A game, or real life? (Ezio x reader)

There cannot be happiness without grief

"Tell me, old friend..." I began, smiling tenderly as I sat by Yusuf's side out beneath the refreshing shadow of a tree, swiftly earning his attention. "What do plan to do now?"

"I am afraid certainty isn't written in stone at the moment." Yusuf shrugged, letting out a soft laugh in the process. "But I am happy. I really am." his gaze drifted away towards the open living room window, where I could make out the silhouettes of Aurora and Ezio. "Aurora has been helping Leandro lead the Brotherhood masterfully, and I try to help in any way I can with the recruits. Oh, (y/n), she is such an incredible woman, and I am honored to call her my wife, but...I miss Konstantinnye." he said honestly, letting out a soft sigh as he leaned his head back against the tree.

"You had never planned on staying, hadn't you...?" I softly asked, placing my hand over his.

"No...not in a million years..." he shook his head. "I hadn't expected to get attached...not so quickly, at least."

"Well, I doubt she would want to leave before a year goes by." I shrugged. "Not with your baby on the way."

"Evet (Yes)..." his lips curled into a soft smile. "It was worth it...everything we went through in Konstantinnye was worth it. I still cannot believe that in only a few months, I will be a father..."

"Better get used to it." I giggled softly. "And by all means, enjoy it while you can. You don't even realize how fast they grow 'till they're all grown up."

"What were Leandro and Aurora like as babies?" Yusuf asked with a soft smile as he finally turned his head to look at me.

"They were...an interesting bunch." I couldn't help but giggle at the memory. "They'd always do everything together. They wouldn't sleep without each other's company; they wouldn't eat if they couldn't see each other. They'd cry pretty often during their first...5 months. But after that, they started to sleep longer. Seeing them grow is the most gratifying part of it all. I remember when they started walking, I'd go back to training while Claudia would watch over them. And wherever Aurora went, Leandro followed."

"Yes, and it seems that they haven't changed." Yusuf chuckled. "But they love each other. That much is clear."

"Si..." my gaze softened. "That, they do." That, they do...

1519 came rushing in, marked by a particularly rough winter that had everyone worried sick. Our vines took quite a hit, but honestly, I couldn't give two shits about that. Not when my husband was sick in bed, coughing uncontrollably. A chest infection, il dottore (the doctor) had said. And this was not a pretty one. He spent several weeks stuck in bed, waking himself up at night with coughing fits that got me rushing downstairs to the kitchen to grab him some water. By now I had learned the lesson, and constantly kept a stash of fresh water in our bedroom should he ever need it. Even after the infection had passed and his fever had settled, he still suffered from coughing fits that left him winded and in pain. For our next harvest, we knew we'd need more people to help out, since Ezio wouldn't be able to work as hard, no matter how much he'd protest against it.