Who: Elijah & Ezio What: Conversations about Italy & vampire shenanigans When: recently Where: Elijah's office~ Status: complete Rating: PG-13, Some discussions of vampire shenanigans, Ezio's infatuation with Elijah's ass, and familial deaths
Maybe Elijah didn’t really need to stop and smell the roses for lunch, not anymore, but Ezio did. With the semester winding down, that meant his students were getting very antsy - and yet he still thought the subjects were fascinating. His beginning students were finishing up their study of Gothic architecture, and the more advanced classes focused Chinese and Korean art after the year 1279. They’d get into the art of Africa in the modern era before summer arrived and he was looking forward to it - them, not so much, most likely. As studious as they were, the beach called and beckoned.
It was a pastrami and thermos of wine kind of day, now that he was feeling much better after the bout of antibiotics to treat his pneumonia - occasionally, he still got run down and tired earlier than he would have liked, but he pressed on. The TA had already covered for him enough in his absence. He also needed to make sure to keep his strength up; today he had a lunch break that he planned to spend in Elijah’s office and so off he went. Using the light rail meant for a relatively quick ride, though he would have to make sure to be back in time for his scheduled office hours - no doubt last minute stragglers would be stopping by, after realizing they needed to pull their grades up by acing the final exam.
Unfortunately, he did not write easy final exams. But he would give study tips - Ezio had always enjoyed teaching, and he felt he had a knack for the skill and connecting with his students. Dreaming of being a mentor for the Assassin Order, a highly coveted and respected position, perhaps was serendipity.
He arrived at the museum and ducked inside to find Elia’s office, knocking on the door. “Bello, it’s me. I am sure you are working too hard.”
Working at a museum meant that he was almost always looking for new exhibits to put together...or, at the very least, new things that he might want to show to the public. There were many things in art and history that peaked his interest, but he had to consider what would bring people in...and what the museum was willing to display. He hadn’t stepped out of the office much today. He wasn’t sure he could say that he’d stepped out of it at all outside of once to feed. He’d been doing better with that. He listened when he felt hungry and didn’t push it off until he was so hungry that he didn’t think.
The museum during the day occasionally was so loud that it was difficult to pick out differing sounds. He still hadn’t mastered the art of drowning out the noise, which made for a headache for the majority of the time, but once he heard the knock, he didn’t need to ask who it was. He smiled at the words before moving to open the door. “Me? Work too hard? I would never.”
Which was a lie. Being a vampire made it easy to stay up later than normal and work if he had to, but usually he didn’t. Unless a new exhibit was being set up and he needed to. Otherwise, it wasn’t strictly necessary. But he supposed having siblings was a second job that he tended to get caught up in too often. “In fact, I was just sitting here doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just staring at the walls...and not working at all.” Which was obviously a lie given the fact that his desk was currently messy. At least as messy as it ever got. “Come in.”
Siblings, not children - it wasn’t as if the Mikaelson’s needed constant hand-holding (well, depending on the day, Ezio supposed) and he was trying to get Elijah to remember that. Everyone was different, but still, he often went days without talking to Claudia. It helped that they were an ocean apart, however, the point was that adults had their own lives to lead.
Merda. He just had to roll his eyes sometimes. “You talk so much,” he said with a deep chuckle, stepping inside the office and shutting the door behind him. He set his cloth grocery bag containing lunch down on the desk so he had both hands free to loop fingers in Elijah’s belt loops and tug him closer. For a passionate kiss that staked his claim, though it wasn’t as if Ezio hadn’t done that numerous times - he had. He just enjoyed doing it a lot.
“I brought pastrami for me, and wine, though I am sure this does not appeal to you.” If so, the sandwich was big enough to split. At the very least, wine was welcomed at any time of day.
Elijah was a terrible listener when it came to his family, but he was trying. He’d already been more firm about them not controlling his friendships. Kol disliked Katherine, but she was his friend and one of the few that he allowed all that close. He wasn’t going to stop being her friend because his brother threw a hissy fit every time he saw them talking to each other. It was improvement. He’d need it once it came to introducing Ezio to the rest of his family. It was sure to be interesting. He dreaded it more for the high levels of annoyance and drama that would result because of it. None of it on his or Ezio’s part.
