Patience part 13

Villa Auditore, Monteriggioni, Anno 1490

The first thing that came to him was the fact that he was lying in a bed, an expensive one. He was encased in finely woven linen and the mattress was so soft is had to be down. He felt rested yet couldn't remember where he was or even what day it was. It had to be the Villa, he thought, or why would he be in bed? He opened his eyes reluctantly and saw the pale green of the canopy above his own bed in Monteriggioni.

A golden afternoon light was flooding the room, making the white washed walls appear softer than normally. The windows were thrown wide open and he could hear birdsong from outside. Home, it had been too long since he was home, he thought. Slowly his memories trickled back as he left the bliss of the newly woken behind and he remembered that he had ridden home last night. He couldn't remember going to bed, indeed his last memory was of falling asleep in the study and dreaming Leonardo was there with him.

The light suddenly seemed dimmer and spending the rest of the day in bed lost its appeal. He stretched, slowly trying to work all the aches and accumulated kinks out of his abused muscles, he felt ravenous from hunger and his head was slightly fuzzy the way it got when he had slept for too long. As he rolled his shoulders and grunted from relief there was a sudden noise of a book being closed and he realized that he was not alone. He sat up expecting to see his sister watching over him.

He put a grin on his face because he knew she expect it before turning towards her. The figure in the chair was however not his sister. Ezio had a distinct feeling of being punched hard in the stomach and the grin slid from his face like a badly fitted mask. For a moment they just looked at each other, Ezio shocked to silence, and then he tore his gaze away and rubbed the heel of his palm into the sockets of his eyes.

"You're awake," Leonardo said, "are you feeling alright?" he carefully put down his book on a side table and turned back to Ezio who allowed his hand to drop, maybe he wasn't dreaming after all. He looked up and Leonardo was still sitting there, an unreadable expression on his face. He was leaning back in a deep arm chair, wearing light summer clothes, suitable for a trip to the country side; which was where he was, Ezio realized, in his home.

"What are you doing here?" it popped out of his mouth and even before he had finished speaking he heard how wrong it sounded.

Leonardo looked defensive and perhaps a bit hurt as he answered, "Your uncle invited me." At the same time as Ezio managed to spurt out, "Perdon Leonardo I did not mean..."

After that they sank back to awkward silence as they stared at each other, Leonard had two spots of red high on his cheeks but Ezio couldn't decipher if it was because he was hurt or angry.

Eventually Ezio couldn't bear the silence anymore and he caved, he had never been one for waiting.

"Was that you, last night, in the study?"

"Yes, I found you there but you were so tired you feel back to sleep before I could get you to rise, so I had to carry you..." he trailed of leaving the sentence unfinished.

Ezio fumbled for something to say in return, the last thing he had expected when riding to the Villa was to find Leonardo here, in his own home. He was not prepared.

"Ah, merci," he drew a hand through his hair and thought hard.

"Is my uncle here now?" he asked at last.

"No he left a while back, just after I arrived, looking for you," Ezio felt his mouth twist into something between shame and annoyance that his uncle would look for him. To distract himself he asked Leonardo again,

"How did you end up here?"

"It is a long story. Perhaps another time friend, when you are rested," Ezio waited for more and eventually the man added,

"It got ugly in Venezia sometime after you left; the Templars went mad in their hunt for the apple. It became an untenable situation." Leonardo looked down at his own hands and the dismissive note was clear in his voice.

"I couldn't contact you unless they might find out I was here," he shrugged as if he was apologising. Ezio nodded, it made sense and also sounded exactly like his uncle. Keep the only man capable of figuring out the apple's secrets close and foremost alive. Something he should have thought about had he not been so consumed with his own wounded pride after losing the apple in Forli.

"I'm sorry Leonardo, I never meant for you to have to leave your home," he was sad he had caused this, and that he had not realized that this was something the Templars might do. Yet he was not sure sadness was what he felt at having the man in front of him.

Leonardo shook his head, "It was not your fault, the Templars are the ones to blame," it was simply a statement and it was clear that he bore no ill will, he continued, "Besides, a couple of my patrons had become quite... loud about wanting me to finish some projects they had commissioned. Let's just say that leaving Venezia was not entirely bad." He did not smile however and Ezio dared not pry and risk saying anything that might upset the man.

