Taking place some time after The Jar, Ezio and Leonardo continue to explore their relationship.

[Sexual references and some Italian curse words.]

It was the sweltering heat of summer, and it seemed all of Venezia were suffering, desperately trying to escape the suffocating heat. The buildings became sunburnt, with the wild ivy that grew along the stone walls dying, brown and wilting; the dark maroon of the roofing tiles faded to an uneven shade, somewhere between khaki and moccasin. The once muddy path that covered the streets was dry and crumbly, heated to the extent of evaporation. Those who dared to venture outside were forced to walk along the shadows of the buildings, or otherwise suffer burning feet and blisters. Even the wandering minstrels who normally paraded down the streets trading their music for coin retreated to the darker, cooler alleyways rarely wandered by busy city people, instead of their usual main street habitations. Yes, it seemed all of Venezia was trying their best to escape the choking heat of summer. All but two men, however, who were confidently riding out of the city, to the untouched, wide open fields of the countryside.

"Ezio, how much further?" moaned a sweaty Leonardo da Vinci, whose simple, brown mare was walking slowly, hanging it's head and panting from the thick cloud of sticky humidity, noticeably far behind the proud, white stallion that rode ahead; seemingly content, unbothered by the sun.

Ezio had decided to take this particular summer day off from his regular duties to enjoy the warmth and the sunshine, however strong it may be. He knew of a secret place far from the city where he would take Leonardo for the day, where they could be away from their regularly demanding schedules and the two men could be alone to cool off, unnoticed by officials and accusing eyes.

"Do not worry, amico mio, it is not far now" shouted the assassin in return, who was dressed, not in his usual white hooded cloak and armour, but a simple pair of trousers, black greaves, and black vest, wielding a single long sword in his scabbard. He was an assassino, after all. "Don't tell me you can't handle this heat, Leonardo?" Cocky.

The dehydrated artist opened his mouth to rebut, but was cut off by the sounds of Ezio's booming laughter. Leonardo smiled before his lighter, softer chuckling accompanied the loud guffaws that rumbled from deep inside Ezio's belly, making absolutely no effort to hold back whatsoever.

"But in all honesty, Ezio," Leonardo continued once the laughter had subdued, "how is it that you are able to just sit there and ride? Does this heat not bother you? Are you not the least bit uncomfortable?" he enquired as his horse slowly began to catch up to the other, thanks to the refreshing breeze picking up through the trees. "And the burning!" he complained, glancing down to his now glowing red forearms. Spending almost all his time inside his workshop, Leonardo's skin was nowhere near as tanned or tolerant of the sun as Ezio's perfect olive skin. The artist watched as he pressed his index finger to his arm, leaving behind an oval of white in the shape of his fingertip beneath his skin that quickly refilled with red, wincing as he did.

"I guess I'm just used to it", explained the assassin, "Unlike you, you see, I do not spend my days inside a workshop bent over a desk" he laughed as he leaned over the gap between the two horses and patted his best friend on the shoulders.

Leonardo rolled his eyes, turning away shyly as a soft red filled his already pink, sun-kissed cheeks.

The two men continued to ride in silence before Ezio pulled on his horse's reins, pulling it sharply to the right, off the path and trotting up a hill into the wild scrub.

Leonardo hesitated. "Where are we going? Can we not just stick to the path?"

The assassin groaned, pulling his horse around to face the other man. "Not unless you want to get to our destination, amico mio. Now come on, the sooner we leave the path, the sooner we'll arrive and I promise you can cool down there" he pledged, staring into Leonardo's tired, hard eyes that softened as he Ezio smiled.

"Tutto bene" sighed Leonardo, commanding his horse to follow the other with a swift tug of the reins. "But you'd better not get us lost, though" he teased.

Some time later, as the two men continued to ride through bushed and tree-lined fields under the scorching sun for what seemed to be hours, Leonardo decided to begin conversation again, in attempt to pass the time. "Ezio, I just realised something," he announced.

"Sì compagno?"

"The clothing you are wearing. I have not seen you wear it since the first time we met."

