#Gelato shops in Rome

[saint-alia-of]

30th of January 2023. Rome, Italy.

[604to647]

Safest with You (The Epilogue)

3.2K / Modern AU Retired Mob Enforcer!Din Djarin x fem!reader

Summary: You and Din welcome a new member to your family.

Warnings: All fluff - just the way we started this series! Established relationship, nicknames as usual (Pretty bird, baby).

A/N: A cute little glimpse into the lives of our happy couple around two years after the series finale. 112 Carlota Galgos is a real Galgo rescue in Spain! I won't go into the circumstances that make the rescue work they do so important, but many of you know that I have a greyhound, and the plight of the Galgo is well known in the sighthound community. These dogs deserve the world!! If you have an opportunity to check out organizations that aid Spanish Galgos or even help - I promise these gentle giants deserve it. Lisette is a real galgo I knew! She passed last year and this epilogue is dedicated to her (cute pics included at the end!)

I’m posting this on the one year anniversary of Chapter 1!! I can’t believe it’s been a whole year of writing these bbs 🥹 Thank you thank you everyone who has supported and followed along with this series - you are all as dear to me as Pretty Bird's garlic knots are to Mayfeld 🥹🥰 (I still plan on publishing that recipe!)

Dividers by @saradika-graphics as always! 🥰 / Series Masterlist

Just before your finger is about to press down the call button on the outside of the closed metal gate, you retract your hand and look questioningly at Din.

“How many am I allowed to get again?”

Din stares at you for a second to ascertain if you’re kidding and when he sees you’re not, a little panic sets in on his face, “One, pretty bird.  Just one.”

“But…”

“We only made arrangements with the airline for one, baby.”

You pout a little, but know Din’s right, “Okay. Fine. One.”

Somewhat dejectedly you press the button, though the chorus of barks and yelps from the other side of the gate resulting from the chime of the bell perk you up immediately, and by the time the gate is buzzed open with a loud brrrrzzzt, you’re giddy with excitement again.

This is the last planned destination of the European trip you and Din have been on for the last three weeks, both of you looking forward to flying home in just a few days.

The vacation has been an absolute dream.  You and Din have eaten your way through Amsterdam (Stroopwafels! Bitterballen!), then Paris (Steak frites! Macarons! Croissants!  One, sometimes two baguettes a day!), followed by Rome (Gelato! Pasta until you exploded!), and then finally Barcelona (Paella! Bombas!) before ending up where you are now: Andalucia, Spain, outside the gates of the 112 Carlota Galgos dog rescue.

The happy and excited woofs from the still unseen pups remind you so much of Alfredo.  Gosh, you miss your best guy so much – although, if the daily photos and videos you’ve been receiving are to be believed, he might be hard pressed to leave Paz’s when you get back.  By now a minor celebrity in Din and Paz’s neighbourhood, you’re happy to see that Al’s been making the rounds at the local shops (and accepting generous samples everywhere he goes), enjoying fun road trips to nearby hiking trails, and most importantly, helping Paz cement his image as an attractive, eligible bachelor about town.  You’re sure if you were to peek at Paz’s dating app profile, you’d see it updated with copious pictures of him fawning over your dog. 

Originally, you had been hesitant to have Paz take Al to his place for three whole weeks, wondering if it was better if instead, Paz could come and dog-sit at your and Din’s place – but Al does seem to be adjusting to being away from home just fine.  Though Alfredo is generally super easy going and adaptable, you nevertheless recognized that it had been quite a year of transition and multiple upheavals for your pup and worried about how he might cope with yet another change in scenery. 

Nearly a year ago, you and Din moved in together and Al had been uprooted from the only home he’s ever known.  Though it wasn’t without some understandable disinclination that you left your beautiful and much-loved apartment, both of you agreed it made perfect sense for you to move into Din’s place above Mando’s.  Of course you loved your old place – you had poured so much of your heart and soul into making it your refuge and the perfect home for you and Al, but you couldn’t find it within yourself to regret leaving – Din is your home now, as you are his.   The only safe haven you need is the one with him, and though you’re sure he would have moved without hesitation if you had asked, the idea of Din leaving a residence right above his place of work, in a building he already owned, was too silly to even entertain.

To try and make the adjustment as smooth as possible for his pretty bird, Din had given you free reign to redecorate, bring in your furniture, and make whatever changes you wanted in order to make his, now your, apartment feel more like home.  The third floor of Mando’s would always hold his most cherished memories of his childhood and father – he didn’t need it to look a certain way or have it maintained as some kind of physical shrine in order for that to be true; Din was ready to make a home and new memories with you.  It was sweet and you appreciated the gesture prodigiously, but aside from adding your own bookshelves and swapping out a couch, the only thing you had asked for was a bigger kitchen.  Din had readily agreed and even suggested he build you an expanded closet and turn the second bedroom into a home office-dog den for you and Al.  Din’s enthusiasm and eagerness for the project was enough to have you agreeing to his considerate suggestions.

What had followed was seven months of renovation chaos, living out of and tripping over boxes as a slew of tradespeople and workmen paraded in and out of what was supposed to be your new sanctuary. 

You love Din with all your heart, and one of the things you love most and find endlessly attractive is just how good he is at the things he does: taking care of you and Al, supporting the community, running Mando’s – to say nothing of the skill and prowess he displays in his work in and out of the ring; just the sight of Din running drills with his boxers or deftly commanding the Mandos gets you weak in the knees. 

But elaborate home improvements and remodelling?  Unfortunately, not part of Din’s impressive skill set.  Nor any of the Mandos for that matter.  For two weeks, every Mando on payroll seemed to be over at your place “helping” with measurements and the demolition of the kitchen and the wall between the two bedrooms.  Only after a burst pipe and the subsequent three weeks of living with drying fans running 24/7, did Din concede it was time to call in professionals.  Then came a parade of contractors and their respective plumbers, cabinet guys, drywall, tile and marble contacts, electricians, etc. – who all seemed to owe some kind of “favour” to Boba.  The good thing about that was they were committed to doing a good job; the bad thing was that no one was particularly dedicated to doing a fast job.  For the next five months, you, Din and Al lived in a construction zone of various partially started and finished projects with different strangers coming in and out of your place at all hours of the day – it had stressed Al out endlessly.

A little over half a year after moving in with Din, you hit a breaking point and, with Din’s encouragement, packed a suitcase and took Al to stay at Bea’s until a firm completion deadline could be negotiated with the various contractors.  Din had insisted on staying behind to lead the "negotiations" and "supervise" the follow through; lo and behold, everything had been completed to perfection and cleaned up thoroughly two weeks after.  Upon seeing the beautiful finished space, you finally felt at home – though frustrated, you hadn’t ever been terribly mad about the whole situation, but it had been a very confusing time for your pup.