“And yet you are still here.” He was beginning to believe belt loops had no other purpose than to be used to pull him into kisses. Not that he minded. The day he complained about being kissed was the day he had very clearly gone mad. “And you have tried and true methods of getting me to talk less. I’d hate to give you no excuse to use them.” The amusement was obvious in his voice.
“Mmm. I wish it appealed more, but…” There was a slight shrug. He mostly ate to keep up appearances now. For work or family gatherings. There was really no other reason. Especially when nothing tasted right. “The wine, however…” There was truly always time in the day for wine. Especially since it and basically anything alcoholic helped to curb the thirst for blood that plagued him far more often than he wanted to make note of. “That I will take.”
“Then I will share my wine with you,” Ezio promised, brushing his fingers through Elijah’s hair, just the tips of them; it was a simultaneous caress and part fixing what he’d messed up with his very enthusiastic greeting. Good thing he’d shut the door - he really wouldn’t have any problem defiling Elijah’s office.
For now, he unscrewed the lid of the thermos and poured the wine into cups - not the classiest way to drink the vino, but it wasn’t like he had crystal stemware up his ass or anything. “There is something I have to talk to you about, before I go back to campus,” he added, as he took out his sandwich - though he just picked for now. He wanted to ask Elijah about going to Italy, yes, but it was also that the conversation with Kol was weighing on his mind. Of course he knew Elijah wouldn’t ever turn off his humanity, his emotions. But the thought of it was just too terrible; he had to be sure.
“I promise to return the favor.” Considering alcohol seemed to be one of the few things he actually spent money on these days, it tended to be around the apartment plenty. Anything he wanted, he had. Of course, he did go through it much faster than he used to. Side effects of living forever, he supposed. At least his liver wouldn’t suffer any ill effects of the alcohol.
Taking the wine, Elijah studied Ezio’s face for a clue of what he wanted to talk to him about. “Of course. Nothing too serious, I hope?” At least he couldn’t exactly think of anything that might warrant a serious conversation. If so, he supposed there was at least wine. Even if it was wine in cups.
Ezio found a spare space on Elijah’s desk to sit, to perch his backside without disturbing any of the piles of paper his paramour had situated on here. He supposed he could take a seat in an actual chair, but what was the fun in that? The wine was a red (of course, his favorite) and very lush - raspberry and strawberry flavors that were invigorating. Though all he could think of now was how it would make his blood taste to Elijah.
Not here. Such kinky things were not good for the ‘professional environment.’ Perhaps.
“It is not serious,” he half-smiled, crookedly, thanks to the scar above his lip. “Since my students will be on summer break soon, I will need to fill my time. I thought about taking a trip to Italy, a visit to my family, if you wish to join me.”
That was obviously an invitation to meet the Auditore clan too - but no pressure, Elia needn’t be nervous. Ezio reached over, fingers wrapping around the bottom of his lover’s tie. Besides belt loops, sometimes this was used to tug him closer for kisses too. “I promise they are not as crazy as your family,” he smirked.
Arching an eyebrow, a smile started to spread across his face. “You would take me to Italy to meet your family?” He couldn’t help but feel pleased by the information. He had a feeling Ezio’s family was different from his own. It was hard to find a family quite like theirs. Rather, he hoped not.
“I am almost sorry you have to meet my family, but it is for the best. They do not like surprises. And they are crazy...as you say. One day I’ll tell you everything. It is messy.” His fingers came up to push Ezio’s hair behind his ears. “All of that said, I would love to come with you to Italy to meet your non crazy family. I can only hope they do not mind my suits. And my crazy family should they end up meeting them as well.” The terrors, truly. He was almost sorry that was a possibility as well. For Ezio’s family.
