It truly felt magnificent to soar over the rooftops of Venice again; as Ezio had suspected, none of his muscles had deteriorated in the slightest, his strength easily allowing him access to any building, no matter how tall or complex. He climbed as high as he could, ran, jumped and eagle-dived for a while before he decided to take a breath. Now that his muscles were warm, he could start tracking down where he was, and pinpointing familiar landmarks.
And so just like he'd done in life, he climbed to the highest point in Venice and looked out with his Eagle Sense, smiling when the picture he got came back as he recalled it. His family's villa still stood, peaceful and quiet, as if it were a world unto itself. The sight of it filled him with a sense of homelessness he hadn't felt in a very long time. It also filled his mind with worries, doubts and fears he had held in since his father and brothers had died. Would his father be disgusted by the man Ezio had been? Would he be repulsed that his remaining child had gone crazy with revenge? And Federico and Petruccio, how would they react?
He had done so much good, but also so much evil in life... the idea of going back and facing his father was suddenly terrifying. But Ezio knew that if he didn't face them, he would never be able to forgive himself. So he took a deep breath, told himself that he would be fine, and leapt into the air, the scream of the eagle guiding him as he plummeted towards home.
---
Unfortunately, he was only able to get as close as the house across from his own before his feet came to a stop, muscles clamping down in fear despite themselves. Not wanting to attract attention despite the fact that he was on the rooftop, he crouched and tried to soothe the strange disquiet in his stomach and thoughts. It was almost as if the rooftop was his last hiding spot before he had to walk into a loaded room filled with angry guards and his most terrifying of foes. Except an angry Cesare had nothing on an angry Giovanni, who had a way to convey disappointment from miles away, especially when his sons were involved.
It was one of the reasons he and his brothers had tried so hard as children. Because none of them enjoyed seeing the disappointment on their father's face; it was worse than even the most terrible of their father's rages. And that was saying something, considering how terrifying Giovanni could be when he was angry. Ezio began to wring his hands against one another, a trait he had somehow gotten from Claudia when they'd still be alive. He needed to stop thinking about this and just go and knock on the door - or should he just go inside? It was his family after all, but it had been so long...
Ezio pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He felt so confused! If this was an assassination or something of similar ilk, it would be a breeze, but no! It had to be the one thing he never thought about, never even considered.
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the white shadow appearing behind him, or hear the breathy chuckle. A hand reached out to lightly tap his shoulder.
Ezio shooed it away. "Not now, Leonardo. I am in no mood for comfort."
The specter grinned. "Oh? And what makes you think I am Leonardo, little fighter?"
Just as he had with Leonardo, Ezio's entire body went rigid with disbelief. That voice... he remembered it screaming, laughing, praising, disciplining. He remembered it urging him to fight, to come back from the abyss. Throat tight, he fought down the storm of emotions suddenly rising from within him. "H-hello f-father."
Giovanni peered at him from beneath the cowl of his cloak, brown eyes mischievous and warm despite the slight scowl on his face. "I do not see you in nearly a lifetime, and that is the welcome I get? Pray tell Ezio, were you planning on staring at our door all day in hopes of being spotted, or were you content to simply lurk in the shadows until we forgot about you?"
Ezio didn't answer, head ducking down and shoulders rising up in a clearly protective message. Giovanni sighed and reached out, frowning when Ezio flinched away from his touch. "Truly, has it been so long that you no longer welcome your family?"
"Being an assassin takes sacrifice, Giovanni. You of all men should know this," Ezio whispered, body trembling despite itself. "I made more sacrifices than most; I am not the boy you raised. Not anymore."
The elder nodded slowly, hands drawing back as he crouched beside his wayward son. "I can understand that. And I'm sure your brothers and mother will as well. Claudia has spoken highly of you and your Brotherhood. She tells us tales of a capable and just leader that protects his brothers like a mother wolf protects her cubs. I see now though, that the same wolf she described has a few secrets to hide." Despite himself, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Ezio's face, smiling sadly when Ezio did little more than flinch and stiffen. Truly, a high price had been paid. "Will you come inside and join us for dinner?"
Hands clenched in his lap. Ezio found himself wanting desperately to nod, to accept the offer and see his famiglia again. But he was torn; also wanting to protect his family from the darkness within him. Because unlike his father, he had never truly learned to tame it. It was always there, like his hidden blades, ready and willing to be used. Ezio longed to bury it, but did not know how. In the end, it came down to need versus want.
Ezio did not even have to think twice. He nodded slowly, cautiously. Giovanni smiled. "Relax yourself, Ezio. I will not let what happened before happen again. Stay your blade tonight, and let your hunger rest."
The two leapt off the roof with ease, landing before the house. Giovanni opened the door. Ezio took a deep breath. He would cast off his cloak here, but not without one last warning. "You will understand if I choose to be skeptical. I will hold my blade, but do not expect me to leave them far; if someone unsavory should step forward, know that I have my rights."
One last nod. Then Maria rounded the corner and looked up, the basket in her hands dropping away as Ezio stepped forward, tipping his head back to remove his hood. Maria made a half-choked noise, and suddenly Federico and Petruccio were thundering down the stairs with Claudia on their heels. The shock in their gazes was familiar, almost comforting. They reminded him of his novices whenever he came back from a do-or-die mission.
He smiled. "You know, if your jaws hang any wider, you could catch sparrows in them."
