#emiliano cavinato

[oswaldsirius]

Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Twelve

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 2652

-

           Pausing as she heard noises from downstairs, Arabella kept completely still as she listened. What was that? It was too early for Leonardo to be here so who-A strangled gasp left her as she recognised the presence that washed over her and she tore out of her room.

           “Don’t run on the stairs!”

           Ignoring Emil’s shout, she continued to run and skidded across the foyer as Louis closed the door. “Carmella!” she cried, throwing herself at her sister.

           “Ciao, Belli bean,” Carmella murmured, easily catching her and pulling her close.

           Arabella sighed as her perfume filled her senses and cuddled further into her. It had been too long since she’d actually seen her sister. Even though Carmella had been in Rome for years, the times they’d met had been so few. There was only so many time her brothers could sneak her out without their mother becoming aware of what they were doing and trips to Rome weren’t a possibility.

           Carmella squeezed her before gently pushing her back. “You look awfully dressed up for not knowing I was coming.”

           She pushed her lightly. “I have another date with Leonardo.”

           “Another?”

           Arabella gave her a look. “Why say it like that? Am I not allowed to go on dates with him?”

           “I didn’t say that, Arabella. You can go on as many dates as you like. But you aren’t tired of the old vampire yet?”

           “You’re the same age!”

           “We age differently,” Carmella dismissed with a sniff.

           “You do not!”

           “Stop!” Emil said firmly. “You aren’t starting that now when she’s only gotten here.”

           “Start what, Emil?” Carmella asked.

           “Leave her be. She’s having fun with her boyfriend. Let her have that.”

           Arabella’s gut lurched at the word. Boyfriend? They hadn’t really talked about what they were. What they wanted to be sure, but they hadn’t attached a name to what they were. They’d been going on dates for over a month now so were they official? Were they a proper couple?

           They certainly made out like they were.

           She was glad Carmella was looking at Emil and not her in that moment. It was a struggle to keep her thoughts in check, but she made herself focus on her siblings. She didn’t need them picking up on how chaotic her thoughts had just become.

           Emil was leaning against the doorframe into his study, looking at Carmella as she spoke to him. But his gaze flicked to her when he realised she was looking. “Are you ready to go?”

           Before Arabella could say anything, Carmella huffed. “Go? I just got here! Aren’t you going to stay and visit?”

           “I wouldn’t have planned a date if I’d known you were coming!”

           Carmella’s face softened and brushed Arabella’s hair back. “I know, Belli,” she said, kissing her forehead. “Just come home early enough so we can have tiramisu.”

Excitement burst through her. “Don’t make it without me!”

           “I should, to teach you a lesson,” Carmella teased, “but I’ll wait for you.”

           Kissing Carmella’s cheek, she grinned at her before going back upstairs. Her phone pinged as she walked back in and she dove for it. Her grin came back as she read the messages he’d sent.

           Your cat hates me, cara mia.

           She’s ruining my smokes!

           And terrorising Lys!

           Arabella laughed. She can’t be that bad, she sent back, sitting on her bed.

           He sent a picture that was at an odd angle, like he’d held the phone near his face to take a shot down his frame, but she could clearly see the kitten climbing his chest while he sat. Given everything he’d said once the last week, she imagined she was going for his cigarillo.  Minaccia is horrible.

           Don’t call her that!

           Too late, Bella. You made me take her so I name her.

           She kept laughing and flopped back on her bed. “Okay,” she said softly. What were they? Both of them had expressed wanting more than just the now but did that mean that they had taken that step to be in a proper relationship or did one of them need to verbally ask.

           Mulling it over, she grinned to herself. Maybe she would do just that later. They’d adopted a kitten together, surely he wouldn’t say no.

-

           Watching Arabella scamper up the stairs, Carmella waited until she heard a door close. “When did she get so big?” she mused. “She shouldn’t be having her new beginning or dating.”

           Emil chuckled. “I don’t know. I don’t like it though. Makes me feel old.”

           She turned to him, one brow raised. “You didn’t seem opposed,” she accused.

           He returned her look evenly. “Should we get this out of the way first then?” he asked.

           Her eyes narrowed as he moved into his office, leaving it up to her to follow. She almost regretted coming here first and sending Domenico to acquire an office space. But she’d wanted to see her sister, hadn’t considered that she might not be sticking around for long. They’d spoken nearly every day since her new beginning and it had made her miss Arabella terribly. Now that she was fully immortal, Carmella was determined to be more involved in her life.

           At least when she wasn’t going on dates with Leonardo da Vinci.

           “Tch,” she muttered, following after Emil. He was seated at the desk as she came in, back at work. Closing the door, she sat across from him and said, “She deserves better.”

           “Define better, Carmella, because I think all of us will agree that no one is good enough for her.” Emil paused. “Or at least I would have before her new beginning.”

           Which made no sense to her. “Why the change of heart? He’s spent most of his life shunning the rest of us and then he sweeps in to take our sister? I don’t like it, Emiliano. It reeks of an ulterior motive. No one even knew she existed before the invitations were sent.”

           Emil set his pen down and leaned back in his chair. “The truth, Carmella. Do you dislike da Vinci because you think he isn’t good enough for Arabella? Or is because of our history with him, yours specifically?”

           Her eyes narrowed again. “Have you told her?” she asked, ignoring the rest of what he’d said.

           “No. What happened, or didn’t happen then, has no bearing on what’s happening now between them.”

           “I just don’t like it! Why was he even there?! Our parents would have never invited him!”

           “You know they didn’t. He was brought by a guest of one of our older business partners.” Emil sighed. “But it doesn’t matter. What’s done is done and Arabella made her choice.”

           Carmella studied him. Emiliano was the stubbornest of all of them, maybe of all of them put together. He never backed down without a fight and had been protective over Arabella since she’d been born. He’d practically raised their baby sister as his own, packing up the business in France and moving back to Italy after her birth. Between him and his wife, Marie, they’d been more parents to Arabella than her proper ones. For him to seemingly roll over like this…he was hiding something. “What changed your mind about him?” she asked.

           “He makes Arabella happy. He has my support so long as that remains. I’ll withdraw it the moment it changes.”

           “Emiliano, you can fool Belli, but I know you better. Out with it.”

           His mouth flattened. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “This is theirs and we aren’t interfering.”

           Maybe he wasn’t but her livelihood was digging in the dark and she’d already started. “You know he was married before?”

           “Carmella.”

           “I don’t have this knowledge of yours that made you jump ship. I don’t know or trust him. Not with Arabella.”

           “Because he was married? That’s a lot to hold against a man.”

           “There’s nothing of his wife. It’s like she vanished from the Earth. It was almost impossible to even find this much about his life in France.”

           “Our existence hinges on staying out of sight. If he did marry, he would have done the same for her. To keep them both safe.”

           “But where is she now?” Carmella pressed. “His father is notorious for the wives he’s taken and moved on from. What if Belli is just a conquest for him?”

           “She isn’t.”

           “How do you know that?”

           “Carmella.”

           “How?”

           “Because he loves her,” Emil snapped.

           She pulled back, watching him warily. Love? How could he love someone so fast and get Emil to agree to allow him contact with their sister? “He barely knows her.”

           “And yet he loves her.” Emil sighed harshly and rubbed at his face. “You push too much sometimes.”

           “I don’t want her to get hurt.” Shit! There was too much in her voice but thinking about da Vinci made her think of the past and…of him.

           Emil’s hands dropped and he levelled a look at her. One she had seen many, many times in her long life. One she recognised as an older brother ready to defend his sister. “You’ve never mentioned his name.”

           “And I’m not going to now,” she dismissed, burying those memories. “It was probably fake.” The one she’d given him certainly had been.

           “It may mean little to you, but trust me, Carmella. She isn’t a conquest to him. Hurting her is the last thing on da Vinci’s mind.”

           She didn’t go on blind trust, not even for him, but he was right. She’d pushed hard enough on this for now. “We both know that’s not the only reason I’m here,” she said.

           It had always fascinated her, watching him go from Emil the older brother to Emiliano head of the Cavinato trading empire. She often wondered if the rest of them ever made the same switch when they were dealing with business matters. “You found something.”

           Taking a deep breath, she let go of her emotions to focus on the real reason she was here. “It was deliberate.”

           His expression didn’t change but the temperature in the room dropped. “Deliberate,” he repeated.

