Me: *sketching*
Altaïr: ASH GO TO SLEEP-
Me: DUDE IT'S LITERALLY ONLY 12AM CHILL-
Ezio: THAT'S BAD ENOUGH-
Me: HUSH EZIO-
Edward: ALL OF YOU SHUT UP. ASH NEEDS THEIR SLEEP.
Me: TOO BAD FOR YOU KENWAY I CHUGGED A TRIPLESHOT COFFEE-
Edward: Fuck. WHY, ASH? YOU'LL STAY AWAKE FOR HOURS NOW-
Me: Because I can. Now, I actually have to start this oneshot-
Edward: ...Fine. But when you're done, we're going sailing.
Me: Okay, then. But it's like -12°C out, how are we going to sail when everything's frozen?...Edward?
=︼---✯---︼=
Imagine this: You're in Venezia on a mission with our very own hoe of an Italian (joke) who's been your best friend since childhood (you're both from Firenze). He hasn't left your side since you both arrived in Venezia and you're beginning to wonder why...
Note: Loosely based off AC2's story, Ezio and Rosa have a small fling but it never develops into anything more than that, Italian will be used a lot (I learned a lot from AC2, okay? Also, translations will be provided), reader is Assassin, possible wrong translations for the Italian I don't know
TW: Trauma, mentions of suicide, graphic stuff, murder, violence
=︼---✯---︼=
Your POV
As you silently maneuver through the crowds of Venezia, you hear a certain fellow Assassin behind you.
"Ser Auditore." you playfully drawl, allowing what could be seen of your lips under your hood to form a slight smile.
"Ah, bella! (beauty) So good to see you at Carnevale! You could have worn something that blends in with the crowd more, but..."
He trails off as you punch his arm. "I could say the same to you, stronzo (fucker)," you reply. "Anyways, what are you here for?"
Ezio lowers his voice and says, "I need to win the Golden Mask to get into Barbarigo's party and kill him."
"Oh, I already have one of those. No need to bust my culo (ass) trying to win one."
"What? How?" Ezio asks.
"Leonardo got a mask de facto because his patron's family has had connections going back to the first Doge. All the artists under him get an invitation, but Leonardo didn't want to go so he gave his mask to me." you reply with a shrug.
"Hm, guess I have to win the mask and beat you to assassinating Barbarigo." Ezio says.
"Buona fortuna, amico mio (Good luck, my friend), they're probably going to rig the contest to get that Dante man to win."
"Ah, that is true. In any case, I'll catch up with you later...tesoro (treasure)." he says with a small smile meant only for you before he vanishes into a crowd. Wait, did he just call you treasure? Never mind that, you had to head to Sister Teodora and her brothel for information-something Ezio had clearly done before he went to win the Golden Mask.
As you walk to Teodora's, you see Antonio walk up beside you. "Salute, (Hello) Antonio. What brings you to my company? Heading to Teodora's to get something to grow firmer again, eh?" you ask, playfully nudging the thief leader.
"I have to talk to Teodora about something. Besides, you aren't being shadowed by Ezio, so I thought I would accompany you as I enjoy your company."
Antonio was right about Ezio shadowing you. He had done it since you both arrived in Venezia and you were unsure why. He hadn't done it in Firenze, San Gimignano or Monteriggioni, so why here?
"I'll catch up with you later...tesoro."
His words clanged like bells in your mind. Could the Ezio Auditore da Firenze really have feelings for you? It looked unlikely, as he was such a flirtatious womanizer.
"So, are you going to the Doge's party with Ezio?" Antonio asks.
You chuckle. "I already have my Golden Mask. Ezio still needs to win his."
"You already have one?" Antonio asks, tilting his head in question.
"Sì (yes). Leonardo gave me his as his patron got an extra one from the Doge for him. His patron has extremely close ties to the Doge's seat-back to the first Doge. So, the patron gave him the mask as he does every year when he has an artist in his pay. Leonardo didn't want to go, so he gave me the mask after I asked if I could use it."
"He's probably working on his inventions and whatnot. That man loves to be in solitude with his inventions."
You laugh a bit. "True."
Timeskip, Ezio's POV
As he completed the tasks necessary to acquire the Golden Mask, his mind was on Y/N the entire time. He didn't really know why. But as he completed the third of four tasks, he realized why.
He was in love with Y/N.
A bit ironic, considering he was a womanizer. But he did fall for Cristina once-albeit briefly-so he shouldn't be surprised.
He's always admired them from afar. Their skill, their cloud like H/L H/C hair, their E/C eyes that were sometimes haunted but contained all the light of his world that he would fight for until he couldn't anymore if they went dark and most of all their attractive personality.
If he already admired everything about them, he should have seen this coming.
But no. Fate had other plans.
Maybe Fate had even spun the future he wanted now the moment he was conceived.
He didn't know if Y/N felt the same way. He could only hope they did. That hope seemed incredibly slim to him as they most likely thought he was womanizer-which to be fair, he was.
What Y/N didn't know was that if they had been hung in the place of his father and brothers, his rage, bloodlust and grief would have consumed him to the point of no return. No-even further than that. He would have challenged the guards and tried to kill every last one, then cut their body down and bury it. Then his emotions would have been too strong and he would've killed himself atop their freshly dug grave.
