Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.

Have you guys read the second chapter of TIS that they released the other day? OMG! Adrian is so swoony and so funny and gah! Why can't TIS be out already?

Anyway, here's another one shot for you guys. Let me know what you think! Review! And let me know if you have any ideas for a Christmas or New Years themed one shot. I want to get out one more of these before Christmas!

I, Sydney Catherine Sage, had done a lot of things in my fairly short life. I'd learned several different languages and could speak them all fluently. I could make chemical compounds for basically any situation. I had assisted in a jail break and aided and abetted the fugitive after she'd broken out. I'd had a guy's eye cut out after he'd raped my sister. I'd even learned how to use magic, something I didn't even know was possible. But this, this was possibly the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

"Sydney," Rose said firmly. "You're not getting out of this so let's just go in already."

I stared up at the black sign with pink lettering, a frown pulling my eyebrows closer together.

"Come on, Sydney," Lissa said. She smiled and waved me forward. "It'll be fun."

Jill grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the store. "It's going to be so much fun. Trust us! This is bonding, remember? We're bonding."

Rose smirked and followed after us. "It's a right of passage."

"I just don't see," I said, stepping over the threshold and into the store, "how shopping for underwear is a right of passage."

"Just is," Rose said distractedly, already veering to the side to look at something lacy and risqué. It was red and would look amazing on her. Obviously. Everything looked amazing on Rose. She was exotic and curvy and beautiful in a way I'd never be.

"But why do I have to get something?" I asked. "I mean, you guys are the ones who wanted to come here. Not me."

Jill let go of me to look at a cute pink bra with heart shapes on it. She poked the padding in the cup a few times and then dropped it back onto the display table.

"Stop complaining and find cute things!" Rose demanded.

I rolled my eyes, but went to look at a rack of bras. They were simple undergarments, nothing racy on the whole rack. I figured I could get a couple of these and get them off of my back. I started picking up a solid baby blue bra in my size when Jill came over and whacked it out of my hand.

"No!" she squealed. "You are not here to pick up a few new bras!"

I looked at her like she had three heads. If I wasn't here to shop for underwear, than why was I here? Shopping for underwear?

Rose strolled over, laughing under her breath. "We're not here to shop for regular bras and underwear, is what Jill means," she explained. "We're buying the fun stuff."

"Care to explain what that means?" I asked, crossing my arms. I had the feeling I wasn't going to like her answer.

Just then Lissa came trotting across the store, her blonde hair flowing behind her and a black lace negligee in her hands. She smiled and thrust the teddy at me. "Here, try this. It would look awesome on you."

I stared at the tiny scrap of fabric in my hands with abject horror. I could completely see through it. All of it! I shook my head. "This isn't really my style," I said kindly, trying to hand the garment back to her.

The Moroi queen took a step back, grinning like a thirteen year old girl. "Oh, just try it on," she said. "It's fun just to try. It doesn't mean you have to buy it."

Rose took a corner of the lace between her fingers, feeling the fabric. "This is nice, Lis. Where'd you find it?"

"They have a whole rack of them in the back." Lissa pointed in the general direction she'd come from. "All different styles, too."

"Do they have anything in cotton?" I grumbled, already knowing I wouldn't be allowed to touch anything cotton as long as Jill and Rose were around.

Jill pushed me towards the dressing room, ignoring my question. As Jill pushed me behind the partition separating the store from the dressing rooms I saw Rose and Lissa giggling and pointing at a leather bustier.

"Just try it, please, Sydney?" Jill said, pulling out her puppy dog eyes. It really wasn't fair of her. She'd learned the move from Adrian. It was something he did whenever he wanted something from me and didn't think I was going to give in. I couldn't seem to resist them when he did it and it was only slightly less difficult to resist Jill.

"Fine," I groaned, stepping into one of the fitting rooms and pulling the curtain closed behind me. What could it hurt after all? I was just trying it on. And it was very pretty. So not me, but very pretty.

I slipped out of my clothes and into the lacy undergarment. When I turned to look into the mirror I realized just how much this negligee showed off. I had been right about its transparency. There was almost nothing left to the imagination in this thing. It looked nice, sexy even, but it was just too much. Although I did briefly wonder about the look on Adrian's face if I ever wore something like this to bed. I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face. His jaw would hit the floor if he ever saw me in this.

I quickly changed back into my clothes, a T-shirt and khakis, before folding the negligee neatly and exiting the dressing room. Jill was waiting for me, a small smile on her face, and Rose was holding a blue bra and panties out to Lissa who had taken the dressing room next to mine while I'd been changing.

"So?" Jill asked excitedly. "Are you going to get it?"

I started to laugh and say not in a million years when my phone buzzed. I reached down and pulled it from my pocket, reading the new text message I'd received. It was from Adrian.

