InsaneJournal

Rose didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed as she produced the missing duster. Technically not missing, because she'd known where it was the whole time. April Fools had been a couple of days ago, but that hasn't stopped her from playing a prank on her boyfriend the moment he'd arrived. It was harmless enough, even if you wouldn't know it by the look on his face.

"Oh, look what I found," she said casually, but her lips were curved into an amused smirk. It had been nearly impossible to keep a straight face as Dimitri - who rarely complained about anything - bemoaned the loss of his favorite fashion accessory. Truthfully, it had been weird to see him without it. Rose could count the number of times she'd seen him without it on one hand. Well, if you didn't count all the times she'd seen him without much (or any) clothing at all. The numbers were slightly higher then. Besides, there was only so long she could feign ignorance before she cracked, especially when she was pretty sure he'd already suspected she was up to something.

Somehow, no matter how good Rose had gotten at keeping her emotions from her face, Dimitri always seemed to know what she was thinking.

--

Dimitri had known that Rose had been trying to keep a secret from him. Had wondered what it was, but he also knew, that more often than not she would tell him her secrets eventually. So, pushing her to find out what she was trying to hide hadn’t been his biggest priority. In fact, making sure that where they were was safe, for them and for Lissa had been his biggest concern. No one really knew how they’d gotten there, and he found that disconcerting at best. He really didn’t like the lack of control that that gave him. That whoever had managed to kidnap them, could take him unaware like that really annoyed him.

But, he still had found the time to bemoan his missing duster. He knew he’d been wearing it when he was taken. Partly because he so rarely took it off. So, when Rose produced the duster, he smiled. It was weird that an item of clothing meant so much to him. But, it did. It was part of him.

“Found?” He asked, noticing her smirk and raising an eyebrow. The corners of his mouth twitching up into an amused, indulgent smile.

--

"Oh, yeah, you know, it was just lying around here somewhere." Rose's open smirk probably suggested otherwise, but she didn't really care. She was pretty sure Dimitri would figure out she'd been responsible for his duster vanishing, anyway.

He didn't seem mad, either, which was good. She's kind of been counting on him to appreciate her being able to pull off a prank on him and the fact that he wild hopefully laugh along with her, but you never knew. He was pretty attached to that thing.

"You should have seen your face when you thought it was missing," she added, her smirk turning into an outright grin.

--

Dimitri realised immediately that Rose had had something to do with his missing duster. He always had been able to read her well. And, he’d gotten even better at it over the years. He was actually pretty impressed that she’d been able to pull off the prank on him. Since it was pretty hard for her when he could usually see through her easily.

Still, it wouldn’t do to let her know he was impressed. Not at first, anyway. Instead, he feigned annoyance. “Just lying around here, somewhere?” He said, pulling himself up to his full, very impressive height. “What did you do, Roza?”, his voice was steel. Letting her know he wasn’t kidding around. Except, inspite of that, his eyes twinkled with a mischief, that only someone who knew him very well would notice.

--

Dimitri was trying to be all serious and stern, reminding her if the days when he'd been her instructor, but she could see the humor in his eyes, despite the annoyance he'd poured into his tone. That look in his eyes told her that he wasn't really angry over what she still thought was a really funny joke.

Barely holding back her laughter, Rose shrugged. "A true magician never reveals her secrets," she told him. "Besides, that's what you get for taking so long to show up," she teased. The latter obviously hadn't been his fault. Neither of them had any choice in being here, let alone if when they'd been taken, but was true that she never would have been able to pull off such a prank if he'd arrived when she had, so technically it was his fault she'd done it.

--

“No, of course not.” Dimitri said, barely holding his amusement in check as he approached his girlfriend. Raising an eyebrow as he wrapped his arms around her waist, he pulled her close. “Well, I’m here now.” He murmured softly, while looking into her eyes. “And, I suppose I can forgive you for stealing my coat. Just this once.”

He was no longer able to hold it in, and his mouth quirked into an amused smile. “I missed you, Roza.” And he had, the time spent in Palm Springs had been necessary. But, he’d missed Rose something terrible. He’d finally been on his way back to court when he’d been brought here.

--

“I didn’t steal it,” she said promptly. It was was truth, although her eyes still sparkled with mischief and humor. “I merely arranged for it to be ‘misplaced’ when they gave you back your other clothes.” There was no harm in admitting that when she’d already all but admitted being behind the disappearance of one of his most prized possessions.

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up to give him a quick kiss. It would have been easy to linger there, but she pulled back instead. “I missed you, too,” she admitted. There was a rare vulnerability in her words that might have suggested just how hard she’d found it to be apart from him. Rose had known how important his being in Palm Springs was, but they’d only had a couple of months together before he’d had to leave her to help with Sonya’s research. Even though she’d had her duties as a royal guardian to keep her busy, going so long without seeing him had been hard, especially after having just recently gotten him back.

--

Dimitri raised an eyebrow as he gazed down at her. Before he’d met his Roza, he hadn’t realised he could love someone this much. It had been incredibly complicated. But, as he looked down at her, he knew he could forgive her almost anything. Even stealing his favorite coat. “Sure you didn’t, Roza.”

He leant down, leaning into her kiss. Frowning slightly as she pulled away. He’d missed this. The feeling of her in his arms. Being able to pull her close, hold her in his arms. It was all he’d dreamt of every night while they were apart. Which was one of those things he wouldn’t tell her, because she’d tease him about it forever. But, that didn’t stop it from being true. Instead, he wanted to show her exactly how much he’d missed her. And, cupping her face in his hand, he renewed the kiss. Filling it with everything he was feeling. Still rejoicing in the fact that he could feel it again. That he’d finally come to his senses and stopped punishing them both for what he’d done as a strigoi.

--