           “Those that worked the field were questioned first of course, but none of them even caused the faintest bit of alarm. Lesser vampires all of them, made by the house that owns those fields. They were cleared, every last one of them.”

           “But.”

           “Three of them turned up dead two days ago,” she said lowly.

           This time his expression did change but it was merely the flexing of his jaw as he clenched his teeth. “Dead.”

           Carmella took a breath again, but to steady herself this time. She’d seen what was left of them and it hadn’t been…pleasant. “All three shot through the heart at close range, meaning that whoever they were dealing with they trusted. Quick and easy deaths, at least that’s what the coroner ruled it.”

           “You’re not one to beat around the bush, Carmella. Quick and easy deaths don’t bother you. You lived in New York at the height of the mob wars that went on there. You’ve seen bad. Whatever you found, however, scared you.”

           She had lived through all of that, seen even worse, and…. “You’re right,” she agreed. “This did scare me. Single shots through the heart are nothing and yet everything to a lesser. But these…something didn’t sit right with me so I dug further. Got my own medical examiner to take a look. Lessers don’t heal quite as quickly as we do and the amount of deep tissue damage that had been done to them…. Emil, whoever did this to them, did it with rage and hatred.”

           He sighed harshly and shook his head. “You have reports? You don’t have to tell me.”

           She had them to give but this needed to be said. “She found more damage done to the internal systems, something no torture could have done.”

           Emil was quiet, pondering for a moment before his face tightened. “Poison?”

           Carmella pressed her lips together and made herself take a few more breaths. “I don’t think all of the tainted crops were contained, Emiliano,” she said softly.

-

           Resting his cheek against Arabella’s hair, Leonardo absently let his fingers toy with the ends. He watched the curls wrap around him, claiming him in a small way, and got lost in memories and this moment. Dinner had been fun and the movie almost as entertaining as her. He knew he should be taking her home, but he’d told the driver to take a scenic route back.

           She was tucked close to him, her legs slung over one of his and his other hand caught in hers. She was warm and soft in his grasp, content to simply be there with him. If it weren’t for the fact that she was rubbing her thumb against his hand, he would have thought her asleep.

           But his Bella had something on her mind and hadn’t said anything about it yet.

           He’d waited through dinner but she hadn’t mentioned it. Nothing before the movie or after. Their time together would be ending soon and he didn’t think she’d let that thought linger past parting. Prompting her could work but he didn’t want to rush her.

           “I had a lot of fun tonight, Leonardo,” she said suddenly, warm breath fanning over his chest.

           “So did I.”

           She sighed slowly before pushing away from him. He waited as she looked at him, waited as she found her words. He ran his fingers through her hair to help soothe her. “What are we?” she asked.

           “Vampires.”

           Arabella laughed sharply and smacked his chest. “That’s not what I meant!”

           He knew that but he hadn’t bothered stopping himself. “Alright, cara mia,” he murmured. “Forgive me? Will be serious.”

           She eyed him, laughter still dancing in her eyes. “I’ll forgive you if you answer a question.”

           “You’ve already used your question today,” he teased before making a face at himself. “Scusa. Apparently can’t be serious for long. What’s your question, Bella?”

           “Are we dating?”

           Leonardo studied her in the light filtering in through the windows. She was watching him in a way that made him think beyond the simple answer to that question. They were going on dates so of course they were dating, but he knew she meant more than that. He’d thought it had been obvious with his confessions and hers, their want of happiness together and of each other, but he realised she deserved the actual words. To be asked properly. “Scusa, cara mia,” he breathed, lifting his hands to thread them through her hair. “Skipped steps, didn’t we?”

           Her smile was faint and for the first time in a long time, a little shy.

           Stroking her hair, he let his hands slide back to cup her face. “Want you to be mine, Bella,” he said softly. “Will you be my compagna?”

           Her eyes widened at how he said it, immediately catching his meaning, and he chuckled.

           “No?” he murmured. “Wrong word?”

           “That’s a few more skipped steps!”

           But she didn’t sound opposed to the idea. He tucked that knowledge away for later. “L’amie?” he corrected, switching languages.

           “Le petit ami,” she said softly back and he laughed.

           Tipping her face up to his, Leonardo smiled at her. “That’s a yes then? Dating officially?”

           “That’s a yes,” she breathed before her nose wrinkled.

           “What is it?” he asked, kissing the tip of it.

           “I wanted to ask you to be my boyfriend but then I got too nervous thinking about it,” she admitted.

           Absolutely adorable. He stole a quick kiss from her. “That what you were thinking about all night?”

           She gave him a sheepish smile. “It seemed silly to be nervous, given everything but….”

           “Can’t help how we feel, Bella. The good or the bad.”

           “I prefer the good,” Arabella murmured, leaning in to kiss him.

           So do I, he thought as he kept her right there.

[oswaldsirius]

Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Eight: A Chance

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 2731

A/N: The plot thickens :3

-

           Smiling as Arabella’s laughter rang all around him, Leonardo wondered how he had lived so long without the sound. He could remember it filling the house, his room, his heart. It danced on the air like music and he never wanted it to stop. But he knew it had to.

           Her brother’s house was looming ever closer as they walked, their hour nearly at an end. He’d been very aware of every second he’d spent with her. It had been a familiar and new feeling. The timer on these had been much shorter than the last, but, unlike before, had a chance for renewal.

           It was still a hard task to start back toward the house even with that knowledge.

           She had both her hands wrapped around his as they walked, swinging them slightly with every step. “But what did you do then?” she asked curiously. “What did the king do?”

           Leonardo gave her a wry smile. “That will have to wait until next time, cara mia,” he said sadly.

           “What? Why?”

           “Our hour’s up.”

           Arabella blinked at him before looking around, seemingly only now realising where they were. “Oh,” she said, staring at the gate. “Really? Already?”

           There was no stopping his chuckle and he tucked her hair back. His touch lingered, trailing down her neck and earning him both a shiver and a soft gasp. “Sì, but we can have another time, yeah?”

           “Yes!” she said immediately.

           “Good. Come on, cara mia. Let’s please your brother for now and then we’ll figure out next time.”

           “Fine,” she sighed but she was smiling.

           They approached the gate and stepped through as it opened. He let her lead the way and was pleased when she still didn’t release him. He didn’t want her to let go. He didn’t want to let go. No matter what he said being away from her when there was so much to do wasn’t easy.

           Ascending the front steps, he wished this had been for longer, that he could take her away with him. It didn’t matter how many promises of more they had, it wouldn’t be enough. But he followed her inside quietly and kept all the thoughts and feelings roiling inside him to himself.

           “Mm, we must be early,” she said, glancing around the empty foyer.

           “Only a minute or two.”

           That dazzling smile turned to him again. “Good.”

           “Good, cara mia?”

           “I don’t want to say goodbye yet,” she admitted.

           There was no shyness in her voice or gaze as she looked at him and he was helpless in the face of her happiness. “It’s only for a little while,” he promised, saying the words as much for her as for him. “We’ll see each other soon enough.”

           She turned into the touch as he stroked the backs of his fingers over her cheek. “I hope so.”

           He’d make sure of it; one way or another, he would see her soon. He let himself have one more moment to stroke her cheek before he made himself stop. “Oh,” he said, smiling. “I’m never too busy that I can’t talk to you, cara mia. You’re never a bother.”

           There was blank confusion on her face before her eyes lit up as she remembered. “Don’t tell me that!” Arabella laughed. “I might never leave you alone!”

           How was that even remotely a bad thing? But he heard the door open and knew this moment was over. His gaze moved with hers, watching as Saint-Germain came out along with her brother. So he didn’t miss the look that crossed Emiliano’s face when he spotted them.

           He’d pushed enough for today. Leonardo lifted their hands and kissed the back of hers.

           “Oh,” she breathed, staring at their hands.

           It was hard not to grin. Had she not realised they’d been holding hands this entire time? “Until next time, Arabella,” he promised, kissing her again.

           “Until next time,” she agreed.

           Letting go of her, he took a step back as she gave her brother a smile before disappearing into the house. Next time couldn’t come fast enough. He slipped his hands into his pockets to keep himself from reaching for the chain under his shirt and waited as his friend said his goodbyes. His thoughts were already turning to what they could do, how he could see her, if he’d be able to get her out of this house again.

           “Da Vinci. A moment.”