The conversation halted again but the silence was soon interrupted with a servant bringing plates of food. Ezio rose from bed, eager to eat and to have something to do, he desperately needed time to think. He glanced carefully up at Leonardo who seemed fully concentrated on the stew. It was clear he had not received the full story of how the man had ended up here, but he would not press the matter right now.

He found himself casting shy glances between bites, making sure Leonardo was still there with him. He couldn't really remember anything from last night but the simple fact that the man was sitting by his bed had to mean that he had not cut all bonds of friendship. On the other hand he would not meet his eyes and he looked tense. Ezio had fully expected him to be angry and resentful, to scream at him that he never wanted to see him again; but here he was, eating in silence, it was unfathomable.

As they finished their meal the sun slowly sank down and disappeared under the sharp edge of the city wall. The silence was eating at Ezio so he rose and walked to the window, he was only wearing his breaches from bed but the air was still warm with left over heat from the day. He looked out at the familiar view and wondered if this was providence. He would have a chance to apologise, to explain, but as always he could not find the words. There were so many things he should say yet it would only be words.

He touched the scar on his stomach and gathered his courage, "I am not a good man Leonardo," he started, eyes looking out over the tiled roofs of the town, the last rays of the sun making the red brick gleam like gold.

"No you are not," Leonardo calmly agreed. For a brief moment Ezio was filled with a sharp flash of anger but he crushes it fast knowing wounded pride for what it was.

He laughed instead, a rueful, tired laugh and turned his head to look at the man sitting behind him.

"Merde Leonardo, you are not gentle with me."

Leonardo smiled, the tiniest curl at the corner of his mouth and it felt like dawn had come to Ezio, he had not seen that smile in years and had thought he never would again. He fell quiet and really allowed himself to look at the man; his beard had grey streaks he could not remember when they had appeared. His hair was still the same colour and he still held his body like a youth, back straight and head high. There were creases on his forehead but his skin was still the same ivory colour as when they had first met. Ezio thought that he had never been more beautiful.

He turned back to the view although he did not see it anymore, a lump in his throat he had to swallow to remove. He grabbed the window sill, digging his fingers into the wood until pain cleared his mind.

"I give up Leonardo," he said and couldn't quite hide the resentment in his voice.

"Give what up?" Leonardo said.

"Everything, the assassin order, the apple, all of it. I am giving it all up," it hurt to say it, to admit defeat but it was the truth, he had nothing more to give, he was spent. He was no longer an assassin, it was done.

"No," the man answered calmly.

"No?" Ezio said, he had expected scorn and mockery but not to be contradicted, he turned around.

"No, you are not giving up," he said," You cannot give up who you are," Leonardo stood up as if he was trying to emphasize his own words.

"It is not who I am anymore. I am starting a new life," he swallowed and pushed the next part out, "I'm starting new. Perhaps, perhaps I could stay with you, carry your paint," the last a poor attempt at a joke and the entire thing stilted and unsure, but he said it.

"No," Leonardo said again.

"Ah, del corso, I see," His voice fell in the end, throat closing; he turned around yet again to look out the window trying to hide the crushing feeling which had to show on his face.

Then Leonardo's hands were on his shoulders forcing him to turn around. He gave grudgingly, too broken to resist properly.

"No because, stupido, you are not giving up," Leonardo still held his shoulders and Ezio could see now that he was indeed mad, furious, eyes ablaze and entire body trembling.

"You are not giving up because I will not let you. You might not be a good man but these are bad times and we cannot all afford to be good men," he swallowed a deep breath and visibly tried to calm himself down.

"You are an assassin Ezio, have always been and will always be. I might not always like it but I have learnt to live with it," he continued, "The apple, you will find it, but you must give it time, be patient. It will come to you, I might not understand it completely but this I am sure of. It has not finished with you," there was concern and perhaps fear in his voice as he said it.

Ezio nodded slowly, what Leonardo had said made sense. He did not know why yet it did. For the first time in a very long while he felt something like hope. He tried the feeling, rolled it over and tasted it, and yes, it was something like a seed of confidence. In mere moments Leonardo had restored something of his faith which it had taken himself years to destroy.

