VA Ficfest Prompt - Romitri Last Sacrifice on-the-run in motels era where the Only One Bed trope actually happens (meaning they have to sleep in the same bed/ensuing sexual tension while they're still in denial) (you can resolve the sexual tension OR leave it unresolved as a missing scene from the book)

There be smut, and feelings (way more feelings than planned)
Enjoy!

The cop glared down at me, hands on his hips and lips pursed. He clicked his tongue and his eyes darted to Dimitri then back to me. "You think pranks are funny?"

I scoffed. "Sometimes." Dimitri nudged me, a look of warning shot from the corner of his eye. I sighed and shook my head, "No. I shouldn't have said it. I thought it would be a fun joke, I've learnt my lesson now."

He crossed his arms, expression gruff. I could barely see his eyes under his long, thick grey eyebrows. I wondered if he could even see anything. At least he looked like an old-school cop, who probably had no idea how to use a computer to look up any warrants for my arrest.

"Don't cause any more trouble and keep her under control. Next time, I won't be letting it slide. Do you understand?" he waggled his finger at me and gave Dimitri a look of disapproval.

The fact the old man had believed Dimitri's story of me pulling some dumb prank was concerning, but it was better than him taking it seriously and taking Dimitri in for questioning. I bit my tongue and didn't say anything further while Dimitri thanked the cop and the clerk for being understanding.

Dimitri stayed close to me, always within reach of clamping his hand down on my shoulder just in case I tried to run again. I had a better plan of what to do now, and I was sure I could get the others to join in. All else failed, I would just run when he slept or showered.

I was still pissed that he was so determined to keep me locked in a hotel room and not let me help clear my name. My arms were crossed and I scuffed my feet on the floor as we walked back to our room.

A pissed-off Sydney stood outside our door and I wasn't surprised she knew what happened. "What are you doing? Getting the police called on us isn't part of the plan," she hissed, stomping her foot.

"It's taken care of," I shrugged. "I have an idea of what we can do," I started eagerly.

Sydney shook her head in disbelief, "What we are doing is hiding. You know, not gaining the attention of the local police."

"That's already taken care of," I repeated, "I'm talking about what we need to do. You see–"

"Not now, Rose," Dimitri cut me off, reaching past me to open our door. "We can talk about it tomorrow." He was pissed, voice strained.

"Why?" I demanded. "I told you, I'm not just sitting in this room."

"It's late. Sleep, and then we will consider your idea."

I scowled. He didn't even know what my idea was, he was just saying that to shut me up. Sydney was quick to agree though. "Sure, tomorrow. Think you can try not to get us all caught for at least twelve hours?"

I wondered if she had been sleeping and was in a mood because of that, or if she was just that nervous about being caught. Some of the darkness stirred in me, wanting to argue that I didn't need them or their permission to do what I wanted. I pushed down the anger and relented.

"Fine. Until tomorrow. But then I'm leaving with or without you two," I snapped and marched into our hotel room. I beelined for the bathroom and slammed the door closed behind me. My face and clothes were covered in dirt from Dimitri tackling me to the ground.

It fueled my anger.

After ignoring me, he just had to act like the selfless hero and save the day of the ex-girlfriend that he couldn't stand to be around. I washed my face, and scrubbed the skin clean, then used the cheap towel to dry myself.

My fingers paused over my lips, remembering the feeling of kissing him. I could almost pretend that he liked it. I know I did.

Dimitri didn't show any affection towards me, not really. Even when he stood there as I broke up with Adrian before we ran, his expression was blank and he didn't appear fazed after. I couldn't stay with Adrian if I was going to be on the run, especially when, at the time, I thought I would be risking my life to clear my name.

He shouldn't be tied to me like that.

I don't know what I expected from Dimitri—or why I even expected anything. He didn't care about me.

Love fades —guess, mine would as well.

When I left the bathroom Sydney was gone and Dimitri was back in his chair. I eyed the bed, noticing the rumpled covers. I hated that even with how irritated I was, I was still turned on. Guess that kiss affected me more than I thought it would.

"Try to get some rest, Rose," Dimitri instructed, dragging his hand down his face. In the better light, I could see the bruise blooming on his face, it made me smirk.

I strolled across the room to the bag Sydney packed, searching through it for something to sleep in. "And where are you sleeping?" I asked. I found a blue shirt that was a size too big for me, with an image of a doughnut on the front. It would do for sleeping in.

"I'm sleeping in the bed."

I spun around. "Where am I sleeping?"

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, "The bed."