"Ah. I was much younger then. Much thinner too." Laughed Ezio, patting his stomach, which was not fat at all, simply thicker from muscle build up. Being an assassino, it was mandatory that he keep fit and strong, subsequently providing him with a 6 pack of perfectly carved muscles.

"Well I still think you're perfect" muttered the blushing artist under his breath, too soft for Ezio to hear.

"Cosa?" Ezio turned his head around to face Leonardo, one eyebrow raised.

"Er, nothing" mumbled Leonardo as he rode on, his head turned away shyly, hurriedly attempting to changing the subject. "So, why is it, Ezio that I am not allowed to know about our destination?"

"Well, it is a complicated matter," Ezio shrugged, "the only people who know of this place are the Auditore. I do not know why, exactly, but my father always told me never to bring anyone here, but those closest to me, whom I trust."

"Gracie, Ezio. I am truly honoured" smiled the artist, "but why all this secrecy?"

"It is our place of peace. It is where we may be away from our lives. An escape." Leonardo leant in inquisitively, closer towards the assassin, slightly over the gap between their horses. "It is hard to describe. You will understand when we arrive."

"Non vedo l'ora" smiled Leonardo excitedly. The idea of going to an untouched, secret land, unknown to anyone else, a place where disapproving eyes could not see - and with Ezio - was almost overwhelming for the artist, finding himself light headed from the anticipation. He felt compelled to pinch himself, to be sure that he was not dreaming; that this perfect situation was real. However, by this time, he had completely forgotten about the glowing, red burn on his arms, which quickly - painfully - reminded Leonardo of its presence. A high pitched yelp, the cry of regret, thrusting out of his lungs, Leonardo gritted his teeth, sucking in a pained hiss.

"Cazzo, Leonardo!" Ezio called, frustrated and embarrassed from the sudden fright of Leonardo's painful cry. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What happened?"

"Mi dispiache. It's nothing, really. I just forgot about the burns on my arms. I remember now, of course." Leonardo admitted, holding up his left hand to Ezio, which now had two white ovals pressed into the skin, with a reddening mark developing between them.

"Oh Leo," Ezio sighed with relief, chuckling at their silliness, "you will be the death of me".

"Ah-ha! We are here!" Announced a relieved Ezio, who was finally beginning to feel the thick, disabling heat of the glaring afternoon sun as it flooded his lungs; surrounding his body in a blanket of discomfort.

Observing his surroundings, Leonardo could not help but feel slightly confused. On his right, a steep cliff face masked behind rows of trees and bushes towered over them, threatening to crush them, and green pastures slowly dying, browning to his left. "We are?" he asked eyebrows furrowed in perplexity.

An amused chuckle rumbled from Ezio's throat in response, before the assassin dismounted his horse, leading it closer towards the cliff face by the reins.

"We're going to climb the cliff?" Leonardo said with wide eyes and a shaking hand, his heart pumping harder from the intimidating challenge.

"No, no, no, amico mio," reassured Ezio, pressing his palm to his forehead, "come, you'll see".

With the lead in his left hand, Ezio pushed through the trees and bushes to reveal the dark red, crumbling and broken away surface of the cliff, which blended into an odd brown sphere, hardly noticeable before close inspection.

To his amazement, the boulder was removed with what seemed to be minimal effort on Ezio's part before the artist's eyes, who could not help but stare in awe at his best friend's strength and charisma.

"Prego" he gestured towards the wide gap in the cliff, serving as an entrance to what Leonardo could see as a clearing where two mountains had not met, with light filtering down from the gaps in the trees onto the soft, green grass, hidden from the harsh sun rays by the shade of the canopy. The sounds of rushing water in the distance coming to a crescendo as the horse beneath the flabbergasted artist trotted cautiously through the opening.

"Dio mio, Ezio!" he breathed, taking in as much of the clearing's beauty as he could. "It's absolutely breathtaking!" As his horse reached the end of the opening, stepping out into the cool, shaded glade, his eyes were drawn to the white, foaming waterfall, which flowed into a gentle catchment with waves gracefully lapping at the water's edge. The sight and the sound made the artist's heart flutter, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment as crisp air gently drifted through the trees, bringing him and his exhausted mare welcome shiver of relief.

