Sparring ☢ Enough to make my systems blow

[littledhampir]

♬ Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

WHO || Dimitri Belikov & Rose Hathaway [closed]
WHAT || A little hand to hand combat and some discoveries.
WHERE || Castle | Second Floor | Training Room
WHEN || Friday Mid-Morning, March 8th
HOW || Action Spam

[Not for the first time this week, Rose can be found in the training room, far more at home here than anywhere else in the Castle. She remains almost oblivious to the people who have been coming and going by now and as she has been every day this week, she is training alone, fully aware that her nature makes finding a suitable sparring partner nearly impossible.]

Comments

[likeagod]

[Dimitri had spent quite a bit of his time in the training room as well, but it seems they missed each other until today. Rose had arrived before him, so that he heard the sounds of her training as he entered the room, moving as quietly as he could so as not to disturb her in the middle of her movements (move silently 28).

He stood not too far away, watching her and waiting for her to finish, his arms crossed over his chest.]

[littledhampir]

[She was so focused on her training that (despite a listen of 16) she doesn't hear the man enter the room but she does catch him watching her out of the corner of her eye (spot 17), Rose making no attempt at first to acknowledge his presence at first, her fists flying repeatedly at the bag that hung from the ceiling, swaying with the force of her hits (Str 13).]

See something you like?

[likeagod]

[The only response to her question was a slight pulling of one corner of his mouth, Dimitri having to hold back a smile at that.]

You have a good eye.

[Because he'd noticed that he'd been spotted, even if he'd tried to stay out of her line of vision.]

If I were going to take a guess, I'd assume you've had formal training.

[Oh Dimitri, if only you knew.]

[littledhampir]

[A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, a little swagger in her step as she halted the swinging bag with an ease that was inhuman, Rose finally turning to look at him face on as she ran fingers back through her hair, face pink with exertion.]

Learned from the best.

[Oh if only they both knew.]

At least I think so. That all gets filed under things that are kind of fuzzy for me.

[She gave him an appraising once over, seeing that he too had come to train, eyes eventually locking on his.]

And if I were to take a guess... I'm thinking I'm not the only one?

[likeagod]

[He notices that, of course, tucks the information away. He wouldn't underestimate her either way, but everything was important when it came to her it seemed.

He nodded.]

No, you're not the only one.

[He knew what he was, what he was born for. Details, though, were few and far between.

He tilted his head slightly at her.]

I'd like to see what you can do.

[And not just against a punching bag. He also realized, too late, that that could be taken...as innuendo, without context.]

[littledhampir]

[A grin pulled at her lips, Rose unable to help herself as she went to grab a towel to wipe away the sweat.]

Oh I bet you would.

[Her tone of course laced with all the innuendo he hadn't intended. Because. Rose.]

Alright.

[She said after a moment, moving onto the mats that offered some cushioning for those who meant business, Rose perhaps a little too confident for a woman who was about to face off against a man that was a good head or more taller than her and could probably bench press her without breaking a sweat.]

I should probably warn you though. My bite is worse than my bark.

[Winking at him as she tossed the towel over her shoulder, perhaps a little too eager to see what he could do.]

[likeagod]

[He followed her onto the mats, stretching his limbs a bit as he walked. Dimitri had seen the way she'd moved, knew she couldn't possibly be simply human. In fact, if he had to guess, she might be very similar to him.

But he hadn't heard of another like himself in this world, so of course his mind didn't jump to that conclusion just yet.

He faced her, standing with his legs shoulder-width apart and his arms loose and ready to move at his sides. One corner of his mouth perked up at her words, and he settled into the beginnings of a defensive position.]

Good. So is mine. Don't hold back.

[littledhampir]

[He had barely spoken when Rose moved to make her first attack, not about to give him the advantage of being ready for her (Init 24 vs his 15).

The blow landed on his side (Atk 24) with perhaps more force (Dmg 10) than was absolutely necessary for a friendly sparring match but let it never be said that Rose Hathaway would ever hold back.]

Oh I won't.

[A light in her eyes as she readied herself for his retaliation.]

[likeagod]

[Though his forearm came up to block, she'd caught him unaware, and took the brunt of the attack in the side. It would certainly leave a bruise later.

