Conrad:

Disclaimer: Like I have said before, I do not own Assassin's Creed, or the song title. The Killers and Ubisoft do. nrgh. I'd be rich if I did though -sadface-

But I do own the story idea! 8D so sit back and enjoy your flight I MEAN enjoy the story. _

SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT.

Leonardo could only stare. Ezio looked up at him sheepishly, the metal parts of his pistola in his palms, smudged with ash. Leonardo's face was one of disappointment and shock.

"How...how...come ha fatto questo accada?" he sputtered, his voice a bit higher than normal. Ezio gnawed on his lower lip, a blush spreading over his cheeks.

"I don't know, mi amico, it...Suppongo esso ha bloccato?" he rubbed the back of his neck, staring at anything other than the inventor. Leonardo pinched the bridge of his nose, his blue eyes squeezing shut. He took a few, deep breaths, trying get a hold onto the annoyance bubbling inside his chest.

He had worked hard on that pistol; he had never really invented something of that intricacy before. And now it sat in pieces before him. He had been so proud of his work, had spent much longer than normal on building it, and it took mere minutes to be reduced to it's past pitiful state. What caused this?

"I'm sorry, Leonardo..."

Leonardo waved a hand, biting down harsh onto his tongue as he smiled.

"It's no problem..." his voice sounded strained even to him. Ezio was starting to look uneasy, edging away from the artist. "I wanted to make a few adjustments anyway...now I have a reason to do so," he finished with a slight growl in his voice.

Leonardo Da Vinci wasn't one to be angered easily. It took a lot to make the pacifist even remotely angry. He would smile if someone had nudged him when he was painting, saying it didn't matter and he would simply fix it. He was a happy man...most of the time.

Now was not one of those times.

Ezio was scared of the fire in Leonardo's eyes, the way his mouth twisted in annoyance, how his tendons stood out on his hands as he clenched them tightly into fists. He pressed his back against the wall, taking a sudden interest in to the carpet. Such designs...

"I think you should leave for the time being, amico," Leonardo muttered in a tight tone of voice. Ezio let himself out quickly, pulling his hood hastily over his head as he fled from the artist's glare. Lord, he had gotten himself into some deep trouble.

Leonardo stared at the pistol parts on his table, his eyes narrowed. This would take a while...

The knock on Leonardo's door made him jump about a foot in the air. He pushed stray strands of hair out of his face, trying in vain to tuck them back into his sloppy ponytail as he went to answer the door. He smiled at his visitor.

"Ah, Rosa, what a surprise! How may I be of service, mia bueno signora?"

Rosa smiled, but the action didn't meet her eyes. She leaned in the doorway, her left hand planted an her hip, her right gripping the wood tightly. Leonardo swallowed nervously.

"It's about Ezio."

Leonardo cringed at the boy's name. Mio dio, he had forgotten about the youth as he had worked. He made a sound of discomfort in the back of his throat, twisting his long fingers together.

"W-what about him?" he stuttered, ducking his head. Rosa clicked her tongue against her teeth.

"He's been sulking around the Hideout ever since he left here. Mumbling to himself how greatly disappointed you were in him. How angered you were. He just sat in a corner, pissing and moaning to himself."

Leonardo groaned, hiding his face in his hands.

"Mio dio, che il ragazzo penoso che, " he muttered to himself, jerking back as Rosa started to laugh. She smiled at him in earnest now, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"That he is, amico. I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for putting him in his place."

What?

"I d-don't understand what you mean Rosa," Leonardo said shakily, his blue eyes wide with disbelief. Him? Put a big ,bad ASSASSIN in his place? A meek little artist who fainted at the sight of blood? He realized with a blush he was downsizing himself.

Rosa smiled again, leaning back. She shrugged and inspected her nails as she spoke.

"What I mean is that Ezio is too reckless. He doesn't think about his actions and goes about executing them without a thought of the repercussions. Want to know how he broke the pistola?"

Leonardo made a face of uncertainty, raising his shoulders minutely. Rosa rolled her eyes.

"Of course you don't," she mumbled, turning away. Leonardo bit down on his knuckle, trying to force the question in his head out of his mouth. He stuttered a bit.

"M-may I accompany you to your hideout? T-that way I can apologize to Ezio for my behavior before."

To his dismay, Rosa burst out in laughter. He stared at her with a mixed look of annoyance and incredulity. She shook her head, inclining it to the side as she answered with a jovial tone.

