Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 51 - Unmanly

Walking back to the unit in Dimitri's grip I started to feel uneasy. Despite the fact Jesse was an ass and had been way out of line, his comment about being a Royal, and Dimitri a Guardian, still held true. I knew Baba wouldn't care that Dimitri had flattened Jesse – hell I'm sure he'll high five him once he hears what Jesse had said - but once Kirova found out, it would be a mark on Dimitri's record, and would count against him if he sought reallocation as a regular Guardian in the future.

Thinking about it, only Kirk and I had seen Dimitri punch Jesse. I thought maybe I should just go to Kirova and claim responsibility for it myself. Better a mark on my already less than stellar record than on Dimitri's – especially given I wasn't seeking allocation anyway.

We'd nearly reached the unit, and I was looking up at my Russian God. Fury was still radiating off him, and I wondered just how much trouble I was going to be in. Walking down the corridor to the unit, I could see Pavel outside the door – which meant Mom and Baba were almost certainly inside.

Stopping to knock at the door and announce that we'd returned, I could see Pavel taking in Dimitri's obviously incensed state, his clasp on me, and Guardian Kirk and Lissa standing uncertainly a few feet behind us. Walking into the unit, we found Mom and Baba sitting on the couch watching TV and drinking wine. Releasing me, Dimitri barked "Sit" pointing to the other sofa before going into the bathroom and shutting the door. A few seconds later the shower was turned on. Mom and Baba looked up in surprise. 

"Had a good evening have we?" Baba asked laconically, his eyebrow raised. "Tell me what happened."

Lissa came to sit next to me on the sofa, and together we told Mom and Abe everything.

"He said that to you?" Baba asked, stunned when I told him about Jesse's last comment.

"It's no big deal, Baba – you know what those Royal Moroi are like. They think every Dhampir girl just wants to be bitten." Of course, I'd rather die than let Abe know how close that had come to actually happening with Jesse had Dimitri not saved me months ago.

"Something you'll learn, Rose," Baba said, a nasty gleam in his eye, "when you have real power you don't need to threaten. You just make it happen". Turning to give Mom a quick kiss, he grabbed his cell from the side table and went into Mom's room, shutting the door.

"I'm so sorry Mom," I said looking at her. "I should have just stayed at home, and this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't worry about it. Jesse was out of line. Besides your father's always happiest when he has a project to work on," she said, rolling her eyes.

I looked up to see Dimitri exit the bathroom in his bathrobe and walk into his room, quickly closing the door behind him. Looking to Mom, she shrugged her shoulders. Lissa shot me a sympathetic look. It didn't look like they had any ideas either. Walking across to his room, I knocked on the door.

"Comrade?"

He didn't answer.

I knocked again. "Please Dimitri? Can I come in?"

I could hear his frustrated sigh.

"Come in, Roza."

I opened the door and slipped through, closing it quickly behind me. Inside Dimitri was standing in his bathrobe, getting a set of pajamas out of the closet.

"I'm sorry Dimitri," I said, approaching him warily. "I really am."

"What are you sorry for?" Dimitri turned looking at me in confusion.

"Well I'm sorry for going to the party, and I'm sorry for not kicking Jesse's ass myself, and I'm sorry you'll probably get in trouble for doing it."