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Johnny Depp at the 19th Alice Nella Città 2021 on October 17, 2021 in Rome 📷 clara_bar_stop

When in Rome: Part Three - Finale. 

Summery: With hearts full of love and heads full of hopes and dreams to make things work, you and Damiano are in this for the long haul. Overcoming as many obstacles as possible to keep each other in your lives, so what happens when suddenly something threatens to take it all away? What happens when Damiano panics? He always said it’s ‘you and him’, but will it really be forever?

Warnings: Angst, angst and more angst... this one hurt me. Swearing, fighting, Vic still not tolerating bullshit haha.

Word count: 6,325- we are closing with a bang. 

A/N: I'm so sad this is ending, I struggled so much finishing it because I didn't want it to stop. Ps; let's pretend like I know how the hell visa’s work, thanks. As always feedback and constructive criticism is welcome, and feel free to send a request if you have one.

Parts: Part One. Part Two. 

-x-

The sun was shining through your window, the light bouncing off the walls illuminating the room. Birds chirping away, there were faint sounds of kids playing and laughing and dogs barking. All sounds of a typical happy, sunny Saturday. And you hated all of it. Wishing the sun would stop being so bright, and the birds would kindly shut up. No offence to the kids and the dogs but they could also keep it down. As far as you were concerned right now if you had to suffer so could everyone else. Then the worst thing happened. A loud ringing echoed throughout the room. Your phone was screaming at you. Well, at least that’s what it sounded like as the FaceTime call that was coming through was ringing away. It was midday, way too early for someone with a hangover to even think about being awake. You sleepily reached over, eyes still shut and blindly feeling around before locating and grabbing your phone, answering the call and placing it down on your bed to face the roof while it connected.

“Good morning y/n, or should I say afternoon.”

You picked the phone holding it to face you, inspecting what you look like on the small screen in the corner before looking at the man who was smiling cheerfully at you on the other end.

“It’s too early.” You said letting out a yawn

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ve died.” You groaned as you rolled over onto your back.

“Well that explains why you’re an angel”

“Wow” you laughed “smooth, Romeo”

“Would you like me to call you back later?” He asked

“No it’s fine, I probably should get up so we can talk, let me just make a coffee first.” You told him as you stretched your body out before sitting up and getting out of bed. “Talk to me while I make it. How’s the album coming along?”

You walked out into your kitchen while Damiano started to tell you about the band's upcoming album. Placing the phone down on the counter leaning up against a cup to keep it upright as you moved about the small space making yourself your drink. Once done, you grabbed your mug and turned around to face your phone again and he stared at you, one eyebrow slightly raised.

“Is that my shirt?” He asked. You looked down at the oversized Led Zeppelin shirt you currently had on and bit your lip.

“Maybe” you mumbled. “I swear it’s not a creepy as it seems. I had it on the morning we left your place and I just grabbed it with my stuff after I showered and packed it accidentally. I didn’t intentionally steal it from you I swear! Plus it’s comfy to sleep in.”

“And here I was accusing Thomas of taking it this whole time.” He laughed “it looks good on you, Amore,” he said with a cheeky grin

“Dami..” you warned knowing where this was about to go

“Although if my memory is correct, you looked better without any clothes on” there is was. You looked down at the camera and shook your head trying to hold back a smile but failing.

Picking up your phone in one hand and coffee mug in the other you moved over to the small dining table in the corner of your apartment. Once again resting the phone up onto the vase filled with flowers in the centre so it wouldn’t topple over, you sat down with your mug in front of you.

“So, how do we even start this conversation?” You asked.

You’re not going to lie, you were nervous for several different reasons. You were willing to give it all to make this work but his schedule worried you, obviously no fault to him but it is still stuck in the back of your mind. What if he just doesn’t have time for you? What happens if things do get serious, would your friends and family understand or support this? What would his fans think? You knew the long distance wasn’t going to be easy, especially with such opposite schedules but you had this feeling, a feeling that you’d never experienced with anyone or anything. Was it love? That word freaked you out. Not that you hadn’t been in love before, sure you loved your ex’s at the time but this felt so different, so new, a feeling that you had never felt but weirdly felt incredibly comfortable with. Was this what being in love really feels like? Is this what it’s like to truly be in love with someone? But how could it be? You’ve known this man for a month and most of that was spent not even communicating with one another. All you knew for certain was you were more than ready and willing to take this risk with him.