But enough about alternative realities and what could've happened. He has a mask to win.
Timeskip, your POV
You were watching the competition for the Golden Mask. Silent, blended in a group of dancing and seductive courtesans Teodora insisted accompany you. As you had predicted, the Dante man won the mask-despite Ezio winning all the tasks. Your rage threatened to boil over, but you keep it in check, plastering a serene aloofness on what people could see of your face. The guards escorting him were distracted by your group of courtesans calling for them, so you pretend to bump into the large man. "Mind your step, stronzo (fucker)." he says to you, his voice low and menacing. You fake a meek nod and seamlessly grab the mask and slide it into your pouch.
"Mi dispiace, Signore (I'm sorry sir)." you reply before hurrying off to where you know Ezio will see you over the crowd. Your E/C eyes meet his own hazel ones and he knows you have the mask.
He makes his way over to you, and you seamlessly pass him the mask, looking as inconspicuous as possible-though it was hardly needed with this huge crowd, it didn't hurt to be cautious. Ezio's calloused fingers tenderly brush yours as he takes the mask and places it in one of his pouches.
That definitely felt intentional, you think as you and Ezio go your separate ways. Him to Antonio and you to Leonardo to avoid rousing suspicion-and you had a Codex page for him to translate anyway.
As you knock on the inventor's door and enter, the scent of oil point greets your nose. The man himself walks over to you with a smile. "Ah, Y/N! What is it? Do you have another Codex page for me to translate? Of course, I have to make Ezio a copy, but..."
You nod. "And something to talk to you about. But get the page translated first."
Mini timeskip, your POV
You had lighter, stronger armor thanks to Leonardo's translation of the page. As you both sit by the comforting fire, he asks, "What's on your mind?"
"Well...I uh...I'm in love with Ezio..." you reply.
"Ah, I think he does feel the same way. Just go for it and if he doesn't feel the same, I'll take you to Sister Teodora's." your friend replies.
"Molto grazie, amico mio (Thank you very much my friend)." you reply with a small smile.
"Di nulla (It's nothing)!" Leonardo replies as he hugs you.
Timeskip to after the bad Doge dies because my left index finger is getting sore, Ezio's POV
He had asked Y/N if they had wanted to go on a walk with him and they agreed, so now they were walking around Venezia together like everyday citizens, going on bridges every few minutes.
There was an awkward silence between him and Y/N and there had been since the beginning of this walk, so he decides to break it. "Y/N?" he asks tentatively.
"Hm?"
"...Ti amo (I love you)..."
Silence between him and them again. Then they say, "Ti amo anchi'io Ezio (I love you too)."
He chuckles. "I'm glad, amore (love)."
"Glad?" Y/N asks him, with a bit of playful teasing in their tone. "You just found out your feelings are reciprocated and you're glad?"
He and Y/N stop on the Ponte della Paglia, looking at the sunset over the beautiful Venetian lagoon. The moored ships with straw on them ruined the view a bit, but it was still stunning.
He looks into their hypnotizing E/C eyes and cups their cheek. "Can I kiss you?" he asks them as he looks at their full and sensuous lips.
"Yes."
So he leans in and puts his lips on theirs. Their lips felt soft and he wraps his arms around their waist to deepen the kiss a bit. They wrap their arms around his neck and he slightly bites their bottom lip, asking for permission.
They give their consent and his tongue sweeps into their mouth, exploring a bit. But the kiss is cut short when he has to pull away for air. Y/N cheeks are a light pink as they say, "We should probably get back to Antonio, he might be worried about us."
"You're right," he sighs before getting closer to them. "We'll continue this later, tesoro mio (my treasure)."
They smile and lightly slap his arm. "We really do have to get back, amore. It's getting dark and we're pretty notorious for killing Barbarigo."
He looks around and sees that the area is deserted. "One dance before we go, cara mio (my dear)?" he asks them with a lopsided smirk on his face.
"Sì, tesoro (Yes, treasure). But quickly. The sky is going a dark blue."
He takes their hand and gets into the position for a Florentine tarantella dance. There weren't any tambourines or anything to do the traditional dance, but he couldn't care less. He was dancing on one of the most romantic bridges in Venezia with the love of his life and he felt content for the first time in years.
As he held them in his arms, he says, "Buon Carnevale, amore della mia vita (Happy Carnevale, love of my life)."
"E a voi, amore della mia vita (And to you, love of my life)." Y/N replies before giving him a tender kiss.
So this is what it truly meant to feel love. I have time, I have liberty, and most of all...I have love. Ringrazio il fato (I thank fate).
=︼---✯---︼=
Me: Merda, I finished-
Ezio: ASH! LANGUAGE!
Me: Non, enculé. (No, fucker)
Arno: *yells from couch* LANGUAGE!
Me: NO-
Edward: Why is that so cute?! Ash, we need to do this!
Me: I'm not travelling to Venice, Edward. And I fucking hated that sailing earlier. It was annoying as fuck and not to mention cold. *sips coffee*
Edward: Wait, is that what I think it is..?
Me: ...
Edward: ASH NO-