2900/L'amore Vince Sempre

L'amore Vince Sempre
Date of Scene:	13 August 2020
Location:	Pietrapertosa, Italy
Synopsis:	Oliver takes Vanessa to Italy for her birthday.
Cast of Characters:	Oliver Queen, Vanessa Carlysle

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Oliver Queen has posed:
Oliver had been aware that Vanessa's birthday was coming. One of those side effects of having actually studied Vanessa's records with the law when she was being accused of being in league with Yu Phun.

Thoughts had twisted and turned as to what gift he'd be giving Vanessa but every time he considered it his ideas roamed to that first time they had met at Fred's. When they had shared wanting to just go on a trip, free of everything, at least for a few days. And so he had conjured this idea, an escapade for a few days in Italy. They had landed in Rome, stayed for a day... Because really, you can't go to Italy without spending at least a bit in Rome.

Yet then the second part of his birthday gift, to go to another village, a small one right on the southern mountains of Italy, up high in the air. The village was built on the mountain itself, carved as if coming out of the earth itself, the walls of a saracen castle marking it had been under moorish occupation ages ago.

Ollie had rented a car for them to travel in and dressed as he was with that t-shirt, shorts and sandals noone would be saying this was actually Oliver Queen. Just another tourist really! "I am told it has one of the highest ziplines in the world too, actually connecting two towns together." of course it has. Always the thrill-seeker. But he was grinning when he said that.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa had been with Oliver for over half a year, and living with him for the bulk of it. She managed to fit into his life well, the young woman having a certain elegance and poise to her that lent itself to his upscale surroundings. But there were still plenty of times that Oliver would be able to sense how different a life enabled by immense wealth was. This had definitely been one of those times.

Vanessa's only trip out of the United States, her only trip out of the Midwest and Northeast for that matter. Rome was a dream, one that she was happy to take at a relaxed pace, though with comments about how one could probably spend a lifetime there and still uncover new things to see.

There was no doubt that Oliver was sweeping her off of her feet all over again. A night in a hotel with a beautiful view of the city, and then the drive up the winding mountain roads to the small village. She'd covered her eyes a few times at how narrow those roads seemed! But Oliver had navigated them beautifully.

As the car is approaching the village, Vanessa takes her eyes from it to look over to Oliver. She reaches over and rubs a hand over his broad shoulder. "Thank you for this. I'd say best birthday ever. But more like... better than all other birthday's combined," she says, her eyes on his face.

Oliver Queen has posed:
It paid off having spent so many years dodging bullets, and worse, while driving either bikes, cars or even aircrafts. The narrow roads compared to those weren't *too* hard, and if anything he was responsible enough. No daring little moves or driving too close to the precipice. Playing with their security wasn't his thing.

But indeed that they were close to the village, up on the mountains. It had been a climb too (for the car), and now that they were arriving the beauty of the small village came out. They were greeted by the afternoon sun shining high in the sky, lighting up that side of the mountain with the houses with all their different colors, the whites the yellows, the darker browns. All with one thing in common, the red brick rooftops.

He glances over to Vanessa when he feels the hand on his shoulder. "And we aren't yet done." he says, reaching up to squeeze the woman's hand, eyes back on the road and he bringing the car in. "I rented us a small house in the village to spend the night in. A quaint little place, and the view is magnificent if the pictures give it justice." he drives through a few more narrow roads (They only got those kind of roads here apparently!) and finally comes to a stop on a park just outside the heart of the city. A sign says. 'No cars from here on.'

"Time to walk, hope you aren't tired yet from all the running around?"

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle keeps her hand there on Oliver's shoulder as he works his way through the beautiful little village. She watches as the sun illuminates the warm colors of the walls and roofs, with flowers adorning windowsills and hanging from planters here and there. "It's like a postcard," Vanessa says quietly, smiling as they roll through the village, and lifting a hand to give a small wave of greeting towards some of the townsfolk who look over at the unfamiliar car. The wave often returned.

As the car comes to a stop, Vanessa opens the door to climb out, taking a moment to stretch her legs and back. She's wearing a tank top and shorts with low topped boots, her skin tanned from being out in the sun. "Even in Italy you still find ways to get our workouts in. I see how it is," she teases as she walks around to help retrieve their luggage from the trunk.