That broke the ice; suddenly he had an armful of siblings while his mother clutched him to her bosom, apologizing and kissing him, tears of happiness streaming down her face. Giovanni hung back, shoulders dropping as the tension finally let itself go.
FILL: Our Paradise 4/?
And so just like he'd done in life, he climbed to the highest point in Venice and looked out with his Eagle Sense, smiling when the picture he got came back as he recalled it. His family's villa still stood, peaceful and quiet, as if it were a world unto itself. The sight of it filled him with a sense of homelessness he hadn't felt in a very long time. It also filled his mind with worries, doubts and fears he had held in since his father and brothers had died. Would his father be disgusted by the man Ezio had been? Would he be repulsed that his remaining child had gone crazy with revenge? And Federico and Petruccio, how would they react?
He had done so much good, but also so much evil in life... the idea of going back and facing his father was suddenly terrifying. But Ezio knew that if he didn't face them, he would never be able to forgive himself. So he took a deep breath, told himself that he would be fine, and leapt into the air, the scream of the eagle guiding him as he plummeted towards home.
---
Unfortunately, he was only able to get as close as the house across from his own before his feet came to a stop, muscles clamping down in fear despite themselves. Not wanting to attract attention despite the fact that he was on the rooftop, he crouched and tried to soothe the strange disquiet in his stomach and thoughts. It was almost as if the rooftop was his last hiding spot before he had to walk into a loaded room filled with angry guards and his most terrifying of foes. Except an angry Cesare had nothing on an angry Giovanni, who had a way to convey disappointment from miles away, especially when his sons were involved.
It was one of the reasons he and his brothers had tried so hard as children. Because none of them enjoyed seeing the disappointment on their father's face; it was worse than even the most terrible of their father's rages. And that was saying something, considering how terrifying Giovanni could be when he was angry. Ezio began to wring his hands against one another, a trait he had somehow gotten from Claudia when they'd still be alive. He needed to stop thinking about this and just go and knock on the door - or should he just go inside? It was his family after all, but it had been so long...
Ezio pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He felt so confused! If this was an assassination or something of similar ilk, it would be a breeze, but no! It had to be the one thing he never thought about, never even considered.
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the white shadow appearing behind him, or hear the breathy chuckle. A hand reached out to lightly tap his shoulder.
Ezio shooed it away. "Not now, Leonardo. I am in no mood for comfort."
The specter grinned. "Oh? And what makes you think I am Leonardo, little fighter?"
Just as he had with Leonardo, Ezio's entire body went rigid with disbelief. That voice... he remembered it screaming, laughing, praising, disciplining. He remembered it urging him to fight, to come back from the abyss. Throat tight, he fought down the storm of emotions suddenly rising from within him. "H-hello f-father."
Giovanni peered at him from beneath the cowl of his cloak, brown eyes mischievous and warm despite the slight scowl on his face. "I do not see you in nearly a lifetime, and that is the welcome I get? Pray tell Ezio, were you planning on staring at our door all day in hopes of being spotted, or were you content to simply lurk in the shadows until we forgot about you?"
Ezio didn't answer, head ducking down and shoulders rising up in a clearly protective message. Giovanni sighed and reached out, frowning when Ezio flinched away from his touch. "Truly, has it been so long that you no longer welcome your family?"
"Being an assassin takes sacrifice, Giovanni. You of all men should know this," Ezio whispered, body trembling despite itself. "I made more sacrifices than most; I am not the boy you raised. Not anymore."
The elder nodded slowly, hands drawing back as he crouched beside his wayward son. "I can understand that. And I'm sure your brothers and mother will as well. Claudia has spoken highly of you and your Brotherhood. She tells us tales of a capable and just leader that protects his brothers like a mother wolf protects her cubs. I see now though, that the same wolf she described has a few secrets to hide." Despite himself, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Ezio's face, smiling sadly when Ezio did little more than flinch and stiffen. Truly, a high price had been paid. "Will you come inside and join us for dinner?"
Hands clenched in his lap. Ezio found himself wanting desperately to nod, to accept the offer and see his famiglia again. But he was torn; also wanting to protect his family from the darkness within him. Because unlike his father, he had never truly learned to tame it. It was always there, like his hidden blades, ready and willing to be used. Ezio longed to bury it, but did not know how. In the end, it came down to need versus want.
Ezio did not even have to think twice. He nodded slowly, cautiously. Giovanni smiled. "Relax yourself, Ezio. I will not let what happened before happen again. Stay your blade tonight, and let your hunger rest."
The two leapt off the roof with ease, landing before the house. Giovanni opened the door. Ezio took a deep breath. He would cast off his cloak here, but not without one last warning. "You will understand if I choose to be skeptical. I will hold my blade, but do not expect me to leave them far; if someone unsavory should step forward, know that I have my rights."
One last nod. Then Maria rounded the corner and looked up, the basket in her hands dropping away as Ezio stepped forward, tipping his head back to remove his hood. Maria made a half-choked noise, and suddenly Federico and Petruccio were thundering down the stairs with Claudia on their heels. The shock in their gazes was familiar, almost comforting. They reminded him of his novices whenever he came back from a do-or-die mission.
He smiled. "You know, if your jaws hang any wider, you could catch sparrows in them."
That broke the ice; suddenly he had an armful of siblings while his mother clutched him to her bosom, apologizing and kissing him, tears of happiness streaming down her face. Giovanni hung back, shoulders dropping as the tension finally let itself go.
His son was back. Finally, truly back.