Din had felt awful – this wasn’t the symbolic big step and storybook start to your lives together that he had envisioned.  You either, if you were being honest, but it genuinely mattered very little in the grand scheme of things; you reminded Din, as the two of you christened every surface of your brand new kitchen, that your lives together had really started a year before moving in together, when he had taken his own big step and shown up outside of your office, making you the promise to be open and honest about everything.

And he had.  Din had forgiven himself and won you back, and these last two years have been the happiest of your lives, even with the renovations. 

In that time a lot’s happened.  Jimmy won another two division championships and moved up a weight class.  Cass announced that her and Rikard were expecting.  Rory’s bridal boutique expanded to a second even more successful location and to her chagrin, she was promoted to manager.  The second book in Bea’s series came out to amazing reviews and the anticipation and hype for the third (due out later this year) was through the roof.  Poe decided to pursue and then successfully obtained his pilot license.  You went up in his Cessna just once – the views had been unforgettable, Lisa getting sick in your lap no lesser so.  Katie guest starred on Law and Order – twice (two different characters).  You met the Mods.  And Al finally settled into his new home, overseeing his new kingdom from the plush and cozy dog den that his dad lovingly built for him.

And now you and Din are about to take another big step together.

Greeted enthusiastically by one of the women who runs the Spanish hunting dog haven with whom you’ve been conversing with over the past few months about adoption, you and Din take a tour of the facility before being led out back to meet the dogs.

Per Elenna’s guidance, you sit in a chair near the water bowls and let the galgos come to you on their own terms.  Some, understandably, are shy and timid, wary of strangers – tentatively, they come and investigate you with their snoots, eventually accepting your gentle pats and scritches once they feel comfortable enough.  Others have no such hesitation - tails wagging, curious and excited, they enthusiastically crowd you, nosing in for pets and try to sniff out the treats you have in your pocket.  Your chest expands, heart nearly tripling in size to see these dogs get to be dogs again, as you rub their little faces and coo endless words of deserved praise at them for their bravery.

Maybe the plane will have room for another crate, you think, or two?  You can’t stop giggling as your face is licked and poked with wet noses, or when those same noses goose your tummy and legs, competing for the attention of your busy hands – you’re in heaven, nearly overwhelmed by all this furry cuteness.  Surely Din cannot possibly expect you to limit yourself to one! Knowing the marshmallow squish that resides beneath his hard and steely frame, you’re willing to bet that Din has already softened his stance on taking home multiple pups.  You crane your neck to see over the dogs, looking around the property to see if you can locate your boyfriend.

To your surprise, you find him not being surrounded by enthusiastic, bounding galgos, but alone - crouching near the ground and gently scratching a smaller fawn coloured dog who’s laying on her side, her slender head lifted just slightly off the ground to lean into Din’s hand.

“That’s Lisette,” Elenna says when she notices you looking at Din and the fawn girl, “she’s just come to us after this last hunting season - we found her in the street with a broken leg.  She’s all healed up now but is still quite skittish, especially around men.  This is actually the first time I’ve ever seen her let a man touch her, never mind a stranger.  Your husband must have a very calming touch.”

“Oh, he’s not my husb-” your voice trails off as you watch Lisette continue to happily receive Din’s attention.  Walking over, you hear him speaking quietly to her in Spanish.

“What are you telling her, Din?”

Din looks up, eyes soft and shiny, “Just telling her what a good girl she is.  That’s she so brave and sweet.  And that she doesn’t have anything to be afraid of anymore.  She’s safe now.”

There is no question as to which (one) dog you’ll be adopting today.

Lisette settles in quickly when you and Din get her back home, especially with Al immediately taking up his role as big brother.  Lisette falls into the easy comfort of following his lead, regularly looking to Alfredo for guidance – he never leads her astray and the two of them become inseparable.  With growing pride, you watch Lisette tentatively explore her new environment and slowly over the next few months, becomes more and more comfortable in her forever home: first your and Din’s apartment, then the gym, whose enthusiastic occupants always greet her like the princess she is, and eventually the entire neighbourhood where she’s never without her protective brother by her side.  When she’s ready, you and Din take her and Al out on further away adventures: to your and Din’s favourite farmers’ market, Poe and Lisa’s (where you learn in their pool that Lisette can swim!) or to Boba and Fennec’s where she can run and play with Mochi and the other Daimyo Dogs.  Your heart positively kvells as Lisette’s confidence grows and she becomes the happy pup she deserves to be, putting her less than ideal start to life behind her.

The only thing you wish you could change, though you would never push, is that Lisette won’t cuddle with you - she only ever cuddles with Din.  You know she loves you, but she’s very much a daddy’s girl and he’s the only one with whom she feels safe enough to have in such close proximity while sleeping or relaxing.  You don’t begrudge Lisette at all for feeling this way; Din is her protector, she trusts him to keep her safe - you understand the comfort of that feeling better than anyone.

And in truth, you love watching them together – seeing your sweet girl so at ease and your strong, formidable warrior melt into a puddle of goo when she burrows into the warmth of his lap.  Din talks to Lisette in Spanish all the time, repeating what he told her back in Andalucia: she’s safe now, she doesn’t have to be scared anymore - this is her home.

Your home feels complete now – there’s nowhere you would rather be than cuddled up on the couch with Din, each respectively loving on the pups that have curled up against you: you, Al and Din, Lisette.

Then one day, you’re on the couch tapping away on your laptop when Lisette saunters up to you.  You rub her little head and give her a little smooch on her snoot as she walks by, fully expecting her to wander away but she surprises you to no end when she hops up on the couch and curls up by your feet.  Terribly delighted but not wanting to spook her, you pretend like it’s no big deal – your heart, however, is doing jumping jacks; looking up with a big smile you see Din nodding encouragingly at the both of you.

And then she does it again.  And again.  At first still staying arms length from you, she inches closer and closer, little by little.  Though your chest is exploding and you want to shout with joy, you always remain calm and give Lisette copious amounts of quiet praise after she’s settled.  To celebrate this progress, Din will eventually come over to shower Lisette with additional treats and Spanish words of adulation that she happily accepts.  Sometimes you even catch him encouraging her before she comes over to you or see her looking back at him for reassurance before she climbs onto the bed or couch to sit with you.  Always her protector, her safe space.

It's slow going, but worth it.