Ezio, who was now catching up to Leonardo after ensuring to close off the entrance enough to allow a re-exit later on, simply smiled at his friend's pleasing reaction before leading his horse to a suitable resting spot, tying off the reins to a thick tree branch.

"Si, it is beautiful" he said with a sigh of content.

Following Ezio's lead, Leonardo dismounted his horse and pulled it towards a similar area where he, too, tied the reins to a branch before stroking her thick black mane, resting his forehead between here deep eyes.

"Grazie, my girl," he whispered gently, "hai fatto bene".

After offering his horse an apple and chuckling as she greedily wolfed it down, Leonardo turned around to continue observing his surroundings, only to be greeted by a semi-naked Ezio, stripped down to his breeches and nothing more, standing closer than the artist anticipated. Smirking at his startled friend, Ezio gestured toward the crystal clear waters of the catchment with arms outstretched.

"Ezio! I, er – you're naked!" Stumbled a now very embarrassed Leonardo, whose cheeks had instantly flooded from the sight, the blood burning under his skin.

"Not entirely …" Ezio teased, grinning as he pulled at the side of his breeches, tugging them down to his hip bone. "So, will you be joining me in the water any time soon, amico mio?"

Dumbstruck by distraction, Leonardo could not answer as the situation played out in his mind: There was Ezio; a tanned, muscular shape that could rightfully belong to a god, and then there would be himself; a pale, thin painter with no muscle mass whatsoever, and now with embarrassing red burn lines reaching midway up his forearm before abruptly changing to white. He couldn't possibly allow Ezio to see him in such a state, not without looking like a fool.

"Er, no, I don't think so. I'll just in the shade and enjoy the environment. I may even take down some sketches, perhaps…"

"Don't be preposterous, Leonardo!" Ezio groaned, disappointed with his friend's choice, "you will melt!"

"I am not concerned about the heat, Ezio," he retorted, "and if I get too hot, I will simply remove some layers of clothing".

Ezio snorted. "Really, Leonardo, you would rather sit there in this heat drawing than join me in the water?"

Leonardo desperately wanted to say no, but he couldn't possibly let Ezio see him in such a state. What if he laughed?

"Yes, Ezio, I will be fine. I'm sure the shade will suffice. See, I'm feeling better already!" He lied.

Disappointed, Ezio said nothing before marching towards the water's edge, dropping down onto the grass in a childish fashion with arms crossed, dangling his feet in the water, "If you're not going in the water, then neither am I!" he protested.

Leonardo groaned. Ezio could be so difficult sometimes. "You do not have to make that sacrifice for me, Ezio. I said I would be fine."

"No, I wouldn't have to," he rebutted, "but it looks like I'm going to until some cretino engineer changes his mind!"

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "As you wish," he said as he removed his hat and over-shirt, swapping them in his satchel for his sketch book, and joining Ezio on the water's edge. "This cretino engineer has made up his mind" he teased.

Ezio sighed. Lying on the grass, arms folded behind his head, kicking at the water, he was bored. Being unable to swim, thanks to Leonardo's mix of low-self esteem and stubbornness seemed to be killing him. It became apparent to Leonardo that he was trying to gain his attention, after several deep, exaggerated sighs.

Rolling his eyes, the artist carefully placed his paint brush on the board of paints before lifting his gaze from the splashes of blue and green on the page before him to very, very bored assassin.

"Ezio, I'm not going to change my mind," he confirmed, crossing his arms, "so please, do not waste the time you have here. Go have some fun." He gestured towards the water, smiling reassuringly.

Ezio groaned. He did not like admitting defeat, but the choking heat was becoming overwhelming, so the assassin sat up from his lying position nonetheless. "You're sure?"

"Si, si, amico!"

Leonardo struggled to hide a relieved smile as he reached for his brush once more to continue is painting of the glade, while his friend stood up from the edge of the water.

