Plus, there are experiences you need to have as a human first. I wouldn't expect you to become an Ekon so quickly. You would need to prepare for that."

I nodded and snuggled against him. "I know I reacted badly, but I love you. I really do and I don't want you to ever doubt that again. Because I can't live in a world without you and-" I started but as I spoke my emotions took over and I got choked up. Dimitri shushed me gently and held me tight, twisting his hand into my hair as he held me.

"Shh, Roza, it's okay."

"It's not. I hurt you. I felt the pain you felt and it almost tore me apart," I sobbed, clutching onto his shoulders.

Dimitri rocked me softly as I cried, his hand rubbing my scalp as he did. I sniffed and tried to stop my tears but I couldn't, so I just let them flow over my cheeks and onto Dimitri's chest.

"I never have doubted your love for me," Dimitri whispered into my hair.

"How could you not?"

"Because I know that our bond would never have formed if you weren't truly my mate, or me yours. You can't fake this. I know that you were overwhelmed and a lot happened in those two weeks. I can't hold that against you when you needed to find who you were again."

I smiled weakly to myself and looked up at him. "I said that to Adrian when he tore a strip off me, that I needed to find who I was again."

Dimitri nodded. "I know, I was there."

"Like in person?"

Dimitri shrugged. "Sort of?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Dimitri, did you stalk your mate?"

Dimitri's cheeks tinged. "No. I just…I needed to see you. I felt like I couldn't breathe and your mom told me that you worked at the pub and I went and stay back in the corner. I saw Adrian baited you and, I hate to admit it, you needed it."

I huffed and rested my head back on his chest. "I know, it doesn't mean I want to acknowledge it."

Dimitri let out a soft chuckle and ran his hand over my back. "I know."

I rubbed my lips together and clung to him. "I'm sorry."

"I know, Roza. I know. But I think that you are forgetting that you are only human," Dimitri said softly. I lifted my head and raised my brows at him and he chuckled.

"Okay, mostly human. But don't you think that in the eighteen years you have been alive that I haven't gotten pissed at something you did? Like when you crashed Andre's car when you were fourteen? Or when you were stupid enough to get drunk and climb onto the roof of Mason's house and jump into the pool? I can't expect you to be perfect, and you can't expect me to be perfect either. All I'm saying is that I have forgiven you for all of it. All I ask is that you forgive too, and that includes forgiving yourself."

I cupped his cheeks. "I do," I whispered. Dimitri smiled and I felt the glow of pride in the bond. He didn't hold it against me, the only one holding blame against me was me.


When we pulled into the driveway Dimitri turned the car off but didn't get out right away.

"I have something for you," Dimitri said. I turned in my seat as he pulled a small rectangular box out of the glove box.

"You didn't need to buy me anything," I said quietly but Dimitri shook his head.

"I want you to take this with you," Dimitri said opening the box. Inside was a silver stake, maybe six or seven inches long.

"This is a charmed stake," Dimitri said, "It is the only thing that can truly take down Strigoi. I can't be there to protect you, nor do I want to take your freedom by following you. But I want you to keep this with you wherever you go."

I picked the stake up and weighed it in my hand. It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't light either. The metal was cold but when my skin touched it I felt a zap of energy flow through me.

"What do I do with it?"

"If a Strigoi tries to attack, the Dhampir traits will help you move faster and heighten your instincts. I want you to try and get away. The charmed metal will burn Strigoi but the only way to kill them is a stake through the heart," Dimitri explained and rested his fingertips on my chest, just left of my sternum.

"That is where you want to aim, but do not go for the kill unless you absolutely have to. They will be stronger than you. When you come home for Christmas, I will teach you how to use it better. But please, promise me that you'll keep it with you?"

I nodded and looked up at him as he moved the stake in my hand, showing me how to hold it properly. It felt strange in my hand, but I figured I would get used to it. I set the stake back in the box and closed it, giving him a small nod and smile.

"Of course," I whispered. Dimitri sighed and kissed my forehead before getting out of the car.


As promised, we have returned to some Romitri fluff.

Let me know what you think! :)

Side note: I am not an expert on the way Asexual/Aromantic sexuality works, but I apologize if I got any of it wrong!