Today, you’re on the couch having just finished a book, funnily enough it’s the most recent in the fantasy series that Din had bought you and your friends on that first day you met nearly four years ago, when you see Lisette moseying on over to you.  You swing your legs off the couch and pat the spot next to you, and to your delight, she hops up and starts to do her little nesting circles, prepping for her laydown spot.  When she finally settles, she lays her little head in your lap and you think your heart might burst.  You look up and see Din, handsome and relaxed, leaning against one of the bookshelves looking at the both of you with an adoring expression on his face.  You beam back - yep, the two of you are his girls.  The ones he takes care of.  Looks after.  Loves.

Lisette nuzzles her furry little face deeper into your thigh and you can’t help but giggle at the sensation.  “Okay, okay,” you chuckle, as if you needed any invitation to pet and love on her.  Dispensing gentle scritches all over her head and little ear rubs, you notice that your sweet girl has an extra collar on.  Normally Lisette wears just a martingale and sometimes nothing at all when she’s at home, but today, she’s got a thin rope collar encircling her neck as well.  Rubbing it between your fingers, you say to Din, “This is pretty!  When did she get this house collar?”

“Got it for her a while ago, but thought I’d wait for the right moment to put it on.  Do you like it?”

Lisette lifts her head and you take the opportunity to take a closer look at the pretty pink collar; admiring the delicate metalware and the luxurious feeling fibres of the rope, you run your fingers over the collar until you get to the small clasp in the front and feel something you don’t expect.  Rotating the collar around Lisette’s slender neck so you can get a better look at the thin object, you gasp when it comes into view.

A diamond ring.

Din, with Al by his side, starts to walk towards you, the look in his eyes clear and so easy to read: Devotion.  Adoration.  Love.

“Pretty bird…” he starts.  Din has an entire speech planned.  He needs to thank you for coming into his life and showing him what true strength and power is.  Grace, honesty, and compassion have been your gifts to him, and he’s a better man, a stronger man, for your kindness and generosity.  He wants to promise you that your faith in him will never be misplace – that he will cherish you and your heart to the very last beat of his own and beyond.  He loves you, admires you, trusts you, is in awe of you, and remains forever grateful for you.  Grateful for every smile you throw his way, every laugh you pull from him and allow him to draw from you, thankful for all the ways you’ve woven yourself into his life and made it better.  And above all, grateful for your acceptance and love for him and all that he is, was, and ever will be.  He needs to ask you if you will allow him the honour of spending the remainder of his days showing you his gratitude and loving you the way you deserve.

Din’s heart is overflowing and he has so much he wishes to express; he’s not entirely sure he’s going to be able to make any sense.  But Din’s not nervous - the radiant smile on your beautiful face as he approaches already telling him everything he needs to know.

Real life Lisette!! 🥰🥰

Very last tag for this series!! Thank you all forever for your support 🥹😘

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@syd-djarin @moonlessnight14 @lucienofthelakes

[saintmagx]

I Knew You were Trouble ❤️‍🔥

Part 4

Pairing: Jimmy Uso × reader

AN: if you would like tagged let me know 💕 No specific timeline

❗️❗️Warnings: 18+, swearing, violence (this is the WWE after all) slight smut, infidelity, jealous Jimmy, bad writing, cringe story telling, the Usos (because they are a warning in themselves)❗️❗️

I’m sooooo sorry this took as long to get out, I kinda took a break but I’m back and so is our boy Jon 🥵 hope this was worth the wait 🫣

Day one - Rome, Italy

One of my favourite things about being a WWE superstar is getting the opportunity to travel the world. Because of my job I’ve been in more places that I could have ever imagined and made memories that will last a lifetime. Today we are in one of my favourite places, Rome.

One of my least favourite things about being a WWE superstar though was definitely the travel and itinerary- I get to a new place and don’t have time to see all the sights. its airport, hotel, gym, meet and greets, arena, match, then on the road again.

Me

hey, wanna sneak out and do something fun before the meet and greet?

Josh

what you have in mind?

Me

authentic Italian ice cream? Pizza? Your treat obviously 🤪

Josh

damn, you really want me to treat you after the way you been disrespecting me 😨

Me

fine 🙄 I’ll ask Jon instead - lil bitch

Josh

WAIT

FINE

Meet me in the lobby in 5.

I wasn’t really going to ask Jon, I mean how could I? This whole trip I have to try and avoid him, however I feel like fate has other plans, I was informed late last night that Jon and Josh would join me in doing press for the tour, doing meet and greets and TV appearances to get everyone hyped up for the shows. As long as we aren’t alone together nothing would happen…….right?

One thing I wanted to tick off my bucket list when visiting Rome was going to the Trevi Fountain. Seeing it there in front of me took my breath away, the beauty it holds, the history and traditions. Ugh to have this on my doorstep every day would be a dream. We had found a small gelato shop near the fountain and decided to find a place to sit near by the fountain.

“Okay, fine I’ll admit it, the gelato was a good idea.”

“Of course it was a good idea Josh, are you doubting me and my choices?”

“You know damn well I don’t trust you.” He says

Acting offended I shift myself further away from him, Josh turns to look at me grinning ear to ear.

“Don’t know what you’re smiling at, you’ve just bumped yourself down the list of what Fatu brother I like more.”

“Well number 2 ain’t so bad.”

“Try 3”

Annoyed he reply’s “3? What you mean 3, who else you know except me and Jon!”

Realising I got him right where I want him “well Joe obviously, I’ve spoke with him a few times and he is such a sweetheart, I think he might actually be my favourite brother.”

He didn’t have a come back, he just sat there eating his gelato like a grumpy little kid. I take a few sneaky pics to send to Trin, captioned “fun with your grumpy ass brother in law.”

Josh reaches into his pocket and places two coins in front of us.

“Let’s go throw these in the fountain then.”

“Wait, how did you know I wanted to do that?”

“Cause believe it or not yn but I listen to you, you are one of my closest friends and I love ya, if there is something you wanna do you damn sure I wanna make it happen. That’s what family does.”

I couldn’t see him, my eyes were filling with tears. Never in my life have i had someone care so much. We fight like cat and dog but underneath it all there is pure love and adoration for each other.

“Okay don’t get all soppy on me” he jests. “Let’s throw our coins and get back before there is a search party.”

Grabbing my hand we walk over to the fountain and throw our coins in tradition states if you throw a coin in you are wishing that one day you will come back to Rome and with every fiber of my being i was hoping that one day i would.

“Thank you” i whisper to Josh.

“Don’t mention it, though I do hope I ain’t last on yo list anymore?”

Laughing I announce “A solid 2 for sure now.”

Another part I love about being a WWE Superstar is getting the opportunity to meet the fans. The WWE universe has the best, most intense fan base in the world.