The smile faded to a thin line, however, when he noticed the assassin scaling the uneven, slippery rocks of the waterfall.

"I said have fun, not break your neck!" he called to his dare-devil of a friend, worried and shaken by the possible outcome which saw the death of the Auditore boy. Auditore, Leonardo repeated, reminding himself of his friend's strength and ability. He had climbed the tallest steeples in Italia and not once misplaced his footing. He selflessly volunteered to leap off a tower in order to test his flying machine and, despite the machine crashing down to the canals of Venezia, the assassin escaped with minimal cuts and bruises. He had confidently taken on numbers of guards at a time while trying to escape from a deed, with some wielding such weapons as axes and spears. If he had managed to complete all these tasks, surely he could manage a few rocks, the artist reassured himself.

However, he immediately renounced his words as he watched the young man lose his grip and fall 100 feet, helplessly, into the water.

"Ezio!" Leonardo screamed, dropping his notebook and brushes beside him before fanatically rushing to where he had fallen, leaning on all fours as close to the water as he could without falling. "Ezio?" He repeated, panicking as several ideas rushed through his mind, too fast to grasp - leaving him blank and shaking in distress when the assassin failed to resurface.

Out of ideas, the engineer finally gave up trying to think logically and launched himself into the water, ignoring the pressure of the water as it filled his ears and nose. The immense dread disrupting his co-ordination, Leonardo found himself flailing around in the water, desperately searching for his friend through the violent rush of disrupted water, all the while trying to stay beneath the surface.

There, sinking lower towards the surprisingly deep floor of the water, Leonardo finally spotted Ezio, whose limp body resembled that of a corpse, causing him to panic further. Preparing to dive, the artist realized one fatal error he was absentmindedly making: he was forgetting to breathe, and now the lack of air was burning his lungs, making him progressively dizzy. Quickly, the artist darted for the surface, where the sound of his own jagged breaths pierced the tranquillity of the glade; the men's horses jolting their heads from their relaxed, grazing position towards the catchment. With a sufficient supply of air, Leonardo dived back into the depths of the water, grabbing Ezio's arm and pulling him to the surface as fast as his arms and legs would allow.

Soaked through and exhausted, Leonardo dragged himself out of the water, Ezio still in his grasp. His body demanded him to collapse on to the grass, shaking with aches and strains, caused by the pressure of the water against his struggling body. The pain and fatigue were so sever that even crawling became difficult, but Leonardo's mind was determined to continue. So, armed with his knowledge of medical practice and his aspiration for Ezio's safety, Leonardo staggered to his friend's limp body. Remembering the instructions he had read about, he first turned Ezio to his side, where water and saliva drained from his lungs and throat, before rolling him to his back and hesitantly straddling his waist. The close proximity to his friend, combined with the unusual touching which, under any other circumstance, would be deemed unacceptable, acted as a distraction for the artist, blurring the once-clear instructions he was desperately trying to recall.

Forcing himself to concentrate, Leonardo began pumping his chest with his hands, counting in his mind, uno, due, tre, over and over, until the step he was dreading became necessary: forcing air into his lungs by means of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Come on, Leonardo, he said to himself, you can do it. It's only a medical procedure. Dio mio, concentrate, you fool!

Closing his eyes, the artist-turned-doctor took a deep breath, pursing his lips in preparation, entering a state of heavy concentration he found necessary for the self-control he needed to achieve in order to take the plunge.

Of course, being in such a state, Leonardo was totally unprepared for the feeling of another pair of lips pressed against his own, and he was certainly not prepared for the body beneath his own to shift into a dominant crouch, forcing him down onto the grass.

"You know, for a doctor as skilled as yourself, you really like to take your time", Ezio whispered, stroking the older man's cheek before returning his own lips to their rightful position against those of the artist, who was now frozen in place from shock.

"E-Ezio, you're alive!" Leonardo managed to choke out, speaking against the soft warmth of Ezio's kiss.

"Si" the assassin replied, too preoccupied for any other response.

