30 Days With You (Ian Somerhalder Fan Fiction)

Chapter 41: Safe, Sane, And Honest

Daisy, Roy and Mark said their goodbyes just when my aunt was making her way out as well.

"Leaving so soon?" She said with a heavy Latin accent. When they answered, she spoke again walking towards me. "I'll be out too. Tu cierras, Vero?" She asked me in Spanish if I would close, sense she was leaving. I answered her with a 'yes' on the same language under the gaze of the three remaining people. They were sitting in front of me as I was standing behind the bar. She entered behind the bar and kissed my cheek. After I introduced her to Paul and Ian, she spoke to me in Spanish again. "Y ese? Tu novio?" She asked motioning towards Ian. Of course she had to ask if he was my boyfriend. It was either him, the one looking amusingly at me with loving eyes, or Paul, the one holding onto Alex's hand for dear life.

I answered her as if she was a five year old.

"No." I said in Spanish. "No novio. Amigo." I made specific pronunciation of the word 'friend' which sent her walking out the bar with a face that told me she didn't believed me, but she would let it pass.

When the doors closed, Alex was the one to break the silence.

"Well that was a close one." She said.

"You think?" I said both sarcastically and rhetorically which made the four of us laugh. While we were laughing, Alex stopped abruptly as if she was fake laughing and spoke with a serious face.

"Now make me a Cuba Libre." She demanded. I laughed some more, already getting a cloth and laying it on my shoulder while getting everything I needed.

"You guys want anything?" I asked the boys.

"Just a Gin & Tonic." Said Paul.

"Surprise me." Answered Ian.

As a bartender, I love when costumers say that. It gives me full freedom to experiment and practice, but I decided to keep it simple and make him an Earthquake.

Just like when I was cooking with Ian, I was moving around from left to right. Pulling the liquors from the shelves, chopping limes, getting the glasses ready. Three pairs of eyes watched me intensely as I moved fluently through the bar. Three pairs of eyes and a camera, Ian's. I heard his phone as he snapped a picture of me mixing drinks and I heard it again when I looked at him and then again when he shot me that thousand dollar worth of smile that I couldn't help but respond to. I returned to my work after rolling my eyes.

"Cuba Libre. Gin & Tonic." I named each drink as I placed them in front of them. "Earthquake." I said and looked at Ian with a smirk on my face. His drink required a mix of cognac and absinthe which, for me, is nothing sense I have a high tolerance. But, for him, let's just say I was about to find out.

He could read my face perfectly so the message was received. I looked over at the three of them before Paul spoke.

"Wow these look good." He said.

"It's all about presentation." I said. I could see Alex mouth the words as I spoke them, clearly not having heard them for the first time. "Wanna see something cool?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

"Why not?"

I pressed a bottom under the bar and turned UV lights on. They were implanted all over the counter decoratively but I only used them for occasions like these. Paul's drink started glowing immediately and his look reflected how surprised and intrigued he was by the glowing drink before him.

"What is that!?" He said with enthusiasm.

"Well, your drink, as its name suggest, is a mixture between gin and tonic water." I started explaining. "Which sounds simple enough but the tonic water itself has this compound named quinine. Now, you see," I was speaking like a mad mad by now. "quinine, other than have many medicinal applications, it's also extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light. Which makes the tonic water glow under mentioned light altogether." I explained excitedly.

"Wait... Did you said medicinal applications?" Paul asked.

"Correct. Including fever-reducing, painkilling and anti-inflammatory properties. It was actually the first treatment for malaria and it's still used today to treat some cases of the disease." I explained.

"Fascinating." Paul whispered with his eyes lost on the glowing drink.

"Indeed." I responded with a smile. I looked to Ian and Alex at either side of Paul and my smile fade slowly while looking at their faces. Their were looking at me as if I weren't from this planet. It wasn't an insulting look though, it was more like an intrigued look, but not by what I was talking about like the look Paul had. They did looked intrigued, but by me. "Stepping out of the 'nerd zone' now." I said slowly and awkwardly shy while taking off the cloth from my shoulder.

I took a beer bottle and opened it using the counter on my way out as their laughs died down. I walked up to Ian and sat on his lap as he turned on his stool. Paul's hand was now laying on Alex's knee as we all looked around the empty bar.

When we finished our drinks, Alex and Paul dismissed themselves. I turned off the 'open' sign on the front window and closed the doors. There he was when I looked back. I walked up to him as he did the same. We met midway and he took me in his arms on a much needed hug.

My arms were holding onto his back and my hands held onto pieces of his shirt as I buried my face on his shoulder, taking in his warmth. As much as I wanted to stay like that, there was a reason why I closed the bar. That new song needed to be recorded ASAP.

I took Ian's hands and guided him to the studio room without saying a word and he followed.

-x-

He was more than eager to stay while I recorded. I started with the guitars, both lead and rhythm. I noticed Ian taking a picture of me but I ignored it. Soon enough, I received a notification from Instagram.

' @iansomerhalder: Studio sessions with the one and only @Vero 1996 '

When it was time to record the vocals, I warned him of the importance of silence and he agreed not to make a sound while I got everything ready. The longest process was the vocals so we were in for a long night. Again, Ian took pictures of me and tagged me on Instagram.

' @iansomerhalder: So thrilled to be present and witness the talent of this woman at its core. I'm listening a fun, sing-along song coming to life under this beautiful woman's guidance. Couldn't be more proud of you if I tried @Vero1996 '

I couldn't help but to walk up to him and bend down to his level, sense he was sitting down, to kiss him. He smiled into the kiss and started pulling me down to the couch. I wiggled out of his reach and went back to the microphone as he smirked.

I continued with my work and Ian remained seated. Not taking pictures, not writing on his phone, just seating. I couldn't see much from the corner of my eye but there he was.

When I finished tracking, I took off my headphones and found Ian with an open notebook on his hands. I knew by the look on his face, that he had read the song I wrote earlier. I walked to him and slowly took the notebook from his hands while sitting next to him.

They were no place for words. And also no need for them. Ian took my face in his hands and I gave in to his touch and his lips. Before I knew it, I was laying on the couch with Ian beside me. Every possible contact was being held between us.

After we slowly pulled away, he asked me to tell him what was on my mind and I responded.

"I feel unsafe and like I'm going insane. I lie to myself every time I say I'm fine and it's been hard." I said before hiding my face on his neck. He held me close and said soothing things to my ear.

"Well I'll keep you safe. And sane." He said before kissing my head. "And honest."

I chuckled on his neck. "Well, can you just keep me in general? Where are you staying?" I said coming out of my hiding spot. He chuckled too and then we made our way out to go to the hotel he was staying at.