Ezio was sleeping peacefully in his bed alongside his lover who curled against his back and sighed contently. However, all that was shattered by the loud ring of Ezio's cell phone and woke them both. The younger Italian answered with a sleepy voice, "Hello…? Altair? Nothing now but- Uh…damn him." Ezio cursed as he shut his phone.

"What up?" Leonardo asked quietly still clinging to a small bit of hope that he would get back to sleep.

"Altair's coming over." And there went his hope.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"You know there has to be. He usually goes out of his way to avoid being around people. Why he lives with his girlfriend is a miracle in its self." Ezio complained as he reluctantly left the warmth of their bed to get dressed. Leonardo fallowed his lead, "Why don't we move in together…?" the older man asked shyly.

Ezio was quiet for a minute, "I didn't think you'd want to. Neither one of our apartments really has enough space to keep more than one person."

"Well, why don't we look for one? It could be ours." Leonardo seemed to sing the word.

Ezio mulled it over in his brain for only a moment before smiling at his lover and giving an approving kiss. Leonardo lit up and had a spring in his step for the rest of the day, "Should I be here if Altair is coming? He'll find out eventually."

"No, not yet. You know how he gets about relationships. So pessimistic. He'll be a total downer for at least a month. We wouldn't be able to even look at each other without some speech about how the whole thing's pointless and blah, blah, blah."

"If he's so certain that every relationship is bound to end in misery then why is he living with his girlfriend?" Leonardo was beginning to pout now.

"Like I said before, a miracle. Plus I think I heard him say something about how she planned the whole thing." Ezio chuckled and kissed his lover's forehead before he left for his apartment.

About thirty minutes later, Altair came through the door and began to rummage through his friends refrigerator for a cold beer. However, the Italian was somewhere else in the apartment and came out to find a hooded figure ransacking his kitchen. He knew right away it was Altair but it worried him when he saw what the other was looking for. Altair wasn't much of a drinker and really couldn't hold his alcohol. More than a few beers and he was already buzzed. As a result, the older man only drank occasionally and almost only when something was troubling him.

"What's wrong this time, Altair?" Ezio sighed empathetically.

"Why do you assume something's wrong? I can't just have a beer with my friend?" Altair asked accusingly.

"No." Ezio said bluntly.

Altair leaned his head back and huffed, "It's Maria…mostly. She thinks I'm cheating on her."

"Are you?"

"Of course not; I just don't know how to convince her I'm not. And until I do she's going to hound me until I fuck her brains out and I just don't have the stamina for that."

Ezio laughed at his friend. Too much sex was a new one to him. The woman must be a nymphomaniac to make her boyfriend sick of sex, "Maybe the two of you should take a break, see other people. It might help with her…desires."

Altair thought about it then he thought of what Maria would do to him if he broke up with her and shook his head, "Forget it. I'll figure something out." He said as he took another sip of beer.

"Well that takes care of the mostly part. Now what about the part that wasn't Maria, hmm?"

Altair shook his head, "It's nothing."

"Altair…"

"I said it's nothing."

Ezio backed off and the two chatted about other things. It soon became clear that Altair was avoiding going home as he made sure to drink just enough to worry Ezio about his driving and took the other's keys. Great, now he would have to deal with Maria. He got out Altair's phone and dialed Maria. After much yelling and baseless accusations, Ezio finally managed to convince Maria where Altair was and that he really was too drunk to drive home. Ezio could have offered to take Altair home in his car but after listening to Maria harp about him cheating he understood why the man didn't want to go home in the first place. Why were they even still together?

Ezio looked over the back of the couch and saw Altair hiding his head under one of the decorative pillows, "Is she gone yet…?" he whispered, just barley peeking out from under the pillow.

Ezio had to stifle a laugh, "Yes, my friend, she's gone."

Altair let out a sigh of relief and sat up, a bit dizzy from the drinks he had had. He leaned over the back of the couch and looked Ezio in the eye, "I really hate her, ya know. All she does is whine and hump, whine and hump. There's no end to it. Why can't she just be a gu-" Altair stopped himself . He was only a little drunk; not too much to not know when to shut up but apparently just enough to nearly fuck his self over.

