"Leonardo," drawled a voice from the door, "has anyone told you how astonishingly gorgeous you are?"

The artist froze mid-stroke on the painting and turned around to see Ezio leaning against the doorframe, a lazy smirk on his face.

"Ezio?" He inquired in confusion, knitting his brows together.

In the blink of an eye, the assassin swept across the room and wrapped his arms around Leonardo's waist, nestling his chin in the crook of the artist's neck.

"Yes, bello?" He purred, pulling the brush out of the blond's grip and lacing their fingers together.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Leonardo stuttered.

"Relax, Leonardo," Ezio told him with a chuckle, "I am not going to hurt you."

It was then that a hot breath swept past Leonardo's cheek and he smelled the traces of wine.

"Ezio, have you been drinking?"

"Mmmmperhaps," he replied nonchalantly. Leonardo pried his hand from Ezio's grip and pulled away, turning around to glare at him.

"Alcohol dilutes the senses, Ezio," he explained. The assassin huffed.

"Nonsense. It certainly does not make you less beautiful, mio caro," Ezio said, pulling the artist to him again.

Leonardo sighed in agitation, but allowed Ezio to try and pull him into a slow dance.

"It's what's making you think I'm beautifu-"

"Think?" Ezio interrupted. "I do not think that you are beautiful, Leonardo. I know that you are."

Leonardo tried his hardest to quell the fluttering in his stomach.

"I hope you will not remember this in the morning," he said exasperatedly, "else you will be rather embarrassed."

"I could never be embarrassed about loving you, Leonardo."

The artist froze.

"I - what?" He spluttered.

"Hmm?" Ezio drew back and looked at Leonardo confusedly.

"Ezio, you have had too much to drink," he said shortly.

The assassin laughed and waved his hands about. "Nonsense! I am in perfectly the right state of mind!"

Leonardo frowned.

"I have to finish this painting, Ezio," he exclaimed, not up to dealing with a drunken assassin parading around telling him he was beautiful and that he loved him.

"Oh."

Ezio sounded disappointed.

"...do I have to leave?" He asked.

"As long as you are quiet, you may stay."

The younger man immediately lit up.

"Thank you, Leonardo," he said before leaning in and giving the artist a soft kiss on the cheek. Leonardo forced himself to roll his eyes as Ezio pulled back, grinning. He stalked over to Leonardo's work desk and plopped down in a chair.

After two hours of silence, the commission was finished. Leonardo turned to see Ezio asleep, arms sprawled across the desk. He couldn't help the smile that came to his lips. He approached him and ran a finger through Ezio's dark tresses.

"You are the beautiful one, amore," he exclaimed quietly before turning on his heel to grab a blanket. He almost jumped out of his skin when Ezio grabbed his hand.

"Leonardo," he mumbled, trying to thread their fingers together. The artist held his hand and knelt beside the chair, looking at Ezio curiously. "Stay."

His gaze softened and he sighed.

"Va bene, Ezio," he whispered before stepping around to the other side of the desk and taking a seat, still holding Ezio's hand.

Leonardo fell asleep that way.

It would be a lie to say that he wasn't disappointed when he woke up to the sight of his empty workshop. In his fingers that had been intertwined with Ezio's was a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it eagerly.

Leonardo,

I apologize for showing up at your workshop inebriated. It seemed I needed some liquid courage. Thank you for not kicking me out onto the street as well. I will see you soon, mio amico.

PS: You truly are beautiful, Leonardo.

PPS: I speak the truth when drunk. It is not possible for me to be embarrassed about loving you.

Leonardo smiled.