What time was it, then? Hazy blue eyes traced the shadow of the window from the large bed in the ridiculously small room. Dawn? Midnight? The man flopped onto his back, arms giving out under him to send him crashing into his pillow. He took a breath of rain tinted air, the cool air that shocked him awake, goose-flesh rising all across his skin. What time was it?

He blinked, sighing and sitting back up, spine bending forward as he leaned on his knees, hands carding through his thick tawny hair. He made a small noise, blinking rapidly and licking his lips, twisting to crack his back satisfactorily. Another sigh of relief, his body slack as he clambered out of bed, stretching languidly, jaws gaping in a wide yawn. It was a new day, best not to waste it. He stumbled around the room looking for a fresh pair of breeches, tripping over his boots in haste. Guh.

Frowning and rubbing his baby blue eyes with his palms, several thoughts flitted through his head. He voiced them out to himself, quietly, not wanting to shatter the morning peace but doing so anyway.

"I need to clean up around here, one of these days I'm going to break my neck..." he grumbled, pulling the fabric over one foot, then the other, sheathing his legs. He quirked his lips and sighed again. A deep voice from the doorway made him yelp and fall over, hand flailing to catch on the bed. The voice chuckled as it spoke.

"My goodness, Leonardo, so skittish. How did you sleep?"

"Uh..." Leonardo fussed for words, twisting the sheets between his fingers from where he knelt. "Fine, I suppose. Had an odd dream..." he trailed off, resting his chin on the bed when a wave of lethargy washed over him, he could get up later. He looked to the man in the doorway, the only thing slightly visible of him in the dark his red cape and the white of his sleeves.

"Come in, Cesare, it's fine," he motioned to Cesare, who stepped fluidly over to Leonardo's bed and sat on the edge, legs crossed, leering down at the blonde.

"Care to tell me about it?" he tilted his head, fingers sliding in the sheets. Leonardo sighed.

"Like I said, era strano," he hesitated, rubbing his head across the bed. Cesare leaned toward Leonardo.

"Go on?" he pressed gently. Leonardo made a noise.

"Mhn...well...uh..." he trailed, closing his eyes and making a face of confusion and helplessness. "I don't...really know what was about...or how to explain it. It's one of those dreams where you know it's insane, but you have no idea how it went! It's frustrating and startling, in my opinion..." he grumbled, worming back onto the bed and curling against Cesare's side, pulling his cape over his shoulders as a blanket. Cesare quirked the side of his mouth.

"I hardly ever dream," he murmured, eyes half lidded and watching the sun slowly rise, the sky tinted baby blue and pink, steadily growing brighter as time passed. He sighed softly out his nose. Leonardo stretched his neck to look up at the blue eyed Spaniard.

"It's only dark."

"Cesare..." painted stained fingers curled softly over a leather clad knee, pressing softly into the joint in a comforting gesture. Cesare looked down at the blonde, brow furrowing minutely.

"It doesn't matter," he growled, head snapping to the side to escape the worried and concerned gaze of the artist. He scowled vehemently, standing abruptly and letting out a brusque breath.

"The sun is rising, it's best to get ready for the day," he said in a tense tone of voice, arms stiff by his sides as he marched from the room. Leonardo stared after him with a yearning expression, morning cold washing over him and making him tremble.

It wasn't going to be a good day.

Sitting out in one of many gardens Cesare graced him with, sketch-pad held lightly in his hands, the blue eyed man sighed heavily and shook his head, scribbling out a small doodle of a sparrow, scratching his nose and leaning back against the tree behind him. He scrunched his brow, eyes shut tight.

Several messengers had experienced the wrath of the Borgia son, his brazen words slicing across their nerves and leaving them to flee from his icy glare. Leonardo had taken refuge in the gardens, sketch-pad tucked under his arm and charcoal stuck behind his ear, slipping out past Cesare without the blue eyed Spaniard noticing.

He wished he could help Cesare, with whatever problems plagued him this morning, straighten out the folds of discontent that sat against his heart. But he was just a man, what could he do?

He thought about it and blanched.

He could be inside trying to calm the Spaniard, instead of hiding out here from him in fear. He looked down at his sketch-pad with a furrowed brow, teeth dug into his lower lip as he warred with himself. Should he go and put his arms around the shaking shoulders, or remain hidden from his flaring gaze?

