We did have some good times
Pairing Ezio/Claudia
Disclaimer: to anyone but me
Summary: these fit in between "always coming never staying" and "another visit." This is a series of encounters between them that led to the relationship. It is a lot more cheerful that the others.
Rating m for the pairing, cursing, and other 'adult' matters.
"Ezio!" She chased her brother across the courtyard. She was seven, and he was nine. He was the closest in age and had always been her favorite.
He laughed manically as he dodged her attempt to touch him. "It is not fair. Your legs are longer than mine!" She yelled after him.
He hide behind a pilar, and they peeked around it. She attempted to slap his hands but missed. He was quick. "You need to start growing then, sister." He teased and she landed a hit. "You're it." She declared.
"Ezio! Claudia! Come here I have a treat from the market for you." Their older brother came into the room glowing. Only recently had father made him apprentice and his pride still showed. He liked to bring gifts. They ran to his side. He pulled Ezio to his side, and Ezio smiled at their brother was who he always looked up to.
He offered a honey toffee to both. A real treat. Ezio took his and began to ask about their brother's day. Claudia could not stop herself from stuffing in her mouth and chewing on the sugary taste.
The boys conversed until father called the eldest way. All the while, Claudia shyly eyed his candy that he began to unwrap. She did not want to beg, but she could at least stare. There was crime in wanting. Mama might say otherwise but she did not covet...
He began to raise the treat to his mouth when he caught her look. He dropped his arm. "I am not hungry. Here, Claudia, you can have the candy."
She took it from him. The blush in his cheeks was prevalent. "Here." She pulled the now warm candy in half. "Let's spilt it. Would you like to play another game?" She shyly asked. His eyes brightened. "Yes." He took her hand in his and ran toward the doors. In that moment she would have followed him anywhere.
His eyebrows raised, and he winked. "Thanks for not telling Mama. She would just worry." Her brother almost seventeen and barely a man. Well, barely in terms of everything but women. He was sneaking back in her room again in the middle of the night. (This was not first nor the last time.) He raked his hair out of his face and sniffed his clothes. he shrugged. Sweet Mary, we would get them all in trouble, yet... It was hard to deny that he had a roguish smile. Not that she felt that. Oh no, she was saving those feeling for another man.
"You preen like a bird."
He shot a look back with a frown. "Hush, I would punish you for the insult, but I don't want to wake anyone."
"Punish me." She laughed at him. "You wouldn't dare-" she stifled a scream as he reached for her leg.
"You have quite the mouth at two in the morning." He tugged at her ankle. "Goodnight, sister."
"Goodnight, Ezio." He tiptoed to the door and slipped into the dark hall. That boy was trouble.
That boy grew into being a man in the worst way. They both did over the course of the days. He was the man of a broken house out for blood, and she had keep Mama herself. It was wrong. He was forced into something bigger than himself, and she was taking care of parent before she finished raising her daughter.
Over the years, he trained and trained some more under Mario's guidance. He began to cover his face constantly with the hood. Even among family it became ever present. It was another wall or security like child with blanket. He developed into a cynical man. Though at moment she could see the boy shine through.
He was now twenty-five stomping through the mansion. He held a rose in his hand. "So, a party." He teased as she came to his side. He playfully sniffed the blush colored flower. She grabbed the flower from him and hid it from view. He must of helped a servant with the flowers.
"I bet you love the attention you get from the town. Women just throwing themselves at the great Ezio."
"I like the title."
She pushed on his chest. It had been a while since he was this happy. She loved it.
"You know what my name is for you and it is far from great. Cazzo." She tugged at his hood. He caught her hand and pulled the hood off. His brown eyes where bright.
"You insult me." He pulled her in using her arm. "Some might think a sister who calls her loving older brother that is fillip." He tried to sound threatening, but it failed.
"Ah! Bastardo." She playful tugged at him to only get pulled in further.
"Don't insult mother. I know my father."
"Ezio!" He leaned in wrapping a arm around her waist. He managed to take the flower back.
His lips brushed her forehead. "How is mother?"
"The same." She said softly. "I don't even know if she realizes I am in the room. She just prays and stares." His lips were cool against her forehead.
"I am sorry. I brought more feathers for her box." His voice was barely a whisper.
"Good."
"Back so soon?! I take it that is was a success." Uncle Mario entered their moment. Shattering it. Ezio moved away a bit but he shifted to leave a arm around her waist.
"Yes. It went very well. Leonardo was able to crack more of the code and it was a great trip. How are things for you?"
"Fine, fine." He shifted his weight with his cane. "Claudia make yourself useful. Check the books or the party. The men have to talk."
Claudia frowned she may not be the blade of the family, but she was the house. The support, without her management Ezio would be pauper. Mario always did this. The man liked to treat her like shit. The thought she owed him her life in exchange for a roof. But Ezio never sees this. He let go and smiled back at her. "I will talk to later about the issue, Claudia." The hood was pulled back up as he went to handle 'a man's business.'
She marched back to the party preparations. She knew that after he talked with Uncle that he would not be in the mood to party. He might go see mother or then again he might not. He would leave the feathers in her room and he would ride of into the night. The guilty and his duties were crushing him and running to the next job was the only way he could live. As she moved a flower arrangement she wondered what was the use of throwing a party for him and he would not even stay.
