Part 3 might become a thing that exists, but it might not. I haven't decided yet.
Ezio goes by himself. He leaves Roma to journey to Venezia, where Haytham Kenway is expected to an extraordinary meeting with high ranking members of the Templars stationed in Italia.
He waits until the meeting is over with, after the Templars have stopped anticipating an ambush, before approaching his target. Connor described him as an extremely talented Assassin, well connected and respected by the English Brotherhood before his betrayal: a dangerous man.
Kenway doesn’t travel with a huge entourage, only a few trusted allies. From the way they move, they don’t have the training Ezio and Kenway share. Ezio positions himself, unseen, shoots him in the head and makes his escape. They won’t catch him. They can’t.
An informant confirms the kill the next day. Ezio returns to Roma.
He doesn’t stop by the hideout. The others don’t have to know about another dead man. It’s routine. Instead, he delivers the news to Connor himself, who appears to take it stoically, but Ezio knows him better by now. The urge to take the burden from him, to hold him until it passes once more is almost overpowering, but he can tell Connor won’t accept it. He needs time to accept his new reality.
Ezio will respect his wish. He leaves.
____________________________________
Connor isn’t seen around for a few days, and Ezio tries not to listen to the voice in his head that says he might be gone for good, but he shows up again like nothing happened.
It would be a lie. All of it breaks a dam. Connor becomes, well, not exactly friendlier, but a little more approachable, less reserved toward him. There’s weight in them sharing something hidden from others. Connor doesn’t react to him so explosively anymore. In fact, Ezio believes he started making a conscious effort not to reject him. That’s still far from casual enjoyment, but it is progress.
Maybe it is time to let the recruits in on his quest.
Or just some of them. That would be safer.
____________________________________
Annetta invites Connor to share dinner with her, her husband and their two-year old daughter. It turns out Connor likes playing with children. The family and he get along well. It becomes a recurring event.
Candida bothers Connor until he reads Machiavelli’s writings. Ezio thinks she just wants to argue about it with someone other than the writer himself. Finding them fighting about books, or rather finding Candida screaming and Connor waiting until she’s done before saying something that starts the tirade all over again, becomes normal.
Alessandro tries to bring Connor along to a visit at the Rosa in Fiore, which, no, what was he thinking, Ezio shouldn’t have talked to Alessandro about this, just has Connor staring at him, uncomprehending, before he becomes so red he must be burning, backs away from him slowly and starts avoiding him for the foreseeable future.
Zita, because Zita is a lady after his own heart and isn’t above imitation, starts sparring with Connor. This is probably the closest he ever was to a woman. It should be sad, but somehow isn’t. No, Ezio does not understand why either.
Ezio chose no idiot as his recruits. The others catch on, or they heard. Finding new ways to fraternise with Connor turns into the local sport. Ezio saves him from time to time, when all the attention overwhelms him. Together, they lurk into the alleys of Roma and run across its roofs. Sometimes they stop to appreciate the view or to stare at the stars. It reminds Ezio of spending time with Federico, but there is something different about it, something Ezio can’t quite pinpoint. He talks to Connor about him. Connor tells him about England: his mother, his grand-father. His father. Most of the time they end up pressed against each other, shoulder to shoulder, Ezio with an arm around Connor. Sometimes Connor even initiates it.
Life goes on. When Connor doesn’t give a second glance at Vittorio grabbing his arm and lets him drag him toward his latest inadvisable scheme, Ezio considers his quest accomplished and savors his success.
____________________________________
Luciana is standing in the shadows of the armory, Connor close to her. Ezio, having been the star of such scenes more often than he can remember, can almost hear her words as she confesses her affection to Connor. Alessandro will be pleased; he's the winner of that betting pool.
Ezio might be happy for them if he thought there was any chance of Connor returning her sentiments.
Here. Connor is obviously uneasy and the way he's crossing his arms, creating a barrier between Luciana and himself, speaks volumes about what he says.
Luciana flinches, but nods and leaves quietly. Good.
