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]

[ weLL IF SHE WAS RED BEFORE.

She doesn't doubt his words for a moment, which perhaps explains the stunned silence as she watches him over her coffee cup, fingers absently fidgeting with the ceramic rim. Finally, expression fluttering as she draws a breath, she glances away, a shy smile starting. Honestly, even if it flusters her, there's something soothing about hearing him say it, as if it address some unrealized and positively baseless worry that she might not measure up, might not be any good at all. ]

Well. [ She sets her coffee cup down, drawing a breath as if her nerve to sass back lies within it. ] With a showing like yours, there's plenty more where that came from. I'm not the only one who knows how to leave an impression. [ Too much nerve. Too much. She should have stopped there, but she doesn't realize it until halfway through the next sentence. ] I mean, I didn't even know tongues could — [ And there's the filter, a moment too late. Her eyes flash wider, briefly, and she lifts her coffee cup to hide her flush behind it. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he laughs brightly, sets down his cup to lean back, chewing on that for a second. unlike her, there's no flush to his expression, not a hint of embarrassment over the subject, despite her candor. he easily tosses back: ] ... That they can. And gladly will again, when given the chance. [ he lifts his last bite to his mouth, because i guess he went to the cher horowitz school of flirtation, tossing her a wink as he finishes up, before reaching for his cup again. ]

[slay]

[ That casual affirmation lifts her gaze away from her coffee just in time for her heated stare to flicker between his eyes and his mouth, arresting her breath. Jesus take the wheel. ]

Oh boy. [ It's said 100% of the tone of someone who needs Jesus, for the record, not some weird giddy enthusiasm. This is the "oh boy" of someone who is in the danger zone. Cuing in that he's done with his food, she sets her coffee aside to finish hers, happy to have the distraction from her impotent lust. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he just leans back with a grin, waiting for her to be done and casually looking off the balcony at the city, clearly pretending he doesn't notice. while making it obvious he totally notices. ]

[slay]

[ Well I'd call that a shit-eating grin but I don't think that's what he's eating.

Though she appears to do a good job acting stubbornly ignorant of his smug disposition, when she finishes off her food, downing the last bite with a gulp of coffee, she's still wearing a stupid, bubbly smile that she simply can't help. Something about how breezy and unburdened he is just makes her glow, even when it means teasing the hell out of her.

After wiping buttery pastry flakes off her fingertips onto a napkin, she reaches out to take his hand. ] Perfect's a good word for it. [ She'll double back to agree to that. It's worth doubling back to (and reiterating in English while waving an American flag with a backdrop of a cawing eagle). ]

[romanticidal]

[ he scoots forward so that he can lift her hand in his and kiss the back of it lightly. ] Shall we, mia cara?

[slay]

[ Doe eyes soften as his lips brush her hand, pure adoration. ]

We shall. [ She agrees, moving to stand. Without ever truly letting go of his hand, she shifts her grip so she can twine her fingers in his, picking up her suitcase. ] What do you think: bags in the car first?

[romanticidal]

That is what I was thinking, yes. [ he takes his own case, and together they head back through the lobby, making their way for the doors. ] In case something happens, and we must leave quickly, for one.

[slay]

We usually have to. [ Said with a slight sigh, starting for the car. It's just a fact of life ok. Even if the resistance doesn't draw fire, Buffy and Rafael are bad luck magnets. ]

[romanticidal]

Better safe than to be sorry, no? [ he opens the trunk for them to load up when they reach the car ]

[slay]

Safe? What is this "safe" you speak of? [ Quips aside, she puts her bag in the trunk. ]

[romanticidal]

It is a myth of my people. [ he jokes right back as he slams the lid closed, and nods down the appropriate street, offering her his arm. ]

[slay]

[ She slips her arm around his, leaning into him as they walk, contented by the closeness and laughing at their mutual inability to be out of danger for five minutes. Because really what can you do but laugh at that. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he finally stops her at a cafe looking up the sign and nodding towards the doors. there's all of one patron there right now, an old man sitting outside with a newspaper. buffy would get the strange feeling that he's watching them closely as they head inside, where a middle aged woman is wiping down a counter. rafael nods to her very slightly, and heads straight for the curtain that separates out the back room. ]

[slay]

[ Side eyeing the old guy, Buffy keeps close to Rafael's side until they pass through the curtain. Then, she releases his arm, hands dropping to her sides in what can only be described as businesslike. Something about weapons just makes her feel like she should save the PDA for another time.

