Reviews AND/OR critiques are appreciated. Please let me know what you think. -Author

Why Not? Chapter 2

Ezio, perched upon a rooftop, sat glaring at his next target. Lorenzo had sent word that a group of guards in Venezia were working with men in Firenze that were conspiring against him. They needed to be taken down.

Tracking one of the group members down was easy enough but Ezio was beginning to tire after following the target for well over an hour. His suspicion had risen over the length of time and thoughts of a trap seemed logical, yet something was tugging in the back of Ezio's mind.

Leonardo. Ezio had simply woken up and left without even a goodbye. This may not have bothered him so much a while ago but lately the artist had been of more help than his original role of translator deemed him so. Ezio couldn't help but feel that Leonardo was not receiving the proper thanks that he deserved.

While contemplating his woes, Ezio's mind had slipped from the task at hand and the target was steadily moving on. Thankfully, he had reached the hideout were the inevitable meeting of the conspirators was taking place.

Five guards, all heavily armored, gathered in the crowned courtyard of a guarded villa. Two archers circled around the perimeter of the rooftops and citizens clamored in the streets below. Flying between buildings, Ezio grasped the ledge of the villa close to one archer. When the bowman drew near, Ezio stabbed him with his hidden blade and threw him over board. This caused panic in the alley below, scattering people like ants and distracting others. Ezio took this chance to climb on the roof of the villa, out of site of the other archer, then dropping down to a balcony directly above the grouping snakes. Without wasting a moment, Ezio threw down two piercing blades, striking two in the throat. Jumping from the balcony, Ezio crashed down upon another two, using the hidden blade once again to impale two others in the chest. The last guard, the leader, panicked. His troops that fallen in a matter of seconds. The guard knew of the Assassin standing before him, but before he was able to scream for help, he was no more.

Ezio's mission almost complete, he looted the bodies for the documents Lorenzo had mentioned in his letter. He pockets them, skilfully climbs the wall of the garden and bounds through the skies to the Rialto Bridge.

After sending the secret scriptures to Lorenzo, Ezio notices another note from him. Opening it, expecting another contract, Ezio is surprised to find Lorenzo had gifted him with time off.

Ezio had always found himself chasing someone, traveling somewhere doing something. This was a long forgotten skill Ezio would need to work on (slacking off). What would he do and more importantly, where would he stay? He could go to Monteriggioni for the time being, but he needed to stay in Venezia when Lorenzo needed him back. The option of staying with Leonardo was something he had considered but Ezio had put Leonardo in danger enough as it was. Ezio owed Leonardo much for his kindness and hospitality and he could not bring himself to burden his good friend further for an indeterminate amount of time. This leaving his only option to be the thieves' guild. Ezio had friends there and was a welcome member, so surely Antonio would welcome him as a guest for a while. The view of Rosa wasn't something he would get tired of either.

Leonardo had no idea how close he was to having Ezio all to himself.

Leonardo had spent most of the day painting. He had gotten a request from a rich and important man in Venezia and delivering this work of art on time became necessary to increasing his social standing. When the public got wind of even a hint of a rumour, it spread like wild fire all across the city and beyond. Leonardo was not in the best of stand currently. He needed to produce something other than assassination tools before the rumours began about him again. Wasn't it enough that everyone has suspected him of his sexuality? Anything else and the topic would surely shift to his assistance to the great assassin that was terrorizing Italia's florin jacketed leaders (and so-called evil doers) and their relationship in bed.

Leonardo did not ever mean to procrastinate. His attention was easily grabbing onto anything and everything that would provide him with a ledge to grasp, taking him away from work to something he enjoyed. Transfusing his thoughts to a canvas, studying the human body through corpses or constructing flying machines. All of these brought joy to Leonardo, but out of all of them, Ezio Auditore da Firenze was his most enjoyed distraction.

The amount of artwork Leonardo had of Ezio was immense. The man was gorgeous and Leonardo's fingers trembled to sketch whenever the assassin visited. Ezio knew nothing of the drawings and it would stay that way. Leonardo would not allow anyone to know of his secret passion.

By now it was noon and Leonardo began to bore of the tasteless piece that sat before him.

'Perhaps I shall visit Antonio...'Leonardo thought to himself, as he dropped his brushes in a bowl of water and went for the door.

The city was alive at midday. Merchants were displaying their wares in the streets and in their small homely shops. A doctor, clad in black robes and standard long beaked mask, could be seen healing a few mercenaries. A group of courtesans waved and cooed feverishly at Leonardo, then giggled wildly as he blushed and smiled back. Leonardo was not used to being flirted with. It was a field of knowledge he had yet to roam. (Mapping its rolling hills and valleys was a project he was beginning to become interested in). He had blushed out of embarrassment. Leonardo had never found himself attracted to women. They were so fickle about everything and difficult to deal with when upset. He had discovered that he preferred men for many reasons. Powerful, strong builds. Passionate (especially some men from Italia) courageous and respectable. They were much more appealing to Leonardo; the male form was gorgeous.

Steadily making his way to the thieves' guild, Leonardo noticed a familiar form. In a group ahead of him, a white hood bobbed up and down in the surf of the crowd. Leonardo knew better then to call out assassin in the middle of the streets, especially one he was associated with. And were Ezio to be currently engaged in a mission, Leonardo didn't want to jeopardize it with small talk.

Leonardo continued on his way until it occurred to him some few minutes later that the white mound still floated around his field of vision. He thought to himself that maybe, just maybe, Ezio was traveling to the thieves' guild for a visit as well. If that was the case then maybe he would see Ezio there.

