Do you ever just see a picture and think I really want to go there?
Yeah.
That's me right now with all the pictures I'm finding of Italy haha.
I mean, that's me with a lot of pictures of the world haha.
The photo above is of Fiordo di Furore, which is on the Amalfi Coast.
I have put pictures in the story to correspond with the place they're visiting because these places are way too pretty not to show.
Anyway, this chapter requires research.
(Wait...what do I write that doesn't involve research haha)
So. Our favorite gays exploring the amazing Amalfi Coast.
*grinning at the fluff that is going to ensue*
It was much fluffier than I was planning on it being.
Enjoy! :)
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Once they finished eating and paying and everything, Antonio took Sean back to his apartment--Sean had mentioned he wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, and Antonio promised to be the best tour guide there could be, but it would be better without carrying a keyboard around and if they had a car.
So here they are, in Antonio's tiny car, driving to the Amalfi Coast.
"The Amalfi Coast is huge," Antonio informs him. "It starts in Punta Campanella--but most people say that it starts at Sorrento--which is probably for the best anyway--all the way to Vietri Sul Mare. That's 34 miles."
"Wow. That's a lot."
"And the thing is, there's so much along the coast, that you can easily spend a whole week seeing everything there is. I mean, some are satisfied with just a day along the coast. But usually two to three days is the recommended amount. So it really depends on everything you want to see."
"How much time have you spent here?" Sean asks curiously.
"I love coming here a lot," Antonio answers. "I've been to some spots more than others, but I know this place like the back of my hand." He brightens. "I can be your perfect tourist-y tour guide! If that's what you want, that is."
"What if I want more than the typical tourist experience?" Sean returns with the same humor. "What if I want the authentic experience?"
Antonio's grin grows. "Get ready for the best authentic tour of your life."
Sean has never seen anything like this. This gorgeous coastline is unlike anything he's even known. He can't take his eyes away from it.
"Keep in mind that it can get pretty crowded in the summer," Antonio warns him. "So we may be in traffic jams at some points. You chose one heck of a time to visit."
"Yeah, well, I was limited on time after college before I have to get a real job."
"What does that even mean, a real job? What does one consider to be a real job?"
Sean thinks on it. He has no answer to that.
"Hey," Antonio continues, a smile to show he doesn't mean to patronize, "You may have chosen one heck of a busy time to visit, but in the end, it means that I got to meet you."
Okay, that felt nice to hear.
"Glad I chose this time then."
He wants to put into words how much it meant to him to hear Antonio say that, but he hasn't quite figured out how yet.
"So." Antonio looks ahead at the road again. "There are many cities, cliffs, beaches, and a couple islands we can visit. Where do you want to start?"
It doesn't take long for them to arrive at Sorrento. This town was recommended as a good starting off place, so here they are.
Sean looks out at the breath-taking ocean view.
"There are lots people can do here," Antonio says. "There's great food, there's water play, and it's fun just walking around the town."
"Sounds fun."
And so Sean lets Antonio lead him around the city, enjoying every moment of it.
After a little while, Antonio suggests that they leave and start their journey to their next destination, wherever that might be.
"So what did you think of that?"
"I really liked it. I walked in there without having any real plan, but that was awesome."
Antonio grins. "That's usually what happens with a lot of people. Some come for the Limoncello, some come just to have a good time."
"Well, that was great." Sean smiles. Antonio smiles too.
"Did you have any other spots in mind that you wanted to go to?" Antonio asks.
"Not really. Do you have any recommendations?"
Antonio grins. "I have another great spot that I need to show you."
"This place is a lot quieter," Antonio tells Sean as they get out of the car. "Fewer people come here. But honestly, this is a real hidden gem."
"Remind me how to say the name again?" Sean closes the car door, eyes wide, taking in the view.
"Fiordo di Furore," Antonio answers. "It's called the Fjord, because ... it's a fjord. The only one in Italy, I may add."
"Sounds awesome."
"Yeah! This place is one of the best places to take pictures. Are you ready for hiking up and down a lot of stairs? The view is worth it, I promise."
