Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 36 - Darkest Before the Dawn

"I'm not meant to look sexy, Roza," Dimitri laughed, "I'm meant to look like a Guardian!"

"You are a Guardian. But there's no reason you can't be both," I laughed. "I've always liked the way you look in your uniform. It does things to me," I said with a giggle, lying on my stomach on the bed watching him.

The tailor smiled indulgently. A Dhampir woman in her sixties, she'd been here for the last half an hour measuring Dimitri in every possible place. He was obligingly standing in the middle of our room, in a pair of Y-front underwear, letting himself be measured.

"You must love your job," I muttered, as the tailor measured the inside of his leg, jotting the measurement down onto a notepad beside her.

"It's not without its compensations," she admitted coyly, looking Dimitri's hot body up and down and giving me a wink. She then asked Dimitri to put on his usual uniform, asking him where it irritated or didn't feel right, his preferred places to stow his stakes, and whether he wore a gun belt. Listening to his answers, and taking a few more measurements she was done.

"So is it a short or long term assignment?" she asked. "And just the Spring/Summer uniform or do you think you'll need the Winter uniform, too?"

Turning to look at me, Dimitri had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I'll need winter uniforms, too," he told her, but looking at me. "As for the assignment? I think it might work out to be a permanent one?" he said, half question half statement.

"Great!" she said, completely missing the second conversation going on in front of her. "Then I'll make up the entire kit. I'll get the Spring uniforms ready first as I understand you'll need them right away. I'll send on the Winter uniforms once they're complete".

Thanking her, I walked her to the door as Dimitri headed back to our closet to get changed out of his old uniform.

"Don't worry, I promise he'll look very sexy in the new uniforms," she said with a smile. "They'll fit perfectly," she assured me, a wicked glimmer in her eyes.

"Good!" I grinned. Leaning in, I whispered one more request of her.

"You've got it," she said with a smile, before following one of the Guardians flanking our door upstairs to where my mother was waiting for her fitting. I wondered whether Abe would be watching her get measured and whether seeing Mom in uniform did things to him, too?

Back in our suite, Dimitri was sitting on the sofa looking out over the ocean. Patting the seat beside me, he held his arms open for me to cuddle with him. My back to his chest, his chin resting on my shoulder, he said: "So tell me about this dream walking." Much to my surprise, he didn't sound at all cross, more curious.

I quickly outlined what it was and how it worked. I did leave out the compromising outfits Adrian sometimes imagined me in. Adrian wasn't an idiot; I think he appreciated Dimitri would tear him limb from limb if he ever disclosed that aspect of things.

"You're not worried about it?" I asked curiously, but not without relief.

"I was, but then Pavel talked to me," he admitted.

"Oh?"

"He asked me what exactly was upsetting me about it, and I couldn't answer him," Dimitri explained. "I know you love me. And even though Adrian gave it his best shot, you still chose an uncertain future with me over everything he could offer. He's been a good friend to you, even if he did hope it could be more."

I turned in Dimitri's arms, smiling then kissing him.

"The only reason I didn't tell you is because I thought it would upset you," I confessed.