italy ♔ a promise lives within you now

[romanticidal]

♬ mia per sempre - josh groban

WHO || Rafael, Buffy [Closed]
WHAT || After months apart, Rafael and Buffy celebrate the end of his tour with a private trip to Italy
WHERE || Italy
WHEN || /truck drives by, blaring horn
HOW || Actionspam.

It hasn't been an easy few months, but then again, it hasn't been an easy few years. Following the night of the Grammy's, Rafael's returned to his tour, aspiring to use his concerts as a chance to try and warn people of the dangers inherent in listening to Blade and company's music, even at the risk of looking like a crazy person. It wouldn't be the first time the world thought it, alright. Meanwhile, Buffy's been dealing with the fallout of what the Mind Master did to Finnick, and by extension, Myri, trying to be there for her friend in every way she can.  It would be easier for both of them if they had each other to lean on through it all, but they had to rely instead on numerous phone calls and memories of one night that finally offered them both some hope just when everything had started to seem more impossible than ever.

They also had the promise of this to look forward to: a planned trip to Italy that Rafael insisted be just the two of them, once he was finally free again.  He's arranged to meet her at the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa, and when she gets out, there's some Italian chauffeur guys holding a sign that says "Summers".  

Comments

[romanticidal]

Nonsense. They knew I was surprising you. How could they expect anything? [ he pulls up in front of the modest villa, putting the car in park, and then reaches over to take the rose from her and tuck it behind her ear with a wink. ] Plus, I already brought them presents enough.

[slay]

[ She stills as he takes the rose from her, softening as he slips it behind her ear. For a moment, she melts, a breathless longing in her eyes as she gets swept up in the moment. A fragile sort of hope lights in her smile, like she's still accepting that this closeness of theirs is real.

And then she runs it by blurting out a flat question as it finally sinks in, ] You told me them about me?

[ A beat later, she blinks, realizing that may be the dumbest question she's ever asked. ]

I mean, of course you told them about me. [ He's bringing her to their house. This is only a surprise for exactly one person. ] Sorry. What did you tell them about me? [ Is that a thing that people ask because she's asking. Secret organization problems. ]

[romanticidal]

That you are someone who is very, very important to me. [ he flashes her a slightly enigmatic grin, but then throws his door open b/c a striking, willowy elf is stepping out of the door, placing one hand on the column there as she watches him get out. after a few seconds, a wide, fond smile splits across her beautiful countenance, and moments later two children come racing out the archway past her, making a beeline for rafael's knees. one is a small blonde girl whose hair is tucked behind her pointed ears, and the other is a dark haired little kiddo both of whom are excitedly shouting "Rafael! Rafael!" his smile grows even wider when he sees them, and he reaches down to scoop up the boy with one arm (str 16), while the girl attaches herself to his leg, pressing her face there. his words are teasing as he tells them: ] I was afraid you might have forgotten me. [ they both burst into a string of protestations in italian that are adorable. ]

[slay]

[ For almost three years, she's fought at his side. Three years thinking that when he's whipping around, pistols ready, he might just be the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. All lethal grace and precision.

But when he pushes the car door open, all sunshine and ease, laughing with Nell's exuberant children, she might as well be seeing him for the first time. She opens her car door too, stepping out less smoothly, taking more time with it, awed to see him so unburdened. Like this, she sees peace in him like never before, sees the man he was before grief turned him into the man he's become. And maybe for a moment, she sees a future where he can be both.

The passenger closes with a click and she blinks out of her reverie, awe shifting to a warm (if somewhat awkward) smile. He's all familiarity, at home, but she's walking in a stranger, however welcome. She steps around to the front of the car, hands clasped in front of her. Buffy glances away from the children to their mother in the doorway, and for a moment, she's stunned by her beauty too. Elves, man.

Slowly, she approaches, deciding it's probably better to introduce herself to mom before encroaching on her children. She reaches out one hand. ] Hi. You must be Nellethiel. [ She quickly explains, ] I'm Buffy.

