Just a short, cute lil-one shot.

I groaned as I sat down gingerly at the table, grimacing as I set my bag on the floor. Dimitri wasn't playing around these days. He worked me to the bone, and I could fall asleep on the mats if I didn't have to get up and go to class. Maybe he was taking out his frustration from the Equinox Dance out in training.

"You look like crap," Mason teased as he sipped his drink.

"I feel like crap," I complained, "I think I pulled something that I'm going to need later in life."

Eddie snorted a laugh but pushed his chicken strips toward me. "I'll go get more. Eat those."

I nodded and pulled them towards me, dipping them in the plum sauce and chewing slowly. My whole body ached, and I felt my arms were going to fall off.

"You should really soak in a bath," Mason suggested and I groaned.

"I would if I could! The girls' dorm doesn't have a bathtub," I whined and Mason furrowed his brows at me.

"There's on in the gym," he said, "They're usually used for ice baths, but either or would work."

I blew a breath out from my lips. "How did I never know about this!?"

"About what?" Eddie asked as he sat back down.

"The gym has a tub!?"

"Oh, they installed it last year. Mostly only the Guardians have access, but I'm sure if you ask Alberta she'd give you the key."

I let my head rest beside my chicken strips and closed my eyes. I hadn't had a bath to soak in since Lissa and I were on the run. That felt like so long ago.

"Maybe I will," I said as I finished the last of the strips, groaning as I stood up to get my bag. Mason waved two fingers at me and wished me luck. I nodded and slowly made my way to Alberta's office, praying for a miracle of any sort.

I sighed and stared at the tub. Alberta had said I could use it but warned that it was part of the communal bathroom, so there was a chance someone could walk in. I didn't care at that point, all I cared about was getting the key and getting to that bathtub.

I found the freezer with ice in the room off the side and filled the tub. Once I had it full of ice water I stripped off my clothes, leaving myself in my sports bra and underwear. I stuck my foot in the tub and almost jumped out, but remembered that I needed to soak in it or I was going to be just as sore, or worse, tomorrow.

I blew rapid breaths from my mouth as I lowered myself, cursing under my breath as I rested on the bottom of the tub. I rested my head back and closed my eyes, trying to think warm thoughts so I didn't focus on how cold the water was. I knew that the tub had a temperature gauge and it was set to go to a certain temperature, but I hadn't had one before.

Alberta had warned me not to stay in too long, but after a minute or so, I could feel my muscles relax, the ache starting to lessen.

There was a clang of a door and I peeked my eye open before letting it close again. It was prime Guardian training time, but I didn't think anyone would complain that I was here. After all, I needed a key to use the tub.

After a few more minutes my legs and arms started to tingle and a set of hands slipped under my arms and hoisted me out of the water, making me gasp and my eyes snap open. I flailed for a second until I was set gently on the bench across from the tub, a towel wrapped around me.

"Did you fall asleep?!" Dimitri demanded, rubbing his hands over my arms and draping a towel over my legs. Once he did that, he gripped my foot and held it between his hands, the heat a striking contrast to my cold skin.

"No, I mean, I don't think so," I stammered, my teeth starting to chatter. Dimitri looked up at me with a small shake of his head.

"I've been in the gym for a half hour," he said and I bit my lip.

"I heard someone come in, but when I got here I was alone," I admitted and Dimitri shook his head again. After a few minutes, I was still shivering. Dimitri kept switching his hands between my feet before he cursed up his breath. He stood up, stripped his sweater off, and then pulled me to my feet, leading me toward the stalls in the back.

"What are you doing?" I asked through my chattering teeth as he turned one of the showers on. He held his hand under the water before gently tugging the towel from me. I shook when the air hit my skin and he pulled me under the water with him.

I jumped at the heat and he shushed me carefully, wrapping his arms around me and holding me against his chest.

"You're too cold. You need to warm up gradually, but not too quickly. Body heat and warm water will help," Dimitri said as he rubbed his hand over my back. I nodded and rested my cheek against his chest, smiling a little at the heat on my face. It felt almost too hot, but I knew that it wasn't hot.

After a few minutes, the cold started to leave my body, my toes and fingers tingling as the blood flowing through them. I remembered vaguely about survival and that body heat was best for hypothermia, but I never considered you could get it from an ice bath.

"It's your fault," I muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"I took the ice bath because I feel like I'm going to fall apart I'm so sore," I chuckled, tilting my head up to look at him. Dimitri sighed and shook his head.

"I thought you were exaggerating," he admitted quietly, a touch of disappointment in his voice. I shivered slightly and burrowed closer to him, his body now warmer than the water. After a few moments, I looked up at him, biting my lip gently as I blinked the water out of my eyes.

He looked down at me and I saw a tenderness in his eyes that I hadn't seen in week. A tenderness that I wished for every time I saw him. Things had been strained between us, but right now, I was seeing the side of him I craved for.

"Kiss me?" I asked quietly, my fingers gripping his forearms.

"Rose, we can't. It's inappropriate."

"You mean compared to the fact that I'm standing here in my underwear?" I chuckled.

Dimitri's cheeks flushed and he stammered for a moment before I rolled my eyes at him.

"You act like you haven't seen me naked," I pointed out and Dimitri gave me a firm look.

"Rose."

I smiled and looked up at him, cupping his cheek.

"I'm not asking for a lot. Just a kiss. I think I deserve that," I whispered. Dimitri blinked at me, the water glistening on his lashes. He sighed quietly before dipping his head down, pressing his lips to mine. It was more gentle than I expected, but as he pulled me flush to him, my hands tangled into his wet hair, holding myself to him.

Just as I said, it was just a kiss. I pulled away after a moment, not wanting to tempt fate or whatever thing was out there and licked my lips. Dimitri starred down at me, his chest rising slowly as he turned the shower off. I leaned over and picked up my towel, wrapping it around me tightly and handed Dimitri the other towel I had been wrapped in.

Dimitri rubbed at his hair as we walked back into the main room, catching the raised brows of both Alberta and Stan. Stan cocked his head at us.

"Care to explain why both of you are coming out of the showers?" he asked, looking both of us over. I opened my mouth to explain but Dimitri beat me to it.

"Rose fell asleep in the ice bath," Dimitri said and Alberta nodded.

"And that's why you wore your shoes in the shower," she chuckled. Dimitri looked down at his feet and sighed quietly.

"I didn't even think of taking them off," he muttered and I laughed.

"I think the sight of me blue-lipped lying in a tub of ice made you think of more important things," I said, "You know, like making sure I didn't die of hypothermia?"

"I can't believe you fell asleep in the ice bath," Stan said with a shake of his head, "No sense, no feeling."

I rolled my eyes and went to my bag, picking it up.

"If we're done talking about my ice nap, I'm going to get dressed cause I'm freezing!" I explained as I walked into the changing room. I heard the door shut and then open behind me.

"Rose!"

I turned around and raised my brows at Alberta. She stood a few feet away and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you really that sore?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Not going to lie, I'd rather get run over by a truck right now," I said quietly.

Alberta frowned. "When you're done getting dressed, come by my office. I have something that will help, and I'll speak to Guardian Belikov about doing a low-key day tomorrow," she said before turning away. I nodded to myself and got dressed, trudging my way towards Alberta's office.

"Rose."

Again, I stopped and turned, spotting Dimitri.

"I'm sorry."

I nodded. "I know," I said quietly. I wasn't sure what he was apologizing for; the way things have been since the dance or for overworking me, but I understood.