Giovanni is a 8th gen vampire who is 23 at-heart? Soul?-brain.
He can be in the sun without immediately burning but, you know, garlic.
He travels and has countless friends across the globe; as long as he has sunscreen!
He's a good kid.
They're goo...
Giovanni casually strolled down the cobblestone road, lined with quaint storefronts and took in the refreshing salt air and cool evening breeze.
Yes, salt. He knows that smell. That taste. The crisp. He misses it.
"Oh! A nice little restaurant. I hope this one is open..." He makes his way to a less than brand new, washed down building and firmly tugs on the door.
Closed for All Saints.
"Should've done more research, I guess."
Dejected and bored, Giovanni makes his way back to his hotel, chalking up that the day just wasn't that productive.
Just because I live forever, doesn't mean my life has to waste away...
As he's walking back, he spots an old fisherman on a near-broken pier. "Stupid old man." He thought, "Imagine if it broke? Can you swim, old man?"
Deciding against his not-so-better-judgement, Giovanni climbs cautiously on the pier out of curiosity and sheer boredom.
"Hey, mister. What're you...uh...trying to catch?"
The man looked at him puzzled and replied,
"A fish."
Well, yeah, I guess. "But what kind of fish?"
"A fish to eat."
Alright. "Mind if I sit?" Giovanni had an itching feeling the man would rather be left alone than bothered by some 23-year old vampire, but he was bored.
"Sure, kid. You're bothering me already, so why not?"
See? He hesitantly plopped on the wood, and instantly regretted it, as it creaked and wobbled.
"So...why are you sitting here, all alone? If you-you don't mind my asking?" Great speaking, doof.
The man sighed and his shoulders went slack. He stopped, as if gathering thoughts. Or just ignoring me, oh wel-
The wrinkly man gazed at the sky, slightly illuminated by the setting sun, stars faintly twinkling in the late day sky.
"I'm...catching a fish for dinner. For my family."
"Oh! Your family! I'm sure they'll be thankful. Do you have a picture?
The old man quietly shifted and reached his tattered wallet out his worn jeans and opened a relatively old looking picture of a younger, feminine, woman and a small boy who had a small bandage on his cheek. Little scamp, huh?
"I'm sorry, but do you have a newer photo?" What?! "I mean, it's just that this one looks pretty old and I—" Shut up.
"I can't take any new photos of them..." he said, almost...sadly. "This is the only one I'll ever have..."
Oh.
"I'm...so sorry, I never should have asked such an inconsiderate, insensitive question, this is obviously a hard topic and I-"
"Hush, boy! Quit your rambling. I should be willing to open up, might as well be with someone I'll never see again."
"Well-"
"That was my wife of 20 years. She...she was my rock." He starts, cutting Giovanni off, "Celebrated so much time together. We told each other everything. But she didn't tell me she was sick."
His voice wavers, he's on the verge...
"This picture was taken 18 years ago. It was the last one before she was bedridden. Me and my boy visited her every other day, and we often fell asleep beside her. Holding each of her hands."
"I'm sorry."
"My son? He became increasingly stressed. One night, he passed out. The ER said it was from extreme exhaustion and dehydration."
"He..."
"He didn't make it either." There's a gentle tug at the fishing pole.
That's terrible.
I have to say something.
"I don't think, and please take no offense to this, that they would want you to be bottled up with your emotions. It's not healthy. It's good to talk, you know? Share the load." Giovanni couldn't necessarily think of anything else to say, but he knew he meant that from the heart.
"I suppose...it felt good. Talking to you, I mean." The old man stares into Giovanni's eyes with odd loneliness. "And, I got food."
"So...why catch the fish?" Giovanni looks at his lap, and back to the man, questioning, as the man reels in and unhooks the fish.
The man paused. "For a family dinner. It's our routine." He finally answered.
"I see. Can I stay until you're finished?" He's already putting the fish away, ready to take the trek to wherever his home was.
The old man thinks for a moment and a warm smile spreads on his face.
"Yeah. Come over too, boy. We can talk over dinner." The man said gently.
"Uh...do you cook with garlic?"
"What else?"
Giovanni chuckles to himself. Just my luck. Maybe...maybe today wasn't so bad after all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had to do it to em.
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