"And you're kissing me!" the artist finally realized after he regained control of his body, pushing weakly against the assassin's bare chest. The shock had come so quickly, it was hard for Leonardo to understand what was happening, let alone what he wanted.

"Si," Ezio repeated. "Do you want me to stop?" He asked playfully, as he rolled over and propped himself onto his elbow, allowing the man beneath him to sit up and catch his breath.

"I saw you!" Leonardo ignored Ezio's question. "Ezio, I saw you fall! You should be dead!"

"You sound disappointed", the assassin teased, reaching out with his free arm and taking Leonardo's soft hand in his own callused grasp; tracing the lines of his palm with his forefinger, leaving a trail of kisses along the red burns of his forearm.

"No, no!" The artist stuttered, struggling to find the right words, "I… you…" he managed to squeak out before the interruption of Ezio's soft lips moving against his own once again, his hand cupping the back of Leonardo's head as he rocked him back down on the grass. "Ezio, wait!" he breathed, forcing the assassin off his chest, "why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean, 'why'?"

"I am a man, Ezio!" Leonardo debated, trying desperately to fight the exhaustion that seemed to be taking over his body, urging him to give in to the sleep he desired.

"You don't think I am aware of that?" chuckled the assassin, brushing a damp lock of Leonardo's hair behind his ear.

"But why are you doing this?"

"Leo," Ezio sat up, fidgeting with the cord on his breeches, "you are my closest friend and, after my mother and sister, there is no-one I trust more than you," he smiled, taking the artist's hand. "And it occurred to me recently that I would not be the same man I am today, if it weren't for you, amico mio".

"Ezio, I-" Leonardo began, only to be interrupted by Ezio's finger, pressed to his lips.

"Please, Leo, do not try to protest. Do not think me ignorant of the way you act when I'm around, the stuttering and the shyness, and the way you look at me when you think I cannot see. Not to mention the way you blush when you look me in the eyes," Ezio grinned as the artist shivered beneath the touch of his caress. "I have known you far too long not to recognize the way you feel, and don't think I don't know all about your little relationship with that pupil of yours. What was his name? Salai?"

"Ezio!" barked Leonardo, who, growing seemingly uncomfortable by the assassin's accusation, sat up from the ground, pushing Ezio aside with his newly found adrenaline as the result of his frustration and anger. "Salai and I, we were friends, and nothing more. I hardly think your take on the story is at all accurate, nor verified," he said sternly.

"And so your sodomy charge in 1476 was what, a misunderstanding?" Rebutted Ezio, who was now purposely treading dangerous waters. He seemed to enjoy pushing the Leonardo's buttons.

Shocked and outraged, Leonardo pushed the assassin to the ground, only for him to rock back to his feet, laughing.

"How do you know about that?" he demanded, his body shaking from the rage and exhaustion as his heart pounded in his chest.

Ezio shrugged. "I am an assassino, if I can find a page of the Codex, I can find your court records," he concluded, winking.

"So you've been spying on me?" Leonardo was truly outraged, contemplating the consequences of slapping an assassin across the face.

"Not necessarily. I'd call it 'running a background check'".

"And how long have you been taking these 'background checks'?"

"Since we became friends… Since you became more than a friend," Ezio gently cupped Leonardo's face in his hand in an attempt to soothe and calm the angry engineer. "You were always so fascinating, and I felt like I could never figure you out, so to speak".

"Oh Ezio", Leonardo sighed, patting the assassin's hand, "you idiota, you could have just asked me if you wanted to know more, instead of sneaking around like this! You know I would tell you anything, amico mio".

"Perhaps some things, Leo, but not all," Ezio muttered grimly, shying away from the artist to hide his pinked cheeks.

"È così?" Leonardo raised an eyebrow. "What were you so unable to ask that you were forced to resort to spying?"

Unexpectedly, the assassin leapt at the other man from his seat on the ground, forcing his back against a tree as his callused hand trailed from Leonardo's chest to his pants, grasping at the belt, pulling him closer to his own body, pressing their foreheads together.