           He’d started to turn to the door but stopped. Emiliano was looking at him, one hand held toward the open office. He considered for a moment before pivoting again.

           “Be smart, Leonardo,” Saint-Germain said quietly as he passed.

           Not nice? Well, right now they amounted to the same thing. Stepping into the office, he waited as Emiliano closed the door. When he merely leaned back against the desk instead of sitting, Leonardo didn’t move.

           “My sister has grown incredibly fond of you in a very short amount of time, Signore,” Emiliano said quietly. “To the point she isn’t considering anyone else.”

           Leonardo didn’t say anything.

           “My parents want nothing to do with you,” he continued. “Your history doesn’t paint a desirable picture in their eyes. Combine that with Arabella’s disobedience and they’d be happy to see you rot. Which leaves me in a tight spot.”

           He wondered how her parents would feel about his ‘undesirable’ history if they knew his human wife had been reincarnated as their daughter. “Pleasing your parents or your sister,” Leonardo said.

           “You understand my position then.”

           He didn’t understand at all. Arabella was a fully immortal vampire and should have been the only one deciding her future. No one else. Not him, not her brother, and not her parents.

           “So tell me why I should trust my precious sister, who is barely into her immortality, to you, da Vinci. You, who spurns our ways his entire life to have a sudden change of heart now. Why should I give anymore of her time to you?”

           It wasn’t Emiliano’s to give. Be smart. “I haven’t had a change of heart. Your ways are antiquated and unnecessary.”

           “And yet those ways are what allowed you to spend time with her today. Don’t think I didn’t notice you not answering my question. I’ll give you another.” Emiliano paused. “Immortal she may be, but she is only just. She has eternity in front of her and while, yes, my parents were pushing for some sort of relationship she has her whole life to choose. You’ve already seen six centuries and made your choices, for better or for worse. And yet here you are in my house, trying to court my sister. But…why Arabella?”

           Because she completes me. She is the only one who will ever complete me. “You wouldn’t understand,” Leonardo said quietly.

           “Try.”

           There was nothing he could honestly say to explain this without losing his chances at seeing her again. What reason did Emiliano have to believe him if he told him about the reincarnation? All he had for proof was his words since she didn’t remember him and he doubted the Cavinato would take him at that. His emotions, the depth of his love, and the loneliness that had consumed him since her passing, wouldn’t be understood.

           “A man of a thousand words and you can’t tell me why you’re interested in my sister?”

           “Have you ever had someone call to you?” Leonardo said. “Without words or actions, but you still hear them in your soul?”

           Emiliano had started to move away, to end the conversation, but he stopped. His face was a careful mask but there was something in those storm filled eyes that gave Leonardo pause. What had he said that had set something off in the other? He’d spoken the truth, yes, but that response made it seem like Emiliano knew something more than what he’d said. “Are you trying to say you and Arabella are soulmates?” he asked carefully.

           Complete. “She calls me in a way no other vampire has,” he said honestly. Which wasn’t a lie. Whether human or vampire, Arabella was the other half of him.

           The other watched him for a long moment before moving around the desk. Leonardo waited as he opened the drawer and pulled out a business card. “Give it a day or two before you ask her about this,” he said, coming back and holding it out to him. “But make reservations for Friday at seven.”

           Leonardo took the card and looked it over. “A restaurant?”

           “She might not need it currently, but Arabella still enjoys food. A comfort of youth.” Emiliano smiled to himself before shaking it off. “Ask for Daniel when you make the reservation and he will know what to take care of.”

           Fingering the edge of the card, Leonardo asked, “Why?”

           “I’m giving you a chance because you make her happy. But I’ll remove that offer if that changes.”

           A chance he’d be a fool to pass on. Emiliano was choosing his sister. Be smart. “Grazie,” he said quietly and pocketed the card.

           “Dress the part. She deserves nothing less than your best.”

           I know, Leonardo thought. Perhaps he could convince Saint-Germain to stop somewhere to buy a suit. He almost laughed. It wasn’t going to be hard to convince him at all. Which was good since the other was going to have to pay for it.

           “Don’t make me regret this, Leonardo,” Emiliano said.

           He’d sooner die than lose her again, but he nodded and left. His friend was glancing over papers in his hands before tucking them away as he approached. He didn’t say anything as they left, settling in the back of the car beside him.

           But they’d barely pulled away from the house before that changed. “Since he didn’t kick you out, it went well?”

           “Well enough,” Leonardo sighed, pondering the conversation. “Feel like there’s more to the parents than I know. Seems personal, their dislike of me, and more than because I snatched up their daughter.”

           “Did you slight Cavinatos somehow?”

           “No?” There wasn’t much certainty on the answer. So far as he knew, he’d never met the family before. “But he’s giving me a chance. Not that it would matter if he didn’t.”

           “It would matter to her. You have no love for your family, but Arabella is not you. Would you ask her to abandon everything she knows and loves for a man she doesn’t know?”

           Leonardo hesitated. “No,” he finally said. He couldn’t do that to her. She’d given up her family once for him; he couldn’t ask her to do it again. Rubbing his face, he wanted to curse. Six centuries he’d danced to no one’s tune but his own and now that was changing. He had to change if it wanted an eternity with her.

           “What did he suggest?”

           He threw a look at Saint-Germain. “Did you say something?”

           A low chuckle met those words. “No. He did ask, but all I said was the truth: You are one of my oldest and most trusted friends.”

           Depending on how close Saint-Germain was to the Cavinatos that could have gone either way. “What business do you do with them?”

           “The Cavinatos have always been in trade. Before Venice was even concerned with trade, the Cavinatos were in trade. So much so now they have a monopoly on some items.”

           “Some items?” Leonardo echoed, catching the change in tone.

           “Imported Blanc.”

           Leonardo blinked. “What?”

           Saint-Germain gave him a tight smile. “Domestic production is overseen by several families but imports? The Cavinatos have their thumb on that pulse and are unlikely to ever remove it.”

           And with the amount of vampires in his household, domestic suppliers wouldn’t be able to always meet his demands. “You put that relationship on the line bringing me to her,” Leonardo said lowly.

           “I did,” he agreed, “and I would do it a hundred times over because she is your match, Leonardo.”

           “It’s more than just my future you were playing with.”

           A look he hadn’t seen in a long time flashed through his friend’s eyes and his smile sharpened. “I knew the odds.”

           Leonardo let out a slow breath and took out the card to look it over. Dinner on Friday. It was only Monday now. Did he ask tomorrow and give them something to look forward to and her time to get ready? Or did he wait the extra day?

           He doubted he’d be able to wait long at all.

           “Where are we going?” he asked, tucking the card away. He couldn’t do anything about it right now so he needed to focus on the next task at hand.

           “To see another business partner about a shipment that was…wrong.”

           Leonardo frowned. “Wrong how?”

           “I’ve decided to bring you into this because I believe you’ll see something we haven’t but-” Saint-Germain paused. “But this information is highly sensitive and cannot get out.”

           “Have anything to do with those papers the night of the new beginning?”

           “It does.”

           “What happened?”

           “A crop failed.”

           Given their earlier conversation and the fact that there was only one crop of anything vampires cared about, it was easy to put it together. “How?” he demanded. “Why?”

           “We don’t know. So far as we can tell, it seems to be an isolated event and was contained before distribution but there are…concerns.”

           “Do they still have some of the original flowers? Samples? Was it the whole crop?” He’d never heard of one failing completely. Maybe a plant or two but all of them?

           “From what we can tell, an entire field was contaminated.”

           Leonardo shook his head. “Failed and contaminated are very different things.” Contamination pointed toward interference.

           “We aren’t ruling anything out,” Saint-Germain said flatly. “Until we have more information, anything is possible.”

           And worrisome. “Is that why you were speaking to Emiliano? To ensure the supply of Blanc doesn’t diminish? Or were you trading information?”

           “A bit of both,” he admitted. “Emiliano has someone he trusts implicitly looking into it as well, someone more adept at moving through the shadows to find answers. Even if this would be good for business for them, it’ll be bad for all of us if this is something that can spread and not merely a fail.”

           Leonardo made a low noise and sank back into the seat. Failed, contaminated, spreading. All of it was concerning no matter how he looked at it. Blanc was a necessary part of their lives and there were treaties in place to ensure the safeguarding of those flowers. Any vampire who broke that had the fury of the entire race waiting for them on the other side. Any human who knew any of their secrets always knew what lay on the line should they betray the vampires.