"...Sure."
Antonio's eyebrows raise, nodding, impressed. "That's commitment. I like it."
Sean doesn't know how much time has passed, but they've found the perfect perch to take pictures from.
Sean grins as he photographs this view. I want to remember this forever.
Of course, the camera can't do this place justice.
Or any other place, for that matter.
"I wish cameras actually captured what it truly is like to be standing here," Antonio comments, voicing Sean's thoughts. "I mean, sure, they get the picture. But ... not fully. The lighting is never the same in pictures as we see it with our own eyes. And you can't feel it. With a photo, you take away four of your senses. It's not like you can feel the breeze or get whiffs of all the smells, or hear all the background noise; nor truly see how the light reflects upon the water, always changing ..." he trails off and averts his eyes. "I'm rambling."
"I honestly think that's one of the best things I've ever heard," Sean responds after a beat, slowly and thoughtfully. And genuine. The next picture he takes he slides his hand a little, trying to be really subtle, trying to get Antonio into the shot. He wants to remember this moment. Staring out over the only fjord in Italy with this person who he only met today but is somehow friends with. Maybe pictures can't fully capture the entire experience. But it will preserve this moment in time forever, and Sean will be able to look back on it fondly, and remember how he had felt.
He thought he was being subtle. Antonio noticed.
"Hey--are you trying to take a picture of me?"
Antonio doesn't give Sean any time to respond. "Not at that angle you aren't!"
Antonio moves in front of the camera, spreading his arms open dramatically. "How's this?"
"Perfect," Sean tells him. He takes a few photos, and Antonio does several different poses, making Sean smile.
"Alright." Antonio huddles behind Sean, looking right over his shoulder. "How do they look?"
Sean (who is trying hard not to feel anything with Antonio hovering over his shoulder) holds up the phone so he can see.
"Well there I be," Antonio grins. "Ain't I pretty?"
Yes.
Sean doesn't say that out loud.
Instead, he tilts his head ever so slightly. Maybe it counts as a nod, maybe it doesn't. If Antonio noticed it, he doesn't show it.
Sean can feel his face heating up right now.
"Now let me take pictures of you!" Antonio exclaims. He takes the phone and nudges Sean forward. "Now turn around and look at me."
Sean smiles for him. A million thoughts are going through his head.
"Done!" Antonio puts the phone down and grins. "Perfect."
Once again, they head back to the car.
"So. Where should we go next?" Sean asks.
Antonio stops. "I'm deciding?"
"You're the best tour guide I could ask for," Sean responds genuinely.
Antonio brightens. It warms Sean. "Let's head to Amalfi!"
"Uh oh." Antonio slows to a stop as the car in front of him does the same.
"What?"
"You know how I told you that it was going to be super crowded?"
"Yes?"
Antonio gestures up ahead. "This is going to get really crowded." He pauses. "It's really up to you if you still want to go here."
Sean thinks about it quietly for a moment. Antonio looks at him, waiting for his answer.
"I think I'm okay with leaving here and finding somewhere else," he says. "And we can always come back later."
"That is true. You're staying here for a few more days, right?"
"Right."
"Then we still got time." Antonio looks ahead again. "As for now, I know just the place we should go."
The light turns green, the cars start moving, and Antonio finds a good place to turn around and head in a different direction.
Antonio parks the car. He gets out, grinning, and gestures around. "Welcome to Atrani. Pretty close to Amalfi the town, but more laidback." He stops the car. "Alright, we're getting out here. You want to see the best of Atrani? You have to go a piedi, amico mio."
Sean soon figures out that there's medieval architecture here. Lots of it. He remembers learning about it in history classes over the years. And now he's here, taking it all in with his own eyes, walking through it.
"Let's go this way!" Antonio exclaims, navigating away from the buildings and towards the ocean, moving quickly.
"What's this way?" Sean asks, picking up his pace too, amused.
"Bet a small black sandy beach wasn't exactly on your original bucket list," Antonio says, slowing a little for Sean to catch up to him, but still not looking back.
"It is now."
