The accident & the snowstorm (A VA fanfic)

Sixteen

Eddie'sPOV
"You-" Belikov shook his head playfully and thrust a water bottle in Rose's hand. "I honestly didn't think you'd out-pace and out-logic us guardians."
"I learned from the god," Rose flirted, she honest to god flirted with her god of a mentor. "And you made a mistake when you threatened James."
"Mama-bear instincts went into overdrive," he smirked knowingly.
"You asshole. You knew?"
"I hoped," he retorted playfully. "I didn't however know you were already so close to the exit point."

Rose was exhausted, and they still managed to run a playful argument?! She was nearly asleep on him, and yet, here they were, finishing each other's bleeding sentences!

They were so damn obvious. And unbearably cute. It had to be said, they were cute, not ideal but cute regardless... maybe even because. They were the type of cute that made you run in the opposite direction and reach for a toothbrush, tube of toothpaste and barf bag.

RPOV
Just when we all thought grad was over, Dimitri approached the microphone. What was he going to do?
"Could the mother of my son please come up on stage?"

Oh no. Comrade! Not funny, Dimitri! I waddled my seven months pregnant ass back up on stage. Dimitri's grin was lighting up the room and entranced the attendees. That didn't stop the gasps and murmurs from visiting parents as Dimitri helped me up the steps. I noticed worry, uncertainty and nervousness in his eyes as he dropped to one knee.

"Roza, my love, words do not exist to describe how much I love you, how special you are to me. There's all the clichés, and they do all ring true. I love you with all I am, and haven't had the option to stop it happening. Roza, you take words out of my brain before I've even thought them; you crumble my control with a simple smile; your soul knows mine better than I know myself. Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway," how long had he been waiting to address me by my title? "Your sense of duty, your understanding of our life, its choices, its sacrifices, its risks and your commitment puts mine to shame, but I love you all the more because of it." He pulled out a velvet ring box and I gasped. "Your shadow-kissed state allowed us to start a family, our family. Now, Guardian Roza Hathaway, I ask you, will you agree to doing me the extraordinary honour of becoming my wife, my Belikova, head up our family with one name?" He lifted the lid, and revealed a simple but beautiful diamond ring set in a yellow gold band. "Marry me, Roza?"

Janine'sPOV
Rose waddled back up on stage. Gasps and murmurs escaped from other visiting parents as Dimitri helped my graduated daughter up the steps. They'd blown the cover on the field, but until he dropped to one knee in front of us all, no one had been terribly convinced or believing.

"Roza, my love, words do not exist to describe how much I love you, how special you are to me. There's all the clichés, and they do all ring true. I love you with all I am, and haven't had the option to stop it happening."
Eww. Cheesy, very cheesy. I didn't know he had it in him. And that was just that start.
"Roza, you take words out of my brain before I've even thought them; you crumble my control with a simple smile; your soul knows mine better than I know myself. Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway, your sense of duty, your understanding of our life, its choices, its sacrifices, its risks and your commitment puts mine to shame, but I love you all the more because of it." He pulled out a velvet ring box and my daughter gasped. "Your shadow-kissed state allowed us to start a family, our family. Now, Guardian Roza Hathaway, I ask you, will you agree to doing me the extraordinary honour of becoming my wife, my Belikova, head up our family with one name?" He lifted the lid. "Marry me, Roza?"

Please say no, Rose, please say no. He's seven years older than you! Oh god, please say no! Please stay a Hathaway! You're too damn young for 'the dream life' as humans and Moroi put it. Just say no. Just say no. How hard is it to say no? You can't know what love is when you've not even experienced the world. You can't possibly know you love him, let alone be ready to commit to what he's asking! He could be your guarding partner, god damn it! Rosemarie, just say no. Please. Just say no.

"Yes," Rose beamed. My heart dropped into the floor. "I love you. Guardian Dimitri Belikov, I love more than you could ever imagine. Yes."

Oh Rosemarie, what mess have you just gotten yourself into! Two guardians don't get married. It's just not done. Two guardians don't 'settle down' and still do their job. I would have expected Belikov to know better than to ask. It's practically taking her title from her the second she got it, condemning her! Oh, the ignorant children these days. They have to start star-crossed, impossible, illegal relationships that have no way out and then have perfect, fairy-tale resolutions. Be realistic! Two guardians don't get married! Guardians don't get any part of the family life. Period.