In the store where the meet and greet was happening, It was a basic set up, a long table, a seat for each of us and a backdrop with our image plastered over it. The queue was already around the block, with a mixture of kids, teens and adults all waiting to meet us.

“I’m really nervous, this is my first international meet and greet - what if no one is here for me.” I start to panic.

Josh looks at me and in his usual joshy manner tries to make it all better “yn we know no one is here for you, and honestly you are killing the mood. Put yo big girl panties on and let’s get this over with huh?”

And just like that the mood has been lifted and he has me laughing.

“I honestly hate you J.”

Jon who had been observing finally breaks his silence. “You can sit between us, that way we can comfort you if it gets too much.” Comfort me……..

A little too eagerly I agree. The first few fans come in and just like that all my nerves and panic washed away and I was in autopilot.

“How you doin now yn? Eased into it okay?” Josh enquires

“I’m fine J, I just let my ner……”

Heat. That was the only thing I could feel. My thigh tingling under his touch, Jon’s touch.

“Yo yn, you good?” Josh looks at me concerned.

“Yep fine, just got a little cramp in my leg, feel like we have been here for hours.” I brush him off, along with moving Jon’s hand off my leg. Think of Trin, think of Trin I repeat in my head.

The last of the fans come and go, it’s been a sweet afternoon watching Jon and Josh interact with everyone, you can see the love and passion they have for this business and the fans. Maybe teaming with them on this European tour won’t be so bad after all.

Backstage WWE LIVE, Rome Italy,

The crowd had been electric all night. There is no major storylines, no characters and no set of rules to follow just purely wrestling. Our match was a mixed tag match, myself and The Uso’s v Indie, Theory and Waller. Going out and having fun with everyone and the crowd is what it’s all about, the passion the fans give in return for the show you put on makes all the travel, injuries and lack of sleep worth it.

After any of my matches I like a debrief, things I could have done better, things I did great etc, it’s how I grow and learn, however fate was having none of that tonight. Walking back to the female dressing room I felt a strong pair of hands grab my arms and pull me into a secluded corner of the arena, from the way my skin was burning at the slightest touch I knew it could only be one man - and I was in trouble.

“Have you been avoiding me all day?”

“Em, earth to Jon? We saw each other at the meet and greet.” I laugh trying to break the tension

“Oh I remember..” Edging closer to me with fire in his eyes he continues “I’ve been thinking about how nice your thigh felt, and wondered what else felt nice.”

Gulp

Think of Trin yn.

Keep it light and funny yn “Plus I was busy with Josh all morning, he took me out for some gelato - I’m a busy woman Jon.”

“Yeah, Josh told me about the gelato. Is there a reason I wasn’t invited?”

His heavy eyes stuck on mine, waiting for my answer.

“Honestly it was a last minute thing, next time I’ll make sure you get an invite.” Trying to leave his hand leans on the wall behind me enclosing us in even closer. His free hand finds its place perfectly on my hip before it starts to lower slowly, like he was trying to memorise how each part of me felt before placing his hand on my butt, grabbing onto it with his powerful grip.

“How bout we skip the gelato and i give you some of my cream.”

Fire, passion, a need for only him. That’s all I felt in that moment. It consumed me. Jon looked at me like I was the only girl on the planet.

After weeks of playing cat and mouse, he caught me. His lips finally found their way onto mine, a low moan slowly released from his mouth, like a weight had been lifted from him, his hands tracing every inch of my body. I didn’t want him, I needed him and in that moment I’m what he needed too.

Tagged:

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[sebastianswallows]

The English Client — Four

— PAIRING: Tom Riddle x F!Reader

— SYNOPSIS: The year is 1952. Tom is working for Borgin and Burkes. He is sent to Rome to acquire three ancient books of magic by any means necessary. One in particular proves challenging to reach, and the only path forward is through a pretty, young bookseller. A foreigner like him, she lives alone, obsessed with her work... until Tom comes into her life.

— WARNINGS: none, but almost main character death lol

— WORDCOUNT: 2.5k

I

Tom stayed away for a few days. He stalked around some other rare book stores but found none of what Caractacus Burke was searching for. Still, it gave ample enough time for her to forget about him. He needed to be out of her mind before he carried out his plan.

He sat at a café outside her store one evening, waiting to see her go home again. Not able to stand another cup of coffee, hot and bitter, he decided to try something he’d seen so many other locals eating. It was called ‘gelato’. A frozen treat, it looked like clotted cream and was eaten with a little spoon. Tom regretted ordering it the moment it arrived, but with each bite, he became a little fonder of it. It was cold and vaguely sweet with a drizzling of cherry jam on top. He reached the bottom of the cup before he even realised, and licked the spoon clean afterwards.

She stepped out later this time, at around six o’clock. Tom got up not long after but he didn’t follow her. His gaze trailed after her from behind a pair of aviator shades — her white shirt fluttering with each step, hair soft upon her shoulders — and let himself enjoy the view until she disappeared beyond the curve of a building that bent like a wave. Then he turned the other way, the way she came from.

The lamp lights were just coming on, bathing the marble a sulphuric yellow. He took his sunglasses off and tucked them in his shirt as he slid through the narrow street the shop was on. There was nobody around, but he could hear the echoes of other people through the walls of the nearby buildings. The area was a mix of domestic and commercial, small old flats and little shops which made it quite unpredictable. It was a very intimate setting, and dangerous for that very reason — few escape routes should anyone appear.

He peered through the glass first at the organised chaos inside, the clutter and piles of precious old things that lifetimes would not suffice to explore. Between them, Tom saw his reflection staring back. He aimed his wand at each lock and muttered an Alohomora. The spell let him in like butter.

The shop was just faintly lit from beyond the large display windows, rendering every book and smooth wood surface into a little sunburst. The air was light with dust, and dry, and cold in the way libraries often were. The pillars that held the ceiling high were cinder-black, and carved so finely that the wood seemed lace and pillow soft. A sweet scent lingered in the cavernous construction. It really was a marvellous atmosphere… Tom wouldn’t have minded staying if circumstances were different. His grandfather’s ring trilled around his finger.

Regardless of how old the building was, the interior was certainly built to order. It had a hint of the Victorian with a Renaissance flair. Tom had been in enough rich people’s houses to tell. It amused him how much they were all alike in taste, as if they were part of the same secret breed.

He stepped further in. The floorboards creaked and, looking down, a small amount of dust flew up. Curious. Perhaps it really didn’t get that many customers so often. The other shops he had visited this week all seemed to have at least another two clients while he was there… Strange, as this shop was bursting with books, and in an accessible location too. Tom could only guess that either they were prohibitively selective with their clientele, or the place had a bad reputation.