I laughed. Of course, my father, who was practically rolling in it, couldn't throw in a couple more bucks so Dimitri could have his own room. Fucking delightful. I pursed my lips and stripped my jeans and shirt until I was just in my underwear.

Dimitri inhaled sharply.

I glanced over my shoulder, batting my eyelashes. "Sorry comrade. I have to get changed because someone got dirt all over my clothes." I winked as I unclasped my bra and dropped it on top of my bag. I was glad it was my comfortable one, especially with how many days I've worn it.

Dimitri never replied, and I ignored him as I slipped the blue shirt over my head. It was baggy but was more of a crop top, the hem barely covered my underwear. I pulled back the covers, moving around without looking up at him. I picked up the extra pillows and arranged them in a line down the bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sounding exasperated.

I looked up at him, he had crossed to be on the other side of the bed. "I'm building a wall."

He paused as he lifted the hem of his shirt, shoes already discarded. "A wall?"

"Yes," I exclaimed, I placed the last pillow and then pointed at the bed. "This is my side, and that's yours. We don't cross the wall." Dimitri eyed the bed, brows furrowed at the fact that I made my side bigger than his. "Night, comrade," I told him sweetly and settled on my side of the bed.

"This is ridiculous," he complained, rubbing his brow with his fingers.

"Hey, I might accidentally punch you again if you get too close."

He scoffed, removing his shirt and then his jeans. "Right, because that was an accident before," he muttered under his breath.

It was bad, and I cursed myself for doing it, but my eyes went straight to his bare chest. At first, my mind just thought of the cabin; my fingers dragging down the toned muscles, the feel of him pressed against my chest. And then I thought about how I stabbed him in the chest. Twice.

There weren't any marks left, even the one from Lissa was gone. In fact, all of his scars were gone. It was a blank canvas, the scars that used to decorate his skin were all gone.

I must have been staring for too long.

"I'll get the light," Dimitri told me in a tight voice, spinning on his heel so I couldn't see his chest anymore. His back was just as bare and felt strange to see. I had grown so used to the scars, had asked about most of them, and learned about the fights that caused them. For some of them, he wore a look of pride when retelling, others brought sorrow, but they were all memories of someone he managed to save or of ones he lost.

Now he had lost that part of himself.

I forced my eyes up at the ceiling when he turned off the light, he had double-checked the lock and even dragged the chair under it. It wouldn't stop anyone, but it would work as an early warning for us if someone tried to get in.

I admit this was not how I thought the night would end. Sleeping in the same bed as Dimitri. The last time we laid beside one another, he was Strigoi and I was high as a kite. And then even before then, the last time we were both happy was before the caves, curled around each other under the quilts by the fire.

I was so happy at that moment.

Now, he didn't want me.

"I hate this." The words slipped past my lips. I didn't mean to say it out loud.

There was a beat of silence before Dimitri spoke, "I know, but it's only until Lissa and the others can clear your name. She will figure something out."

I frowned. Of course, he thought I meant something else. I hated how him mentioning Lissa made jealousy and anger rise, mixing and boiling to the surface. I balled my hands up. "You know, I could figure my own way out of this. I don't need someone else to save me," I spat.

Dimitri had complete faith in Lissa, but none in me.

"I've been in shitty situations, and I've always found a way out." I bit my tongue before I gave an example. Dimitri knew better than anyone what kind of bad situations I got myself out of.

Dimitri sighed. "Everyone wants to keep you safe, Rose. Why won't you just let them?"

"And why do you care?" I asked.

Silence again.

"I told you–"

"Right," I cut him off, "because Lissa asked you. I forgot your pledge to your saviour ." My emotions were taking over, seeping into my tone as I spoke. I hated to give away how much it hurt but I couldn't keep it all back.

Dimitri chose Lissa over me.

Back at the academy, he was going to choose me, but now it was Lissa. It always would have been. The fact I believed otherwise was stupid of me.

"Rose…"

"Forget it," I mumbled, rolling onto my side and away from him.

I woke up feeling overheated, with a thin layer of sweat on my skin. With the heat of my body, I was surprised the hot breath fanning on my neck was so noticeable. Once I realised Dimitri was breathing against me, I then realised that his body was behind mine.

Like a line of heat, I felt him touching me from my head to my toes. Our legs were tangled, his arm curled around my waist and the other under my head. So much for the wall keeping us apart.

I didn't know what I hated more. The fact it felt amazing having him this close to me, so much so that I felt my body reacting to his proximity. Or that fact that I didn't have the will to move away. It was like a reassurance to feel his warmth, and if I laid still, I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my back.

