Sometimes the fact that her boyfriend would prefer a night of reading rather than watching ridiclously crude but hilarious television shows online just blew her mind. “Remember that one time before we you know did the thing when I was spending the night I showed you a website where you could watch the shows I liked?” She says bringing her bottom lip between teeth and working at it. “It was like red and white and also had movies, I told you there was a classic western section?”
Her choice of words baffled him; it was no secret that they were involved, and she usually spoke very freely. Apparently, even she had her limits. However, he had more important things to pay attention to. Now that she mentioned it, he clearly remembered it. Being no master with a computer – attending an old-fashioned school and living in a home on the edge of poverty during childhood did that to you – and preferring to read over watching movies, he had found it somewhat confusing. It was not a com- pletely website hopeless, though. It was only a plus that they had westerns. And it was possibly what would convince him to try it out sometime as well. "I remember; it seemed nifty.”
“Oh I’m sure Liss is capable of a lot more than she is letting on.” Rose promises catching the glint of excitement in his eyes. "But either way if they lock me up I’m fully expecting you to come bust me out— cowboy duster and all baby.”
Dimitri her sweet, strong willed and brave boyfriend would probably be more than willing to go to the ends of the earth to help with anything she needed. After all she’s already done similar for him. “The council needs to learn that in order for the best of the best which is me of course to be in tip top shape I need to have all my wants and needs met and right now my main want is a toss up between this stake and curling up in bed with you watching Netflix.”
Considering that they were on their way to a strigoi hide-out, it was probably less than morally correct to laugh at her antics, which was why he kept it to a smile. It was a broad smile, nonetheless. & while his eyes searched her face, calloused fingertips ran across her smooth, tan-skinned arm, tracing lines down to her hand, where he laced his fingers with hers. Squeezing them gently, he answered, "Possession of stolen goods doesn’t carry a death sentence; maybe prison will do you some good.” Her last word puzzled him, though. Blinking for a second, he asked, “Net– what?”
Rose Hathaway lived for the looks her long time mentor, turned strigoi and now boyfriend gave her. Always a mix of pride and complete disapproval for whatever sneaky plan she had unfolding. Today it was the fact that on her free hour she’d stolen a stake from a guarded compound. It had clearly been marked as evidence and she had clearly not cared. “What I like is your ass—not some cage. I mean come on, when will they learn that I just can’t be tamed.” Her tone was colored with mock sarcasm as she twisted the stake round and round, moonlight making the silver glitter.
Just a year ago, he would have fought to keep his smile in place, and not let it spill all over his lips. Today, however, he found no reasons not to let her know that he was amused by her antics. Since she was hardly his responsibility anymore, he wouldn’t get in trouble for her actions – and even if he did, he would probably have held the door open for her if she had asked. There was a streak of rebellion in him that he hadn’t discovered himself before their road-trip as fugitives and enemies of the crown.
Eyes glinting with humour, he asked, “And you don’t think they will notice and put two and two together? Even Vasya cannot keep the council from sending you to prison.” His nickname for Vasilisa was said with the same loyalty and awe she inspired in him, but his smile was reserved for Rose.
Although it was hard, he attempted to keep his gaze locked on the road, instead of letting it flicker to the brunette next to him. It was just a small assignment; they would be fine. Even if things went South, she was more than capable. Hell, she had managed to stake him twice. If that was not a show of great skill, he was not sure what it was. Still, a feeling of uncertainty had his stomach turning. He hoped his discomfort wasn’t displayed in his eyes. If it was, Rose had most likely already guessed most of his thoughts. Sometimes, it was as if they had established a psychic bond, after the one between her & Lissa had disappeared.
“You got to keep it —- ?” was his question when his eyes inevitably shifted to her, quickly scanning her full body & her surroundings. Guardian habits die extremely hard. The stake was hardly missed by his attentive gaze, and its geometrical pattern identified it as the one she had taken in Siberia. & the one Tasha had used to kill the queen with. That particular thought still made him cringe. His long-time friend involved in such an inexcusable act wasn’t a mental picture he was very fond of. Pushing the thought away was harder than he thought, but it was possible, and he immediately realized what Rose would’ve had to do. "You must really like that cell,“ if you’re stupid enough to steal that thing, was left unsaid, yet the words hung in the air between them as he regarded her with a mixture of amusement, disapproval & pride.
