#romitri family | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starseneyes · 2 years

Text

Romitri - Rose / Dimitri - Vampire Academy - Season 1 - Ep 9

Welcome to my Meta for episode 9 of Season 1 of Vampire Academy on Peacock! If you’d like to catch up:

Episodes 1-5 Meta

Episode 6 Meta

Episode 7 Meta

Episode 8 Meta

SPOILER ALERT: I will spoil absolutely everything. So, reader beware. I haven’t yet read the books, so feel free to fill in the blanks, if you like! Can’t believe we’re already here, near the end.

Time to dive in!

Darkness

Haven’t we all faced some inner darkness at some time or another? Something that has clung to us with such steadfastness that we believed it must be an exterior force clinging to our goodness, robbing us of who we are. This episode is a study in the many facets of darkness... darkness that can come out of corruption, darkness that can come when night falls, darkness that arises from our choices, and darkness that becomes all that’s left when we deplete the light.

If I wrote Metas for the whole episodes, we’d be here for hours discussing... but this is a Romitri Meta... and it’s still going to be bloody long. So, grab your favorite fangtastic popcorn and drink (spirited or not), and let’s have fun!

Rose and Mason Embrace Their Future

Uhhh, Rachel? I think you forgot what this Meta is about... two sentences into it.

No. I didn’t forget. But, I think this is important. I’ve seen people saying, “It’s not the Rose and Dimitri show... this is Rose’s show. Abso-friggin-lutely. Rose and Lissa’s relationship is truly the heart of the show. And I don’t think we can properly discuss what happens between Dimitri and Rose this episode without taking into account the Mason factor. Like it or not, he’s a part of this.

Mason is caught up in the euphoria of the woman he loves choosing him. Yes, that’s what he sees. That’s what he thinks is going on, here, because we know he was aware of Dimitri and Rose. He saw it first-hand during the Benchmarks. He saw it outside the pub. He saw it when Rose and Dimitri trained together.

He’s not completely oblivious, but, at the same time, he doesn’t realize how deep Rose and Dimitri go. It’s soulmate stuff.

But, right now he and Rose are fantasizing about what they are going to do in the human world. And Rose is truly, truly feeling happy. But not because she chose Mason... because she chose herself.

That’s right. Rose Hathaway chose Rose. Dimitri isn’t even a choice in her mind, anymore. She’s released the belief that he will ever “come to [his] senses”. Rose is moving on because she has accepted that the path she truly wants is closed to her.

And it’s more than just moving on from Dimitri. She’s also looking to move on from Lissa. Lissa’s breakup with her shook her up. Follow that up with Dimitri’s words about Rose’s unusual upbringing, enveloped in the love of a Moroi family... and Rose is as lost as Dimitri.

But, we’ll get to that later.

While Rose is in the throws of euphoria, Dimitri is unknowingly facing down the long walk (but short fall) to the depths of hopelessness. The “choices” they made are coming back around.

Dimitri is Arrested for Treason

Refresher: Rose made an insane choice and told Sasha Tanner to run. Not saying she was wrong, but in Dimitri’s eyes this was the stupidest choice... to choose to aid and abet someone going AWOL... to choose Treason.

But, he chose Rose... and that’s landed him here, in hot water.

“Guardian Belikov, the punishment for treason is very serious.”

Duh. Like, none of us think the punishment for treason is a lollipop and a stern warning. It’s f*cking treason, you dolt. Dimitri, with his spotless record isn’t going to enter into it lightly.

Alberta enters, and she looks right at Dimitri. Like, “You, f*cker. What the f*ck did you two do?” Behind her is Rose, and her eyes lock onto Dimitri as fast as his lock on hers.

They likely haven’t spoken since the Ring... have avoided one another. He’s been healing, so we know it’s been a few weeks since he no longer sports the black eye. But with that one look, we know they are united. They won’t give each other away, if they can.

But Dimitri’s report is damning. He was the Head Command on this mission. He already knows he’s f*cked.

“I stand by my statement.”

Because there is no other option for Dimitri Belikov. He made this choice to cover for Rose back then, and he can’t go back on it, now. He will always choose Rose.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Because they both know he’s f*cked. Dimitri even nods at that. Yes, he knows what he’s doing. He’s doing what he convinced himself he wouldn’t do—choosing love over duty.

Now, he doesn’t know that they have Sasha... but he knows they know something, and even that suspicion is enough to screw him. And he knows it.

And he makes the choice anyway. Look, I know a lot of us have a sour feeling in our stomach because our boy ending the last episode macking on snake venom in a human skin. He’s a lost boy, unsure of who he is anymore. But one thing he knows in his heart despite his head railing against it—he loves Rose Hathaway. No way in hell he’s letting anything happen to her if he can help it.

Dimitri’s Apartment

I love this glimpse into his life. Having his own apartment, he’s afforded more space and privacy than the Novices collected in their co-ed dorm.

We open on a stack of books. Biographies, as Dimitri will later identify, of humans. He describes it as his way of seeing the world, later, but I suspect it’s also his way of being someone else. He can’t embrace the idea of choice, as Rose can, but reading of another’s life and choices allows him to imagine in a way that he’d never allow himself outside of the sound of turning pages and the weight of the book in his hand.

Books are so often an escape for those of us who grew up in trauma. You can open a book, tune out the world, and disappear. I think it’s telling of Dimitri’s personality that he disappears into others’ lives. Perhaps secretly wishing his was filled with more of those choices he doesn’t believe he has.

The bed is impeccably made, another stack of books at the end of it. There’s a sense of scarcity to this room, Swedish Ladders lining one wall, candles and religious relics filling the window space. A mat on the floor for meditation. There’s so much white space in here, void of anything that isn’t necessary—save the books.

These books are Dimitri’s quiet rebellion. They’re scattered. They’re stacked imperfectly. They aren’t organized by author or alphabet. They’re the pieces of himself that yearn to break out of the shell of conformity.

But he’s not reading when there’s a knock at the door. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating. He knows what’s coming.

He even warned Rose, “Do you have any idea what they’ll do to her if they find her? What they’ll do to you if they find out that you helped?” “I don’t care,” she had said. She didn’t. She didn’t care what happened to her.

But she cares what happens to him.

That’s why, despite her plans to leave, she shows up at his door.

He opens the door, and as soon as she sees him, she sighs, full of relief. He matches her sigh with one of his own. They didn’t know what had happened to the other after that moment of eye contact. Rose looks around her, and Dimitri wordlessly opens the door for her to enter while simultaneously looking for anyone watching.

And this effortless rhythm is so indicative of the bond between Dimitri and Rose. Fractured as they’ve been since the breakup, they are still completely in sync when they want to be. Neither had to utter a word for the other to know how they each felt, what they needed to do, and how to follow through.

