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

[slay]

I'm really glad that you did. [ Though the words make it sound simple, the way she holds his gaze lets him know how meaningful it really is to her to see these parts of him. There's more than darkness, danger, and death to Rafael Giovanni--she's always known it, but it's nice to be proven right. And to know he's allowing her to see something so private. ] Thank you. [ It obviously isn't something he shares with everyone, so it means a lot that he is sharing it with her now. ]

[romanticidal]

[ his serene smile twitches higher, and then he nods towards the stable entrance, making his way in. A whinny alerts them to the presence of the horses within, along with some stamping hooves. Rafael's horse and Isabella's are visible, along with a pair of white ones, and a smaller one that is likely the grown foal they saw two years ago. Raf moves to foschia, running a hand down the horse's snout with clear affection, murmuring something conciliatory to it in Italian. ]

[slay]

[ She looks Isabella's horse over for an extra moment, a slight distracted edge to her gaze, but she moves on to approach the grown foal a moment later, cautiously extending a hand for it to sniff (Nat 20 handle animal with the dice I thought I lost that I just found in an underused purse WHERE WERE YOU FOR ALL MY CRIT FAILS). ] Look at how big you got. [ She smiles softly, realizing just how long it's been since that night in Venice. ]

[romanticidal]

He likes you very much, it seems. [ in fact, with her nat 20, the horse is like in love with her, happily nuzzling against her hand like GIVE ME PETS and also snacks if u have them. which rafael finds adorable. ] I know we said we meant to sell him, but with all that happened, we did not have time to seek a buyer. And when we sent them here to lodge, I thought he might be a good horse for Pietro to learn to ride on, until he gets his own.

We named him Valente.

[slay]

[ As the horse starts to nuzzle forward, Buffy begins to giggle, reaching out to smooth her hand over the bridge of its long nose. But she is snackless, so she just keeps the petting up with both hands, avoiding uncomfortable spots where horses hate being petted I swear I read what they are once and forgot. ]

Good way to win a kid's heart, bribing him with pony rides. [ She crinkles her nose, amused as she turns to look up at Rafael, all LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT LIKES ME excitement apparent in her eyes. ]

[romanticidal]

I am not above such underhanded methods. [ his eyes twinkle with amusement, and seeing her excitement, he moves to take a saddle off the wall ] I think we have found your ride, no?

[slay]

Or you could ride, and Valente and I could, y'know. Watch. From the ground.

[ But all the same, she steps out of the way to let Rafael bring the saddle over to Valente, resigned to her fate. And admittedly a little excited for all her nervousness. Confirmed: this was not just an underhanded method of getting her alone. ]

[romanticidal]

Since when is the great Buffy Summers afraid of anything? [ he teases as he brushes past her to secure the saddle in place, with quick, sure movements that boast considerable experience in doing so ]

[slay]

Pretty much since the time "anything" started involving mounting a living—

[ She holds her hands up. ]

Okay, even I know not to finish that sentence. [ Sometimes you just have to stop the double entendre before it starts. Or 60% of the way through. She approaches on Valente's opposite side to look the saddle over, examining Rafael's work on it cautiously. ]

[romanticidal]

You will be fine, carina. Trust me. [ he smirks at her over the horse's back, patting its flank when he finishes, and handing her the reins. ] Do you want to try to walk him outside while I get Foschia saddled?

[slay]

You ever notice how when people ask if they want to do something, it really just means "you're going to"?

[ For all her wry repartee, she takes the reins and looks pretty smiley and endeared to the horse as she starts to guide it out of the stall and then out of the barn, cooing compliments at it and continuing to pet the bridge of its nose (??? horse nose ? ? ) ]

[romanticidal]

[ she got a nat 20 ok she is the horse whisperer, and it gladly trots along with her like they're bffs 5eva while rafael finishes up over here, chuckling. ]

[slay]

[ She'll just keep lovingly guiding it outside onto the rolling grassy hills, keeping close to its side. By the time she's outside, she's no longer looking nervously back for Rafael every five seconds to make sure she's not left alone with this animal too long. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he follows out shortly after, giving foschia a scritch and leaving him standing there a moment, while he turns to buffy. ] Now, let's get you in that saddle, si?