He didn't, however, falter. Instead, his eyebrows rose in a mixture of surprise and amusement.

It should be noticed as he closed the distance between them that he's much faster than a man his size should be, if he were human anyway. His hand grips her shoulder, sending a fist into her stomach, though he may have pulled back on his strength a bit. (atk 23, dmg 6)]

[littledhampir]

[It was that speed and fast recovery that caught her by surprise and the old saying, pride goethe before the fall was in full swing as his fist landed in her stomach, Rose barely having a chance to tense to keep it from dropping her to the ground, the force still making her stumble a little]

You're not human.

[She panted as she recovered. Not a question, and really not something she should have been doing, talking to an opponent as she twisted out from underneath his grip and tried to land another blow, this time his block successful (atk 20).]

[likeagod]

No, I'm not.

[He stepped sideways, around her, blocking her attack as he moved.]

Neither are you.

[He kicks out at her lower leg, attempting to shove her off her feet. (atk 22)]

[littledhampir]

[His leg connects and it's by the skin of her teeth that Rose is able to keep her balance, going with her momentum rather than risk over-correcting and landing face first on the mats as she stumbles back a few feet, needing to get back on track, to find her opening.]

Not even close, Comrade.

[She admitted, which was not something she had been quick to share with anyone else, the smaller Dhampir making another attempt and yet it was rushed, too much about trying to get in quick and not enough about waiting for the right moment as she lunged once more for the side she had struck earlier (atk 13).]

[likeagod]

[The corner of his mouth twitches at the word 'comrade' of it's own accord. It's familiar and not all at the same time.

The attack, though, he sees coming a mile away. It was a mistake to go after the spot where she'd already hit him, and he stepped out of the way easily, grabbing her wrist as it moved in range. He tugged on it, pulling her toward him, and then stepped around her, turning toward her exposed back and planting his foot between her shoulder blades (atk 24, dmg 10).]

[A few hours later...]

[littledhampir]

[After she'd showered, Rose had gone back to her room, which despite it's opulence, did very little to soothe her as she'd sprawled out on the bed, staring at the pink canopy with a scowl that had less to do with her dislike of her furnishings and more to do with the way things had ended with Dimitri in the training room.

Act normal? Really? Really. Had she been the only one there that had felt like there was something more between the two of them, that there was no normal when every muscle in your body twitched, as if trying to make you touch them, hold them, kiss them.

The Dhampir rolled over, face pressed into the pillow and let a guttural growl that turned into a frustrated scream. Her cheeks pink as she lifted her face, hair mussed as she blew it out of her eyes. Normal? Oh she was going to give him normal.

It was entirely possible that she'd already known which room was his, on account of Rose having been curious enough to find out before today's revelations so it was no surprise that she had no trouble finding her way to his door, so frustrated by the time she'd reached it that the three sharp knocks had enough force for it to sound like this was serious. Which ya know. To Rose? It was...]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri's shower had been cold. Very cold.

To say that he'd been shaked and affected by their conversation in the training room was a vast understatement. He couldn't stop thinking about her, the way her cheeks got a little pink when she was angry, the way her hair had shined under the lights, even up in that ponytail, the way she thrilled and irritated him all at the same time.

He'd stayed in that shower for a lot longer than was necessary, letting the chill water roll down his body, leaning his head against the shower wall. He couldn't jump to any conclusions, even if every cell in his body was yelling at him to do so. That he loved this girl, wanted her, and that doing what he was doing and avoiding her was foolish.

He was dressed in only a pair of pajama bottoms when there was a knock at his door, his long hair free and damp as it fell around his shoulders. He crossed his room and pulled open the door, assuming that at this hour, it was something important that couldn't wait.]

[littledhampir]

[For a moment, all the anger and frustration that had made her body thrum with tension was at risk of disappearing, Rose's eyes moving from the wet hair that slowly dripped water onto his bare shoulders, shoulders that drew her eyes down his bare, sculpted chest, to the elastic waist pajama bottoms that slung low enough on his lips that her eyes lingered on his pelvic bone, the sticky out bits as she called them and she all but bit her hand to keep from groaning.

