I'm in love (with a killer) - Chapter 2

[clairelutra]

Preface

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

F/F

Fandom:

Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy & Related Fandoms

Relationship:

Rose Hathaway/Sydney Sage

Character:

Rose Hathaway, Sydney Sage

Additional Tags:

Meet-Cute, First Meetings, Femslash, Love at First Sight, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, For Want of a Nail, Slightly, rose inherited zmey's fashion sense, Somehow

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2015-04-09 Completed: 2015-06-17 Words: 2,468 Chapters: 2/2

I'm in love (with a killer)

by clairelutra

Chapter 2: Not-Date

Summary

Sydney was tired, hungry, and sick to death of dealing with vampires. If what Pirate Fashionista wanted was half as ridiculous as her general existence seemed to be, Sydney was turning around and leaving, job be damned.

or That One Where Zmey Raised Rose: The Femslash Edition. AU. Rose/Sydney. Hard T.

Chapter Notes

i was looking through my stuff for a different project and found this and decided it was complete enough to post on it's own.

"I hope you weren't waiting long," Sydney said as she didn't slide so much as collapse into the booth across from Rose.

Rose eyed the bags below her eyes and said, "Don't you know I'd wait till the end of time for you, lovely?" She folded her arms on the table and pushed her chest forward, smiling winsomely and perhaps more seriously than she intended, because Sydney just blinked at her, oddly vulnerable. Combined with the air of defeat that hung over her like a heavy cloud, the affect was devastating.

Rose just wanted to make her smile. Make her sleep and eat and wrap her up in the softest blankets money could buy. Wanted to wake up next to her so she could convince her to stay in bed just five more minutes, and maybe make that look of exhaustion fade into one of contentment. Just…

Sydney cleared her throat and broke their staring match, and held up her menu like a shield. Her ears, Rose noticed, were a delicate shade of pink.

Rose left her to it, even though Sydney had studied that menu so thoroughly on their weekly not-dates she should have had it memorized. She looked down at her own, wistfully, because she actually needed it. The diner could probably completely overhaul their menu and Rose would never know, she was always so distracted by the girl across from her.

Sydney's foot bumped into Rose's underneath the table and Rose jumped. She imagined sitting at her kitchen table, Sydney across from her, the two of them in their pajamas, eating breakfast and playing footsie. Sydney dragging her bare toes under the arch of Rose's foot, and Rose retaliating by capturing her ankle with both feet. Sydney's eyes scrunching up with suppressed laughter and faintly pink from the innocent skinship. Rose reaching over and stroking the corner of her smiling mouth, muttering some useless excuse about there being something on her face. Sydney licking the pad of her thumb, mischief and seduction lurking in her-

"What can I get for you today?"

Rose swallowed against her dry mouth and listened to Sydney order, longing aching in the pit of her stomach. She pushed the fantasy to the back of her mind and smiled charmingly when the waiter turned to her. "Order for me," she requested of Sydney, like she just wanted to play a trust exercise, and not like she didn't have the first clue what they even served at this establishment. She might not have read the menu, but she had had lessons on how to look like you knew what you were doing in any situation.

Sydney just rolled her eyes and pointed something on the menu out to the waiter. After the nth time Rose had asked her, she wasn't really fazed by the question anymore. "You know, one of these days I'm going to assume you aren't actually reading the menu."

Rose carefully did not react. "Your lack of faith disturbs me."

Sydney snorted and mercifully changed the subject. "So have you broken any kneecaps lately?"

"A few kneecaps, a few femurs, a few ribs," Rose said, studying the pattern on her nails. The pink lily decal on her right index was in danger of chipping. She should get them all redone soon. She wondered if Sydney might like blue better than her current pink. Then inspiration flared, and she slumped theatrically to the bare table. "I wish. I'm practically a gofer. 'Rose, sort these forms,' 'Rose, fetch us coffee,' 'Rose, alphabetize these files,' 'Rose, water these plants.' My talents are wasting away."

Sydney giggled, tired and soft but real and there, and Rose's breath caught in her chest. Victory, she cheered silently.

"Your 'talents,'" Sydney said dryly, leaning over to catch Rose's eye, apparently unaware that she's had it since she'd walked in the door.

"My kneecap-breaking talents, obviously."

"Right."

Rose popped up and leaned into Sydney's personal bubble. She smelled like flowers and old sweat and too much coffee, Rose noted with a painful little twist under her breastbone. "I'm good at other stuff, too," she followed up with a salacious grin. "Wanna follow me home and see?"

Sydney snorted. "No."

Rose sighed, affecting tragic disappointment. She placed a hand over her heart and said, "Cold! Cold as ice, that is what you are, lovely." She managed to hold her pathetic expression until Sydney reached over and poked her nose, then she cracked, giggles slipping out of her throat.

Sydney slumped back in her seat, unable to suppress a smile. She now looked tired and content, rather than tired and overworked, so Rose was willing to consider this not-date a tentative win.

Afterword