AN: I do not own Assassins Creed or any of its characters. They belong to Ubisoft.
I hope you will like this story.
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The mind of an artist
"Ezio!", was the tall man with beard and in white robes greeted
"Claudia, dear sister. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?", the siblings embraced each other.
"It's about your friend the artist."
"Leonardo? What's with him? Is he in danger? Was he hurt?"
"At ease, Ezio, Leonardo is not hurt, but my girls told me that he is looking ill. He looks as if he hadn't slept for days and he is not working, at least no work of him was finished. The people are getting frustrated with him. We are worried."
"Haven't you tried to talk with him?"
"We did, but he wouldn't listen. We had hoped you would talk to him."
"It's surely only a phase. He will be his old self in no time.", Ezio tried to escape the task.
He was deeply worried, but he didn't need his sister to know that.
"Are you sure?", Ezio nodded, but Claudia still didn't look convinced, "Bene, if you say so."
Claudia had decided to stay for the rest of the day. Normally Ezio wouldn't have minded, he actually enjoyed his sister's company, but today this wasn't the case.
As soon as Claudia had left, Ezio was on his horse and riding as fast as he could to the house of his oldest friend.
It was already dark outside when Ezio arrived, but the night was still young and Leonardo would surely be still up and awake. Leonardo however didn't open the door when Ezio knocked and no other sound could be heard from the inside. That's why the assassin decided to break in through a window.
Ezio silently walked through the whole upper level of Leonardo's little place, but he couldn't find any trace of the artist, so he decided to head downstairs to the workshop.
Leonardo was sitting at a little table, with his head in his hands and hunched over. Ezio silently made his way over to his obviously distraught friend.
"Leonardo…", he greeted and put a hand on the artist's shoulder.
Leonardo flinched violently and jolted up, causing him to bump in to the table. A few of the papers and tools that had been lying on the table were now falling to the floor, but neither Ezio nor Leonardo paid them any attention now. Instead their gazes met and Ezio could see something like shock and nervousness flash in Leonardo's eyes.
"Ezio? What are you doing here?", the artist's voice had a hint of panic.
"Amico mio, I am worried about you. My sister Claudia told me that you are hiding in here and that you look unwell. I am merely here to look after you."
Leonardo dodged Ezio's attempt of putting his hand back on the older man's shoulder in a sign of comfort.
"That is very generous of you, but you didn't need to worry, I am perfectly fine just a little bit restless.", the artist evaded the assassin's gaze and Ezio immediately knew that his oldest friend was telling a lie.
"Leonardo, I am your friend, am I not?", Ezio asked in a serious voice.
"Of course you are, why do you ask?", Leonardo looked confused.
"Then why are you lying to me?"
The artist looked taken aback by the question and it took him quiet some time to come up with an answer, which made Ezio even more suspicious.
"I am not lying-"
"Leonardo!", Ezio warned and the artist flinched under the knowing gaze of the younger man.
"I just don't sleep well, that's all.", another lie, but Ezio decided to try a different approach.
"What about your work? I heard that you are neglecting your work, research, paintings and whatever else your mind comes up with."
"My sleepy mind won't let me get anything done.", Leonardo's attempt of a smile was as unbelievable and fake as the rest of his act.
Ezio huffed in annoyance. He couldn't figure out what his friend was hiding and his patience was running thin. Apparently Leonardo figured as much, because he slowly backed away and said: "I really appreciate your concern, but there is nothing for you to worry about! Besides, you must be tired, why don't you head home and rest yourself? I will do the same."
Ezio had finally decided that he had enough. With fast and powerful steps had he overcome the distance between him and the artist, who was now trapped against a wall.
"E… Ezio?"
"Listen, I may not be a genius like you, but I am not stupid either and I can see that something is bothering you, so start talking!", he growled.
"Ezio…", the artist seemed to shrink at Ezio's glare.
"You cannot tell me that your brilliant mind just shuts down, because you didn't have enough sleep. When I remember correctly, you didn't sleep at all during your last project and that had been days.", he sighed, "Leonardo, amico mio, what's going on in that head of yours?"