He met Leonardo's eyes and the man must have realised how close they where and he dropped his hands from his shoulders and took a step back. Ezio automatically stretched for him but let his hand drop and said,

"If you stay with me, here," he knew that was the only way. He could not do this otherwise, not any longer. Leonardo looked away, not meeting his eyes and said nothing. Ezio continued,

"We are too old for pride yet we both still have it plentiful. I cannot do this alone, I have never been able to do this without you and I see that now," his voice was calm as he implored the man.

"Stay with me, help me retake the apple. Live with me, together with me."

He stayed still letting Leonardo react to his words, he had never spoken these things out loud even though they had always been there, only he had been too proud to see them for the simple truths they were.

Leonardo lifted his head and with the slightest bend to his neck shook his head. Ezio thought he had gone deaf because he could not hear anything anymore, time must have stopped for a moment because he could not move; his limbs as stone.

He didn't think he blinked and maybe years passed, he did not know. He was released from his petrification by warm breath on his lips; Leonardo was standing only inches away from him, had he moved or the world shifted? He was just looking at him, a searching in his eyes as he said,

"Why?"

"Why, what?" Ezio said hesitatingly, voice horse as if these were his very first words.

"Why can you not do this without me?" Leonardo said.

Ezio blushed, "You know why Leonardo."

"Then say it," Leonardo said and it had a finality to it.

Ezio only hesitated a second and that only because he could not believe that anything good in his life could be achieved with words alone.

"I love you," he said.

Leonardo blinked and for a moment he was afraid he had gotten it wrong, but then Leonardo's lips were on his. His entire body pressed flushed against him, mouth warm and firm as it opened before him. He sank into it like a stone into water, his entire being screaming in relief at finally touching and being touched.

He licked deep into Leonardo's mouth and sighed when he moaned back at him. He let his hands desperately cling to the back of his shirt as Leonardo stroke up and down his bare back. He could feel every individual finger and he shivered.

As he finally pulled back for air he found himself looking into Leonardo's eyes, now dark pools with heavy lids, his lips were already turning red and swollen. He was stunned again by the thought that he could have this, that he could deserve this.

"I love you and I have thought about you for every day in the last two years," he said, wonder in his mind at how easy it suddenly was to find the words, "Will you stay?"

He clung to Leonardo as he spoke, hands on the man's slim shoulders but he did not care anymore, he had been broken down and come out the other side as someone else. Someone who needed this and was not afraid to ask for it; someone who needed Leonardo to say yes.

"Yes," he said, "Ti amo Ezio, always," and he leaned back in and kissed the slightly stunned smile from his lips, hands gently holding him as his body suddenly trembled too hard and his legs almost gave up. They kissed until his legs were weak for a different reason, clinging to each other desperately and eventually Ezio found himself being pulled towards the bed. They moved clumsily, hands now free they together tore at Leonard's shirt pulling it off and throwing it away.

Ezio pressed his chest against the other man, and feeling his skin so close made him grow fully hard with each frantic beat of his heart. Leonardo pressed a leg in between his, trying to move closer. Ezio let his head fall down on the man's shoulder, lips trailing the long curve of his neck, biting at the ear lobe before licking down again. Leonardo leaned his head back to allow him full access and let his hands drop to Ezio's hips, holding on hard and slowly rotating against him.

Ezio put a foot behind his legs and tripped them both so they fell back on the bed together, Leonardo laughed and Ezio just stopped to look at him, holding himself up on his arms.

"So beautiful, how can you be so beautiful," he ran a hand through the light curls floating out on the bed and further across his chest, he stopped and pinched at a nipple, feeling it grow hard under his finger as Leonardo bucked under him trying to gain more friction.

He bent down and licked at the other nipple as he lifted his hips teasingly. Leonardo tried to pull him back down, hips lifting ever higher trying to find his. He held back and lightly bit the hard flesh earning him a sharp gasp of pleasure. He turned back to Leonardo's mouth and let himself drop down, his entire weight pressing down.

Leonardo sighed in relief as their bodies met in full and in moments they had wriggled out of the last clothes, pale flesh melding onto olive without any visible seams. Leonardo spun them around and spread Ezio's legs out settling in between his hips. His dick, long and hard, was gliding against Ezio's and he allowed his head to drop back, mind blown by too much sensation all at once. He was coming close already and he pulled Leonardo's head down and stilled him by trapping his hips with his legs.

