Chapter Nine
Rose
I awoke to something prodding me in my thigh, and I stretched languidly enjoying the sensation of being pressed against a man in the morning. He was firm in all of the most delicious places, it felt natural to bring my mouth to his neck to begin trailing kisses to his jaw. The figure shifted against me and groaned softly, pleased with my ministrations. His breath was warm against my cheek and I couldn't help but sigh and nuzzle closer.
I froze suddenly as my mind began to catch up with my sleep, and apparently sex, addled body.
Oh shit.
Dimitri's hand sought my hip under the cover, pressing himself closer. I was glorious, and oh so wrong.
As his lips found the spot right below my ear, I knew wrong was not the right description at all.
"Fuck." I moaned quietly.
I made slow work of attempting to put meager distance between Dimitri and myself. Which was difficult considering that I was pressed between his chest and the back of the couch. Like I said, absolutely glorious. A small, sex-deprived, part of my mind was outraged at the idea of doing anything that didn't involve pulling him closer. But I knew if I stayed there'd be no stopping. And regardless of how good it felt now, I knew we would both come to regret it later. Friends don't grope friends, I chanted to myself, groaning as he shifted against me again bringing us all the more close. Setting all of my nerves on fire.
"Erm. Comrade? You awake?"
"Hm?" He questioned sleepily, moving to push his hair from his face. "Oh, good morning." He breathed accent heavy and smiling before assessing our situation.
"Er, good morning," I answered, finding it impossible to ignore how close our faces were. My eyes darted between his lips and to where his hand was still gripping my thigh beneath the duvet and back again.
Following my gaze, his hand suddenly flew from me as if he'd been burned, and I immediately regretted the loss of warmth. "Sorry!" he gasped with a sharp intake of air, fully waking up, and apparently horrified by his wandering hands.
I couldn't help but laugh as a light tint heated his dark complexion, struck by the humor of our morning wake-up. Dimitri, the dreamy gentlemanly Russian god, had always been a little handsy in the mornings and he was absolutely horrified by it. "It's all good, Comrade. I am pretty sure that I was the one who assaulted you first." I admitted, sounding more flippant than my racing heart and heated body felt.
Dimitri groaned, rolling away to lay flat on his back, stretching out and covering his face with the blanket. "It had been such a good dream too," he pouted. Pulling the comforter down enough to let me see that he was smiling.
I let out a breathy sigh propping myself up on my elbows alongside him, "You have no idea." I commiserated in agreement, returning his smile.
We both laughed then, pleased to see that neither was bothered by the little unexpected rendezvous.
Silence settled and we were left with silly smiles on our faces. I was the first to look away, trying to recall the point I had fallen asleep but couldn't quite place it. The last thing I remembered was Dimitri's arm behind me on the couch and then waking up on his chest this morning. I was sure that one of my well-meaning roommates had guilted Dimitri into staying put out of fear of waking me. I considered the duvet and pillows from my bed speculatively. Lissa, I decided withholding my eye roll.
I yawned, moving into a sitting position in the limited space. Noticing that Dimitri and I were both jean-clad and decidedly rumpled-looking. "Sorry about that." I offered, not entirely sure which I was apologizing for, the light morning grope session or for making him spend the night on the couch.
He sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and offered a bright smile in return. "It was my pleasure," He assured.
My heart sped up in response to that smile. It was a rare one that lit up his entire face. He was so different here in Pennsylvania, tangled in my duvet, legs outstretched as he propped himself up by his elbows on my couch. It softened him. Dimitri had always been mind-numbingly sexy, but somehow the stern fierce intensity that he outlined himself with was lessened in this moment. No doubt still as badass and deadly as ever, but it was how he was when there was no one around. When he felt relaxed enough to let down his guard. I knew very few were fortunate enough to experience Dimitri this way. It suited him.
I chuckled in response, a moment too late, knowing he was answering my unsaid thoughts, and stretched looking to the clock on the wall. It was just after six in the morning, I had slept over seven hours. I blinked in amazement.
"What is it?" Dimitri questioned reading my confusion.
