When the alarm went off, Rose sat up fast, wincing at the slight throb in her forehead. Damn wine. She threw on some old training clothes, making a quick mental note to do some laundry next time she had a chance. She had the early shift at the South gate, a rarely-used entrance basically coming from nowhere on the outside. It pretty much ensured the morning would be passing by very slowly. She jogged out of the dorms, the crisp night air waking her up as she headed the familiar route.
"Morning, Hathaway," Alex's voice rang out through the air as she climbed some stairs. She glanced up, offering a quick grin, "Hey, Castile. Lowering yourself to our level, are you?" Alex laughed, rubbing his hands together as she stopped beside him on a lifted platform just reaching the top of the stone wall surrounding this portion of the Court. They had shelter, but it was definitely primitive compared to the North gate's station. Since the South had the wall, it only required two or three guardian's at once, so she figured it would be just them. Alex silently offered her his coffee mug, and she took a big gulp gratefully.
"Hows training going?" Alex asked after awhile, sounding like his usual supervisor-self. Rose shrugged, "Only had one session so far. We've got another this morning, after my shift here ends." Alex nodded, and shifted to warm his cold muscles, "Heard you and Belikov have a history." Rose raised an eyebrow, sparing him a glance, "Oh yeah? You should know not to believe everything you hear, boss." Her tone had dropped to an icy level, and Alex recognized the warning, shrugging, "Just wondered if it was hard to train with him." This made Rose feel instantly guilty - he seemed to genuinely want to know.
"We do have a history," she admitted, "But its over now. I'm over it. Mostly." Alex nodded, and he suddenly grinned wickedly at her, "So that means your free to see other people, right?" She laughed outright, giving him a huge smile, "Why, Alex, are you prepositioning me?"
"So what if I am?" Alex chuckled, thrown off by the smoldering look she gave him with the smile. She turned it down a notch, and said, "I'm not looking, to be honest."
"Ivashkov?"
"What?" Rose turned to face him fully, frowning, "Where did you hear that?" Alex shrugged, "I have eyes, kid." Rose shook her head, looking back over the wall, "He's just my Moroi, Alex. Really." She unconsciously rubbed her side - the scar from Lara's slash to her side ached in the cold. Alex didn't say anything back, and they spent the rest of their shift quietly.
After her shift at the gates, Rose had time to grab a bagel before she was due in training. She walked into the gym, and saw Dimitri already there, warming up with the weights. Eddie arrived shortly after, with the rest behind him. There were six other guardians receiving training with Alexei, none Rose could name off the top of her head. They belonged to the other targeted Moroi, none who she really cared about personally. She started her warm up stretches, Eddie falling into place next to her. They stretched in a comfortable silence, stopping when Alexei walked into the center of the room. A man like that didn't need words to command attention, Rose mused, as they gathered around him.
"We're going to be working with handicaps today," Alexei began in his thick accent. A guardian with sandy brown hair - Guardian Petro, Rose remembered - coughed, asking, "None of us have handicaps." Alexei raised an eyebrow, and tossed him a blindfold, "Eyes first. We'll work with no hearing later." They paired up, and Rose ended up with Guardian Malone, the only other female in the room. Malone was one of Queen Naomi's guardians - a huge honor, and very liberating for other women guardians. She shot Rose a quick grin, "What were the chances they'd pair the women together?" Rose gave a quick laugh, taking her opponent in. She was older then Rose - old enough to be her mother, she mused. Weathered features, short, spunky blonde hair. Slight build. Rose tied the cloth around her eyes, and nodded, "Ready." She shifted into a defensive stance, waiting for the attack. It didn't come.
She stood there for what seemed like forever, getting more and more edgy by the second. Whenever she thought she felt movement, she shifted, but never had to counter an attack. After awhile, she was ready to rip the blindfold off and demand what was wrong. As she moved her arm upwards, the attack came, pulling her other arm behind her back in a wrenching grasp. She tried to maneuver out, but was already being pinned down.
"Never loose your focus," Alexei's voice drifted over from the same spot he was in before. Rose gritted her teeth, ripping the blindfold off and tossing it at Malone, "Your turn." She waited until the blindfold was tied, then launched an offensive. Guardian Malone must have expected her frustrating attack, because she countered fairly well to start. But, it didn't take Rose long to trick her into making an error, and from there a pin was simple.
