Right then, you guys. As promised. Mush! And lots of it, but just a little drama. I love drama. Yay!

The new cover for this story was generously given by Lan who ships this couple just as much as i do, but she does art not FF. i love you loads Lan! everyone go check out her work on Deviant Art. her username is ShortieBat.

P.S. I don't misspell anything! it's usually down to the fact that I'm from the UK and most of you guys are from the USA so the spelling is different.

Niccolo P.O.V

That next day, me, Ezio and la Volpe were at the guild and if Ezio was not there I would have killed Volpe where he stood. I have a feeling that Ezio knows of everything that happened because he summoned him to talk in the next room over half an hour ago.

I assume that Ezio had forgotten about his suspicions that he had about me and Claudia.
'Ezio is not one to let suspicion slip by him' I remembered the words that Volpe uttered that night and a very unwelcome feeling in my gut made me nauseous.
'Maybe they are in there talking about my odd behaviour' I thought.
'Please don't say that, it does not help anything.' I plead to my inner thoughts.

Now that the thought had entered my head it didn't leave, it just went round and round, playing in my head until I'm scratching with wonder and anxiety; like a repressed memory recently recovered and it was driving me insane.

'Should I even consider telling Ezio of what has been happening?' I asked myself. I thought it was a crazy idea. I did not want to risk having to spend god knows how long with a doctor for unspeakable injuries.
'Niccolo, now is not the time to be thinking of yourself.'
'But the consequences are not just for me, everyone will have their piece of the blame.'
'True, but the longer you pull this along the more it is going to sting when you do tell him or if someone beats you to it.'

I really must be losing it. I just had this argument with myself. That is never a good sign. I decided that no decision should be made alone, and that I need to talk to Claudia before I do something that could potentially lead to my death or permanently damage her relationship with her brother forever.
'Oh my sweet Claudia… what have we gotten ourselves into?'
I rubbed my forehead in that thought, forgetting where I was and what I was doing for a moment.

"Alright!" Ezio said walking back through catching me off guard.
"Now that the events of yesterday are over and hopefully forgotten-"

'That's a lot to ask of me. It's only been a few hours' I thought.

"We can get back to business," Ezio continued. Looking at me as if to say: don't you dare. I gave a blank expression trying to display any hint that I am getting revenge on him. Not that I am in any position to go against him at this point in time…

La Volpe was trying his best to keep distance from me, which was a smart move on his behalf. One look or word from him would have made me snap; I did not care if Ezio was there.

"Niccolo," Ezio said. I looked at him and he was gesturing me for a private word.

'Has la Volpe told him? Oh no! I will kill him! What is Ezio going to say… or do?' I thought with my heart in my mouth.

"I know that this isn't going to be an easy task given the previous events," he glanced briefly at la Volpe as did I.
"but I would appreciate it if you could put that to the back of your mind for a while seeing as we have hit an important part of our mission to kill the Borgia, even though it is the most inconvenient time as everyone seems to be getting distracted," he continued, I could help but think that sentence was aimed at me.

"My main priority will always be the benefit of the order," I said. The corner of his lip twitched to a half smile.

"Maybe you should consider visiting the brothel-"

"What? Why?" I asked a little louder than I had intended. Ezio cocked his head in question.

"Just to 'relax' you seem rather tense lately," Ezio added.

"I'm not the type of man to give into the pleasures of the flesh when I am feeling a little tense" I said, feeling slightly insulted.

"Oh really?" Ezio folded his arms.
"Because I recall that one time in an alley," Ezio added. I was surprised at how clueless he was. He basically but unknowingly called his sister a whore. La Volpe turned and gave me a smile as if to say 'you dog,'

"I never said that it was a woman, you merely assumed," I defended.

"To which you never objected," Ezio raised an eyebrow. At that point I fell silent but la Volpe was holding back laugh and I think Ezio was as well.

Claudia P.O.V

'Same job, same routine, same work. When is something interesting going to happen?' I thought. The events from the day before made me crave some more excitement in my life. Either that or the lust that Niccolo so kindly brought back was meddling with my mind.

The lust had a positive and negative effect on me; the positives were the dancing and leaping around in my head and nothing put me in a bad mood. The negatives were that if it built up enough it was almost painful in the pit of my stomach and I wouldn't be able to function properly.

At that point I didn't want to wait any longer so I was daydreaming with my chin in the palm of my hands and twirling a strand of my hair.

'How much longer will it take to fix this?' my inner voice said with frustration.
'Does it need fixing?' I replied with a love struck tone.

