--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The other problem in my life is Dimitri…" description: "\"The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who killed Natalie, and he's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay-more than good-l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/richelle-mead-46_badass_the-other-problem-in-my-life-is-dimitri_549284.jpg" --- # The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who… ![“The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who killed Natalie, and he's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay-more than good-looking. He's hot-like, the kind of hot that makes you stop walking on the street and get hit by traffic. But, like I said, he's my instructor. And…” quote by Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/richelle-mead-46_badass_the-other-problem-in-my-life-is-dimitri_549284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/richelle-mead-46_badass_the-other-problem-in-my-life-is-dimitri_549284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a7/richelle-mead-46_badass_the-other-problem-in-my-life-is-dimitri_549284.jpg) > “The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who killed Natalie, and he's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay-more than good-looking. He's hot-like, the kind of hot that makes you stop walking on the street and get hit by traffic. But, like I said, he's my instructor. And he's twenty-four. Both of those are reasons why I shouldn't have fallen for him. But, honestly, the most important reason is that he and I will be Lissa's guardian when she graduates. If he and I are checking each other out, then that means we aren't looking out for her.” [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator wrestles with forbidden attraction to a dangerous, attractive instructor, recognizing personal and professional conflicts that could endanger a dependent. **In simple terms:** Forbidden love clashes with duty and responsibility. Key Takeaway Choose duty over desire when stakes are high. Themes forbidden love duty danger responsibility Mood conflicted intense protective Type dialogue inner monologue When to use this quote - romantic tension - mentor‑student relationship - protecting a ward Key Concepts ethical dilemma power dynamics protective guardianship Questions to Reflect On - Can love ever justify compromising duty? - How to balance personal desire with responsibility? A Different Perspective Emotions can cloud judgment, risking harm to others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Badass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badass/) [Dimitri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimitri/) [Dimitri Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimitri-killed-4575971/) [Fallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallen/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guardian/) [Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly/) [Hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Instructors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instructors/) [Killed Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killed-natalie-4575973/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Dimitri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-dimitri-4575972/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Lissa Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lissa-guardian-1778112/) [Looking good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-good/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Traffic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) ## Related quotes > [The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who killed Natalie, and he's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay—more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/the-other-problem-in-my-life-is-dimitri-he-s-the-one-who-killed-2/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Dimitri: "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential—" Rose: "Wild and disrespecful? Who the hell are you anyway? Oursourced help?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dimitri-she-might-be-wild-and-disrespectful-but-if-she-has-potential/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“My heart shatters. My world shatters. you will lose what you value most. It wasn't my life or even Dimitri's life. what you value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/my-heart-shatters-my-world-shatters-you-will-lose-what-you-value-most/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Dimitri moved closer to me, his eyes sparkling with a secret. "It gets better:you're Lissa's guardian." "What?" I almost pulled away. "That's impossible. They'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dimitri-moved-closer-to-me-his-eyes-sparkling-with-a-secret-it-gets/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [...but Dimitri...well, my former lover and instructor was in a category all his own. His fighting skills were beyond anyone else's, and he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-dimitri-well-my-former-lover-and-instructor-was-in-a-category-all/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Eddie was intensely dedicated too. Adrian sometimes called him mini-Dimitri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/eddie-was-intensely-dedicated-too-adrian-sometimes-called-him-mini/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [There was nothing I loved more than teasing Dimitri. Well, aside from maybe kissing him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/there-was-nothing-i-loved-more-than-teasing-dimitri-well-aside-from/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Dimitri: "I also have a feeling your mother's going to have one ugly conversation with me." Rose: "You're about to go face down Strigoi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dimitri-i-also-have-a-feeling-your-mother-s-going-to-have-one-ugly/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Fortunately for Dimitri, I had his back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/fortunately-for-dimitri-i-had-his-back/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [You forget: I have an addictive personality. I'm addicted to you. Somehow I think you could do all sorts of bad things to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-forget-i-have-an-addictive-personality-i-m-addicted-to-you/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I lost track of day and night too. My time was divided into Dimitri and not-Dimitri. He was my world. When he wasn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-lost-track-of-day-and-night-too-my-time-was-divided-into-dimitri/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I