I carefully tried to extract myself, but his arm tightened and I was pulled even closer. His face rested on the side of my head, lips brushing the shell of my ear. It was barely a whisper, my name slipped past his lips. "Roza."

Heat shot through me and straight to my core. I bit my lip to stop to moan that wanted to escape, he felt amazing against me.

I was so mad at him, but I loved every second of his touch.

Anger really was a turn-on for me.

Dimitri shifted behind me, and I tried to wiggle away, but that only caused something else to move. My throat went dry and I squeezed my thigh together to ease my need.

Fuck.

"Dimitri," I called. My voice was weak. "Dimitri, wake up." I tried again, this time rubbing his arm.

His lips moved closer, hearing him hum. "Roza." He kissed the spot behind my ear and I gasped.

God, it felt so good.

"Dimitri, please," I simpered. I couldn't care less that he was only doing this cause he was half asleep. I missed him so much.

Then, as suddenly as it started, it all stopped.

Dimitri inhaled sharply, then didn't breathe. I didn't breathe either. I didn't even move.

I laid there and waited to see what he did. His arm was still around me, lips still just barely touching my skin, and his hips were pressed against mine.

He was so still.

It was like torture, feeling him close yet unable to have what I wanted. It had to be him that chose me.

He drew back, slowly putting distance between us, but not completely. He rose up on his arm, my head still on his forearm. The hand on my waist guided me onto my back until our eyes locked. There was barely any light in the room, but our eyes could adjust enough to see some details when this close. I watched his lips part and his tongue dart out to lick them, eyes studying my face.

My breath caught in my throat, scared that if I moved even an inch, I would break whatever this was. My body shivered as his hand ghosted up my body, his touch feather-light that I thought I was imagining it. When his hand gently cupped my cheek, I saw the hesitation flick across his face.

And then he was gone. Dimitri pulled away from me completely and leapt from the bed. He inhaled deeply, pacing the room as his hands raked through his hair.

Every nerve in my body felt alive, my core still felt heavy from arousal. I chewed on my lip, unsure what to do. "I guess the wall didn't work," I pointed out awkwardly.

Dimitri froze. My eyes could only make out his silhouette in the dark, I couldn't see his expression.

The atmosphere in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I just couldn't tell what the feeling was. Anger? Affection? Lust?

He took a step towards me, and I felt myself lean forward. Just that little bit closer to his touch. "I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted in a soft voice. Shifting another step closer.

I swallowed. "What do you want, Dimitri?"

"I…" He was now within reach, his hand lifted to hover beside my face, "I want to feel."

Dimitri's fingers brushed my cheek, sliding along the skin until his palm cupped my jaw and his fingers were buried in my hair. A shaking breath left me, leaning into his warmth.

I didn't know what this would mean once morning came. Maybe in the light of day, this would all be a bad idea that we never spoke about. But in the shadows of the night, I was willing to risk it all to be with him again—even if it was just so he could feel something other than guilt for a moment.

Dimitri's lips covered mine, hungry and desperate as if he was worried this was fleeting as well.

He moved forward, climbing on top of the bed as I shifted back to lay my head on the pillows again. Not once did we break the kiss. His touch was tender, a stark difference from the bruising kiss he was giving me. It was like he was worried I would break.

Maybe it was a leftover fear of being Strigoi.

His fingers used to leave bruises on my arms, and now he barely applied any pressure.

It was like a small taste of heaven being able to touch him again, to freely move my hands across the taut skin of his chest and the rippling muscles of his back. His knees worked their way between mine, barely having to encourage me to spread for him as I parted my legs.

When his hips settled against mine, it was like coming home. We slotted together perfectly. It felt like we shouldn't because of the difference in height and size, but we were like pieces of a puzzle.

Dimitri didn't waste a lot of time, his hand slipping under my shirt and palming my breast. My nipple hardened in his hand and he swallowed my moans as he played with it. I dropped my hands to his hips, gripping the waistband of his underwear and tugging it down. A part of me said I should take my time and try to remember every part so I could cherish what was likely to be our last time. But the other part of me wanted him inside me again. I didn't want it slow, I wanted everything and I wanted it now.

Once I got his underwear down to his knees, Dimitri kicked them off, and then made quick work of my top. The material slipped over my head and his mouth covered my other nipple as his hand continued to play with the other. His bare hips pressed against mine as his teeth nipped and pulled until I was moaning and repeating his name.

