When In Venice
"Assassino!" Was one of the most common exclamations Bernardo heard when he took the job as a guard. It pays well he was told. He wasn't told why they were going through guards so quickly, but Bernardo had an inkling. He wasn't allowed to lead patrol yet, but he swore that once he did he wouldn't yell assassino to every person wearing a hood.
"You stay here, bambino," Alfonso told him snidely, wrapping an arm around the courtesan pressed against him suggestively. "Get on the roof, and don't forget your arrows this time!"
Bernardo was resigned to a yes, tenente, and he climbed the ladder as Alfonso staggered off, drunk with the courtesan, not for the first time. He rested his back against the roof garden, watching the moon over Venezia. He watched thieves on a roof in the distance hackle a guard who staggered around drunk, trying to punch them or toss them from the roof. Too many guards were drinking these days, Bernardo felt. Once honorable men now drinking on duty because of the fabledassassino.
Suddenly, alert sentries from nowhere began to emerge, all crying wolf, clamoring across the roofs against a figure that had long since fled. Alfonso's brother Dante spotted Bernardo, who was already notching an arrow in the slim chance the assassin would pass. "Bambino, no, stay here. We need at least one honorable guard alive come dawn,"
"But tenente-" But Dante was already bounding off behind his squad. Bernardo watched him leave, chasing a figure that could be the assassin. He hunched against the garden again. "Cretino assassino, it amazes me that Venezia still has a guard to spare!"
"It surprises me too, mio amico." Said a friendly voice, and Bernardo swung around, pointing his crossbow at the man who was seated alongside the garden, polishing his-
Bernardo's breath caught at the emblazoned scarlet belt. Assassino.
"But I suppose man will do anything as long as he is paid, yes?" The assassin said, friendly-like. Bernardo's hands trembled. The darkly-clad man moved his hand from his arm and flicked his wrist, causing a blade to shoot out. Bernardo jumped. "Ah, no worries, amico," the hooded head lifted and Bernardo caught a wry smile, lips marked by a thin scar. "It was catching earlier. I was trying to pickpocket a guard and it killed him. Your associates were none too pleased." The lips frowned. "Neither was I."
"A-as-" Bernardo was stuttering. He was facing Death, and he could not even warn his comrades.
"Oh, no, please," The assassino begged. "I have been running most of the evening from your friend. What is his name?" A pause, then a careless shrug. "Si figuri. Fino a domani, bambino." And he launched from the roof and was gone before Bernardo had a chance to see where he landed.
Nobody believed Bernardo about the assassin, but he kept a vigilant eye. Mostly on the wanted posters he was assigned to place. Scowling at the yellow parchment, Bernardo couldn't help but remember the quirk in the lips and the scar. A straight nose, dark hair. The figure in the poster could be anybody, because it certainly didn't resemble the cowled man. It wasn't until his second round of Venezia that Bernardo realized someone was taking down his posters, much too quickly to be a drunken joke from Alfonso. By the third time he put up posters, Bernardo gave up and hid in a small garden behind one of the nobility's home. He fell onto a bench, taking of his helmet and tossing the remaining posters aside. "Cretino Alfonso," he muttered darkly, shaking his sweaty head. "Cretino assassino."
"Is that your friend's name, Alfonso? The courtesans complain about him," And Bernardo barely witheld a squeal of surprise.
"Assassino!" He hissed, struggling for his crossbow. The assassin's head moved in a gesture that looked like eye-rolling.
"Please, no, bambino," He pleaded again. "You have chased me through Venezia all night, once more, and most of this day."
Bernardo's struggle to speak ended with a scathing comment, "Perhaps, assassino, if you did not murder our citizens! And do not call me bambino!" The assassin raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and Bernardo caught the glint of metal on his wrists. He straightened, trying not to show fear.
"Mi dispiace," said the assassino. "But, per favore, allow me to stay and rest my weary feet, amico."
Still struggling for control of the situation, Bernardo spoke sourly. "Who did you kill this time, assassino?" He spat out the last word, aiming to insult the man. It didn't work.
"Nobody, amico, you wound me with your insults," The hand with the bracer went over the assassino's black heart. "I simply pushed your friend- Alonso- into the river."
"Alfonso, you mean." Bernardo corrected.
"That is what I said," The assassino said sharply. Bernardo could hear alarm bells tolling faintly in the distance. The assassin stood sharply, flapping his cape behind him. "Another time, amico mio," he saluted Bernardo and then scaled the wall, disappearing over the rooftop. In his place on the bench was a large stack of wanted posters.