He found her ledgers tucked underneath the desk. They were split into three themes: Letteratura, Religione, and Esoterismo. He opened the latter.

It was detailed, thick, and finely indexed with the most minuscule writing. Instead of listing their catalogue, it listed all the authors they seemed to have an interest in, whether or not they held any of their books. Prices were next to certain volumes, along with purchasing dates. Others were annotated with the shop or collector that held them. From Agrippa to Cheiro to Crowley, from Novalis to Paracelsus, Roerich, and Sepharial, they had their eye on everyone. He turned toward the end, pale finger brushing through the T’s.

They had nothing by Tamisso, another author on his list, although they did have a copy of The Lost Word by Trevisan — a more recent edition than the 1870 one that Mr. Burke wanted, but still serviceable. But what he was really looking for was Torchia.

And he found him. A whole half-page was dedicated to him, even if the books were few and three-quarters of the space was empty. They must’ve expected to find more of his works in the future.

But as he was reading, the ring started feeling heavier, like its black stone wanted to pull loose. Oftentimes, the splinter of his soul that was trapped inside was a bit of a canary in a coal mine, more sensitive to changes in Tom’s surroundings than he was�� He gazed suspiciously toward the ring and put the ledger down.

Tom looked up at the ceiling. It was tall and too dark to see, absorbing the most highly placed volumes like a black hole, like a void. Looking down, between the floorboards, the same infinite darkness. It occurred to him that perhaps the place was cursed. An unlikely idea given that it was a building belonging to muggles, but he’d seen stranger things. And after all, he still didn’t know who the owner was.

He looked at the catalogue again.

Torchia, A.

Key to Captive Thoughts, 1653 — four three copies

A Curious Explanation of Mysteries and Hieroglyphs, 1655 — one copy sold to H. Àristos, 1949

The Three Books of the Art, 1658 — one copy, private ownership → Luce

He scanned further down the line, and there it was: Delomelanicon.

It wasn’t written up like the others. It had no number, no mention of its year of publication, nor even where it was. All it had was a strange symbol next to it, like a plus sign with a downward arrow. Tom couldn’t guess what it meant.

But they had it, they must have. He closed the book with satisfaction and an overflow of greed, and carefully put it back in its place.

II

With the bookshop all to himself, Tom explored at his leisure. He stepped lightly, almost reverently, through its misty dusty rooms veiled by growing darkness. He cast Lumos when entering the second room, which had no windows to the outside world. A thick red carpet muffled his steps.

His first stop was at the section where she had searched for Helena Blavatsky, assuming the shelves followed the logic of the ledgers and were organised thematically as well as alphabetically. He pulled the ladder over and started to climb, holding the wand between the tips of his fingers.

Names spread before him, ancient and powerful. Some of them were only mentioned in the most proscribed of texts, others he hadn’t even heard of. It was one thing to see them listed so economically, and another to see their naked spines, crack them open, part them, and touch their wavy pages.

He had to pause once he came across a 17th-century copy of the Cyranides. How many men died for merely reading this book… What horror, what beauty. He turned to the page on the use of bezoars and smiled. The illustration braided around the page was of a watersnake, unmoving, done with an almost childish hand. It was from a more innocent time when such magical knowledge was a thing of fear and wonder, exclusive and yet renown, whispered about, admired. Not hidden away.

Holding the wand between his teeth, Tom pulled the ladder and himself a bit further to the right. Its wheels were loud enough to make him wince.

He found a wealth of books in this place that made him feel things he had not felt in a while: greed, desire, admiration… He hadn’t seen so many wonderful tomes since Hogwarts. For long moments in large swaths, he forgot his mission. Eagerly, his hands picked up any volumes he could reach without the ladder tipping over, and he sipped in eager drops the ancient wisdom, a few pages at a time, admiring the crude but honest illustrations before, with a heavy heart, putting them back on the shelf.

Finally, he reached Torchia. A few of his works were there, the same ones mentioned in the ledger, but not the Delomelanicon. Tom brushed his finger on the shelf, and it came up with a fluff of dust. Hadn’t been touched for a long time…

It occurred to him as he climbed down the ladder that they could have had hidden compartments, as such bookstores sometimes did. Borgin and Burkes did too, although theirs was hidden by magic. Muggles would have had some contraption hidden behind a painting or shelf. He cast another glance around him before moving forward again, step by heavy step. Between those dormant shelves, he saw another surreptitious doorway toward another room.

III

The place grew labyrinthian. Tom felt as though he was disturbing a tomb, and without even needing to his steps grew gentler. The ring around his finger ached again, but he ignored it.

He was exploring a glass case with a pyramid of skulls in the corner of a room three doorways from the entrance, further in the building and blissfully chill on the exposed skin of his arms and neck, when suddenly he noticed something about the creaking of the floorboards: he couldn’t hear it anymore.

Tom looked down, his shoes soft on the carpet, and shifted his weight. No sound, but there was a bit of a tilt beneath him as the wood moved. He moved to the side and toed the carpet away. At first glance, he noticed nothing strange, but when he cast Revelio, a piece of metal shone and the edges of a trapdoor revealed themselves before him.

“I’ve got you now,” he grinned.

He stepped away, grabbed the edges of the carpet, and folded it further back. It was a trapdoor alright, large enough for two people to fit through. The area was clean, as if it saw regular use. Could it be a secret way into and out of the shop? Well, he’d seen her always use the front door, so it was most likely a storage area.

He dug into his trouser pocket for something, anything that he could use, and found the Swiss army knife he’d gotten from Clement. The thought occurred to him that it was a misuse of a gift to rob a bookshop with it, but that thought died quickly in Tom’s heated mind. He had a job to do.

He slid its blade between the folds of wood and pressed the handle down. Marvolo’s ring squeezed and pulled at his finger, and Tom cursed at it to be quiet. The trapdoor undulated at the strain as he moved the blade around, but the thing was as good as nailed down on all sides.

“Come on, you piece of muggle trash, open,” he hissed between clenched teeth.

He pushed, edging the wood upwards, and the bit of leverage made it flap as far as its hinges would allow. Holding the wand between his teeth for light, he moved it slightly, checking in every direction for a keyhole. The only thing he found was a burn mark that shone in the faint light, small and round and crested. It was probably a hidden button or a kind of keyhole, the kind of which he’d seen before in a couple of places both at Hogwarts and elsewhere. Tom grinned, moved the blade there, and pressed harder right beneath it.

“Aaaah!” he groaned, nearly dropping the wand from his teeth.