"Nothing," I hesitated, looking to him still shocked, "I just can't remember the last time I slept all night."
He paused before answering, his expression difficult to read, "I remember the last time I did," He offered.
Not understanding, I watched him in silence waiting for the rest. His eyes were serious but a small nostalgic smile lingered at the corner of his lips once again transforming the serious set of his brow as he remembered.
"The night before graduation. We were in my quarters, you were helping me pack and we fell asleep to Golden Girl reruns…" he trailed off, hedging to see how I would react.
"Golden Girls in Russian," I corrected smiling slightly at the memory, surprised as he was that I didn't shy away from it. "And your hallmate came bang on the door to tell you to turn it down and I had already been asleep, so you dumped your suitcase on me."
He smiled remembering, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I was woken up to you removing a pile of your briefs from my head," I smiled narrowing my eyes slightly, wondering if he would fill in the rest.
He laughed quietly, winking, "And you were more concerned that you had missed me removing my underwear in the first place than why you were under a pile of clothes."
"Priorities are important to have, Comrade." I reminded him seriously.
His smile grew as he watched me sitting across from him. He felt so familiar to me but so different at the same time. That night in his quarters felt like a lifetime ago. Like I was remembering a memory that belonged to someone else. It was as if I were in a parallel universe, sitting here with him across from me... as if the past year hadn't happened. We had sunk so easily into each other, we always had. It was hard to remember to guard my heart. We had no excuses separating us now. Not out in the world, away from the academy. It was both liberating and terrifying.
"What keeps you up at night, Rose?" He questioned gently, perusing the conversation. He was giving me the opportunity to share, if I wanted it, sensing that there was more. We grew serious as we contemplated each other.
I could see what he was doing, showing me that I wasn't the only one who was struggling. He apparently didn't sleep well either, but I wondered if he sometimes heard the Strigoi calling my name as I hid him in the woods as he fell asleep too…
I considered him for a long moment. Making a decision. I knew I could say no, that I didn't want to talk about it. That it wasn't his business or concern. I could flip the dynamic of the morning we'd had so far. I could shut him down and guard my heart like I knew I should… and he wouldn't think less of me for it. That just wasn't who Dimitri was.
But no one had ever asked me before. Not in the way he just had, at any rate. He wanted to know what. Not why. As if he understood like it was normal. The details themselves weren't important to him, he wouldn't learn anything that I hadn't already shared with Alberta, but it was me he was interested in. He was seeing through all of the broken pieces and seeing me as he always had.
"The Strigoi that bit you was named Nathan," I answered suddenly. I watched him for a reaction, but Dimitri's expression was composed as ever. The only sign that he was listening was the slight inclination of his head. He nodded to me, urging me to continue. "I only know because I overheard the two others who came looking for us. I had rolled you down into a ditch, under a bush and covered with leaves and I was in the old Guardian tower, the one over the wards, we weren't far from campus, but it was far enough to matter." I paused, breathing through my nose. I could feel how cold I had felt, how if I stopped long enough, I'd start shaking. I was terrified for the sense of nausea to roll back over me but all the same, I waited for it with bated breath. I could smell the forest and the drying blood…
"You had collapsed. We had been so close to the wards, but I lost my grip and you stumbled and that was it. I couldn't move you," I took another shaky breath, gathering my thoughts, "So I went up to see if I would be able to radio the school, but there was nothing there. The two Strigoi got into a fight that ended with one of them dead. I didn't know what to do. They were so close. I couldn't move without giving away our location. So, I sat and listened as he called my name over and over again, the sound began to mix with the other Guardians who were calling for me from beyond the wards. Eventually, someone in the search party got close enough and it scared him off, but I could still see Mason and he kept pointing so I knew. I had to move you and keep going," I let out a shaky breath, not breaking eye contact with Dimitri. I needed him to know. To understand. It was as much his story as it was mine. "The second I climbed down he was behind me. He never knew how close he was to you, I had him staked before he could figure it out. I couldn't move you after that, you had completely passed out, so I laid next to you and waited. Everyone always likes to bring up how I dragged you over the wards, but no one seems to remember that most of that night was spent waiting, cowering. Praying that you would wake up enough that you could move yourself enough out of the ditch so that I could drag you. That's what I see when I sleep, but when I dream, I dream that he found you before I could get to you, and when I wake up I panic because you are gone." Dimitri was rigidly still by the time I finished my story, and I looked away finally. I didn't want to see his reaction, I decided. I didn't want him to feel sorry for me, but I couldn't walk away from this moment without him knowing either. I wanted him to know how much last night had meant, how important it was to me. I had always longed for just one more night. I didn't know that the night before graduation would be the last one. I had always believed if I had just one more night if I knew that the last night would be the last one, that I would be able to tell the difference when I woke up. I had that now, I just hoped I was right. That it would be enough.