"Of course you can, amico. Though I don't know why you'd want to apologize to HIM. He was the one who broke your precious invention after all."

"It wasn't his fault," he muttered as he rummaged around in one of his shallow drawers, throwing off his paint-stained blouse and pulling on a clean one. "I had wanted to make a few adjustments anyway for the recoil, but he had to go off on his mission...and I guess I forgot about it. But with the pistol reduced to it's former, miserable state, that can now be arranged. It's a blessing of sorts."

He glanced up to see Rosa turned away, her attention focused on a cluster of bickering finches, watching as they quarreled for a spot on a tree branch. Leonardo sighed.

"Let's go," he mumbled, tying his cape on and walking briskly out of his workshop. Rosa snapped out of her haze, and followed suit, muttering to herself. Leonardo could feel her eyes travel over his back, to settle on his head.

"D'you eat meat, Leonardo?"

"No. Why?"

"I guess that explains why you're so scrawny."

"Ezio! Get out here, you useless lump of an assassin! Big, bad and scary my..." Rosa stalked away, leaving Leonardo alone in the courtyard to stare up at the crumbling buildings. He inclined his head, blue-prints for better scaffolding automatically forming in his head.

/ And another beam there could.../ he was pulled out of his reverie back a touch to the small of his back. He jumped, turning swiftly to see who was behind him. He put a hand to his hammering heart, a weak smile coming over his face.

"Mia bontà, Ezio! You startled me."

Ezio smiled apologetically, his hood falling from his head as he shook it gently.

"You're too jumpy, mi amico."

Their meek conversation lulled to a comfortable silence. Leonardo took a breath.

"I'm sorry, Ezio, for my behavior this morning," he began, his eyes downcast, his fingers twisting together in anxiety. "It wasn't your fault the pistola malfunctioned...it's mine. I built the thing, so I should've made sure it was ready to be used before handing it over to you. I'm sorry for losing my temper..."

Ezio quirked an eyebrow, a worried smirk donning his features.

"You didn't lose your temper, amico. You kept it in." He raised a hand to his forehead, his expression irate. "You have to vent every now and then, Leonardo, it can't be healthy to repress that anger all the time. Go ahead," he stuck out his chest. Leonardo stared at him out of wide eyes.

"Hit me, as hard as you can."

"E-Ezio...I could never hit you! I-" he was cut off as Ezio grabbed his hand, forcibly curled his fingers into a fist, and pressed it against the center of his chest. He stare at him out of cold hazel eyes.

"Hit me," he ordered in a dark tone. Leonardo stared up at him fearfully, before snapping his hand back, bringing it crashing down on Ezio's chest. The assassin groaned, keeling over, gasping for breath.

/Holy... I didn't think Leonardo was this strong!/

He held up his hands as Leonardo struck again. He allowed the older man to hit him, just not in the face. Leonardo's knuckles brushed up against his cheek, causing Ezio to jerk back. Leo socked him square in the jaw. His head snapped to the side.

/What! I thought...!/

"Leonardo! Stop!" he grabbed Leonardo by the shoulders, shocked to see tears streaming down his face. Leonardo leaned against the assassin, shaking his head.

"Salai left me...he's gone," he muttered piteously, his fingers finding purchase on his cape, clutching the fabric tightly. He bit back sobs. Ezio reached up tentatively to stroke the shaking artist's back.

"He doesn't deserve you, my little lion. He is blind, unwittingly leaving the greatest man he'll ever be lucky to know."

Leonardo chuckled sadly.

"I don't need your flattery Ezio," he muttered, turning his head away. The hands on his back tightened into fists.

"It's not flattery, it's the truth. You're possibly the smartest man I've ever known, and most definitely the kindest. I know I may sound cliche, but you are what every man wishes to be. Honest, caring, intelligent, I could go on."

"Please don't. I'm turning red," Leonardo laughed, his hand flat against Ezio's chest. The body under his palms shook lightly with laughter.

"Don't mourn over him, Leonardo. It's not worth it...He's not worth it. So please," his hand gently raised Leonardo's chin, and he smiled. "Let me see you smile."

His expression darkened a bit when he was given an obviously false smile. He took Leonardo's face between his hands, startling the artist.

"Smile like you mean it."

TRANSLATIONS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE!

* how did this happen?
** I suppose it jammed?
*** my good lady
**** what a troublesome boy he is
***** My goodness!