A.N.: Hi guys. So… I love long, enthusiastic reviews – love 'em more when I can respond! Please sign in or use a penname I can track down!

Okay, so I just watched a Chloe Morello tutorial, and her eye makeup is spot-on Giulia. There's one particular video 'Would You Rather? Beauty Edition feat. Chloe Morello & Rachael Brook' – Chloe's perfect eyeliner, gorgeous luminous cheekbones, her dark lipstick, metallic manicure and casual t-shirt and edgy jewellery – totally Giulia. Loved it – watch the vid, it's six minutes and silly but she looks great, and that is Giulia's style. Well, as it will evolve over time!

Um. Watched the wedding. I can't TVD anymore...

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The one glorious moment in a jaw-dropping episode of awfulness was Damon judo-chopping Kai's head off – that is reminiscent of Elijah bitch-slapping Trevor's head off.

So, not that I smoke or like people who do, but there's a GIF on Pinterest of Lauren Bacall smoking on the set of Dark Passage – she is extraordinarily beautiful. Definitely Giulia inspiration. And – Bogie and Bacall?! Any similarities there with our favourite couple?


Drunken Binges, Funerals and Formals

51

Mistletoe


They could have spent eternity dancing the Viennese waltz. It was exquisite; Elijah was immaculate. He was a mouth-watering mixture of grace and masculinity, an extraordinary dancer; Giulia regretted every dance he had to give, due to fine breeding, to another of his guests. It would have been ill-mannered to dance with only one person all night…no matter how transfixed the assembly was, how they held their breaths at the beautiful sight of Elijah, immaculate in his tuxedo, dancing with the extraordinary seventeen-year-old human beauty.

In the candlelight everything was soft, utterly romantic, warm; on the longest night of the year, the atmosphere in the stunning ballroom was cosy. Intimate, despite the number of people; a full orchestra played and sumptuous food filled the flower-fragrant air with delectable scents. Champagne flowed freely with absinthe and wine, and Giulia tippled with Ashlyn, who had been recording every dance Giulia relished with Elijah.

This was what Giulia imagined Edith Wharton and Jane Austen balls to look like, everyone in their absolute finest, with immaculate manners and dancing beautifully. In a way the rest of the world had forgotten; she loved a good fondling on a nightclub dance-floor but dancing with Elijah…transported her; she had never experienced it before, her heart was throbbing almost painfully, the music was exquisite, and Elijah sailed with her around the floor as if they had been born to dance with each other, his hands so warm and gentle on her, powerful and immaculate. Her eyes tracked him as he danced with other women, a smile playing on her lips; even watching him dance was mesmerising. She could not lose herself the way she had when she was dancing with him, but it was pretty close.

It was a magical evening. Chocolat had come to her room earlier in the afternoon to prep her for the evening to come. Firstly she was sure Elijah had slipped her something: one moment she had been eating a light lunch with Ashlyn, the next she was burrowed deep beneath the duck-down duvet in the grand bedroom she had been given, cosy and more relaxed than she had been in weeks… She had woken…rested. Happy. It felt strange. And her mood had continued to pick up as the rest of the afternoon wore on…because she decided it would. The amount of time Chocolat had spent on her makeup, Giulia had expected Frank N Furter… When she had stared in the mirror, for the first time in weeks really looking at her reflection, she had been stunned. Humbled. She hadn't recognised herself; somehow he had made her look like she wasn't wearing any makeup at all, and yet a hundred times more beautiful. Clear mascara, clean eyelids, her intense brows shaped, filled and softened naturally, the most delicate of blushes, a strange matte glow to her cheekbones and a faint hint of colour to her lips… She couldn't find any evidence of insomnia, no harsh planes and sharp, hungry angles, no bags under her eyes the size of Montana, she didn't look like she was on the verge of tears. It didn't look like her at all. Too…fresh-faced…too…pure.

