knightsoflegend | Sparring ☢ Enough to make my systems blow

[Rose remained perfectly still, knowing what he was looking at without even seeing it, visualising his long, strong fingers as they traced the curve of the elongated S that marked her commitment to a life of service.

Her mind raced, confusion warring with surprise but when he spoke, she actually gasped, trying to pull her hands free from his grip (Grapple 24 if we're rolling) as she twisted her head to try and look at him, not so easy from the way he restrained her but those words? She had spoken them only once.]

Who told you that? [An accusatory tone.] Wynn?!

[Yet had she stopped for a moment she would have realized, she had only told the Knight that she was a Dhampir, not that she was a Guardian.]

[He didn't even bother to fight her, he simply let her go, rolling off of her smoothly and standing up, confusing still decorating his features.]

No, no one told me.

[His mind was also racing. The familiarity, the constant sense of deja vu, the why they spoke to one another so casually, the nicknames.]

Rose, we're the same.

[Rose got to her feet as well, perhaps a little more gingerly than Dimitri had, given she'd just been on the losing end of their fight but still she managed it, turning to look at him, eyes narrowed, almost in disbelief.

Months here and she'd heard no mention of Dhampir's. No Guardians. Only the Knights. She'd accepted the fact that she would likely never meet anyone like her. What memories she retained of her life made Rose believe she was rare in same way, surely the chances of finding another like her would be impossible.

We're the same.

But there he was, Dimitri Belikov and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe that easiness she felt with him, that familiarity was more than just chemistry. What if it really was something else?]

Let me see.

[The brunette still eyeing him cautiously as she approached him, needing to see with her own eyes what she already knew inside herself, that her connection to this man ran far deeper than just a physical attraction.]

[Let me see.

He somehow knew that when he did, everything would shift between them, and things would change in a irreversible way. He wasn't afraid of it, per say, but there was a strange feeling in his chest, a sort of strange ache that he hadn't realized was there these last few months.

He might not be alone.

Dimitri nodded, pulling his hair from his ponytail holder and re-tying it up to cleanly pull his hair away from his neck so that she could see.

The same marks, delicately tattooed into his skin. Not exactly the same, a different variety of marks decorated the area, but that part didn't matter.]

[Rose had not been aware of the fact that she'd been holding her breath until her eyes focused on the familiar marks, her chest shuddering as she exhaled, moving towards Dimitri without so much as a word.

He was that much taller than her that to touch his marks, she had to be close, too close for what many would consider comfortable and yet she didn't think twice about the fact that she was brushing against him, reaching up to lightly graze her fingers along the tattoos that inked a story across his neck, tracing the promise mark just as he had done minutes ago with her.]

We're the same.

[Echoing his words, a mix of awe and disbelief in her voice, as if she were almost too afraid to hope.]

[He shivered just as she had when her fingers traced the mark along his skin, and when she spoke those words, he reached over his shoulder, grasping her fingertips with his as he turned toward her again, his expression unreadable.

He held her hand in his, ran his thumb over her knuckles, as if watching her and touching her would somehow answer the questions he had churning inside his head.]

I've never wanted my memories back more than I do right now.

[It was the only thing he could think to say, and little did he know that, in reality, not having those memories was probably the best thing for him.]

[Rose inhaled sharply as he took he took her hand, face unreadable by the time he turned to face her, Rose's heart hammering hard in her chest as she just, looked at him, stared even, trying to grasp some memory, anything that could help her understand what was happening here.

She was not the sort of person that was ever at a loss for words, prone to filling silence with stupidity if necessary but this wasn't the kind of moment where words came easily, any words, even the foolish ones.]

I feel like...

[Like she knew him, even though she couldn't have told anyone his name a week ago, there was still this unshakable sense that she knew this man, her fingers twitching, squeezing his hand a little as she tried to make sense of this.

Her eyes closed and she shook her head, trying to be realistic here.]

