Giovanni: The Italian Vampire

Giovanni in Africa

Marrakesh, Morocco

"This is beautiful!" An astonished Giovanni walks along a wooden bridge, canopied by long, thin trees, swaying in the breeze. "You come here often?"

Ashanti replies, "No, mainly just to think, but, like, you don't want to walk in silence; there's a small restaurant up ahead we can stop by." they smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~

The restaurant had a homey vibe, with a slight modern twist. There was a section for eating outside, but the humidity changed and Ashanti was not having that.

Once inside, Ashanti leads him over to a table by a rather tall window, small succulents adorning the windowsills, as Giovanni noticed a slight overcast.

"Looks like we made it in time, huh?" Ashanti jokes, as the rain gently pelts down onto the roof and window, a quite pleasing sound.

"It's kinda chilly in here, you think?" Giovanni hinted, he didn't bring a jacket; he wasn't planning on being in air conditioning.

"Well, I'm sorry but honestly, 'imma alhusul ealaa ghariqat fi almatar, or be cold." Ashanti shrugs hastily, slightly annoyed with Giovanni's 'whining'.

"If you say so." Giovanni gave up arguing, she had a point. They do get agitated easily, though.

As the two finished talking, a waiter approached. "Are we ready to order?", he asked cheerfully, drawing a small notepad and pen out his front pocket.

"Uh...yeah. I'll have the 'Caravan Special'? With a lemonade?" Ashanti placed their order.

"Why lemonade? Savory food with such a childish drink?" Giovanni spoke, harsher than intended.

"Woah, almuta'aniqz. No need for all that. It's just a force of habit. I gotta have lemonade, with any meal I eat out. I just do."
They protest defensively. "Giovanni." They added a sneer, just to be petty.

Giovanni understood. He didn't want to push anything further, that would be wrong on his part.

"Understandable." He smiles, and turns to the waiter and says, "Sorry to keep you waiting, good man. I'll have what they're having; Err...hold the garlic.", still smiling.

The waiter walks away, and Ashanti rolls their eyes at Giovanni, disappointment lacing their questioning mind.

"Why'd you back down like that? I half expect anyone who starts an argument, finishes it. Granted, you started it over a drink, but stick up for yourself, G!
You can't...You...just...you let me have that. Didn't you?"

Giovanni sighs with a slight chuckle, "I didn't let you have anything, doll. I didn't argue back because who am I to make fun of someone, much less their taste palette? I finished the argument that was over something so trivial that could, knowing you, possibly, bloom into something more...unwelcome."

"What're you—"

He pauses, then continues.

"We're close, but you're a very irritable person. Maybe we could work past this, because I have flaws that are...aggravating...to say the least. We've been through a lot, and I realize how cliche and cheesy this sounds, but I value what we have. Together."

Ashanti is speechless. They'd never heard Giovanni speak like this. Ever. Even when he retold his stories about the rest of his travels. It's a refreshing feeling.

"You're right, definitely. I do love what we have, and yeah, self control isn't exactly my thing...better to hear it from a friend than a foe, huh?" Ashanti admitted. "I have a long way to go before we can be anything, I know that. But...just stay with me, yeah?"

Silent.
Giovanni doesn't really know what that part meant, but he warmly smiled and nodded,

"I'll always stay with you."

Ashanti looks down. 'He doesn't get it.' She smiles to herself.
"Our food is taking awfully long, huh?" She asks with a pathetic attempt of a smile and laugh.

Gio laughs, "It wasn't that long, here comes our food now." nodding his head in the direction of the approaching waiter, behind Ashanti.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thank you, today was perfect."

"It was perfect because I was here, stupid."

"I suppose. Ugly."

"You gon die."
~~~~~~~~~~~~