A couple minutes later, Leonardo walked into the Palazzo Della Seta and up the stairs to Antonio's office.

"Leonardo! So good to see you!" The infamous thief, Antonio de Magianis strolled casually up to Leonardo and the two exchanged hands.

"Where have you been my friend? It has been much too long since we last met for caffe and conversed." Leonardo and Antonio used to meet regularly to catch up. It had become a sort of ritual meeting of seeing each other every so often to discuss the things about their lives that Leonardo normally had no one to share with, or could not share with Ezio. Leonardo was grateful to have a cultured man like Antonio as a friend. (It was not like Ezio wasn't cultured. He was just far too busy getting beat up or assassinating people to sit down and have a quiet chat. He was a bit brutish, but Leonardo did not mind). Leonardo had wondered at one point if his relationship with Antonio had harboured any feelings of attraction. Antonio was a handsome man, skilled in many fields, sly as a fox and certainly not out of Leonardo's range. However after the years they had known each other, and their current relationship, Leonardo concluded it was purely platonic. He enjoyed Antonio's company as a good friend and as a body guard when times were tough, but that was all.

I apologize Antonio. It is good to see you too. How have you been?" Leonardo pulled up a chair and sat down across from Antonio as he poured the two some caffe. The friends talked for what seemed like hours and Leonardo nearly forgot what he had seen before arriving.

"It may not be my place to ask, but did Ezio pass by the guild earlier today?" Leonardo was certain that he had seen Ezio beforehand. The unmistakable white hood, reminiscent of an eagle, was much too difficult for Leonardo to forget. Hi curiosity had gotten the better of him once again.

"Si, si, he did." Antonio appeared to be thinking something over. "Actually...he may still be here."

'So he is here.' "If you would excuse me Antonio, I must be getting back to..." He paused. "...other pressing matters..." Thoughts of seeing Ezio again so soon flashed through his mind. The heat was beginning to rise to his checks and he became excited.

"Of course mi amico. Wonderful talking to you, as always. You certainly mustn't keep that painting waiting." Antonio smirked as he said this. The slight inflection on those final words had made a jab at Leonardo's curiosity. Antonio's sly manner had always amused Leonardo before hand, making him even more captivating to talk to and to observe. Normally it would occur to him that Antonio was a master thief, one that did not exclude others personal lives from his list. However, Leonardo's mind drifted with the thought of Ezio embracing him when they met again. Leonardo was an intelligent man but still lacked the insight to grasp obvious concepts, even when his mind was focused. The thought of what Antonio could possibly know may have entered into his mind for one moment, but a glittering distraction possessed his will to leave thoughts of Antonio alone for now.

Exiting Antonio's office, Leonardo began to search the palazzo for Ezio. Not unlike a game of nascondino, Leonardo felt that he for once was stalking out his pry. Ezio was clearly not in the wide courtyard, with the various bands of thieves practising their free running and knife throwing. This turned Leonardo's attention to the many rooms adorning the halls along the buildings perimeter. Leonardo had never been in any of the palazzo's other rooms save for Antonio's office. It was like an adventure, discovering the unknown and snooping about. These two things Leonardo favoured greatly.

The first room was nothing more than a plain empty room, serving as sleeping quarters. A quaint fireplace and a half dozen cots lined the walls. The fire was slowly dying out and the room was quiet and serene but held nothing else of interest. Leonardo moved on down the hall. The second room was nearly the same as the first. A single man slept soundly on a bed near the cracking fire. Light played on the walls as Leonardo quietly check the man's face. An unknown thief.

Up the stairwell to another set of rooms, Leonardo could hear faint moans coming from behind the large wooden door only a few steps before him. The sensation to eavesdrop crept up on the artist's curiosity, poking and prodding its way to overcome his will to stop. Whatever was behind the door, he must find out. Lightning his steps, Leonardo tip toed up towards the door, pressing his ear against the hard mahogany. Just then, a loud groan, and at that moment, Leonardo knew it could only be Ezio.

"Ezio! Are you alright?!" Bursting into the room like a true genius, adrenaline pulsing through his veins, Leonardo indeed came face to face with Ezio, who was undoubtedly nude and clutching the unknown between his legs.

Leonardo could not speak. He could not move. The only thing he could do was allow his face to fill a deep red, only comparable to his crimson hat and cape.

Ezio only stared back in silence, frozen from the initial shock. The smallest of blushes graced his tanned face, not from embarrassment but from the heat of the roaring fire. Leonardo could not believe his good fortune, celebrating mentally before it dawned on him that he could not possibly stay in his current position without causing some disrupt. As soon as he realized the situation, a palm darted up to cover his eyes as he fumbled around to find the door. Ezio let out a low chuckle as he watched the older man stumble around like a drunken idiot. Mumbling a dozen apologies, Leonardo felt around for the door handle, tripping over a lump in the carpet, catching himself for a moment but then tripping over his own two feet, causing him to collapse onto a side table, bringing its contents down to the floor with him. Ezio could not help but let out a slew of laughter at the artist's antics. Leonardo didn't notice that Ezio let out a grimace afterwards.

"Scusa! Mi dispiace!" Leonardo, barely coherent enough to pick himself up with one hand, was still blocking the lustful site of Ezio.

"It is alright mi amico. Remove your hand. I need your help."Leonardo was hesitant but thrilled inside. Ezio was stark naked and wanted his help. Just to be able to see Ezio in this forbidden form was a treat. Leonardo promised himself to burn this memory into paper when he returned home.

The artist used both his hands to get up this time, careful not to destroy anything else. Even standing up he still avoid eye contact. Ezio's body was sinfully beautiful.

"Per favour Leonardo...I need you."