U almost done? I want 2 get over 2 see my mom early so we have plenty of time later ;)

I rolled my eyes, but smiled despite myself and answered him back.

"Ooooh!" Rose teased. "Is that Adrian? What's he want for his birthday tonight?" She smirked. "Never mind. I can guess what he wants for his birthday."

I scowled at her. "We're going to see his mom, actually," I told her primly. "Then I'm taking him out to dinner."

"So then you'll give him his present when you get home?" She smiled innocently, even though the look in her eyes was anything but. She gestured to the fabric in my hand.

"I'm not buying this! Besides I already gave him his present this morning. He's been complaining that his paintbrushes were all covered in paint and gunk so I did some research and bought him a new set that supposedly cleans better than his old set."

Rose's expression was bored and she stifled a fake yawn. "That's so interesting. I'm sure he loved it."

"He did. He was really excited," I protested, but now I felt kind of stupid. Did Adrian want a more exciting gift than paintbrushes? Did he want... I mean, would he appreciate me in this negligee more than he did the brush set?

I looked over at Rose, her dark hair flowing around her shoulders and down her back in a waterfall. She always had this wild, untamed look about her. I bet she didn't give Dimitri something stupid and practical for his birthday. She'd probably worn something even racier than the lacy lingerie I'd tried on.

"Adrian really loves the brushes you got him," Jill said quickly, looking up from her phone. I figured she must have been texting Eddie. "He's using them right now, actually. They're perfect."

I nodded, smiling a little. What was I worrying about? This was Adrian. I knew him. I loved him. And he loved me. He'd be happy with whatever I got him.

But, a small part of my brain said, what could it hurt getting the negligee? You know he'll love it on you.

"But you think I should get this too, right?" I held up the black lace in Jill's direction.

Jill blushed and then shrugged sheepishly.

I sighed. "Fine. I'll get it. Happy now?"

Rose nodded, a huge smile on her face, and Jill grinned excitedly.

I would never admit it, but a part of me was excited about it, too. I couldn't wait to see Adrian's expression when he saw me in this.

Lissa came out of the dressing room then, the blue bra and panties in her hand. "These are so adorable and they make me look like I actually have boobs and a butt. I'm buying them!"

Rose and Jill laughed at her but I was distracted by my phone buzzing.

Hurry, Adrian texted. We need to leave soon.

I replied that I'd be home soon, confused about his impatient mood. It wasn't unusual for Adrian to be impatient, but he wasn't usually this pushy about it. Especially when he knew I was busy.

"I have to go," I said, following them up to the cash register to pay for the lingerie. "Adrian's in a rush for some reason."

"That's okay," Lissa said, paying for her purchases. "I have to get back, too. Although I do want to swing by the Food Court for a pretzel."

Rose laughed. "I want a cheesesteak. I'm starving."

I wrinkled my nose. "I'll gladly skip out on watching you devour a cheesesteak." I gave Jill a hug and then waved to Rose and Lissa. "See you guys later!"

"Bye," they all chorused as I walked away.

And then Rose had to go and say, "Have fun," in that suggestive way of hers.

###

I smirked as I watched Sydney walk away. "He's going to love that gift," I murmured to myself.

"You do know you're now going to have to live with the consequences of that gift, don't you?" Rose asked.

I snorted a laugh. "I've had to witness all of Adrian's fantasies about her for the past year. Sydney in the library, Sydney on the hood of his car, Sydney covered in paint. And Adrian can be very... creative. Ew!" I shook my head and cringed just thinking about it. "The real thing isn't nearly as bad as his dreams. I can block the two of them out when they're actually together."

Lissa scrunched her nose up in disgust and shook her head. "It's got to suck to get sucked into someone else's love life."

Rose laughed at her expression. "Like you're one to talk! Do you know how many times I had to see you and Christian—"

"Don't finish that sentence, Rose!" Lissa demanded, but she was laughing.

My phone buzzed and I glanced down to see it was a text from Adrian. He'd finally responded to the text I'd sent him a few minutes ago.

Thank u!

I laughed at his enthusiastic response. I'd sent a picture I'd secretly snapped of the lingerie Sydney bought. I'd also sent the words Happy Birthday. Yeah, Adrian and I might have had some boundary issues, but could you blame me? I mean, I was bonded to the guy.

You're welcome, I replied. Just please try your hardest to block me out tonight. I really don't want to have to see Sydney wearing that thing.

Or worse, I thought, not wearing it.

My phone buzzed again immediately.

U got it Jailbait. Best birthday gift ever btw. Just don't know who gets credit for it. U or her?

I laughed and shoved my phone back in my pocket, following Rose and Lissa into the Food Court.