return to paradisa

[secondchances]

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[secondchances]

"Guess I'm no girl, then." She gives him a look, but it's a warm one. "C'mon. We've known one another forever, practically. You could tell me you were afraid of spiders and I wouldn't think less of you."

Because same.

"I, for one, value a little vulnerability."

[assassino]

He supposes he's been broody with her a great number of times, gotten himself liquored up and curled up in her bed or his and wasted some days away being sad about this or that. That brutal week after Lana's departure, or when he'd fucked it up with Cristina again, or something-something-something with Lucrezia. She knows the broad strokes of his life, which seems superficial and yet is still vastly more than most people are privy to.

"I know you do," he says, a little amused. "I love that about you, too."

[secondchances]

Sneaking in a quick kiss around that hood is a challenge, but she manages.

"And I love you. Honest you, not overly-manly you. If you think I like that sort of crap, you haven't been paying attention."

[assassino]

"I have been," he replies, warmly, just away from her lips. But he likes it, that being a man stuff; it's duty, it's direction. "I just forget sometimes, that's all."

[secondchances]

"You do have permission to carry me over puddles. Or in general, when the mood strikes. Don't really need you to lift heavy things, or defend my honor, but I'll make you a list of all the manly-man things you can do without annoying me next time I find a pen and paper."

Compromise! An important part of a relationship.

[assassino]

That’s the girl he adores so much. He snakes an arm around her waist just to lift her up against him as he kisses her again.

“I will carry you over every puddle I see,” he promises. “And I won’t be offended when you tell me I am being a pig.”

[secondchances]

He really is the best and worst distraction. Steph goes for a third kiss, grinning.

"I know you need to get it out of your system, now and then."

[assassino]

“You do not want to see me all pent up,” he murmurs, teasing.

[secondchances]

"What happens then? You throw me into a river, just to dive in and rescue me? I can swim, you know," she teases right back.

They had their fun in the pool now and then.

[assassino]

"That or I tie you up at the top of some tower just to come up and save you." Joking, mostly. "But then again, you can probably slip out of bindings, too."

[secondchances]

Her grin widens.

"Yeah, but I could conveniently forget how to do it if you're in need of doing some rescuing."

[assassino]

"Mm, talented actress that you are!" He cups her chin in his gloved hand, stroking a thumb along the curve of her jaw. "We'll have plenty to do to occupy the hours."

[secondchances]

"To be dead honest, I'm looking forward to it." Despite being the one eager to get out and explore. "I just want to find some answers to our questions, and then..."

Spend time with him? Well, it's what they're doing now, in a way.

"Be with you."

[assassino]

That's heartening, and deeply so at that. He pets her again.

"We'll get our answers and then spend some lazy time together," he agrees. "Make up for some lost time."

[secondchances]

It's hard not to think there isn't some greater force at play here when it seems to only be the two of them here, of all people. Steph lets herself lean into his touch before forcing them to keep walking, hand still in his.

"That sounds like a dream."

[assassino]

It does, doesn't it? That's been playing at the back of his mind, too, but then again, Paradisa has never seemed to have any rhyme or reason to it. Just things happening at the whims of some god or devil, doing whatever seems most convenient to an indecipherable plan. Ezio has never fancied himself much of a philosopher, but any man would at least wonder.

"If I spot another person, I might just pretend I didn't, to spend more time with you instead."

[secondchances]

"Gee. If only you were this greedy before, huh?" She teases. He set himself up for that one.

[assassino]

"If I see Tim Drake, I'll lock him away in a different tower," he replies, with a grin.

[secondchances]

Steph makes a face. There's a lot of history there, and she has to make an effort to keep up the smile.

"Maaaybe let's not talk about him and accidentally summon him."

[assassino]

He was going to have to come up eventually. Ezio just shakes his head.

"My lips are sealed, then."

[secondchances]

Oh, she knows. It's why Steph is quiet for a moment, the thought process practically audible.

"... and, you know. He's the past. Old news."

[assassino]

He glances her over during that silence. There's a lot of things he could say, or even argue, but they have other things to attend to first. Leave any skeletons in the closet until they've had some time for the shine to wear off.

What he does say is: "He isn't your future."

[secondchances]

"... you're literally the only guy who could pull that line off without making me pee myself with laughter."

Just a bit of honesty.

"You are right, though. It's you. Finally."

[assassino]

Ezio laughs, even if he's used to those sentiments. Women from America aren't used to blunt honesty, or earnest expressions of affection. It makes them all squirmy and nervous and embarrassed to enjoy it, like someone might be waiting around a corner to laugh at them for daring to feel adored.

"Finally," he agrees. "We've both come a long way."

[secondchances]

"Which is why I'm very determined not to waste away in some magical land that's maybe lost all the magic it had."

Her leading theory, thus far.