"Whether you wanted to get into my pants or not", Ezio grinned, as Leonardo's body twitched and shivered involuntarily to the closeness to he half-naked man grinding against him, his cheeks burning with lust.

His voice was hoarse and broken when he spoke. "Questions… within… reason!"

"You said I could ask you anything", Ezio reminded flushed Leonardo, nipping his bottom lip with his teeth.

"This doesn't exactly count as asking!" Leonardo cried when the assassin pressed against him, pushing him harder into the tree, using his open mouth as a chance to taste his tongue with his own.

"No matter," Ezio grinned as he pulled away, hot and sweating from the experience. "It seems I already have my answer", gesturing towards Leonardo's groin, which had grown thick and inflamed from the passion, fighting against the material of his breeches. Teasing, the assassin gently pinched at the bulge, chuckling at the other man who jerked and sputtered a curse.

Leonardo was slowly losing the battle. The heat, his exhaustion and now his arousal were dragging him down. He wanted Ezio to stop, but he longed for him to continue. His mind and body were teaming up against him, it seemed, and it wasn't long before he gave in; pulling the assassin close to him, kissing him with open lips, his tongue desperately lashing into his lover's mouth as he grinded their hips together.

"Si, Ezio," he breathed into the assassin's mouth. "I do, and always have, wanted you. I didn't realize that you wanted me!"

"Of course I do, Leo," Ezio's voice was breaking. "And right now, I want you more than ever!" He tugged desperately at the other man's pants, forcefully yanking them down to his ankles, liberating his flesh.

Unfortunately, at that moment, the lustful sound of heavy pants and groans were disrupted by, what seemed to be a high-pitched war cry, followed by the blast of water rocketing into the sky.

"Did you two stronzos honestly think you could sneak off out of town without being followed?" Rosa chuckled, pulling herself out of the water, her jet black hair hanging down over her eyes from the weight of the water.

However, as she stood up and flicked her hair back, she found herself instantly regretting her decision to follow the two men. There, standing before her was a shirtless Ezio, drenched in water and sweat, and a blushing Leonardo with his pants around his ankles; both frozen in shock.

"Dio mio!" Rosa screamed as the two men scrambled to hide their dirty deeds. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Rosa!" Leonardo yelped, urgently pulling up his pants to cover himself. "This is, er, not what it looks like!"

"I'm sure it's not," Rosa rolled her eyes, turning away to avoid increasing the awkwardness by staring. "Obviously, Ezio was just 'examining' you," she taunted sarcastically.

"Rosa!" Ezio shouted angrily. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Rosa smirked.

"We're just… swimming," Ezio declared as sternly and seriously as he could, despite his voice breaking as a result of the embarrassment, much like it did when he was a mere boy of 16, whose mother had found him in his room, watching the courtesans dance and flaunt outside his window, enjoying it perhaps a little too much.

"And so am I, stupido. Except I don't end my swimming with fellati-"

"ROSA!"

"What?" She snapped. "I'm just speaking the truth".

"We weren't… It wasn't… that!" The assassin snarled.

Slowly, the young thief made her way over to Leonardo's horse – who was calmly grazing at the grass – and petted her ears and mane. "Then what was it, hm?" She teased as she looked back at the two men.

"It was none of your business, that's what!" Ezio was furious; his voice rumbled and his body shook as he marched toward the girl. Missing out on his chance to have Leonardo had not put him in a good mood whatsoever, and it was all the fault of the girl standing before him. "Now, levati dalle palle!"

Leonardo had seldom seen the assassin in such a state before – whenever he visited his workshop, he was either seeking medical aide or had another Codex page in need of decoding – and this new ferocious side terrified him.

"Ezio," he said, slowly placing a cool hand between the assassin's shoulder blades in an attempt to calm him. "Please, calm down, before you hurt somebody," he pleaded.

Ezio sighed. "I'm sorry, Leo. I didn't mean to blow up like that. It's just this puttana so easily gets on my nerves!"

"Hey!"

"What are you doing here, anyway, Rosa?" Leonardo questioned, tying the cord that held up his pants into a tight knot. He was definitely making sure they will not be pulled down so easily next time.