"Grazie, Bernardo," Said the woman whose coins he returned from the pickpocket. "You were always such a kind boy. And to become a guard! Very ambitious,"
Bernardo flushed, but offered her a smile in return. "It has always been my dream to do something honorable, Signora Beatrice,"
Beatrice tittered and placed her coin pouch between her bosom, causing Bernardo to flush a deeper red. "That it has, bambino! I wish you luck, and do not be a stranger!" She kissed his cheek and was off down the cobbled road. Bernardo wiped his face with a gloved hand.
"Bernardo, eh?" Commented a now familiar voice. "A strong name- how were you saddled with bambino?"
The guard glanced up at the assassin sitting on a balcony above head. "I was teased a lot for being small as a child. It has turned into a pet name."
A shrewd look. "You are not so small now, Bernardo." Bernardo rolled his eyes.
"Have you killed yet today?" He said snarkily. The assassin laughed.
"It is Sunday, Bernardo, even I have morals." Bernardo snorted and the assassinolaughed again. "That is not it, truly," He admitted and lept down to walk alongside Bernardo as he patrolled. "Sometimes, one must relax, I suppose." The cowled man nodded to a group of ladies passing and did a half-bow. Bernardo rolled his eyes again. They walked in silence before the assassin spoke again.
"Carnevale is coming again soon. I suppose you will not have time to relax, eh, amico?" Bernardo glanced sidelong at his companion before responding.
"After the fiasco with Signore Barbarigo, yes," The assassin shifted. "At least, that is what we were told. It will be like every other carnevale of course."
"Of course," he agreed. "You must relax as well, Bernardo. Carnevale could give you the chance to calm yourself."
"I have citizens to protect," the guard said shortly, and he was offered a pained smile in return.
"I do as well, amico." And then he disappeared into the crowd.
It was dawn on the first day of Carnevale after Bernardo's shift when he saw the assassino again, falling from the roof into the artist's- Leonardo's- garden. Leonardo emerged at the sound shortly thereafter.
"Mio dio, Ezio! What has happened?" The artist exclaimed, kneeling at the side of the man slumped against a wall. Ezio, Bernardo thought, wondering why the name sounded so familiar to him. The only response Leonardo received was a pained grunt. "Stay here, Ezio, I will get something to stitch that up for you," When the artist dove back into his workshop, Bernardo approached the garden.
"Assassino- Ezio, are you alright?" He asked, kneeling beside the man. Ezio laughed before coughing, blood staining the perfect white sleeve. He waved his hand weakly in dismissal.
"I have had worse." He said. His cowl was down now, Bernardo noticed. The assassin's hair was in disarray from his scuffle on whichever roof and his eyes were weary. Bernardo helped the assas- Ezio sit more comfortably. "Why are you here, bambino? Should you not be out saving people?"
Bernardo flushed, staring at the sword wound that marred the assassin's side, cutting through clothing and the ties of his armor. "If I am here with you, you are not causing trouble,"
"I am always causing trouble, Bernardo." He said tiredly, lifting his hand again to caress the guard's cheek. Bernardo could feel blood smearing under his eye from the assassino's thumb.
"Ezio, mi dispiace," Leonardo returned with a small kit with him, shoving Bernardo aside and causing Ezio's hand to drop. Ezio and Bernardo shared a scowl at the man who was pulling away clothing and armor from the assassin's wound. It wasn't long before he began sewing together the shallow cut. Leonardo was muttering darkly about Ezio's constant carelessness, his stupid habit of being where he shouldn't be. Bernardo had to agree with that one.
"Is this cretino idiota," Leonardo said harshly, nodding his head at Bernardo. "the one you have been following, Ezio? Mio dio, fottuto idiota. I am surrounded by idiots!"
Ezio offered a wide grin and he winked at Bernardo over Leonardo's shoulder. "Yes." He said simply. Bernardo examined the vines on the wall with interest; he could feel his face burning.
Bernardo saw a plume of smoke on the street not far away from his roof. He heard spluttered curses directed to the assassino, damning him. It wasn't long before Ezio appeared from the smoke, scaling the building and quickly swinging into the roof garden, dragging Bernardo along with him in spite of his protest.
"Quiet, Bernardo, I did not do anything, prometto!" Ezio hissed, covering the guard's mouth with his palm. He was wrapped quite snugly around Bernardo. "Those posters! All it takes is one wanted poster, Bernardo, you are a Saint for having the patience to place all of them!" Bernardo smirked behind the hand covering his face. "Shh!"