That delicacy, that purity had extended to her gown – Chocolat had designed and made it at his atelier in Manhattan, as he had Vera, Cara, Ashlyn, all the others'. Knowing she was a ballroom-dancer, her dress was a traditional ball-gown, the hem slightly raised, but made of whisper-soft layers of silk and organza in the softest hues of champagne, ivory and gold, embroidered with shimmering threads, tiny seed-beads and micro-pearls… With her hair swept up into a soft up 'do, decorated with the tiniest white flowers…she looked like a snowflake, Chocolat had sighed dreamily. She glittered as she was swept around the ballroom by Elijah.

Her feet hurt, she had been smiling all night, the music was sweeping over her filling her with emotions she didn't want to name, her eyes tracked Elijah all night and she laughed and teased with Ashlyn, danced every dance, feasting on a sumptuous meal of rolled venison haunch roasted with rosemary, danced more, steadily tippled champagne, sneaking bits and pieces from the various dessert buffets offered in the various drawing-rooms. Not spying him on the dance-floor Giulia knew where she would find Elijah. The meal having ended hours ago, the ballroom was a whirl of dancing, candlelight, the scent of winter flowers, glittering guests dancing steps too antiquated to be remembered by modern ballroom lessons, centuries-old vampires enjoying themselves as memories of their youths rushed to the fore, aided by music and champagne and the revelry of the vampire version of Mardi Gras and midsummer. Every room in the great house had been claimed and as the night wore on more and more became occupied.

The impeccable host, Elijah stayed within sight all evening, dancing every dance with various partners, tippling champagne – she saw him laughing – and when they danced together, they flirted, smirking and biting back giggles as they caught eye-contact, enjoying private jokes, subtle words Elijah slipped quietly into conversation that made her shiver and choke on laughter. After dancing four dances with Aljaž, two with Cara and shooting a commemorative video for vampire New Year, Giulia stumbled a step and reached for the back of a nearby chair. She hadn't had too much to drink but she…was tired. For once she was running off joy and adrenaline, a rich meal and exquisite music. She sat down, yawning behind her hand, and Ashlyn gave her a sleepy smile as a slim shadow sat down beside her; Elijah smiled warmly, looking…happier, more relaxed than Giulia had ever seen him, there was a glitter to his dark molasses eyes that might have had something to do with the champagne he'd been drinking all night, his undone bowtie, draping his tuxedo jacket on the back of his chair to unbutton his dress-shirt, but Giulia beamed at him when he caught her eye.

"You look…glitzy," she mused, feeling it herself; glitzy was a phrase Caroline had coined to describe when she had had a few drinks and was high on adrenaline, when she was so full of joy and bubbles that the entire world seemed to be glittering, delicious. She explained this to Elijah, whose face warmed as an open grin lit up his features. "I'm surprised your guests have left the dance-floor so early, it's barely two a.m."

"What can I say?" Elijah smiled warmly. "The bedchambers were offered for a reason."

"Filthy," Giulia smirked, and laughed richly. "I love it." Elijah grinned. She then squawked indignantly as a bush was shoved into her face. She blinked through foliage, seeing tiny white berries and swatted it away.

"Are you trying to poison me?!" she blurted, all but blowing raspberries as she tried to get the leaves and berries out of her mouth, grimacing.

"Now kiss," someone ordered, and Giulia peered through the grey-green leaves of the mistletoe to Cara, resplendent in a powder-blue ball-gown and jewelled hair-combs. She looked slightly maniacal as she grinned. No fangs, but too much sugar had given her an edge. Several people around them cackled as Giulia raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, and Elijah grinned, looking away. He used a finger against Cara's wrist to remove the mistletoe from their under their noses, and shot Giulia the subtlest of winks before gathering her close with an arm around her shoulders. Curling a hand under her jaw, he turned her face away slightly as Giulia laughed, and tenderly kissed her cheekbone.