           “How many years have vampires walked this world and we’ve never had anything like this happen?”

           “It had to happen eventually,” his friend sighed. “As much as technology advances, it still does damage. If we’re lucky, there’s no need to worry and it was merely a weak strain.”

           Or there as every reason in the world to worry.

           “I can’t think of anyone more suited to finding something we’re missing,” Saint-Germain admitted, “but I didn’t want to involve you.”

           “Because of Arabella?”

           “Yes.” Saint-Germain smiled faintly. “But she’ll have to forgive me because I might be taking up a lot of your time depending on how this goes.”

           “You can’t have Friday night, but my time is yours.”

           “Where did Emiliano suggest?”

           “Why would I tell you?”

           He chuckled, the tense mood shattering. “I only ask to help you choose what to wear.”

           “I can pick my clothes fine.”

           “Leonardo, when was the last time you truly went shopping? I brought you the suit you wore the other night and, while this is acceptable for a walk in the part, it hardly suits the kind of place Emiliano would suggest you take Arabella.”

           Now he didn’t want to go shopping. “Didn’t realise I was so offensive.”

           “You aren’t. Unless you’re trying to be.”

           Leonardo snorted and shook his head. He didn’t like the thought of playing by their rules, but he would do it. Because she deserved no less from him than his utter best and he planned on giving it to her. He hadn’t courted her properly the first time, but the second?

           Friday couldn’t come fast enough.

[oswaldsirius]

Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Seven: Surprise

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 2602

A/N: Happy Friday the 13th! :3 My favourite day of the year!

-

           Plopping her chin her hands, Arabella stared across the desk at Emil. She knew he was ignoring her on purpose; he’d been doing it all week. He’d promised to show her around, to help her, but he’d kept her at the house since their parents had left. At least in Venice she’d been allowed into the city.

           With an escort of course but it was better than now.

           “Emil.”

           “Arabella.”

           She pursed her lips. It had been like this every day. He wouldn’t give her anything.

           Grey eyes so like her own flicked up to her. “You’re huffing,” he said as he looked down again.

           “I’m bored.”

           “There’s plenty to do.”

           “I want to see the city, Emil. Not the inside of your house.”

           “Well, thanks to your display, Father’s made sure I have more work to do than usual.”

           Her nose wrinkled. “I can go by myself.”

           “I know,” he sighed, looking at her. “But if anything else happens, I don’t know what they’ll do.”

           “I’m an adult.”

           “And they’re traditionalists, Arabella. You threw everything to the wind with what you did. A dance with someone they hadn’t introduced you to? You had to know what was coming if you did that. Even if they aren’t here, they’re still watching.”

           “They can’t do anything to you,” she muttered, slumping back in her seat.

           “Yes they can. I run the company, but they own it. If I step out of line, they’ll find someone else to run it.”

           Tucking her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her legs and plopped her chin on them. Were all families like this? Surely, they couldn’t be this controlling. The couldn’t be. Was it just a quirk of vampire fate that she had wound up in the most controlling family to ever exist in their kind? She could feel him watching her, but she didn’t know what to say anymore. At least, nothing that would help her cause.

           She’d hoped Paris would be different than Venice. Apparently, it was worse.

           No. A soft smile crossed her face and she buried it in her knees. There was one good thing. She’d spent the last week texting Leonardo through the day and late into the night. She’d felt bad because she couldn’t give him a date or time that they could meet. He hadn’t seemed to mind, happy to continue texting her no matter the hour.

           Her smile faded. They hadn’t texted this morning though. It was still early so she could try messaging him to distract herself from her boredom. Like she’d been doing all week.

           Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she ignored Emil as he looked at her when she began to type. Are you busy?

           “Been on your phone a lot of these days, Arabella.”

           “Mmhmm.” She tried not to watch her phone, tried not to be disappointed when she couldn’t see him responding.

           “Dare I ask who?”

           “Mm.” Maybe he was busy. He hadn’t said much about what he did but there were times he took a while to respond. But he always responded.

           Before Emil could ask anything else, a knock came at the door. “Pardon moi, Monsieur Cavinato. Your ten o’clock meeting has arrived.”

           He let out a slow breath. “Thank you, Louis,” he said, standing. “Arabella.”

           She made a face and left her chair to follow him out of the room. Even if she was curious about what his meeting would be about, she knew she wasn’t supposed to be involved in it. Yet. So she would have to go back up to her room or outside or anywhere but where this meeting was happening. A glance at her phone didn’t make her feel better when she saw no message. Walking with him into the foyer, she started to turn to the stairs at the back, resigning herself to another boring day on her own.

           “Cara mia?”

           Arabella froze at the voice before spinning around. “Leonardo?”

           He was standing inside the door, hands in pockets in that nonchalant pose of his. A faint smile on his face as he looked at her, but she could see how bright his eyes were from across the room. She couldn’t help staring, joy filling her. Was this why he hadn’t responded? Because he was coming to see her?

           “We weren’t expecting you,” Emil said quietly, snapping her out of the happy bubble forming around her.

           “It was my idea he come, Emiliano,” Saint-Germain said smoothly and she nearly jumped when she realised he was there. Which of course he was because he must have been the meeting. “I have other business after ours that Leonardo is integral for so there was no point in leaving him behind.”

           “You could have mentioned it.”

           Arabella bit her lip. The opportunity was perfect for her to spend time with him, but Emil could put a stop to it and seemed like he was about to do just that. Stepping up to him, she caught his arm and waited for him to look at her. “You have your meeting,” she said softly. “I can entertain him while you’re busy.”

           His eyes narrowed. “Arabella.”

           “It’s allowed,” she continued. “According to tradition, it’s allowed.”

           Emil flicked a look at the other two. “It wasn’t supposed to happen.”

           “But it did. Emil, please.”

           He stared at her before sighing. “One hour,” he said firmly, “and you don’t go far.”

           Her eyes widened. He was letting her leave the house as well? “Thank you!” she said quickly, popping onto her toes to kiss his cheek.

           The smile was still on Leonardo’s face as she turned to him. “Hey there, cara mia,” he murmured as she reached him.

           “Hi.” Damn it, she sounded breathless! Even if she was, she didn’t want to sound that way! “Do you want to go on a walk?”

           Slipping his hands out of his pockets, he held one out to her. “Come, cara mia. Let’s walk.”

           Arabella grinned at him and followed him out of the door. It was hard to keep herself from dancing down the stairs, but his hand in hers kept her restrained. She didn’t even care about his laugh as she tipped her face up to the sun.

           “Not letting you outside?”

           It should have been a gentle tease but a glance at him told her there was more to it than that. “Outside? Yes,” she admitted. “Off the property? No.”

           He squeezed her hand, his brow tightening for a moment. “They were that mad?” he muttered.

           Arabella felt a pang run through her. She hadn’t wanted to talk about it, even if it had been keeping them apart. She didn’t want to ruin anything they could have today. “Please don’t worry about it. It wasn’t so bad.” That was a lie, but he didn’t need to know.

           He looked down at her before sighing and smiling again. “Alright, cara mia. Let’s go then, yeah?”

           She nodded eagerly and led him to the walkthrough gate. There wasn’t much fuss getting through, Emil must have called them since she hadn’t thought to, but she didn’t miss the looks security gave them. They slipped from her as they stepped through and she was finally in the city.

           Leonardo’s chuckle drew her attention back to him. “Wanted to ask if you wanted a coffee but would you rather explore, Arabella?”

           Her cheeks heated. “Am I really that transparent?”

           He chuckled again and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “We have an hour. Where do you want to go?”

           “Oh, I….” She didn’t actually know. For all the looking into the city, she’d focused on major sites, nothing close by.

           His head cocked a little and she thought she saw fond delight in his gaze. “Walk and talk then?”

           Arabella blinked before beaming up at him. “That sounds perfect!”

-

           He had made a mistake.

           Leonardo’s heart was doing something in his chest as she smiled at him. It wasn’t a new feeling by any means, but it had been a long time since it had happened. He had a sneaking suspicion he would need to get used to it again with her back in his life.

           Giving her hand a small tug, he smiled as she fell into step with him. “This way first?” he asked.

           Her answering smile was as bright as the sun.

