Towards Higher Points
Title: Towards Higher Points
Author: dehavilland
Prompt # 3: “Adventure”
Fandom: Assassin’s Creed
Rating: G
Character/Pairing: Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Word count: 827
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing.
Summary: Ezio convinces Leonardo to leave his studio.
Notes: Blah, just barely missed the cut off. Curse this time difference.
Leonardo makes it as far as the top of the ladder before he has to stop, watching as Ezio’s fleeting form disappears higher up over the next ledge of the rooftop. The assassin seems to do it effortlessly, launching his body from one terraced section of brick to a window sill to the rise of an archway, legs and arms working in tandem to ease the climb.
The artist surveys the same patch of wall that Ezio’s just scaled, consolidating it in his own analytical mind. There’s some trick to it that he just hasn’t yet managed to grasp - strength of body to actually succeed in the task of hoisting himself upwards over the difficult terrain of the multi-storied bottega notwithstanding.
Some handhold here, a crevice large enough for the toe of a boot there.
“Well, artista, have you given up?”
He glances upwards where Ezio’s leaning over the edge of a wooden planked balcony, two floors up. “Given up, no. Reached the end of my limits, perhaps.”
Effortlessly, Ezio volleys himself over the edge of the balcony, hands gripping tight to the planking as he drops down, plucking the crease of a window ledge out of thin air and dropping gracefully to his feet before Leonardo. “The great inventor da Vinci can’t find his own way? I’ll go slower.”
Leonardo ignores the alleged insult, watching critically as Ezio grips a bit of stone outcropping, resting one foot against the edge of the wall and putting his weight against it in order to propel himself up to the window ledge above. The wood is easier to hold onto and provides a wider handhold, and in moments he’s back up on the balcony.
“Now you.”
The artist steps forward, gripping the same place he’d seen the assassin grab hold. His own hands, though rough from working with them are nowhere near as well-calloused as Ezio’s and the stone digs painfully into the tender skin as soon as he rests his weight on it.
“No - no, Leonardo. Use your feet. You’re going to ruin your arms if you rest all your weight on them.”
He spares a glance upwards, accepting the tutelage without question. He’s beyond allowing pride to get the best of him, and Ezio - especially in circumstances such as this one - does occasionally know best. He follows suit, putting as much of his weight into his feet as he can manage without overbalancing himself.
“Good. And up.” On the word, Ezio rises to his own feet on the balcony and Leonardo hoists himself upwards, grabbing a hold of the window ledge with one hand and scrabbling to find purchase in the rough, splintered wood with the other.
Then Ezio’s own hand is there, grasping for Leonardo’s and holding tight.
“With your legs, amore. You’re going to tear my arm clear out of its socket putting all your weight on me.”
It’s an exaggeration of course, especially because in the minute or so that it takes for Leonardo to get his legs properly under him in such a way as to be able to push off of them, Ezio’s arm remains thankfully in place.
“Va bene, come on.” The assassin gives him hardly a moment’s rest before he’s bounding swiftly across the tiled rooftop in front of them, heading for the side of a building attached, this one’s foundation built into higher ground, giving it about ten feet more in height.
Leonardo takes the travel across the roof much more carefully, cautious of knocking any tiles loose as he follows. The way up from here is easier, a pile of crates against the side of the adjacent wall providing a makeshift stairway to climb and once he’s made it to this roof, Ezio’s waiting for him in the center.
“We’ve one more obstacle, amico mio.” Ezio’s not looking at him and Leonardo follows his gaze to the next rooftop.
And the substantial gap between.
“Ezio, you don’t intend to - ”
The assassin merely smiles, launching himself forward at a swift run to close the distance between him and the six or seven foot gap, and then he’s hurtling through empty air, hitting the rooftop opposite lightly on his feet. “Get a running start, Leonardo. You’ll be fine.”
Biting back a number of well-chosen curses, Leonardo surveys the distance. The drop, at least, between the two buildings does not appear to be a fatal one should he not make the jump.
It requires a moment’s consideration and quickly becomes a leap of faith. Trust in Ezio’s understanding of the distance and his own body and then he too is in the open air, the edge of the building opposite actually coming closer than expected. He lands with over a foot to spare and Ezio’s arms to steady his landing.
“There, see?”
Leonardo shakes his head with a laugh, leaning in to press a kiss to the delicate scar running over Ezio’s own. “How foolish of me to doubt you.”