The silence that hung in the air may have been brief but surely noticeable, Rose having to shake every thought that was racing through her head as she focused on his face. Angry Rose. You came here to confront him, remember? Not to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth.]

You're an ass!

[That was one way to say it, Rose giving him a shove in the chest as she pushed past him into the room, not even noticing at first how much nicer his was - or at least, less like it belonged to a fairy fricken princess.]

Normal? You want to pretend like everything is normal? Do you even know what that is for us? Because I don't. I know I can't be within five feet of you without my heart going crazy. I know that when I look at you I feel something and it's not just the idea that we've met before. I know that for the last three hours I have not been able to think about anything else BUT you and you want me to pretend like everything is normal?

[And now that she'd started, every thought was coming out at a rapid pace as she starts to get in his face.]

Wanna know what I think? I think you're just like me! I think you haven't got for the first clue what normal is because when you're around me all you can think about is being with me and [She's barely stopping to take a breath.] what the hell was that thing about my hair?

[likeagod]

[Dimitri was rather stunned himself to find Rose standing at his door. He really shouldn't have been, given everything, but as her eyes rather obviously roamed down his body. Instead of feeling like something under a microscope, however, it actually affected him in a very...primitive way, which didn't dissipate once she opened her mouth.

He blinked once at her first outburst, surprised by it's intensity.

And then she shoved him back into the room, and he simply allowed it, somewhat relieved when the door shut behind her.

He simply stood there and listened as she began to rant at him, over all the things that he'd regretted telling her since they'd left the training room. Things that he'd poured over in his head, and somewhat kicked himself for.

After they'd parted ways, he couldn't convince himself that it had been the right decision. He'd even thought about going to find her himself. She'd simply jumped on the idea first, which he also didn't find surprising.]

Your hair is beautiful.

[Because it was the first thing he could think to say, the last question that she'd given him. And it was true. He took a step toward her, so that she was withing reaching distance, and lifted a lock of it from her shoulder between his fingers, marveling at it's softness.

And then he knew that everything she'd said was correct, that he hadn't been imagining how either of them had felt, because she had been all he'd thought about. His hand slipped further through her hair, cupping the back of her head so that he could pull her closer and lean down to fit his lips perfectly against hers.

Because what else could he say when this would say it so much better.]

[littledhampir]

Huh.

[Though thank god she hadn't said that aloud. Dimitri's words brought her own to a shuddering stop as he stepped forward and reached for her hair. Rose held her breath, unsure what to expect as she looked up at him through a veil of thick, long lashes.

He had that look again, that weird kind of awestruck expression and she was getting the feeling that whatever was going on in his head was important, perhaps more important than the day she'd encountered Luthir in Chicago.

Rose opened her mouth, just about to grill him about what that meant when she felt everything shift, his lips stopping her words as they pressed against her own. Her heart felt like it stopped for a whole second before it lifted then sped up, Rose holding that kiss, chaste as it was for a long moment.]

Finally.

[She breathed out in releif. As if she'd been waiting for him to do that her whole life or something and this time, when they kissed? Rose was kissing Dimitri, her body pressing against his as her arms moved to wrap around him.]

[likeagod]

[The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly at that single word, is if it alone confirmed everything he'd been thinking and confirmed that his decision to kiss her had been a perfect and sound one.

And if that first kiss was chaste, the next was anything but. As Rose leaned in and her arms slipped around him, his hands fell to her hips, his fingers gripping at the fabric of her clothes, pulling her in close against his freshly washed skin.

His lips were hungry and insistent against hers, his head tilting so that he could coax her lips to part beneath his, allowing him to taste her, the sensation both familiar and mysterious at the same time.

Nothing about anything that had happened in his memory had made sense until this moment, and now he wasn't about to let go of that feeling.]

[littledhampir]

[She stood on tiptoes to meet those lips, breathing in his clean and familiar scent as her lips parted, welcoming him as her tongue pressed forward to dance with his, her hand moving up his back, reaching for the wet strands of hair that dripped water down his back.

A little moan vibrated against his lips, each kiss, each touch still not enough for Rose as she pulled herself up, legs wrapping around his waist, barely breaking the kiss as she tried to be as close to him as possible.