           The street wasn’t too busy with traffic, but people were out walking in force. Tourists taking in what they could of the architecture that wasn’t hidden behind walls and hedges. It made it harder to talk as he focused on keeping the steady flow from disrupting her own sight seeing. She didn’t seem to notice or care as she looked around.

           The joy rolling off of her was a balm on the loneliness that ate at him. He soaked it up as they walked, not caring about anything but being with her. This was enough for him for now.

           Leonardo slowly rubbed his thumb the length of her forefinger and tried not to sigh. Content. That was how he felt. After days of not seeing her, of the only contact between them those text conversations, he’d grown anxious and restless. He’d prowled the house looking for any distraction, but little had pulled him fully away from her.

           He’d leapt on Saint-Germain’s offer as soon as he’d said it. His friend hadn’t commented but he knew he hadn’t sat still for the entire trip through the city. Too much energy and then her text had nearly shattered all of his self control. Not responding had been hard but they’d been so close to arriving. The immediate happiness on her face when she’d turned had been worth it and been enough to cover his own reaction to seeing her.

           Slanting a look over, he could admit he hadn’t been ready to see her. The only modern outfit she’d had before was her blouse and skirt which he’d grown used to quickly before she’d swapped to era appropriate attire. The extravagant ballgown from the other night had been breathtaking but…. Her sleeveless blouse and shorts exposed so much of the olive toned skin he loved he’d been robbed of nearly all reason. The longer back of the shirt fluttered with her every move, lending an elegance to the outfit that was befitting her family. She seemed to float beside him, fully content on following wherever he led.

           She was utterly captivating and had him completely caught with a single look.

           Bright eyes met his suddenly and took what little composure he had left. It took a couple tries to say anything, to think of anything to say. “Cara mia?”

           “I’m glad I got to see you,” she said, smiling.

           “Me too.”

           He didn’t miss the way she caught his hand with both of hers. “We aren’t talking much though.”

           “Did you want to sit for a while?” They might have been in an older residential area, but he’d seen the park they’d driven past earlier. It would be a good place to sit or wander further.

           She glanced around and shook her head. “No but…”

           He smiled and tugged on her again. She followed, a curious smile of her own on her face. The trust she had for him left him stunned. She might not consciously remember him, but some part of her must have. She came with him so easily it was like no time had passed at all.

           They crossed a street and continued into the park. It wasn’t as busy as the sidewalks, but it was still peppered with people. Wandering along one of the paths, Leonardo laughed softly.

           “Leonardo?”

           He gave her a grin. “We’ve spent all week texting each other, talking about many things, but now that we’re together, we have nothing.”

           Arabella laughed as well. “It’s easier when we’re typing because you can pause and think and it’s okay. A little harder to do in person.”

           Talking to people had always been his thing. Even when he’d first met her, it had been easy. Was it memories of their past that had him struggling to find the words to say? A sudden idea tugged at his heart. “How about we do this again, cara mia?” he said. “I’ll give you another question to get us going.”

           “Another?”

           “Just like the garden. Whatever you want. Whatever comes to mind.”

           She squeezed his hand, making a quiet noise. “One question of Leonardo da Vinci to ask whatever I want,” she mused. “One more….”

           He had half a moment to be scared but he pushed it aside. Her questions had become fun after a while, even if the first had been hard. He’d looked forward to what her mind would come up with and he could dance around topics again if he had to. Hopefully.

           “What’s your favourite food?”

           Leonardo blinked. “My what?”

           “Food,” she repeated. “I know you haven’t needed to have it for centuries but…I’m curious.”

           “Anything in the world and you ask that?”

           “I didn’t have time to prepare, Signore.”

           A burst of laughter left him at her tart tone. “Scusa, cara mia, and apples.”

           Her head tipped to one side. “Apples?”

           “Yes.”

           “Huh.”

           Leonardo slanted her a look. “What’s that? Not satisfied with apples?”

           “I didn’t say that,” she said quickly before laughing. “It’s just not what I expected.”

           “Why not, cara mia?”

           “You’ve been around for so long, been to so many places and courts and…apples?”

           He laughed again. “What’s wrong with apples? They’re good.”

           “I didn’t say they weren’t! But you can have anything in the world and you like apples the most?”

           He liked her the most.

           “Is there a reason why?”

           “Already used your question, Arabella,” he teased.

           Her nose wrinkled as she made a face at him. “That’s mean. You only gave me a bit and I’ve asked you far more questions in a day.”

           Leonardo grinned at her. Still so indignant over this! “Not fair for you to get to ask and I don’t get any,” he teased.

           “Well, then, Leonardo, what would you ask me?”

           Do you truly not remember me, remember us? Do you feel anything for me beyond this curiosity you have? If you’ve truly forgotten, can you love me again? “Only fair I ask in return, cara mia,” he said, pushing all of his real questions aside for now. “What is your favourite food?”

           The ever-present storm in her eyes cleared and his breath froze in his lungs at how bright she became. “Tiramisu,” she said without a moment’s hesitation.

           She always had loved her coffee, but even as dessert? “We don’t have time to find some today, but we should be able to next time, yes?”

           “No.”

           His heart stopped as the refusal was nearly as automatic as her original answer. “No, cara mia?” he hedged.

           “They don’t make it right.”

           Tension eased back into amusement. “Arabella, we’re in Paris and some of the finest chefs in the world live and work here.”

           “And they make it wrong,” she insisted stubbornly.

           There was no helping his smile. “Who makes it right then?”

           “That’s another question.”

           “Never said the rule applied to me, cara mia.”

           She gave him a look that didn’t last and he watched as she dissolved into laughter.

           Stroking her hand with his thumb again, Leonardo sighed softly, happily, contentedly. He would let the question go for now. It wasn’t important. What was important was she hadn’t said no to a next time and he was already looking forward to learning what new secrets she had.

[oswaldsirius]

Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Six: Needs

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 2940

A/N: Friday again! Happy weekend and I hope for those of you that went back school wasn’t too bad!

-

             "Please be gentle with that rug. It's nearly as old as you are."

           Leonardo ignored the comment and kept pacing. His thoughts were too scattered to focus. Ideas about reincarnation were tumbling one over the other, disbelief warring with hope, so there was no room to care about a rug.

           He'd already gone through the cigarillos he'd had on him on the ride back to the mansion. He wasn't one for chain smoking but nothing about this night was normal. As it was, he'd pulled the necklace from around his neck and was rolling the rings on it between his fingers. Usually it would calm him enough so that he could think but everything came back to one thought.

           Arabella had been reborn as a greater vampire.

           "How did this happen?" he muttered.

           "Through the normal methods I would imagine."

           "Tch." Leonardo rolled his eyes. "I don't mean how a vampire is born."

           "I know but I know as little about reincarnation as you. It's all merely speculation on our part. Facts are more important are they not?"

           What facts did they even have?

           "Leonardo, while you are a genius, you're focusing on the wrong parts of tonight."

           He finally stopped to look. Saint-Germain wasn't seated at his desk, instead leaning against the front of it with arms crossed loosely across his chest. He was watching him, his expression as bland as ever. "Wrong parts? Arabella is reborn. How is that not what I should be focusing on?"

           "You're focusing on the how and the why when right now they aren't important."

           Leonardo stared at him. How could those not be important? What was more important than that? In all the years since her death, he had told himself not to yearn for one more anything, to be content with what he had because for her it had been her life. To know that she had somehow come back, how could he not want to know how and why?

           Saint-Germain sighed, shaking his head. "They are important," he corrected, "but what you did tonight supersedes that more than anything else. You staked a claim and if you don't follow through with it, you will lose whatever chance you have with her."

           His mouth twisted at that. He was aware of their customs and what was expected. At least on the surface. He'd never been interested in it so hadn't bothered learning more than the bare basics as they'd come to him in the various courts and places he'd travelled to. "Her parents are unlikely to let me back in."

           "Her parents are unlikely to remain in Paris for much longer."

           "What do you mean?"

           The sigh was far less patient this time. "Leonardo, a new beginning is just that. A start of a new life for a vampire, away from their family. A time to discover their own place in the world. Without the interference of their family."

           "They don't seem likely to leave her on her own."

           "No," Saint-Germain agreed. "They'll leave her in the care of someone they trust, but given what happened tonight she might be a little more guarded than normal."