Ezio gave the suddenly quiet man a questioning look before deciding it best not to pry into it. Altair was a hard man to read and he kept it that way for a reason. When he was ready, he would tell Ezio what it was exactly that was bothering him. Altair suddenly did a face plant into the couch and moaned loudly. Ezio laughed lightly and perched himself on the arm of the couch as he pated Altair's back in sympathy.

. . .

Malik left the house to meet up with his brother, as they had planned. Kadar was a med student at the university and frequently asked Malik for help when studying for an exam and he had a lot of exams. They had planned on meeting at a small café not too far from Malik's apartment so he could walk there. Kadar was there waiting for him and had already ordered himself a coffee. Malik sat in the chair across from his brother and showed a kind smile in greeting.

"So, how have you been Kadar?" Malik asked cheerfully.

"Not too bad, considering I have two giant tests coming up on the same day. I swear they want me to burn out." The younger brother moaned.

Malik laughed and sympathized with his brother as they carried on about different subjects. It was all very pleasant until Kadar got that look on his face. This was the look that said he was about to start on a topic of more personal matters and it was almost always about one of their love lives. This time around, it was Malik he was concerned for.

"So…did he give you that bruise?" Kadar was referring to the collar of discoloring Malik was hiding underneath a scarf. The piece of fabric had come loose a while ago but Malik hadn't noticed until his little brother said something and went to fix it.

"Don't worry about it, Kadar. Things are under control."

"If they were under control then you would have left him buy now."

"And go where? Besides, you remember the last time I tried that…"

"Can't you call the police? Or stay with a friend? Or something?"

"The cops won't do anything. They have a hard time thinking that a man can be abused in a relationship. I just need a little time. I'm saving up money. I promise I will leave him soon enough." Malik was trying desperately to get his brother to calm down so they could change subjects.

His current boyfriend, Abbas, was the jealous type and on top of that had a short temper and little self control. Malik cringed at the memory form earlier this morning after Altair had left. Abbas was convinced that Malik had found a side fuck and was determined to squeeze the truth out of the other man, literally.

"He's not even that good looking…" Kadar mentioned in an attempt to lighten the mood. Malik sighed and smiled. What would he do without his little brother?

"And what about you, Kadar? Do you have anyone of interest I should know about?" Now it was Malik's turn to pry.

"Well…there is this girl in my muscular anatomy class…" Kadar answered with a blush.

"Go on…" his older brother pressed.

"She's certainly…different. I'll say that much."

Malik waited a minute before he realized that really was all that his little brother was going to say, "You're a jerk. You make me spill my guts about my relationships but then you clam up about one girl you met in class."

Kadar smiled and changed subjects, "So how's work been?"

"A pain in the ass." Malik said bluntly, "This idiot doesn't seem to realize that when he turns his work in late that sets everybody back. And he comes in late too. And when I get onto him about it he starts a fight and we have to be separated by security before it turns into a physical confrontation. Not to mention his arrogance! He thinks the entire world revolves around him; that he's the whole reason the game's ever going to get done and that we should all worship him for it! All he does is bitch and slack! It's a miracle that he hasn't been fired!" Malik continued this rant for several minutes getting louder as time ticked by. Kadar all but shrank into his seat and could do nothing but ride out the storm. It was rare he saw his brother like this. Whoever this person was must be an expert ass, "And then he had the nerve to say I had gotten a prostitute! How dense can one man be?"

Kadar stared at his brother, slightly afraid to say anything at all, "…Well…he certainly keeps you on your toes…"

"You don't know the half of it." The older brother huffed and leaned back in his chair, "What time is it?"

Kadar checked his watch, "It's about five o'clock."

"Have we really been here that long? Sorry Kadar, but I have to leave. I'll help you study tomorrow if you need it, alright?" Malik said as he stood.

"Yeah, alright… Be careful Malik." Kadar said, his voice laced with concern.

"I will. Take care, Kadar."

AN: We all knew it was coming. Leonardo and Ezio always have to end up together if Altair and Malik do. Ad for those of you who don't know, Abbas (hope I spelled his name right) was the dude at the beginning of the first game that said Altair was Al Mualim's boot licker. Such a dick. AHRG! These short chapters are driving me insane! Especially since this chapter was so uneventful. I'm ready for the juicy stuff! (sigh) in due time, in due time…