Dimitri's hand was suddenly under my chin, encouraging me to meet his eyes once more. His lashes were wet, but there was no evidence of tears on his cheeks. I leaned my head into his palm slightly, I figured I'd regret doing that later. I was in deep shit, I needed to figure out how to let him go, but instead, I found myself leaning in. "Thank you for telling me. I only remember pieces of that, I owe you my life."
I began to shake my head and pull away thinking he hadn't understood that he was only going to say what everyone else always did, but he wouldn't let me move, "No, listen to me. Thank you. You saved me. You saved me and I can handle it. Let me be someone worth saving," he said firmly, not letting go of my gaze. My tears started to escape then rolling into his palm, but he still didn't release me. His eyes burned with a mixture of heat and sadness, "You can put the rest on me. Don't keep carrying this by yourself. Give it to me." He all but demanded. "It's too heavy, Roza." He grabbed my hand and brought it to his chest placing my palm directly over his heart so that I could feel its rhythm. "Because of you my heart still beats. Let that be enough." Was as all he said before I fell apart. He got it. He understood. Realization and months of grief crashing down on top of me. Another small piece clicked back into place as he brought me into his arms.
Dimitri
I knew with heartbreaking clarity that this was what I was here to do. To be a witness to Rose's story. To hold a mirror to her strength.
It had been so stupid to leave, it was worse than I had imagined it would be- regardless of what had happened. She had never dealt with the aftermath of the battle. And my leaving had left her frozen in this place where she was just hanging on.
"Give it to me," I whispered into her hair as she sobbed, "I can take it. Give it to me." I repeated over and over again. Gently rocking us from side to side, sliding a leg off the couch and pulling her into my lap, holding her as the sobs wracked her body. She hadn't even cried in the aftermath of the battle. Rose didn't cry often. This wasn't her usual method of channeling her feelings, but she was at her wit's end and I was amazed that she had been continuing as well as she had. I think the shock of me showing up unexpectedly was the catalyst and it was all finally catching up to her.
"I don't know what to do," She gasped, after some amount of time, the stream of tears easing. "Every day, it's the same damn thing." She heaved, trying to regain her breath and composure, "I try, I really fucking try. But it's still there, I can't sleep, I can't laugh…it's a weight. It pulls me under. And I don't even know what it is." She fumed, becoming angry. "I used to blame you for it, it was easier to be angry but as time passed, I knew that wasn't it. It was bigger."
My heart broke all over again as I watched her struggle to name her hurt. "You have to talk about it, Rose." I breathed, keeping her head against my chest and running my fingers through her hair, working through the tangles sleep had brought. "It's drowning you."
After the battle, I had saw that Rose continued to see the counselor on campus, but it had little effect as Rose more or less refused to speak to her about the battle. She wouldn't speak about it hardly at all, we all knew that she was struggling, but I knew she would speak when she was ready. So I never pushed her. I waited, I checked on her in the nights, sparred with her, held her, but I never pushed. She had felt so fragile, and after seeing what the effects of Spirit could do to her, no wanted to push Rose to a breaking point. I could admit that it was one of the few times that I had felt truly afraid. I wondered where we'd be now if I had. Neither of us had seen my departure coming. There were so many things that had happened since graduation that was left unspoken between us.