           "What is normal about setting watch dogs on family?" Leonardo muttered, looping the chain back around his neck and considering pacing again. He'd never hated the fact that his friend had stopped smoking, but right now he wished he never had so that he could steal one from him.

           "You see it that way. The families see it as guidance into the new world."

           "Wouldn't need it if they didn't lock their children away like prisoners."

           "You know how hard it is for our kind to have offspring. You know how closely they are guarded for fear of losing them. You know how vulnerable they are before they step into immortality."

           "The first and the last, yes, but the second?"

           "Alright," Saint-Germain conceded, "but your situation wasn't the same as most."

           A chance set of encounters that had led to something neither of his parents had expected or anticipated: him. "But this seems to be more than that. Her mother was ready to slit my throat if she had the chance."

           "Chiara is...a difficult woman," his friend muttered. "She wasn't always that way and I don't know what changed her but it was never my place to pry."

           Difficult didn't begin to explain what he'd seen tonight and he didn't like the thought of Arabella growing up under that woman's thumb. She'd stepped out of line tonight and it was clear that that was not acceptable behaviour.

           "But she and Alessandro will be leaving before the week is over," Saint-Germain continued. "Most likely leaving Arabella in the care of their eldest son, since he lives in Paris and handles their company from here."

           "How is a brother better than a parent? If anything, this will be a worse situation."          

           "Emiliano isn't like his parents. He's adapted to the modern world far better than most. He's who I do most of my business with. He isn't the type to keep his sister locked in a cage so you'll have better luck with him than-"

           Leonardo jerked a little as his phone chirped, cutting Saint-Germain off. Swearing, he started to reach for it before pausing. So far as he was aware, the only people with his number all resided in the manor. The lesser vampires had greeted him upon their return, expressing their surprise and happiness to see him once again. There was no reason for any of them to be contacting him through his phone when he'd made it clear something was on his mind. The only other person would have been the grand Comte himself but he was standing in front of him, a look of idle curiosity on his face. "What did you do?" he asked, returning the look.

           "Leonardo, I have no idea what you're talking about."

           His head cocked a little, looking for any crack or shift in his friend's expression. But it remained bland, the faint smile on his lips a sham that covered what Leonardo knew lay beneath it. His own curiosity outweighed his frustration with his friend and he reached for the phone.

           The number wasn't one he recognised and he almost dismissed it. But his thumb swiped over it, revealing the message without a moment's hesitation. It took much longer than a moment for him to fully understand what he was seeing.

           Hi it’s Arabella

           Leonardo stared at the three words, seeing them but not. They weren’t complicated words, but they were surprising. Stunning. Heart stopping.

           “Good news?”

           Saint-Germain’s voice snapped him out of his stupor. His gaze lifted to him in time to see his expression smoothing away from whatever smile he’d had. “What did you do?” he demanded.

           “Not good news then?”

           A low sound left him and he took a step toward the other. “What did you do?”

           His head tipped to the side. “Helped,” he said simply.

           “Giving her my phone number is helping?”

           “You couldn’t do it.” Saint-Germain sighed again. “You needed a line of communication, Leonardo,” he said patiently. “Normally after an offer is accepted, means of communicating are exchanged. These days it’s phone numbers. Since her parents were unlikely to even entertain the notion of it, I took it upon myself to give Arabella the means and left it in her hands to reach out to you. Which she has.”

           Leonardo stared at him. “Why do they make it complicated?”

           “We’re immortal, Leonardo. What else is there to do with our time?”

           His face twisted a little even though he knew it was true. “Didn’t think to tell me?”

           “You were already focused on enough. Worrying about whether you’d get a text or not didn’t seem like something you needed.”

           Breathing out slowly, Leonardo told himself to calm down. Saint-Germain had gone out of his way to make sure he was there for Arabella, that he had the opportunity to be there for her. He did business with the Cavinatos so bringing him there could have put that at risk but he’d still done it. He’d given them a way to talk to one another. All without being asked because he knew what she meant to Leonardo.

           His phone chirped in his hand again and he looked without thought.

           I hope you don’t mind me texting you like this

           His shoulders slumped and a soft laugh escaped him. “Ah, Bella,” he murmured. “When have I ever minded talking with you?”

           “Normally one texts back,” Saint-Germain said dryly.

           He knew that, but what did he say to his reincarnated wife who didn’t remember him?

           His struggle for the right words was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door before it opened.

           “Pardon me, but I have what you requested.”

           Leonardo twisted to see the voice, trying to ignore the dull ache in his heart. He respected that everyone had their own choice and, to his credit, the turning hadn’t seemed to change him yet. But it still hurt a little to see Sebastian coming into the room. The pain was short lived as one of the packages in the butler’s hands was held out to him. “Me?”

           “Le Comte informed me you were likely to return so I took the liberty of purchasing more smokes and airing out your room before you arrived.”

           A short laugh left him as he took it. “Did the great ‘Comte’ tell you why I’m here?”

           Sebastian paused in handing the folded papers to Saint-Germain to look at him, his expression as dead pan as ever. “You mean you didn’t miss us, Master Leonardo?”

           The question didn’t have much inflection on it but it wasn’t meant to be brushed off. “Always do, Sebas,” he said quietly. It wasn’t a lie. Everyone here had very much become family in the time they’d spent here. But even his found family was too much and the memories got the better of him.

           “I wouldn’t wait much longer to respond, Leonardo.”

           Leonardo glanced at him, his retort dying as he saw Saint-Germain was looking over the papers in his hands with a faint frown. “Not good news?”

           Golden eyes flicked up to him and the frown dropped away to a placid smile. “Nothing to concern yourself with.”

           He didn’t believe him. Whatever was in those papers was enough to get a response out of his friend and that meant it was far more than nothing.

           Amusement grew in his gaze. “You have other things to worry about than this, Leonardo. And are you going to make her wait much longer?”

           He pursed his lips, noticing the suddenly curious look on Sebastian’s face. “Grazie, Sebas,” he said, lifting the smokes in a half salute. “Night.”

           He heard their replies but he was already out the door. His steps carried him to the balcony and he stared at the city. It was so much brighter now, it nearly hurt the eyes…but she was down there somewhere.

           Lighting a cigarillo, he took a drag before sitting down. He unlocked his phone and studied the messages. His fingers were moving before he thought about it. Never mind talking, cara mia.

           He closed his eyes as he exhaled, letting his head bump against the pillar. It was just a friendly conversation. It didn’t have to be more than that. They’d talked earlier and kept it easy. They could do that again.

           It was impossible not to look immediately at the new sound. Are you sure? I know you didn’t give me your number…

           Leonardo smiled. Always so polite. Sì. You’re fine and you have it now. That’s all that matters.

           He flicked ash off his cigarillo before sighing and typing again. He had to know. Didn’t get you in too much trouble, yeah?

           Watching, he frowned as the little typing bubble flickered in and out of existence. What was she typing for so long? Surely it wasn’t that hard to answer?

           No.

           His frown deepened at the single word that came through. There was a lie if he ever saw one. How many times had she tried to explain before deleting it? Did she think he wouldn’t know? Or did she not trust him yet to tell him the full truth?

           He had a feeling it was the last one.

           Before he could respond, he saw her typing again.

           It doesn’t matter. I had a good time and I didn’t think I would.

           That didn’t help. He wanted to know what had happened. He’d never done well with anything that had upset her and a century without her hadn’t seemed to change that. If anything, it had become worse. But it would be harder to get answers over text. He might not even get them in person. His usual tricks weren’t so acceptable to use on a stranger.

           So he needed to let it go for now.

           Leonardo mused for a moment before typing. A good time with me? It would normally be a bold question but he refused to take it back.

           Her reply was immediate. Yes 😊

           The small smiling face shouldn’t have made him soften but it did. I did too, cara mia. Been a long time since I’ve enjoyed myself like that.

           He looked out at the city again, his thoughts drifting. When was the last time? She’d still been alive…was it the meteor shower they’d watched on this very balcony? They’d been bundled in blankets against the chill in the air, him far more worried about her catching a cold at her age, but she’d been a delight to watch as it had started. He’d been utterly caught by her joy and the only meteors he’d seen had been reflected in her eyes. It had been one of the last things they’d done before….

           A frown crossed his face when he realised she hadn’t responded. He didn’t think he’d said anything wrong so had something happened? He waited, giving her the benefit of the doubt. As much as he knew about her situation, he needed to not jump to the worst answer immediately even if it was easy to do so.

