return to paradisa

[secondchances]

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[assassino]

He takes her hand just to kiss the back of it.

"We could have all the time in the world to make it happen."

[secondchances]

"You sound almost alarmingly unbothered about that..." Really, she has no trouble spending that much time alone with him, of all people, but she does worry about him getting bored, when she thinks about it. Sure, there's no one else--probably--but boredom could happen anyway. He just wouldn't have much choice when it came to others.

[assassino]

Ezio mulls that over a moment — it’s possible, he supposes, that he is simply not interested in accepting the darker implications that Stephanie seems content to cloak herself in. But on the other hand, with time frozen in Italia, he’s content to bathe in the idea that he might be able to just live his life, unbothered by politics and overt violence...

He shakes his head.

“Paradisa is the only place I can do anything lasting, dolcezza,” he says. “I meant it when I said women cannot keep up with me. I keep the company I do for a reason.”

[secondchances]

"Are you alluding to the whole Assassin thing?" There's some irony in Paradisa being the only place he can do anything lasting, given how some things never seemed to last.

[assassino]

He shrugs.

"Yes," he says, and he can't remember how much of his life he's actually explained beyond the romantic parts. "Most of what I do at home is work. Work that will still be waiting for me when Paradisa deigns to let me go."

[secondchances]

"So, it was always a vacation for you, whenever you weren't barreling towards whatever Borgia was here."

She remembers that much.

[assassino]

"Largely, yes. There weren't many people demanding my work here," he replies.

He knows he could have been a hell of a lot quicker about it if he'd tried, too, especially with the Borgia. Drawing it out seems sick to him, but what else is a man to do, faced with so much free time?

And then, amused: "I think I spent more time defending my vocation than doing it, actually."

[secondchances]

"You're not hearing any complaints about that from me."

It would have been much harder to defend her friendship with Ezio if there was fresh blood on his hands.

[assassino]

"It's good for us all that I enjoy vacation," he replies. "And that while there are things I need to do, there are other things I want to do more."

Like her. He'd pick a wife and a family over his work, anyway. He intends to, the moment he's finished with the sorry business of revenge.

[secondchances]

"Do go on."

It's a novel thing to be chosen over anyone or anything.

[assassino]

He laughs.

“You want me to tell you how much I prefer your company to anything else? That if the Borgia all dropped dead tomorrow, I’d drop all other pursuits for the sake of the woman I love?”

He very much will.

[secondchances]

She grins.

"Look, I might not have a need for jewels or grand houses, but a little flattery is nice, you know?"

[assassino]

That's touching, in a way, considering what pays for all those jewels and grand houses. Even less reason to ever buy them for her, too, in some reality where she lives with him in Toscana, or wherever he settles someday -- inheriting his uncle's house, or striking out on his own.

He glances at her, just a sliver of his upper face visible under that deep hood, and he smiles.

"I was chasing after love long before I knew what a Borgia was, you know. My work is important to me, of course, and it must be done no matter what, for my family, and for the good of the Italian people... but as I said, it will still be waiting for me when I'm finished here. But if I can stay here as long as I can, I will. To be with you, Stephanie."

[secondchances]

She wishes she had a hood to cover up some of the blushing that's coming back with a vengeance. Hey, she asked for this. It comes back with a smile, at least.

"You really do know how to charm a girl even after she's already been excessively charmed, huh?"

[assassino]

Ezio reaches to cup her cheek.

“So you've said,” he replies. “But you charmed me, too.”

[secondchances]

"Not intentional, believe me. But I guess the slightly awkward, quirky, and enthusiastic type is... your type, after all? Not a complaint."

Someone more mature and refined, she thought, would be his ideal woman.

"Also crawling around rooftops really worked in my favor."

[assassino]

“You care about people,” he says, pointedly. “It matters to you that people around you are kind, and that you are firm in your convictions. I think that matters a great deal.”

[secondchances]

"I think I like this seriously sincere Ezio. He's real cute," she grins, playing it off, but she's touched.

[assassino]

“Cute!” he laughs, and he teases: “To think you believe I am not usually sincere...”

[secondchances]

"Not exactly. Just maybe more sincere, now."

She knows he's always been one of the more honest people in her life. Which is pretty funny, in retrospect.

"No reason to hold anything back, now."

[assassino]

"Then I won't," he says. "Because you're a wonderful young woman with a good sense of humour, and you are relentless in pursuing what you want."

A pause, a grin. Teasing:

"Other than in your pursuit of me, of course, but that is water under the bridge."

[secondchances]

Knowing he has a keen sense of balance on stairs, and she's got a hold on his arm anyway, Steph bumps him with her shoulder.

"I was relentless! I stuck around, didn't I? That counts."

[assassino]

He chuckles, gently bracing himself against her.

"You did! And you waited for other women to train me out of any bad habits -- very clever of you, I think."

[secondchances]

"Is that what I did?" She laughs, possibly trying to get him against the nearest wall, but not using force. "Are you saying, then, that you have no more bad habits?"

[assassino]

He moves with her, still grinning.

"Do not shatter the illusion by telling me it's mere coincidence," Ezio replies. "I'm certain you waited just so that I learned more about American women and how they like to be treated, and how to carry myself amongst people from the future to not embarrass you!"