"I want you inside me, want to feel you," he said.

"Are you sure?" Leonardo said, his voice deep and rough, and Ezio could see how much he wanted it, see his hands shake and eyes fog over and right then he had never wanted anything more. He nodded with emphasis not trusting his own voice. Leonardo leaned down and kissed him, it was gentle and sweet and Ezio closed his eyes and leaned into it. Slowly Leonardo pulled him up and into his lap; Ezio draped his legs around him, crossing them behind the man's back.

They rocked against each other, bodies grinding together as Leonardo clumsily reached for a flask of oil on the table left over from their meal. He dipped his middle three fingers deep and lifted them dripping over the bed and slid them down Ezio's back until they were resting ever so gently on the tight ring of muscle. Ezio moved impatiently and Leonardo smiled against his skin and obliged by pushing a single finger inside, Ezio stilled as the oil slowly heated up and his body adjusted to the intrusion.

Leonardo added a second finger and softly moved them in an undulating movement. Ezio kept perfectly still, letting the other man decide on the pace. Eventually, he added a third finger pushing deep inside Ezio who could not stop a moan. Between clenched teeth he said, " I'm ready, come now."

Leonardo pushed a few more time, long fingers reaching deep inside forcing him open, before pulling out. He placed his hands on Ezio's hips and lifted him gently up. Ezio reached down and grabbed hold of Leonardo, he was hard and burning hot, a single drop of precum glistening on the head. He aimed him and slowly sank down so that the head was nudging at his ass. He let out a breath and slid a bit lower, head pushing slowly inside opening him up. Leonardo groaned loudly, biting Ezio's arm in an effort to keep still and not thrust into him all at once.

Ezio slowly pushed down allowing himself to adjust around Leonardo. When he was finally sitting down in his lap again they were both covered in sweat.

"Oh god please move," Leonardo said, voice thick with desire. Ezio obeyed and began to lift and drop down at an irregular pace.

He leaned down to kiss Leonardo, lips trailing aimlessly and placing tender kisses everywhere. He moved slowly, one arm on the bed, drawing out the pleasure for as long as he could. Leonardo held on loosely to his hips, allowing him to keep his pace while he moaned into his mouth. Ezio lifted higher and dropped down, feeling Leonardo shift and push inside him, the heat of it almost burning him up. Then the man was biting his lower lip and his fingers were digging deep into the flesh at his hips and Ezio started to move faster, legs and arm pushing back down, allowing him to rise up high and drop down hard. Leonardo pushed up once to meet him and Ezio could feel the moan reverberate in his chest as he came, filling Ezio from inside with burning heat.

They rocked together slowly as Leonardo languidly pushed inside him a few more time, riding out the aftermath of the orgasm. He stroked his legs up and down and hummed against his chest and Ezio hugged him tight. Then he was pulling out and Ezio winced slightly as he left him feeling empty. He leaned against Leonardo pushing him down on the bed, fitting their mouths together and kissing him eagerly.

"Can I?" he asked and Leonardo smiled against his lips and only nodded. He lifted his legs and hooked them around his hips. Ezio gently trailed a finger over his face drinking in his flushed feature and half lidded eyes before reaching for the oil and coating himself with it.

He took a firm grip on his aching member and gently guided it down; he let the head draw lazy circles over the opening before he started to push in. Leonardo gave easily, body relaxed and soft in his hands. He sheathed himself to the hilt and stayed there for a moment, marvelling in how good it felt, how right, before he started to move his hips back and forth realizing that this would be over before he could blink.

Sweat was still running down his chest, clinging to the dark hair on his body and mixing with Leonardo's where their bodies met. The man was looking at him, eyes still cloaked and a lazy smile on his lips. Ezio thrust a few more times unable to resist the growing tide starting in the middle of his stomach. He got up on his knees and lifted Leonardo's hips with him and took a steady hold as he pushed in faster and harder, the sound of flesh against flesh filling the room. He looked at Leonardo who was moaning and pushing back against him, hands above his head holding on to the wall. He came in a long drawn out cry as he thrust deep inside him and he found himself repeating over and over, "Love you," as his exhausted muscles gave out and he fell forward embracing the other man.