Wait. What is good in the scene he just witnessed? Luciana is heartbroken and Connor probably is still lonely. Maybe he needs support. Ezio should go meet him, maybe give him another hug.
This makes no sense. Why comfort Connor and not Luciana? She's the one who suffered the most in this ordeal. But, somehow, she’s not the one he wants to be close to.
He's been looking forward to touching Connor, to finding new ways of reaching him. Every day. For weeks, if not months. Feeling Connor finally relax under his hands is the highlight of his day.
He can't quite remember the last time he bedded a woman. It might have been Caterina. Or Fiorina from the Rosa in Fiore. Or Eloisa who lives near the Mercati di Traiano. His memory is faulty.
He does remember the last time he bedded a man, but it was a very long time ago and best forgotten.
How long has he been in love with his apprentice, barely a man compared to him for God's sake, without acknowledging it in any conscious way?
The answer depresses him. Too long. Far too long.
He can't reject him. He can't go to Connor and tell him he must distance himself for both their sakes, thus shattering the slowly built trust, maybe sending Connor back to those days where he dodged all touch or flinched as if a mortal wound has been inflicted. But he can’t continue like this. Now that he is aware of how he feels, he has to be the responsible one, the Maestro, and confront this.
____________________________________
Ezio does not deal with the situation very well, if he says so himself.
Reacquainting himself with the ladies of the Blooming Rose does not really help, even if they all are very charming. His appearances are remarked. Claudia starts throwing questioning glares his way. If he becomes a recurrent guest, she will tell Mother about it. Ezio has no desire to have them both nagging him. He becomes careful.
He can’t help it: he makes himself scarce around Tiber Island. Time mends all things, surely this will be no exception. It is not difficult for him to be busy elsewhere: he is always needed.
He ends up missing everyone, quickly. Hopefully he will get over it just as quickly.
____________________________________
He’s being followed.
Whoever is following him is good, he almost missed them, but not up to his level.
He turns, enters a small alley, passes a building and waits against the wall. He’s confident he can take care of whoever will show.
It’s Connor. He’s been ambushed by his own student, that he did not even recognise. One more reason why he’s a failure as a teacher, he guesses.
“Connor. How nice to see you. What is it? You must have a good reason to stalk innocent people through the streets of Roma.”
If only Connor was easily baited. He just rolls his eyes. “I would not be stalking you if I could talk to you, but you have been avoiding me. What have I done to deserve this?”
Why has Connor chosen now to become perspicacious? “You’re being ridiculous. I have been busy. It is a thing that can happen when one leads an organization at war.”
“You have been omnipresent for months, touching and prodding and teasing whenever you can, then disappear for weeks and expect me to believe it has nothing to do with me?”
Said like that, it sounds really obvious. “Well-”
“Because I thought…” and the rest of the sentence is lost in inaudible mumbles.
“Excuse me? Could you repeat that?”
“I said I thought you had been... courting me. Annetta and Salvatore thought so too. You haven’t spent that much time with any of the others apprentices. It is not that I am not… interested, I just needed some time to get used to the idea, but then you started shunning me. I am sorry, I am not used to such things, so if I did something wrong you must tell me.”
Oh God. What. He has been so obvious that even his student could read him. Do all the recruits know? Is there a betting pool about them too? “Connor, you did nothing wrong. None of this is your fault. It is I who is sorry to have made you feel that way.” A breath. He needs to be honest about this. Connor deserves this much. “It is true, I have been absent by design. I… only understood recently how I feel about you. I am your teacher, much older and more experienced than you. If I chose to pursue this, I would be taking advantage of you. I was trying to wait until it passes, for both our sake.”
Connor is not impressed. “So I am mature enough to kill people and fight for our freedom, but not enough for this. With the lives that are ours, isn’t trying to protect me at this point futile? You don’t get to make those decisions from me. Let me make my own choices, just like I will let you make yours.”