1/2

[elfiest]

[ she affixes her inhumanly clear blue eyes on buffy, smiling gently as she reaches out to take her hand with all the same grace that she seems to move with otherwise. ]

Le nathlam hí, Buffy. [ she translates immediately afterward, with an equally soft smile. ] You are welcome here.

[romanticidal]

[ meanwhile, rafael carries the little boy up to them, with the girl literally bouncing after him. ] I want you both to meet someone very special to me. Buffy, this is Pietro Rafael. [ he reaches down to ruffle one hand through the little girl's hair ] And Giulia Isabella.

[slay]

And I'm grateful to be ... nathlam'd. [ She gives a nod with only faint awkwardness, struggling over the language wheN SHE JUST STARTED TRYING TO get around to Italian oh my god. But at least she's trying.

The sound of Rafael's voice has her glancing behind her, and she lights up as he introduces the children. She offers Pietro a smile, then crouches to Giulia's level. ]

Hi there. [ There's caution in how she approaches them like hoW DO I CHILDREN, but despite the care she takes, she handles herself all right (cha 20 total). ] If it's okay with you, I'd really like to spend some time with you guys over the next couple days. Get to know the lucky kids who are named after two of the bravest people I know. [ She shifts her gaze upward, first glancing at Pietro so he knows he's included even though she's at Giulia's height, but then to Rafael because. Well, because. ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael catches her eye, and there's a ~moment~ where his eyes soften, her words sinking in and clearly touching him. the children seem a little shy, giulia clinging to rafael's leg again as she hides her face halfway behind it, staring out at buffy with wide eyes, and then looking up at him and her mom, as if for affirmation. pietro says in a precious little rehearsed way: "Hello, Miss Buffy", his words heavily accented, but clearly something he's proud of. rafael grins at him and says: ] Where is that father of yours? It must almost be time to eat, no? [ giulia reaches up to grab his free hand with hers, tugging on it, and he leans down so she can whisper something to him. ] Ahhh, of course. But he will be here soon.

[slay]

[ While Rafael engages Giulia, Buffy smiles up at Pietro (wis 12 to observe his pride!). ] Your English is very good. [ She straightens to stand, then turns back to look between Rafael and Nell. ] Did somebody mention food? [ Because let's be honest. Priorities. ]

[elfiest]

I hope you like angel hair with feta. [ she moves away from the column to gesture them ahead inside ] Giorgio is finishing up some work in the fields, but his stomach won't let him be late, don't worry.

[slay]

Sounds like my kinda guy.

[ Buffy smiles and turns to head inside, glancing up and around to get an impression of the interior as she does (spot 27). ]

[elfiest]

[ all the windows are open, the doorways wide arches leading in and out of different rooms that provide the home with a spacious, sunny feeling. every way you turn, you can see out across the countryside, and while there's not much in the way of lavish decoration, what is there is well-kept, cared for, and appears handmade. cupboards and cabinets are carved in gorgeous patterns, the sort of craftmanship that has to come direct from the elves. flowers spill out of vases in almost every room, and the entire place is homey and inviting. and smells of homemade italian pasta. ] I hope your flight went well. You came from England, yes? [ she glances at rafael, as if to confirm what he told her ] I've never been to England.

[slay]

Yeah. [ She trails off slightly, distracted by the ethereal warmth of the villa as she steps inside. Quaint seems too patronizing a word, but the impression of home is immediate in a way that can't be quantified. ] Yeah, I'm just about an hour outside of London. [ She glances back at Nell, smiling. ] If you ever want to come visit, I could show you around. It's ... [ She tips her head in thought. ] Well, slightly less rainy in the springtime. Definitely not like this. [ She gestures around to indicate Tuscany like hot damn. ]

[romanticidal]

[ buffy's offer brings a warm smile to raf's face, but before nell can respond, pietro looks over rafael's shoulder out the window and yells: "Babbo! Babbo!" giulia grins widely, moving to look outside, and then racing to go stand on her tiptoes and pull down an empty blue vase with great caution.