Yes, they’ve trained together so they can make those choices in combat. But, this isn’t combat. This is a dance. It’s a painful, slow, heartbreaking dance. But no less beautiful.

The door closes, and Rose fills the silence with her ownership of the situation. This is important.

Remember back in the early episodes when Rose faced the consequences for taking Lissa outside the Wards? Dimitri tried to offer her support, but then felt she wasn’t taking it seriously. He asserted how people need to take ownership of their choices.

“I’m the one that helped Sasha escape.” “Sasha chose this. It’s not on you.”

While technically true, I don’t think early Season 1 Dimitri would have taken the same attitude. Yes, Sasha chose her path. But, Dimitri, my dear, you chose yours to protect your Roza.

Their initial conversation done, Rose finally takes in the fact that Dimitri is deliciously shirtless. But it’s so awkward, now. Dimitri wasn’t thinking about it, either, but with the lull in the conversation, he moves to put on a hoodie.

And all the Dimitri fan-folk collectively groan and throw things at the screen.

Look, I may be a Demi who spends my time wondering how hard it’s going to be for the makeup team to cover Kieron Moore’s new butterfly tattoo if/when we get S2, but I understand that there are people out there drooling over this moment.

Even Rose in her, “I’m running away to start a new life with Mason” state of mind can’t help but think, “DAYUM!”

And, I find it fascinating that Rose is in her full gear... Hair in a bun. Wearing her uniform. Boots.

While Dimitri is stripped bare of that (oh, yeah he is!). *ahem* Dimitri is barefoot. He didn’t even have on a shirt until Rose walked in the room.

All the bravado he’s carried with him, the badges he’s worn and the pride he’s taken in his role as a Guardian has been stripped, and he knows it. He’s more vulnerable than he’s been since the boat.

But Rose is focused on the task at hand.

“What’s going to happen to her?” “It’s in the hands of HQ, now. Nothing either of us can do.” “And that?” “A tracker. It’s nothing. Just due process and safeguards.”

No. It’s. Not. Look, all y’all people who are still pissed at our boy... He is now doing exactly what Rose did for Lissa back in episode 2 when Rose hid her Tribunal from Lissa to protect her... to choose her first. Dimitri is choosing Rose.

He’s not going to tell her about his troubles because he wants to protect her. He separated from her, and he hurt her, and he knows her. If she knows that he’s facing something, she’ll want to face it with him. Because much as they are both hurting, they still trust one another. They still know one another.

“I’ll be fine once all this blows over.” “HQ doesn’t let things blow over.” “The Dominion needs all the Guardians it has right now. I’m not entirely without value.”

There he is with his perceptions of “Value”, again. Remember Dimitri had requested to be moved to another province because he believed his value at St Vladimir’s to be compromised. But, it’s a very well thought-out lie. Rose knows as much as he does how dire it is—that people like Tatiana want to put teenagers out in the field... that non-Royals have had their Guardians taken.

What he doesn’t expect is her sly smile and response.

“If that was a brag, you need to step up your game, Comrade.”

It’s the first small smile she’s offered him since she walked in. But it puts him at ease. This is the same smile she wore on the boat as they shared a few moments of peace and contentment in their love before the whole thing went to sh*t.

But, also, it’s the return of one of her nicknames for him. The first time it was said, it was in friendly competition (with a touch of flirting). The second time, in anger in the Ring. This time, she’s said with affection and familiarity. He can’t help but smile back... that same smile from the boat.

It’s as though they’re both toeing the line between this present moment and the memory of who they are mixed with the potential of what they could have been. It hurts but in a bittersweet way that almost makes you forget the pain.

“Hard to brag to the woman who gave me a black eye.” “Sorry about that.”

And she means more than “Sorry about your eye”. She’s sorry about the whole thing. Rose was hurting, and angry, and out of control. And she knows it. She lost control, and she can’t even blame the darkness for any of it. Rose Hathaway won the fight, yes, but she lost a piece of herself in the moments after when she continued to pound a downed man.

But Dimitri’s already forgiven her. He will forgive her anything. He can’t help it. He’s that much in love with her.

“Forget it, Roza.”

It slips out, the dagger stabbing into them both simultaneously. Dimitri relaxed too much into the moment and let it slip. He let it slide. And Rose realizes the moment she hears it just how much she still loves him, even though she wishes she didn’t. It would be so much easier if she didn’t love him.

But as one of my favorite ships, Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls remarked, they don’t write songs and stories about the easy loves.

Part of what makes this scene hurt so much is that they both believe this is the last time they’ll see one another... but for different reasons. From Dimitri’s perspective, he wants Rose to go on to lead a beautiful life, not get tangled up in this mess by fighting for him somehow. Because, he knows she will. He knows that if she thinks she can help, she’s going to.

That’s why he was so strategic to tell her that Sasha was out of their reach, that they could do nothing to help. He is doing everything he can to set Rose up for a beautiful life... without him.

And Rose Hathaway is here to say goodbye because she believes Dimitri is a non-choice for her, and she needs to live her own life. She needs to figure out who she is outside of who she’s been.

Side Note: I talk a lot about relating to Dimitri’s trauma. But I also relate to Rose in this moment. See, both of them are struggling with personal identity outside of what they’ve known up to this point. The difference is that Rose is handling it more like I did, when I first starting figuring out who I was.

I limited my ties with my past. I tried new things that I’d never done before. I got outside of what I was “supposed” to be and started to see my life from a new perspective.

Co-dependency is a hell of a drug. I was raised with the expectation that I would be codependent. But... that’s not who I am, and as soon as I got out of the house and into college, I slowly started to see that who I was wasn’t defined by who mothered me. I could choose my own path. I could choose to be who I wanted to be. Now, my mother and I have a much better relationship, now, but it took a lot of years of tough talks and work.

Rose and Lissa are co-dependent and have been for a long time. They’ve both realized it in different ways, and so Rose is going to try to figure out who she is. And I fully support her. And so does Lissa.

Lissa even tells Rose that she’ll be back (yes, I know I’m skipping... I’ll get back to it in a second). Lissa knows that Rose needs to figure out who she is. And I think that’s important.

It’s important for Rose not to let herself be defined by Dimitri or Lissa or anyone else. Rose needs to embrace who Rose is, then add in what she wants and take out what she doesn’t.

Back to the Scene: Rose needed to know that Dimitri was okay before she left. Because, much as he knows she’d do anything to help him, Rose knows it herself. But, he seems okay. She can finally say goodbye.