"I told you before: You can't expect to run away unnoticed without the fabulous Rosa finding out". Rosa claimed, taking up an overdramatic stance, her left hand sitting on her hip with her right occupying the back of her head. It was no secret that she had her narcissistic moments. "But maybe you didn't hear me over your little… 'experiment'".

"So you were spying on us?" Ezio ignored the snide comment. "You little ratta!"

"It's not so fun being spied on, is it, Ezio?" Leonardo crossed him arms, chuckling at the coincidence and ignoring the scorning look splayed across Ezio's face.

"Rosa is a woman of many talents," she shrugged. "You boys should know that by now".

"Yes, I am aware of that," Ezio groaned. He had heard the same lecture concerning Rosa's 'abilities' several times in the past, and was growing sick and tired of them. "Tell me, is being a loud-mouthed, annoying little girl another one of your 'talents'?" Smoothly dodging the fist flying towards his jaw with a swift step to the right, causing the thief to stumble and fall back into the water.

"Figlio di puttana!" She cursed as she resurfaced; her voice drowned out by the assassin's rumbling laughter.

Rosa was a pretty girl, Leonardo decided; however she would be so much more attractive if she did not boast the mouth of a sailor. He rarely swore himself – only on the odd occasion around his workshop should he accidentally hit or cut his fingers, or out of the frustration of being unable to open something as simple as a jar.

"Bastardo! You won't be laughing when I cut off your pene, stronzo!" Rosa ranted, pulling herself out of the water.

"I'd rather you didn't," Ezio laughed half-heartedly, slowly shaking his head.

"Oh yes," Rosa grinned, "I don't want to deny poor Leonardo of any fun" she smirked, gesturing to the artist as he smacked his forehead with his palm before hopelessly slumping to the ground.

Rosa saw that Leonardo was tired. With a sigh, she diverted her attention away from the bastardo assassin – she would simply have to get her revenge later – and slipped down to join him.

"Look, Leonardo. I think you are a wonderful, kindhearted man," she smiled as she lifted his chin to meet her gaze, "but for someone so smart, you can be such a stupido!" She flicked his nose with her dainty finger. Leonardo flinched. "However, if you're happy, I'm happy," she humbly declared, wrapping her drenched arms around his neck in a reassuring hug. "Even if it is Ezio, of all the men you could've fallen in love with".

Leonardo smiled and laughed. "Gracie, Rosa. You are a true friend".

The three lay in the clearing beneath the stars, basking in the warmth of the bonfire - masterfully constructed by Leonardo, who had already succumbed to a deep, desperately needed sleep - the elegant, orange flames danced and cracked in the night air as crickets and cicadas played their songs to the moon.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Ezio."

"What do you mean?" Ezio asked, rolling to his side.

"I mean Leonardo's not just some courtesan worth a few florins. You can't just play with him and leave".

Ezio blushed. "I don't want to just… play with him…"

"Except for today" Rosa grinned cheekily before feeling the force of a clump of mud being thrown at her face.

"For the last time, we didn't do anything!" Ezio folded his arms out of frustration, huffing.

"But much to your dismay, no?" For once - to Ezio's surprise - Rosa was being serious. Sitting up and wiping the dirt from her cheek, she placed her petite hand on the assassin's shoulders, assuringly.

"No thanks to y- NO!" Ezio stumbled, shaking Rosa off before standing up. "We are not having this discussion!"

"Come now, Ezio. There's nothing to be ashamed of," Rosa smirked impishly, chasing after him. "Just because he is a man, it doesn't mean you can't have feelings for him. Why is it so hard for you to just say it?"

"Say what?" Ezio snapped, turning away to hide his flushed cheeks.

"You love him," she giggled.

Resting his forehead in his palm, Ezio groaned before slumping to the ground to dangle is legs in the cool water.

Seeking the opportunity, Rosa beamed as she began to dance around the flushed assassin, singing, "You love him! You love him! You really, really love him!"

"Okay, that's enough now".

"You love him! You love him!" she continued, ignoring Ezio's request.