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You had been dating for nine months and it was going so much better than you ever expected. Two months into your relationship you flew back over to Italy to see him again, spending a month over with him this time. Just the two of you, and well, Victoria to as she likes to claim you for girls days, days at thrift stores and going to get manicures. She had become such a support for you since you and Damiano became official, and you love her for it. You got to meet his friends and his family this time also, his mother accepting you as part of the family the moment you stepped through the door which felt like a weight off your shoulders. You got to go see the band perform, seeing them all shine like the true stars they are. Seeing the crowd lose their minds for the music that the four of them were so incredibly passionate about playing.

Leaving Italy this time was slightly easier as Damiano was able to come back with you for a bit. This time you playing tour guide and showing him around. He met your family and friends too. Your father was cautious of this tattooed Italian rockstar that you brought back to meet them, but by the end of the night loving him almost as much as you did. Love. You can now well and truly confess that you were head over heels in love with that man, and you let each other know that every time you got the chance. He made you feel things you never felt before, things you never even knew you could feel. You loved him and he loved you.

The goodbye this time hurt. Unsure of when you’d be able to see each other again. He was going back and starting a tour, the band becoming more and successful by the minute and you couldn’t be more proud of all of them. But right now you stood with each other. Tearful kisses goodbye at the airport before Damiano left you on his flight back to Italy. Promises of seeing each other again as soon as you possibly could. Holding one another until he was the last one left to board and you physically had to let him go.

“I love you so much y/n,” he said peppering kisses across your face before connecting his lips with yours a final time.

“I love you too.” You told him as squeezed him close to you one last time before he walked over to board his flight.

Your hand found its way up to the necklace around your neck. A simple silver chain with a small heart pendant, a ‘D’ engraved into it, him also having one with your initial. He gave it to you last night as you sat sadly on your bed watching him pack his suitcase. Telling you that you're always in his heart and he’s in yours no matter how far apart you are.

Some days it wasn’t easy, fights arose here and there because of miscommunications. Schedules clashing and both of you being busy making you get dates wrong about when you’d be able to sit down and talk to one another, your usual FaceTime dates becomes few and far between for a while there while he was touring, due to the shows finishing late and him, rightfully so, being too exhausted. You always tried to take a few moments each every day to speak to one another tho, whether it was a short text to check in or a quick 2 minute phone call to let each other know you loved them, but neither of those things were long enough. So, just less than a month out from your upcoming 1 year anniversary, Damiano told you he had an opening in his schedule and that he’s coming to visit you again, but there was a catch.

“I know this is kind of a big deal so if you say no I won’t be upset, I’ll understand completely. When I come back home this time, well, I want you to come back with me, permanently.”

You almost dropped your phone. Your eyes were wide as you stared at him over FaceTime. Come back with him. Come back to Italy. Permanently. As in moving, leaving your home, your family and friends, your job, leaving everything you knew.

“Dami… I-“

“It’s okay, you don’t need to answer me right this moment. Take some time to think about it, talk it over with your family, but just know I’m serious when I say I want you here with me, I don’t know if I can handle leaving you anymore. I love you too much. It breaks my heart to keep seeing you cry when one of us leaves to come home.”

You told your parents about what Damiano had asked you, both of them taken back by it at first as they never thought about the possibility that you’d one day leave. They knew you loved him, and he loved you, and as much as it upset them that their child would be leaving they understood it. Giving you their full support no matter what.

The day arrived. Moving day, but not just any moving day this was moving to Italy day! Opening your eyes you were met with brown cardboard boxes stacked in the corner of your room, ready to be held in storage at your parent's house. Multiple suitcases packed with the things you were taking with you. Your once well decorated and the well lived-in bedroom looks almost bare as it did the day you moved in. You rolled over in bed onto your back and saw him lying peacefully next to you, your eyes wandering over the intricate artwork on his back, this felt like a dream. In a few hours you’d be on a plane with the man you love ready to start a life with each other. You felt him roll over next to you, moving closer and putting his arm around you, placing soft kisses on your shoulder.

“God I’m going to love being able to wake up and do this every morning.” He said still half asleep

“This is insane. This doesn’t feel real. I keep thinking I’ll wake up and it’s all a dream.” You told him

“It’s real Amore Mio, you and me, I said it from the beginning. Us against the world and now my world is coming home”

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It has been almost a year since your move to Italy, and almost 2 years of dating. It was hard at the beginning, homesickness hitting you like a truck, making you wonder if this was worth it. But moving into your place together and getting to wake up in the arms of the Italian god that was your boyfriend made it so very worth it.

A lot had happened this year, Måneskin was huge across Europe, first winning Sanremo and being chosen to represent Italy at Eurovision. Then, well, actually winning the Eurovision Song Contest and slowly now taking the world by storm. Touring, interviews, becoming ambassadors for Gucci, even talk about a possible Grammy nomination, you really couldn’t be any prouder of the four of them and you were honoured to be able to watch from the sidelines as your boyfriend and friends lived their dreams.

