Book of Ezio Auditore da Firenze One Shots.

Self Control. An Ezio Auditore da Firenze One-Shot.

((Author's note: This part will be told in Ezio's POV))

It was another dull day here in Firenze. Why am I not surprised? Besides just laying around all day, mama decided to give me an errand which is to pick up some paintings from Leonardo's workshop. It seems she has grown a liking to decorating the house with unnecessary landscapes on every space she can find. Who am I to oppose her?

Leonardo's studio wasn't that far from our house. Which was good for me when it comes to the hauling part. Receiving a handful of looks from the people around the street, I knocked on the artist's door. I heard shuffling and a voice from the inside saying, "In a minute!"

Soon enough, footsteps came close and the door opened to see the very man with what seems like streaks of white on his face. I gave him a sincere smile and before I could even greet him, he had me in an unexpected hug.

"You must be Signora Maria's boy, Ezio, am I right?" he said as he lets me go, surprise all across my face. "Come in. It would take me a while to gather up the paintings."

I nodded. Friendly fellow. Leonardo rushed back inside, leaving me to close the door as I walked in. Immediately I heard a gasp in the room. I looked up to see a girl lying on Leonardo's bed with what seems to be only a blanket conveniently covering the parts that left me to my imagination.

With that pose and face that simply looked stunning, I could have taken her right then and there. That is, until the fumbling of boxes and crates in one corner of the room shook me from my trance. She didn't move but looked uncomfortable as my eyes glided down the curves that blankets had very little to hide.

"Sorry about the wait," Leonardo's voice came up from beside me. "I didn't expect you to pick these up early."

"You're making HER wait," I replied, smirking, not taking my eyes off the lovely scenery. "You've outdone yourself, friend."

I laced my arms over Leonardo's shoulders, a hearty laugh coming out from my lips as I congratulate him on his astounding achievement that lay on his bed. Leonardo almost dropped the crate of small sized paintings as I patted his shoulder, laughing nervously as I did so.

"I wish I am," he said. "I was only half finished with her."

I looked at Leonardo with a huge grin on my face. This man was truly something. "Is that so? Well, I should be on my way then, my friend!" I exclaimed, letting him go as he puts the crate on the table, double checking every single painting inside. "Who am I to disturb such a lovely couple?"

"Oh, we're not a couple," Leonardo answered, not even looking up from his current task. "This is Bara, my good friend from the far seas of the Orient."

"Far seas?"

"Yes, King Ferdinand II had his conquest some years ago-"

"Oh, yes, I have heard of the king's journey through far and wide." I said, walking towards the supposed foreign beauty that laid held her pose still. "I never thought they could actually succeed."

"Well, they did, my friend." With that, Leonardo placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think she's beautiful." I softly said, seeming to keep it more to myself than to anyone else.

"Grazie, my friend. I've only started sketching this morning," Leonardo happily replied, rushing to my left side to reveal an easel with a medium sized canvas resembling the almost finished painting of Bara in that very position. "I never thought I could have this much progress in one day!"

As Leonardo went back to his easel to continue his work, I knelt down to the girl's level, her eyes still timid to meet mine. I smiled, getting lost in those dark orbs that could hold sights from the other side of the world.