Pericoloso (Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Fanfiction)

Chapter 28: Nascosto

Selene leads the assassins through the quiet building, their footsteps making no sounds except for the occasional squeak of the floorboards beneath the carpet. The sun peeks over the horizon and the light starts to trickle in through the window.

"How do you know my name?" Speranza asks.

Selene looks back at her, still looking sort of rattled. "Master Capitani mentions you constantly. He's so determined to kill you..." She trails off, meeting her stare. "Why?"

"My business is my own," she says curtly.

"How old are you, Selene?" Ezio asks softly.

"Eighteen in a few months. Then, I'm free to go." She grins widely. "I've been working here since I was twelve. The Master took me in after my parents abandoned me, sold me to him as a servant..."

The two assassins watch the girl's look of disgust. They continue on in silence, and they reach a set of doors.

"This is one of the supply closets. Hide in here until the Master returns," Selene says.

"Grazie," Ezio thanks her, stepping inside the surprisingly roomy space.

Speranza nods and moves to the doors. Before she goes in, a small hand touches her arm. She looks back down to the young girl, who smiles shyly.

"I'm glad you came here," she admits.

"It's my duty to help," Speranza replies. "You'll be free soon."

She steps in, and the door shuts. Footsteps head down the hall and fade away, and the two assassins wait almost breathlessly.

In the dark, Ezio and Speranza face each other. Somehow, they don't look away from one another and instead stare at one another in a tense sort of quiet.

"I don't want you to be angry, Speranza," Ezio finally says, his voice calm.

She arches an eyebrow. "What makes you say that I am angry?"

A look of confusion graces his countenance. "Why else would you be this cold towards me?"

"Oh, I'm not angry. My feelings are too complex to voice." She shakes her head. "If you must know, I feel like a worthless, heartless whore."

"You are none of those."

"Ah, of course you would say that. You claim to love me."

He steps closer to her, his face completely serious. "And you claim to love me. Wasn't last night a show of that?"

She stiffens, her heart rate speeding up. "It was a mistake."

"I do not believe that."

They both fall silent, her lips pursed into a thin line. She takes a deep breath, trying to ignore just how close the male assassin has gotten to her.

"I am still a whore for giving into my urges. One can only stay pure for so long," she whispers. "Even so, my reputation was stained long before then."

"Do not think of yourself that way. You are still the woman that you were before I made love to you," he insists, closing the distance between them so that their chests are touching.

She closes her eyes, straightening up and swallowing, Ezio's breath brushing against her ear gently.

"You have to understand, Ezio. I loved Piero. I let myself give my heart to man and I suffered for it. I refuse to marry you because I wish to save you from whatever my curse may bring upon you. Just loving me does not merit my curse ending, and that is why we can be partners, perhaps lovers, but never husband and wife."

He doesn't respond, her words bringing the harshness of reality to light. He can love her, he can lust after her, but nothing will change what happened to her in the past and the hurt she endured.

Ezio is powerless, something he is not used to.

"Then...let me love you for as long as we have left, for however long you need," he murmurs, his voice edging on pleading.

She chooses to keep her mouth shut, not wanting to utter anything more to hurt him. He wraps an arm around her and leans in. She turns her head, letting his lips fall on her cheek. He pulls away, the duo remaining in silence as the time ticks on.