But him saying, “Roza” sends her spiraling. You can see her searching the room around her for something else to focus on. Her eyes land on the books, and you can see the wheels turning.

“Are all these about-” “Humans.”

Rose went out into the Human world with Dimitri, once. It was the happiest they’d ever been. But she never would have imagined that he had an interest in that world the same that she did. They never really had the opportunity to discuss it, and it hurts anew that he chose to sever things between them after they’d experienced such a world together.

She’s planning on heading back out into that world... without him.

“Biographies—my way of seeing the world.”

F*ck. That hurts. Because she wanted to show him the world, but he pulled away. And now she is going to see the world, but without him by her side.

Rose looks for something else to focus on, and her eyes land on the religious relics. Her voice fails her. She can’t think of what to say as she looks at the flickering flames, remembering his steadfast dedication to his religion. He chose that over me. He chose that over me.

It’s the drumbeat in her head. And it hurts.

“Having a staring contest with the air, are we?”

It goes back to the beginning. Not their first interaction, but close enough. They share a smile, an earnest one. Oh, how far we’ve come.

But Rose loses the smile and a quiet sadness overtakes her. Oh, look how far we’ve fallen.

Rose walks over to him, head down, mustering the courage to tell him goodbye. But somewhere between their exchanged looks at one another’s lips and eyes... she loses courage.

It reminds me so much of their first kiss... the charge that ran through and between them that sent the air crackling with tension. They still have that same spark. But this time, Rose isn’t closing the distance. Rose is saying goodbye.

“I guess I’ll see you around, then.” “Yeah. See you around.”

In their own Lois / Superman interaction (think Superman Returns), these two are talking about the issue. Both of them are keeping something from the other, and the other knows it. Both of them are speaking in circles, and the other knows it.

But they both also know that those dams need to remain in place, right now. For so many reasons.

But as both utters their phrase, it’s a goodbye.

“Goodbye, Dimitri. I’m leaving forever. But it’s okay because I know even if we’re not together, you’re going to be okay.”

“Goodbye, Rose. I’m leaving forever. But it’s okay because I know even if we’re not together, you’re going to be okay.”

These two f*cking piss me off. Because if either of them actually communicated, it’d be a whole different story. But, we love them because they are flawed people making flawed choices in an effort to protect one another. If they did everything perfectly, there’d be no conflict.

We’d all switch off the tele (or laptop) quicker than you can say, “World’s Shortest Forbidden Love Story (but still better than Romeo & Juliet)”.

Rose breaks the eye contact and connection, but Dimitri remains rooted in place. It’s so symbolic of where they are and where they’re going. Like last episode, Dimitri is digging in while Rose is running away.

Rose walks to the door, but she looks back at him, offering a modified salute to him, almost with a smile. And I honestly can’t remember if she ever saluted him before. But, it’s bittersweet, the way that she smiles softly at him with the salute.

But my favorite part is how she watches him the whole time she closes the door. Rose doesn’t turn her back to him and pull the door closed behind her. She backs out, watching him as she goes. She’s memorizing him, spending those last few seconds looking at him... but also symbolically showing us how hard it is for her to walk away. She can’t turn around... not until he’s completely out of sight.

Because Rose would stay if she knew he needed help. And he knows it.

As she exits, he offers his own half-hearted salute, but then takes the fingertips that touched his heart to brush his lips in a goodbye kiss.

Goodbye to the love of his life. Goodbye to his one exception. Goodbye to the life they could have had. Goodbye to the moments they shared. Goodbye to the chance to watch her live from afar.

Dimitri knows the fate that awaits him, but it’s a little easier knowing Rose Hathaway will get away with it—that Rose Hathaway still has the chance to build the life of her dreams.

Meredith Tries to Talk Sense to Mason

We’ve seen these two palling around a lot the whole season. Two good friends. But, the best of friends often have tough talks, and this is one of them.

“We’ll be okay.” “We? Anyone with eyes can see how she feels about Dimitri.”

My husband and I started dating in college, and he once told me that before me, he didn’t notice the buildup of romantic relationships in shows before. But, being around it more (and being in love for the first time *ahem*), he saw it more.

I think Meredith is falling for Mia, and as she is, she’s more and more aware of how others feel about one another. Not that poor Mason was every subtle (he’s more a “neon glowing light” kind of lover), but I think Meredith’s definitely more tuned-in to Rose these days because they both are in the midst of forbidden love affairs.

For Meredith, it’s Mia. For Rose, it’s Dimitri. They’re both pining for people they can’t have.

“She asked me to go with her. Rose is with me, now.”

As we say in the South, “Oh, Mason, you sweet summer child. Bless your heart.”

The kid’s gone. And he’s clinging to anything that gives him the shred of hope that Rose might feel the same way about him as he does about her.

There’s a hitch in his voice between “is” and “with”, as if he’s trying to speak something into being, to will it to be so.

“Then why did I just see her coming out of his apartment?” “Sweet.”

See, this is why I don’t think Mason is “oblivious” as some people have said. I think he’s aware that there’s something going on there, but he legitimately thinks he’s won.

And here comes Meredith with another reminder of Rose running off to Dimitri.

But she chose me. We’re running away together.

He wants to believe it so bad that he’s tuning out the truth.

“You deserve someone who loves you. The way you feel about Rose, that is how she feels about Dimitri. She can’t help that any more than you can. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to face the truth.”

Meredith hits it on the nail, here. (Did I mention she’s my favorite Novice besides Rose? Because she bloody is). Rose loves Dimitri. She can’t help it. She can run away from it. She can pretend around it. But she can’t purge it. He’s not a drug in her system. He’s a piece of her soul as much as she’s a piece of his. And it’s a lot harder to lop off part of your soul.

And poor, poor Mason. Instead of listening to his friend, he goes on the offensive, attacking her, tearing into her, trying to one-up her.

Mason’s raw and he’s angry, but Meredith finds a way to stay calm, in spite of that.

“Rose doesn’t love you.”

And there are tears in Mason’s eyes... because deep down... he knows that. He really does. But he’s ignoring his head as much as Dimitri has been trying to ignore his heart.

Mason walks away from his best friend... the last words he thinks the two will ever exchange.

And, yes, I do want Mason to find love and joy, someday (if he doesn’t die in the finale). But, we all know it’s not going to be with Rose Hathaway.

“... are you lying? Are you covering for another Guardian? Or both?”

That’s all it takes for Alberta to connect the dots. “Is Rose Hathaway going to be a problem?” It was Dimitri himself who once asked that of Alberta. Dimitri feels her glare, and his eyes find hers. He glances away, quickly.

He knows she knows. Now, Alberta can speak up and try to lessen Dimitri’s sentence, or to try to carry out “true justice”. But she doesn’t. In this moment, Alberta makes her own choice—not to intervene.

