Whew! Sorry to disappear again these last few weeks! Back with a short bit this time, working on two more longer sections I hope to get up over the holidays! Thanks for sticking with me!
As always, Dimitri and VA belong to Richelle Mead :-D.
Dimitri held the towel against his face, still tasting blood, carefully applying pressure to stop the bleeding. The rough cloth scraped painfully against his skin; his nose, cheeks, and eyes already swelling. He swore Malina's grandmother's curse under his breath. He hadn't lost control so badly since he was thirteen - and even then he hadn't ended up with his own injuries.
Malina stayed on Dimitri's right, seemingly shielding him from Katya and Zeklos. "I don't even know where to start," Katya said sharply, humor gone, glaring fully at him once they turned the corner. "If you get kicked out you deserve it."
"It's okay," Zeklos said, trying to pull her closer, kissing the top of her head.
"It is not okay," Katya fumed, pushing him away. "I still don't know what the hell is going on with Dimitri and apparently there's a whole hell of a lot more that you haven't been telling me, too!"
Zeklos winced. "I wasn't hiding the family stuff, it's just complicated."
"And the fighting?" she retorted. "Since when do Moroi kids get taught by their guardians to fight? You need more practice you know," she added, "you probably broke your hand."
"It was worth it." Zeklos grinned, catching Dimitri off-guard. Still holding the bloody towel against his face he searched Zeklos's eyes for signs of cruelty or triumph - but found only humor, and found one side of his mouth tilting up slightly in return. Finally getting a few swings at Zeklos had felt good - and Zeklos had apparently felt the same.
"And you," Katya spun on Dimitri, "you do realize Schoenberg should have booted you right there. And if you ever even hint that I could be -" she pinched her lips "- giving blood. Or that anyone I would care to be with would take it... I promise you I will break more than your nose, I don't care what your issues are. And Ivan will not be there to save your ass, not even for a minute. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Dimitri couldn't answer her, couldn't meet the fury and hurt spilling out of her. "Thank you," he said instead to Zeklos, still locked with him eye to eye. His mind easily conjured any number of less-than-altruistic reasons Zeklos may have had for standing up for him, but if he hadn't, Katya was right: he would already be packing. He could still be expelled, but for the moment, he still had a small chance. And at the very least, Zeklos had bought him time with Malina. He reached for her, relief flooding through him when she let him take her hand.
"Thank me when we get to stay," Zeklos said carefully, cradling his injured fingers against his chest.
"You're not going anywhere," Katya snapped, still furious, still glaring at Dimitri. "I don't know about the St. Petersburg academy, but I don't think there's even a rule against Moroi fighting unless it's illegal elemental use. And considering this new -" she skewered Zeklos with her eyes "- information about your family, I'm guessing you'd have to do a hell of a lot more than than that before anyone even raised an eyebrow."
The full implications of Dimitri's actions slammed into him. Katya was right: no Moroi - especially not one of Zeklos's status - would ever be expelled, but Dimitri's fate was virtually guaranteed. And if he were no longer enrolled, Katya would be alone with Zeklos.
"If Dimitri is expelled, I'll leave too, whether it's 'official' or not." Zeklos said quickly, watching Dimitri's face. He glanced down at Katya and his expression tightened.
'What do you mean?" she asked.
"If Dimitri really is expelled I'll leave." Zeklos repeated.
"You can't be serious." Katya said, her fury dissipating. She took a step back, searching Zeklos's face. "You'd leave even if they didn't make you go?"
"I don't want to," Zeklos said, "I don't want to leave you." Dimitri flinched at the sincerity and pain in his voice. "But it's not right that he gets in trouble and I don't."
"But he attacked you!" Katya protested, confusion and fear eclipsing her anger.
"With reason. And I hit back."
"What reason? You didn't do anything, you didn't even say anything! You lied for him!" she paused for the briefest moment then exploded once again. " Why did you lie?"
"Can we not do this now?" Malina interrupted, facing off with Katya, confrontational this time, not protective. Her voice shook only a little; her overwhelming show was one of strength. "The guardians could come find us any minute. Dimitri screwed up and he's leaving, we're only waiting to see how soon. I'd like a little time with him before that happens."
"He's not leaving." Zeklos said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder and looking directly into her eyes. "If he goes, I go too, but I really don't think that will happen. And if it does, I will find a way to get him back to you. I promise."
"That's a big promise." Malina answered, holding his gaze.
"I'll keep it." He paused, then dropped his hand. "In the meantime, we will leave you alone. You deserve at least that much. I think you're a good influence on him."
"I don't know about that," she murmured, "but thanks."
"So we're leaving now," Zeklos said swiftly, sweeping Katya close again with his good arm and starting back toward the infirmary. She glared up at him but didn't protest, and after a moment slid her arm around his waist. He looked back, his parting words directed at Dimitri. "I'm not worried. We're not going anywhere."
Thank you so much for reading!