They reach the beach and Antonio gestures grandly at it, complete with a dramatic "voilà".
"Woah."
"Yeah."
They start walking along the beach.
Antonio stops for a moment. "Wait, you know that voilà is French, right, and not-"
"Yeah, I know it is," Sean chuckles.
"Okay good, you do know the differences between languages. The amount of times I've had to explain to normal Americans the differences between Spanish and French and Italian is appalling." He pauses. "Most normal Americans--sorry, I didn't mean to say--"
"No, it's totally fine," Sean reassures him. "I know many people back home who couldn't tell you the difference either, and it is appalling."
Antonio lets out a little sigh of relief. "Grazie al cielo! That could have gone very differently."
"Well it's a good thing I'm okay with being called a normal American."
"I take that back, okay?"
"Nah, I'm just messing with you."
"Well stop that and enjoy the view, okay?"
Sean chuckles. "Okay."
They talk for a while as they walk along the beach. Sean notices that the sun is much lower in the sky than he remembered.
He checks his watch. "Hm ... it's getting a little late."
"What time is it?"
"A little after eight."
"Oh."
"No, it's fine."
"We could find dinner," Antonio suggests.
"Wait but it's-" Sean stops himself. "I almost forgot that dinner here is later than in America."
Antonio grins. "Honestly, I like having dinner here more than in America," he comments. "I'm more of a night owl, and I get hungry later in the day. Everything about Campania is kinda perfect for me."
"That does sound great." Sean's stomach grumbles. "Alright, tour guide. Where is the best spot to eat dinner around here?"
Antonio grins. "Ristorante Savo. They have the best seafood."
"Alright!"
Not too much later, they're given a table at Ristorante Savo. As they eat their food, they talk until long after the sun goes down.
"Sorry we didn't get to see Amalfi," Antonio apologizes as they leave the restaurant. "I kinda hyped it up a bit. But it is really busy, so."
"I don't mind," Sean tells him. "Besides, we have more days to see it all, don't we?"
Antonio brightens.
And so they begin the drive back.
Antonio parks a little ways down the street and walks Sean back to his hotel in the dark, stars overhead.
"I enjoyed that," Sean tells Antonio. "I really did."
A smile tugs at Antonio's lips. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Are you planning on doing anything tomorrow?" Antonio asks tentatively after a moment.
"Well, there was this one place of Roman ruins I wanted to visit-"
"Let me guess, Herculaneum?"
"I--yes."
Antonio brightens. "I can take you there too! I remember you saying that you didn't have a car here, and you need someone to show you everything and explain the history--" He stops himself. "Sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself." He looks away. "That was too much. You're not obligated to take me with you--"
"What if I want you to be there?" Sean stops Antonio before he says too much more.
Antonio snaps back in surprise. "...What?"
Sean throws his arms out. "Like you said, I am just another American tourist. I need someone who understands Italy to show me around."
Sean didn't know it was possible for Antonio's grin to get bigger, but it did, and it's making him happy.
"Well grazie al cielo that I understand Italy," Antonio says at last, with that big grin on his face that is only making Sean fall just that much harder for him.
They can't wait for tomorrow.
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Awww I enjoyed writing that.
That took me way too long to write haha.
Sorry that it was written kinda in a weird format. Transitions are hard. And it was kind of a journey chapter. Sort of.
Again, much fluffier than I was planning.
I thought the King of New York reference would be funny, okay?
I'm learning a lot about Italy, and trying to find as much information as I can. I'm also trying (very badly) to balance out research and actually writing that comes from me.
I think at this point everyone knows that I have Antonio/Racetrack say anything that I think about a lot but never say; and that I *think* I am profound but I'm really not.
Okay, so I thought that this was gonna be 1000 words, 1200 at most, but now it's 2200+ words. Yeah, that sums up how I write haha.
So yeah! What did you all think?
Hope you're ready for Roman Ruins :)
Please, no homophobia, profanities, hate etc in the comment section.
Best,
~Your Beloved Author (who wants to go to Italy some day and explore all the places that they are writing about)