She shook her head against me, pulling away from my hold and I let her move away. "There aren't words, Dimitri, how can I talk about something I can't name?" She took a shuttering breath as the last of her tears fell. She rubbed her face, wiping at her tear-stained cheeks. "Here, let me." I offered, not waiting as I brought the edge of my t-shirt up to dry the wetness from her cheeks.
"Ew, don't," She protested, attempting a weak embarrassed laugh, "That's gross, don't ruin your shirt."
I snorted, ignoring her protests, and continued to gently wipe beneath her eyes. Her lashes fluttered closed as I finished. I sighed, letting my fingers linger over her cheek. Electricity crackled between us, I wanted nothing more than to lean down and erase the distance between us with my lips. The tension that we had kindled between us earlier roared back to life with hardly any encouragement. I knew she could feel it too as her breath hitched.
Opening her eyes slowly, Rose's gaze lit into me. Bringing her hand up to capture my hand with hers and holding it against her cheek for a moment longer she turned to press her lips into my palm without breaking eye contact. Blood rapidly rushed away from my brain and I closed my eyes briefly in reaction to the sensation. She returned my hand to me and I reopened my eyes, fire settling in my veins. "Thank you." She uttered quietly, dropping her gaze from mine and cutting off our intense connection.
I breathed deeply for a moment, trying to settle my rushing thoughts. Despite it all, I couldn't help but smile softly as I looked at her. She had scooted away from me, folding her legs beneath herself once more. She was deceivingly composed and lost in her thoughts, but I knew she was just as aware of me as I was of her. You wouldn't have known that she had fallen apart only moments before. Rose was so many different things and she didn't get nearly enough credit for how well she handled herself.
"You do so well, you know," I told her, my tone holding my amazement.
"I'm not sure that's true. I had thought I had been doing alright with keeping myself together, that they hadn't noticed…" She trailed off, looking towards the hall where all her friends were asleep in their rooms, "But apparently they all knew." She shook her head. "I'm sorry that this is what you have come back to." She shrugged haplessly, not looking at me.
"Rose," I breathed, half awed half mystified, "I am not even talking about the battle," I explained, she ducked her head further down, avoiding my words. "You put everyone before yourself, and they may see that something is not right, but it's not pity they see when they look at you."
Her head snapped up then, I had seen right through her words and understood her fear and she knew it. Rose hated being pitied for any perceived weakness, hated that anyone might underestimate her, but she didn't see herself clearly. Not at all. "Roza, you did this. You made it here. The Queen had been hell-bent and set on keeping Lissa at Court for college after the attack on the academy. But it's because of you that she gets to live the life she's dreamed of. You made that possible. Of all the Guardians that were entrusted to protect her, you are the one that made sure Lissa stayed safe even before you graduated. You took every opportunity to protect her and never let anyone stand in your way. You became everything you said you would be and more. That's what they see. Rose, they are in awe and they don't like to see that you hurt. If they are careful around you, it is because they want to help. You are their hero and friend." I told her, my voice holding all of the awe and wonder I felt for the woman that sat before me.
She shook her head, not in denial of my words, but in rejection that she was a hero or anyone to be admired. "I'm not a hero." She stated firmly, continuing to hold my gaze. "I'm reckless enough to love until it breaks me, but that doesn't make me a hero," She trailed off, studying me before looking away again. I knew she was remembering throwing her elbow back, breaking Stan's nose, and lunging to stake the Strigoi that held me in the caves all in one fluid motion. The same reckless that saved my life had always beckoned me to her. It was faulty logic on my part when I had first met Rose, I had believed that she had needed me. I thought I was drawn to her out of my innate desire to help those who needed it. But I couldn't have been further from wrong. It had been me who had needed her. I was drawn to her from the very beginning and she couldn't keep away any better than I could. I understood what she meant when she said there weren't words to describe that night.
"It's happening again, Dimitri," She admitted in a halting whisper, it took every ounce of control that I had ever trained to gain to remain seated across from her and not sweep her back into my arms, "The darkness is seeping back in, and it's not Spirit this time. It's me. I can feel it all around me… It's different this time, instead of getting angry, I'm getting lost and drained. I can feel myself slipping away… I thought that I could do it, that if enough time had passed that I'd get over it. That I could move on, but I'm not okay." She admitted, finally looking up. Her lashes were wet again, but the tears didn't spill this time.