"Adequate, Hathaway," Alexei nodded in her direction. She gave a breathless nod, and spent the next hour sparring with the blindfold off and on. By the end, she felt like she was getting pretty good - at least, she held her own much longer then Malone did with no sight. As the session came to an end, Malone was breathing hard, and she smiled as she walked towards the showers, "I can't keep up with you young ones."
"How'd you do?" Eddie asked from behind her, and Rose bit her lip as she turned to stop the laugh from escaping at his black eye. Eddie rolled his eyes, knowing she was holding back, and said, "Belikov got me good with his blindfold. He must have done that before, being his student and all." Rose nodded, and looked over to where Dimitri was talking with Alexei.
"You go ahead, Eddie. Tell Liss I'll be there in a little bit." Eddie nodded, and he jogged off towards the showers. Rose gathered her things slowly, with the intention of catching Dimitri after Alexei left. Finally, he did, and Dimitri walked over to her, knowing she had been lingering for a reason. Turning to face him, she blurted out, "Will you be my mentor?" 'Smooth, Hathaway.' She cursed herself internally as Dimtiri's eyes lit up with humour, "Your mentor?"
"Eddie said you knew what you were doing with a handicap," Rose quickly explained, "I need to learn this. It could mean the difference between Adrian alive, or Adrian dead. Or worse. Please, Dimitri?" Dimitri nodded slowly, "I think your serious. You are serious, aren't you?" Rose nodded, trying her hardest to look as serious as she could. Dimitri nodded more firmly, and said, "Of course, Roza. I'll check our work schedules, and let you know when we will meet." She shot him a grateful smile, and leaned in, kissing his cheek, "Thanks, comrade." This earned her a tiny smile, and she walked away, a smile lingering on her lips.
When she got to the lunch hall, she quickly found her friends at the normal table. It had been pushed against another, to accommodate Tasha and Dimitri, and Rose squeezed into her normal spot between Lissa and Adrian.
"Oh, Rose, you smell awful," Lissa exclaimed, scrunching up her nose. Rose dug into her food like she hadn't eaten in weeks, and said, "Long morning. Sorry."
"As much as I like the sweaty look, your going to have to shower before Ana's," Adrian teased, pushing wet hair behind Rose's ear. She swiped away his hand playfully, and nodded, "Of course. I mean't do after training, but I took longer then expected." Dimitri sat down across the table with wet hair, and Adrian frowned, glancing back at Rose. She squeezed his hand under the table, and said, "I'm done. Ready?"
"You just got here!" Christian laughed, "God, you ate like a pig." Rose stuck her tongue out, and she pulled Adrian up, "Your ready?" He nodded, and Tasha smiled, "Where are you going?"
"Ana always has us over Christmas Eve," Adrian explained, "Rose needs to shower. Badly." They laughed, and Rose and Adrian started to make their way to her room. When they got there, Rose let Adrian in, closing the door behind him. Her rooms were much, much smaller then his - she got a bathroom, and an open bedroom/living area space, which included a kitchen. Bachelor pad was a better word for it. The few guardians that were married had a special floor in the bottom of the Moroi apartments to live in. Adrian flopped back on Rose's bed, flicking on the tv as she slipped into the shower.
After a half hour, she emerged from the bathroom smelling fresh. She wore a red sweater - in honor of Christmas, of course - and some comfy blue jeans. That was her favorite part about going to Ana's - no dressing up in guardian attire necessary, unlike going to see anyone else from Adrian's family. She chuckled when she saw Adrian asleep on her bed, and walked over, climbing onto the bed next to him. He shifted, mumbling something in his sleep, and Rose leaned over, her lips next to his ear. She whispered, "Adrian, time to get up." This just made him mumble, turning away, sweater riding up slightly to reveal the slightly tanned, smooth skin of his hip. She grinned, struck with inspiration, and her fingers sought out the tickling spot she knew existed just above said hip. She waited, then dug her fingers in, tickling him mercilessly. He flew awake with a half-yell, half-cry, and squirmed back, instantly seeking her sides out. She laughed, "No way, Ivashkov." He grinned, and a second later Rose found her arms being thrown upwards, her body pulled quickly until she was laying right on Adrian. Right on top. On her bed. He grinned up at her, "I knew you'd let me in your bed eventually." Rose rolled her eyes at him, trying to claim her hands back and loosing. Scowling, she said, "When did you get so strong?"