"He came this way!" called a guard from the ladder. Bernardo's brow wrinkled in confusion. He pried Ezio's hand from his face to whisper harshly.
"Is that Alfonso, assassino?" He turned his head and saw Ezio wipe the grin from his face.
"I have no idea what you are implying,"
"He cannot have gone far! Spread out, now!" Alfonso barked the order, leaving Bernardo wondering what it was Ezio had done, and he heard the feet of friends darting across the roof, searching. It felt like forever, pressed against Ezio's back with the assassino's limbs tangled around Bernardo, keeping him still- he could feel the various swords and daggers pressing into his leather armor, and he could feel Ezio's quiet breathing against his back. He could feel one of Ezio's thin gloves around the gorget on his throat, a heavy reminder that this man could kill him, but he only felt the weight of it there, his thumb rubbing the skin of Bernardo's neck tenderly.
"He got away, tenente!" A guard cried from the distance. Bernardo felt Ezio bury his face into his shoulder and smother a snicker.
"Damn it all- I swear, I will have his hands!" Alfonso snapped, and Bernardo couldn't withhold his own smile. He had heard the tenente complain about Ezio at the guardhouse quite often. He heard the guards descend from the ladder and Ezio released him, peeking from under the curtain to check his surroundings.
"That man, Alberto, has been after me since I pushed him into the canal." Ezio scowled, throwing himself against the back wall of the garden. It was stifling, and he lowered his hood to peer with amber eyes at Bernardo as he spoke.
"Alfonso," Bernardo corrected, removing his own helmet. Ezio smiled at the guard tiredly, eying his obviously matted hair.
"That is what I said." The assassino argued, closing his eyes and tipping his head back. "Now you know where I hide when I do my own city patrols, bambino," He opened one eye, all that gorgeous brown staring into him and Bernardo's breath caught. He looked away from Ezio, leaning against the opposite wall and plucked at a trampled carnation.
"It is none of my concern," He said, pulling at the petals of the flower. Ezio watched him tiredly and Bernardo thought the assassin could hear his heart thrumming madly in his chest. "I am not on the squad searching for the elusive assassino." Ezio chuckled and Bernardo watched as he picked up his own carnation, a perfect white, so unique to the pink carnations that dominated the area. He leaned forward onto his haunches and Bernardo was penned in at the wall. He remained breathless, waiting the next movement of the man, watching the gloved hand reach forward to run through his sweaty hair, plastered to his forehead and neck. Ezio smiled softly and placed the carnation behind Bernardo's ear, a tender gesture, no matter how effeminate.
"Sei bella," Ezio whispered, and Bernardo's breath caught again. Ezio's hand moved from the carnation to cup Bernardo's cheek. The leather did not slide easily on his sweaty skin, but Ezio did not move back nor sneer in disgust- his own hair was sweaty, and Bernardo could not stop staring at the gentle curls of hair that twined around Ezio's cheeks and neck, over his gorget and his pauldrons. He looked breathtaking, and Bernardo could feel his heart trying to escape his chest to be closer to the assassin. Ezio leaned closer, tilting his head, and God, Bernardo knew what he was trying to do. He closed his eyes and then Ezio's lips met his, and he felt as if the beating in his chest had turned into a display of fireworks left over from carnevale.
It was a purely chaste kiss, and Bernardo was left in the roof garden long after Ezio had left, staring at the white carnation and allowing himself a small, pleased smile.
Bernardo lived in a modest room overlooking the sea, big enough for a bed, weapon rack, and clothing. By the time Bernardo had actually climbed the stairs to get to his home, he oft times collapsed on the bed in exhaustion. It was no different that morning after his shift, and he knew he would be sleeping very late into the afternoon. When Bernardo closed his door, he collapsed on his bed, groaning, dropping his helmet to the floor. He felt a hand on his shoulder and Bernardo jumped, trying to turn, but was pushed back into the mattress.
"Relax, Bernardo, I will help you," Ezio said softly, and Bernardo swore.
"How did you get in my home again, assassino?" He demanded tiredly as he felt Ezio's hands unlacing his weapons and the ties to his armor, setting them aside gently.
"It is of no consequence," he replied, removing the gorget from Bernardo's neck, trailing a gloved finger across the skin lightly before removing pauldrons. Ezio turned Bernardo onto his back and stared at Bernardo from beneath his cowl, lips set in a thoughtful line. After a moment longer, he went about removing the padding from his chest, allowing it to fall to the floor with a dull thud.
