Barely surviving (A VA fanfic)

Publicising

RPOV
The group officially celebrated my birthday the next day. When Dimitri let me off training, that is.

Rumours were running rampant already- a mere twelve hours after our friendly date for my birthday. Everyone now knew Dimitri wasn't my mentor. They also knew he'd let me keep our hours up. It was lending credence to the thought he, The Guardian Dimitri Belikov, may be as interested in me as my actions in and since the caves seemed to indicate I was in him.

At lunch two days after my birthday I heard, "Hey Rose!" Damn! Why hadn't Jesse been transferred yet? "Is it true? You're such a slut you're sleeping with Belikov? Your mentor?" I hadn't slept with my Dimitri, I made love to my soulmate. There was a massive difference.
"No. You know I'm still innocent 'cause you hate it!" I so wasn't a virgin. Ugh. Just seeing that asshole's face was making me see red.
"Zeklos, I suggest you step away from Rose, before I let her get a hit on you," warned Dimitri before Jesse could retort or I could lose control, both hands were on my shoulders... And not in the totally innocent way, that touch was packed with emotion. Jesse paled at Dimitri's threat- likely remembering getting chucked out of the lounge. He couldn't resist a taunting comment before running away- almost literally.

"You okay?" asked a clearly concerned Dimitri as we joined the line.
"Yeah. I'm fine." My voice was less confident and sure than my mind.
"Rose, you can't lie to me. You know you can't. I can see you're shaking."
I looked to find my entire body quaking. "Apparently I'm not okay."
"Is it the darkness?"
"I don't know. It didn't feel like it. I just have a lot to hold against him." Understanding flashed in his eyes.
"Lissa and Dashkov repeat?" He phrased it as a question but knew it for a fact.
"Yeah. You know me too well."
"Not quite as well as you know me. There's so many signs I missed before the attack."
"I couldn't read you hiding the trial from me," I said as I grabbed my food.
"I didn't give you reason to suspect. You, however, were trying to tell me without telling me. I couldn't read what was right in front of me." My man collected his lunch before asking me, "Join me?"
"How can I possibly say no? So yes." I grinned, in return he smiled his heart-stopping, full and warm one. "You did that to me on purpose!" I huffed playfully in a whisper as we sat. Of course, we were receiving stares and whispers we didn't care about. This wasn't our real controversy. That we'd cause in twelve days time.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" Alberta laughed as she joined us.
"Hey! It's perfectly innocent," I retorted.
"Rose," sighed Dimitri in amusement.
"It so isn't innocent. Your looks have never been innocent." Alberta took a bite out of her apple.
"Why are you here, Alberta?" it was my turn to sigh. Just not in amusement.
"You have spent more meal times together than apart over the last three days. You sure you're not missing your group, Rose?" Alberta responded.
"I'm sure. Liss is being very understanding and distracting the others. She wants me to have some semblance of what she and Christian get in public." It was true. That being said, she also thought we were 'absolutely adorable and couldn't wait until it was official and public'. Her words, not mine.

The day before classes resumed (a month after the attack) Dimitri and I made us public. Liss was overjoyed. The rest of the group was stunned. Jesse and co. tried to piss me off. The Moroi teachers were shocked. The guardians sent knowing and 'it took you guys long enough' looks our way. That's just the stir simply holding hands created.

You can barely imagine what happened when entwined hands became embraces. Then the even bigger uproar that occurred when Dimitri pushed me up against the outside wall of the cafeteria and kissed me after dinner. Eddie actually attempted to separate us.
"Enough, Eddie!" I snapped when Dimitri and I had finally separated. It was hilarious to find Alto restraining him.
"But he's your mentor! It's wrong!" argued Eddie. He was mo longer thrashing, but still restrained.
"It WAS wrong if it had been a fortnight ago. He hasn't been my mentor since my birthday. Let it go, Eddie, because I'm not letting go of Dimitri." My friend was still scowling at me. Here goes. "I love him, Eddie. I really love him- so much it hurts."
"As I love you, my dearest Roza," Dimitri declared, his mask completely removed and arms firmly around my waist. Eddie's face dropped, and he looked like he wanted to be sick.
"Yes, Eddie?" I asked all-too-sweetly.
"You're lovesick. Both of you. I don't get it. You've done some foolish things in your time, Rose. I would say this took the cake if it weren't for the fact I can see this is something the universe has dictated." Upon hearing that, Alto released his captive.
"Why Rose, Belikov? I thought you were into my aunt?" Christian.
"I didn't get a say, Lord Ozera. And no, I wasn't and will never be into Tasha."
"Thank The Lord. I really wasn't enjoying the prospect of you becoming my uncle. It's gross, her being a cougar. I prefer you cradle-robbing our Rosie."
"Chrissie, what have I said about calling me Rosie?" He paled. "Thought so."

Lissa remained quiet. Meanwhile, Alto drove the spectators away. With the help of over a dozen other highly amused guardians.
Alberta was among them. "Get out of here, lovebirds," she instructed. We beelined for the cabin. I mean, where else would we go to escape?

"Well, that was interesting," I commented the second we stepped through the door. Hand in hand, of course. Dimitri chuckled.
"Interesting doesn't begin to cover it, milaya." My man shut and locked the door before pulling me into a kiss.

I would say clothes peeled off. And some clothes did find a new home. On the floor. But they were only the outer layers. We did our best to keep this night innocent. After all, I did have school in the morning. Unfortunately.

Not too unfortunate was the wake up call I received from Dimitri. Best morning ever. We eventually dressed, went to our dorms to change into training clothes and headed out to the gym wrapped in each other. A comfortable silence enveloped us. Until we stepped into the supply room, that is. The comfortable silence switched like a light's to one filled with sexual tension the moment we had one foot inside. We had so many early memories in this room, and one look told the other we were flashing through them all. That one look resulted in another heated and passionate kiss against the wall.
"I love you, Roza. You'll never be able to understand what you do to me, how much you mean to me."
"I love you, Dimitri. So much and you will always be clueless."
Somehow we split long enough to actually train. I learned a few new moves. But, in the end, it was a relaxed training.

That training was followed by breakfast in the cafeteria. A breakfast we shared together, of course. Naturally, the reaction of others was just like last night's. Obviously, we couldn't care less how controversial we were. We were alive and together, that's all that mattered to us. Well... and our duty.