(no subject)

[secondchances]

Even if Stephanie had access to all the paper in Rome, she didn't think she'd have enough room to write down all that sucked. Bathing sucked. The weather sucked. The clothing sucked. The Borgia family sucked. Lack of deodorant sucked. Lack of modern convenience sucked. Oh, what else? Getting a cut on your arm sucked, because then you worried about stitches and sterilization, and when you're pretty much the most medically advanced person in the history of ever (so far, and maybe that was probably an annoyed exaggeration), that meant you fixed yourself up as best you could, put your shirt back on, and went on with your day. That really sucked.

It was embarrassing, too. She was eager to help, eager to commit to Ezio and the Assassins, but not so eager to kill. The extra care it took to not spill blood (and not make it totally obvious what she was doing) cost her bumps and bruises. And this time, some skin and blood. She wasn't sure if she was more worried about the scar or Ezio noticing--if he hadn't already. She'd lost track of how many chats about killing they'd had, both in Rome and in Paradisa.

For now, she sat herself down at the desk and tried to look busy. She could work on other embarrassing things to distract herself from her "scratch"--like her understanding of local geography. Ugh. Rome was fucking confusing, even after all this time. It didn't make sense to her like Gotham had.

Maybe she'd just invent satellite imaging.

Comments

[secondchances]

She watched him, looking a little surprised herself. This wasn't the conversation she was expecting to have with him right now, but it was a little too late to backtrack, and a little too cruel to try to brush it off as a joke.

"Uh, yeah. Guess it is."

[assalitore]

Ezio paused, letting silence fall upon them for a few moments.

"Are you sure?"

[secondchances]

"Don't sound too excited," she replied, buying herself a moment to ask herself if she really was sure. Sure about what exactly, even?

[assalitore]

"I didn't intend to."

[secondchances]

"That was the point. But yeah, I'm sure."

She smiled, a little awkwardly, and messed with his hair.

[assalitore]

"I will keep that in mind, then," he replied. He leaned up to press a kiss to her cheek.

[secondchances]

It felt like they just agreed to go to a fancy restaurant. The thought about the exchange was enough to get Steph to laugh under her breath, even as she tilted her face into the kiss.

"Alright."

[assalitore]

He chuckled, too, as he pulled away.

"Not as charming as I used to be, hmm?"

[secondchances]

"You're still plenty charming. You just... well, if you were still like the you in Paradisa, I'm pretty sure you'd be taking advantage of the offer immediately." Not that he'd be any less considerate, but Stephanie doubted he'd let the chance pass him by.

[assalitore]

Ezio ran a hand along her side again, settling his hand on her hip.

"If I were still in my twenties, I would already be inside of you," he teased.

[secondchances]

"And over in minutes, huh?"

[assalitore]

"I said twenties, not my youth," he replied, but he laughed.

[secondchances]

She laughed, too. "Sorry. I could only speculate after all this time."

[assalitore]

"You could have just asked."

[secondchances]

"How would I know I was getting the truth?"

[assalitore]

"I don't lie to you!"

[secondchances]

"Sex is sensitive! It could be the exception!"

[assalitore]

"After all these years, it is not all that sensitive."

[secondchances]

"Fine. If you end up sleeping with me, I better be impressed." She was mostly teasing.

[assalitore]

He grinned.

"I will take it upon myself as a personal challenge."

[secondchances]

"No pressure, of course."

[assalitore]

No pressure? The chronically unlucky in romance but successful in bed, wooing Stephanie Brown, potentially changing their relationship entirely and complicating it. "No pressure" was an ideal.

"Of course," he replied, and he caressed her side again with his free hand. "Should I romance you, too?"

[secondchances]

"Do you remember how to do that?" She teased, but it was a very obvious dodge. What was she supposed to say to that? Yes, let's make this kinda serious by adding in romancing or no, let's keep it physical, no offense or anything.

[assalitore]

Caterina floats through his mind again, and he lets out a long breath, shifting off of her and rolling back onto his back, next to her.

"Perhaps not."

[secondchances]

Perhaps it wasn't the best time to tease anymore.

"I was kidding, Ezio. I'm just not really sure what... to... say?" She rolled onto her side, to face him. "I know you were interested in Caterina, and we have the best friendship ever, so awesome it spans freakin' time, so..."

So what?

"I don't know, we're already ridiculously intimate."