I am so sorry for how late this is. I have no excuses besides the fact that my muse just didn't know what to do with this. I'm not fond of this chapter but it was either this or nothing. Next update will be better and faster I promise. There aren't a lot of chapters left for this story and I hope to finish it before summer hits. Enjoy... that is if there still are people reading this after so long without an update. :/
The next morning Elena had Damon waiting outside the Vatican when the doors opened and the tours began. She wanted to be the first people signed up for the tours knowing it was a popular destination. She was mainly excited to see the Sistine Chapel and didn't want to miss out.
"I'm so excited for this." She enthused as they stood outside waiting for the tour to start.
"I know. I can't remember the last time I saw you this excited.
"I don't think I ever have been this excited." Elena agreed.
"I don't know about that. Keep in mind I've seen you positively bouncing up and down before. You're not doing that right now." He corrected her.
"Fine, maybe I have been more excited at some point in my life. But I'm hard pressed to remember such a time." She told him as the tour guide appeared and guided them into the chapel. She softly gripped Damon's hand and he smiled at the contact as they walked through the landmark.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd, that the two of us being what we are are walking through a place like this?" Damon whispered in Elena's ear.
"Maybe just a little bit." Elena agreed giggling at the question.
"More than a little bit. I'm positive we wouldn't be welcome if they knew what we were." Damon told her as they continued to walk and pay attention to everything the tour guide had to say.
"Isn't this place just so beautiful.?" Elena asked rhetorically as they continued to walk. The guide showed them everything before getting to the main event so to speak, the Sistine Chapel. Elena glanced amazed at the ceiling of the Sistine with his glorious paintings. She listened to the information that the guide spewed out while taking pictures of the amazing architecture.
"This is so beautiful." Elena whispered as she turned to face Damon.
"I know. I'm happy I brought you here. Seeing these places with you even though I've saw them countless times makes them feel new again. Your reactions are so honest and refreshing." He told her kissing her forehead. The tour guide led them back outside to where they started the tour.
"That concludes our tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. I do hope you all learned something new today." The guide stated politely before everyone uttered their thanks and walked in separate ways.
"So what now?" She asked eagerly. She wanted to see more and more. There was so much going on in Rome and she wanted to see it all.
"We can go walk through the city if you want. I want to take you to a opera tonight but for now we can go walk." Damon suggested.
"That sounds perfect." She agreed as she clasped his hand tighter. They began walking down the street and she wrapped her other arm around his. They looked like any other couple in love. "So what kind of opera are you taking me to?" She asked.
"Whatever is playing. I'll book tickets when we get back to the hotel. You'll have to dress nice, most of the operas I've ever went to are black tie." He told her.
"Yay, I love dressing up. Will it be in Italian?"She asked.
"Yes, I'll translate." He promised her.
"Which opera house are we going to? I know Rome has quite a few." Elena asked curiously.
"Teatro dell'Opera." He told her in a perfect Italian accent.
"Okay then. I'm guessing that translates to Opera House?" She questioned.
"Something like that. Come. Let's walk." He told her as he gently pushed her along the sidewalk.
They walked, and whenever Elena saw something that she wanted to look at they stopped. During their travels she had purchased a couple shirts, a few pieces of jewelry and a necklace from various vintage shops along the roadway.
"I love the stuff I've found so far." Elena sighed.
"I'm glad you've found things you like. I like buying you stuff." He told her as they walked hand in hand.
"So is it black tie or somewhat black tie tonight?" Elena asked curiously. She was trying to plan out her outfit but not having lots of luck doing do.
"You don't have to wear an evening gown or anything like that. But that knee length black dress you packed would be perfect." He told her.
"How do you know what I packed?" She asked curiously.
"I notice these things Elena." He told her dryly as they walked.
"Is there anything you want to look at?" She asked realizing that she basically had control over where they were walking and where they stopped.
"Believe me if I see something I want to look at we'll stop. I'm happy just watching you shop right now." He told her honestly.
"Okay but just make sure you stop me." She told him. They walked past a jewelry store that immediately caught Damon's eye.
"I'll be right back." He told her.
"I can't come with you?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him.
"Just wait here. I'll be right back. I just want to look at something." He told her kissing her temple.
"Alright, I'll be good." She decided rolling her eyes at him. He quickly walked into the store and Elena could see him conversing with the man at the desk. She chose not to listen in to his conversation just in case it really had something to do with her. She was surprised when he came out several long moments later with a smile on his face and nothing in his hand.
"So what were you doing in there?" She asked curiously.
"Just pricing out some jewelry." He admitted without giving much away.
"Were you looking at engagement rings?" She asked warily.
"Judging by the tone of your voice an engagement ring isn't the thing to do right now?" He noted.
"Damon, it's not that I don't want to marry you. It's that I don't want to marry you right now. You didn't buy a ring did you?" She asked.
"Of course not." He scoffed while covering the concealed box in his jeans pocket, he kept his disappointment at bay.
