Leonardo's face came into focus slowly, the fuzziness of a long sleep wearing off. The artist loomed over him, looking haggard and scared. For one moment a red rage washed over the assassin, and he began to mentally growl at whoever would dare cause his beloved so much upset-- But Leonardo suddenly cried out in happiness, and the threat was forgotten at Ezio found himself with an armful of artist, the blond practically throwing himself at his friend with no reservations. Normally Ezio wouldn't have let such an opportunity slip by him, but he was too busy concentrating on what Leonardo was babbling about to care. "Grazie al cielo sei sveglio! Quando Claudia si avvicinò e disse che non si era svegliato, ho pensato di sicuro che qualcosa era andato storto, che era stato ferito e si stava cercando di non disturbare me - oh, mi dispiace tanto, Ezio! Ti prego perdonami, non volevo dire quello che ho detto -"
"Leonardo, calm down! Please, I'm fine; there's no need for anymore worry. Please my friend, don't hurt yourself, and don't apologize; I'm fine." He carefully sat up, pushing his back against the headboard and groaning. He felt so sore! "Agh, a thousand pardons. I would have woken sooner, but that dreadful nightmare kept me locked down. I thought I would never get rid of it. Why are you staring at me?"
It was true; Leonardo had stopped clinging to him and was now staring at his face with rapt attention - the same fixed expression he gave to particularly difficult paintings. Gingerly the artist reached up and touched his cheek. Ezio felt it faintly - and realized he was also feeling the sensation of something else on his face. "Wha--"
A beard. He was no longer young, it seemed. Ezio traced it all along his face, looking down at his hands. No longer were his hands smooth and pale, but callused, scarred and dark with age. What had caused this?
"How long was I asleep for?"
Leonardo blinked, finally breaking the staring spell. "Claudia said it had been at least three days when she came to get me. I came about two days ago, and haven't left you since. So five days in total."
"Five days did THIS to me? How? And why?"
"You were distraught," his sister's voice suddenly said, the girl stepping into the room with a tray of food. "The fight between you and Leonardo was damaging to your mental state. That reflected on your soul, which in turn, reflected on your body. You're stable for now, but if you do it again, it could very well cause you a second death."
"How do you know this?" Ezio asked, picking up the bread roll and breaking it in two, offering a half to Leonardo, who took it and nibbled on it. "You almost sound like you've done this before."
"Because I have, back when I first arrived. Petruccio was the one who greeted me. I thought I had gone insane - Father says I was out for at least ten days before I died again. When I woke up the second time, Mama was the one I saw. She told me the whole story, and I was able to face Petruccio without collapsing." She sat down in a chair beside Leonardo's, straightening her skirts. "You never fought with Leonardo in such a way before, or at least he's never kicked you out of the place you considered a safehouse. The loss of that triggered your breakdown, which is what aged you. If you had slept a few more days, we probably would have lost you."
"Why did you summon Leonardo? Couldn't you have brought me out of it yourself?"
"No. Usually only the one who inflicted the trauma can undo it. In my case, I was too far gone for such a thing. But you weren't. So I brought Leonardo over in hopes he would wake you, and it worked."
Ezio rubbed his face. Five days lost, and several years worth of age to show for it. "I confess, all this sleep has made me exhausted."
Leonardo laughed, although it didn't sound quite right, and Claudia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "That happens a lot, actually. Bed rest is all that is required. Leonardo has already vowed to set up guard duty by your bed to make sure you don't sneak out." She winks at Ezio, whose brain is suddenly catching up to the fact that Leonardo has never left since arriving, and it is Leonardo who will be guarding him.
Cazzo. This is far too close for his comfort, but his sister has a wicked gleam in her eyes like she knows what she's doing, and Ezio knows he can only hold on and hope that the ride isn't too bumpy.
FILL: Our Paradise 10/?
But Leonardo suddenly cried out in happiness, and the threat was forgotten at Ezio found himself with an armful of artist, the blond practically throwing himself at his friend with no reservations. Normally Ezio wouldn't have let such an opportunity slip by him, but he was too busy concentrating on what Leonardo was babbling about to care.
"Grazie al cielo sei sveglio! Quando Claudia si avvicinò e disse che non si era svegliato, ho pensato di sicuro che qualcosa era andato storto, che era stato ferito e si stava cercando di non disturbare me - oh, mi dispiace tanto, Ezio! Ti prego perdonami, non volevo dire quello che ho detto -"
"Leonardo, calm down! Please, I'm fine; there's no need for anymore worry. Please my friend, don't hurt yourself, and don't apologize; I'm fine." He carefully sat up, pushing his back against the headboard and groaning. He felt so sore! "Agh, a thousand pardons. I would have woken sooner, but that dreadful nightmare kept me locked down. I thought I would never get rid of it. Why are you staring at me?"
It was true; Leonardo had stopped clinging to him and was now staring at his face with rapt attention - the same fixed expression he gave to particularly difficult paintings. Gingerly the artist reached up and touched his cheek. Ezio felt it faintly - and realized he was also feeling the sensation of something else on his face. "Wha--"
A beard. He was no longer young, it seemed. Ezio traced it all along his face, looking down at his hands. No longer were his hands smooth and pale, but callused, scarred and dark with age. What had caused this?
"How long was I asleep for?"
Leonardo blinked, finally breaking the staring spell. "Claudia said it had been at least three days when she came to get me. I came about two days ago, and haven't left you since. So five days in total."
"Five days did THIS to me? How? And why?"
"You were distraught," his sister's voice suddenly said, the girl stepping into the room with a tray of food. "The fight between you and Leonardo was damaging to your mental state. That reflected on your soul, which in turn, reflected on your body. You're stable for now, but if you do it again, it could very well cause you a second death."
"How do you know this?" Ezio asked, picking up the bread roll and breaking it in two, offering a half to Leonardo, who took it and nibbled on it. "You almost sound like you've done this before."
"Because I have, back when I first arrived. Petruccio was the one who greeted me. I thought I had gone insane - Father says I was out for at least ten days before I died again. When I woke up the second time, Mama was the one I saw. She told me the whole story, and I was able to face Petruccio without collapsing." She sat down in a chair beside Leonardo's, straightening her skirts. "You never fought with Leonardo in such a way before, or at least he's never kicked you out of the place you considered a safehouse. The loss of that triggered your breakdown, which is what aged you. If you had slept a few more days, we probably would have lost you."
"Why did you summon Leonardo? Couldn't you have brought me out of it yourself?"
"No. Usually only the one who inflicted the trauma can undo it. In my case, I was too far gone for such a thing. But you weren't. So I brought Leonardo over in hopes he would wake you, and it worked."
Ezio rubbed his face. Five days lost, and several years worth of age to show for it. "I confess, all this sleep has made me exhausted."
Leonardo laughed, although it didn't sound quite right, and Claudia's smile didn't reach her eyes. "That happens a lot, actually. Bed rest is all that is required. Leonardo has already vowed to set up guard duty by your bed to make sure you don't sneak out." She winks at Ezio, whose brain is suddenly catching up to the fact that Leonardo has never left since arriving, and it is Leonardo who will be guarding him.
Cazzo. This is far too close for his comfort, but his sister has a wicked gleam in her eyes like she knows what she's doing, and Ezio knows he can only hold on and hope that the ride isn't too bumpy.