“I was the Commanding Officer. I was responsible for the veracity of the information I relayed. Any gap between my report and the truth rests solely on me, as should the punishment for giving false information.”

Dimitri. Chose. Rose.

Dimitri will always choose Rose.

“Though I wonder at your prioritizing punishing a Guardian during a time of Civil Unrest.”

Sh*t, your girl’s been rubbing off on you, Guardian Belikov!

But, it’s an incredible sign of growth for Dimitri “Good Soldier” Belikov questioning what’s going on. He’s so used to following orders, to following commands, to doing what he’s told.

But for one bright, fleeting moment, Dimitri Belikov questioned the establishment without questioning who he is... and I’m so proud of him.

“You’ll be taken to the dungeons before you are sentenced by the Queen.”

Alberta is aghast. She didn’t expect that. I think they’re all surprised that such a harsh punishment is being dolled out to someone who has such a spotless record. And she’s the only one who knows the truth—he did it for Rose.

This may be the truest representation of love she has ever seen. Damphirs are subservient to the Moroi, especially the Royals. Guardians have the elevated task of protecting the Moroi with their very lives. Most marriages within the Court are arrangements born out of the quest for power or status. Amongst Damphirs, romance and love are not permitted or expected. Sex, sure. Love? No.

But Alberta just witnessed Dimitri give up his very life for the sake of the woman he loved. She’s come face-to-face with it for the first time, probably in her life. And she can never shake its impact.

If she survives, of course.

Too soon? Yeah, probably too soon. Anyway...

Mason Goes to See Dimitri

I’ve looked at this from several different angles, because there are a lot of thoughts out there regarding this scene. Honestly, I think it’s Mason trying to reassure himself of what he believes by counting Dimitri out. He wants to look Dimitri in the eyes, tell him that he’s got the girl, and move on feeling that sense of victory that he so badly needs to validate him right now.

And, like Meredith said, he deserves to be with someone who loves him, and he shouldn’t let his relationship with Rose define him so much. He’s got a lot to offer, and I can only hope he discovers it before it’s too late.

Look, I’m not saying he’s a-goner, but book readers say he’s a-goner, so it’s very possible Rose’s favorite puppy dog is a-goner.

Mason gets Dimitri to himself, partly because he can’t possible let anyone else know about his plans, but also because he wants to focus on this moment. It’s not vindictive. He doesn’t hate Dimitri. But he hates that Rose loves Dimitri.

“I wanted to tell you... Rose and I are leaving.”

Watch. Dimitri’s. Face.

There are about a thousand things to compute in a matter of seconds. “Rose is running off with Mason.” “Rose is getting out, good for her.” “Rose is going to be happy.” “I truly know for a fact that she will have a good life.” “This makes my sacrifice worth it.” “This is why Rose acted weird.” “I knew she was hiding something.” “That’s why she reacted when I talked about seeing the world.” “Rose is going to see the world... with Mason.” “Mason knows about me and Rose.” “Mason’s going to be with Rose and I’m not.” “Mason made a special trip to tell me.” “Little f*cker’s got no idea what he’s messing with.”

That last one’s important. Not because Dimitri is vindictive... but because Dimitri knows what he and Rose have and why they aren’t together. Mason doesn’t.

Mason’s still clinging to the idea that Rose “chose” him.

“That explains it.”

There’s a small smile on his words. But it’s that same heartbroken one he used talking about Alexei, the one he used talking about the darkness within him... now it’s also attached to the sadness he feels about losing Rose... because he does feel it.

“I thought maybe it’d help if you know that she’ll be okay.”

D*ck move, Mason.

Okay, look, I believe he’s truly not trying to be a little sh*t. But, he’s justifying why he’s doing it, when he is really doing it to try to assure himself of the reality to which he’s clinging.

And, I get it. Last episode I wanted to pour hot lava on Dimitri’s libido for daring to neck with Lady Evil Von Psycho. So, I’ll get over my annoyance with Mason, but I’m frustrated with him. I’m allowed!

“I wish you the best. Rose is meant for greater things, and she deserves to be safe. And happy.” “She does.”

Right there. That’s where you see that shift. Mason is puffing out his chest on that, “She does”, like, “and I’m the man to do it!”

But Dimitri picks up on that right quick, and it’s his turn to lean in.

“Never tell her what’s about to happen to me. If she knows, she won’t leave.”

And now Mason knows where he stands.

Yes, Rose is going off with Mason, but because she doesn’t think Dimitri is a choice, and Rose is choosing Rose. She’s chosen Mason as a companion because she wants to go with someone easy. She doesn’t have to convince Mason. She doesn’t have to push or draw him out. Mason’s this sweet, loving puppy trailing after Rose. And that’s what she’s looking for right now—easy.

But her heart will always tug her back to Dimitri. As his tugs him back to Rose.

He could have given her up at any point in this process, but he never did. Heck, he could be vindictive now and announce Mason’s plans and get him thrown in the dungeon with him. But he doesn’t. Dimitri chooses Rose over and over.

And if Rose thought there was a choice to be made... she would choose Dimitri every time, too.

Dimitri’s speaking facts, here, but he’s also spitting in the face of this validation that Mason was seeking. Mason didn’t “win” anything, here. If there ever was a contest, it wouldn’t be a contest. It couldn’t be a contest, because Dimitri and Rose’s love is true, and they will always choose each other.

“Let’s go.”

Dimitri is done. Much as he wants Rose to be happy and content, he doesn’t need Mason throwing sh*t in his face right as he’s going down. The Guards return to their positions while a gutted Mason watches Dimitri.

“Fuck you, Dimitri. Fuck you.”

Dimitri barely pauses as Mason holds back the tears. Because, much as Meredith tried to break though, Dimitri did. Deep within, Mason knows it’s true... if she knew what was happening to Dimitri, she’d never leave.

“I’m leaving... For so long, all I thought of was being your Guardian, and that was enough. But now, after everything, I need to figure out who I am outside of all of that... And outside of you.”

Rose is taking a huge leap, here. Do I wish she was doing it alone? Sure. But that’d be a lonely journey. Taking Mason with her gives her someone steadfast and loyal (gosh, I really am describing a puppy...) who she can count on.

Growing up with one version of yourself in your head is so hard... especially when you hit a point and realize you have no f*cking idea who you really are because you’ve informed every decision based on who you thought you were. That’s where Rose is. Rose has realized that she informed all of her decisions on being Lissa’s Guardian.

Being forced outside that mindset is what helped bring her here... that and losing so much. She lost Mikhail. She lost her great love. She lost so much of herself in the process.