Just because we're both Guardian's doesn't mean...

[Her voice trailing off, Rose desperately wanting to believe in the possibilities but something seemed to be holding her back, a fear of being hurt that she couldn't quite explain.]

[His brows furrowed in confusion, mostly because she was right. What were the chances that they'd known each other with any real familiarity? While he knew a lot about the job itself, the fact that he didn't remember anyone he knew meant that he had no idea how many of them there were.

He did, however, remember a few other things.]

You're around the age you'd be at graduation. I know I spent some time at an Academy...

[He trailed off, as if thinking too hard might give him a headache.

And there was one other vital piece of information, something he was unsure if he should share, because given what they knew, he didn't know if she'd take it poorly. Because he didn't know the details.]

And I was on the run from our kind when I left. I don't remember why, or the details, but...I remember breaking someone out of prison.

[He shook his head, again trying to clear the metaphorical cobwebs that infected his memories.]

I'm sure it was something that people would have heard about, at the very least.

[And perhaps she had, and it would mean something to her. Or maybe he was completely off-base here, but he had nothing else to go on.]

[She dared to glance at him when he mentioned an Academy, this only too familiar to Rose but it was once more something that seemed too easy for her to dismiss. Surely there had to be more than one, perhaps one in Russia while she had obviously been at one in America, this female Dhampir wanting to believe, really and truly wanting to but she'd convinced herself in the months that had followed her arrival that she had to start new, that whatever life she had lived before this world no longer mattered.

If that were true however. What exactly was she doing here.?]

What...

[Confusion turned to shock and this time she did snatch her hand away, shaking her head at him as she took a step back.

It was the one thing she had kept to herself, hadn't even told the people she'd been with in Chicago, in part because she hadn't known how they would respond but more than that, because it was the key to who she was, Rose had been sure of that somehow and yet this man whom she could have sworn was a stranger not too long ago not only knew of it, but had... helped her?]

No – That... that's not. This isn't possible.

[She turned from him, as if she might walk away, running fingers back through her hair as she tried to clear her head from all its confusion.]

You... [Moving back to him, her hand moving out to grip his arm as she stared into his eyes, looking for something that she couldn't explain even though she wanted to.]

There was a funeral.... and explosions and... [She shook her hair again, trying to make the memory clear.] How can you know – how... [Her face a mix of confusion and frustration as she gripped his arm tighter.]

I didn't do it. They were going to kill me but... I didn't do what they said I did.

[And then, all at once, he knew. They knew each other, even if they'd been trying to accept that as impossible. The way she reacted to what he'd said, the way she knew things in his head, and vice versa.]

It has to be possible. Otherwise we've both imagined the same thing.

[And that was what he'd carried with him the most from that hazy memory. Whatever he'd been doing, it had been important. Because he knew in his heart that he wouldn't have done something like that, break a criminal out of prison, if it hadn't been just and right.

And it hadn't been just anyone. It had been her.]

I know you didn't. I don't know why I know that, but I do.

[The hand that gripped his so tightly, he squeezed back, but it was to comfort her, not out of fear.]

I was there. I know you.

[Their interactions, though fleeting, now carried with them more questions than answers. The sense of familiarity and ease she felt with him. The way her eyes had always found him in the crowded ballroom, as if she could sense him. The names they called each other, how effortlessly they seemed to fall from their lips.

Rose looked at him now, really tried to look at him but it wasn’t memories that came flooding back but flares of emotion and when she squeezed his hand back, it wasn’t out of fear or worry, but cementing some connection.]

But do you?

[Once more almost as if she might be afraid to hope. Funny that this should be the thing that scares her when fighting Strigoi felt like second nature.]

Do you really know me?

[She couldn’t doubt this discovery, even if it seemed insane because they only thing more unlikely than this, was that it was all merely a coincidence.]

When you look at me. What do you see?

I think so.