Finally getting a small break from his busy touring schedule, Damiano had the next couple of days off. Finally being able to just sit and relax at home and do nothing with you in his arms. Both of you feeling so content and happy to have one another, nothing could possibly ruin this.

That was until the letter...

It arrived Tuesday morning along with the rest of the mail, neither of you thought anything about it, but that was before you opened it up to read it. Oh, how you wish you could go back until two minutes ago and not even read it at all. Sitting on the couch, said letter in hand, heart pounding away in your chest as Damiano walked into the room.

“Everything okay Amore?” He asked with a smile on his face, one that quickly dropped when seeing you. “Y/n, hey, what’s wrong?” He rushes over sitting next to you.

“I have to leave.” You told him, eyes still glued to the letter in your hands. “I have to leave the country.” He took it out of your hand's eyes quickly reading over the paper. “My visas expired”

“No this can’t be right?” He said trying not to stress as he didn’t want to upset you more. “This can’t be right at all?”

“It says it right there Damiano in black and white.” You stood up off the couch, running your hand through your hair as you started pacing back and forth. “This can’t be happening.”

Damiano read the letter over and over what felt like 100 times. It was right there in black and white. You did have to leave him.

“We’ll figure it out.” He told you optimistically. “It will be okay we’ll sort it out”

“How?” You questioned finally stopping your pacing and standing still. You watched as Damiano stood up, dropping the letter down onto the coffee table, standing in front of you and taking your hands in his. “How the hell are we going to do this?”

Then he said it.

Two words.

Seven letters.

Three syllables.

“Marry me”

You swear your heart stopped. Your whole body froze. Breath stuck in your throat. Hell if he wasn’t holding you right now you probably wouldn’t be standing either.

“That- that is not funny,” you told him

“I’m not joking” you continued to look blankly at him, that was until your eyes almost popped out of your head watching him get on his knee. “There, does this help make it more serious and less of a joke?”

“Dami, please stand up” saying that almost sounded like you were begging him.

“I’m serious y/n”

“So am I”

He got up off his knee, now standing back in front of you again. An overwhelming amount of tension started filled up the room. You didn’t know what to do or say. Did he seriously just ask you to marry him? Did he really just get down on one knee and ask you that? This is not at all how you had ever imagined this going. Not in a million years. And this sure as hell isn’t how you are going to let his happen either. You both deserved better than that. Neither of you deserved a proposal to happen under circumstances like this.

“Well?” He finally spoke, letting out a nervous sigh.

“No,” you told him bluntly.

“No?” He asked, almost confused by your answer.  

“You thought I’d say yes?”

“Well yeah, kind of. You kind of expect the answer to that question to be a yes” slight bitterness dripping with his words. He let go of your hands and turned around frustratedly.

“There is no way you thought that I was ever going to say yes to that!” He turned back around to look at you.

“Cool, good to know where we stand on this then, I’ll make sure I never ask you that again.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” You were both getting frustrated at this point, slightly more with the situation than each other but tempers were starting to run wild.

“Then what did you mean?” His voice now getting louder “care to explain it to me y/n because I’d love to know!”

“You don’t just ask someone to marry you when they find out they possibly have to leave the country! Come on, Damiano!” You could almost scream out of frustration at this point. “You think I want you to propose to me just as a way to get me to stay? There’s absolutely no way in hell you’d ever think I’d want you to do that. There no way you’d want yourself to do that.”

“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t mean it. Nice to know how little faith you have in me and our relationship”

“Oh no, no you do not get to question me on how much I believe in this” you gestured between the two of you. “I moved here for you Damiano. I left everything to be here, I sacrificed so much for this. I’m the one sitting here alone while you’re off living your rockstar fantasy life these last few months, and I do it all for you because I love you more than anything. So don’t you ever say that I lack faith in us.”  Tears started pooling in your eyes but you refused to let them fall. You don’t want to cry over your relationship again, you’d done enough of that in the past.

You felt like you couldn’t breathe in here, it felt like the wall were going to close in on you. You needed to leave. You walked over to the door, slipping on your shoes and picking up your handbag off the ground.

“Where the hell are you going?” he yelled over at you.

“I need some air, I need some space. I can't be in here right now I’m suffocating!”

“sei così ridicolo” he muttered under his breath.

“Yeah, so are you.” You told him before walking out, making sure to slam the door behind you.