But who the hell is she? We’ve seen it, sure. She’s headstrong and fierce. She’s intelligent and foolhardy. She makes quick, gut decisions, and she commits. She asks tough questions, and she acts without considering the consequences if she thinks it’s right.

But it’s all been measured against what kind of Guardian she could be. Rose needs to figure out who she is without all the measurements and comparisons... when she’s just... Rose.

Much as I doubt she and Mason will make it far (hello, STRIGOI attack!), I wish we could see Rose go on that journey of self-exploration. I’ve been there, and tough as it is, it’s marvelous.

And, yes, I had a man in my life at the time, too.... and one I was breaking up with. Gosh, it’s a long story, but essentially I took time off to figure out who I was without a man and without the influences of my childhood. And on the other side of that, I found the man I married 15 years ago waiting for me... patiently waiting as I worked on myself.

Golly, I love that man.

So, Rose, go figure out who you are. It’s so freakin’ healthy.

“So... um... just you? Or...” “I’m going with Mason.”

Lissa still has no idea what’s gone down between Dimitri and Rose. And as Rose says, “Mason”, there is no absolute joy or excitement. It’s a statement. It’s what it is. Lissa takes in that information, because she liked Rose with Dimitri. But, she’ll always support her bestie.

“Stop it. He’s a good guy.”

And that is so freakin’ telling. He’s a good guy... Not, “I love him.” Because, she doesn’t... not like that. But, he is a good guy.

“You’re being weird.”

She can’t read him. She doesn’t know him at a glance. She never pegs what’s going on with him. But Mason has felt the full impact of Dimitri’s words and is choosing to ignore them wholeheartedly. This is what he wants, and he’s going to hold onto the fantasy as long as he can... hopefully forever.

But as they’re walking off, his arm around her, she can’t help but look back.

What is she looking for? Is she hoping to see Dimitri there, watching her, giving her a reason to stay? Is she hoping he’d run after them? We don’t know.

But for that very small second, she isn’t looking forward on the adventure. She’s looking back, just as she did when she exited Dimitri’s apartment.

Dimitri Trapped and Unable to Help

The camera movement is eerily similar to Dimitri praying in the Church during Near Guard, Far Guard. He’s not praying this time, but he is feeling fuck*ng helpless... moreso when the alarms blare.

Rose and Mason drive off

The music line strikes me so hard, “I can take the pain”. That’s what they play as Rose smiles to herself, then her smile diminishes a little. Because she knows that she’s leaving a part of her soul behind.

She just doesn’t know how bad it truly is.

As always, thanks for reading. Next week’s going to be insane, and we’re all going to lose our minds. But, I’m ready for the fun. Enjoy our last week of Daniela Nieves torturing us with out-of-context clues, VA Jail locking up cast and fans alike, and our favorite Vampire Academy cast and crew crushing it.

Bonne nuit. Buenas noches. Goodnight.

#Vampire Academy #Vampire Academy Peacock #Sisi Stringer #Kieron Moore #Rose x Dimitri #Dimitri x Rose #Romitri #Romitri Meta

92 notes · View notes

starseneyes · 2 years

Text

Romitri - Rose / Dimitri - Vampire Academy - Season 1 - Ep 6

This is a Meta. So, I’m going through the episode just like you, but inserting my thoughts and possible interpretations of what’s happening with Rose and Dimitri in Vampire Academy, S1 Ep6.

This is what happens when you’re an actress AND a writer, and you have a thing for relationships in shows!

I thought I was going to hold off on posting this until I got through episode 10, but episode 6 is too juicy (yeah, it is!) to wait.

You can read Part I of my Romitri Meta for Episodes 1-5 Here.

So, let’s not call this Part II. It’s more like Part 1 1/2. Yes, I’ll make a Master Post with all of these later. For now, I had to do this write-up and it could not wait to be posted.

SPOILER ALERT: I will spoil the entirety of Season 1 up to this point, here. So, if you haven’t already watched the episodes, beware!

Molnija

The Molnija Ceremony

The episode opens with pomp, circumstance, tradition, and expectations. When Rose sees Dimitri, we assume this is the first time they’ve seen one another since his confession in the Novice barracks.

Rose walks into the ceremony on edge. Mikhail was her friend. This isn’t the killing of a random Strigoi. He was family. And now she’s lost her one person who always had her back in the leadership side of the Guardians.

Think about it... In the Pilot, it was Mikhail who knocked boots with her at the party. Mikhail was the one to talk to her before her Tribunal. Mikhail was the one who told her to show the other Guardians that she was not measured by her mother.

And he’s gone.

Side Note: Yes, I know this is a Romitri meta... I’m getting there!

Rose is now in a room full of Guardians who are authority figures. Her friend is gone.

But her eyes land on Dimitri. They plead with him to see her, to give her some reassurance. But he looks away.

WHY!?

This is the man who just last episode crossed into her barracks to tell her that he was distracted from his duty by thoughts of her.

But then the cold shower of Mason appeared. And whether or not he heard any of Mason’s words, it was a proverbial cold shower.

Dimitri has followed a world of logic and rule his whole life. He leans into duty to give him structure. And after that slip up of emotion, he’s bottling everything back up and pushing it down. He needs to do his duty.

He looks past Rose. He’s directing her to what she needs to do—to follow her duty. But it’s not what she needs.

She needs someone to absolve her of her guilt. She needs someone to be there for her and care about her. She needs someone who sees her and not a Guardian.

But Dimitri’s trying hard to push aside what he feels, to push it down, to pretend that little moment of weakness never happened.

But as Rose flees the ceremony, we see that underneath he’s still just as tied to her as ever. In the structure of the ceremony, he could keep it under control. But as soon as she broke from ceremony, he was ready to join her.

But Alberta’s eyes find him, and he resettles in his footing, looking away.

SIDE NOTE: I don’t think Alberta wanted to punish him. Think about the last episode... Dimitri was told to stand down. Alberta said Dimitri would do as he was told.

But he didn’t. He ran off against orders, abandoned his charge (who then got into trouble without her Guardian), and he was comforting Rose after she staked her fist Strigoi.... Mikhail.

Dimitri has already broken so many of his precious rules, but the only person to know that is Alberta. The other Guardians with her when she arrived at the ruins have no idea what she ordered him to do because the last time they were all together, they were ordered out of the room so Victor could speak with Alberta and Dimitri alone.

Alberta knows how Dimitri feels about Rose. She knows he broke rank. She knows he was comforting her in a way that a Senior Guardian shouldn’t comfort a Novice. “We don’t coddle our own”.

So when she looks at him at the Moljina ceremony, I see the warning of a protector, not the judging eye of a superior. She’s telling him he’s being obvious and to get his *ss back in line.

