Assassin's Creed Chronos_Retribution (Ezio x OC)

15 - You're Not Alone

January 31, 1501

Rome, Italy

Claudia hummed as she combed her fingers through Catherine's hair, teasing out what knots she could find. It wasn't too bad, but some lingered in the deeper locks. The color had darkened some, and she'd found a mat hidden amongst the strands, but it came out easily enough. Her sister was calm throughout it all, sitting still in the chair in the spare room they'd found, set before a vanity. She stared at nothing in particular in the mirror' reflection. The younger Auditore, however, couldn't help glancing at her, noting the blankness of her stare. It was unnerving, but she kept her questions at bay—for now—and began to brush her sister's uneven hair.

"What on Earth did you do to it?" Claudia chuckled, doing her best to try and even out the mismatched lengths. "You lost so much of it... your hair was always so pretty."

Catherine chuckled softly, "It was a necessary sacrifice... it just so happens I'm not very good at cutting it."

"Indeed," she scoffed playfully and took up the scissors she always kept on hand—just in case of emergencies with her girls. "Now... I cannot guarantee it will not be even shorter after I get it all even, and you will not be able to wear that ponytail for some time... but it will look far better than before. It will be so strange to see you with your hair loose and to your shoulders, though..."

"It'll grow, so do your worst," the redhead chuckled, and let the younger work. Her fingers continued to thread the hair while utilizing a brush to keep the strands steady as she snipped here and there, doing her best to make it work. The much shorter length made it easier, but it was more than enough time for countless questions to fill her mind—ones she had to bite her tongue to keep back. Her worry gnawed at her, though, and as she cut the last wayward bit of hair and went about fiddling with her work she found she couldn't keep it back.

"Catherine," Claudia began, eyes falling as she brushed a freshly cut bang back. "What... what happened?"

She saw how the woman's eyes darkened, her gaze going somewhere else—somewhere far, far away. The air around them felt cold, and she briefly wondered if she had made a mistake. But then the moment was gone; Catherine's eyes regained some light and the air became crestfallen rather than malevolent.

"Nothing you should hear," she replied, her voice quiet. Before Claudia could press, the redhead stood and turned to face her, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thank-you, Claudia. I feel more like myself already."

Catherine left the young woman there, heading back out into the main hallway. The younger Auditore bit her lip, fingers clenching so tight her knuckles turned white and her arms shook slightly. Her heart hammered in her chest and there were so many things she wanted to say, but they died on her tongue. She sucked in a shaky breathe of air instead. She forced her hands to release and return her scissors to her dress before she finally followed after, the unspoken words weighing like a boulder upon her shoulders. They grew even heavier as she spotted the redhead standing with her husband, Diana up in his arms. They were laughing and smiling, and yet, still, the light did not reach Catherine's eyes. Her daughter was unaware, and for that Claudia was grateful, but when she looked to her brother, she saw: the knowing. The realization. The heartbreak.

Claudia barely managed to spare Ezio a sad smile—one which he shared—before she could bear no more. She turned away, and, shaking her head in a futile attempt to be rid of the tightness in her chest, she made for the underground entrance to the tunnels and left.

-O-

"The city looks pretty from up here," Catherine hummed, gaze focusing on the vast landscape full of rooftops that mingled amongst the ancient ruins of the old Roma. The sky was clear today, giving way to the warm sunshine that illuminated the spot they sat upon. She leaned back against her husband, his chest serving as a pillow while his arms wrapped around not only her waist, but their daughter, whom was fast asleep in her mother's lap. His head leaned back against a wall of their hideout, admiring the city as well. More-so, though, he reveled in the feeling of his wife against him, and the silent, slow breaths of their child, dreaming peacefully.