If she tried to engage her brain she might be embarrassed or feel awkward about jumping somebody who was practically a stranger and yet this felt right, like something that had been missing from her was being put back in place and each touch, each kiss soothed an ache she hadn't been able to explain at all, the world around them seeming to melt away as Rose found herself unable to think or feel anything but the hunger that he fueled as she pressed herself hard against him.]

[likeagod]

[Dimitri's hands slid over the curve of her hips and over her thighs, heliping her as she wrapped them around his waist. Once she was secure, their lower bodies pressed close against each other, his fingers were quick to snag the lower hem of her shirt and pull the material up her body, intent on removing that first barrier so that he could feel his hands on her bare skin instead.

The movement only require a quick break to their kiss, but he used that moment to open his eyes, letting them rake over her, the quick glimpse only making him want her more.

His lips crashed into hers again, insistent and demanding, tossing aside her shirt so that his palms could return to roaming her body.]

[littledhampir]

[Her breathing shifted, quick, making her lips dry, Rose licking her lips as she drank him in the same way he did her, everything about him foreign yet familiar, strange yet comforting and more than that, there was longing building inside of her and she couldn't shake the sense that this had been such a long time coming, far longer than their three months of separation after coming through the veil.

A soft whimper passed her lips as theirs met again, Rose's arms slipping around his neck as she pressed her bare skin to his, gently writhing in his arms, the friction causing her temperature to rise as she slipped her fingers through his damp, dark hair, pressing against his scalp as his touch sent rippled of pleasure across the surface of her skin.]

I missed you...

[The words came out without her realizing it and though they didn't make any real sense to her she knew they were true, that she had missed this would be stranger and that despite what her brain kept trying to tell her, her body and soul seemed sure that he was no stranger at all.]

[likeagod]

[Her fingertips and nails through his scalp felt amazing, and she would know as much by the groan that vibrated through their kiss. His hands ran down her sides before gripping into the smooth flesh of her hips as he attempted to pull her even closer, despite the fact that it was impossible.

He turned with her and crossed the room, bending forward as he approached his large and elaborate bed so that he could rest her back against it. He slide her back against the comforter, pushing it out of the way as he crawled over her, the two of them surrounded by pillows.

Dimitri didn't seem to even notice them, though, as his body covered her, their legs entangles and his hands in her hair as he kissed her with fervor.]

Roza.

[Her name held more meaning than other words would. He said it with a sense of awe and absolute need. He'd missed her too, somehow, in ways he couldn't explain.]

[littledhampir]

[If ever there were a time to snap out of this it was now, before things went too far, before they went past that point of no return and yet really, hadn’t they passed that point the very moment she’d knocked on his door? The second she opened her mouth and admitted all the things that were stirred up in his presence, that she couldn’t deny even if she’d wanted to she’d sealed their fate.

His name for her sent a pulse of warmth that went all the way to her toes, the weight of his body on top of hers as he pressed her down on the soft mattress oddly comforting as Rose parted her legs so that he would fit between them, hooking one around his body to keep him anchored to her, the kiss intensifying with each second that passed.

Her hair spilled over the cloud of pillows, tangling in his long fingers as her own hands moved to cup his face, not about to allow him to pull away from her again as she arched her body into his, needing to be close to him now as words that seemed almost too ridiculous to say still danced on the tip of her tongue.]

[likeagod]

[Those same words, the ones she also found ridiculous, caught in the back of his throat, ever present but stuck, because how could such a thing be possible?

He seemed to remember her, though, in the way his hands touched her skin, his body remembering her in a way that his mind did not. They seemed to know each curve of her skin, and that arching of her back thrilled him in a way that seemed familiar but distant, like he was experiencing an intense form of deja vu, or in the middle of a waking dream he'd had before.

His hair fell over his shoulders, dripping tiny droplets of cold water on her chest which were quickly warmed and brushed away by either his hands or his lip, every piece of him wanting to keep in constant contact with her skin.

His mouth claimed hers, the words they didn't speak passing between them silently instead, and he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, tugging on it lightly with his teeth, a needy growl in the back of his throat.]