Vanessa travels light, a joy in that regard. Just one bag that can be slung over the shoulder rather than a wheeled bag meant for air travel. She situates it and then turns, pausing to look out at the view from the side of the mountain like this. "Just... just wow," she says, letting out a breath at the picturesque view of the land opening up below them, all the way to the distant sea.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"No salmon ladder but ..." Oliver is just getting out of the car, hands on his hips and his eyes trailing towards the side of the mountain. "... We could always go mountain climbing.." it's a great workout! And knowing Ollie, he may just have made sure that was an option. Yet he does wink back to Vanessa, perhaps telling that it will be her choice. It is her birthday afterall!

Ollie isn't the type to bring too much either, a large backpack that he tosses over his shoulders and another smaller bag with items in common for the two of them. He approaches her, one large arm wrapping about her shoulders and keeping her close while they take note of the surrounding village, the mountain, the distant sea. Though he isn't exactly looking at the view now, instead his eyes staying on Vanessa's expression and on how happy she seems. "Beautiful.." he murmurs. And it not exactly appearing as if he is talking about the view.

His eyes eventually stray away from Vanessa, towards a street that climbs further up on the village. "Lets go, we still have a ways to walk."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The younger woman looks away from the view in time to see Oliver gazing at her as he makes that comment. It brings out a beautiful smile, Vanessa looking down for a moment to grin before gazing back up at him. Her hand goes to the back of Oliver's head, steadying herself as she leans in to brush a slow, sultry kiss to his lips. "Thank you for this," she tells him before letting those fingers slip slowly away from him.

She hefts the bag, adjusting where the straps hang slightly and nods. "I'm looking forward to seeing this place," she tells him, reaching over to slip a hand into Oliver's at least for the start of the hike down the trail to the mountainside cabin.

She glances back at the view. "It has such a different feel, doesn't it? The whole country. Or, what of it we've seen so far. It just has such history and character," she tells him. "Makes a catfish farm outside of Cleveland feel... well, about like a catfish farm I guess."

Oliver Queen has posed:
The kiss is happily returned, for there was no other way for him, fully wrapped upon those eyes and smile. When they finally break up the kiss his fingertips slowly brush on Vanessa's cheek before finally dropping and taking hers so they begin their walk up. He keeps a steady enough pace, but never one that makes it to be pushing too hard. They do have a village to appreciate afterall.

The few people that pass smile and wave, Ollie replying with a simple "Buongiorno." then continuing to look out over to the view. "There's a lot of history here." he says. "Centuries of it, and you can see the various cultures that were present here. The Romans and also with the moorish occupations." a gesture with his hand to the saracen castle.

"But yes, very different from what I am used to as well. For all my travels it's not often that I get a chance to come to Italy, at least not for leisure." then a brow quirking at the catfish farm comment, a grin after. "The catfish farm is part of your past, it's time that we focus on the future." says the man that never really got through his time spent on a certain island.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The warm smiles that Vanessa gives the passing people are largely returned. She wishes them greetings in Italian as well. Everything she says is Italian that Oliver knows as well, and there is definitely a reason for that. The girl from Ohio and then the slums of New Lots, New York City, never learned Italian on her own.

The trip is a series of beautiful views, with flowers and trees and birds, some of which Vanessa is not familiar with. But mostly, it's the time spent with Oliver that makes it worthwhile. Being able to pause at a scenic overlook, looking over to him to smile as they share the view.

"So, as birthday presents go, this pretty much blows everything away. I'm going to need to take some pictures for April," Vanessa comments. She leans over against Oliver briefly at one place they stop to see the view, resting her head against his shoulder before they continue on, the cabin coming into view up ahead.

Oliver Queen has posed:
A laugh comes out of Oliver, deep, the man gesturing to the zipline up above. "Think you will be able to find a few good ones from up there." he suggests, craning his neck back to look at it, then follow through to a few other high spots, "I will have to share them with Thea too, and Roy." His smile is now a gentle one, calm and peaceful as the surroundings suggest. At least for now he was able to let go of the troubles that were circling all about their lives and focus on simply living for a little, no matter how short the trip would be.

Yet one thing was certain, it would stay in his memory forever.