Now at twenty-eight, he world had changed again. He was in her room again but not sneaking in. He came in through the window looking for something.
"Ezio? She breathed. A moment she wondered if it was a vision or a stranger.
He shifted closer. "Claudia, can I rest here. I am so tried."
She didn't even answer. She tugged at him. Feeling his clothes checking for wounds as she loosened clasps. She saw no wounds and left him with just his pants and white linen shirt. He breathing had finally slowed.
"What is wrong?"
"I rode home fast."
"Why my room? You have your own." It was just so confusing if he was not injuried why rush himself. Why not just enter the house like normal person. The thoughts stopped as he took her hand in his.
"I did not want the attention. Mario would ask too many questions and I just need to sleep. Preferable next to someone." His fingers intertwined with her like a child. He was hiding something he did. He couldn't bare the weight and needed someone-her to shoulder it for night.
"Alright. One night only."
"Like you wouldn't mind have a man here every night."
"Shut up, Cazzo." She shoved him in the ribs and she settled against his shoulder. "You must have got tried of whores."
"Why pay when I can get it for free?" He stated manner of factly.
She huffed. "I don't know where you get that 'free' but it is not in my bed."
He craned his neck to kiss her nose. "Goodnight, Claudia.
She leaned up and lightly kissed his lips. "Goodnight, Ezio."
She could feel him smile.
At thirty-two, she snapped. She had lost a lot in her life from family, friends, and home. She even had built a business, but she never really had a lover. Sure, a few nights with men in the house, but they were sent as quickly as they came. She could not bare the embarrassment.
That night as he came back to her bed to relay what he learned. She was less than happy with her brother. He had arrived unexpected as usual, but she had been busy. A lonely woman still had needs, didn't she. She barely had time to yank down her night gown before he stripped down to the essentials and slid in the bed. By the smell that clung to him he must have went to the bar to drink.
Her usually now stoic man was talking a mile a minute. "I wish you could have seen the look on that bastardo's face!" He began to talk so fast she could not keep up with the names and places. Her mind was still on other matters left unfinished. She huffed and turned rubbed her thighs trying to relieve the need.
"Claudia?" He stopped prattling on. "Are you alright, my dear?" She noticed the sweet name started when she was twenty-nine, something he only called her in personal letters and during the late night visits.
"I am... tried." She mumbled into the pillow.
"You sound mad." He said quietly. He rubbed his hand up her side. "Who do I have to kill?" He leaned in and kissed her neck.
"No one. I was just...busy..."
Slowly, it became obvious. He began to laugh. "My little sister?"
"I am hardly little. I am past thirty."
"You are still that girl to me who chased after me. So, who or what brought you to this state?" The bastardo was teasing her. She would make him pay later.
"I was just thinking..."
"-Of a man?" His friendliness was the result of many years of being to close and too alone. Also, he could not pass up the opportunity to tease the ones he loved.
"Shut up."
"We'll tell me of your sweetheart. A guard, a servant, a man in the market, a lord, a king, an assassin." He dropped kisses by her ear. She shoved him back.
"You are to cruel."
"So, it was the last one." His paused. "If you dream about Leonardo I hate to inform you that- wait is it Machiavelli... I swear I will cut off his... If he touched you."
"No, no. None of them. Change the subject, Ezio, I can't think."
"Still trying to finish?" He said with a grin " I can't believe you would try when I am still in the bed. That is too dirty." His words meant to be chastising, but he was amused. "Am I the one you think of? I know I have a certain power over women, but I thought you be immune-" She elbowed back at him.
"So, it is true. The Borgia would be proud."
"Shut up. You are drunk."
"I could help. No harm in giving my sister a helping 'hand?'" He was too drunk and she could not believe he suggested that, but something in her wanted to call his bluff.
"Fine. Help."
He began to suck on her neck pausing only to purr "gladly." He began to tug at the dress. She could not believe that he would make good on that promise.
After the event she was in shock. He had left her gown up by her hip and had curled around her to settle in her dark hair. He lightly snored there. One arm was in the curve of her waist and the other was her pillow.
The incriminating evidence was the fact he had one leg between hers against her in the most intimate way. It was still wet from what she had done. He had just used his hand and he was the best she had ever had. It made her wonder...
At forty-one her and her 'Mistro' as the girls called him were quite more than what they had been. Sure, he could only visit from time to time but his letters were frequent enough. Most were about work, others though kept her company. She kept them in a box near her bed and her best girl was one orders on what to do with that box if something should happen to her.
The ending of his last letter had left her in shivers. He was in Constantinople. He was a little worried about what he would find there but that library was his goal and there was no stopping him at this point. Though, he did talk time to tell her about his adventure as a ministerial. He ended the note with a passionate.
She penned her reply earlier. She prayed he would back soon so they could do what he suggested. Sweet Mary, she looked forward to it.
A/n: Cazzo means dick in Italian. They used it in the game and bastardo is not hard to figure out. Figlio is bitch. I have fun with this pairing and if don't like keep it to yourself. Actually, why did you even look up the pairing...