"Not like that!" Cara crowed indignantly, slapping a hand to her forehead with enough force to stop a truck, looking more maniacal for it. The others just laughed, and the skin where Elijah had kissed her tingled as her cheeks warmed. She knew he had been teasing Cara; but she couldn't help enjoy it.

As more champagne was poured, Victoire brought out her deck of well-loved cards and those resisting debauched urges drank and laughed, slipping their heels off, unbuttoning their dress-shirts, and Giulia eyed the others, involved in their conversation and their card-game, laughing at Ashlyn, fast asleep with her head on her arms on the table. She gathered up her friend, shaking her head and laughing under her breath, and guided the little witch, half-conscious, to her room. Giulia got her shoes off but couldn't do anything about her makeup; she filled a glass with water and set it on the bedside table, dimmed the lights and retreated out of Ashlyn's room.

When she returned to the doorway into one of the drawing-rooms, Elijah was nowhere to be seen at the table where the others were getting more raucous; she knew where he would be, though, and she caught him, eyes sparkling impishly like a child caught in the act as he plucked a caramel-crusted choux bun from a precarious four-foot croquembouche tower decorated with spun-sugar, blanched almonds, dried exotic fruit petals and real orange blossoms. In fact every dish and dessert had been decorated in a way Giulia was sure belonged to ages gone past, and the recipes she had been experimenting with for the Founders' anniversary banquet were now taking form in her mind, exquisitely presented like this. She smiled sadly to herself, the thought of all the effort she was putting into the banquet recreation and…her dad wouldn't be there to witness it. He had always encouraged her projects, her research into weird and wonderful things. He had kept every essay she had ever written, everything she had ever built or designed, the trebuchets, the pin-hole cameras, the clocks and the Triumph TR5 Trophy she had rebuilt from a pile of scrap in a potting shed when she was four, a vintage bike belonging to her grandfather Joseph. She eyed Elijah, the delighted little dimple in his chin when he smiled, his eyes glittering, sampling the croqembouche while no-one watched, remembered the mechanical starling.

"Caught you," she said softly, and Elijah whipped around, beaming guiltily. She wandered over, eyeing the tower of spun-sugar and crème patissiere. "What's in these ones?"

"Mm. Madagascan dark-chocolate," Elijah said, his eyes warm as he plucked another choux bun from the tower; she heard a gentle crunch as he bit into the caramel coating one side of the bun. "Mm. Or hazelnut. It must be a collection of different flavours."

"It's good to change things up," Giulia said, reaching for one.

"Oh, no. This is mine."

"I can't have one?"

"No."

"There are a thousand choux buns on this tower alone, I'm not allowed one?" she blinked, widening her eyes. Elijah shook his head, taunting her as he popped the rest of the choux bun into his mouth, then licked his lips. "Elijah. I'm the only-child in this scenario, I'm the one who's not supposed to know how to share."

"They're mine. I paid for them, they belong to me," Elijah smiled at the dessert table, a Cliff Huxtable delight in his eyes as he plucked another choux bun from the tower. Giulia shot him a considering look, then smirked.

"You commissioned Chocolat to make this dress for me," she said suggestively, raising her chin and smirking, "are you going to repossess it?" She said it lightly, with amusement in her tone, and she laughed at Elijah's whip-quick double-take. A rich laugh bubbled up as warmth coloured Elijah's cheekbones. "Oh, I made you blush!" She chuckled to herself, delighted, until Elijah was suddenly almost nose-to-nose with her, feathering the lightest of kisses against her lips, staring into her eyes. The kiss for Cara's sake had been teasing; this was delicate, excruciatingly intimate. It took her breath away. Then he had broken away, solemn, pressing his lips together, looking tortured. Giulia could taste caramel on her lips, warmth teased her skin from his kiss.

