THE RECORD SHOP ⋆ 𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗹

thirty five

[TW: eating disorder talk]

NOVEMBER 18, 1991. ROME, ITALY. 

Everything about Italy seems to be starkly different to the States. Even the air feels different, dirtier somehow, but Evie breathes deeply to take it all in. She can't get enough of the feeling, being so far from home has filled her with some relief. As she follows the motions through baggage claim her heart begins to race with the realisation she is about to see Dave. A smile tugs at her lips as she looks through the crowd of people waiting to collect their loved ones. His boyish smile and dark hair cuts through the sea of strangers and shines at Evie. 

He meets Evie half way, with long strides and hugs her tight. Dave's heart aches as he holds her, she feels so small and pained. He hates not being there for her. Knowing she'll be with him for the next five days is bringing him an unexplainable amount of happiness. He needs her like the moon needs the sun, like a reminder that it's not always dark, that the sun will always show it's face again and bring people into the light. 

"I think this is the most I've ever missed you," Evie sighs, feeling the weight of all the stress and anxieties of home melt away the more she leans into Dave. 

Dave can feel the tone in her voice, and he knows every word is true. He can feel the stress, could hear it through the phone whenever they called. He's just glad she's here now, he knew that she needed some time away from home. It's a bit too heavy at the moment, and he's worried about how well Evie is coping with it all. Almost immediately he notes that her cheeks are more sunken than the last time he saw her, and she seems to be thinner even through her thick woollen jumper and jeans that are covering her frame. He swallows his concerns and continues to hold her. 

"I'm happy your here Eves," he hold her face in both his hands and kisses her softly. 

"God, I've missed that too," Evie smiles, and it startles her to actually feel happy. Real happiness, not the facade of happiness she's become accustomed to portraying. 

"So have I," Dave kisses her once more before he tells her that he's got a car waiting outside to take them back to the hotel in Rome. 

They boys just arrived in Rome today, Dave fills Evie in on the shows over the last couple of nights. They haven't spoken since Dave first arrived in Italy a few days earlier. He tells all about how amazing the crowd reactions have been which makes Evie even more excited to see them play tomorrow. When the conversation drifts to Krist and Kurt, Evie is brimming with joy. She can't wait to see her friends, she's missed them more than she thought she would. 

They arrive back to the  hotel that the boys are up in and Evie is blown away by the architecture. Even the most basic buildings in Italy look like art. 

"Wow," she scoffs upon entering the beautiful entrance. 

"Pretty nice, huh?" Dave smiles. 

"Uh, yeah," Evie laughs at his nonchalance. 

He wheels her suitcase to the small elevator and takes them up to the floor. 

"Wait until you see the room," Dave grins. Now that Evie notices, he hasn't seemed to stop smiling since their reunion at the airport. This realisation also makes her smile.