Leonardo let out a shaky sigh and stood up, brushing of his breeches and hiding his sketch-pad and charcoal under a small shrub, before making a bee-line for the plaza doors, hands clasped behind his back to hide the fact they were shaking.

Here goes nothing...

With his forehead pressed against the leather ledger on his desk, fingers clenching uselessly in his hair, Cesare tried to take deep breaths, chest cavity rattling with the forced motions. His teeth were grit, grinding in his mouth to make the headache that resonated out in the base of his skull bloom with plumes of black and white behind his eyes. He let out a growl.

He didn't know why he was so angry! What was wrong with him, why couldn't he just keep calm! He shook his head. He could never keep his cool, he lost it, too passionate. About what though! He slammed his fist on the desk. He didn't know, didn't know why he was so angered.

A soft voice from the doorway broke him out of his mournful reverie. His head snapped up, eyes wide but unseeing as black momentarily flooded his vision. He blinked and shook his head.

"Cesare...what's wrong?" Leonardo leaned against the door, hands pressed to the wood behind his back. Cesare let out a hollow chuckle. Nothing to do with happiness. Snark, sarcasm, what else?

"I have no damn idea...maybe that's what angers me, not knowing...what is wrong with me, Leonardo?" he rasped, palms facing up on his desk as he stared at them blankly. He watched the tendons bulge as he clenched them into fists, pressing them into his forehead.

"I...I get so angry, and there is no reason behind it! It..." he gestured wildly, jerking up from his chair and pacing heatedly, running his hands through his hair repeatedly. "It just flares, for no damnable reason! It makes my heart shudder, feels as if there's a rock shoved down my throat, it's so hard to breathe!" he gasped for breath, pressing the heel of his palm to his eye, biting down on his tongue and lips till the heady taste of iron painted his mouth.

He rubbed across his lips, unnoticing of Leonardo pushing away from the door and heading over to him, hands outstretched and gently grasping his shoulders, holding him arms length before sliding to cling to his hands. Cesare blinked, a small choked noise stuck in his throat. Warm lips pressed to his palm, moving softly and calmingly.

"It's okay, Cesare," he murmured, brow furrowed gently as he stared up at the man with worried and caring eyes, glinting a bright blue. "I'll be here," he continued, pressing Cesare's palm to his face and smiling, softly and genially up at him.

"I'll be here to make the days bearable, to make you smile," he said in a loving voice, playing idly with the joint in Cesare's thumb. Something stifled Cesare, a lump in his throat. His jaw quivered with apprehension and excitement, muscles breaking in small spasms all under his skin. He let out a small chuckle. It sounded pained even to him.

"Why? You hear what everyone says," he shook his head. "Hear the rumors about me, why would you be here for me?"

Leonardo sighed, frowning in annoyance.

"Because those are rumors, rumors made by people who just want something juicy to gossip about. I know they're not true, I know you're different from what they say," he pinched a thick ebony lock of hair between his fingers. Cesare watched Leonardo's hand move to card through his hair.

"I know you, Cesare, you are not a devil. They don't know you, could never know you. It's not possible."

Blinking and leaning slightly into the touch, Cesare's face was torn. He didn't know. Leonardo made a small noise, a genial smile fluttering across his lips. He rubbed his thumb across the short stubble on Cesare's neck, gently kneading into his skin in a comforting gesture. Cesare's lips parted slightly to let out a cool breath.

Smiling and stepping forward so their chests lay flush against the others, Leonardo tilted his head and scanned over Cesare's face, storing away each and ever little detail, the prominent cleft above his upper lip, sharp curve of his brows, how he nervously wetted his lips with a quick flick of his tongue.

He smiled again and pressed their mouths together, softly and carefully. Leonardo moved their lips in tandem idly, whispers of skin and fabric making shivers crawl across his spine. Cesare returned the motions equally, tipping his head to deepened the kiss, their unique tastes and scents rubbing off on their tongues, words of adoration and endearment breathed down their throats.

Leonardo pulled back with a gentle gasp, smiling at the flush on Cesare's skin. He pressed his thumb to the corner of his mouth, pulling it up awkwardly. Cesare smiled in earnest at the motion, hands circling around the Italian's waist. Leonardo spoke quietly.

"They don't know you like I do. Could never know, because we've made a lover's prayer."