a/n- if the song above doesn't work, play die for you by the weeknd.
when we got home i only remember a few things, dimitri putting me to bed, paying the sitter, and then holding my hair back as i threw up again.
i'll have to pay him back.
when i woke up, it was quiet. too quiet.
hesitantly, i slide out of bed and i open my door, immediately the scent of syrniki and coffee hits my nostrils.
every saturday dimitri would cook me syrniki, a popular russian breakfast. essentially they're cheese pancakes topped with some sort of fruit, they're very good.
my heart pings with a unknown emotion and i remember the conversation we had last night.
when i enter the living room, rowan is sitting at the table eating his pancakes while dimitri seems to be cooking bacon.
my stomach grumbles loudly, and i sit down quietly at the island as i admire dimitri.
he's wearing a tight white shirt, that clings to every back muscle known to man, and i can only imagine what his front looks like.
it's like he feels me staring because he turns around and slightly jumps when he sees me.
but he grins and says, "you scare me." which makes me giggle at his russian accent.
he speaks practically fluent english, it's just his grammar and pronunciation he messes up sometimes.
"sorry." i say and he just continues grinning, then turns back around.
and i was right about his shirt, it clung to
every. single. ab.
i think i counted six.
shaking my head, i turn to rowan who's shoving his food down his throat, and i smile.
"доброе утро малыш." i say to him and he pauses eating and smiles.
(good morning baby.)
"доброе утро малыш."
(good morning mama.)
i get up from the stool to grab a mug, my arms brush against dimitris as he finishes up the food, sending tingles down my spine.
i prepare myself a cup of coffee and i glance to dimitri who's on my left.
"so you stayed over?" i whisper-ask, and he scratches the back of his neck.
"i did, i slept on the couch." he replies.
i nod, adding some creamer into the mug.
"thank you, for helping with rowan, and the sitter. how much was it? i'll pay you back." i say but he shakes his head.
"no need, it was my pleasure."
i don't try to press on the topic because i know he won't budge.
he glances at me and stops moving, before turning fully to face me.
he looks nervous, and i quirk a brow.
"nadia, will you go on a date with me?" he questions and my lips part just a centimeter.
i swallow.
what about the paparazzi? rowan? his career?
he must see my hesitation, "we can keep it a secret, or not." he smirks at the end of his sentence.
i look away, thinking.
and when i look back at him i have my answer.
"yes."
-
dimitri agrees to stay with us for the rest of the day, and during that time we ended up scheduling our date.
he said he'd cook me dinner at his place, which i have yet to see.
and it's in a week.
a long seven days i'll have to wait.
because he's going on a road trip to play some of the teams along the west coast.
when lydia calls me, i decide i cant keep my secret anymore, i need someone to know. i need someone to understand or help me.
so when i go into the bathroom for privacy, i tell her, and she listens.
she finds it hard to believe but she eventually does, and when i tell her about our date she says she couldn't be more happy for me.
im even more happy with her reaction when she says she has the most perfect dress she'd be happy to let me borrow.
because god, do i need to go shopping. and when i tell her that, she tells me we're going shopping tomorrow.
right before we hang up i thank her, because it feels like a sudden weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.
i feel free.
currently, me, dimitri, and rowan are cuddled up on the couch.
dimitris arm around my shoulder, pulling me close, and rowan sitting between us.
we look like a family.
we are watching the mighty ducks, a movie dimitri insisted rowan should see, but poor rowan is on the brink of exhaustion. in the corner of my eye i swear i can see him fighting sleep.
so i help him up and we make our way to his room to put him to bed.
but as i get up dimitri grabs my wrist, stopping me.
he looks at me with an emotion i've never seen before, and he asks if he could help me put rowan to bed.
my heart quite literally melts.
i smile softly, and nod, as he thanks me and stands up.
rowan leads the way to his bedroom and he makes sure to show everything he has off, considering dimitri has only been in here briefly.
i tell rowan to pick out a book and get in bed but i look at dimitri who's standing awkwardly.
"you want to read it to him?" i ask and he nods, crouching down next to rowan's bed and grabs the book out of his hands.
"the hungry caterpillar." dimitri reads the title.
"i usually read it to him in russian so he can learn more." i tell dimitri as i sit down at the end of rowan's bed.
dimitri nods and he turns the page beginning to read.
rowan looks at me with a tired look and asks, "mama, can you lay next to me? and play with my hair?"
i smile and nod, scooting next to rowan who rests his head on my shoulder.
my fingers find his curly blonde hair and i play with it gently.
as dimitri reads to us, i study his face, a calm look sits on it. he looks peaceful and contempt.
i find myself dozing off, but i fight sleep, waiting for rowan to fall asleep.
when dimitri ends the book, rowan is fast asleep, so i get up from his bed and i urge dimitri to follow me out.
he shuts off the lamp and closes the door just to the point where it's cracked.
when i turn to face him he's grinning.
"i love that kid so much nadia. i know you're afraid of the possibilities, but i want you to know i'd never hurt him." he whispers.
"i'm glad you're getting to know him, he's so happy to have you in his life." i say and dimitris smile grows.
"are you staying the night again?" i ask and i watch him think before he shrugs his shoulders.
"why not?" he says and i smile.
"do you need any more blankets or anything?" i ask and he looks away.
"no, it's just- the couch is kind of uncomfortable considering my feet hang off the edge." he says, and his point is well made.
i hesitate before asking, "would you like to sleep with me?"
the shit-eating grin never leaves his face as we walk to my bedroom, i head to my closet to change into my pajamas which consists of a baggy t shirt and shorts.
when i'm done changing and i walk out of the bathroom, the lights are turned off and i see a big bulge under the sheets which makes me giggle.
"what are you laughing at?" dimitri asks, but his voice is muffled considering he's hiding under the sheets, which just makes me laugh all the harder.
when i'm under the covers, he unexpectedly pulls me towards him and my breathing pauses.
although i can't see him, i can feel him, i can feel his body pressed up against mine.
he's shirtless and i can tell he's only in his boxers.
his arms cling to my body as he whispers "goodnight nadia." in my ear, sending even more shivers throughout my body.
"goodnight dimitri."
a/n- a little happy/cute chapter since it's our 10th one.
ima be honest, i have no idea how much longer this story will take, but now i'm predicting 20-30 chapters 😭