#inspired by ACTsquad

[storytimefromthecreed]

To Love From Near and Afar

His hair was lighter, and his face more lined. It had been years since they’d last spoken, but had it really been so many? A blade in the crowd, Ezio stood entranced as Leo chuckled with his workers and took a step back to investigate his experiment. When he smiled, lines creased at his eyes and remained at his cheeks. It looked like he’d smiled many times over the years. Good, Ezio thought to himself, that was the intended affect. Let Leo think he’d left or perished, anything that would keep him safe.

His heart tugged in Leo’s direction, and Leo looked over his shoulder for a moment. Just a moment. His eyes searched the crowds, and the smile frozen on his face faltered. Ezio remained motionless, blending into the crowd easily. Someone called his attention, and Leo returned to his work. Ezio smiled, it was good to see him safe and well, but he’d stayed too long. He left for the evening.

As he lay awake that night, his heart tugging him in the direction of Leo, Ezio thought of what he could do. Playing this game for years had taken a toll on him, and he didn’t know how much longer he could go without speaking to Leo. Touching him, kissing him.

Rolling out of bed, Ezio bound for the door. Once more and then never again, Ezio told himself. I just need ensure his safety, and I’ll never see Leonardo de Vinci again.

Finding his way to the workshop took some tries as Leo always moved around and Ezio was trying to remain in the shadows, but he found it. The candlelight flicked shadows on the street, and Ezio poked his head to the window.

In the small room, was Leo. In one hand, he held a piece of paper while in the other a pen. He spoke to himself as he fiddled with his work, and Ezio found himself transported back in time. They’d do that all the time. With Leo working on a Codex page or assisting Ezio with whatever he needed, Ezio would sit in a chair and watch Leo work and talk a million miles an hour. If Ezio tried to help, he would receive a slap on the back of his hand. “You’re going to break it.” Leo remarked, then tilted his head. “Yes, hm, maybe? You know what? I’m overthinking it.”

“I’m not going to break anything.” Ezio rubbed the stringing hand and pouted, “How do you know what I was doing?”

“But then why would….Ohhhh, that’s genius. Well, of course it’s genius. It would have to be, otherwise I’d not have so much trouble with it. I wonder,” Leo tinkered with his toy. “Because you’re clumsy.”

“What?” Ezio’s jaw dropped and he mouthed some words before settling on, “I’m an Assassin, Leonardo. I run around the city, fight evildoers daily, I am not clumsy.”

“When you’re being an Assassin.” Leo kept working, etching a design, keeping his eyes on it. “When you’re Ezio Auditore, well,” his eyes flickered to Ezio’s and he winked, “you often leave some things left to be desired.”

“I-” Ezio’s pout intensified and his cheeks went red. “Well, I… don’t know what you need me here then. Since I break all your precious,” he gestured around vaguely, “...stuff.”

Leo finished his sketch and set down his pencil. Then, he crossed over to Ezio and laughed, “To brighten the room.” Ezio’s blush deepened and Leo kissed him. “I’m only teasing, my love. Now please, sit there and look pretty.”

Ezio fought his smile and kissed Leo once more. “Fine, fine,” he rolled his eyes, acting like this was the worse job in the world when in face he loved nothing more. “Just because you asked so nicely.”

Now, watching Leo speak to himself as he worked, always working, Ezio’s heart tugged once more. Stronger now, from the nearness and the memories, tears sprang into his eyes and Ezio took a step back. Silently saying goodbye to his love, Ezio straightened, turned, and promptly tripped.

The clang of paint cans made him wince and the rope tightening around him wrapped him like a caccoon before dropped him to the ground. The air left him and Ezio groaned. Light surrounded him as the door opened and before he could speak, he was being hit. “Leo! Leo!” He moaned between swats to the head. “It’s me! It’s Ezio!”

The hitting continued as Leo said, “Oh I know exactly who this is! You no good-! I can’t believe-! All this time-!” Too angry to finish his sentences, he stopped and began setting this paint cans straight and untying the Assassin.

“Wait,” Ezio kicked off the ropes at his feet. “You knew I was there?”

“You make it rather obvious.” Leo gestured to his clothing and let down a hand. Taking it, Ezio was helped up and brushed off. “Years, Ezio, years.” When Leo had worked on straightening Ezio’s collar, he slapped him on the back of the head again. An angry quip rested on Ezio’s tongue and his explanation died when he saw the tears in Leo’s eyes. The corners of his mouth were pulled into a quivering frown, and Ezio saw that he had been using his left hand. Before he could comment on this, Leo continued, “Didn’t you think of what I was going through? Waiting day in and day out for you to arrive? A letter, a note? Anything?”

“Leo-” Ezio said softly.

“Do you know how hard it was? Not knowing if you were ok? If you were….”Leo closed his eyes and crossed his arms. His right was slower than before and Ezio frowned.

“Are you well?” Ezio breathed, already knowing the answer.

“And you just left.” Leo breathed, opening his eyes so the tears spilled. “You’ll say it was to protect me or that your work needed you, but you…you couldn’t tell me? You… couldn’t say goodbye? After all we’ve been through? I didn’t get a goodbye?”