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Are you ready to go back to the hotel?" Damon asked after a while of walking with minimal conversation.
"I guess so. Is everything alright?" She asked baffled by the 180 degree turn his mood had taken.
"I'm fine. Let's just go. I don't want to miss dinner and then the opera." He told her as he turned them in the opposite
direction to head back to their car. Elena subtly watched him and grew more confused by the angry set of his jaw.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked again.
"I'm fine." He told her as they neared the car walking at much faster than normal humans could.
They were silent the entire way back to the hotel and Elena wasn't sure how a day started out so good but turned out so awkward.
"Are you going to talk to me at some point?" She demanded after several minutes of silence.
"Unlike you I don't feel the need to fill the silence with mindless chitchat." He retorted as they drove in relative silence. Elena sighed and shook her head, unable to pinpoint exactly what was wrong with him. She knew it started when they left the jewelry store and she had the sinking suspicion that he was looking at or even possibly bought an engagement ring for her. That would explain his totally changed mood. When they got back to the hotel, they walked inside and got in the elevator. He didn't touch her and stayed on the opposite side as her.
When they got to their floor, he opened the door to their room and let her in first.
"Go get ready. I'll get ready after you're done." He told her as he walked into the bedroom.
"We could always shower together." She suggested hopefully.
"I don't really want to be around you right now. Just go shower." He insisted
"Okay."She spoke softly before shutting herself in the bathroom and stripped out of her clothes. Damon reclined on the bed and opened up the small box that was in his pocket. The ring really was exquisite and it would look so beautiful on her hand had she not shut him down so quickly. It was platinum with a large center diamond and several smaller ones surrounding it. The diamonds were bright and beautiful. The highest quality that the jeweller could get his hands on. He knew that she would love it had she just looked at it. It was exactly the way she had always told him her dream engagement ring looked. When he heard the shower shut off he quickly shut the box and tossed it into his duffel bag where she wouldn't see it. She didn't need to see it and he didn't want her to.
Elena stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her breasts before wiping the fog off the mirror. Her hair hung went down her back and she quickly brushed through it. Tonight was going to be a disaster if he wasn't even going to speak to her. She slipped into the black dress that she had packed and zipped it up herself. The dress hugged her every curve; curves that Damon was fond of until tonight apparently. Things had been going so well for them lately and she had to fuck it up by opening her big mouth. After she was done getting ready she walked out of the room and saw Damon subtly appraise her.
"How do I look?" She asked spinning in a slow circle.
"Beautiful, but then again you always look beautiful to me." He shrugged. She smiled at him but he strode right by and shut himself in the bathroom. She knew that Damon was very capable of holding grudges. If he was upset with you, he could stay upset for a long time and there was really nothing you could do to stop it. Elena knew she would just have to weather this storm like she had so many others. Eventually he would cool down and be able to talk to her again. She hoped.
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The couple sat in awkward silence in the restaurant until the waiter came over.
"Good evening. Can I start you off with anything to drink?" The waiter asked.
"Bourbon. Give me the whole bottle." Damon compelled the waiter.
"Whole bottle. Bourbon." He repeated back to Damon. "Miss?" He asked turning to Elena.
"Just a glass of whatever your house wine is." Elena answered politely.
"Very well miss. I will be right back with your drink orders." He said in a heavy Italian accent.
"Thank you." Elena said as he walked off. "Is this how it's going to be all night?" Elena demanded.
"Yep." He told her popping the "p."
"Great. Thanks for the warning." She muttered sarcastically as she waited for her wine to show up. The waiter brought
their drinks back moments later, the entire bottle of high-end bourbon and the single glass of white wine for Elena.
"Have you chosen your meals yet?" The waiter prompted.
"Yes, I'll have to chicken Parmesan with cheese toast instead of garlic toast." Elena ordered.
"Very well. Sir?" He asked turning to Damon.
"I'll have the filet. Rare. With potatoes." He stated without looking away from his menu.
"Very well. Enjoy your drinks." He said walking away from the table with the menus. The atmosphere at the table was tense to say the least. Both vampires were sitting straight up in their chairs, looking anywhere other than directly across from them. Elena's hands were on her lap and Damon's arms were crossed across his chest.
After they were finished eating and the bill was paid, Damon ushered Elena out of the restaurant without saying a word.
"You're still going to translate the opera for me right?" She questioned hopefully.
"Yes I'll still do that." He told her as he opened the car door and slipped in. When she was in on the other side he started up the car and drove to the opera house. When they got there he parked the car and waited for her to join him on the sidewalk. He showed the man at the door their tickets and he took their seats waiting for the opera to start.
Elena had never seen anything like the opera. It was impossible to understand without Damon's translation but someone with all their movements and expressions it made it easier. The opera was truly a work of art, one she was happy she had the chance to see in her life.
"Thank you for this." She whispered in his ear.
"You're welcome." He whispered back. She knew it was progress one way or another. He spent the rest of the night translating important parts for her until the show was over and he quickly rushed them back to the hotel. The silence sinking in once again.