The moment they pause to lean together and just relax he takes the opportunity to take a selfie of them both. "I am not much the type for selfies but ...., feels like this would be a good exception." a brief kiss placed on the side of Vanessa's head and they finally continue. The cabin finally comes into sight and they arrive to it's door. It's a light yellow house, just one floor, windows which are currently open with curtains covering the view inside. The view though, it shows most of the village under it and in the distance the sea.

He opens the door, and as he had promised it's a quaint little place, an old house that was renovated to have a more modern look but still keeping a lot of the feeling of the past. A small kitchen, bedroom and living room, decoration sparse. All very down to earth. "Here we are..."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle looks up at the zip line. "Wow... that looks like it just runs about forever," she says, tracing it until it's difficult to see the line due to the distance. "I'm sure we can manage a few pictures from there," she agrees with a warm laugh.

She leans against Oliver for the picture, her smile saying everything about how the trip is going. "Have you and Thea traveled much together? Did you go a lot of places as a family?" she asks as they continue on to the cabin.

She steps inside the cabin as Oliver holds the door for her. Vanessa looks about this way and that. "Very nice. It has a wonderful, homey feel to it. Less a place for tourists, and more like a place you feel like you live," she says approvingly. She walks slowly through the place, looking around. Stopping to look at a view out one of the large windows. "Wow. Just... wow," she says with a thrilled laugh. She sets her bag down and then suddenly moves to jump on Oliver, her legs going about his hips, arms about his shoulders. "Thank you," she tells him, and gives him a long kiss.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"A lot less than I would had liked." Oliver admits. "When I was younger our father enjoyed taking us out either on the yacht, or travelling here and there. But once I returned things were never really the same..." because there's no drama like Queen drama. "We have connected and done a few things from time to time, but our nightly activities don't really give me a lot of time for it, save these rare occasions." though in truth, perhaps he could had tried harder.

He steps inside the place, shrugging out of the large backpack and placing it aside. "That was the idea." he says, "An hotel just feels too impersonal, doesn't it?" he wraps his hands together or at least ..., he was going to because then there's a jumping Vanessa. He barely has time to accomodate his arms to receive her, laughing. "If you can still jump it means my workout plans for the trip aren't working." he teases.

Though he clearly enjoys the kiss when it comes, his arms wrapping about Vanessa's body and keeping her close to him.

"There is noone else I could imagine being here with me right now."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle lets her legs drop so her feet rest on the floor, but she stays there in the hug. She rests her head in gently against Oliver's, just basking in being together with him. "I can't even begin to say how much of my life now I'd never have thought was possible. And... that guy who danced with me at the diner. Mr. Oliver Just, my white knight, made it all happen," she says with a happy sigh.

Her arms slip about Oliver's shoulders, much like they did when they first danced that night, after slices of blueberry pie, to the soft sounds of the jukebox. "I love you Oliver," she tells him softly, hugging herself to the rugged man, her hands gently brushing along his shoulders. "I'm looking forward to us having some time to build up our memories together," she tells him.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"I am glad I am able to be part of your life, Vanessa." And then Ollie shaking his head at her, "We both made it happen. Don't discard your responsibility on what we are today." one of his hands move to Vanessa's front, cupping her cheek and then moving to the back of her neck, keeping her there and close.

"For if anything you are also a light upon my path."

He very well recalls that first night where they danced together, the closeness and intimacy that they now share in a fully different manner than they did all those months back. "I love you as well." the tone firm, no doubt or hesitation on his voice, fully open to her.

"To our new memories together." He echoes her words, almost as if sealing himself in a bind. Yes, it was indeed something he was looking forward to.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The woman is no hurry to leave Oliver's embrace, but eventually she nuzzles a last kiss and then lets him go. She moves over to check the fridge, finding the place is fully stocked with food and beverages. She pulls out a pair of sparkling waters and opens them up, bringing one over to Oliver and tapping her bottle against his. "To our new memories," she agrees.

Vanessa moves over to one of the windows then, opening it up to let in the warm breeze, smelling of the mountain air, of flowers outside the window and the clean air one finds away from the cities. She turns back towards Oliver, sitting back on the windowsill, the view of the mountainside and land below, and the distant azure of the ocean framing the image of her. A happy sigh is given, one that expresses as much as her words could ever do.