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The door slammed shut and he was left in utter silence. Debating if he should run after her and apologise or give her that time she needs to calm down. Letting out a heavy sigh as he sat down on the couch he saw the letter on the table. He picked it up and read over it once more, she was right he shouldn’t have proposed to her like that, it wasn’t fair, on either of them but he panicked. He had never loved someone this much before so the thought that she could be leaving him freaked him out terribly. He refused to let her leave after everything they had been through together. The 12 months of doing it long-distance trying as best as they could to keep up with one another’s lives. Her leaving everything she knew to take a chance on them. The nights where he’d hold her in bed as she cried over missing her family, he knew it still hurt her, but she did it for them. She did give up a lot and he felt even worse when he had to leave her at home to tour. He brought her with him as much as he possibly could, nothing made him feel as amazing as he did when his eyes would connect with hers while he was performing. She made him feel like he was invincible up on stage.

He messed up, so he did what he always did when he needed to be snapped back into reality. He called Victoria. The phone rang a few times before he heard the bubbly blonde answer the phone.

“Hello?”

“I fucked up Vic.”

She could hear the pain in his voice so she decided to not yell at him.. for now. Only if he truly deserved it.

“Why what happened? You okay?” She was genuinely concerned.

“I asked her to marry me.”

“Holy shit what?! Dami oh my god! How the hell was this a bad thing?” She yelled excitedly.

“She got a letter about her visa. She has to leave and I panicked and I asked her. We got in a fight and she’s walked out.”

“Oh, oh shit.” Okay, now she understood why it was so bad. “You seriously just asked her that?”

“Well yeah, I didn’t know what else to do. I can't let her leave, I love her, it seemed logical to ask”

“You can’t just propose to her like that Damiano, my god, no wonder the poor girl freaked out!”

“Woah he did what?” He heard in the background. “Put him on speaker” Thomas and Ethan spoke up, both obviously with Victoria, she filled them in on what he just told her before clicking her phone on speaker.

“Is she okay?” Ethan asked.

“No. I said some shit, some really stupid shit and she left to get some air.”

“What did you say that was worse than the panicked ‘I need you to stay in the country’ proposal?” Thomas chimed in.

“That doesn’t matter,” Damiano told them. He didn’t need the lecture.

“Oh yes it does,” Victoria said, “knowing your lack of filter from your brain to your mouth, it matters a lot!”

So he told them. He told them how he accused her of having no faith in him, no faith in their relationship. How he said he wouldn’t dare think of proposing again after how badly she took that. How he called her ridiculous just before she walked out.

“I am so close to driving over there and smacking you I swear to god, what the hell Damiano!” Victoria said, “You’re so fucking annoying, do you use your brain?!”

“Yeah seriously what the hell were you thinking,” Thomas asked.

“He wasn’t” Ethan chimed in more so in response to the two others.

“What do I do?” He groaned.

“Grovel!” Thomas told him “Beg for forgiveness and hope like hell she would want to forgive you.”

“Yep do that, that’s a good start.” Ethan agreed.

“I just want to know why you thought that was a good time to get down and ask her that. Like, there’s this thing called timing!” Victoria said.

“Well, I was going to ask her anyway. I mean not necessarily today but like soon.”

“I’m sorry what?!” The blonde bassist screamed “okay this is raising more questions than it’s answering. What?!”

“I have a ring Vic, I have for the past few weeks I just, chicken out or something just seems off. I know this was stupid and wasn’t the right moment but at the same time, it almost felt like it was the best time to bring it up.”

Silence fell over the three. He had a ring.

“I- wow...I’m actually speechless” Victoria finally spoke.

“That’s a first” Thomas chuckled.

“So you do want to marry her then?” Ethan asked, “like really, not just to make her stay here.”

“Of course I do. But I don’t know if this will just make it look bad now. It already made it look bad what am I saying I can’t do it now.” He felt so lost. Like there will never be a right time for this. His actions earlier, while innocent enough, will forever be linked to this negative situation.

“Do it properly” Victoria chimed back in “Really take your time with this. Make it special, slow it down, communicate, tell her how you feel and why you did it. Show her that you love her.”

“I doubt she’s even want to listen to anything I have to say at this point.” He mumbled.

“Dami she is hooked onto everything you say,” Ethan told him “She serious loves you so if you just do this right, trust me this won’t go wrong.”

“Yeah it’s almost sickening how much she’s into you, honestly,” Thomas told him.

“Okay Thomas you’re no help, Vic take me off speaker.”

“You asked for our opinion,” Thomas said defending himself.

“Oh how to help me not on how you felt.”

“Not my fault you’re all gross and mushy in love.”