It wasn't until his hand was on Ezio's cheek that Bernardo realized he moved his arm- but there it was, his thumb tracing the odd scar on the assassin's lips. Bernardo sat up and lifted his other arm and pulled down Ezio's cowl, revealing his amber eyes and his dark hair. Ezio's own hands rose and he gripped Bernardo's forearm tightly before unlacing the bracer on his right arm, then his left, and peeling away the gloves from Bernardo's hands slowly, placing a kiss on the palm.
"Ezio," Bernardo said, and he saw the man smile, taking Bernardo's face into his leather-covered hands and kissing him soundly, tangling their tongues together. Suddenly Bernardo was pressed close to Ezio, arms wrapped around each other tightly, hands roaming wildly. The assassin pushed his hand down the front of Bernardo's trousers, touching skin with his covered hands and driving the guard insane with the feeling.
"We need to move these, bello," Ezio said, kissing Bernardo's jaw and neck. It wasn't long until Bernardo was spread out on the bed naked, Ezio looming above him, void of all armor and weapons, yet still clothed. "Beautiful, Bernardo," Ezio said reverently, kissing his neck. Bernardo didn't say anything, knowing Ezio would not change his belief. He did release Ezio's hair from its tie, watching the soft tresses fall around the man's face. That is beautiful, he thought. Ezio pressed his hips forward into Bernardo's erect member and he gasped.
"Ezio!" And Ezio grinned sharply before biting Bernardo's neck lightly, trailing his mouth down the column to his shoulder. His gloved hands tweaked Bernardo's nipples, causing another gasp. "Nn, Ezio, wait-"
"No, amore, I have been thinking about you all day," He ground his hips, the cloth rubbing against Bernardo's member, and elicited another sharp inhale.
"Nn- Ezio, my work-" Bernardo arched into Ezio who wrapped his arms around the body before him, hands tracing Bernardo's spine.
"I will not hurt you, amore," Ezio promised, and somehow he managed to unlace the front of his own trousers and his cock stood proud- the assassino allowed him only a glance before it was grinding against Bernardo's, Ezio's hand holding them. Oh, god, the leather, the gloves Ezio wore every day were touching him, squeezing both of their erections together.
Bernardo wrapped his arms around Ezio, snaking one up the loose shirt the assassin' wore, hands trailing over uneven planes of flesh marred with countless scars. Ezio kissed Bernardo again, tongue mapping out the guard's mouth and twining around Bernardo's tongue. Bernardo moved his free hand and laced it with Ezio's around their cocks and slowed the strokes. God, he could feel Ezio's dick twitching against his hand, his own erection.
"Feel so good always, Bernardo," Ezio panted against Bernardo's lips. Bernardo gasped at the feeling of Ezio's thumb swiping the head of his cock, mixing the leaking precome with Ezio's. "All day, amore, I could not help but think of you and how beautiful you look beneath me, above me," he leaned forward and licked Bernardo's ear, causing him to moan. "I would love nothing better than to spend my life with my hand around your cock, or inside of you- or anywhere near you. Mio dio, Bernardo, anything you desire-" He trailed off with a breathy groan and dropped his head forward to watch their hands.
Bernardo watched Ezio under hooded eyes- watched the assassino. How did he end up with Death causing him to writhe in pleasure, panting against his neck for more, more? Bernardo supposed it didn't matter, because Ezio complied, moving their fists faster, harder, and god, the thought of coming all over Ezio's clothes and gloves caused Bernardo to gasp and arch his back in pleasure. He came, and Ezio did not long after, the white substance covering their hands, Ezio's shirt, Bernardo's chest. Ezio lifted Bernardo's hand and licked it clean, doing the same with his own, and then that perfect tongue danced out and cleaned Bernardo's chest. His cock gave a feeble twitch.
Ezio shed his clothing soon after, pulling Bernardo against his chest and whispering ti amo, mio bambino. Bernardo laced his fingers together with Ezio's, neither of them thinking about the next time the assassino would be forced to leave Venezia.
"Ti amo troppo, my Ezio," Bernardo said against Ezio's hand, and he felt the assassin kiss his shoulder softly- Bernardo fell asleep not long after the sun began to rise over the city.
I fucking love Bernardo. A kinkmeme fill, and the link can be found on LJ or Y, as usual. Initially, I wanted Bernardo to die taking an arrow for Ezio, but... I guess that didn't work out. This fic does grind on a lot of my historical gears. Namely the housing, so disregard that, and the flowers. But you guys aren't in here for the history of flowers and housing in Italy during the Renaissance.
Let me know what you enjoyed!