More recently, Leonardo had caught Ezio watching him when he should have been focusing on the still life on his table or a passage in his textbook. The open yearning in those golden-brown eyes always made Leonardo's mouth go dry, and if he were giving a lecture when their gazes met, his train of thought would instantly be derailed. Once caught, Ezio would look away and appear to be intensely interested in something else, while Leonardo tried to continue as if nothing had happened. They were like satellites in the cosmos but instead of orbiting a sun, they circled around this illicit attraction as if it were a black hole, being pulled ever closer to it.
It didn’t help that Ezio was so attractive, either. The now-famous Auditore charm has been passed on by his father and his older brother Federico had been quite the heartbreaker during his four years. Combine that with a body that would put most modeling students to shame...
Leonardo cleared his throat as he straightened from his desk, trying to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. He smiled brightly at Ezio and clasped his hands together, hoping nothing showed in his expression.
“Now, your final project. It was pastels, correct? I am more than happy to offer my critique but I hope you weren’t planning on having me finish it.” As he spoke, he unlocked the cabinet where he stored his students’ unfinished works and checked the backs until he found “E. Auditore”. He pulled the scenic painting out carefully before setting it on the easel by his desk. He glanced at Ezio, wondering if his teasing remark had fallen flat, but the young man flashed a quick smile, although he seemed to have an air of nervousness about him. Leonardo mulled this over as he moved to his supply cabinet.
“It doesn’t look like you brought your pastels. Were you using the hard or soft ones?”
“Hard.”
The word came out with a slightly hoarse quality that sent a jolt straight down Leonardo’s spine. He felt a familiar warmth take hold of him and was grateful he had his back to Ezio, so he could close his eyes and take a deep breath. When he let it out, he grabbed two well-worn boxes from the shelf and came back to the desk. A glance at Ezio confirmed what he was beginning to suspect. The young man looked slightly anxious, clearly wondering how his answer had been received. Leonardo resurrected his smile and decided to ignore the remark, for both their sakes.
“It looks like a mix of both, actually, judging by the brightness of some of these colors,” he pointed out and wasn't surprised when Ezio looked momentarily guilty. “Let's look at it together, shall we?”
In hindsight, he realized this was a mistake. The air between them seemed to take on an electric charge as the young man came around the desk to stand beside him. With Ezio this close, Leonardo could see his hair was damp, most likely from showering after practice, and a few drops of water still clung to the nape of his neck. He smelled of generic shampoo and expensive cologne and Leonardo could not for the life of him remember if he'd worn that scent before. Ezio swallowed nervously when their eyes met and Leonardo felt another sizzle across his nerves. He was painfully aware that they were alone in the room, but he forced himself to look instead at the work of art before them.
“So, what did you need help on?” God help him, now he sounded hoarse, the desire coiling so tightly within him it was hard to think. It was a lot easier to stay in control when he had a classroom of other students watching him, their stares reminding him of exactly why he couldn’t give in to those desires.
Fill - After-school Lessons 2/?
It didn’t help that Ezio was so attractive, either. The now-famous Auditore charm has been passed on by his father and his older brother Federico had been quite the heartbreaker during his four years. Combine that with a body that would put most modeling students to shame...
Leonardo cleared his throat as he straightened from his desk, trying to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. He smiled brightly at Ezio and clasped his hands together, hoping nothing showed in his expression.
“Now, your final project. It was pastels, correct? I am more than happy to offer my critique but I hope you weren’t planning on having me finish it.” As he spoke, he unlocked the cabinet where he stored his students’ unfinished works and checked the backs until he found “E. Auditore”. He pulled the scenic painting out carefully before setting it on the easel by his desk. He glanced at Ezio, wondering if his teasing remark had fallen flat, but the young man flashed a quick smile, although he seemed to have an air of nervousness about him. Leonardo mulled this over as he moved to his supply cabinet.
“It doesn’t look like you brought your pastels. Were you using the hard or soft ones?”
“Hard.”
The word came out with a slightly hoarse quality that sent a jolt straight down Leonardo’s spine. He felt a familiar warmth take hold of him and was grateful he had his back to Ezio, so he could close his eyes and take a deep breath. When he let it out, he grabbed two well-worn boxes from the shelf and came back to the desk. A glance at Ezio confirmed what he was beginning to suspect. The young man looked slightly anxious, clearly wondering how his answer had been received. Leonardo resurrected his smile and decided to ignore the remark, for both their sakes.
“It looks like a mix of both, actually, judging by the brightness of some of these colors,” he pointed out and wasn't surprised when Ezio looked momentarily guilty. “Let's look at it together, shall we?”
In hindsight, he realized this was a mistake. The air between them seemed to take on an electric charge as the young man came around the desk to stand beside him. With Ezio this close, Leonardo could see his hair was damp, most likely from showering after practice, and a few drops of water still clung to the nape of his neck. He smelled of generic shampoo and expensive cologne and Leonardo could not for the life of him remember if he'd worn that scent before. Ezio swallowed nervously when their eyes met and Leonardo felt another sizzle across his nerves. He was painfully aware that they were alone in the room, but he forced himself to look instead at the work of art before them.
“So, what did you need help on?” God help him, now he sounded hoarse, the desire coiling so tightly within him it was hard to think. It was a lot easier to stay in control when he had a classroom of other students watching him, their stares reminding him of exactly why he couldn’t give in to those desires.
“My technique.”