I was going to make this chapter from Dimitri's POV, but it will most likely be the next is pretty much a 'fluff' chapter, but I want to develop more of friendship between them before jumping into romance. Let me know what you think and enjoy!

Disclaimer- All characters belong to Richelle Mead.

The remainder of the art session went by so fast, I felt actual disappointment when we reached the end.

"We can finish up here today. I got lucky the first pose worked out perfectly so I shouldn't need more than a few weeks to finish the whole canvas."

I put the robe back on as Dimitri capped his paint bottles.

"Take your time to change, I'll just be in the kitchen." My muscles loosened up in relief as I finally stood up after almost two hours of lying still. I guess I should be grateful he still had me doing an easy pose where I wasn't so exposed. I may be pretty confident in my body, but I would have died of shame if he had asked me to pose with my legs wide open or on my knees.

As I got dressed, I fought the urge to take a peek at how the painting looked so far. I wanted to see how Dimitri had made me look, but I felt I'd be betraying his trust if I did. I was starting to learn how personal and important artwork was to a person so with great restraint, I left the room without as much as glancing at it.

I found Dimitri pouring himself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. My jacket was draped across one of the stools and I picked it up, intending to leave.

"Did you want to stay for a bit? I mean if you don't have anywhere to be."

I halted in putting on my jacket, looking at him in surprise. He really didn't think of me as a random model.

I bit my lip as remembered I had an appointment with Dierdre at 4. Dimitri took the look on my face for something it wasn't.

"It's fine Rose-"

"No, no I'd love to stay, I just have somewhere to be in 2 hours." Showing him I really did want to spend more time with him, I draped the jacket back onto the stool and sat down.

"You hungry?"

"Starving!" I had been so nervous this morning that I only had a piece of toast rather than pigging out like I usually did for every meal of the day. A shallow part of me also didn't want to look bloated in front of Dimitri since he would have been seeing completely naked.

Whatever he was making smelled delicious and my stomach grumbled loudly just as he put the plate down in front of me.

"What is it?"

"Black bread, it's a specialty where I'm from. I'm sorry I don't have anything else at the moment." Dimitri also put out butter and jam, along with plates for the both of us.

"No, no this looks good," I waved him off, taking multiple slices and slathering them with butter. I took a big bite and had to restrain myself from moaning. It had to be the best damn bread I had ever tasted in my life and I told him that.

"Thanks Rose. You want anything to drink, coffee, tea?"

I made a look of disgust. "I'll stick with water." He handed me another cold bottle.

Dimitri topped off his mug with more coffee and took a seat next to me. He reached for a slice of the delicious bread, eating it plain. It was so weird that just 15 minutes ago I had been spread out naked for him and here we were- quietly eating in his kitchen. I felt oddly comfortable.

I eyed the boxes sitting in the living room. "Where did you move here from?"

"Siberia."

"Damn what are you doing all the way over here?"

Dimitri chuckled over my response. "I have a cousin who lives here and I've known the principal for quite a few years so when she told me there was a job opening I took it."

"You know Alberta?"

"Yes I know Ms. Petrov,"Dimitri emphasized her proper name title, but I rolled my eyes instead. I had been sent to Alberta's office so many times since freshman year, I was on first name bases with her.

"Do you miss your family?"

He paused half way with the mug to lips and a soft look came across his face. "Everyday. This is the farthest I've ever lived away from them."

I raised my eyebrows in question and he continued.

"I lived in Moscow for a few years with my best friend. We both went to college there. I had been painting a few years prior to that, but I didn't start learning about it and actually studying it until then."

"That's what you went to school for?"

"That and literature studies. Have you applied to any colleges yet?"

I winced and shook my head.

"Don't worry, you still have a bit of time. Any idea where you want to go?"

"No, this is going to sound bad, but I didn't actually start getting serious about school until this year. I'll probably just go where Lissa does." I had mentioned her a few times to Dimitri so he had already learned that she was my best friend.

"That's not good Rose," he chastised. "What if they don't offer all of the classes for your major? What are your plans for the future?
"God, Dimitri you sound like a school counselor," I groaned, but he didn't budge.

"I don't care, this is important. Here, I'll help you, tell me something you're good at?"

I thought about it for a moment and answered in complete honesty. "Off the top of my head, I can say I'm good at hitting people."

"How about something less violent," he suggested. "You're good at drawing."

"Barely," I scoffed and turned away from him. His hand gripped the side of my seat and he turned it back in his direction. His effortless strength surprised me and I couldn't ignore the feel of his thumb brushing against the outside of my thigh. It was such a small touch that he must not have even noticed it, but I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like against my bare skin.

"I'm serious Roza. I don't ever give false praise. I was being honest when I told you that you had potential." Dimitri sounded so genuine and honest that it was hard for me to disagree with him.

"I'm not anywhere near good enough to actually go to art school though Dimitri."

"Then I'll help you," he said easily.

"What?"

"If the only thing holding you back from not wanting to pursue art in the future is you thinking you aren't good enough, then I'll help you get better."

"What if I change my mind and find something else I want to do in the future?"

"Then you'll have just become a better artist in the process," he shrugged, as if it was that easy for him to offer up his services.

I had a tendency of being selfish, but even I couldn't ask so much from him. "You're already helping me enough Dimitri."

"I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't serious about it. I love anything having to do with art and I…I enjoy teaching you." Those were some words I would've never expected a teacher to say to me. But I guess Dimitri wasn't just a teacher to me anymore. He had also become my friend, my equal.