Connor could barely stand to have someone pat him not so long ago. He has no idea what he is demanding. Ezio chooses a course of action. What he is intending probably makes Ezio a bad person, but with time Connor will see he wasn’t ready and he will thank Ezio for it. Maybe in a few years they can talk about it. Until then, it will be a nice memory to cherish.
“Fine, if you are going to be stubborn about this.” He grabs the back of Connor’s head and crushes their lips together. He forces his tongue past Connor’s lips, trying not to dwell on how this might be his first kiss. He kisses with all the passion he’s being struggling to ignore, as if he’s devouring him.
Connor freezes. He’s going to push him off, realises how terrible an idea this is, and that will be the end of this foolish venture.
Except that is not what happens. He’s pushed against the wall and thoroughly ravished, by Connor. Ezio moans into it immediately, presses his whole body against his, coherent thoughts having fled him, fingers twisting in the fabric of Connor’s clothes.
It’s Connor who cuts off the kiss, who detaches himself from Ezio and grins at him triumphantly. “Are you still going to argue with me after this? I feel this is an argument you will lose, Maestro.”
That backfired rather dramatically. Connor is not scared, or troubled, or hesitant. He knows what he wants.
Maybe Ezio is the one who is scared. Time to be courageous, then. “I feel so too. Well. I will agree to try this, us, only if you promise me you will tell me if you ever, and I do mean ever, make you uncomfortable, in any way. Do so without fear. I shall do everything in my power so that there are no consequences for you, either as an Assassin or personally.” He’s already thinking of having Machiavelli assign Connor missions, or maybe Annetta. Someone who is not him.
“I thought I proved I could take care of myself. I do not fear you, I never have, but if it soothes your mind, I swear it.” The unconditional trust is part of the problem. How can he be so trusting after having been betrayed so deeply by his own father?
Ezio will just have to be careful. Connor has never been afraid of speaking his mind. He hopes it will be enough.
Ezio takes Connor’s hand. Such a simple gesture, a new one, Connor’s callused hand in his, warm. “Let it be so, then.” They walk the road back to the hideout, together.
Fill Part 2: Ezio/Connor, Ezio is Tactile and Connor Hates Being Touched
Ezio goes by himself. He leaves Roma to journey to Venezia, where Haytham Kenway is expected to an extraordinary meeting with high ranking members of the Templars stationed in Italia.
He waits until the meeting is over with, after the Templars have stopped anticipating an ambush, before approaching his target. Connor described him as an extremely talented Assassin, well connected and respected by the English Brotherhood before his betrayal: a dangerous man.
Kenway doesn’t travel with a huge entourage, only a few trusted allies. From the way they move, they don’t have the training Ezio and Kenway share. Ezio positions himself, unseen, shoots him in the head and makes his escape. They won’t catch him. They can’t.
An informant confirms the kill the next day. Ezio returns to Roma.
He doesn’t stop by the hideout. The others don’t have to know about another dead man. It’s routine. Instead, he delivers the news to Connor himself, who appears to take it stoically, but Ezio knows him better by now. The urge to take the burden from him, to hold him until it passes once more is almost overpowering, but he can tell Connor won’t accept it. He needs time to accept his new reality.
Ezio will respect his wish. He leaves.
____________________________________
Connor isn’t seen around for a few days, and Ezio tries not to listen to the voice in his head that says he might be gone for good, but he shows up again like nothing happened.
It would be a lie. All of it breaks a dam. Connor becomes, well, not exactly friendlier, but a little more approachable, less reserved toward him. There’s weight in them sharing something hidden from others. Connor doesn’t react to him so explosively anymore. In fact, Ezio believes he started making a conscious effort not to reject him. That’s still far from casual enjoyment, but it is progress.
Maybe it is time to let the recruits in on his quest.
Or just some of them. That would be safer.
____________________________________
Annetta invites Connor to share dinner with her, her husband and their two-year old daughter. It turns out Connor likes playing with children. The family and he get along well. It becomes a recurring event.
