It is done! Later then I said it would be but, hey, least it got done!

So life wise I have moved into college and I am probably going to be pretty busy over the next few weeks while I try to figure everything out. Hope you all like the new chapter. (It is long)

Outside the little house the streets of Venice were alive with lights and music and people and fireworks. Women in costumes of every colour and men in masks like monsters drifted past.

Leonardo felt quite like he was in some strange dream. It was all so amazing. As he strode through the streets he took in all the sights and sounds. He spotted fire eaters, acrobats, freak shows and all manor of odd entertainments. He even spotted the flower boy Lodovico handing out flowers to women Last year he had missed out on the festivities of Carnival because Ezio had borrowed his mask. He had been to the carnival in florence but that was quite unlike the world famous celebration of Venezia. After almost a half an hour of wandering around Leonardo settled on a bench in the Piazza San Marco he hoped that Lovino would be able to find him in this massive crowd.

He should not have doubted the little assassin, for not more than a few minutes later she came strutting up to him.

But whereas last time he had seen her she had looked ridiculous, Lovino now looked like a man. the green costume she was wearing now fit correctly a large gold belt around her waist kept the top of the outfit baggy hiding her feminine body. Her long hair was unstyled and lay in limp strands over her shoulders. on her face she wore a green and gold mask which matched the hat and shirt. it hit only her eyes but Rosetta had done an excellent job with the make up; Lovino was now sporting a fake blond mustache and beard.

Upon spotting Lovino walking to him, Leonardo almost did not recognise her. Had it not been for the hat and shirt he would have never known that the man striding toward him was actually the feisty female assassin.

When Lovino stood right in front of Leonardo she spoke in a deeper voice than her normal tone. "Lisa, I have been looking everywhere for you," She reacher her hand out to the disguised man and helped him stand from his seat.

After standing and adjusting his dress a bit, Leonardo took Lovino's arm. He almost laughed upon realizing that even with Lovino's tall boots and himself in only flat shoes, Lovino was still quite a bit shorter than himself. It was however not too much of a shock owing to the fact that even as a man Leonardo was rather tall.

Conversationally Lovino asked "Have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Yes very much so," Leonardo nodded. "There is so much to see and all the costumes are quite amazing!"

"Well, I personally think your dress is the most beautiful I have seen so far," Lovino shot him a smirk and he chuckled knowing the Lovino was simply complimenting her own.

"I must agree,"

The two continued chatting as they strode around the city. When they reached a different plaza, Lovino suddenly stopped then stood on her tip toes and spoke into Leonardo's ear. "Ezio is over there," She tilted her head slightly toward where Ezio was flirting with some courtesans.

Leonardo had another moment of unrecognition. Ezio was standing with his back to the pair of them, and he was also not wearing his assassin uniform, but was instead dressed much as he was when he had met Leonardo all those years ago in Florence. He wore a dark blue vest with a large collar and a silver belt around his waist. His hair was still tied back in his usual low ponytail.

"So now it is fine for me to be very rude," Lovino grinned then stepped back from Leonardo and began shouting. "You are the most foolish woman I have ever met!"

Leonardo attempted to play along. " What? Nicola? I do not understand,"

Lovino scoffed, but grind a bit at the name Nicola. "You, You think I love you?" Lovino let out a low laugh. "Just because I am supposed to marry you does mean that I love you,"

Leonardo is slightly impressed by the conviction in Lovino's voice, she was quite the actress. "I am sorry," Leonardo bowed his head down, like a submissive woman. "I simply thought-"

Lovino cuts him off. "Think? You never think. You are thick as a brick wall!" By then a crowd had gathered around the two and had begun shouting both encouragements and hate at Lovino.

"I am not!"

"Oh, really. I cannot believe this," Lovino held up her hands, exasperated. "If you are not stupid then why can you not see that you are simply a means to an end. I will never love you!"

"You are horrible," Leonardo let out a little sniff as if he was going to cry.

Lovino started laughing then is suddenly cut off. When Leonardo looked up Lovino was being held off the ground by Ezio, who had the front of her shirt clutched in one hand.

"This is not how one treats a woman,"

He actually intervened, just Lovino said he would.

Lovino held up her hands in surrender. "Hey, she's my fiance not your's there is really no reason for you to be treating me like this,"

Ezio glared at Lovino. "Weather she is my fiance or your's has nothing to do with how you treat her. A man should never make a woman cry,"

Lovino gave Ezio a confused smirk. "But is not that what all women are good for, crying, and cleaning?'

She must have taken it one step too far because Ezio punched the disguised woman before dropping her to the ground where she staggered back then fell on her butt, holding the cheek Ezio pounched.