“I am not mushy, shut up.”

“You kinda are,” Ethan laughed defending Thomas “not that it’s a bad thing, just don’t be so mushy around us maybe.”

“You two suck,” Damiano said with a laugh. “Vic help me out here.”

“Oh no you're on you’re own,” she told him “with the number of things I’ve had to witness. You’re lucky I don’t send you a therapy bill.”

“You walked in!” He yelled.

“You didn’t lock the door!” She yelled back.

“You’re all the worst” he joked “okay I’m gonna go and try to figure someone out before she gets back. Wish me luck I guess.”

“Good luck!” The three of them said before hanging up.

Okay, this was now or never.

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You have been out for a few hours now, doing as much as you could to just relax your mind and stop it from going a million miles an hour. Stopping at a cafe for a coffee, browsing around a few stores, just enjoying a nice sunny afternoon out, then your phone rang. Rolling your eyes as you pulled it out of your handbag if Damiano is really choosing to call you to apologise you were going to throw your phone. Luckily for your phone, it was Victoria.

“Hey, Vic, what’s up?”

“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to be busy at all would you?” She asked, you wondered if she had spoken to Damiano at all.

“No, not really, just walking around window shopping, why what’s up?”

“The boys are driving me crazy. I need some girl time so I was wondering if you’d be down for lunch, maybe a manicure?” Oh, thank god she hadn’t spoken to him. As much as you loved the three other members of Måneskin you weren’t overly fond of when Damiano would bring them into your relationship, telling them any and all problems that you were having.

“Yeah, sure I’m down!”

Meeting up 20 minutes later with Victoria the two of you went off and grabbed lunch, chatting away over your meal before going off to get your nails done. Vic picking a deep purple shade, keeping them short enough so she could still easily play bass. You went slightly longer than natural and getting them painted a nice neutral pink. You were thankful for Victoria calling you and asking to spend the day together, it was just what you needed to take your mind off what was going on in your life and cheer you back up. But the day slowly came to an end as the sun was soon to set and you found yourself back outside your apartment. You stood outside the door psyching yourself up to enter. You hated fighting with Damiano and you hated the aftermath of awkward silences wondering who would speak first, both of you being a bit too headstrong to do so. Letting out the breath you didn’t realise you were holding you turned your key in the lock and walked inside.

The dull warm glow of the lamp in the living room, as well as a few candles, lit on the coffee table encapsulated you. Slipping off your shoes and putting your bag down you finally looked over to the couch to see Damiano stand up, a bouquet of your favourite flowers in his hands. You walked over to him ready to speak before he cut you off.

“Before you say anything, I need you to know that I’m so sorry for what I said. I have never once doubted you or how much you bring into this relationship, or how much you believe in us...In me. I shouldn’t have said that, I don’t know why I did, I’m sorry.” He handed the flowers over to you and you looked down at them, they were beautiful. It made you think of all the times when he’d be on tour and he’d get flowers sent to you just as a reminder of how much he loved you and to let you know that he was thinking about you. A small smile made its way across your face and you looked up at him.

“I’m sorry too. I overreacted…I’m scared.” You confessed. “It's not even about having to leave Italy, I… I don’t want to leave you.”

“You won’t.” He said almost immediately after you spoke “I told you we will figure this out and we will, and not by me panic proposing either. Which I realised was kinda stupid.” He laughed as he nervously scratched the back of his neck. “You were right, you don’t deserve that and I don’t want to do it like that, we both deserve it to be better.”

Placing the flowers down carefully on the coffee table next to you, you closed the gap between the two of you and wrapped your arms around him. His arm immediately did the same. In his arms was your favourite place to be, you felt protected, comforted and warm. You couldn’t leave this. You felt him kiss the top of your head and you smiled.

“I love you” you mumbled into his chest.

“I love you too y/n so much.” Unwrapping his arms from around you he looked at you and smiled. “So the flowers were the first part of my apology, but now you have to go get ready for the second part.” He told you. You raise a brow at him.

“What are you planning?” You asked suspiciously.

“Nothing bad” he chuckled “dinner, nothing ridiculous but I know for a fact if I spoil you with food it’s easier for you to forgive me so that’s what I’m doing.”

“Damn it, you know I’d never say no to a good meal.”

“See, exactly my point. Now go get ready!” He said as he tapped your butt lightly, encouraging you to walk off into the direction of your bedroom.

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…

Hours later you were walking hand in hand as you left the restaurant. He took you to your favourite place, the little one you went to the first time he took you to dinner all those years ago and have frequented on and off ever since, as always getting your table on the balcony. The cool night's air refreshingly nipped at your skin, the moon, stars and the street lamps lighting your way as he lead you along, bringing you right up to the Trevi Fountain, it was getting late into the night so not that many people were around. A confused look appeared on your face as you turned to look at him.

