Atlas Gym | Monday Afternoon

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

As far as weird ass Fandom weekends went, this one hadn't been terrible. For one thing, Rose hadn't accidentally slept with anyone (or had a threesome, Caroline) and for another, apparently there was some universe where she was still alive in twenty years. Still alive and in love with Lissa - she was trying to only think about that first part.

But with the weirdness of the weekend over, she was free to obsess over how to handle the situation at Court. It turned on either convincing Dimitri that they had to do their own investigating into the Queen's death and the possibility of Lissa's sibling or getting away from him to investigate on her own.

Rose had been surprised by how empty the gym was when she got there, but for once, it sort of suited her mood. She'd even been able to dig through old (clean, thank you) laundry and lost and found to find some of her old stuff to wear as she worked out. Next step probably should be Pixie Dust for more clothes. But for now, she was working the heavy bag, letting the familiar rhythms of punching and kicking take over.

[The gym is open though without OCD]

Comments

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

As was his way, Dimitri couldn't just join her like a normal person. No, he had to take a seat on the mats to stretch out while he watched her work out.

Though he was struck by how familiar it was to be back in the gym, surrounded by the smells and sounds...though there was the missing annoyance that brought a pang to Dimitri's soul, but there was nothing to be done about that today. First and foremost he was to focus on keeping Rose secret and safe.

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

It was a crazy idea, she knew, but maybe, just maybe, he could let go of the creeper act finally?

Rose turned to him finally, raising her eyebrows expressively. "You having fun over there?"

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

Dimitri raised a single eyebrow in response. "Yes."

Did she expect something else from him?

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

The response was so perfectly Dimitri that she cracked up, turning back to the bag to catch him before it swung to hit her in the back.

Not that she had any doubts anymore - not that she ever did - but if she had, that would have cleared them right up.

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

He got to his feet and moved to hold the bag for her. "I knew I'd find you here. Not that I was looking." Who was he kidding?

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"You didn't have to look if you knew," she teased, smirking at him before pivoted to kick the bag into him.

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

Was it too much to ask that there be no tension in their workout today? "True. Though I'm technically here for my own workout."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Tension? In their workouts? Surely he must be joking.

"So why aren't you working out then?" Rose checked, stepping away from the bag to give him the opportunity to walk away.

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

It was strange when Rose made a good point. "We used to make a good team of it," he shrugged, not trying to leave.

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Rose's favourite words from him: used to. She nodded and started working the bag over again. It had been a long time since they'd trained together, but it still felt familiar. She'd still been able to read him completely at Court sometimes. Weird how things didn't change.

But then there was that 'used to.'

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

He noted the slight change in her attitude but tried not to react to it. Instead, Dimitri focused on how she'd changed since the last time they'd really trained. She was just that much better and more confident.

Probably in part due to having to battle so many of his minions. Sigh.

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

He was so predictable sometimes. Rose sighed, relaxing a bit and catching his expression. "I'm better cause I'm better," she pointed out, her voice fairly gentle (for her). "Stop with the 'it's all my fault' stuff."

[guardian-god.livejournal.com]

It wasn't fair she could still read him so well. "I wasn't saying anything," he pointed out.

[solo_sword]

After class, Jaina in part decided she needed to make up for the training she'd shortened this morning, and in part wanted to find Rose. Well, if she really was around. A lot of the weekend felt weirdly dreamlike to Jaina, so she didn't entirely trust everything that had happened yet. Therefore, it was off to the gym, because she was betting if there was somewhere to find her, it'd be here, even without having to use any Jedi powers.

"So you are really here," Jaina greeted her.

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Nope, just an illusion," Rose said, smiling as she saw Jaina. "And you're not old anymore."

[solo_sword]

"Hey, you weren't too much younger," she pointed out, smiling. "I thought you weren't coming back till graduation."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Funny story that," she replied a little sheepishly. "I'm not actually thrilled it it myself."

[solo_sword]

"Uh oh," Jaina said. "Why do I want to ask 'what'd you do?'"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose mock-glared. "What? No, hi, how are you, Rose? Just what'd you do? God, it's like you know me or something."

"But yeah, most recently? They think I killed the Queen."

[solo_sword]

The automatic response would probably be 'Well, did you?' but Jaina didn't think Rose would do that sort of thing without a good reason. So, the question wasn't getting asked. "Oh, is that all," she said instead. "Why are you here?"

She just figured Rose'd be there yelling at people till they believed she was innocent.

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"Some people decided I was supposed to hide out instead of doing anything useful," she replied. "Which - okay, it's fair, I was kind of arrested and in jail, and I'm way happier being here than getting executed."

Rose sighed. "Seriously, there is nothing about this story that's going to make sense unless I just tell you that Lissa and I broke a guy out of jail because his brother supposedly turned a Strigoi back. And then Lissa figured out how to do it. So - half our world thinks she's a saint. Because she turned Dimitri back. So don't try to kill him if you see him."

[solo_sword]

While Jaina had known that was a possibility, she didn't know how she actually felt about that. Her first realization was that she still had some issues with her last few meetings with Dimitri.

"So that worked?" she asked slowly. "You're sure?"

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

"It worked," she replied. "Liss - I told her not to try, but..." Rose shrugged. "Maybe she really is a saint. I don't know, but it worked. You're a Jedi. I'm guessing you guys can feel if someone has their soul or not."

And if that didn't work, Dimitri was probably getting pretty used to being asked to prove it.

[solo_sword]

"Not exactly. I didn't know anything was up with him specifically the first time I saw him," she frowned. "I'd probably know based on whether or not my danger sense started pinging like crazy again."

[guardianborn.livejournal.com]

Rose reached up to undo her ponytail and ruffle her fingers back through her hair. "Yeah, that'll do it too," she agreed. "I know, it's weird. They threw him in a cell for about a week before Lissa managed to convince them he wasn't dangerous anymore."