The Loving Silence

Chapter 13

Together they walked up to Rue's room since Luca was adamant that he should have something to eat before they had a drink together. It was a bit backwards to travel at night on little to no sleep, eat dinner at five am and then have a morning-nightcap, but Rue figured "When in Rome..."

The staircase had velvet details to match the entrance and there wasn't a stain in sight. The sides of each step was made up pf wood and the velvet in between was sealed with gold plated brass details.

Rue was beginning to feel ashamed over his casual clothes. He was wearing a black v-neck wool jumper and taupe chinos, which to be fair wasn't too bad. But the hotel made him feel as if he'd be underdressed wearing his best and only suit, had he decided to keep it. He had bought one a few years prior, on Rick's advice, as he believed he would need it for when he sold his designs at his restaurant. But then Rick started taking over the sales more and more and Rue just never found a use for the suit. He hadn't told Rick yet, but he gave the suit away a few months back. One of his tenants had posted on the board that was looking to borrow one for a job interview. Rue let him borrow it and he got the job. When he got back, Rue realised he didn't actually want the suit back, and so he let him have it.

Honestly, even if he had had use for it, Rue found it to be stuffy and uncomfortable. He couldn't handle more then half an hour of wearing it. It still had the tags left when he gave it away.

As he looked around, he couldn't help but wonder if the place had been quite exclusive once. More of a cocktails and smoking kind of place. It was sad to think that it had gone from that to this. It was still beautiful, but given how affordable the room had been, it was more blue collar than aristocrat nowadays.

They must have renovated some of the interior design since it was built back in 1899, though they appeared to have remained true to the original style.

Rue wasn't just guessing; on the walls on the second floor there were black and white photographs from different eras. They appeared to range from the early 20th century to around after the second world war, based on their clothes. The interior in the background, however, looked much the same. There was one photograph, places far from the others, that must've been from the 70s. Even through the photograph the bohemian energy could be felt. Bell bottoms, denim, tie-dye, crochet along with platform shoes and long hair. Rue looked down at his own jumper and then back at the photograph. V-necks now and then were vastly different. The one worn in the photograph was made out of a slinky fabric and the V begun just above the belly bottom and displayed the wearer's slim, hairy chest. Rue found he preferred that trend in fashion to remain in the past.

No matter how meticulous the staff had been in caring for the place, there was still no way the decor, at least not all of it, was over a century old. Just the sheer amount of people who must've stayed there over the years would've made their marks on the place. On the flooring at least. Perhaps they had the same supplier over the years, someone who could make sure things looked the same? Rue was now getting all sorts of ideas for his own building. He couldn't wait to start sketching and jotting down ideas.

Upstairs, behind the various historic photographs, were beautifully decorated walls. The lower part of the walls had intricate carved images while the upper parts were covered in a hand-painted floral design. There were also images of clouds and a detailed meadow. It looked so lifelike Rue felt almost called to reach out and touch it, just to make sure it wasn't. He was staring so intently at a particular part of the painted meadow that he had stopped walking. He was in awe. It seemed like if he were to step but a little closer, he would find himself in the midst of that serene landscape. It was both extraordinary and unsettling at the same time.

At the same time, Luca noticed Rue was no longer beside him and walked back through the corridor to find him. What he saw made him smile wide and he almost had to hold back a laugh. Rue was delicately tracing his fingers along the patterns on the wall, while shifting his body back and forth, alternating between standing on his tippytoes and squatting, all so he could look at it in every conceivable angle. A true art lover.