She knew he could hear her heart thudding against her ribcage. Giulia suddenly couldn't keep eye-contact, because for the briefest moment Elijah had raised his fingertips to his lips, looking both heartbroken and horrified. Haunted. Ouch. She'd heard of being played hot and cold but…this was something else. For one embarrassing moment she didn't know what to do with herself – he'd intended to shock her, make her blush, instead he'd triggered some visceral reaction to a memory long since buried. Giulia didn't want to know what – or who – he had suddenly relived.

And then his hands had wrapped themselves around her waist, drawing her body almost flush to his. She could smell his cologne, fresh, clean and cosy, if a scent could be; those dark eyes truly were beautiful, rich and warm…old. They were ancient eyes.

"Please…don't think I invited you here solely to ask about the doppelganger," he said softly. Giulia blinked. "I…did want you here for the ball."

"Everything can serve a dual-purpose," she said, with a gentle sigh. "It saves time." Elijah frowned, looking disbelieving. "I don't mind, Elijah. But we speak on the phone often enough you could have just asked." She nudged her nose against his, with a sad smile. "Next time, just ask. There's no need for duplicity."

"No, especially when you can see right through it," Elijah said quietly, frowning again. Giulia gave him a look that would probably be described as 'smug'.

"Does that annoy you?" Giulia asked curiously. She was far too clever, some might say for her own good, but she had an exquisite poker-face and knew when to divulge what she knew; otherwise, her intellect was as much a liability as a strength. And nobody liked to be reminded they weren't the cleverest in the room.

"It's…refreshing, and yet…" Elijah tilted her head thoughtfully, eyeing her. "Most people – vampire, witch, werewolf – when they hear my name they are always distrustful, suspicious, cautious. My family's reputation has preceded me through the centuries and everywhere the people I meet expect duplicity." He looked utterly saddened by that admission. Giulia couldn't imagine spending an eternity being feared and mistrusted. It was no wonder he had such a small, close group of friends, his family, the blessed few he had allowed in, appreciated, respected and adored the true Elijah, allowing him to enjoy them in turn. It must have been an achingly isolated existence. It was no wonder Elijah kept himself to himself, introverted, alone and unhappy. Content not to make waves, or brutalise and torture others to make himself feel better.

"Do you distrust me?" Giulia blinked, and had to think about it. Did she distrust Elijah? If she distrusted him, he could have absolutely no faith in her either; he knew she had seen through him even as he had brought her here for a dual-purpose.

"If I do, you more than have the right to distrust me," she said softly. "We've both kept secrets."

"Hm," Elijah hummed gently, and there was a tiny smile on his lips. "Perhaps instead we could trust that we are both clever, loyal and compassionate people who would rather die for the people they love. And would rather protect the innocent than torment them needlessly."

Giulia smiled subtly, repeating, "Needlessly." An important distinction. Elijah swept those dark eyes over her face again, leaning forward, and Giulia held her breath as he gently pressed a kiss to her cheek. She caught him before he could turn away.

"Not like that," she teased, with a chiding look, and reached up to cradle his jaw in her hands, pressing her lips firmly against his. For a split-second nothing happened – and then something broke, Elijah's defences were brought down, suddenly she was encased in his arms, his scent, the delicious pressure of his lips and the most teasing sweep of his tongue making her knees weak. A deep, consuming kiss, waking up her body, and his…he was an excruciating kisser, and when they broke apart both were panting lightly, the taste of each other's lips, of hazelnut and champagne, lingering.

Beaming lazily, Giulia plucked a choux bun from the tower and sidled away, not looking over her shoulder; she grinned to herself as she bit into the caramel-dipped pastry, gasping lightly when hands rested neatly on her waist at the doorway to the ballroom.

"Dance with me again," he murmured, and she smiled, licking her lips of the dark-chocolate – with a hint of citrus and pink peppercorn – crème patissiere, and allowed Elijah to lead her to the candlelit floor. And they danced for hours, sneaking kisses, allowing their hands to wander more than they had ever dared before. Living in the moment absolutely.


A.N.: You're welcome.