Leonardo closed his eyes: "The human brain is very fascinating. It works twenty-four hours a day from the day we are born and it only stops when we are dead, sleeping or when we fall in love."
Ezio took a moment to realize what Leonardo was implying to, but when he did, his heart clenched painfully.
"You have fallen in love then? Isn't that great?", he asked.
"No! It is everything but great!", Leonardo suddenly snapped, taking Ezio by surprise.
"Why is that?"
"Because the person I love will never return my affection."
Ezio felt anger rise in his chest. Whoever hurt his friend should pay for it: "Tell me who this person is and I will open up her or his eyes."
Leonardo looked confused for a moment: "You said his eyes."
Ezio's expression softened and he slightly smiled: "It took me a while to realize what you have told be on this boat, but I finally did."
"You are not disgusted?"
"Why should I be? Pure love can never be disgusting.", Ezio smiled.
"How can you be so sure?", Leonardo asked and looked down.
"Leonardo,", sighed Ezio, "such a brilliant mind, but still so blind."
"What is that supposed to-", he was interrupted by Ezio, who had sealed Leonardo's lips with his own.
Leonardo was too shocked by Ezio's action to respond and the latter immediately took it as a sign of rejection and swiftly pulled away. Leonardo blinked confused up to him and Ezio just smiled sadly.
"Whoever has stolen you heart, amore, should be the happiest person in the world. You are beautiful, a genius and a great artist and inventor. Everybody who doesn't love you, has to be completely stupid or has no eyes in his head.", he caressed the shorter man's cheek lovingly, "I know that I don't have a chance to gain you love, I am merely an assassino, a murderer and wanted criminal and you, mio amore, you deserve someone better."
Ezio was about to pull away, but Leonardo stopped him from doing so, by throwing his arms around the taller man's neck.
"It would see that you are just as blind as I am, for you are the one my heart earns for."
"Leonardo", Ezio returned the embrace, "we shouldn't, we can't. You would be in too much danger!"
Leonardo pulled enough back to gaze into Ezio's face with a small smile: "I am already in danger, because I once knew your mother and family."
"This is different."
Leonardo shook his head. "Even so, I cannot bring myself to care."
With that leaned the artist up and captured the assassin's lips with his own. It seemed as if the young assassin didn't need much persuasion after all-
They shared a passionate kiss, neither of the men wanted to part, but the eventually had to because of lack of oxygen. But soon their lips would find each other again. Leonardo boldly licked over Ezio's closed lips and over the little scar he had and the younger man responded by opening his mouth. The hungrily explored the mouths of each other, tongues dancing and fighting for dominance. Ezio eventually let Leonardo gain the upper hand, who moments later pulled away, hair tussled and lips swollen.
"Maybe we should move this activity to somewhere else?", Ezio suggested and was answered by yet another kiss.
Ezio carefully picked the shorter man up and carried him, without breaking their kiss, into the bedroom. As soon as Leonardo laid on the small bed, he pulled Ezio on top of him where their exploration continued.
The next morning Leonardo was woken by the sun shining into his room and the birds singing outside. Sleepy and drowsily he tasted the other half of the bed, but found it cold and abandoned. He suddenly was wide awake and sat up. It had all been just a dream after all.
He was just about to hide his head in his pillows and bath in his self pity, when the window opened and somebody climbed through.
"Dio mio, Ezio, what are you doing?"
"Good morning to you too, amore.", the younger male laughed and gave his stunned lover a kiss, which was immediately returned.
"What were you doing?", Leonardo repeated the question, while Ezio got rid of his boots and belt.
"The people outside your workshop woke me up. I told them that you had been ill for quite some days now and that you soon would continue with their requests."
"I see."
"I also told them that you still would need a few more days to recover.", the younger man grinned sheepishly and rejoined Leonardo in the bed, who pulled the younger male into a deep kiss.
"Tell me, amore, where did we stop yesterday?", Ezio asked and Leonardo hadn't been so happy for quite some time now.