Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed or any of its characters.

*ignores the fact I've been ignoring this fic*

Any mistakes are mine and mine alone.

Altair woke him up as the sun was still coming over the horizon. It painted in such a lovely array of colors. Ezio remembered when he and Cristina would lay bed together and watch it rise but the thought of Christina soured his mood.

He pulled up his hood and turned away from the sun. Altair didn't comment on his quietness, instead pinning it as his morning laziness. They walked through the alley ways as the city still slept.

"Where are we going, Maestro?" Altair peeked behind him under his hood. His golden gaze burned through the shadow the cloth casted. Ezio looked away from him.

"To Leonardo's, I think another Hidden Blade might be a good idea." The prospect of seeing a friend such as Leonardo brought some cheeriness to his dark mood. With the morning still creeping up them, the guards were lax, but Altair made him persist in Ezio continuing to train. He stuck to the shadows while keeping a look out for guards. Guards that weren't there, Ezio felt the need to remind his Master. Altair chose to ignore his mumbling.

By the time they finally made it to the artist's workshop. The sun was rising and the sky had turned a startling blue. Ezio grumbled behind the elder Assassin knocked on the heavy door.

"Stop pouting, walad." Altair scolded him before the door opened.

The blonde looked in the between waking up and finishing a project. He had paint smeared across his smock. Ink dotted his hands and face. The soft blonde hair was tangled, like he had been tugging at it in frustration. The artist's mind finally caught up with what he was seeing and with a large grin greeted them.

"Altair, Ezio! My friends!" He grinned with wide open arms. Altair halted him before Leonardo could grab them in a crushing hug.

"Perhaps, we should take this meeting inside?" Altair suggested.

"Oh!" The inventor grinned in apology and rushed them inside and closed the door. He placed a hand on Ezio's shoulder, drawing the young man's attention. "Ezio, my friend, how have you been?" Those bright blue eyes stared in concern.

"Fine, amico, thank you." Ezio gave him a grin but the artist didn't believe him.

"Word travels fast, a hooded man sorted out Cristina's husband and his gambling debts."

"Yes." They both looked to Altair, pacing back and forth like a caged animal ready to snap at any hand that got too close. "A young hooded man got involved in very personal affairs between two people he had nothing to do with." The Assassin seemed to growl. Ezio brushed off Leonardo's hand to confront the man.

"Altair, I was doing a favor for Cristina, I-" Altair held up a hand to stop his ranting short.

"Not another word, we have a mission at hand." Altair turned his attention to the inventor. "Leonardo, I need another hidden blade made, of that new design I gave you." Leonardo sensed the tension in the air and rushed to fill the order, leaving Altair and Ezio by themselves.

Ezio sat awkwardly by the fireplace, preferring to watch Leonardo whip together a masterpiece with flying fingers. Altair stood behind him, staying silent but a remained a heavy presence. After his small outburst of anger the Master Assassin seemed to have to calmed down or at least quieted down.

It was silence that put Ezio on edge. He preferred the outbursts, those he could handle. Not this calm before the storm. As Leonardo continued work on the second hidden blade the noise increased and Ezio found the courage to face his mentor.

He stood up and turned to the elder Assassin. Altair tilted his head back to look at him from under the hood. His amber eyes flickered in the firelight. They were sharp and curious like a large cat on a hunt.

Ezio cleared his throat and pushed down any sudden nerves.

"Altair, about what happened yesterday I…" He trailed off. How could he explain this to Altair? Had the man ever been in love? He had lost his family at a young age and Ezio had never seen him a woman outside of work.

"Yesterday…I just had to see Christina." The elder tilted his head to the side, Ezio took it as a sign he didn't understood the young man's point. "I haven't seen her in months! You can't expect me not to see her when I had the chance!" Altair signed and lowered his head to look at his feet.

"Ezio, I understand how you feel."

Altair thought of Maria. The woman had disappeared from Florence when the Assassins had made their escape. It wasn't surprising for her and soon enough she would show up again. Still it hurt the Assassin more than he would let anyone know. It left him wondering if Maria actually loved him. Not that it mattered when she was around. Any hurt feeling Altair felt washed away when the woman was around. It was a vicious power the woman had over him.

"But you must understand, Ezio, we are Assassins. Every move we make could kill us and those around us. You have to realize Ezio, the more you spend with Christina, the higher risk you put her and everyone she cares about in danger."

Ezio sat back down in his seat with a defeated sigh. He knew Altair was right more he thought about it. Perhaps it would better for him to focus on his work whether than dwell on the pain Christina had left in his heart.

A warm hand landed on his head, playfully messing up his dark hair. A smile tugged at his scarred lips and he looked up to Altair. Anger still shone in his expression that was bound to linger for some time, but had a playful smirk. Ezio shooed away the offending hand and smoothed back his long hair.

"It is done!" The two Assassins turned to the painter to see the man hold up the beautifully crafted gauntlet. Altair took the bracer and slipped it on his right hand. He triggered the mechanism a couple of times, testing out the blade. He nodded in approval of the artist's work and slipped off the blade, holding it out to Ezio.

The young Assassin raised his brows in surprise.

"For me? But what will I do with two of them? It is you who should wield both." Ezio pushed the bracer back towards his master.

"Nonsense, you are not as well-versed weaponry as I am. A second hidden blade could only further aid you." Altair grabbed the young man's right hand and gave him the bracer. Ezio slipped it on and tested it out. It would take some time for him to get used to the new addition and remember to use it. He nodded, unsure, but trusted his mentor to know what he was talking about.

"Before I forget, Leonardo, have you heard any word of La Volpe. I have need of his assistance." Altair asked and Ezio wondered who this Fox was. Leonardo.

"He probably has known you were in Florence since you entered the gates, most likely kept tabs on you as well." Altair grinned, and Ezio decided he should not be alarmed that some strange man was able to find him and Altair.

"Alright, then I shall wait for him to find us. I'm sure it won't take him long, I know he is a busy man." Altair said and directed Ezio towards the door.

"Farewell, my friends!" Leonardo shouted after him.

Ezio turned to his mentor as he pulled back up his hood. "Who is La Volpe?"

Altair refused to tell him anything of La Volpe, stating that he himself didn't know much. That concerned Ezio, but he bit back those concerns. Altair hadn't led him astray yet, so he would trust him. As it was, there seemed to be no way to actually contact the fox. They were have to wait for him. Altair led him through the Mercato Vecchio where he was stop to wait. With that the elder Assassin disappeared into the crowd.

Please Review, favorite and follow this story. I will try to finish up this story soon, as of it this point, this story will only go to the end of the Assasssin's Creed 2 story line.