The ring was shooting pain all the way up his arm now, and his muscles strained. He clenched his teeth and pressed the blade in further, deeper, but the longer he tried to get it open, the more useless the attempt seemed, and he was overcome with a feeling of wrongness — as if he actually cared that he was trespassing.

He got up, sighed, and wiped the sweat off his brow. The feeling of guilt that had been bubbling in his stomach crested and crawled up his bones until he felt the sickness in his throat. He was overcome with the desire to leave and put this place behind him. A traitorous thought…

No, he wasn’t feeling sick. That nasty little door was enchanted. There was probably a curse on it, not too dissimilar to those placed on Egyptian tombs, meant to ward prospective thieves away. The emotions that swirled in his breast, the guilt, the shame, none of it came from him. It was something he was forced to feel by whatever enchantment guarded the place. What an insidious little spell… He frowned and pointed his wand down at the trapdoor again.

“Finite incantatem.”

Nothing happened.

“Finite incantatem!” he said again, more clearly and imperious.

The trapdoor mocked him with its silence. Tom looked down at his wand as if it were impotent.

“Of all the damned… Revelio,” he cast again, but nothing new appeared. “Alohomora!”

And that was when it struck him.

The spell worked, but just for an instant before it was undone and something fired back at him. A shard of death crawled up his spine and pooled inside his heart, pushing him backwards into the sharp edge of a table. The lamps on it rattled from the impact.

He felt dizzy for a moment, his body numb and cold, then nauseous when his senses came back to him at once. Pain billowed at his lower back so hard it filled his throat with bile. He clung to the edge of the table and kept himself just barely standing, managing the breath to groan.

“By Salazar’s f-fucking… Ow!”

Among all the sudden pain, he noticed that his arm was numb. The ring had stopped hurting him. It got its point across… The door was cursed, and so severely that, if not for his Horcrux, he surely would have died.

Tom clenched his teeth and hissed at the bothersome little entrance, cursing it in parseltongue. He kicked the carpet back over it and rubbed his aching hip where he already felt a bruise forming. There was nothing else he could do there, at least not tonight. He’d have to go back to his hotel, hopefully not limping all the way, and plan his next steps.

“I’ll get you yet,” he muttered with a parting glare. “And whatever mongrel of a mage made you.”

[sixhours]

Hi! I’m here with a jar of caramel sauce for the Pedro Scouts Ice Cream Social and a question.

Your dating profile lists one of your life goals as trying every gelato shop in Rome. Which Pedro boy reads that and swipes right?

Yummm more caramel sauce!

Oh this kind of sweet, manic energy can only belong to dear Javi G. He’s game for a gelato tour of Rome for sure. 💕

[bluestar22x]

Hello! I have a tub of sprinkles and a question for you for the Pedro Scouts ice cream social.

Your dating profile lists one of your life goals as trying every gelato shop in Rome. Which Pedro boy reads that and swipes right?

Cheers! 💚

Sounds like something Javi G would do.

(and I totally would want to try every shop - though my tastes aren't refined enough to care if it's gelato or regular ol' ice cream)

That gif looks so good. Rainbow sprinkles for the win.

[liesmyth]

there's a street in central Rome that I firmly believe has the greatest concentration of gelato shops per square metre than anywhere else on earth

[nerdieforpedro]

Hello Nerdie! For the Pedro Scouts ice cream social, let me shower you with sprinkles and ask you a question.

Your dating profile lists one of your life goals as trying every gelato shop in Rome. Which Pedro boy reads that and swipes right?

Surprisingly, the first Pedro boy that comes to mind is Javier Gutierrez. Somehow, he would discover Nic Cage’s favorite flavor of gelato 🍧 He’ll find it and wonder, there’s so many flavors, it might be fun to go with someone next time.

This is when he swipes right on my profile and asks what is my favorite movie, I tell him he’ll laugh because as a child is was Beauty and the Beast and now The Princess and the Frog 🐸 and I wanted them to be humans a bit longer. We’ll discuss why as we try different flavors of gelato and traipse around Rome.

Some of the gelato will be eaten on the beach, I’ll explain that sand gets in curious places and he’ll tell me not to worry about it. I’ll tell him I’ll give it an hour and we end up staying for four.

A wonderful trip ❤️

[expatesque]

Incredibly excited for your Italy trip, as someone who studied in Rome I would like to politely request photos from your time there 💛 in exchange I can tell you that the Gelateria Regusto in Trastevere is the best gelato shop, and that a little hike up Janiculum Hill at sunrise is truly unforgettable

Lovely recommendations, thank you! I promise photos will be coming!

[nancyfmccarthy]

The Perfect Gelato

My search for the perfect gelato continues. Today we found a real contender at Gelateria La Romana. The gelato was excellent. Also in its favor, this gelateria had a toasted almond variety. Almond is my flavor of choice from Bologna but this is the first time we have seen it in Rome. The downside to this shop is its location, very far from our apartment and no place near anything that we frequent. BUT, when we got home , I discovered they have multiple locations….one just a 15 minute walk from us. Eureka!!!

So after two weeks in Rome, approximately 14 different gelato shops, here are the current standings:

The best: Gelateria del Viale in Trastevere

2nd place (but a close contender): Gelateria La Romana, multiple locations.

3rd place: Tre Scalini in Piazza Navona

But the race is not over. I have ten more weeks of tasting ahead of me. It is tough duty but I am up for it.

Paul let them add whipped cream to his cone today, which he is wearing on his face!!

[archoniluthradanar]

I'm a fragile human who feels depressed, and imagining what my Volturi lovers would do to cheer me. (I need cheering!)

Aro Knowing I love the beach, he will surprise me with a last minute vacation to Mykonos or the Amalfi Coast, maybe both. We find a private beach so even he can lie out and enjoy the sun without being seen by anyone, as he's sparkling in the light while we sunbathe in the nude. We go on donkey rides, wine tasting tours (I taste, anyway) and tours of the local church architecture (although neither of us is religious). Caius He would take me to a dude ranch, where we'd spend the week riding, fishing, riding some more, star gazing at night, riding again but not on horseback (wink), and enjoying cookouts (he begs off eating, making excuses no one questions; I refuse to have him pretend, preferring he not have to upchuck it all). Lastly, we'd camp out, making love in a tent under the stars.

Marcus He would drive us to Rome where we would walk hand-in-hand, or with his arm draped around me, while we toured local sites with him narrating the history he lived here. Then he would take me shopping, no limits, he pays. Then he would politely watch while we sat at an outdoor cafe, only me eating some of the local cuisine. He'd buy me chocolate gelato afterwards while we walked the Villa Borghese park, where he would push me up against a tree and kiss me breathless. Why do vampires not exist, at least the ones we love?

