xli λ bambini

[assassino]

[Ezio has been hiding himself away for a variety of reasons.

Perhaps it's because his schedule has been thrown. There are no more late mornings with Lana, pressed up against her despite the warmth and cajoling her to stay just a little bit longer, just five more minutes. There are no more late lunches, no more dinners snuck in between sittings at the restaurant. No more riding out to the fields to picnic and joke and carouse, no more wine in pretty baskets, no more flowers just-because, or any of the other hallmarks of a man starting to get really invested in a woman.

That is because there is no more Lana. She's gone, as if the castle had forgotten how much she was loved –– even with Wesley and Fred and all of those others passing on from this world, Ezio liked to think that he enjoyed Lana enough for her to always matter to the castle.

She'd always been so bothered by the fact that they'd someday leave and forget each other, but she'd always acted like she would be the one to remember while he drifted away. And now here he is, the one left waiting.

But there are only so many weeks he could hide out in Stephanie and Cassandra's apartment, thinly "tolerating" Tim's presence and straddling the line between being heartbroken and maintaining a stoic manliness. With the babies everywhere, it is somewhat easier –– distractions, and all –– but he still needs to get out. There are only so many ways you can stave off loneliness.

So here he is, tentatively dipping his feet back in the world of women. Has it really been six months since he seriously chased another skirt?]

---- Horny Ladies, 18+ ----

[And there's that thick Italian accent, suave as always, but maybe a bit stiffer than he'd usually be.]

Salute.

I'd be much obliged to take you out for dinner and drinks, for whatever pleases you –– whether it is to spirit you away from a nagging infant for an evening, or merely amuse you for a few hours. If you are bold enough to ask, then I am bold enough to satisfy!

- Ezio Auditore

---- Public ----


[And then there's Ezio, whiling away some time in the garden. He's got a thick leather glove on one hand and a colourful eagle-like bird perched at his wrist; that bird is currently wearing a hood, patiently waiting in darkness for Ezio to unhood him for some time in flight.

Come bother a dude and his bird.]

Comments

[hellofist]

[She jumps, but it's entirely for show.]

Haven't gotten... tired of that, huh?

[But she smiles at him again and leans up to hug him tightly, up on her tiptoes so she can reach to slip both arms around his neck.]

[assassino]

I never will. [He pulls her in close. He misses a woman's touch :(]

[hellofist]

[Poor sad, lonely Ezio. She'll stay right where she is until his body language tells her to stop, just to make sure he gets the most of out this.]

Good. Will give it forever.

[assassino]

[He holds her tightly, leaning his head down to put his face to the crook of her neck. Aww, Cass.]

[hellofist]

[She lifts one hand to the back of his head to stroke his hair lightly, holding back a sympathetic sigh. It breaks her heart to see him miss Lana so badly and know that it's not likely she'll return to fix it, that the only thing that will make things better is time.]

Hugs are better... with two arms.

[Seriously Ezio put the bird down and hug her properly.]

[assassino]

[He sighs, loathing to let her go, even if it's to put the bird down on a stand nearby. He's quick to return to her, though, pulling her back into a two-armed hug and lifting her right off her feet for a moment.]

[hellofist]

[That gets a quiet laugh from her, muffled against his neck as she holds on tighter so she doesn't fall.]

Much better.

[assassino]

I agree. I would not have it any other way.

[hellofist]

So sweet. Promise not to tell, though. Want you to keep... manly, tough image.

[assassino]

[He sets her down, though he hangs on to her.]

Who said anything about an image? I am manly regardless of what I do.

[hellofist]

[She keeps her arms around him too.]

Playing with bird... isn't really manly.

[assassino]

On the contrary! Real men tame creatures like eagles and hawks,

[hellofist]

Should tame big stuff. Like bears.

[assassino]

And use it for what? Hunting? War?

[hellofist]

Sure. Could ride it. Way better than war horse.

[And since they're still hugging she's just going to go back to playing with the ends of his hair. He has such pretty hair for a boy.]

[assassino]

[He lets her. It's nice :'|]

Bears are not meant for such things. If bears could be properly trained, they would be used for things other than circus tricks.

[hellofist]

But birds can... carry women to you. All makes sense, now.

[She kind of likes the way he picks and chooses when to let logic be a thing and when to make things a joke, it makes the conversation more interesting, forces her to pay more attention to what his body language is saying in relation to what's coming out of his mouth.]

[assassino]

[He chuckles, despite his mood, and he kisses the top of her head. He wishes he had Lana in his arms, but in loneliness he's happy to have any woman there.]

It's a nice thought, at least.

[hellofist]

[The laugh and the kiss makes her smile, gets her to lift her head up to kiss his cheek in return. A reward for taking steps towards a better mood maybe, or just something to do because she likes him? Both, probably.]

The bears? Or the girls?

[assassino]

The girls. Women who you know will leave, so you enjoy yourself but do not get attached.

[hellofist]

Will you... never get attached again?

[assassino]

[He shrugs.]

Not like I did with her.

[hellofist]

[She hugs him a little tighter when he says it like that. Poor Ezio.]

Just remember, not alone here. Have me and Stephanie.

[assassino]

I know. I have a great many friends here.

But friends are not the same as lovers.

[hellofist]

Pretty sure, won't have problem... finding those. If you want them.