"You must think I'm completely helpless."

"No," he cut me off, sounding completely serious. "I just think that when you care about something, you become more passionate about it. I can see that passion from you in art class."

"You noticed that about me?" I whispered.

"I notice everything about you Roza." I bit my lip at his words and Dimitri's eyes immediately darted to my mouth before looking away.

"Plus you're almost completely caught up with your work for Literature class. As soon as that's done, we can move onto art. That is of course, if you actually want my help."

"I do," I said quickly, verbally sealing the deal. I had already learned a tremendous amount from his art class alone that I was excited to see how much further I could get if Dimitri started giving me one-on-one lessons. I could also admit that I had become accustomed to our tutoring sessions, and knew I would miss the alone time we got to spend during lunch and after school. Instead of relief, I had actually been disappointed that I was almost caught up with my work, because I knew it would mean the end of our lessons.

And despite the steady growing feelings of attraction that I felt for the man in front of me, I couldn't purposely do a shitty job in school just for Dimitri to continue tutoring me.

Dimitri seemed pleased with my answer and picked up his mug again. As he took another sip of coffee, I stared at his lips and wondered what it would taste like if he kissed me. He always smelled so good- like a mix of soap, paints, and aftershave. I could imagine that unlike Jesse, Dimitri would take his time if he ever kissed me. He wouldn't rush it, instead making sure I enjoyed it more than he even did. Would he kiss me anywhere else?

The image that popped into my head was so erotic, I had to quickly look away from Dimitri in fear he would see the look of pure want on my face.

Instead, I tried to distract myself and checked my phone to see what time it was. I had a habit of being late and Dierdre's questions seemed more annoying and invasive anytime I broke her 'on time' policy.

"I'm sorry Rose, I hope I'm not keeping you from anything," Dimitri said apologetically as he noticed the action.

"No trust me it's nothing like that. I actually have therapy later today," I told him awkwardly. I had already let it slip in front of him that I saw a therapist, but it still wasn't something I was comfortable sharing with other people. But with Dimitri looking at me with such a soft and understanding look, it made me want to keep talking to him. "It's only been a few months that I've been going, but I promised my dad I would stick with it."

"And you mentioned it helps you, right?"

"It didn't in the beginning. This might be hard for you to believe, but I'm a little stubborn."

He scoffed, but a glare from me quickly shut him up.

"Anyway, I could see it was bothering my dad that I wasn't trying. Its not so bad now." And it really wasn't. If it weren't for Dierdre, I wouldn't have taken this art class. I would've eventually met Dimitri in school, but we wouldn't have the relationship we did now.

"You care a lot about your dad," he stated.

"I do, it's the just the two of us."

I saw him wanting to ask more, but I averted my gaze. The topic about my mother was a sensitive one that I didn't feel comfortable discussing, even with Dimitri. Luckily, he understood the look and switched the line of conversation away from my family. "You told me before that your therapist suggested you take my class. Were you actually forced to take it?" He asked, but the light amusement in his eyes showed me he already knew the answer to that question.

I bit my lip and nodded.

"Ouch Rose."

"No one's forcing me to be there anymore Dimitri," I told him meaningfully and hoped he understood how serious I was. My dad had promised that I could quit after a week if it wasn't something I liked. But the soothing feel that came over me as I drew, the way I learned something interesting every week, and most of all Dimitri were all the reasons I knew that agreeing to take his art class all those weeks ago was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.

I had finished all of the bread on the plate and knew I would need to get ready to leave if I wanted to be there on time. But I felt hesitant to cut my time short with Dimitri despite knowing I would see him tomorrow in school. It wouldn't be the same as it was right now.

"I should go," I mumbled.

"I'll walk you out." Dimitri stood up and picked up my jacket. I looked at him in confusion until he held it open for me for put on. He was such a gentleman.

"Thanks Dimitri."

"It's no problem. Oh before you go, your professional fee." Dimitri took an envelope out of his back pocket and presented it to me. My eyes hardened and I took a step back.

"I don't want that."

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion at my response. "I pay the models that pose in class, too Rose."

"I know, but I'm not actually a model and I don't see this as some job."

"I'm not saying you do Rose, but you still agreed to pose just like one-"

"I wanted to," I cut him off. "I wanted to do this for you. I wouldn't ever have agreed to this if anyone else had asked me. I…I like posing for you," I whispered.

Dimitri seemed stunned, his hand still outstretched towards me.

Despite having laid naked buck-naked for him just a while ago, I felt oddly exposed with the way he was looking at me.

"Are you sure Rose?"

"I'm positive. Plus, you tutor me twice a day for free, this is literally the least I can do."

Dimitri seemed to understand how serious I was about not taking the fee and put the envelope back into his pocket. We stepped out of the kitchen as he began speaking again.

"I feel like I all I have now are my words to show you my gratitude. So thank you for today Roza and I hope you understand how much you're helping me by posing for this painting."

"Well just don't make me look ugly." I half-joked, though there was a fear I had that I would come out looking badly on canvas.
There wasn't a bit of humor in Dimitri's tone as he answered me. "That's impossible Roza."

I sighed softly as I heard his serious, yet sincere compliment and the name he called me when he felt extra affectionate towards me. I loved my name on his lips. Even when he said it casually, it felt like the name was caressing my skin.

We reached the front door and I turned towards him again.

"It's going to be weird calling you Mr. Belikov in class tomorrow," I admitted.

"It'll only be for a little while. Because when we're alone…"

He trailed off and I finished for him. "You'll be Dimitri again."