Nothing Else
A One-Shot
By J. Ruisu
"I've seen him around a lot, lately... mutual friends."
Ezio took a deep breathe outside of the door to Leonardo's work shop. It was dark out, but Ezio knew that the artist was bound to be awake. In fact, Ezio had never come to the door to find Leonardo sleeping. Probably had someone tracking Ezio; the blue-eyed man seemed to have enough influence around these parts.
Unfortunately, Ezio had not come to speak with Leonardo about such trivial things. An angry fire was burning in Ezio's gut; how did Leonardo know Teodora? Were the women of "the church" the mutual friends which Leonardo had been speaking about? The questions had bothered the assassin the entire time he had been running around carnevale, carrying out his latest mission.
Be strong, Ezio. The thoughts ran through his mind as he lifted his strong, scarred hand to the door. Everything about him was scarred. There were very few things which healed these scars; Leonardo was one of them. So it was strength that Ezio was calling up from his heart, because he knew that just the sight of Leonardo would take some of the frustration out of him.
Knuckles against wood. The sounds of shuffling, and muttering. The door swinging open. Leonardo stood there in a loose blouse and trousers, obviously not expecting any company for once. His workshop was bright with candlelight which reflected off of his glassy mediterranean eyes and soft cherry-wood hair.
"Ezio! So good to see you," he smiled a gentle smile, barely containing the relief and excitement that Ezio had come to associate with their meetings, as well.
"Leonardo," the assassin nodded as he stepped inside, pulling his hood down and steeling himself once more.
"How are you?" the blue-eyed man asked kindly, tucking some of his hair behind his ear and gazing at Ezio with a certain warmth that the other man had not found anywhere else. Sure, there were the whores, and sometimes Rosa. But the genuine way in which Leonardo held himself, how difficult it was for him to hide the way he felt about Ezio... it was something the assassin had never been able to find in another person's eyes.
"Fine. I have a question for you," the assassin said in as brisk a voice as he could manage. He cast his eyes away from Leonardo and walked casually over the work table, pushing around some papers in mock curiosity.
Leonardo walked over and hoisted himself onto the rough wood of the table, leaning back on his palms and looking to the roof. This was good, the casual way in which they could exist together, even with Ezio's anger hanging over him like a storm cloud.
"Of course. What is it?" Leonardo asked, watching the way in which the candlelight flickered on Ezio's dark, glossy hair, trying not to reach out and remove the leather cord which held it in place.
"How do you know Teodora, Leonardo?" Ezio looked to his companion with narrowed eyes, the scar on his lip looking especially strong in the low light.
A dark blush ran across Leonardo's features. "I... Oh, Ezio. This is so embarrassing. I thought we had an understanding, not to dig into each other's personal lives..."
"It's as much my business as yours!" Ezio snapped, banging his fist against the wooden table, squeezing his eyes shut at impact. Leonardo jumped, flopping off of the table into an awkward standing position. He was quiet for a moment, and all that filled the room was the harsh way in which Ezio was breathing.
"Oh, Ezio..." Leonardo put his hand on Ezio's, noting the distinct differences between their skin tones.
"No! Do not 'Oh, Ezio' me, Leonardo! I want you to say it, Leonardo. I want you to admit that you... that you've been worshipping at that place. Tell me, you cheating bastard!" Ezio exclaimed, wrenching his hand away from Leonardo's and taking a step back as he yelled.
Leonardo's eyes were cast to the floor now, arms crossed, cheeks red. "You're gone for such long periods of time, Ezio. You don't even tell me where you're going! And I know that you aren't faithful. Do you think I'm blind? Since when was this... this thing a commitment?" Leonardo's words were angry, though his voice was low and soft. Ezio could see the way his eyes were watering, now, and began to feel the sour pang of regret. He wasn't done, though.
"I can't tell you what I'm doing all the time, Leonardo! You know I'm involved in dark things. Do you not remember almost being set aflame while I tried to bring you to Venice? I don't tell you because... because I care about you! I want you to be safe, not at the hands of the corrupt of this city!" Ezio crowed, leaning against the table, shoulders slumped already with a defeat he could not quite accept.
"I know," Leonardo replied, barely refraining from touching Ezio once more.
"As for the women... you know they mean little to me. It's in my nature. But you, Leonardo, you've never shown interest in anyone else. And now I find that you've been visiting that place? It simply doesn't fit together," Ezio murmured.
"I need some sort of gratification," Leonardo half-laughed, half-whimpered.
Ezio turned to his companion, brown eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Leo, it's just - "
"You have nothing to apologize about, Ezio. Nothing ever happened." Leonardo walked forward, wrapping his arms around the muscled man and inhaling the smell of his sweat. Nothing could ever be more appealing to the artist.
They were quiet for a moment. Ezio wrapped his own arms around Leonardo, placing his chin on the other man's head and breathing. This was okay. This was good. It was all that Ezio had needed. Nothing else mattered, now.
"Can you stay?" Leonardo murmured in a sad voice after a few more moments of contented silence.
"No. But I'm going to, anyway," Ezio kissed the other man's forehead and felt as the artist's nimble hands began to take away everything that no longer mattered; the weapons, the armour, the cloth. It was just here, in the candlelight, with the only truthful being that he had ever known. Nothing else.
Their mouths tasted sweet, while their hands smelled of blood.
Author's Note: A quick one-shot. I hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll be writing some more like these in the future.