Author: dehavilland
Prompt # 3: “Adventure”
Fandom: Assassin’s Creed
Rating: G
Character/Pairing: Ezio Auditore da Firenze/Leonardo da Vinci
Word count: 827
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing.
Summary: Ezio convinces Leonardo to leave his studio.
Notes: Blah, just barely missed the cut off. Curse this time difference.
Leonardo makes it as far as the top of the ladder before he has to stop, watching as Ezio’s fleeting form disappears higher up over the next ledge of the rooftop. The assassin seems to do it effortlessly, launching his body from one terraced section of brick to a window sill to the rise of an archway, legs and arms working in tandem to ease the climb.
The artist surveys the same patch of wall that Ezio’s just scaled, consolidating it in his own analytical mind. There’s some trick to it that he just hasn’t yet managed to grasp - strength of body to actually succeed in the task of hoisting himself upwards over the difficult terrain of the multi-storied bottega notwithstanding.
Some handhold here, a crevice large enough for the toe of a boot there.
“Well, artista, have you given up?”
He glances upwards where Ezio’s leaning over the edge of a wooden planked balcony, two floors up. “Given up, no. Reached the end of my limits, perhaps.”
Effortlessly, Ezio volleys himself over the edge of the balcony, hands gripping tight to the planking as he drops down, plucking the crease of a window ledge out of thin air and dropping gracefully to his feet before Leonardo. “The great inventor da Vinci can’t find his own way? I’ll go slower.”
Leonardo ignores the alleged insult, watching critically as Ezio grips a bit of stone outcropping, resting one foot against the edge of the wall and putting his weight against it in order to propel himself up to the window ledge above. The wood is easier to hold onto and provides a wider handhold, and in moments he’s back up on the balcony.
“Now you.”
The artist steps forward, gripping the same place he’d seen the assassin grab hold. His own hands, though rough from working with them are nowhere near as well-calloused as Ezio’s and the stone digs painfully into the tender skin as soon as he rests his weight on it.
“No - no, Leonardo. Use your feet. You’re going to ruin your arms if you rest all your weight on them.”
He spares a glance upwards, accepting the tutelage without question. He’s beyond allowing pride to get the best of him, and Ezio - especially in circumstances such as this one - does occasionally know best. He follows suit, putting as much of his weight into his feet as he can manage without overbalancing himself.
“Good. And up.” On the word, Ezio rises to his own feet on the balcony and Leonardo hoists himself upwards, grabbing a hold of the window ledge with one hand and scrabbling to find purchase in the rough, splintered wood with the other.
Then Ezio’s own hand is there, grasping for Leonardo’s and holding tight.
“With your legs, amore. You’re going to tear my arm clear out of its socket putting all your weight on me.”
It’s an exaggeration of course, especially because in the minute or so that it takes for Leonardo to get his legs properly under him in such a way as to be able to push off of them, Ezio’s arm remains thankfully in place.
“Va bene, come on.” The assassin gives him hardly a moment’s rest before he’s bounding swiftly across the tiled rooftop in front of them, heading for the side of a building attached, this one’s foundation built into higher ground, giving it about ten feet more in height.
Leonardo takes the travel across the roof much more carefully, cautious of knocking any tiles loose as he follows. The way up from here is easier, a pile of crates against the side of the adjacent wall providing a makeshift stairway to climb and once he’s made it to this roof, Ezio’s waiting for him in the center.
“We’ve one more obstacle, amico mio.” Ezio’s not looking at him and Leonardo follows his gaze to the next rooftop.
And the substantial gap between.
“Ezio, you don’t intend to - ”
The assassin merely smiles, launching himself forward at a swift run to close the distance between him and the six or seven foot gap, and then he’s hurtling through empty air, hitting the rooftop opposite lightly on his feet. “Get a running start, Leonardo. You’ll be fine.”
Biting back a number of well-chosen curses, Leonardo surveys the distance. The drop, at least, between the two buildings does not appear to be a fatal one should he not make the jump.
It requires a moment’s consideration and quickly becomes a leap of faith. Trust in Ezio’s understanding of the distance and his own body and then he too is in the open air, the edge of the building opposite actually coming closer than expected. He lands with over a foot to spare and Ezio’s arms to steady his landing.
“There, see?”
Leonardo shakes his head with a laugh, leaning in to press a kiss to the delicate scar running over Ezio’s own. “How foolish of me to doubt you.”