He paused, lingering a moment before he said, “However, I may have surprised you if you hadn’t been too sick to notice.” An almost conspiratorial look made its way onto his face. “I actually wore jeans. Once. In my adult life anyway. It didn’t feel right. I missed the suit.” He shrugged slightly. “But I needed something easy to change into and you were sick.” A slight shrug. “But I guess I could be convinced to try them on again...if you were curious to see them. I don’t promise that they’ll stay on long.”
Well, that was an interesting change of subject - Ezio snickered, gripping Elijah’s tie at the knot now, pulling him in so he could get a nibble on his lower lip. “No, they would not stay on long,” he agreed. “Just long enough for me to grab your ass, most likely.” At least he was honest, yes? Admittedly, Elia would look a bit odd in jeans - not in a bad way though. It was just that Ezio was used to seeing him in dress pants, or without. Without was much better.
“But of course I want for you to meet my family, Elia.” He sat back and actually did work on his lunch now, since he needed to eat something before getting swept up in afternoon classes and hearing student sob stories meant to explain their late assignments. “I wish you could meet all of them,” he added, his expression darkening. Seeing the botched hanging that was the death of his father and brothers in his dreams (they struggled, it had been at least ten minutes of pure horror) only lit a fire under him to find the culprits here and wipe them out.
At least they had not experienced much agony in this world. It was not a huge consolation, but some.
Elijah let out a breath of laughter. At least he could always count on the knowledge that he was wanted. “My ass has known your attentions since we first met. It's good to know you haven't tired of it yet.” Only then he'd been surprised by it still and very unsure how to react. He was far more receptive now.
“Then I will be there. Suits and all.” Perhaps with a hint of nerves, but that was mostly because, while the disapproval was practically a given with his family, he hoped to be met well by Ezio's. Perhaps a little daunting in that way. His brow furrowed slightly when Ezio’s expression changed and he reached out to touch the side of his face, thumb running along his cheek. “I'm sorry I cannot.”
Usually Ezio despised when people said sorry, but he didn’t now - he knew it came from a good place, that the words were not hollow. “I miss them sometimes,” he admitted, though the truth was, he missed his father and brothers much more than sometimes. What had happened to them was something he hadn’t ever recovered from - in dreams, or in the moment. He didn’t see how he ever could. Only difference was, in a past life he figured out that killing Rodrigo Borgia wouldn’t bring back his family. It would probably make things worse.
Though if he ever met the killers these days, perhaps he would not be so logical. “They would have liked you.” He took Elijah’s hand, and kissed his knuckles before giving it back. “My mother and Claudia will like you too - and my niece and nephew. You do not need to worry. We will just go and I will show you all around Firenze.”
He had nothing to compare that feeling to as he had not lost any family. At least not out of the dreams. His troubles were with people that lived. He would not have them die as none of his siblings deserved the jail time that would come with killing their parents. None of them needed that on their conscience...even if few of them would truly care. “I would be surprised if you did not.” He had a feeling it was more than sometimes as well. Losing someone like that. He wished he could have protected him from it, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t expect himself to either.
“I’m sure we will get along just fine.” And he would make sure to let himself have fun and attempt not to worry himself too much about his siblings while he was gone. “But I will likely worry anyway. I am very bad at the act of not worrying. At least I have learned some Italian. But I’m sure you’ll still get away with talking about me while I’m still in the room.” Which was okay. He was used to that considering his father’s profession, though mostly it was hushed whispers and not another language.
“So I have noticed,” Ezio lifted an eyebrow pointedly - meaning that, yes, Elijah tended to worry too much. Especially about things that he couldn’t control, or things that were just frivolous to worry about in the first place. “They speak English too, so no one will talk about you...much,” he winked.
He really would have to teach Elijah more Italian though. Just a few phrases, to impress his famiglia. And he promised himself he would behave, as in, Ezio would not teach his partner stupid things and make him say them to his mother or sister only for them to look at him funny. Maybe. It was tempting, though.