Which he does... reluctantly.

Now, I’m not saying that Dimitri is aware of all these levels and layers. But, I see them.

“Who’s Head Command?” “I am.”

I get the impression these two have been avoiding one another. Dimitri is distancing himself to try to regain some of his control. Rose is avoiding him because she looked for comfort at the Ceremony and he offered her none. So, now she doesn’t know what to think of him, and she doesn’t have time to deal with that right now.

But, of course, fate has other ideas.

We know the Dimitri was tracking her. Why else would he be right there? But, it’s also so indicative of where he is... trying to keep his distance, but still keep an eye on her, still protect her. He’s trying to toe the edges of Duty without going over.

And her face when she sees him. She swallows. She freezes. Her open mouth shuts this time in his presence. Trying to go off-book with Dimitri in charge is going to be tough... and there’s the whole elephant in the room of him being literally driven to distraction by her existence. And them never discussing it, again, and him being cold to her (from her perspective) at the ceremony.

Sh*t. She did not want to have to face this at the same time as Mikhail’s family.

And his face. Oh, this poor boy is so whipped. And he’s not looking forward to this, either. He already knows that he needs to collect Mikhail’s sister on this trip, and he knows how raw Rose is at the moment.

And he’s been trying so hard to avoid her. But now they’re going to be alone. On a mission. With no watching eyes.

To borrow an expression from Rose: Fuck.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

He’s giving her an out. This Duty is ugly... relocating non-royals from their homes. But here, as he asks, she lets him in on her real motivation for joining this mission.

“I can’t sleep.”

The words hit Dimitri. Because, try as he might to pretend he doesn’t, he cares.

“I keep seeing him... Mikhail. So I thought if I come here and see his sister, Sasha, and their father, to ask their forgiveness... maybe it would make my dreams a little better.”

I find this staging fascinating... because she’s pointed away from him, while he’s turned his head to face her. And yet, she’s still opening up to him in a way she hasn’t anyone else. She can still talk to him in a way she can’t anyone else, even when she has no idea where they stand in the midst of the confusion.

She finally looks over to face him at the end. He looks back at her.

There’s a charge.

Because all he wants to do is help her, to comfort her, to be there for her. But he’s trying so hard to keep everything under wraps.

She turns in a little further to him as she feels that charge, questioning him, giving him an opportunity to say something.

But he turns away.

Why does he turn away? So many reasons. So many. But most of all, he’s trying to be there for her in the ways that are appropriate (or that he can convince himself are appropriate) without crossing the line. He’s trying so hard to stay on the line of Duty.

No more slipping.

But, in his rigidity, he’s missing what it’s doing to Rose. He thought he could put the distance back and they’d be fine.

But the distance was never meant to be there.

They work better as a team, as a yin and yang pulling out the different parts of one another until they swirl and meet in the middle. And as he’s busy shutting down, he doesn’t realize that Rose is slowly shutting him out.

She gets out of the car and he nods to himself. Yup. This is going to f*cking suck.

Dimitri Tries to Control His Temper

I know a lot of people see this as hot and no disrespect to that... but as someone who was raised by a parent with a temper and now has to control her own... I can relate to him. It’s so hard to keep it under wraps and under control when things are decidedly not going your way, and there’s nobody else to deal with this, so you have no bloody choice but to calm down and keep moving.

He’s taking his moment to calm down when Rose appears.

Of f*cking course.

He rolls his eyes and squares his jaw. He’s already pissed and trying to keep it cool, and here comes Rose to challenge everything... as usual.

He turns to face her, arms still crossed, completely bottled up and trying to maintain control of his temper.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” “I knew you wouldn’t like it.” “You’re damn right!”

He does know her. It hasn’t taken long, but he’s very aware of her fire, passion, determination, and unavoidable stubbornness. She starts to go off on him, as he expected she would.

But he didn’t expect her to double over in sudden agony.

“Rose. What’s wrong?”

Everything shifts.

Dimitri can keep it together and stay in his “Duty Box” until the moment she veers off-course. His arms uncross faster than you can say, “Something’s wrong with Rose” and he’s grabbing ahold of her. His eyes look to her, searching for a sign that she’s okay, full of concern.

The man even gulps as he tries to hold her upright, searching for the cause of her sudden pain.

“Rose”

When Dimitri comes to tell Rose that Lissa is okay, her positioning is so fascinating to me. She’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, her view partially blocked by a curtain.

In all actuality, the curtain might have been a strategic choice to not have to show/light/populate a portion of the set. Easier to let us imagine what’s on the other side than actually see it.

But in the camera’s lens, it clearly shows Rose on the edge of something she believes she’ll never have—a loving family.

“Guardian HQ says Lissa is fine.” “I know.”

He thinks he’s bringing her some comfort—something that falls along the lines of accepted ways to do something for her without crossing the Duty line—but she’s nonplussed. She already knew.

And that raises questions for him. But, he’s not going to ask them, now. His mind is back on the task, on what they need to do, on taking Sasha in and getting the stragglers out of there.

“I’m not going anywhere. And neither are they.”

Watch. His. Face.

Another eyeroll. Another clenched jaw. It’s not unexpected, but he was kinda hoping to get through this without Rose throwing out the rule book.

He turns back to her.

“We’re risking lives if we stay.”

Translation: I’m not leaving without you. I already know you’re made up your mind. I’m trying to get you to see reason.

“You don’t want to talk to me anymore, fine.”

OOoooh, burn. Because, if we’re honest, he’s not done a lot of talking to her this episode. He’s trying not to say too much, not to give away too much, to shove everything back inside and pretend he never said anything.

And she’s calling him on it.

“Do your duty. Be the good soldier. But I’m done following the orders of people who don’t put me first.”

It’s not a personal attack, this one. She means in general. Her own bloody leader, Alberta, put all of them in danger with the Strigoi attack. It’s apparent, to her, that the safety of Guardians doesn’t matter, and that they get the short end of everything in life.

Rose has already told Dimitri that she wants more than just to be a Guardian. And she also told him she was questioning if she wanted to do it anymore after Mikhail’s death.

She’s talking about the tendency for orders to not care about people like her.

But it strikes a different cord in Dimitri.

His eyes narrow. He huffs out an annoyed chuckle. It reminds me of their conversation outside the bar. He goes to that place inside of what he wants versus what he thinks he can have. And it hurts.

“Of course I want to put you first, but I can’t.”

Talk about double meanings, here. Yes, he means in terms of the missions and what they need to do. But the Chain of Command is clear, and staying in line with Duty is paramount.

But there’s also the underlying truth that he wants to put her first in all things... in ways he shouldn’t.

