Walking After You | Dave Grohl

twenty-three

23

the next morning, it was made clear that Dave was determined to make the most out of the brief time they had together. and Nessa wasn't complaining about his eagerness, not when she was woken up in the early morning by the warm and silky touch of his mouth traveling from the back of her neck, to her shoulder, and then to her upper arm.

slowly coming awake, she sighed. Dave's chest was warm and inviting, so she snuggled deeper into his embrace, wishing she could absorb that feeling perpetually. "morning," she whispered while Dave tightened his arm around her figure, his hand resting loosely on the curve of her hipbone as he lay propped up on one elbow. "what time is it?"

Dave laughed, leaning down to leave a light kiss on the side of her face. "it's early," he murmured next to her ear, chuckling again when Nessa squirmed beneath his touch. "but we're in Rome, babe. the city of love, ain't that what they say? and you're here. I want to enjoy every single second we've got."

Nessa smiled to herself, her heart aching with the wish of a way to freeze time in that moment and keep it forever. Dave was silly and fun, but there was a side to him that was sweet and romantic, and that side made Nessa's chest tremble every time his longing eyes met hers. she knew he yearned for more, and she wished she was brave enough to give it.

"I'm awake now," she assured, voice still half-asleep.

"about time," he said with an exaggerated sigh, smiling cheekily.

nessa rolled her eyes at him, but grinned. "do you even sleep, David?" he shook his head, making her laugh. it was true, it seemed like he barely slept. always the last one to fall asleep and the first to wake up. "I need my eight hours. I think you'll have to make it up to me," she warned jokingly, the tip of her finger slowly grazing the skin of his chest.

but Dave took her words as an actual challenge, and when his hand slithered under the white linen sheet and slowly traveled in the direction of her lower stomach, Nessa's breath quivered and her hand gripped his shoulder. "I was talking about breakfast..." she muttered, closing her eyes when Dave kissed her jaw, running his teeth on her skin.

"breakfast, huh?" he whispered against her neck, rolling over her and supporting the weight of his body on his elbows. he couldn't hold back a smirk when his name rolled softly out of her parted lips when his hand hovered above her warm center. "I've got a better idea."

*

"vanessa," he called from behind her. Nessa turned around, covering her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing at the sight of Dave and the ridiculous neon green sunglasses -- with the syllables of the city above each lens -- he was wearing, bought from one of the random souvenir shops scattered around the streets.

dave pointed at the beautiful trevi fountain to the side of them, where tourists gathered around to toss coins into the water, hopeful to symbolism that their wishes would become true. "absolutely not," she said with a hidden grin, shaking her head and moving to start walking again.

but Dave stayed put in the same spot. "c'mon, humor me," he pleaded with that sheepish smile of his, knowing nessa's stubbornness was nothing but a facade he'd become a master at going around. "just this once? think about it, it could be our chance."

Nessa opened her mouth, but didn't even have time to properly concede before Dave practically jumped towards her, taking her hand and pulling her in the direction of the fountain. she chuckled, trying to keep up with his tall legs, but it felt almost as if she was flying behind his humorously excited steps.

"do you even have any quarters on you?" she asked once they neared the fountain. when dave started eyeing the shiny coins from different currencies lying at the bottom of the water, Nessa widened her eyes and grabbed his arm. "don't even think about it, David. that's bad karma," she snickered.

Dave laughed, and nessa sighed in relief once he retrieved a couple of quarters from the pocket of his jacket. "relax," he teased, placing a quarter at the palm of her hand and then closing her fingers over it. "do you really think I'd put the weight of our destiny into someone else's wishing-well coin?"

"our destiny?" she repeated in a humorous tone, chuckling lightly when he side-eyed her. she leaned on the edge of the fountain, admiring the breathtaking and intricate architecture of the building in front of them. it all felt like taken right out of a movie. "don't tell me you're gonna make a wish about me..."

although nessa's words were intended as a joke, they carried an underlying sentiment of longing for answers that could clear the fogginess clogging her brain. not from him, though, because dave had always strived to keep his feelings clear and straight, but from her herself. so, when she eyed the quarter in her hand and then tossed it into the blue water, she wished her mind would free itself from overthinking.

"that's a secret," he said with a grin, gripping the quarter tightly between his fingers before throwing it deep into the fountain. then, while nessa seemed lost in thought, he admired every detail of her profile, making an effort to snap a mental picture of how beautiful she looked under the beaming sun. "still with me?" he asked on a caring note, softly running a finger down her cheek and catching her attention.

Nessa pressed her lips into a thin smile and nodded."i'm okay," she said, answering his silent inquiry. holding a hand up to his face, she reached for the glasses and pulled them away from his eyes. "these are so obnoxious," she giggled.

"I think they're rad," dave shrugged, taking the glasses from her hand and placing them on her head, just to spite her. recognizing the mock annoyed expression on her face, he chuckled. "perfect. the green brings out your eyes."

nessa rolled her eyes at him, but the corners of her lips were perking up into a grin. "shut up," she muttered in between her teeth, jokingly pushing his chest. "you're insufferable, David."

"you love it," dave teased, hugging her waist with his hands and pulling her one step closer, they're chests nearly touching. her eyes met his expectant gaze, and nessa felt the works of her secret wish coming true. with her fingers snaking up his chest and into the sides of his neck, she smiled.

"I do," she whispered, sealing their lips together.