With his free hand, he tugged at the edges of my underwear and pulled them down, lifting his body off mine long enough to rip off the thin material, and then returned between my legs. The feel of skin against skin was delicious and made me cry out when his erection rubbed against my core.

I was wet and clenching around nothing, desperate to feel full again. It was my second time and I was grateful it was with him again. It might not be the perfect, loving reunion I had once imagined, but at least it was him.

Dimitri's eyes found mine as his fingers dropped between my legs, a finger rubbing over my clit and then teasing the entrance as he looked at me for permission. Even though he was just sating a craving, he was still caring. I wanted to cry because I could almost pretend this was fueled by love.

I threw my head back and gasped at the feeling of his fingers thrusting into me, stretching and rubbing. He kept changing the angle until he hit a spot that made me see stars and I arched my back.

When I opened my eyes, I found him watching me, wide eyes taking in all of my reactions while his fingers continued to pump in and out of me. I buried my hands into his hair and pulled his face to mine, reclaiming his lips as I came undone at the seams.

I was close, tightening around his fingers and panting against his mouth. "Please, Dimitri. I want you," I begged, biting back the rest of the words that wanted to escape.

He peppered my face with kisses, removed his fingers and shifted to be on top of me. Again, his eyes found mine, "Are you sure, Roza?" he asked, kissing my forehead. The emotions in his voice made me smile. His tone wasn't flat and full of guilt—it sounded light.

"Yes. I'm sure," I promised. I brushed his hair back from his face, taking this small moment to marvel at him. The fact he was here in my arms right now, that I was able to feel this with him again was a miracle in and of its own.

Tomorrow this might as well have been a dream, but right now, it was everything I had wanted.

I pulled Dimitri to me again so I could bury my face into his neck and wrapped my arms around him. He turned his face and kissed my cheek as he entered me. He slid in, and a broken sob fell from my lips at how perfect he felt.

Dimitri stilled but I encouraged him to move, rolling my hips and squeezing my muscles around his length. He groaned beside my ear, panting as he whispered low in Russian.

After a deep breath, Dimitri pulled out a few inches and then thrust back in. We both moaned at the sensation. My skin felt heated, and shocks of pleasure shot through me with each thrust. I was wrapped around him, legs and arms locked tight so there was no space left between us.

Dimitri's arms were around me, moving me to meet his thrusts, but holding me close.

This intimacy was something we both needed. Both clung to the other during this rare chance we allowed ourselves.

Higher and higher we climbed to reach our peaks. Our lips locked in a deep and passionate kiss as he continued to rock into me, hitting deeper and harder. I felt myself become tight around him, and Dimitri changed to short quick thrusts focused on that one spot that made me cry out his name each time.

"Dimitri, please, I'm so close," I whimpered, my nails digging into his shoulders.

He kissed me frantically. "I am too," he replied, kisses peppered across my cheeks, "Oh god, Roza, you feel so perfect." The rest of his words were in Russian, spoken quickly and like a secret that he wasn't meant to say. I couldn't understand any of it but it brought tears to my eyes.

I could pretend that he was saying he loved me.

I could pretend that he was saying he was sorry.

I could pretend that he was saying he wanted me again.

I could pretend…

And for that moment, I did.

A single tear ran down my cheek as I orgasmed, my cries of pleasure loud and echoing around the room. Dimitri followed not too long after, buried deep and clutching me so close I struggled to breathe. I didn't try to escape his hold, instead returning the embrace just as fiercely.

Soon, all I could hear was my heartbeat in my ear and the sound of our laboured breaths. The heat between us eased and the sweat on my skin started to cool. Slowly, and reluctantly, I released my grip around him, Dimitri doing the same.

Before we were completely untangled, he hovered above me. It was still too dark to see properly, but I swear there were tears in his eyes even as a smile graced his lips.

We kissed once more. The last one before the moment was over.

"Thank you, Roza," Dimitri whispered against my lips, his forehead pressed against mine. "Thank you for everything you did for me."

There were no more words to follow. Nothing I could say that he didn't already know.

So I just smiled and nodded my head.

And then it was over.

Dimitri pulled away, climbing to his feet and moving away from the bed. I saw his expression for a second when he turned on the bathroom light, just before he stepped into the room and closed the door. For a second, he almost looked happy.

I clung to that expression. I took it and locked it deep in my mind, that and the memory of tonight. I had something now that I could hold close to my heart. It wasn't what I wanted, but it was what I needed.

I got a chance to say goodbye to the man that I would always love.

His love had faded, but I knew mine never would.

The angst wasn't part of the plan... but like... it's me. I really like this one. I hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you think :)