She was afraid. She was afraid of what would happen if she couldn't fight the darkness again. Rose could handle anger well enough, there were outlets for anger. But the sadness terrified her, she didn't know if or how she could return from that. The maturity and courage it must have taken for her to admit that out loud moved me. I wanted so badly to lift her lips to mine. To erase her pain, to show her that I'd never let that happen to her, and I knew if I did, that she'd kiss me back. But I knew this wasn't the time or place. I understood Adrian's warning now. How easy it would be for me to capitalize on this instant of vulnerability. My respect for him grew in that moment.
I offered her my hand instead, reaching out across the distance that separated us. Letting her know without words that I wouldn't let her slip away. She took it hesitantly, letting me lace my fingers through hers. Her grip warm and soft in my own squeezing my fingers in return, "It is going to be okay," I breathed, rubbing my thumb across her knuckles. She sighed but nodded.
"I know." She uttered, offering me a soft smile. I wanted so badly to tell her that I would stay. That I was here now. The connection that we shared was powerful. This is was the first time that we had purposeful and direct contact since we had left the Academy. We had spent the day before dancing around each other, finding excuses to touch, but this was different and intentional. We felt united in this moment and I couldn't stop myself from voicing my own fear, "I can't stay away, if you want me to leave, you're going to have to say that." I told her, my voice clear and strong, not revealing the trepidation I felt. I couldn't see how I could walk away from this moment without making myself clear to her. It wouldn't be fair of me to hide my intentions, there was already too much unsaid left between us.
My heart sank as she froze and tensed in reaction to my words, her hand slipping from mine. Her face closed off to her emotions, but her eyes never once left mine.
"Then don't," she answered, studying me hard. Her cool tone at odds with the wealth of emotion her eyes held. She didn't seem to believe the words or know what to do with them. "Dimitri, I am not sure what that means, but I will never ask you to go, but I aslo don't see how you could stay…"
Her face morphed with confusion and sadness. We both remembered that last day in the gym when she had begged me to stay. We both remembered me letting her walk away. I wanted to reach back out to her, but I knew she would need the time and space to work through this herself. She was holding herself back and I understood, I couldn't blame her for protecting herself.
I sighed, knowing the answer to this one wasn't an easy one, "I don't know." I admitted, knowing that she would understand that. Our jobs complicated our situation, they always had. That wasn't new. Neither of us knew what staying would look like for us, but I wanted so badly for her to know that I wouldn't be going away again if I had anything to do with it. Not in the way I had. There were so many variables at play, and she had yet to ask why I had left in the first place. There was a lot she would need to know before she could make a decision.
"Ultimately, it's going to have to be up to you, Rose. And I know you need more than I don't know... but when you're ready let me know. I'll be here when you're ready." I said gently, putting the ball in her court. I knew better than to push. The best I could do was to let her know that I was there and would be whenever she was ready.
Rose
I sat still, stunned, looking at Dimitri. I didn't know if I could believe it, but I desperately wanted to. What was different in this moment than ten months ago? What had changed? How could he possibly stay?
It was another opening, I realized. To ask him why he left, this was the second time he had presented me with the opportunity in as many days. I continued to study him and be amazed that he was even here at all. And I knew that I wasn't ready. Whatever story Dimitri had for me it would be one that would change everything... again. I shook my head and smiled wryly.
"I am glad that you are here." I told him truthfully, my heart thumping painfully in my chest knowing all the while I wanted to beg him to stay, but I couldn't and wouldn't put myself in that position twice. I needed to move forward, whatever that meant for me. "Let's see where these next couple of weeks takes us." Is what I said instead.
Dimitri handled my non-answer well. His expression remained as open as it had when held me, but I could see the mingle of disappointment and understanding in his eyes. He smiled softly and nodded in acceptance.
"Can you promise me one thing?" He questioned, and I eyed him, not sure that I would be ever able to deny him anything he asked for. "You have to talk to your friends."