I was woken from my daydream that was keeping my head among the stars and in the clouds by a man dropping a cup of wine on the stairs as he fell 'up' the stairs… now that must have taken a keen amount of skill to do. I jumped in my seat while he was cursing and picking up his cup in embarrassment.

"Mi dispace madonna (I'm sorry madam) please excuse my clumsiness. I did not mean to disturb you," he said in shame.

"Don't threat my friend, no damage was done," I smiled. He chuckled for a second.

"Ha! It is not even noon and already it seems I have had one too many," he said trying to clean up the mess he had made.

"It is no trouble, in all honesty it happens all too often around here, but your gentlemen attitude has helped you redeem yourself," I replied.

"You are too kind belle signora (pretty lady)" he said after standing and bowing.

We had gotten lost in conversation rather quickly. We were laughing and joking by the staircase like we had known each other for years. Both of us having a glass of wine and talking as the time flew by.

"No! Really?" I asked in shock.

"I swear!" he said and put one hand on his chest.
"By the next morning all three of us woke in our underwear in the same bed not knowing what had happened the night before," he continued and we burst into laughter.
"Up to this day we still don't know what happened," he added while laughing which made me laugh a little harder than I already was.
"Here I am talking to you about absolutely nothing and I do not even know your name," he said, being all so charming with his strong but polite Italian accent. I could not help blushing.

"It is Claudia, Claudia Auditore," I said. He then took my hand.

"Piacere (nice to meet you) Claudia, my name is Armando," he said then kissed my hand and my blushing went slightly further.
"Now, can I ask you a question Claudia?" I raised my eyebrows.

One of my trusted girls had run up to me with a face like she had seen a ghost.
"Claudia! There is something you need to know-"

"Not now," I said not even looking at her.

"But you really should-"

"I said not now!" I raised my voice and looked at her. She still looked concerned but didn't want to interrupt me further so left me be.

"Now what was it that you wanted to ask me missere (sir)" I said. He chuckled.

"Where have you been all of my life mia dolce (my sweet)" he said softly and caressed my cheek. I smiled and blushed with glee.

His smiled suddenly dropped as he looked behind me, I felt a strong grip on my arm before I was forcefully pulled up the stairs. As soon as I was at the top I realised who it was and that he had been watching me and Armando for who knows how long. I must have made him really mad.

We entered a room usually reserved for girls and their 'guests' but he pulled me in twirled me around and pressed me against the door until it shut after that he took half a second to look into my eyes and placed his lips onto mine. I pushed myself into him to deepen the kiss and he responded by placing his hands on my back and refusing to let go. I tried to walk us closer into the room but he continued to push me against the door as if to say 'I am in control' he then put one hand on my face while continuing to kiss me hot and passionately until my knees felt so weak I could have dropped. I felt like we were in one of my daydreams only this time my lips were tingling from the heat.

He placed one of his hands on the back of my neck and the other on the door so that I was caged by his arms I wrapped my arms around his neck not wanting this moment to end. This kiss felt like heaven. All of my lust was pulled to the surface as I got lost in my actions, I felt little to no control over my body at that point in time it was then that I realised that he was doing the exact same as me; he was pulling all of his lust out to the surface and being led by it.

He let out a sexual groan before pushing himself against the door so that we were pressed against each other my arms didn't move from around his neck. He was tracing my body with his fingertips while we were kissing in perfect synchronisation with each other (no pun intended) he then put his hands on my shoulders and separated us much to my discontent then placed his forehead onto mine.

"You. Are. Mine." He panted before he pulled me close again and started heavy breathing on my neck and resting his arms on my hips. he gave me the occasional peck on my neck which made me want to demand he take me then and there.

"I am sorry," I finally said feeling my mistake over me like a dark cloud.

"You should be," he replied pulling away from me.
"What were you thinking?" he asked.

"I was not thinking," I said looking down.

"Exactly," he said bringing his hands to his face.
"You would not have even thought about doing something like that if you knew that I was watching," his tone was calm but that is never a good sign when debating with Niccolo.

"I did not do anything Niccolo," I defended. Well I guess it did but nothing serious anyway.
"I mean… nothing actually happened," I continued.

"But what if I did not pull you away Claudia?" he exclaimed, barely giving me chance to finish my previous sentence.

"It would not have gotten that far, I would not have let it. I am not that type of woman!" I defended.

"Just imagine yourself in my position; would you have feel the same way as I do now?" he asked rather seriously. I took a moment to realise that I did not have much way to defend my point of view after he said that.

