𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑬𝑹𝑻À

𝟎𝟖. 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, '𝐃𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨.'

A/N: Before we get started I just wanted to make clear that it is Le-an-dro and not Leanardo ahah I know it can be a bit confusing as they are so similar but that is definitely not his name thank you :))

LEANDRO:

"The cheek on that woman will be the end of me." I was right in what I said. I could bet everything I own that Chiaras attitude will sone day be the death of me. But my God, her smile isn't far off either.

She lay there, and no I'm not a pervert spying on her through cracked doors, but as I began opening it last night, I watched as she wiped that angelic smile off her lips to face me. I saw it. In love fucking action, and it's my mission to find it again.

"Sure you know all about that don't you?" I pat her black beauty, knowing that this mammoth of a horse is probably the only thing that'll cause those lips to lift right now, so it's the only thing I'll accept.

I had to refuse the favour she was so desperate for last night after our little heart to heart. But she must learn patience. They say good things come to those that wait, and although she hasn't had to wait long nowhere near the duration I was taught the virtue of patience with when I was a boy, I couldn't help it.

And if I thought it was gorgeous in a photo, then I didn't know what to expect seeing it live in the flesh. She's got great long black eyelashes protecting the storming greys that gawp at me, worlds apart from her mothers oak ones yet so similar in an eerily familiar way.

Truly, a horse radiating such health, has never stood before me like this. Shiny coat, clean fur. The care Chiara must give this horse is as clear as day. You would never guess that she's not been groomed for almost a fortnight by the way her mane is still neat and straight from when it last got combed, there's not a single knot in sight.

Not knowing much about horses apart from the basics, like avoiding walking behind it's back unless you want a leg in your chest, I was left with no option but to get Mattia to pull up some contacts of the nearest horse experts. Only one replied, and thank God for his fucked up sleep schedule or neither of us would be here right now.

He grabs he black leather saddle that was hanging up in her barn, aswell as what he informs me is a girth, bridal, and lastly the bit, and places it in the crate before loading her onto the back of the horsebox ready to be transferred home.

"All done for you." He claps his hands and I'd clap them for him too, if I cared that much. Instead I get out his payment, add an extra thousand dollars for doing the job on such short notice, and head to leave.

"Wait!" Realisation sprouts and I spin on my heels, turning back towards the Spanish male counting the bills I just gave him in awe. "Did you find her name by any chance?"

"Yes, I saw it embroidered into her saddle." He replies, adding a quick thank you for the extra cash.

"Libertà." (Freedom/liberty)

He smiles, and I mirror it because it's fucking perfect and I didn't expect anything less.

CHIARA:

The sun shines through my sheer curtains as my eyes slowly adjust to the natural light filling up my bedroom. I turn to tap my phone, intrigued by what time of the morning it is, and find the digital numbers reading 8:05. I Thank god I don't work Wednesdays at the café or I would have already been late. But do I even need to consider my weekly schedule anymore now that I'm trapped behind these four walls? Will Zoe ever see my face again?

I don't know. But trying to figure answers to questions I can't, is more exhausting than you'd imagine until you try it. So I allow my eyes to slowly shut again, but that's when I hear it.

It's a sound i'd recognise even in my sleep, so the fact that I'm half awake doesn't help my confusion. I convince myself I'm imagining things and close my eyes again, there's just no way it could be true. You're dreaming Chiara, I mean I've got to be. It's not uncommon for your mind to play into your subconscious, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time mine has tapped into mine.

I close my eyes again—tighter, as if to block out any deceiving noises until I hear it again, and I know it's her.

I practically fly out of the bed, bumping into my bedside cabinet in an attempt to miss the chest of drawers though I'm not sure how that managed to work out but it doesn't matter, because I'm scrambling towards the double glazed windows and I'm ripping apart the curtains and she's right there.

On the decking besides the pool, her reigns attached to the fencing that gates the patio steps. I grab the nearest hoodie that I had thrown on the floor last night before my shower, and shove it over my head before sprinting out of my bedroom and down the many marble steps to the hall.

After turning down a few unnecessarily long and windy corridors I finally make it to the back door, which, to my convenience, has been left open allowing a cool breeze to enter and an easy exit for me.

I scurry towards what will always be more than just my horse, slowing down as I approach her face. My arms wrap around her nose as I envelope her into to my shoulder, patting the top of her head before moving to her rest of her body, I fuss my Libertà with large strokes in every direction.

I'm not sure you're long I stayed there appreciating something I should have never dared taking for granted, before travelling around to the left side of her, where unknown to me last a piece of paper peeking out just underneath her saddle.

I give it a yank too hard, almost tearing it in two before finally managing to read the short sentence inked in black pen, and all of the hatred that lingered towards Leandro for not allowing me to come visit her suddenly disappears into the thin air surrounding us.

'I said you couldn't go to her, but I never said she couldn't come to you.'

—De Santo"

A/N: please vote <3

Also I just wanted to clarify incase anyone's confused that Leandro and "De Santo" are the same person that's just his surname which Chiara once addressed him with so it's an ongoing thing!!

Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and remember today is the day she has to decide!!

EDITED:
January 2024