“Remember when I first took you here?” He asked you.

You did. The day you were meant to go on your tour of Rome but Victoria volunteered him to be your guide instead. At the time you thought he was just agreeing to it to shut her up but he actually kept his word and did it. He brought you here told you about the legend of tossing a coin in, you laughed at him not sure if you genuinely believed it or not, but you went along with it. He let you have your tourist moment, handing you two coins telling you to make a wish and toss them in. So you did.

“You know I didn’t really think that my wish would come true. I thought I was just one of those tales that you hear and tourists just did for fun and the experience.” You told him. “But I guess having done it and standing back here right now, I can confidently say my wish came true.”

“What did you wish for, Amore?” He smiled at you his hand still holding yours.

“That I’d somehow end up back here with you.”  You confessed. He brought you close to him and kissed you. His hands holding your cheeks, feeling the cool metal of his rings against your skin. Breaking the kiss he moved his hand to grab yours, opening it up and placing three coins onto your palm before he wrapped your fingers around them making a fist. He took you gently by the shoulders shuffling you across and turning you slightly so your back was towards the water. You laughed as he moved you around and lined you up.

“Make another one.” He told you. You nodded, thinking for a brief moment before closing your eyes. You took a breath in and let it out before raising your arm and throwing the coins into the flowing water behind you. Hearing the coins splash and sink to the bottom you smiled and opened your eyes. Looking back in front of you, eyebrows knitting together upon seeing your boyfriend wasn’t standing there. That’s when you noticed. He was down in front of you. Kneeling. With a ring.

“Don’t freak out this time” he laughed “let me just talk.” You nodded only just barely being able to due to the amount of shock currently running through your body, he took your left hand in his and started to speak. “I know it’s going to be hard to not freak out about this because of earlier today, but I need you to know that I’m not doing this because of that, we acknowledge that I panicked earlier and well I did, badly, but this isn’t me panicking, well I mean I am slightly this is kind of a nerve racking thing to do. Especially for a second time now” he rambled “I’m not doing this so you stay here, or to make sure you can’t leave because honestly, I’d go anywhere you are. I’m doing this because I love you so damn much. I’m doing this because I want to show you that just like you, I’m in this one hundred per cent, willing to do whatever I possibly can to commit to us. I’ve had this hidden away for a bit now just waiting for the perfect time to ask you and I think I realised today that there might not ever be a perfect time, that I shouldn’t wait for something spectacular to happen to encourage me to do it because every day that I do get to spend with you already is perfect and spectacular. I love you y/n, more than anything. Will you marry me, Amore?”

A few tears rolled down your cheeks as you looked down at him, soaking in everything he was saying to you. Your body started to relax, the feeling of shock slowly disappearing the more he spoke. Heart beating against your chest not out of nerves but out of love for the man in front of you. This was the complete opposite to how you were feeling when he did this morning because this was different.

“Yes, Dami, yes of course!” You nodded, leaning down to wrap your arms around his neck and you kissed him. His arms found their way around you, holding you in place as he stood up not letting you go as he did. You don’t know how long you stood there kissing him, any and all concept of time to you was gone, it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered outside of the two of you. Finally breaking apart, almost gasping for air at this point, he took your hand and slid the ring on.

“Holy shit, Dami!” You let out looking down at the new piece of jewellery, you didn’t even take any notice of the ring as it sat in the box before. You were too focused on him and what he was saying that you didn’t feel the need to look. The ring didn’t matter at the end of the day, he could have proposed with a piece of string that he’d tie around your finger at the end and you still would have had the same answer. Although looking at the diamonds now on your finger you were mesmerised and kind of thankful it wasn’t that aforementioned piece of string. Looking back up at your boyfriend, no, your fiancé, you couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Pinch me I have to be dreaming.”

“This is real. So real.” He told you.

“This damn fountain is really out here granting wishes isn't it?” you laughed.

“Why, what did you wish for this time?”

“You again, never leaving this or you ever,” you told him, he smiled and pulled you back into his embrace.

“You won't. I’ve been saying it since we met, it's you and me. Forever.”