"I see what you mean… I am really sorry Niccolo," I said, finally feeling ashamed.

He took my hands while I was looking down and started stroking the back of them with his thumbs.

"Do you know how much I think about you all the time Claudia?" he asked rhetorically while giving a soft smile.

Niccolo P.O.V

She smiled at me with cheeks glowing red.

"It is killing me how much I feel the need to have you around so much," I paused.
"I feel like a teenager again," I joked. She giggled.

I did not want to speak another word so I sighed this is where she began moving and twitching with impatience.

"What is on your mind?" I asked.

"You want the truth?" she asked. I nodded.

She shyly gave me a small peck on my lips which I am guessing she intended to keep just a small kiss but out of repressed feelings and a lack of will to hold it in any longer, I lent in just as she pulled away to keep the kiss. It didn't take long to escalate and become the intense moment that I interrupted with my agitation a few minutes ago. This time however it became open mouth kissing and I could feel her fingertips on the back of my neck which was making me more lustful every second that I let her continue.

She pulled away far too soon than I wanted her to.

"I need to work," she said with disappointment in her voice then walked toward the door.

My instincts took over and grabbed her waist when she had her back to me and pulled her close again. She gasped and I started kiss and licking her neck and she started heavy breathing out of shock and pleasure.

"Tough," I whispered in her ear before grazing my teeth on her earlobe. I span her around and pulled her against me; her hands were on my collar and mine were on her waist.

"We should not be doing this Niccolo," she said to me trying to get a hold on her lustful thinking while I was kissing her neck.

"But we both want to," I said softly.

"Si (yes)" she said.
"But not yet, the time is not right," she said. I pulled away and placed my forehead on hers.

"When will the time be right?" I asked against her lips.

"We will both know when it is. But you and I both know that it is not now," she said. I sighed because part of me admitted that she was right.

"The whole point of my visit here was to talk to you about our 'secret' but seeing a complete stranger treat you like that made me lose control," I admitted, struggling to prioritise my mind.
"I sometimes question this affect that you gave on me," I smiled, and she smiled back. Now I pulled away fully.

"Maybe there are something that we are not meant to know," she said with a clever expression.

"Perhaps," I said leaning in but she put up a hand to stop me.

"Niccolo, focus, you said you wanted to talk about us?" she asked. I sighed. To be honest I would have kept this secret forever if I could. If everyone knew about it, I am sure that there would be questions that don't concern anyone but us. Ezio would surely make a silly excuse like I would jeopardise a lot if an assassin was smitten with an ally or something like that.

"I am still unsure of the correct time to reveal our little secret. I have been reminded time and time again that we cannot keep it a secret much longer," i said. She looked agitated at my deduction.
"I know that your brother is not one to let a suspicion slip by his thoughts. We have almost been caught twice I do not think it would be wise to gamble on a third strike," she nodded.

"I understand Niccolo, I am just scared," she looked at me with her kind eyes.

"Of what?" I whispered, I could feel the intensity in the air.

"losing you," she said innocently. I could feel a little nudge on my heart. No-one has ever said anything that sweet to me before.

"Ezio can be a bit unpredictable and I thought that maybe-" I cut her off by kissing er with the emotion that came along with the knowledge that she liked me enough to be scared that she was going to lose me. This time she didn't pull away but relaxed and placed her hands on my chest. The intensity that we felt previously wasn't there but never the less there was chemistry in this tender kiss. I was forgetting about everything again. It was not like I cared at the time but I would have kicked myself for it later. I most certain did regret it; at that moment the door opened to quickly for us to pull away fast enough for that person to not see what we had been doing. Who was at the door? It was Claudia's mother... and brother.

Strike three, you're out.

I love you guys that much that I wrote ALL of this while I was on holiday. I could've been enjoying the sun, swimming and drinking but instead I was writing this (nerd alert!) I hope that you appreciate the sacrifice that I made for you ;) anyway I totally winged it with this chapter because I was in Spain and couldn't consult my pile of FF scraps (yes, I have one of these. Basically whenever a new idea for this story pops into my head I write it down on a bit of scrap paper and add it to the pile and put it into a chapter whenever I can, or if later I decide I don't like it I bin it.) because of that, this chapter might not be very well written but... imma post it anyway! ^_^ just because I love the ending and the ending makes it far easier to start the beginning of the next chapter. Despite this crappy chapter I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I WILL be posting the next chapter in about a month.
Peace out my FFFs (Fan Fiction Fuckers/Freaks) ;) x