Candida bothers Connor until he reads Machiavelli’s writings. Ezio thinks she just wants to argue about it with someone other than the writer himself. Finding them fighting about books, or rather finding Candida screaming and Connor waiting until she’s done before saying something that starts the tirade all over again, becomes normal.
Alessandro tries to bring Connor along to a visit at the Rosa in Fiore, which, no, what was he thinking, Ezio shouldn’t have talked to Alessandro about this, just has Connor staring at him, uncomprehending, before he becomes so red he must be burning, backs away from him slowly and starts avoiding him for the foreseeable future.
Zita, because Zita is a lady after his own heart and isn’t above imitation, starts sparring with Connor. This is probably the closest he ever was to a woman. It should be sad, but somehow isn’t. No, Ezio does not understand why either.
Ezio chose no idiot as his recruits. The others catch on, or they heard. Finding new ways to fraternise with Connor turns into the local sport. Ezio saves him from time to time, when all the attention overwhelms him. Together, they lurk into the alleys of Roma and run across its roofs. Sometimes they stop to appreciate the view or to stare at the stars. It reminds Ezio of spending time with Federico, but there is something different about it, something Ezio can’t quite pinpoint. He talks to Connor about him. Connor tells him about England: his mother, his grand-father. His father. Most of the time they end up pressed against each other, shoulder to shoulder, Ezio with an arm around Connor. Sometimes Connor even initiates it.
Life goes on. When Connor doesn’t give a second glance at Vittorio grabbing his arm and lets him drag him toward his latest inadvisable scheme, Ezio considers his quest accomplished and savors his success.
____________________________________
Luciana is standing in the shadows of the armory, Connor close to her. Ezio, having been the star of such scenes more often than he can remember, can almost hear her words as she confesses her affection to Connor. Alessandro will be pleased; he's the winner of that betting pool.
Ezio might be happy for them if he thought there was any chance of Connor returning her sentiments.
Here. Connor is obviously uneasy and the way he's crossing his arms, creating a barrier between Luciana and himself, speaks volumes about what he says.
Luciana flinches, but nods and leaves quietly. Good.
Wait. What is good in the scene he just witnessed? Luciana is heartbroken and Connor probably is still lonely. Maybe he needs support. Ezio should go meet him, maybe give him another hug.
This makes no sense. Why comfort Connor and not Luciana? She's the one who suffered the most in this ordeal. But, somehow, she’s not the one he wants to be close to.
He's been looking forward to touching Connor, to finding new ways of reaching him. Every day. For weeks, if not months. Feeling Connor finally relax under his hands is the highlight of his day.
He can't quite remember the last time he bedded a woman. It might have been Caterina. Or Fiorina from the Rosa in Fiore. Or Eloisa who lives near the Mercati di Traiano. His memory is faulty.
He does remember the last time he bedded a man, but it was a very long time ago and best forgotten.
How long has he been in love with his apprentice, barely a man compared to him for God's sake, without acknowledging it in any conscious way?
The answer depresses him. Too long. Far too long.
He can't reject him. He can't go to Connor and tell him he must distance himself for both their sakes, thus shattering the slowly built trust, maybe sending Connor back to those days where he dodged all touch or flinched as if a mortal wound has been inflicted. But he can’t continue like this. Now that he is aware of how he feels, he has to be the responsible one, the Maestro, and confront this.
____________________________________
Ezio does not deal with the situation very well, if he says so himself.
Reacquainting himself with the ladies of the Blooming Rose does not really help, even if they all are very charming. His appearances are remarked. Claudia starts throwing questioning glares his way. If he becomes a recurrent guest, she will tell Mother about it. Ezio has no desire to have them both nagging him. He becomes careful.
He can’t help it: he makes himself scarce around Tiber Island. Time mends all things, surely this will be no exception. It is not difficult for him to be busy elsewhere: he is always needed.
He ends up missing everyone, quickly. Hopefully he will get over it just as quickly.
____________________________________
He’s being followed.
Whoever is following him is good, he almost missed them, but not up to his level.