[Because no matter what he did, the memories weren't there. He knew her, but he'd also forgotten her. What could he possibly say that he knew would be true.

There was nothing. He'd have to simply go on instinct, the way he had since he'd met her. So far, that hadn't seemed to let him down, even when he'd pushed the thoughts aside as impossible.]

I see a young woman who has been through a lot. Who's gone through Hell and come back stronger.

[If only he knew in how many ways that were true.]

I see a woman who does what her heart tells her, regardless of if other people approve.

[He reached out with his free hand, his finger curling around a lock of her hair.]

And I can't stop looking at your hair. It's beautiful, but also more than that. There's...something important about it.

[And that, he knew, sounded absolutely crazy. But somehow, it was still true.

He shook his head, as if it felt fuzzy and heavy.]

I'm sorry. That's...

[He trailed off, sounding unsure of himself.]

[Rose watched him carefully, barely daring to breathe, some part of her recognizing that whatever was happening here, it was important, perhaps more important than anything she had faced since coming through the veil.

Her heart fluttered, actually fluttered like she were some silly little school girl and his finger curling around her hair sent a shiver down her spine. This was one of those moments where she should have been able to say something that would make it all the more perfect.

This however, was Rose Hathaway.]

So like… heh… I’m that girl in the tower who uses her hair for a climbing rope?

[The brunette cringed at her words the moment they passed her lips, wishing she could go back and say something, less, moronic.]

That was a… joke.

[Eyes dropping away for a moment as she managed a tight smile, the tightness about her and not him however.]

Don’t be sorry. [Voice softened, at first.] It’s… I mean normally guys are looking at something other than my hair… Especially when it comes to wanting to touch…

[Oh god just, please somebody shoot her. Now. Stop her from speaking before she keeps filling this moment with more dumb noise.]

[Maybe he was wrong, and way off base, and foolish. He still didn't think so, and her reaction was both expected and...not.

For as much as he thought he knew her, she sure was good at surprising him.

His hand dropped away from her hair, his brows furrowed.]

No, it's fine. My mistake.

[What was he even doing? How had the gone from sparring to this?]

[She knew even before she saw his reaction that she'd said all the wrong things but he'd caught her, well no, not by surprise. Surprise would mean she hadn't felt it, hadn't felt the emotions surge through her at his touch. She'd expected it in a way but she also, hadn't quite been ready for it.]

Don't -

[Without thinking her hand reached out to capture his, as if losing his touch could be the only thing worse than the mess she'd just made.]

Don't call it a mistake.

[Something about that hitting her in unexpected ways.]

I - I don't know you. [Yet saying those words made her squeeze his hand.] But, I do... and I get this feeling like, like you know me better than I even know myself and that's... big...

[When she reached out and grabbed his hand in hers, he paused all over again, conflict raging on his features, and he knew suddenly that she was feeling the same things he was. He knew her, but he didn't. It was like...flashes of memory leaving imprints on his emotions that consequently fell through his fingers like sand.

And neither of them quite knew how to deal with it.]

Yes, it is.

[It was huge. He'd thought that by joining the knights, he might find purpose and meaning to his arrival here. Now, he wondered if it had not just been that. He'd come here to meet her. Again.

That electricity sparking between them where their hands met? That couldn't be a mistake.]

It's just...strange.

Strange.

[She echoed, letting her eyes lift to his face again. This was the do over she'd been hoping for and she had to make a concentrated effort not to let her mouth fall open and vomit inappropriate words again. Now was not the time for Rose Hathaway to allow her need to fill silence rule what she did next.]

But it also makes sense.

[Her fingers entwined with his, her eyes dropping to their hands as she lifted them, the two combined so perfectly making her point for her.]

This - [Squeezing.] Is the only thing that's felt right since I came here. [Eyes meeting his again.] And I don't know if I should trust that or not because if what I'm feeling is real then, how could I ever have forgotten you?