She glances around the back room when they get back there, eyes flicking around without her head turning much. ]

[romanticidal]

[ the man waiting for them has dignified silver hair, his eyes hidden by sunglasses. he outstretches both arms upon seeing rafael, chuckling and greeting him in italian, gesturing to a case on a table, and rambling on. rafael responds in his native tongue, but his manner is much more aloof, his affable manner traded in for an all business-like demeanor. he draws out an envelope from his pocket, nods to the case sitting next to the lone table in the room. the man nods in agreement, picks up the case, taps in a security code, and the lid opens, revealing the two guns nestled inside. he turns the case to face rafael, who sets the envelope down, reaching to draw out one of the guns, and look it over, while the guy takes the envelope, opens it and flips through the huge bills inside, counting them. ]

[slay]

[ When they first start greeting each other, Buffy initially raises her hand like she wants to be introduced to this guy because EVERYONE ELSE FROM THE RESISTANCE HAS BEEN LIKE

A LEGITIMATE FRIEND

NOT A SHADY BACKROOM GUN DEALER WHO RAFAEL IS ALL BUSINESS WITH. ]

Hi! I'm ... [ Except then it's all business and in Italian, and she just tries to smoothly drop her hand like ok nvm. But it's not smooth at all with her sleight of hand check of a whole 12. ] Here for ... Moral support. [ Her voice quiets into a muttered attempt to save face.

So she preoccupies herself glancing around while they shadily exchange envELOPES OF CASH ? ?? jesus. This must be what the wives of drug cartels feel like, except they probably wear more expensive shoes. Once Rafael is handling the gun there's no way for this not to sound like a penis metaphor, she steps over, tilting her head to look it over. ]

The way you talked them up, I was kind of expecting bright lights and angel choruses when the case opened, to be honest. Like Mr. Gray and his pals would just show up and start a barbershop quartet.

[romanticidal]

[ rafael raises one eyebrow at buffy, the tiniest smirk the only thing betraying his amusement at her commentary as he checks the weapons over.

it's the guy who speaks up in heavily accented italian, looking buffy over. "Such a beautiful signorina. Your new partner, perhaps? It is good to hear that Il Volpe will be back in action again." he cuts a look at rafael. "No offense, of course. But the people had begun to wonder if he had forsaken them." rafael affixes the guy with a frown, replacing the gun. ] It is nothing so black and white.

[slay]

Il Volpe hasn't forsaken anyone. [ Said snappishly, because she can't help but feel defensive in the face of "HEY I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE A MURDERER AGAIN." ] There's just more than one way to skin a Shadow-hater. [ Not that it seemed like Rafael wasn't handling that super well but. Well. #1 Rafael Giovanni stan. ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael handles that comment with impressive stoicism, aight, cutting off the man before he can open his mouth again to do more than laugh with a bit too much enthusiasm at buffy's joke. ] I trust the payment is sufficient?

[ the man waves his hand, gold rings visible on his fingers. "Si, si, it is all here, Volpe. You will be very happy with these, I promise you." rafael nods, snapping the case shut as the man pockets the money and strokes his chin. raf turns to buffy with a nod that says she can head out first. ] Grazie. A pleasure doing business with you.

[slay]

[ Turning, she gently rests her hand at his elbow, as if to make an apology for firing that off, but it's all built into a smooth u-turn where she heads for the door. ]

How do you even find a gun guy? I need a guy. [ She seems to be under the impression that once she turns away from someone they can no longer hear her. ? ?? And it's ok to be casual and goofy with Rafael again. ] I mean, not a guy because you're my guy. But a weapons guy. Back in September, I got to use this great axe on a dragon that ate Spike, and — [ It was awesome. That much is written all over her face. I mean, she used it on people too, which was traumatizing, but they've already talked about how she feels about that, so she's choosing not to touch upon it. ]

Hey, do you wanna try 'em out? [ She looks over, then quickly clarifies in a quieter voice. ] I mean, on targets. Not people.

[romanticidal]

[ rafael gently corrals her out of there as she talks, and as they head out of the cafe, he tilts his head and responds: ] Si, I would enjoy a chance to see what they can do, but it may have to wait until we are back at your castle. Anything here may... draw attention we do not need. As for where I found him, he was supplied to me by the Resistance. They have an endless web of such contacts, some more reliable than others.

[ as they head up the street, the case gripped in his other hand, he glances back down at her, and repeats: ] "Your guy", eh? [ in case you thought he was gonna gloss over that, no you're precious ] I am liking the sound of that.

[slay]

[ Biting her lip, coy and sheepish, she lifts her gaze to meet his. ]

Yeah? [ She tugs at his free hand to stop him so she can lean up and catch him in a chaste but lingering kiss. As she breaks it, she blinks to look up at him again, but keeps her nose close to his. ] Guess we've got that in common too.

[ She threads her fingers through his more decisively then and teases him gently. ] My castle, my guy, my very own chart-topping Rafael Giovanni hit … I've got all kinds of cool stuff lately. [ And for the first time, strolling down the venetian cobblestone, she looks genuinely satisfied. That said, her brow furrows a bit and she looks skyward, thoughtful. ] I always kinda got the impression you liked drawing attention. [ The shit-eating grin creeps through a beat later, of course. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he smirks down at her, mulling that over, rather than denying it outright ] That depends on the situation, carina. It is rather difficult to be a successful assassin when one does so by drawing a crowd, for one.

[slay]

[ She seems to pick at part of that sentence, a slight crease in her forehead, then a thoughtful nod. Sticking with the assassin title. All right. ]

Hey, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm just saying you're kind of a show-off. [ Yes let's stick to teasing instead of discussing Rafael's career plans. ]