"Rosa, stop it".

"You really, really love him!"

"Rosa! Testa di cazzo, cut it out!" Ezio shouted, grabbing the thief's ankles, knocking her to the ground.

Despite the fall, however, Rosa continued humming the same basic tune, mocking the assassin as she waved her fingers in the air in time to the melody.

"Alright! Alright! I love him, okay? With my heart and soul, I love him more than anything in the world, and I wish it could be easier for us to be together, and that it didn't risk his life and happiness, but it's so hard, especially with someone like me, and I'm sure it would be easier not to care if he wasn't so special to me!" Ezio harangued as he paced angrily before breathing a heavy, sympathetic sigh. "I want to spend my life with him, and not have to worry about anything else in the world, but if being together could hurt him, I'll have to find the strength to let him go. I just want him to be happy…"

"I will always be happy, Ezio," Leonardo declared as he appeared out of the trees, his cheeks tickled pink, "so long as I have you in my life".

"Leo!" The assassin yelped, surprised by the artist's appearance, immediately turning his head down to stare at his feet and running his hand through his hair in an attempt to hide his embarrassed, flushed face. "I, er, I didn't realize we woke you, amico mio".

Slowly, Leonardo made his way to the bashful assassin with arms wide open. "To be honest, I'm glad you did," he said, pulling Ezio close into a grand hug; breathing in his scent. "Ti amo anche," he whispered sweetly into the other man's ear, smiling as he shivered under his warm breath, taking the opportunity to press their lips together.

"Ahem?" Rosa coughed. Being present, once again, while her two friends shared their passion became increasingly awkward. If they had any courtesy at all, they could at least wait until she had left, she thought.

Both Ezio and Leonardo abruptly pulled away from their kiss, blushing.

"Oh, er, sorry Rosa" Leonardo apologized. He was still a little overwhelmed by the fluttering of his heart and the butterflies in his stomach that he found it hard to concentrate, let alone construct dignified sentances.

"No, no," Rosa condescendingly dismissed, waving her hand through the air. "I was just leaving".

"Oh, well, in that case I wish you a safe journey home, amico," Leonardo couldn't help but feel slightly relieved - knowing he would now have some alone time with Ezio - as he happily gave Rosa a departing hug.

"Ciao,Ezio," Rosa called, still embraced in Leonardo's embrace. His hugs were always very warm, but always a little too long for comfort.

"Arrivederci" Ezio replied indifferently, anxious to return to Leonardo; to his caress. "Oh and Rosa?" he abruptly called, realizing a last-minute thought.

"Si?"

"Not a word of this to Antonio, or any of the other thieves, bene?"

"Oh don't worry, amico mio, your secret is safe with me". Rosa promised, grinning slyly with her fingers crossed behind her back before turning to leave, taking Ezio's horse by the reins.

"Rosa, what are you doing with my horse?" The assassin snapped.

"Oh Ezio," Rosa sniggered, covering her mouth with her free hand. "I hardly think you'll be in any shape for riding after tonight," she wagered, laughing at Leonardo's burning cheeks as she mounted the stallion, and with a swift flick of the reins, disappeared into the night.

"Now, where were we?" Ezio murmured; his voice husky as he stroked Leonardo's cheek with the back of his hand. Chuckling as the artist purred beneath his touch, the assassin pressed their lips and bodies together, gently rocking them to the soft ground, swiftly removing Leonardo's shirt in the same moment.

Perhaps it was wise to lend his horse to Rosa, he thought.

Author's Note: FINALLY this fic is complete! After months and months of jotting ideas and having writers block, I've managed to complete this story. For those of you who managed to read through the whole 6,000 words, thank you for your patience, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.

Also a big thank you, once again, to my friend TamChronic (who has also written some amazing pieces, which you should check out if your eyes haven't exploded yet). Without her help, I think I probably would have given up, or finished it far too early and made a disappointing story. I love her to bits for her support :)

(If you got the reference to my last fic, The Jar, cookies to you, my friend :D)

Feedback would be lovely, just quietly...

Thank you! =)