           The soft chirp made him jump even though he was waiting for it. Do you really mean that?

           “Ah, Bella,” he sighed. What Saint-Germain had told him didn’t paint a good picture of her life, but to doubt he’d enjoyed his time with her when he’d tried to show it? It was a horrible contrast to what he knew her human childhood had been like. She’d told him of how loving and happy her family had been. Thinking that she’d been born into a cold vampire household hurt him. Why send her back to only put her through this kind of pain? Hadn’t the pain she’d suffered in her first life been enough?

           Yes, cara mia. I wouldn’t lie to you. Would like to do it again. He sent the message before adding, With maybe a little less dancing?

           Finishing his smoke, he put it out and sighed deeply. There was so much to consider and he didn’t know where to start. Saint-Germain had said he was focusing on the wrong parts, but he couldn’t let it go. The how and why were just as important as what was to come. Research would be limited on reincarnation but he knew he had more to think about. He knew all about courting in theory but in actual practise? His ‘courtship’ with Arabella the first time had hardly been regular and even if it had been, nearly two hundred years had passed.

           You want to go on a date?

           He wanted it with everything in him. Yes.

           So do I

           “Good,” he said softly. Small steps. They’d take this in small steps and see where it led.

           It’ll have to wait a bit…My family…I can let you know when I’m free?

           I can wait, cara mia. He’d wait forever to have her again. It wouldn’t be enjoyable, but he would do it. For her.

           Okay

           We can keep texting tho right?

           The messages came one after the other and he could practically see the hopeful look on her face. The wide eyes staring at the screen in her hands, the hint of a smile around where she’d bitten her lip, and her cheeks darkening with a flush of excitement. Wasn’t planning on stopping. Were you?

           No!!

           Leonardo grinned. Good. But it’s late, cara mia, and you had a day.

           Her response came a little slower, as if she didn’t want to agree with him or let their conversation end. It isn’t that late but…there’s still things to do tomorrow I guess.

           Get some sleep, cara mia. I’ll be here for you tomorrow.

           Okay. Good night, Leonardo

           “Dream well, Bella mia,” he whispered.

           Closing his eyes, he slumped against the pillar and tried to relax. His thoughts had been chaotic all night but he was oddly calm in this moment. Was it because he had talked to her with the promise to talk again, to see her again? Was it because she was back in his life and he’d held her again, however briefly?

           Too many questions without answers but right now he didn’t care.

           Leonardo lifted his phone again and a few taps later he had her number saved. He hesitated a moment before adding ‘Cara mia’ to the name and closing it.

           He threw one more glance at the city before pushing to his feet. He wasn’t tired at all, but he’d follow the advice he’d given her. She wasn’t the only one who had a lot to do now.

[oswaldsirius]

Once in a Lifetime

Chapter Nine: First Date

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 2861

A/N: Another Friday, another update! Hope everyone survived that last event well!

-

           “I can’t wear this!”

           “You’re wearing it.”

           “Carmella!”

           “You asked for my help, Arabella. This is my help.”

           She hadn’t expected this! Twisting in front of the mirror, she muttered, “This is too much for a first date.”

           “It really isn’t. You should see some of the things they wear in New York.”

           She had an idea from the pictures Carmella had sent her. Arabella sighed and knew there was no getting out of this. She’d been so excited when Leonardo had called-not texted-to ask her out to dinner. That excitement had turned to panic as she’d realised she had no idea what was appropriate. Turning to her sister for help, Carmella had immediately taken control of it and sent her an outfit.

           “It’s so much skin,” she muttered, staring at the deep vee of lace on her back that dipped past her waist. What little the lace did cover was pointless as it was sheer and barely cast shadows on her.

           “That’s the point, Belli. Yes, you’re showing skin but not what he’ll want. So make him mad with the want for more.”

           Arabella rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”

           Carmella frowned at her from the computer screen. “If you don’t want him to want you, what do you want, Arabella? You gave him your only dance at your new beginning. If you don’t want him to want you then what are you doing with him?”

           She stopped, staring at her sister. What she wanted? What did she want? No one had really asked her that before and she hadn’t stopped to consider it. She’d been running on pure emotion the night of her new beginning, hers and the overflow of his. Talking with him these last two weeks had done nothing to dampen that high. If anything it had merely stoked it higher. “I don’t know,” she said softly. “Being with him just feels…right. Like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I just…want to be with him. I don’t care what we’re doing.”

           Her sister was still staring and it was impossible to miss the concern there.

           “Elle?” she asked curiously.

           “You’re definitely a Cavinato,” she murmured. “When we fall, it’s fast and hard and only for one.”

           Arabella blinked. Carmella loved someone? She’d never mentioned anything about that before! But she got the feeling she shouldn’t ask. If her sister had wanted her to know, she would have told her. “Do you really think he’ll like it?” she asked.

           That seemed to shake her sister out of her memories. Carmella smiled, saying, “Arabella, if the night doesn’t end with him pinning you to something, he’s not the one for you.”

           “That’s not-Why would you say that?!”

           “You want to be with him, yeah? Well, this will be the test to see if he wants you back.” Carmella paused. “Although,” she mused, “if he’s serious he might keep his hands to himself.”

           How did that sentence make her both happy and sad at the same time? “Well-”

           “That leaves the door open for you to make the first move!”

           And the mere idea of that thrilled her.

           “Look at you,” Carmella purred, grinning. “You’re a little liar, Belli! You want him to want you! You can’t wait to get your hands on him!”

           Arabella flushed, looking away, but she didn’t deny it. She’d thought about their walk every day since it had happened. How she had held his hand for the entire hour. It had been so natural to do it she hadn’t realised what she’d done. He hadn’t seemed to mind, he certainly hadn’t stopped her. Would he stop her if she wanted to touch a little more?

           “Aw, my baby Belli Bean with her first crush.”

           “Carmella, shut up!”

           Her sister started to laugh as a knock came at the door. Arabella ignored her to open it and regretted it as soon as she did when she saw Emil. “Hi,” she said.

           He looked her over before sighing. “Carmella, really?”

           “She looks good! And there’s no time for her to get something else!”

           Arabella gave him a weak smile as he rolled his eyes.

           “Say good night, Arabella,” he said. “The car’s ready.”

           Her heart fluttered. Already?

           “Belli.”

           She turned to the computer.

           Carmella smiled softly at her. “Have fun and enjoy yourself. It’s your first date. No matter what, enjoy it.”

           “Okay,” she said quietly.

           “We’ll talk later, yeah?” Her sister paused. “Tomorrow,” she added slyly.

           Arabella made a noise, but it was drown out by Emil’s sigh. She quickly grabbed her last few things before following him. He offered her his arm as they descended the stairs.

           “You have everything?” he asked.

           “Mmhmm and my phone’s fully charged.”

           Emil chuckled. “You can’t blame me, Arabella. Your safety is my responsibility and you’re my baby sister. It doesn’t matter how old you get; that will never change.”

           They reached the foyer as he said that and she stopped to look at him. “I’ll be careful, Emil,” she promised.

           He slipped her shawl around her shoulders and took them in his hands. Her lashes fluttered as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Enjoy yourself,” he said.

           “What?” she teased. “No curfew.”

           Emil chuckled. “No curfew. You’re an adult but I would like to have breakfast with you.”

           Her face heated at the implication. “Breakfast,” she muttered. “Right.”

           He laughed again and turned her toward the door. “Get going, Arabella.”

           She grumbled as she went out the door. Her siblings were terrible and enjoying this far too much. They loved her but were utterly terrible. She walked down the stairs and smiled at Louis as he held the car door open for her. “Thank you,” she murmured.

           “Have a good night, Mademoiselle.”

           As soon as she was settled in the back of the car, she closed her eyes and made herself breathe. It was just dinner. Dinner was easy. She could do dinner. Conversation. They’d had conversations aplenty over the last two weeks. They hadn’t run out of topics yet.

           Looking out the window, she watched the lights roll by as they drove. Her thoughts calmed as she did, everything in her settling. The date would be fine. She’d had no problems with him so far and it was just a formal setting. If it didn’t work out, they could have more walks in the park.

           She smiled at that thought, curling her hands together. Maybe she’d even get to hold his hand the entire time again.