[senjuushi]

Event Translation — Brand New Journey ~Italy Expedition Volume~

Episode 2: Land of Beauty and Sunshine

—Piazza del Plebiscito, on the coast of the Gulf of Naples.

Cutlery: Mmm~! What great weather! Both the sea and the sky are bright blue... it’s really kinda pretty...! 

Marks: Master, I’ve researched sightseeing spots for you! The Collosuem, cathedrals, and Giotto's Camaderie​ are all famous! And after that, we can ride a boat on the canals. Let’s do all of it! 

Cutlery: Hahh... you’re too stupid. The Colosseum is in Rome... the most famous cathedral is in Milan, I think. It’s Giotto’s Campanile, not Camaderie, and that’s in Florence, anyway. 

Cutlery: Venice is probably gonna be the last place we go, right? All of that is in the North, and the cities are scattered all over, anyway, so there’s no way you can go to all of them. 

Marks: What did you say...!

Cutlery: Come on, (Player Name). Forget about this guy, and come get something to eat with me. After that, it’ll be sightseeing in the South.

Cutlery: We handled the Outragers right after we got here, so we can take it easy from here on out, yeah?

*flashback begins*

—a few hours earlier. After the group arrived at the airport, they had to find a taxi. 

Cutlery: So this is Italy, huh... Even the atmosphere feels different than in England. 

Marks: Master, it seems that there are a lot of pickpockets targeting tourists in this area. Please, be careful. There may be the mafia here as well, so I’ll remain vigilant of our surroundings. 

Civilian: KYAAAAH!!

Cutlery: Eh!? That was a scream—

Outrager: Kill... destroy, it all... 

Marks: Outragers! 

Cutlery: So suddenly...! 

Marks: Who cares! Let’s take ‘em out! 

*flashback ends*

Cutlery: Who would have thought we’d run into the Outragers just after leaving the airport? Now, there’s still a few days until we’re supposed to go back. 

Master: 

More of them might appear, so we should be careful.

We can relax, but we also have to stay vigilant. 

Cutlery: Yeah, you’re right.

Marks: Ah, Master! It’s an ice cream stand! 

Cutlery: That’s not ice cream. It’s gelato. It’s a specialty of Italy, and there are well-known shops selling it everywhere. 

Cutlery: C’mon, let’s go get some! 

*the scene changes to a bridge by the waterfront* 

While they sat on a bench and ate their gelato, the three looked over a tourist book to decide on their next destination. 

Cutlery: What about here? San Carlo Theatre! I remember Charlotte saying that she saw “Gianni Schicchi”​ there once, and really enjoyed it. 

Marks: What? Who’s Gianki Steak?* That sounds tasty, so it might not be bad.

Cutlery: Gianni! Schicchi​! It’s a one-act opera, where he plays the—

Civilian 1: Kyaaahh!!

Cutlery: What is it this time...!?

Civilian 2: Help! A car crashed, and it fell into the ocean! 

Master: 

We have to help! 

The driver is still inside! 

Marks: Wait, Master! I’ll come with you! 

Marks: Cutlery, hold onto our guns! 

Cutlery: H-Huh, wait...! 

(Player Name) and Marks jump into the ocean. 

The driver had managed to get out of the car, but had fallen unconscious. (Player Name) pulled him to the water’s surface, where Marks and the other two haul him back onto dry land. 

Cutlery: Are you two okay...!?

Marks: *cough*, I’m fine...! Master, did you inhale any water!? 

Master: 

I’m alright! 

Nope, I’m good! 

Master: 

Are you okay?!

Hang in there! 

Rescued Man: Uh... *cough*, *cough*...

Rescued Man: ...ed, I’m saved! 

Rescued Man: I was distracted by a gorgeous lady by the roadside and looked away, and that was it! Ahhh, I really messed up! Gahahaha!

Cutlery: What’s up with this guy? He’s way too perky. ...he doesn’t need any help. 

Benetta: ......

Carcanore: ......tch.

Rescued Man: You’re my saviors! Grazie infinite!

Master:

I’m glad you’re not hurt. 

Be more careful, next time.

(CHOICE 1) Rescued Man: Haha, you’re pretty impressive, you know that? By the way, you all are...?

(CHOICE 2) Rescued Man: Ahh, I’m really regretting not doing better about that! By the way, you all are...?

Rescued Man: Judging by your accents... are you British? You must be here for sightseeing, then! Welcome to Naples! 

Bonito: I’m Bonito! I’d like to show you my thanks properly... but everything I have is in the sea right now.

Bonito: Ah, I know! I still had a map in my pocket! You’re welcome to take it, if you’d like. I’m truly grateful! 

Master:

Y-Yes... 

(What a rough handshake...!)

Marks: Hey, don’t swing Master’s hand around like that!

Bonito: Well then, let’s hope we meet again someday! Ciao!!

Cutlery: Eh, h-hold on...! 

Carcanore: Yo, I see you got out unscathed! 

Bonito: ...ngh!

Carcanore: Grazie! For saving this guy and all. We’re really grateful. 

Benetta: Indeed. Thank you for your efforts. 

Bonito: Y-You two...! Hey, what a coincidence to meet you here!!

Marks: What, are they friends of yours?

Bonito: Ahh, that’s right. This guy is Carcanore, and the one beside him is Benetta. 

Master: 

(Those are both the names of Italian guns)

(There shouldn’t be any Musketeers in Italy, though...?)

Carcanore: Ahh~ah, you guys are soaking wet. We’re close to where I live, so how about you shower off there? 

Carcanore: Let’s go, ‘kay! 

Marks: *pant*... *pant*...! 

Cutlery: Hey, what are you doing?

Marks: The seawater got in my nose...! 

Cutlery: C’mon... don’t blow snot out of your nose in public. Here, use a handkerchief. 

(Player Name) and the others got into the car belonging to Bonito’s friends, to drive with them.

Notes:

*Here, Marks misunderstands “ジャンキーステーキ (jyankii suteiki)” as “ジャンニ・スキッキ (jyanni sukikki)”. “ステーキ” means “steak”, so he assumes Cutlery is talking about food.

[kpagrandtour]

Today was a day full of adventure and joy! I’m really loving this trip, and today capped off another day where I got to get closer with everyone in my grade as we embarked on awesome journeys!

Today we started out by eating breakfast at the hotel. It was super good as always, and I continue to eat food that has been really great! After breakfast, me and some other people went to the Duomo, which is a super big church and our guide yesterday said that this specific location was the 4th biggest church in the world, not just in terms of size, but also the volume of people who attend there, which really shocked me. The overall size of the building itself was really intimidating but it truly was beautiful. We hiked up about 460 steps to the top of the cathedral and the view was killer! We pretty much saw all of Florence from that view. It was an experience I will never forget not just because it was awesome, but it was a workout! Who knew that 460 steps could be so hard? I for sure didn’t!