“Guardians follow orders, Rose, or the system crumbles.” “The system is broken.”

This is them in a nutshell. Dimitri is trying desperately to maintain order by sticking to what he knows with a tenacity that rivals obsession.

And Rose is an up-and-coming Guardian who sees the cracks in society, and wants to make life better for all, even if she has no idea how to do it.

But this is their dance they’ve been doing all season—Rose closer to the edge of chaos, Dimitri closer to the edge of rote ritualistic obedience. And in this story they drift ever closer to one another...

“I know too much about my father.”

That little knowing nod breaks my heart. It’s slight, but it’s there. You understand instantly that he was abusive. You know more about Dimitri’s childhood in seven words than we’ve learned up to this point.

“I want to be nothing like him. With no rules, I’m afraid I would be. I have to follow orders.” “I don’t.”

This is a powerful exchange. She’s obviously touched by what he’s said, but she’s still on her stubborn crusade.

“And if you don’t like it, you can take me in right alongside Sasha.”

This is a turning point.

It might not seem like it, but as Dimitri looks seemingly from the stone wall to Rose (talk about being between a rock and a hard place), he has to consider that possibility. He knows that Rose is going to follow her own path, here. He knows that he can’t talk her out of it. He can’t control her.

All he can control is how he reacts... what he does next.

We won’t see him again until the perimeter fires burn outside, but in that time I imagine he’s done a lot of thinking. He kept thinking he could be there for Rose without overstepping Duty, that he could somehow have it both—be there for her without overstepping.

But in this conversation, he’s realized that she is shutting him out on all levels because she thinks he doesn’t care. Pretending not to care isn’t helping. It’s wedging them apart, and he can finally see that.

Rose is hurting, and all he’s doing is adding to her pain.

“The perimeter fires were a good idea.”

She stands there, feeling like she’s doing something to help Mikhail’s family by taking Sasha’s watch for the night. Her arms are crossed in one of Dimitri’s favorite positions.

He’s complimenting her. Trying to start the conversation off on a good foot, despite how the last one went. Rose, though, is still on the defensive. Her walls are back up where he’s concerned.

Yes, she thought about lowering them after his little confession of distraction, but after his actions of this week, she’s not sure he meant them. Remember, Rose has been played. Rose has been manipulated. Rose has not be selflessly loved.

So instead of thanking him for his compliment, she’s biting back.

“Shouldn’t you be keeping a careful eye on Sasha.”

He rolls his eyes, again. But this time he’s not upset. He’s more annoyed that he came out here to talk to her, to support her, but he’s met with disdain.

“Yes. But maybe...”

He short-circuits. He switches gear.

“You need this fight, Rose. I know you’re hurting.”

And she looks away. Feelings. She rarely talks about them, anyway, and the two times she reached out to him lately (during the Ceremony and then in the car), he’s been completely unavailable. He’s shut her down, looked away, given her nothing. She doesn’t want to talk feelings with him right now.

But he needs her to hear him. He’s made a very important decision since their last conversation. And tough as it is, he’s realized he can’t go back. He can’t take back his confession. He can’t bottle it back up.

It’s all or nothing.

He leans closer to her eyeline, trying to grab her attention.

“And I’d do anything to make it stop.”

The words do it. Rose looks up to him in surprise. Her lips part.

This is a promise. This is a declaration. This is an affirmation.

Remember, it’s still just words to Rose. She needs action. That’s how she communicates and how she experiences the world. But, these are important words for him.

She looks into his eyes for confirmation that he’s not backing down this time, that he really means it, that he’s not going to bait-and-switch her. He looks back down, letting her see his truth in the raw.

Flickering light illuminates them as they look at one another, the fiery flames fanning the fire within them.

“Thank you.”

The words tumble out of Rose’s mouth. She doesn’t know what else to say. When it comes to others, she can give grand speeches. But when it comes to herself, words often fail her.

He nods to her. It’s barely a nod, but it’s there. This is a promise. He means it. He’d do anything to stop her pain.

“They’re here.”

When Rose doubles over this time, Dimitri supports her, but doesn’t ask questions. He waits for her to straighten, but the question rests on his brow. He’s concerned. He’s worried.

Fighting the Strigois

The fight is objectively hot. Rose and Dimitri fighting back-to-back, Dimitri aware Rose needs help when he’s fighting his own bloody Strigoi and kicking hers off her, the way he looks up at the end of the staking to see if she’s alright.

But, can we talk abut Dimitri’s magic foot? That’s the THIRD Stirgoi he’s yeeted off of Rose with that foot! I hereby decree it shall henceforth be known as Dimitri’s Magic Foot.

“Where’s Sasha?”

He. Knows. Her.

He doesn’t have to ask if she had anything to do with it, or question that Rose knows something.

And can we talk about the positioning? He’s taken a step up the stairs, leaning down on the railing, practically whispering in her ear. He’s more comfortable invading her space than before.

Yes, they don’t want the world to hear their conversation, but Dimitri is definitely getting cozier with being closer to Rose after last night’s promise and fight.

“What did you do?” “I told her to run.”

She takes a step away, to put distance between them. She knows he isn’t going to like this. She knows he’s going to be angry. But she doesn’t regret doing what she thinks is right.

Their conversation last night doesn’t matter. Yes, those were words. Nice words. But still just words.

He spins her back to face him, letting her know this conversation is not over.

“For fuck’s sake, Rose. Now she’s AWOL. Do you have any idea what they’ll do to her if they find her? What they’ll do to you if they find out that you helped?”

He looks away talking about Sasha, but he looks back to Rose when talking about her.

“I’m not sorry.” “You never are.”

This is one point that really gets under his skin. It’s something that tosses him back to his Novice views of her. She’s so bloody stubborn.

Doesn’t mean that she’s wrong.

And that’s something Dimitri starts to realize.

“We risk our lives to keep lowly little shits like that alive. Sasha should be punished for speaking the truth or wanting something for herself. She deserves better. We all do.”

That last line strikes him the hardest.

Does he? Does he really deserve something that he wants?

His head whips away from her. He adjusts away from her. He’s trying to pull it back.

But last night he said he’d do anything to stop her pain. He meant it.

But how far will he go?

“Sir, if I may-” “No, you may not, Novice.”

Watch her mouth close. Watch her snap into what she’s supposed to do, how she’s supposed to act. He called her out. He dressed her down. She has no choice but to be silent.

And watch how she tries not to react to Dimitri’s next words.

“I apologize for the late debrief. Guardian Tanner died doing her duty in a Strigoi attack.”

He stands with his hands folded in front of him, his typical pose when in Guardian mode. He speaks in measured tones. His words are familiar in pattern and form.