           When the car finally stopped, she waited, her heart slowly picking up speed with excitement this time. She could feel him inside, his presence as strong as if he were standing beside her. So close! All she had to do was get inside and she’d be on her first date.

           “Mademoiselle.”

           Accepting the hand extended to her, Arabella stepped out of the car and tugged her shawl closer. This was it! She murmured her thanks and tried not to flush at the indulgent smile he gave her. All of them were enjoying this a little too much.

           She pushed the thought away as she approached the door and the doorman opened it. She shivered as warmth washed over her this time and glanced around curiously.

           Art hung on the walls, some old from painters she recognised while others were newer. Gentle murmurs filled the air from those waiting in the entrance and the dining room beyond. She felt what people were around her glance at her, their gazes sliding over her, but she felt the weight of one. He’d seen her. Even though she wanted to see him, she still looked around for a moment longer. One deep breath and she turned.

           He was impossible to miss, standing near the back in his dark suit. His golden gaze was burning across the room, focused only on her. The soft lights burnished his tawny skin and stole her breath away. She barely noticed the slim cut of his suit or the way his shirt seemed to shift as he walked, sometimes red, sometimes black; all she could see was the look on his face. Wanting, hungry, yearning…lusting.

           Thanks, Carmella, she thought as he reached her and she didn’t miss how his tongue darted across his lips. “Buonosera, Leonardo,” she murmured.

           “Buonosera, Arabella,” he breathed, taking her hand to kiss the back of it.

           As amber eyes flicked back up to her, she couldn’t help her slow smile. Carmella was right; she did want him to want her.

-

           Was it possible to die from wanting someone?

           Brushing his lips over her hand, Leonardo didn’t miss the satisfied smile that curled her lips and sealed his fate. It was the smile of a woman who knew she had her partner well and truly caught. And she did. He was wholly and completely hers.

           He’d felt her arrival, a burst of warmth on his skin, a sunrise with no sun. Only her. Seeing her was akin to standing next to the sun because her shawl did nothing to hide the cut of her dress or how it clung to her.

           “Have you been waiting long?” she asked as he straightened but kept her hand.

           “No.” Even if he had, he wouldn’t tell her, but he’d only arrived shortly before her. “Shall we?”

           Her smile softened as he tucked her hand in his arm. He didn’t miss how she stepped closer to him as well. The rational part of his mind told him it was because she was cold, her dress and shawl not suited for keeping out a chill. The other part of his mind that had missed her desperately came up with an entirely different story and wanted her closer still.

           Which meant he needed to get this date moving or he might do something he shouldn’t.

           The man at the desk looked up as they approached and smiled. “Ah, Monsieur de Vries, I see your guest is as prompt as you.”

           Leonardo smiled faintly. He’d only had a short conversation with Daniel, letting him know he was merely waiting for his lady’s arrival, but the man seemed pleasant enough and willing to help with whatever he needed. Was that why Emiliano had told him to ask for him?

           “Right this way, please” Daniel said.

           “Are you sure you haven’t been here long?” Arabella whispered as they moved into the restaurant.

           “Only long enough to say I was here.”

           He wasn’t sure she believed him, but she didn’t say anything as they went upstairs. They were shown to a private dining room that had a single table set before an open balcony. Soft lights cast softer shadows across the room and gave the entire setting an intimate feel. It was personal and romantic and perfect for having a first date.

           He gently shooed the man away and pulled out Arabella’s chair for her. He waited as she settled, partly for her and mostly for him as her shawl slipped and he saw the lace back of her dress. He was struck by the smooth expanse of skin he saw, but a memory pricked at him. She’d had scars the last time he’d seen this much of her, laced all down her spine and other places only he’d been privy to. But there was nothing but smooth skin now, marred by nothing, not even the sun.

           “Leonardo?”

           Her voice shook him out of his memories and he gave her a smile when he saw her peeking over her shoulder at him. Shrugging out of his coat, he hung it up before taking his seat across from her. “Thank you,” he said as he was passed a menu.

           Arabella hummed her thanks as well before falling quiet for a moment. “De Vries?” she asked curiously once they were alone.

           A pang shot through his heart. Maybe it hadn’t been the smartest name to use tonight, but it was the only one he had used in the last century. Everything he owned was in that name. Pushing past the new surge of memories, he smiled. “Can’t use my actual name.”

           She laughed softly. “No, of course not. But why ‘de Vries’? It’s a little odd for an Italian to have a Dutch name.”

           Not that odd, but what did he tell her? He was spared having to answer immediately as Daniel came back with a pair of glasses and bottle. Leonardo frowned faintly as he watched him pour, realising what it was.

           “Oh,” Arabella said softly, looking at the Blanc as it was set in front of her.

           Daniel glanced between the two of them before a faint smile crossed his face. “Monsieur Cavinato didn’t explain, did he?” he asked quietly.

           He’d had his suspicions given how Emiliano’s instructions had been. But actually having the confirmation? “You know what we are,” Leonardo said lowly even though that was obvious given the drink.

           “I do and select others who work here,” Daniel agreed. “We are paid quite well to maintain that secret and you can rest assured none of us will speak a word of your evening.”

           “Not even to Monsieur Cavinato.”

           The smile wasn’t so faint now. “We take great pride in having the Cavinatos as patrons to our establishment, but the rules are the rules and we don’t bend them for anyone.”

            That remained to be seen but Leonardo doubted Emiliano would send his sister anywhere that he didn’t trust. He watched as the second glass was set down with the Blanc before Daniel took his leave again.

           “Do you think he really won’t tell my brother?”

           “All we can do is take him at his word, cara mia. But,” Leonardo said, thinking about it, “anywhere that knows what we are, that works with us, knows the risks of betraying that trust.”

           She seemed to consider it before reaching for the Blanc. “You didn’t answer my question,” she said quietly, swirling it around the glass. “You can count it as my question of the day if you’d like.”

           A small chuckle left him. “No, you keep that one for now. The name…It belonged to someone important to me, someone who changed my life,” he said softly, honestly. “I took it to honour them, to remember them.”

           Arabella’s brow pinched faintly and she frowned. He watched as her gaze grew distant for a moment before clearing. “They must have been truly special for you to take their name,” she said, sipping the Blanc.

           Had his words triggered something in her? Some memory? Anything? “She was.”

           Her eyes darted up before away. “Oh.”

           Damn it, no. No, that wasn’t what he wanted. Even if she had meant the world to him, had been his world, that wasn’t for here, that wasn’t for now. Reaching across the table, he caught her hand, his thumb rubbing slowly across her knuckles. “It was a long time ago,” he said quietly.

           “But you use her name still.”

           He made himself smile but her tone hurt him. “Can’t call myself da Vinci and everything I own is in the de Vries name. Might get some odd looks and a call to the police if I use someone else’s credit card in this day and age.”

           A burst of laughter left her before she smothered it. “I’m sorry,” she said, giving him a weak smile.

           “For what?” he asked in confusion.

           “That wasn’t….” She made a face and waved her free hand. “Polite?”

           It was jealousy, is what it was. He knew that look well enough to recognize it now and it was entirely misplaced. If there hadn’t been so much on the line, he would have laughed at her getting jealous over herself. “You don’t have to be polite with me, cara mia. I’ve lived a long life. There’s countless things in it you couldn’t ever be aware of.” He paused, his head cocking as she squeezed his fingers slightly. “Arabella,” he said, waiting for her to look at him.

           It took a moment before she did and he didn’t miss the way her fingers trembled this time.

           “There is nothing you can do or say that will offend me,” he said quietly, holding her gaze. “That’s not something you have to worry about.”

           “You can’t know that,” she whispered.

           “I do know that.” Leonardo smiled. “You’re young and curious, cara mia. You want to learn and I have a history with many things to learn.”

           There was a look in her eyes that made his heart ache. He couldn’t put a name to it, wasn’t sure he’d ever seen it there before, but the clouds parted for a moment to let him see what she was feeling and it stirred too many things in him. “Promise?”

           How did she manage to do this to him? Bringing her hand to his lips, he pressed a soft kiss to the back of it. “I promise, Arabella.” And I promise to never give you doubt of my feelings again. He’d done that once and it had nearly ended in disaster for them both. Never again. Even if he couldn’t tell her the full truth, he wouldn’t hide his heart from her.

-

A/N 2: The dress in question~