"Your not the only one who goes to the gym," he reminded, moving to claim both her wrists with one hand. He brought the other one down, touching her hair, and she froze. This was too tender, too far into her danger zone. He moved his hand down to her shoulder, then down her side to her waist. Feeling his hand run down her body made her shiver, and Adrian whispered, "We better go, before I do something you'll make me regret." Rose rolled off him as he released her hands, and laughed to cover her discomfort, "I'm glad you know how things work, Adrian." He laughed too as he stood, pulling her up too, "Come on, Little Dhampir." They left Rose's rooms, and made their way towards the family Moroi living section. It was located in a nice, cheery apartment block, and Ana had a first floor home that opened into a communal grass area. They went around back, and Rose spied a little boy playing in a sand pit.
"Auntie Wose!" The soft voice exclaimed, and the boy jumped up, running over to Rose with arms wide open. Rose laughed, scooping him up and placing him on her hip, "How's my favorite nephew?"
"I got a new tooth!" Patrick exclaimed, grinning widely to show it off. Adrian ruffled his hair, "Impressive. Where's your mom?" Patrick hopped down, and took Rose's hand as he led them in through the sliding door.
"Rose, Adrian, good to see you," Ana smiled from the kitchen. She was a beautiful Moroi - Adrian resembled her greatly. She was shorter, with the same piercing emerald eyes. She sat down her spatula, and hugged Rose close, kissing both her cheeks in a typical Moroi greeting, "Want a glass of wine? Dinner won't be long."
"I'm okay," Rose smiled, putting her hands on Ana's large belly, "Your getting bigger by the day." Ana rolled her eyes, laughing, "Don't I know it."
"I'm going to go play with Patrick," Rose said brightly, and Adrian gave her a half-smile as she slipped out the door again. He took his usual stool at the counter, "Want any help?"
"No, no, almost done," Ana said, pulling a steaming pan from the oven. Adrian glanced over as Rose brought Patrick in on her shoulders, his little giggles making everyone smile. Patrick was his only nephew, and he spoiled him every chance he got, but he could never play with him as well as Rose could. Adrian continued to watch as Rose plopped him down and started building a lego castle with him. He glanced back, and saw Ana watching him with a bemused expression.
"What?" He asked, instantly defensive. Ana raised an eyebrow, and shook her head, "Nothing, little brother. Dish up."
Dinner was very filling, and Rose couldn't bring herself to indulge in desert, despite Patrick's continued insistence she tried. Ana's husband Derrick was out of town on some Moroi Court business, and would be home the next morning, so she felt good about keeping Ana company for Christmas Eve. She wanted to stay longer, but the long day of work, training, then kid-amusing had left her exhausted.
"Thank you for coming, Rose," Ana said, giving her one more hug as she stood up. Rose grinned, "Dinner was great. Sure beat the microwave dinner I had planned." Ana laughed, and Patrick ran up, hugging Rose tight around the middle.
"Are you okay getting back?" Adrian asked, walking Rose to the door as Ana dragged Patrick off to bed, "I would like to stay and talk with Ana a bit." Rose nodded, "Of course." He opened the door for her, and gave her hand a quick squeeze, "I'll see you in the morning, then?" She nodded, shooting him a smile, and he closed the door gently behind her.
"So, when are you going to tell her?" Ana asked from behind him. He raised an eyebrow, and walked over to sit with her on the couch, "What are you talking about, dear sister?" Ana snorted, and said, "Oh, I don't know, that your in love with her?"
"I'm not," Adrian replied instantly, and Ana merely gave him a look filled with disbelief. Adrian groaned, falling back to lay against the plush cushions, "Am I that obvious?" Ana smiled, rubbing his leg, "Just to people who know you. When are you going to tell her?"
"I'm in the process of trying to convince her," Adrian replied, "Tomorrow morning, when I give her a Christmas present, I think she might finally believe me." Ana shifted to make her baby belly more comfortable, and took Adrian's hand, squeezing tightly, "I wish you all the luck in the world, little brother. Rose is an amazing person - you'll never be bored. Then again, I would say the same thing to her. Now, I wonder what father will say when you tell him you've gone and fallen for a Dhampir..."