You start on its left side... [ he moves around beside her, directing her into place ] and hold the end of the reins with your left hand like so. [ he adjusts her grip lightly wrapping his own hand over hers ] Keep them tight, so he does not move from you, but you do not wish to pull on him too hard either.

[slay]

[ Following his instructions, Buffy moves around to the horse's left side, letting him guide her hand to pull the reins taut. She takes his lead well, surprisingly able to evade distraction by his closeness. Briefly, she flusters over his hand covering hers, and glances back up at him, but she lets the butterflies flutter on through and gets back on with the horse stuff. She's apparently ??? very dedicated ? ? ?? ride 24 ?? ? ] Got it. I am the Goldilocks of rein tension.

[ She looks down at the stirrup, sizing up the distance between her feet on the ground and the foothold, then grimacing as she notes that she is

way too short for this to be an enjoyable process. She bends her knee, raising her leg and casually measuring how much of a pain it's going to be to get her foot up into that. The answer is a lot of a pain, evidenced by two pathetic little kicks of her foot that resemble a cat pawing sadly at a toy more than anything else.. ] Uh.

[romanticidal]

Here. [ with a tug, he yanks the left stirrup down closer to them ] We can center it when you're on the horse. Now... [ he places both hands securely around her waist, prepared to give her some upward momentum, his mouth near her ear as he says: ] Left foot in, and then I've got you. Just sling your right leg up and over, si?

[slay]

[ When she realizes just how close is he, the combination of his hands on her waist and his breath against her neck cuing her, she draws in a sharp breath, warmth expanding her chest. His presence loosens the tension in her shoulders, but ready to melt against him isn't a particular improvement on awkward and unsure of where to put her body when it comes to trying to get on a horse.

She stops her head as her face starts to turn towards his in that searching way, lips parted slightly from breathlessness. Her eyes squeeze shut a moment to rein herself in, and she opens them again to fix her attention on the horse. Get it together, Summers. She gives a nod. ]

Okay. Up and over. Up and— [ She sticks her toe in the stirrup, but it's high enough that it remains functionally difficult for her to get the momentum started. With Rafael's help, she pushes herself upward and slings her leg smoothly over the horse's back, settling into the seat of the saddle and steadying her hands on the horn because there goes the ground under her. ]

[romanticidal]

Bene! Molto bene. [ he looks eminently pleased with the progress, petting the horse soothingly as he grins up at her ] How does it feel?

[slay]

Like I'm seeing the world from Des' point of view.

[ Compared to her, hE'S REALLY TALL OK. More seriously, she adds, ] It — I think I'm good. For as long as I don't have to move.

[romanticidal]

Is this a bad time to suggest the moving part?

[slay]

Well, this would be a terrible angle to punch you from, so I'd say from your perspective, it's the best time to suggest the moving part.

[ Said blandly. She adjusts her grip on the reins and just ... pulls on them. And adjusts in the seat, squirming slightly like ? ?? how do I ? ? ? It's very useless movements and Valente is probably just like where's the food tho. ]

[romanticidal]

All you need to do, carina, is squeeze your legs and he should do the rest. We just want him to walk for now, so you do not need much pressure. If he goes too fast, don't yank on him, just sit deep in the saddle, and give the reins some pressure backward. Capisci?

[slay]

[ Her nose crinkles, and she shifts again in the seat. She looks down, trying to follow his instructions by exploring her options and glancing as he references the different associated steps. Slowly, she nods. ]

Sure. Squeeze legs, no yanking. Piece of cake. [ She loosens her grip on the reins slightly and squeezes her legs accordingly, trying to nudge the norse forward. While she nudges, distractedly glancing around to get her bearings, she keeps running her mouth. ] I never really got that saying. Like, is it as easy as eating a piece of cake? 'Cause that's pretty easy, but if we're talking baking, then—

[romanticidal]

[ her ride check was great earlier so i guess that applies forever so she's cut off as the horse starts WALKING ALONG WHEEEEEEE

rafael was expecting just that so he's just gonna watch her go, grinning ]

[slay]

Oh! Okay. Moving. We're moving. Uh ... [ She twists slightly in the seat as Valente starts moseying and glances back at Rafael. ] Where, uh, should we be moving? [ Is there a horse trail? ? Do they just gallop around ? ? What do. ]