HARRY

"How much further is it?" I frowned.

"Just through here,” Thalia replied, glancing back with a smile as she pulled me down the cobblestoned streets. "C’mon, you'll love it. It's absolutely breathtaking."

I hardly had a chance to look up at the stone embellishment of the church before Thalia was pulling me inside the large green door. She had been right of course, the interior literally took my breath away. The space was small and narrow, with high ceilings painted in gold. Statues, murals and mosaics adorned every surface and seemed to radiate in the soft light streaming in.

"You're right," I whispered, not wanting to disturb the silence. “It’s stunning."

"It's baroque," Thalia whispered back. She linked her arm through mine and began a guided tour as my own personal art historian. She hardly realized that, just as she couldn’t take her eyes off the art, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Her little white sundress flowed as she walked and hugged her body in all the right places. Her hair was pulled back into a loose braid that was already on the verge of unraveling. Thalia didn’t seem to mind though as she brushed a few of the small strands from her face to admire a wall ornamentation. Her brow creased and her lower lip slipped between her teeth before she broke into a dazzling smile. Turning to me excitedly, she began her lecture once more. It was hard not to admire the way her eyes had lit up or the way her voice rose in her excitement.

She was enchanting.

"How do you know so much about this church?" I asked once we had reached the apse.
Thalia broke into a smile and pointed towards a statue to the left of the alter. It was small, situated in a niche with a light shining down on it. It was an angel floating above a woman.

"The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini," Thalia whispered, gripping my arm excitedly. "I have a soft sport for Bernini-“

“-Really? I had no idea.”

“This is one of his best sculptures,” Thalia continued, ignoring my quip. "It’s based on St. Teresa's encounter with an angel who left her in a state of religious ecstasy."

"Seems a little provocative for the Church," I mused.

"The masters were always pushing the church to be more promiscuous...it's actually gotten a number of them in deep trouble."

"The Masters," I whispered. "That's quiet the title."

"A well earned title."

"Do you think you'll ever be a master?" I asked, cracking a smile and glancing her way.

She thought for a moment before saying, "I think that would depend on what frame of master you're referring to. Master artisan? Master of disguise? Master of a dog?"

I let out a laugh. "The word 'master' is starting to sound strange now."

"Funny how that works," Thalia chuckled.

"I was thinking master artisan but master of a puppy would be pretty nice as well."

"That would be pretty lofty of me to place myself in the same rank as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, or Bernini. Hopefully I'm not that conceited."

"But did they know they would be that good?" I countered.

"Oh they knew they were good," Thalia said with a laugh. "They were cocky little shits at times too but I guess that's how you get attention isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know," I shrugged innocently.

Thalia snorted and bumped my shoulder playfully. I wrapped an arm around her and we fell into a comfortable silence. As we stared up at the statue all I could think of was Thalia and how much she admired these ancient dead masters.

"Is that why you're an atheist?” I quizzed. Thalia cocked an eyebrow in confusion and I added, "Because of that the church did your your master artists?"

"I'm not an atheist," Thalia replied, her eyebrows knitting together in a frown. "Just because I don't believe in religion as an institution doesn't mean I'm not spiritual.”

"But you don't believe in God?"

"No, just people." Her eyes wandered up to the statue and seemed to take in more than I understood.

Watching her carefully, I was reminded again of the mystery that has always seemed to surround her. Thalia turned towards me once more and broke into a small smile on seeing my confusion.

"I don't know what's out there Harry,” She said, slipping her arm through mine and looking up at me with those large eyes. "All I know is what's here. So why why question it?"

"Because you're an artist," I chuckled. "Aren't you supposed to question it?"

Thalia stared at me for a moment, her bright eyes flickering intently between mine. She looked almost disappointed. "You don't have to be philosophical to create art Haz, I've only ever drawn what I can see."

It was as if someone had dropped a brick on my head, forcing all the gears to click into place. Of course. How could I have been so blind? As I stared back at Thalia, Tilly's words from the villa seem to ring through my ears-

-you can't blame her for being a skeptic of love Harry, she's never seen it work before-

It all made sense now and as I looked back at Thalia, I realized I never really knew her until this moment. She didn't believe in God or fate. She hardly believed in trust and she was a skeptic of the very idea of love.

Her parent's separation and childhood with her siblings had taught her to only rely on things that were tangible, things she could see and touch. Things that were concrete. She liked to be able to point to something and give you its name and its story. Because those were the only things that were real to her.

The reality then of how much blind faith she had placed in me over these past two years suddenly carried much more weight. And I finally saw just how much I had hurt her.

"Harry?”

And after everything she was still here? She had let me into her home, into her life. Fuck, she had let me sleep in her bed. Why? Why would she let me in again after everything I had put her through? It was love. It had to be. But could she really love without knowing the meaning of the word?

Images of Thalia's legs wrapped around mine and her fingers dragging lightly across my skin flashed through my mind. My mother had once told me that we assume others show love the same way we do and if they don't, we worry it's not there. I hadn't really known what that meant until I met Thalia.

Thalia couldn't touch love. She couldn't hold onto it and make sure it never changed. And that's why she struggled with it. But her love then simply manifested its way into actions. She didn't need to say the words as she cooked me breakfast or told me her secrets. Nor when she took me out with her friends and invited me into her world. And she certainly didn't need to say it as she held me close each night. Thalia loved in a way that was much deeper and much more pure.

"Harry, are you alright?"

"F-fine," I managed, squeezing her hand gently.

"You sure? You look pale." Her brow was furrowed in deep concern as she gripped me tightly. "Please don't tell me you were experiencing your own religious ecstasy."

Thalia’s words were so unexpected that I broke into a laugh despite my best efforts. "More like enlightenment."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I've just realized something is all."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Thalia asked, eyeing me warily. "Do you want to sit down? Or perhaps something to drink?"

"Thal, I'm fine. Honestly."

"Well, we should head out anyway," she replied, her mind made up. “I promised we’d meet Greta and Francesco for lunch.”

I smiled and let her lead me out of the ornate church. She wrapped her arm through mine, gripping me tightly as if she were afraid I'd pass out on her. I couldn't help but chuckle at her actions. Taking care of people was how Thalia showed her love. And right now, I was drowning in it with no complaints.

Notes

So my car battery died today. That was an adventure. I was driving down the road and suddenly the radio cuts out and the dash lights start blinking. It was like a scene from a movie where the sound suddenly goes "shoooowp" and everything turns black. Poor lil' car.

Anyways, here's a short but important little chapter. I know things have been very calm between out favorite couple these past few chapters and I apologize. Has it been too boring? Do you like all these couple scenes of Harry and Thalia? Is there anything in particular you'd like to see? I have a couple of things planned so bare with me!

And finally, major thanks for sticking around. I know I haven't been the most constant updater. But I'll get that next chapter up for you tonight - pinkie promise :)