After the Duomo, we went to go see the Gates of Paradise. These are famous golden doors, with panels depicting Biblical scenes. We made an estimate of how much the doors were worth, and I believe that we came up with about 30 million, which is wild! The doors themselves are big doors. I work with doors all the time at work and they did not even come close to the size of these doors! It was truly a awesome experience!

Then we went to a leather shop, where there was a lot of cool stuff in there. It included wallets, purses, journals, and so much more. My mom ended up buying a purse that was super pretty.

After the leather school, we embarked on a journey to find lunch, and we did! We found a small restaurant near the Saint Croces. I had lasagne, and I can say it was the best lasagne I have ever had. I’ve tried a lot of new things, but Italian lasagne is one that I will never forget! Then we went to go get some dessert. We got some more gelato, which everyone in my class loves! I got mine in a cone and I had milk and chocolate flavored gelato. It was super good! By far my most favorite dessert of all time!

After that, we walked around for a minute, unsure of what to do. You would figure if you were in Florence, Italy, that you would have some idea of entertainment planned, but we did not! Me and my mother went back to the hotel and decided to relax there until it was time to check out of our hotel. On the way back, my mom was thirsty so we stopped and got something to drink. We went back to the hotel and relaxed upstairs until everyone else arrived.

After everyone came back to the hotel, we went to a train station and got onto a train to head to Rome. The train ride itself was pretty uneventful, at least for me. I just read pretty much the whole time. It was a really cool experience to ride on a train and I’m super blessed I got to do it with the best people!

After the train we arrived at our hotel by walking there and proceeded to eat dinner at a restaurant and I had lasagne again. It wasn’t as good as the one I had earlier today but it was really good.

Overall today was a good day and Europe has been amazing and life is good in the neighborhood!

-Tyler Schuler

[anonsally]

Day 5 in Rome

A fairly low-key day.

We left soon after 9am and took a crowded metro to the station closest to the Vatican. We weren't going to go in, we just wanted to visit a different neighborhood! We admired St. Peter's from the outside, saw the staggeringly long line for the Vatican museums, and went into the Vatican Post Office trailer to send a postcard to my father-in-law, who collects stamps.

Then we wandered around the outside of Castel Sant'Angelo. A Spanish family saw me using one of the standard city drinking fountains the way the Romans do -- you can block the downward flow of water with your hand to make the water spurt up through a small hole in the faucet thing so it's easier to drink from, if you aren't filling a bottle. It's also good if you want to spray water at your head! Anyway, the Spanish family followed my example and tried it out. They were delighted and asked whether all the water fountains can work that way.

We found a shady spot to sit in the park surrounding Castel Sant'Angelo and just rested a bit. I didn't have binoculars but I did spot several birds, including (finally) a Eurasian blackcap (I'd been hearing them all over the place) and a blue tit.

We ate at a restaurant in the area and then went back to the shopping area. A young Italian couple (teenagers, I think, who were presumably not from Rome) also learned from my way of using the water fountains! We found a fair trade shop (I used to shop at those a lot when I lived in Rome) and Wife bought a top, as she hadn't packed enough clothing and we were sweating through everything. But the gelato shop we were looking for was closed, so we took the metro to another one we wanted to try. They had a lot of flavors! I chose apricot and apple-cinnamon-almond. Both were nice.

I was having a hard time coping with the heat and the crowds. We rested in the hotel and cooled off.

Then we went out to meet a friend of mine (former flatmate, originally from Venezuela, but her father was Italian) for dinner. I was excited because we got to take the C line of the metro! It's new; I think they were only just starting to investigate it when I left Rome in 2006, and the part closest to the city center only opened in 2018. It is driverless! But it doesn't run very frequently.

It was great to see my old flatmate and catch up, and we had a tasty dinner together (I loved my radicchio risotto!) before taking the tram back to the hotel. The tram passed another favorite gelateria and I resolved to go there the next day.

[thegoodfellow]

who? @vincenzodives​

where? a lotto gelato

notes: the feeling when you see a previous lover on the street but apparently he lost his magic???

Her first clue that something has changed drastically is when she doesn’t sense him. As a witch, and one she is more than acquainted with, Vinny’s presence should have pinged on her metaphorical radar.  It doesn’t. Instead, she realizes his presence in Rome by coincidence. After her recent appointment to Chancellorship, she had taken to slipping away to Rome whenever her work was done. The responsibilities are new, and while not fully overwhelming, they are a lot for someone who had never believed she would inherit them. The Autumn nobles might have elected her, but everyone had expected Fen’harel to last for another few millennia at the least. The realization of their betrayal had been shocking beyond compare, and had shaken the very foundations of what she had known of her court. As such, Robin takes her free time to wander around Rome and ponder over the changes, over the reality and the truth, trying to see all angles, to understand them.

It’s a tad different this time, as she had gone out of her way to visit the gelato shop in order to get something sweet while she thinks. Robin’s choice had been a whim, set forth by her clairvoyance and taken in the last second. To find one of her previous lovers, and a good friend, on the shop is a pleasant surprise. To realize that he had seemingly lost his magic, is not. She hadn’t even realized his presence within the shop until she had turned around to leave, catching a glimpse of him sitting on the corner. The breath had been stolen from her lungs as the realization hit, and she had nearly spilled her gelato on the hurry to get to his table.

“I would say this is a pleasant surprise, sunshine,” she tells him, sending him a warm smile before her expression turns worried once more. “But I cannot sense your magic, which concerns me. Are you alright? Can I help?”

[jessiepurves]

cinque

The thing I am looking forward to most as I study abroad is the chance to see so many sight-seeing locations. While in Italy, we will see countless famous works of art and architecture such as the colosseum, the Duomo, and Michelangelo's statue of David. I am most excited to explore the colosseum and learn more about the history of ancient Rome first hand. Learning about how the colosseum was taken apart for building materials after having been such a significant part of history was very surprising to me. I hope to learn more about other aspects of ancient Rome, specifically their creation and use of aqueducts. During our free time in Florence I am excited to do some shopping at the local stores. I hope to find a nice leather shop and get a jacket or purse, something that will be a beautiful souvenir to remind me of my time in Italy. I also plan to do some early birthday shopping while I am there as my sister’s birthday is about a week after we return back home. (Act surprised Julia!!) I am also looking forward to being able to try some local food and attempt to eat my weight in gelato!