[He nodded.]

Very.

[Everything about the last few months had been strange, but this, by far, had had more of an affect on him that anything thus far.

He opened his mouth and then immediately shut it as she slipped her fingers through his, unable to not notice the way they fit together.]

I know I can trust you. [Again, he didn't know how. He simply knew it was a fact. Even beyond the strange feelings he felt stirring inside him, and they were very strong, no doubt about that, but they were the same. They would understand each other far greater than any other person here, regardless of how well they knew each other outside of that.] I don't think you have, not entirely. Otherwise, there would be nothing to feel.

[That was the thing. She knew she could trust him as well. Every instinct she had told her that this person was probably the only one she could have complete and total faith in. What she didn't understand was why, and that was the hard part.]

You broke me out of prison.

[Inching closer to him, Rose allowing the hand that held his to drop down but refusing to let go as she held his gaze.]

Why would you do something like that?

[But she knew the answer to that or at least, thought she did. She knew how her body seemed to respond to him and it was more than just some passing attraction. She knew what lust was and this? It wasn't it.]

[Dimitri didn't realize that he started holding his breath, suddenly caught in her gaze and unable to break free.]

Because you weren't going to be given a fair trial. Because you didn't do it. Because they were going to kill you.

[All true answers, but they both knew there was more to it than that.

But some small part of his was hesitant to say it, because it would sound crazy, as if the rest of it hadn't been insane enough.

How could he be in love with a girl he didn't remember?]

[She exhaled the breath she'd been holding when he finally spoke. They were all plausible answers. They made sense. They weren't however the ones she'd been hoping to hear, Rose finally releasing his hand as she dropped his gaze.]

Well... Thanks for saving my life then. Even if I don't remember it.

[Maybe she knew it, maybe deep down she knew it had to be more than that but without anything solid, without being able to remember him clearly? It was all just impressions, emotions, nothing she could really cling to.]

[And it felt like a moment had come and gone to no avail as she dropped his hand, and he knew perfectly well what he'd wanted to say and had been unable to voice.

He knew perfectly well that this girl was also many years younger than him, but that didn't seem to matter either. What exactly had their relationship been like?]

I wouldn't have been able to do it alone.

[He was avoiding. Maybe they both were. Almost every time she'd spoken it had been like he knew what she was thinking. But now? He only thought he must be crazy to think that that was disappointment he saw in her eyes.

He had to fight back the urge to reach out and grab her hand again.]

Right.

[She thought about that for a moment, about what those words could mean and when she lifted her head this time, she'd schooled the Rose Hathaway mask into place.]

I mean really when you think about it... Maybe you were just doing it for somebody else.

[Though, that didn't make any sense, not to her and she suspected, sure as hell not to him but it was the kind of lie that you could use as a shield.]

And you just drew the short straw of having to come with me.

[A tight, barely believable grin pulling at her lips, all show and no emotion to it.]

I guess we'll never know.

[And while there was something familiar about that too, he still didn't believe it. As if it were an old excuse that should be tossed aside.

His expression was briefly confused before he schooled it into an equally apathetic mask.]

That seems unlikely, don't you think?

[Breaking someone out of prison was a big deal. And consider what he thought about her, he couldn't imagine that was true.]

But you're right. It's possible we'll never know for sure.

Hey I'm just guessing here, Comrade.

[That tight, emotionless grin still trying to force her lips to curve up rather than down. He was right. It probably was unlikely and yet a part of her almost found it easier to believe it because if it wasn't something like that, then it meant this feeling she had just being around him? It meant that it was real.]

So... So now what? I mean okay, so we know each other or whatever. It's not like we actually know each other. I mean you didn't even know my name a week ago.

[Where did you go from something like this? Were they just, friends now or was it like starting from scratch, and how could they do that when at least from Rose's part, there were all these feelings that she just didn't know what to do with.]

Sparring ☢ Enough to make my systems blow

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