If someone told you 2 years ago that you’d fly off to Europe for a fun and relaxing vacation, but then meet the man of your dreams while over in Italy randomly at a bar one night, there would have been no way you’d believe it. But, here you are, in Italy, in his arms and engaged. The way you felt right now made everything that the two of you had been through so incredibly worth it. The whirlwind week long romance, the moments where you wondered if you should shoot your shot and just call him and confess your feelings, the ups and downs of doing the first 12 months long distance while also trying to fly and see one another, even the times where your hearts would ache for one another and make you both silently question if it was all worth it. It was, it was so worth it, simply for the fact that not only did you find your soulmate, you also ended finding a piece of your heart that you never even knew was missing in the first place. You found him and he found you.

___

The end.

___

Masterlist 

Taglist: @rhaellasdaughter​,  @que–sera–sera, @mywritingonlyfans, @thatmeganthing, @ren-ni​, @eliseline. 

The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 439-446: Chapter (42) The Voyage and Shipwreck

This chapter is based on Acts 27; 28:1-10.

At last Paul was on his way to Rome. “When it was determined,” Luke writes, “that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.”

In the first century of the Christian Era traveling by sea was attended with peculiar hardship and peril. Mariners directed their course largely by the position of the sun and stars; and when these did not appear, and there were indications of storm, the owners of vessels were fearful of venturing into the open sea. During a portion of the year, safe navigation was almost impossible.

The apostle Paul was now called upon to endure the trying experiences that would fall to his lot as a prisoner in chains during the long and tedious voyage to Italy. One circumstance greatly lightened the hardship of his lot—he was permitted the companionship of Luke and Aristarchus. In his letter to the Colossians he afterward referred to the latter as his “fellow prisoner” (Colossians 4:10); but it was from choice that Aristarchus shared Paul's bondage, that he might minister to him in his afflictions.

The voyage began prosperously. The following day they cast anchor in the harbor of Sidon. Here Julius, the centurion, “courteously entreated Paul,” and being informed that there were Christians in the place, “gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.” This permission was greatly appreciated by the apostle, who was in feeble health.

Upon leaving Sidon, the ship encountered contrary winds; and being driven from a direct course, its progress was slow. At Myra, in the province of Lycia, the centurion found a large Alexandrian ship, bound for the coast of Italy, and to this he immediately transferred his prisoners. But the winds were still contrary, and the ship's progress was difficult. Luke writes, “When we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; and, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called the Fair Havens.”

At Fair Havens they were compelled to remain for some time, waiting for favoring winds. Winter was approaching rapidly; “sailing was now dangerous;” and those in charge of the vessel had to give up hope of reaching their destination before the season for travel by sea should be closed for the year. The only question now to be decided was, whether to remain at Fair Havens, or attempt to reach a more favorable place in which to winter.

This question was earnestly discussed, and was finally referred by the centurion to Paul, who had won the respect of both sailors and soldiers. The apostle unhesitatingly advised remaining where they were. “I perceive,” he said, “that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.” But “the master and the owner of the ship,” and the majority of passengers and crew, were unwilling to accept this counsel. Because the haven in which they had anchored “was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the southwest and northwest.”

The centurion decided to follow the judgment of the majority. Accordingly, “when the south wind blew softly,” they set sail from Fair Havens, in the hope that they would soon reach the desired harbor. “But not long after there arose ... a tempestuous wind;” “the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind.”

Driven by the tempest, the vessel neared the small island of Clauda, and while under its shelter the sailors made ready for the worst. The lifeboat, their only means of escape in case the ship should founder, was in tow and liable to be dashed in pieces any moment. Their first work was to hoist this boat on board. All possible precautions were then taken to strengthen the ship and prepare it to withstand the tempest. The scant protection afforded by the little island did not avail them long, and soon they were again exposed to the full violence of the storm.

All night the tempest raged, and notwithstanding the precautions that had been taken, the vessel leaked. “The next day they lightened the ship.” Night came again, but the wind did not abate. The storm-beaten ship, with its shattered mast and rent sails, was tossed hither and thither by the fury of the gale. Every moment it seemed that the groaning timbers must give way as the vessel reeled and quivered under the tempest's shock. The leak increased rapidly, and passengers and crew worked continually at the pumps. There was not a moment's rest for any on board. “The third day,” writes Luke, “we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

For fourteen days they drifted under a sunless and starless heaven. The apostle, though himself suffering physically, had words of hope for the darkest hour, a helping hand in every emergency. He grasped by faith the arm of Infinite Power, and his heart was stayed upon God. He had no fears for himself; he knew that God would preserve him to witness at Rome for the truth of Christ. But his heart yearned with pity for the poor souls around him, sinful, degraded, and unprepared to die. As he earnestly pleaded with God to spare their lives, it was revealed to him that his prayer was granted.

Taking advantage of a lull in the tempest, Paul stood forth on the deck and, lifting up his voice, said: “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.”