“There is something else you need to promise, however. Then he paused; perhaps he ought to elaborate, so there was not confusion. Or Elia didn’t think anything ominous like the end of the world was coming. “...something unrelated to visiting Italy, I mean.” Was he out of wine already? Cazzo.
“I believe it shows some manners to speak to people in their native tongue in their country. But I could be overthinking things. Either way, it would at least be nice to be able to have even a little conversation with them in Italian.” A pause. “And I probably wouldn’t believe you if you had said not at all.” But really, he didn’t mind. He could handle it.
“A promise?” He was curious what it could be that was important enough to warrant a promise, but wasn’t about Italy. “What is it you need me to promise?” He doubted that Ezio would ask him to promise something he couldn’t promise, so he wasn’t concerned as much as he was curious.
It was silly, Ezio realized - but he just needed to hear the words. The reassurance that Elijah would not do something so unnecessary. For some reason, he thought it was important. “Your brother came to visit me in the hospital,” he started, leaning forward and taking both of Elijah’s hands. His thumbs traced the veins on the belly of his lover’s wrists, carefully, something of an anxious caress. “We were just talking and he said...as a vampire there is the option of turning off humanity, feelings - if something were to happen to me.”
They had already discussed that Ezio would someday perish - no need to rehash it again. After the bout with pneumonia, his mortality felt like a slap in the face more than ever. Especially since it was apparent he was about to die in his dreams as well.
“I want you to promise you will never do that, Elia. Not for me, not for anyone.”
He had known about Kol’s visit, but he had not heard about that part of the conversation. It made sense now, why he seemed a little concerned. But Elijah, for all he was, was not a person that had turned off his emotions. No, he did not care for every living thing in the dreams, but he knew he cared because his family had been important, because his anger fueled him to get them back. “Of course he would bring that up. Kol was the one that wanted that and I told him he would be an idiot to do it. Especially with Mareena.”
He gave him a little smile. “Emotions for us are complicated in that they are stronger and we feel them more deeply. Sadness...grief...all of that is amplified.” He frowned a little. “But if there is anything about my dream self that I am sure will remain constant, it is that I will not turn any of that off. I cannot promise that it will not affect me in some way, but I can promise I won’t turn it off. You don’t have to worry about that. Everyone else would just have to deal with me being particularly melodramatic.” A pause. “And I’m sure I can count on Katherine smacking me across the face if I need it.”
“I think being melodramatic about and being affected by my death is acceptable,” Ezio snarked - he was rather hilarious sometimes, was he not? Though he fully expected Elijah to be, at the very least, affected by his death - presumably, they’d have been together for awhile before the human of the two bit the dust. He did not anticipate shuffling off this mortal coil earlier than he should. But by that point, anyone would be upset about their partner leaving this world.
That just did not mean Elia should do something ridicolo like turn off his emotions, as they’d discussed. He was glad to hear the promise that it wouldn’t happen.
“But this is good - because if you do, I will stab you from beyond the grave,” he smiled charmingly, though a sigh left him a moment later. Time to pack up the cloth grocery bag and return to the rest of the workday, he supposed. “Anyway, I should get back to campus now. Manners dictate that you should see me out and kiss me goodbye.”
“We both know that would only be a minor inconvenience.” But he was clearly amused now. Italy. He was going to Italy with Ezio. Their family certainly had a thing for Italy, but he was happy about it. He was less happy that Ezio had to leave. Of course, he had work to do himself.
“Well, I suppose I should show you out and kiss you goodbye, then.” He offered a quick smile before leading the way through the museum. “I hate to say goodbye, but I’m sure your students will miss you terribly if I keep you here.” He could have said more, but he decided against it and kissed him instead.
Ezio laughed under his breath, his arm sliding around Elijah (and this was not without a grab of the ass, clearly) as he returned that kiss with obvious relish and enthusiasm. “You will see me later, there is no need to keep me here,” he pointed out. Even if he wouldn’t complain a bit, should that happen. A museum, of all places, was an Art Historian’s playground.
“Ti amo, bello,” he added before he took his leave, ready to board the light rail and get through the remainder of the afternoon.