saw endless depths of brown, the depths I'd fallen into so many times. No red rings. Dimitri...was not a Strigoi. And he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-saw-endless-depths-of-brown-the-depths-i-d-fallen-into-so-many/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“It was the same Dimitri from long ago, the fierce one who was willing to risk his life for what was right. I almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-the-same-dimitri-from-long-ago-the-fierce-one-who-was-willing/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [It had to be one of the weirdest things in the universe that Lissa had never come close to suspecting my feelings for Dimitri…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-had-to-be-one-of-the-weirdest-things-in-the-universe-that-lissa/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Yet, it had been Dimitri’s gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/yet-it-had-been-dimitri-s-gentleness-and-thoughtfulness-mixed-with/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More by Richelle Mead > [“Jerome shrugged. “We’re back to the part where I don’t give a fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/jerome-shrugged-we-re-back-to-the-part-where-i-don-t-give-a-fuck/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“A piece of heaven?" I managed to ask. He slowly shook his head. "No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-piece-of-heaven-i-managed-to-ask-he-slowly-shook-his-head-no-the/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [It was a nephilim.” “A nephi-what?” asked Hugh, startled. “Isn’t that a character on Sesame Street?” Peter spoke up for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-a-nephilim-a-nephi-what-asked-hugh-startled-isn-t-that-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-and-death-were-so-unpredictable-so-close-to-each-other-we/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I watched, enthralled, as he painted a large silver heart with flames edging one side. The whole design was Celtic in style. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-watched-enthralled-as-he-painted-a-large-silver-heart-with-flames/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I loved Aeson. You have no idea what love is.” “Oh, I do. I know that it’s the best high and the worst hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-loved-aeson-you-have-no-idea-what-love-is-oh-i-do-i-know-that-it-s/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Why would you do that? Why would you act like you didn't know how to drive?" "Isn't it obvious, Sage? No, of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-would-you-do-that-why-would-you-act-like-you-didn-t-know-how-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Everything I’d fought for, every challenge, every victory … all of it was empty if anything happened to him. Without him, I wouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/everything-i-d-fought-for-every-challenge-every-victory-all-of-it-was/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Is it true? You had a clean getaway and risked it all for me?" I Swallowed. "It wouldn't have been a clean getaway without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/is-it-true-you-had-a-clean-getaway-and-risked-it-all-for-me-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Keith was just bringing the glass to his lips when Adrian said, "Mmm. O positive, my favorite." Keith sprayed out the wine he'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/keith-was-just-bringing-the-glass-to-his-lips-when-adrian-said-mmm-o/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Life’s like that. As we grow and change, some things we’ve experienced before take on new meaning. It’ll happen for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-s-like-that-as-we-grow-and-change-some-things-we-ve-experienced/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Sydney Katherine Sage,” he said, his green eyes full of love and earnestness. “Would you do a brooding, deadbeat Moroi the honor of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/sydney-katherine-sage-he-said-his-green-eyes-full-of-love-and/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) [Explore all 2,001 Richelle Mead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More Badass quotes > [I can tell you this. 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The man fell, a crossbow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-do-not-take-orders-from-women-my-men-do-not-have-a-similar-problem/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“In Heathrow a vast chunk of memory detached itself from a blank bowl of airport sky and fell on him. He vomited into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/in-heathrow-a-vast-chunk-of-memory-detached-itself-from-a-blank-bowl/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [People are always like, Why did you and husband Carey Hart get back together? Well, we weren't done. And now we have Willow, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/people-are-always-like-why-did-you-and-husband-carey-hart-get-back/) [Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/) > [ “Daryl Dixon: \[about Merle\] Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-walking-dead/daryl-dixon-about-merle-toughest-asshole-i-ever-met-my-brother-feed/) [The Walking Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-walking-dead/) > [Honor to those who in the life they lead define and guard a Thermopylae. Never betraying what is right, consistent and just in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-p-cavafy/honor-to-those-who-in-the-life-they-lead-define-and-guard-a/) [C.P. Cavafy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-p-cavafy/) > [Derek’s like, “So . . . what do you want to do first?” “I don’t know.” “Feel like ice cream?” “It’s, like, three degrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/derek-s-like-so-what-do-you-want-to-do-first-i-don-t-know-feel-like/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) [Browse all 382 Badass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badass/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The other problem in my life is Dimitri. He's the one who killed Natalie, and he's a total badass. He's also pretty good-looking. Okay-more than good-looking. He's hot-like, the kind of hot that makes you stop walking on the street and get hit by traffic. But, like I said, he's my instructor. And he's twenty-four. Both of those are reasons why I shouldn't have fallen for him. But, honestly, the most important reason is that he and I will be Lissa's guardian when she graduates. 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