Moving Objects

Chapter 24

"Dimitri? Dimitri, baby wake up! It's just a dream! Wake up!" I pleaded, getting louder and louder until I was able to shake him awake, his hands flying out to my shoulders, digging his fingers in tightly. His eyes were wild and scared as he took in his surroundings, the room filed with soft light from the living room, me looming over him with my hands on him. His breathing was laboured and his eyes moved around quickly before settling on me.

"Roza?" he whispered through his breathing. I hushed him and brushed his hair away from his face. "It's ok. It was just a dream, it's ok. I'm right here," I crooned, stroking his cheek. His breathing slowed and he let go of my shoulders, sitting up and pulling me tightly to his chest, his face buried deep into my neck. I stroked the back of his head and rocked him gently while warm wetness slipped down my neck. I pretended that it wasn't happening and went back to comforting him. His grip around me was tight, too tight for my tender flesh, but I wasn't about to deny him the physical comfort.

He whispered to himself quietly in Russian, his fingers twisting into my shirt as he held me close. I pulled my head up and kissed the side of his head. "You're ok. I've got you, you'll be alright," I promised gently, hoping that it would make him feel better.

He pulled away from me a few minutes later, his eyes red and puffy before looking behind me, tensing up. I looked too to find that the Guardians were still there. I groaned and pulled myself away from him and stomped towards them, pushing them out of the room before closing it. I quickly climbed back into bed with him and pulled him down, resting his head on my chest.

His head on my chest made him feel closer to me, and he curled himself around me. I kissed his head and toyed with his hair. I stayed awake as long as I could, hoping to wait him out. I remember looking down at him just before I fell asleep to find him asleep, his lips parted slightly while his cheek rested on my breast. He looked so serene and I capture it to memory. I knew that there would be time ahead where he would struggle, I just hoped that I could help him as much as I could.

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To say that Dimitri struggled was an understatement. He seemed to be smaller amongst the people around us. His usual towering frame was hunched, his eyes downcast and clouded. Usually, if we were alone I would catch him starring at me, only to look away when I looked at him. At night he would cling to me in his sleep when he wasn't having nightmares and when he woke from those dreams, sometimes he would tell me about them. They were horrible and he cried sometimes telling me about the terrible things he had done, begging for forgiveness that he already had.

While he saw his mother the day after he was released, it was a week before he was ready to see his sisters. He asked me to be there for support and I didn't hesitate to accept, but I warned him about the conversation me and his sister had. He wasn't happy, he was far from happy about it, but he still wanted me there.

He sat rigidly on the couch as we waited, my hand tight in his. I looked over at him and brushed his hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear.

"You need a haircut," I joked tugging on the end of a strand of hair gently. It was getting long, jutting down past his shoulder. He breathed out sharply, almost a laugh and looked at me, giving me a half smile.

"I'll get right on it, boss."

Well, even if it was a half-hearted joke, I'll take it. I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Since the night he came home he'd been distant with me intimate. He hadn't kissed me since, and I didn't want to push him. He held my hand and held me tightly as he slept, but that was it. I could understand though, it must be difficult. He needs to find his footing.

The door opened and I felt Dimitri tense up, something that happens whenever something sudden happened, but when he saw his mother he relaxed. Their reunion was heartbreaking. If he broke in my arms the night he came home, he went to pieces in her arms. It was like watching a young boy going to his mother with a broken arm. She held him tightly as he told her everything he had done as a Strigoi and she reassured him that she didn't think he was a monster.