He turns, enters a small alley, passes a building and waits against the wall. He’s confident he can take care of whoever will show.
It’s Connor. He’s been ambushed by his own student, that he did not even recognise. One more reason why he’s a failure as a teacher, he guesses.
“Connor. How nice to see you. What is it? You must have a good reason to stalk innocent people through the streets of Roma.”
If only Connor was easily baited. He just rolls his eyes. “I would not be stalking you if I could talk to you, but you have been avoiding me. What have I done to deserve this?”
Why has Connor chosen now to become perspicacious? “You’re being ridiculous. I have been busy. It is a thing that can happen when one leads an organization at war.”
“You have been omnipresent for months, touching and prodding and teasing whenever you can, then disappear for weeks and expect me to believe it has nothing to do with me?”
Said like that, it sounds really obvious. “Well-”
“Because I thought…” and the rest of the sentence is lost in inaudible mumbles.
“Excuse me? Could you repeat that?”
“I said I thought you had been... courting me. Annetta and Salvatore thought so too. You haven’t spent that much time with any of the others apprentices. It is not that I am not… interested, I just needed some time to get used to the idea, but then you started shunning me. I am sorry, I am not used to such things, so if I did something wrong you must tell me.”
Oh God. What. He has been so obvious that even his student could read him. Do all the recruits know? Is there a betting pool about them too? “Connor, you did nothing wrong. None of this is your fault. It is I who is sorry to have made you feel that way.” A breath. He needs to be honest about this. Connor deserves this much. “It is true, I have been absent by design. I… only understood recently how I feel about you. I am your teacher, much older and more experienced than you. If I chose to pursue this, I would be taking advantage of you. I was trying to wait until it passes, for both our sake.”
Connor is not impressed. “So I am mature enough to kill people and fight for our freedom, but not enough for this. With the lives that are ours, isn’t trying to protect me at this point futile? You don’t get to make those decisions from me. Let me make my own choices, just like I will let you make yours.”
Connor could barely stand to have someone pat him not so long ago. He has no idea what he is demanding. Ezio chooses a course of action. What he is intending probably makes Ezio a bad person, but with time Connor will see he wasn’t ready and he will thank Ezio for it. Maybe in a few years they can talk about it. Until then, it will be a nice memory to cherish.
“Fine, if you are going to be stubborn about this.” He grabs the back of Connor’s head and crushes their lips together. He forces his tongue past Connor’s lips, trying not to dwell on how this might be his first kiss. He kisses with all the passion he’s being struggling to ignore, as if he’s devouring him.
Connor freezes. He’s going to push him off, realises how terrible an idea this is, and that will be the end of this foolish venture.
Except that is not what happens. He’s pushed against the wall and thoroughly ravished, by Connor. Ezio moans into it immediately, presses his whole body against his, coherent thoughts having fled him, fingers twisting in the fabric of Connor’s clothes.
It’s Connor who cuts off the kiss, who detaches himself from Ezio and grins at him triumphantly. “Are you still going to argue with me after this? I feel this is an argument you will lose, Maestro.”
That backfired rather dramatically. Connor is not scared, or troubled, or hesitant. He knows what he wants.
Maybe Ezio is the one who is scared. Time to be courageous, then. “I feel so too. Well. I will agree to try this, us, only if you promise me you will tell me if you ever, and I do mean ever, make you uncomfortable, in any way. Do so without fear. I shall do everything in my power so that there are no consequences for you, either as an Assassin or personally.” He’s already thinking of having Machiavelli assign Connor missions, or maybe Annetta. Someone who is not him.
“I thought I proved I could take care of myself. I do not fear you, I never have, but if it soothes your mind, I swear it.” The unconditional trust is part of the problem. How can he be so trusting after having been betrayed so deeply by his own father?
Ezio will just have to be careful. Connor has never been afraid of speaking his mind. He hopes it will be enough.
Ezio takes Connor’s hand. Such a simple gesture, a new one, Connor’s callused hand in his, warm. “Let it be so, then.” They walk the road back to the hideout, together.