The brunette assassin then turned to Leonardo and gave him a kind smile. "Are you alright, Bella Donna?"

It took Leonardo a moment to respond. When Ezio turned around Leonardo realized he is wearing the mask that he had given Ezio last year at carnival.

"I- yes," He glanced at Lovino who was standing up from the ground and dusting off her cloths with an angry face.

Ezio opened his mouth to say something else when Lovino spoke again. "You can be nice to her all you want, but she is still mine, and always will be,"

Ezio whipped around ready to take Lovino down again but she had already turned away and began to push her way through the surrounding crowd.

With an angry sigh the assassin turned back to Leonardo. "Might I escort you home?"

Leonardo smiled and takes his arm. "Of course. I am not sure if you recognise me but this will be the second time you have shown up out of nowhere to escort me,"

Ezio stared at Leonardo a moment before recognition flooded his face. "Lisa!"

Leonardo nodded.

"I thought perhaps you had left Venezia when your cousin did," stepping at the same time the couple started to walk.

"No, I am staying here with my grandmother. I am supposed to spend carnival with my fiance..." he frowned. "You can see how that went,"

"Why would you agree to marry such a horrible man?"

Leonardo looked down. "I never did. It was arranged from when I was born. My family has a lot of money and his a lot of political power. he... I... This will sound foolish, but I have always hoped that he might one day love me, but it seems that he has always hated me. Even when we were young and first met he refused to even talk to me," Glancing up at Ezio, Leonardo spotted an angered look on the younger mans face.

"He should not treat such a beautiful woman like that!"

Leonardo blushed a bit and wondered, if Ezio finds him a beautiful woman then could he perhaps find him to be a handsome man? He shook his head a bit, now was not the time for such thoughts. He was with Ezio and should socialize accordingly.

"Um, thank you for intervening back there,"

Ezio flashed him a flirty smile. "It is always my pleasure to rescue damsels in distress!"

"Do you rescue girls often?" Leonardo smirked a bit.

The assassin scoffed. "I save all of Italia! I am sure you have seen the wanted posters,"

Leonardo chucked. "I have, but I was never sure if they were for you or my odd cousin,"

"I assure you, those posters are for me,"

"So you are a dangerous man?" The artist put a bit of sarcasm into his voice, not because Ezio is not dangerous, for he most certainly was. But because he was also kind and loyal and believed in good.

Of course Ezio was not aware of Leonardo's thoughts and jokingly replied. "The most dangerous man you will ever meet,"

It is just then that Leonardo realized are are about to walk past the street that will take him to the house he and the girls are using. He stopped, abruptly pulling on Ezio's arm.

"Sorry," He blushed. "I was so busy, speaking with you that we almost walked past my home,"

"Not to worry," Ezio turned but did not start down the street. "I was so lost in your voice that I forgot I was taking you home,"

At that line Leonardo let out a sudden laugh. He covered his mouth after the rather masculine noise. From behind his hand he mumbled "That was a horrible line," He let go of Ezio's arm and started walking quickly down the street.

Leonardo heard the sound of fast walking behind him and suddenly Ezio's hand is grabbing his arm. "Why are you embarrassed?"

The disguised man looks at Ezio with wide eyes, it had been a very many laugh. "I was just, embarrassed,"

Ezio smiled. "By your laugh?

"…" Leonardo nodded.

"I think that was the first time I have really heard you laugh all night, you should not be embarrassed just because it is a bit of an odd laugh,"

"You did not find it to be an ugly manly laugh?" It was mind boggling to Leonardo that Ezio had not yet seen though his thin disguise.

"I have certainly heard worse," Ezio took Leonardo's hand and held it with both of his own.

The blond was about to say something when the door to the house opened and old woman Rosetta stepped out.

In the most overdone crackly old woman voice she says "Lisa! Where have you been? you said you would come back in two hours and it has been much longer!" The assassin gone old woman, hobbled out of the house and up to the couple. "Who is this young man, It is not your fiance!"

Good lord, Rosetta's acting was appalling! Leonardo quickly acted to rectify the situation. "No he is not Nicola, his name is Ezio, he is a friend of both Lovino and I,"

Rosetta nodded, sagely. "Oh, what a nice young man," She reached up and pats Ezio's cheek.

"Alright grandma," Leonardo took her hand and pulled it away. "I am home now so we can go inside," He shoved Rosetta toward the door, then turned and mouthed 'Sorry' to Ezio. He keeps shoving Rosetta to the door but she seems determined to speak to Ezio again.

From behind the assassin shouts. "I will see you tomorrow, right?"

Without turning Leonardo replied, "Yes, you will just have to find me,"