La Volpe ran as quick as he could. He rushed through the streets of Roma, glancing back every now and then to check if he was still followed. When he saw that the hooded man was still behind him, he grinned and continued to run. This was quite fun. He took a few turns on the narrow, abandoned streets. He rarely turned out to a square, only if he really had to, he didn't want to be exposed. Although the night made people go home, he wouldn't risk meeting a patrolling city guard. Usually he wouldn't mind a little fight, something to make the day a little more exciting… But not now, not with his… company.
The thief had to draw in a deep breath and summon some extra energy before he jumped to a couple of boxes. He gathered momentum, then leaped to a lamp holder and a protruding beam to get himself up to the roofs of the city. He didn't turn back to make sure but he knew that his chaser was still behind him. He grinned and jumped over to another roof, landing on a chimney with his usual grace before dropping to the tiles and running along the ridge. He looked back from the next roof, watching as his hooded follower struggle with landing on the house, and only staying on the roof out of sheer luck. He chuckled. Age might be catching on him, but he was still one of the bests.
But he didn't want to be caught, not now, not yet. It was way too much fun. So he turned around and resumed to running. He knew exactly where he was and how he wanted to reach his destination. He jumped to a terrace on a rooftop and ran across it, carefully pushing himself up from the flower lined railing. He jumped across the collapsed walls of a few half-ruined buildings, one threatening to fall apart completely under his weight. He stopped worried at the next roof, looking back at his company to see if he made it. The wall was fortunately made firmer than he first thought, and his pursuer got over without any trouble. This meant that the game was still on, so La Volpe turned forward again and continued running, speeding up a little more to get back his advantage.
A few more rooftops and there he was, at one of the most abandoned places of Roma, having a rather impressive view to the Colosseum at the moonlight. The building on which he was standing used to be a palace long, long ago, but now it was left to time to take it apart. It was still clearly visible that it used to be beautiful, but La Volpe liked it for having several levels of roof and a few large chimneys. The fact that nobody lived here anymore and the huge size of the building only added to it. It stood steadily on the ground, making it a perfect place for assassins from where they could keep an eye on the ancient circus across the road.
La Volpe leaned against a chimney on the highest part of the roof and waited patiently. He was aware that the other wasn't the best in free-run, and was nowhere near his level. But it took almost two minutes for him to catch up. Way too much time for an assassin.
"Your skills are worsening with every passing day" La Volpe commented when his company finally stopped next to him, leaning forward to support himself by his hands on his legs, trying to catch his breath. "Your stamina, too. I'm not even sweating, but you look like you're about to die" the thief continued, and though he was supposed to be scolding the young assassin, he was smirking a bit too much for that.
"Don't mock me, Volpe!" the other bit back when he could finally speak. "I have been sitting behind a desk for most of the past few years. For our cause's sake, I have to add. It would take some time to get back in shape."
"That's no good excuse!" the thief insisted, shaking his head. He extended an arm and motioned for the other to get closer, who just sighed and obeyed, walking closer. He put his hand on his shoulder when he was in his reach and pulled him even closer. "You know, you look really ridiculous in these regular assassin clothes, Niccolò" he frowned and ran his other hand through the man's hair, knocking the hood off his head along the way. "Hm, better…" he grinned satisfied and tilted his head slightly to the side.
"Of course…" Machiavelli murmured, rolling his eyes and stepped closer, pressing their bodies together. "Now, if you have finished picking on me already…" he said with a sigh, then leaned forward and kissed the annoying thief. He really didn't care about how he looked in assassin robes right now.
There wasn't any protest, more taunting comments or teasing as usual, La Volpe just pulled him closer and returned the kiss. This must have been because they hadn't met in two weeks, Machiavelli concluded. Normally La Volpe wouldn't go along with him so quickly in anything, even if he wanted it better than the playwright. Volpe could be really patient, painfully patient, if he wanted to – but he was only a human being as well, with his own limits.
They held onto each other for minutes, neither of them willing to let go. The happiness of seeing the other again flooded both of them, and finally they were alone, and able to greet each other the way they wanted. La Volpe's hands held Machiavelli firmly by his hips as he made him back up and pushed him against the chimney. The younger assassin had his arms around the thief's neck, pulling as close as possible. They shared a long, deep, and passionate kiss that both of them wanted to last forever.
"I missed you, my dear… I'm glad you are back" La Volpe whispered in his ear after they pulled away, not bearing anymore without air. He tilted his head against the other man's, and wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace.
"I missed you, too" Machiavelli said silently, smiling softly as he rested his head against the thief's chest and closed his eyes.
For them, this was the moment of peace, of stability, something both of their lives lacked. They held onto each other and wished they could stay like this forever, not only for the night. But they knew their wish was something impossible, so they just tried to focus on each other and enjoy it for the time being.
On one end of the roof, on the lowest level, a crouching Ezio smiled. At first he was surprised but then everything made sense. All of a sudden he understood why they seemed to be so close despite their constant fights. Why they were so sullen when the other was away on a mission.
Ezio just smiled and slowly, as swiftly as he could, he climbed off the roof. He didn't want to bother them, they deserved a nice night together. Things had been tough lately, even with finally killing Cesare. When a problem is solved, another emerges, he had learned that throughout the years and it proved itself so far… Everyone was glad for this little peace they seemed to have… He wished it would last long.
As much as Ezio was happy for them though, he envied them. They had found someone they loved, someone they wanted to dedicate all of their time to, even if in their own, peculiar way. He sometimes thought he had lost hope for love forever. He only ever loved two women but in the end he was denied both of them. Maybe there was no one out there who could love him…