But they’re false.

Rose tries not to respond, not to react, but holy shit, is this really happening?

“You can pay your respects at the funeral pyre.”

He gets through it. He and Rose salute and watch as the Guardian proceeds to pay his respects to the burning corpse of Mikhail’s father.

Once he’s out of earshot, Rose turns to face Dimitri, looking for the ulterior motive, for the catch, to find out what he wants in exchange.

But he can’t speak. He can’t say it. And in his silence—that sharp but shuddering inhale—she finds the answer.

He’s choosing her.

It’s an action. It’s so much more than words. Dimitri just stepped so far outside of the lines to protect Rose. To protect her.

He put her first.

And much as she has always wanted that, this is the first time she’s face-to-face with someone who has actually done it.

But she knows him. He’s keeping it together. He’s trying to stay on task. So, instead of saying anything else, she changes gear, saying that they should get going.

She’s giving him back his control.

But... He has another idea.

Dimitri. Rose. A Molnija. And a F*cking Ice Cube.

Rose pulls her hair from her neck to give Dimitri a clear space for the mark. She sits at the desk, her turtleneck discarded, but her jacket draped off her shoulder, zipped up enough to keep her from showing the entire show to Dimitri.

But, let’s be honest, he doesn’t even need that at this point to be in too deep.

He works on the mark itself. He’s making the mark on her... from that night together fighting a Strigoi. Painful as it is, this mark ties her, Mikhail, and Dimitri together forever. She’s honoring her friend.

And instead of a big ceremony with everyone watching while she tries not to hyperventilate, it’s just her and Dimitri... like it was that night she earned this mark.

He blows on her neck to try to alleviate her pain. Her breathing changes as her eyes close, sinking into the feeling of his breath on her skin. He looks to her, noting her reaction. He’s savoring it.

He knows he could stop, that he could take a step back from this moment. But, Dimitri isn’t running from Rose today. If anything, he’s running toward her. He blows on her neck, again, watching her eyes close in pleasure, noting the change in her breathing.

Everything in him is charged, the ache of desire he’d buried for her shifting through him with renewed vigor. He’s not going to stop unless she asks him to.

And we all know she doesn’t want him to stop.

He reaches for the ice cubes and places one on her Molnija mark, a trick to bring down the swelling. But he can’t help himself. He trails down her spine, exploring as he gauges her reaction, the desire in her rising to meet the swelling want in him.

But Rose Hathaway isn’t one to passively react. Rose Hathaway follows through.

She can’t take anymore. She has to touch him. To kiss him. To return some of the pleasure he’s given and receive more for herself.

Rose looks up at him, lips parted, eyes seeking. Do you know what you’re doing to me!? Oh, honey. He knows. He definitely knows.

As she stands, she keeps her eyes locked on his, locked on him. He’s her destination and now it’s his turn to say “stop”.

But we all know he doesn’t want her to stop.

He straightens to make space for her—but he doesn’t step back. He doesn’t want to step back anymore. That didn’t work. The only way through this is forward.

Once she’s standing, her eyes wander from his lips to his eyes and back again. He joins her in the dance as they inch ever closer. The air around them crackles with energy as their auras meet and mingle, ignited by the fire within.

Her body sways to an invisible song that he’s already been playing on her body. She’s aching for the crescendo.

She’s been driven insane by him. First, he puts her first by protecting her. Then, she has to deal with his breath on her body, his fingers on her skin, that ice cube down her back. Everything within her is bursting with desire and there’s no distance close enough for her.

She wants it all.

Dimitri is barely contained. It’s taking every ounce of his control to not be the first one to make a move. But, honestly, Dimitri, honey... the ice cube!? That was all you. You knew what you were doing. You were trying to drive her mad and savoring every second of it.

But Rose Hathaway isn’t one to sit demurely while on the brink of pleasure. No, she goes after it.

And he wants it.

Dimitri watches her, not moving forward himself, but not stopping her. The vein on his neck pops with the strain of restraining himself from touching her, kissing her, enveloping her in his arms. He’s on the last threads of the cord of control, and he knows it.

But he’s ready to let go.

Rose and Dimitri finally stop their dance and commit to the motions—eyes connecting. They look to one another’s lips in concert, the gap between them near nonexistent. As her nose settles against his, she closes her eyes. His skin touches hers and his eyes close last—at peace.

That’s what drives me mad about that moment. Dimitri is no longer in conflict with himself over Duty vs Love... at least not in this moment. As he closes his eyes, there’s no trepidation. No worry. No anxiety.

He’s releasing completely into living this moment with Rose.

The world blurs, and when it finds itself again, Rose and Dimitri are devouring one another. There’s no holding back. His hands touch her face, her chin. Her hands pull him closer before she threads her fingers into his hair, wanting to pull him completely into her.

Lips meet with abandon, Dimitri’s tongue daring to seek hers as their bodies press closer and closer.

It’s not close enough.

Rose wraps her arms around his neck and shoulders and he matches her movement instinctively, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. Everything with them screams for one another, simultaneously releasing into this moment and aching for the next.

He can taste her for the first time, and it’s everything he was too afraid to imagine. His thirst is now insatiable—forever marked by Rose and the taste of her tongue on his.

Rose sinks into his longing and love, no longer doubting his words. He showed her with his actions that he was putting her first against everything within him. And that’s a man to whom she can give all of herself. All he has to do is ask.

They can’t let go... and they can’t go back. No matter how the rest of the season turns out for these two, this is a point of no return that will mark their future. No more doubts. No more fear. No more pretending. No more avoiding.

Rose and Dimitri find themselves alone... and they’re not wasting another minute.

Side Note: When all we had were guesses about the context, I, too, was wondering why Rose chose to practically undress for the Molnija mark. Seeing her in the turtleneck helped explain it, but I still bloody believe it was strategic because nobody could blame Dimitri for being able to resist Rose Hathaway in that condition...

As if he had any chances of resisting her at all!

Side Note #2: This is my favorite episode thus far not just for the Romitri, but for everything else. I loved the movement on Mermia. I thought the Christian/Mia friendship was something I never knew I needed, but I totally do, now. And Adrian is a GEM. I see why so many book lovers adore him. He has amazing chemistry (not necessarily ship-jumping here, folks, just talking great chemistry) with Lissa.

As always, thanks for reading. I’ll likely do episodes 7-10 as a batch... but we shall see. Have a great day!

#romitri #Dimitri Belikov #Rose x Dimitri #dimitri x rose #Rose Hathaway #Vampire Academy #Meta #Molnija #Sexy Ice Cube #Did I Mention Sexy Ice Cube #Don't Forget the Sexy Ice Cube

65 notes · View notes