"Per i fiori mama!" she says excitedly, and rafael moves to put pietro down, so that he can run to look out and wait for giorgio too. ] He still brings you fresh flowers every day, eh? [ nell looks down with a little smile, her cheeks colored with nothing less than the flush of love, before nodding. ]

[slay]

Giorgio brought you all of these?

[ Goddamn. She looks around, taking a moment to appreciate them on a deeper level now. She stills while examining one of the bouquets, reaching up as she becomes consciously aware of the rose tucked behind her ear. She masks the move by adjusting the tuck of her hair there, then drops her hand and looks up at them both with a distracted smile. ]

How long have you two been married?

1/2

[elfiest]

Fourteen years, as of January. [ if rafael notices buffy drawing a connection there, he doesn't show it. nell, on the other hand, looks up at the rose with a private little smile, before turning her eyes back to the door as well. ] And yes, these are all him.

[viticulturist]

[ her very human husband makes his way in, the children running up to attack him next although rafael is quick to airlift the vase out of giulia's hands before she drops it in her excitement. giorgio chuckles at their enthusiasm, looking past at the others, even as he crouches down in front of them ] Well, well. Who do we have here today, hmm? [ he thrusts forward a bouquet of fresh picked flowers boasting a riot of colors, and giulia takes them, inhaling them with her face pressed hilariously far into them, before turning around to excitedly present them to rafael, who fills up the vase for her and then lets her delicately put them in.

she scampers to her mother, water sloshing out the sides. "Mama, mama!" ]

[slay]

[ Giulia's excitement draws an endeared little laugh out of Buffy. ] Careful. [ She chimes in softly otherwise content to just observe. She steps around Giulia to extend a hand to Giorgio. ] I'm Buffy. I'm— [ She cuts a look over at Rafael as she settles on her explanation. ] A friend of Rafael's. He's told me so much about you. [ Now. In the car ride over. And it was mostly about your wife. ]

1/2

[viticulturist]

He did, did he? [ he sounds very amused, as he gives her a very firm, solid handshake ] Well, now I'm concerned. [ he reaches down to hoist pietro up and onto his shoulders, and the boy lets out a shriek of delight ] But any friend of Rafael's is a friend of ours.

[romanticidal]

I left out the most sordid of details, do not worry. [ the teasing banter seems to happen naturally between them, and nell moves to lead them into the dining room, where she sets the new vase right in the middle. rafael follows after, lighting one hand briefly at the small of buffy's back to indicate for her to come too. ]

[slay]

I can admit when there are some things I'm better off not knowing about. [ She follows Rafael's lead, sticking close to his side instinctually after that. But she makes an effort to keep herself at ease in a direct, stubborn resistance against her nervousness. ] Frat parties, for instance, or most of the 80s. [ She interrupts herself to note, more seriously, as the vase is set down: ] You have a beautiful home.

[viticulturist]

That's very kind of you. I tend to think so, but then again, it's home to the most beautiful woman in the world, so we've already got that leg up on our competition. [ he throws nell a grin and she gives him a little smirk, shaking her head as she moves past him to the kitchen to start bringing out the food. the kids clamber up into seats, giulia patting the one next to her and pleading for rafael to sit there. he gives buffy a look like what can ya do and takes a seat there, while giorgio sits on the end of the table. ] I don't know about you, but I am famished.

[slay]

[ Giulia's excitement draws a warm look out of Buffy, and she instead settles into the chair beside Pietro, across from Rafael. Rather rigid in her seat to avoid propping her elbows on the table out of some remaining desperation to make a good, respectable impression, she keeps her back pressed to the wooden back of the chair. That same nervousness keeps her quiet, though she wears a pleasant smile. ]

1/-

[viticulturist]

So... Grammy winner, huh? [ giorgio raises one eyebrow at rafael, the words both proud and poking fun at the same time ] Do we need to set a chair for that shiny award of yours too?

2/-

[romanticidal]

Keep that up, and maybe we will need another chair for my ego, si? [ he teases right back, winking over at giulia, who grins at him with a few missing teeth, laughing without really getting the joke ]