I started to shake my head and turn away, figuring where he was going with this. The tightness of panic seized my chest at the thought, but he shook his head in return catching my shoulder again before I could turn away.
"Rose, listen, please." His tone boarded on pleading, and I sighed heavily in response. His eyes were wide and serious as he looked at me imploringly. "It doesn't have to be about the night in the forest, not right away. But you are keeping everything, even small things, bottled up, and it's killing you."
I sighed again meeting his gaze, I could read the fear he felt for me clearly, but I didn't know if I could fairly answer him. I wouldn't even know where to begin. I had kept so much to myself even before the battle. Since Lissa and I had been returned to Montana actually. Before I had met him, I had already locked parts of myself away. It had been the only way to protect her then, to keep secrets. He had been the only one who had understood. How could I just explain away the details? It felt like losing part of myself all over again and I wasn't sure I could part with it.
But as I continued to hold Dimitri's gaze, I could see the faith he had in me. He believed in me, believed that I could overcome anything. That look filled me with a sense of warmth and purpose that I hadn't felt since graduation. "I'll try." I finally answered, and his returning smile was blinding. I felt my knees go weak but I steadied myself.
Deep shit, Hathaway. I reminded myself.
Not letting on, I smiled in return and finally stepped back from him needing the space to clear my overcrowded thoughts. It had been a hell of a morning and it wasn't even seven yet.
"Want to help me cook breakfast?" I asked, surprising the hell out of both myself and Dimitri. Where the hell had that come from? I damn well knew I couldn't cook and by the arch of his eyebrow, Dimitri knew it too.
"You can cook?" he questioned with a soft laugh. His hair falling about his face as he tilted his chin down to study me with curiously amused eyes. I swallowed.
"Nope," I answered succinctly, smiling crookedly, "there was an unspoken emphasis on help."
He laughed then and nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can help with breakfast. What can you cook?" he asked, curiosity lacing his amusement.
"Toast," I answered simply and honestly, smirking.
"Right," He returned, withholding his smile, "Well let's see what we can come up with."
We made short work of righting the couch placing the pillows back how Lissa liked them and folding the duvet and moving it out of the way. I was pleased when Dimitri didn't put his boots back on, instead, he moved to place them beside the front door's hall tree along with his belt.
Coffee was priority number one apparently and it wasn't until he had a steaming mug in hand that Dimitri began to flit around the kitchen. Opening cabinets one-handed with single-minded determination. The man was unstoppable. Dimitri assessed the contents of the fridge briefly before he began pulling items out and moving around the kitchen until he found the seasonings he wanted. He located most items with relative ease and only asked brief questions when it can to where the pots and pans were kept.
For my part, I had perched myself on the island countertop next to the toaster and loaf of bread and waited for my shining moment. In the meantime, I watched him with fascinated eyes. I loved his casual confidence in all areas of life. There was nothing that Dimitri wouldn't approach and he did so with the same intensity and determination that he did with everything. Whether he was being a Guardian, training, or cooking Dimitri moved with that same godly and graceful precision that he always did.
He kept a running commentary up of what he was doing as he went, under pretenses of teaching I was sure, but it was lost on me. I was far too mesmerized with how easily he moved through the kitchen to properly appreciate what he was doing.
He turned to glance back at me and I realized abruptly that I had missed whatever he'd asked and had been caught staring. I at least had the grace to blush. "Toast?" I offered, lifting the bread and pretending that I hadn't just been caught ogling my ex's backside.
Dimitri laughed, throwing his head back slightly finding something very funny about the question I had just answering. And I couldn't help but smile in return, that was until I saw Christian making his appearance.
"You want your eggs toasted?" Dimitri asked, brow arch in full effect.
"You like your eggs toasted? That's weird even for you, Rose." Christian commented around a yawn, effectively inserting himself into the conversation. "And she likes her eggs scrambled, with cheese, so do I." He answered for me, smugly settling himself on the barstool, happy about the snarky start to his day, I was sure.