“Wait…” Ezio examined the scene once more. The paint cans, the ropes tied from the roof. “Did you…did you make this trap for me?”

“Well,” Leo swat away Ezio’s hand when he tried to brush his tears away. Palming his face, again his right hand moving slower than his left, Leo explained, “I couldn’t prove it was you any other way.”

Ezio opened his mouth to say, well, anything. You could’ve told me? How? Ezio was hard to track these days. You should’ve let me go? No, that hurt too much. So, he just did the only thing he could. He took Leo’s hands and kissed them. Leo tried glaring up at him, but he missed the contact so much all he could do was muster a frown. “I’m so sorry. It was wrong for me to believe this was the best thing for you. For us.” Ezio breathed, “I’ve just…life hasn’t given me the best track record for the ones I love. Leo, you know this. I-I couldn’t have anything happen to you. I had to keep you safe.” Leo was silent a moment and Ezio squeezed his hands. Leo squeezed back, his right weaker than his left, and Ezio’s heart fell. “I tried very hard to keep you safe from the harm of the outside world, and it seems there are some dangers that not even I can save you from. What is it?”

Leo poked his chest, his mood growing lighter. “Don’t think you can just return here and sweep me off my feet, Ezio Auditore.”

“To be fair,” Ezio chuckled, feeling like they were picking up right where they left off. Like no time had passed. “You’re the one who sweep me off my feet.”

They looked at the trap once more and Leo laughed, “That was a bit dramatic on my part, isn’t it?”

Ezio shrugged, shivering from the night chill. Leo pulled him inside and closed the door. “I expected nothing more from the brilliant mind of Leonardo de Vinci.” Though the room was miles away from their home, it felt like the one he’d spent so much time in. Paintings lined the floor, some unfinished, some drying. Inventions hung wildly in the air, making him cock his head to try to understand them. Finally, his eyes went to the chair, his chair, and his smile fell when he spied the medicine there.

Leo’s eyes watched him, and he confessed, “It happens, Ezio. We’re older now, and it makes sense. I can’t imagine I’d be creating forever.”

Tears ran down his face as he realized all the time he’d lost. “You’re sick?”

“I’d rather not waste more time on it than it’s worth.” Leo pushed him into the chair and began his work again. “Now, tell me of your adventures.”

“Leonardo.” Ezio tried to raise, but Leo made to stop him. Then, he just took his hand. “What can I do? How can I help?”

“Ezio,” Leo kissed the back of his hand and looked at his work. Tears dripped to the table, and he wasn’t really looking at the map. “There are some things that even a hero like you can’t fight, Ezio. There is no point thinking of what we could or should have done, and there’s not point fighting the future. All we can do, is be.”

As the words hit his heart, Ezio rose and took Leo’s hands. The inventor finally looked at him and wept. Ezio pulled him to his chest and kissed the top of his head, his own tears falling into his hair.

Ezio stayed for years, considering this his early retirement. Leo and he enjoyed many picnics under sunsets, cold nights spent wrapped in blankets as Leo explained the stars and Ezio watched his face animate. Many love filled nights, and love filled days, when they had the chance. Dancing in the rain, Ezio singing terribly and Leo begging him to stop but then begging him to start again. They lived with love in their hearts up until the day Leo lay on his bed. He was weaker now, his hair taking on a blonder hue. They held hands and when a doctor came in and asked who Ezio was, Leo simply stated, “He’s a king, can’t you see how regal he is?” The doctor left them and Ezio cried. He’d thought he’d wept to his life’s content, and now this? With a shaking hand, Leo cupped his face, his thumb brushing away his tears. “Ezio, I need you to do something for me.”

“Say it,” Ezio breathed, tasting his tears on his lips. “Anything, and it’s yours.”

Brushing the tears from his lips, Leo memorized his face. “Keep fighting.”

“What?” Ezio rubbed his eyes. “Leo, I don’t get it. I don’t understand.”

Leo sighed, looking over the man he loved. “You’ve grown from a naïve young man to a hero before my eyes, Ezio, and I’m so lucky to have had you by my side all these years. To have loved you and be loved by you. If I could go back, I would change nothing. Now, listen closely.” Leo’s voice dropped as he was too weak, and Ezio leaned in to hear better. He pressed his head to this temple, and remained there. “There are going to be times when it’s going to be hard. When you think yourself alone and don’t want to get back up again. But you must. Not for me, for you. Promise me. Promise me you’ll keep fighting.”

He couldn’t speak, so Ezio just held Leo’s hand in both of his, buried his face in it, and nodded.

When Leo passed, Ezio bid well to the assistants who’d became his family, and told them the Assassins would be lucky to have them. Dawning his robes, he noticed they were tighter. They must have shrunk while hanging, he thought to himself. Then, pulling himself out of retirement, Ezio continued on. It was just as Leo had told him. It was hard, and some days Ezio felt he could disappear into the shadows and never emerge, but he kept fighting. He fought for Leo until he knew how to fight for himself.