At these words, hope revived. Passengers and crew roused from their apathy. There was much yet to be done, and every effort within their power must be put forth to avert destruction.

It was on the fourteenth night of tossing on the black, heaving billows, that “about midnight” the sailors, hearing the sound of breakers, “deemed that they drew near to some country; and sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. Then fearing,” Luke writes, “lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.”

At break of day the outlines of the stormy coast were dimly visible, but no familiar landmarks could be seen. So gloomy was the outlook that the heathen sailors, losing all courage, “were about to flee out of the ship,” and feigning to make preparations for casting “anchors out of the foreship,” they had already let down the lifeboat, when Paul, perceiving their base design, said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” The soldiers immediately “cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off” into the sea.

The most critical hour was still before them. Again the apostle spoke words of encouragement, and entreated all, both sailors and passengers, to take some food, saying, “This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you.”

“When he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.” Then that worn and discouraged company of two hundred and seventy-five souls, who but for Paul would have become desperate, joined with the apostle in partaking of food. “And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.”

Daylight had now fully come, but they could see nothing by which to determine their whereabouts. However, “they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the fore part stuck fast, and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.”

Paul and the other prisoners were now threatened by a fate more terrible than shipwreck. The soldiers saw that while endeavoring to reach land it would be impossible for them to keep their prisoners in charge. Every man would have all he could do to save himself. Yet if any of the prisoners were missing, the lives of those who were responsible for them would be forfeited. Hence the soldiers desired to put all the prisoners to death. The Roman law sanctioned this cruel policy, and the plan would have been executed at once, but for him to whom all alike were under deep obligation. Julius the centurion knew that Paul had been instrumental in saving the lives of all on board, and, moreover, convinced that the Lord was with him, he feared to do him harm. He therefore “commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” When the roll was called, not one was missing.

The shipwrecked crew were kindly received by the barbarous people of Melita. “They kindled a fire,” Luke writes, “and received us everyone, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.” Paul was among those who were active in ministering to the comfort of others. Having gathered “a bundle of sticks,” he “laid them on the fire,” when a viper came forth “out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.” The bystanders were horror-stricken; and seeing by his chain that Paul was a prisoner, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.” But Paul shook off the creature into the fire and felt no harm. Knowing its venomous nature, the people looked for him to fall down at any moment in terrible agony. “But after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.”

During the three months that the ship's company remained at Melita, Paul and his fellow laborers improved many opportunities to preach the gospel. In a remarkable manner the Lord wrought through them. For Paul's sake the entire shipwrecked company were treated with great kindness; all their wants were supplied, and upon leaving Melita they were liberally provided with everything needful for their voyage. The chief incidents of their stay are thus briefly related by Luke:

“In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: who also honored us with many honors; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.”

Lusitania: That stupid Rome never spends any time with me...

Hispania: You just need to get his attention. I know! You can play Roman senator with him!

Lusitania:...

Ancient Rome: Hey, boys!

Lusitania: *stabs Rome with a dagger*

Ancient Rome: LUSITANIA!

The "bones day or no bones day" guy basically accidentally reinvented the ancient Roman concept of fas and nefas days.

All roads led to Italy this year (I mean, Eurovision, Luca, Euro 2020) so that’s exactly where I’ve been for the past week, living my best life. 

Corte costituzionale, Rome 1989 Buy Artwork: Society6.com/remofella Photography © Copyright by @remofella #remofella #nikonFe2 #rome #italy #museumrome #corte #costituzione #filmphotography #parcheggio #photooftheday #sign #streetphotography #blackandwhitephotography #macchinadascrivere #vintagerome #nikon #vintagephotography #italia #sensounico #amphitheatre #streetsofrome #vintage #destroyed #blackandwhite #oneway #grazieroma #motorbike #love #bike #SPi_light @roma @newsvaticano @motorbike_club @rome_beatiful_city @sanpietro @vaticano @ coke @corte (hier: Corte d'Assise di Roma) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVXylveqK9Y/?utm_medium=tumblr

Dinner with friends | Mama-ya Ramen | Rome

Onigiri, gyoza, diversi tipi di ramen, cheesecake di frutti di stagione, tiramisù al matcha e polpette di pasta di riso dolci.

Dinner with friends | La fraschetta di mastro Giorgio | Rome

Pasta cacio e pepe e cheesecake al lampone.

Dinner with friends | L’arrosticinaro | Rome

Arrosticini di scamorza e arrosticini di pecora.

ig: romeestrijd

foreman/thirteen greatest love story of all time im going to kill myself

vatican museums in rome, italy · ph. josep solé