I snorted but didn't bother responding. "Where's your better half?" I asked instead, sensing no activity from the bond. Christian was an early riser I had learned which meant that we usually started our days off together. We had a quiet morning routine established, I started the coffee and he ignored me as I read and would leave my pop tart in the toaster for me.
Christian smirked wryly, "Sleeping off the wine."
I grinned, she had cleared a bottle and a half between herself and Christian last night. Liss didn't drink often, but the times she did it was rare that she only had a single drink. This trip would be fun.
"I'll make her some tea," Dimitri offered nonchalantly, casually placing the kettle in the sink and turning on the tap all the while maintaining control over the pans with sizzling bacon and scrambled eggs. Even Christian was impressed.
"Peppermint and chamomile tea are good for hangovers," Dimitri explained when he looked up to find both Christian and I watching him.
"We should have you over more often, Guardian Belikov." Christian declared, helping himself to a slice of bacon that Dimitri had just plated.
I didn't miss how Dimitri's eyes slid to me at Christian's comment. Avoiding his gaze, I got to work on the toast. Dimitri staying wasn't something I would let myself consider. It hurt too much to contemplate. I meant what I said, I wouldn't ask him to go. But I very vividly remembered the last time I had asked him to stay… and ten months later here we were. I sighed and rolled my shoulders. There was no use thinking about it now, regardless.
"How crispy is too crispy?" I asked, frowning as the toaster began to smoke slightly. Looking over my shoulder, Dimitri laughed in response, and any tension that either of us felt dissipated with it.
"Those can be mine." He offered kindly, and I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't swell at that.
After the toast was done, I helped Dimitri get the oatmeal started. And by help, I mean I made sure the water was boiling before I added in the prepackaged cinnamon oatmeal packets while Dimitri stirred.
It wasn't long before the rest of the house began to trickle in at the smell of food with the exception of Adrian, of course. He had never truly taken to the human/vampire hybrid schedule we were on. He'd probably be up sometime around noon.
Breakfast was a mostly quiet affair Dimitri very manly ate his burnt toast without so much as a grimace. I also noticed that Dimitri made sure Tasha got a cup of tea as she made her way into the kitchen, my stomach still knotted unexplainably to see them together. I forced myself to put it aside. It had been a good morning, and I needed to figure out how to cohabit otherwise it would be an incredibly long two weeks.
After Lissa had finished her tea and a cup of coffee conversation turned to the day's agenda. The mood of the room seemed to swell with excitement when talk turned to the trip. Nearly everyone was already packed and ready with the exception being me. It was quickly decided that Lissa would stay and help me pack while the others took a trip to the feeders, I had only just gone with her the morning before and she felt like she could wait.
Everything went into motion and happened quickly after that. Eddie took it upon himself to rouse Adrian, who did eventually consent to go but refused to change out of his slippers, and soon it was just Darren, Lissa, and myself left in the house. There was apparently a lot left to do, because after we had cleaned the kitchen both Darren and Liss disappeared in opposite directions, leaving me no choice but to get started packing.
I sighed trying to keep my thoughts at bay. I could do this. Two weeks was nothing in comparison to what I had lived through so far. I scooped up the duvet and pillows that belonged in my room as I passed through the living room. Not being about to resist bringing the pillow briefly to my nose, my stomach fluttered at the lingering scent of his aftershave. I was in deep shit and I knew it, but with his scent so fresh I had hard time remembering to be upset about it.
A/N: I once again have found myself getting caught up in the details of this story, I just can't seem to help myself. The characters take over sometimes, but here is Chapter 9 up a little sooner than anticipated. This chapter is actually the first part of a much larger chapter. Chapter 10 will be up relatively soon. They will hit the road in the next chapter and will be at the beach in record time. Don't mind the rushed end of this chapter, I had to figure out a way to break the two chapters apart and there was no natural segway.
As some of you have pointed out, yes, there is a very sensual nature to this story. I have a habit of listening to a lot of Adele and Rihanna while I write, and well ;)
As always, all forms of feedback, criticism, and conversation are welcomed. Let me know what y'all think! Is there anything you all are looking forward to seeing in upcoming chapters?