Modern AU with a pretend relationship.

This has been in my head for a few months but I've been trying to put off writing it because I've got another fic going at the moment as well. But I'm sad and stressed so started this to make me feel better, so I apologize in advance for the varied chapter lengths and everything like that. Usually they'll be longer than this one but I just wanted to get this out.

What do you do when you're feeling the pressures of an insistent family? Lie, of course. Ezio had an idea, a very good idea he had to add, but the issue was he required a second person. None of his friends would do it, they would rather listen to stories of how he failed miserably during the upcoming family visit. Who else would do it?

Ezio ran suggestions through his head, wondering if he could convince any of them help him. He'd lied to his parents, telling them that yes, he had a partner. Very casual, he insisted, but still someone nevertheless. Now they were visiting for a week, his parents, siblings and uncle, and there was a flaw in his lie; he had no partner. If all else fails, he could continue his web of lies and either tell them his partner was out of town or that they had broken up. The latter would be painful, since his mother would immediately suggest he found someone new.

Heaving out a sigh, Ezio pushed open the door of the flower shop. The intensity of the scent of all the plants hit him at once but he smiled regardless, greeting the florist with a raised hand. The shop was a small one, only a few minutes' walk from the supermarket he frequented, but the atmosphere was pleasant and the flowers never disappointed. Ezio needed something for tonight, to display in the center of his dining table. His eyes wandered over the array of plants and flowers, all presented beautifully with their colours on display.

He was having a hard time deciding when he was repeatedly distracted by another customer in the shop. The other man, only just taller than himself and blonde, was standing in front of the display of lilies. At first, Ezio wasn't curious; he was just another customer. But soon Ezio realized the man hadn't moved and continued to stare at the lilies. When the florist disappeared to the backroom for whatever reason, Ezio approached the other customer. He stood beside the other man, viewing the lilies just as he did. He could appreciate the simply beauty of flowers like anyone else, but Ezio couldn't see what was so special about these. "Do you know a lot about flowers, friend?" Ezio asked, a smile spreading across his face as the other man jolted. He hadn't snuck up to him, the stranger was merely so enwrapped he didn't notice.

"No, not really," the man admitted, looking down sheepishly. "I still appreciate them, though."

"I think," Ezio nodded. "I've found the flower I was looking for," he paused, watching the man. He was handsome, a cloud of freckles over his nose and cheeks, and was a few years older than Ezio. He did seem a little nervous, however. "My name's Ezio."

"Leonardo," now he smiled, "I'm Leonardo."

Ezio relaxed purposefully, wanting to relieve Leonardo's unease. "So, Leonardo, are you buying for someone in particular?"

"No, no. I'm an artist, I was just looking for inspiration," that explained the paint splatters on his tawny shirt. He was actually looking at Ezio now as well. "Are you? Buying for anyone specific, I mean."

"My family," Ezio laughed. "My dear, overbearing family."

"Ah. Well, lilies would be a good choice then, I think."

Already, Ezio's mind was beginning to work. Perhaps… "I'll buy you some as well," Ezio announced. The florist had come back into the room and he gestured to the man, and he hurried over to prepare two bunches.

Leonardo was genuinely taken aback. "You don't have to do."

"I want to. Besides," Ezio grinned and slapped him companionably on the shoulder. "I want to."

When the two bunches of lilies, white with pink toward the center, had been organized and paid for, Ezio gave one bunch to Leonardo. "Thank you," Leonardo accepted them graciously. "Really, I mean it."

"No problem."

The two left the shop together, talking as they began down the sidewalk. "Agh, I don't want to go home," Ezio complained, laughing. "I love my family, but, sometimes…"

"I understand. You said they were overbearing?"

"I may have lied to them," he held his hands up in defense when Leonardo shot him an incredulous glance. "They drove me to it, I swear."

"What did you lie about? If you want to tell me, of course."

Leonardo had given him the best opening. "I told them I have a boyfriend –I don't have a boyfriend. They're expecting to meet this person tonight."

"I can see why this would be a problem."

"I know," Ezio was eying Leonardo as they walked. "I thinking…"

Leonardo caught on immediately. He shook his head, yet there was still a hint of a smile. "I can't lie to your family as well. Besides, we've only just meet. We don't even know each other!"

Ezio shrugged. "Minor detail. You know, I could buy you more flowers if that would convince you? You would be saving me from a lot of trouble, you know."

"Why don't you go get a proper boyfriend? You're more than capable, just by looking at you." Slip of the tongue? Ezio wouldn't turn down a compliment.

"I have study and assignments and other things to think about."

That made Leonardo pause. "Excuse me, but how old are you?"

"20."

"20?"

"How old are you?"

"27."

"The gap isn't so bad," Ezio wasn't fazed. "Believable."

"There's nothing to believe if there's nothing going on."

"Exactly, Leonardo, nothing will happen. We just have to pretend like it is."

Taking a deep breath in, Leonardo seemed to brace himself. "You know, you've gotten me curious."

"I'm glad."

"You…" Leonardo laughed, Ezio joining in a moment later. "Hey, my studio is this way," he gestured and began down that street. When they came to the studio, Ezio saw how it doubled a shop. Paintings waited in the windows, on display for all to see and admire. Leonardo did mostly still life, with very little drawn from something he hadn't seen firsthand. Some of the pieces looked familiar.

"You sell your work?"

"Yes, but rather unsuccessfully." Leonardo waved Ezio inside as he unlocked the front door. "Come in, I need to get these lilies in water."

The front half of the inside of the studio-shop was relatively tidy, with more finished works on display. The other half was the studio half, hidden from a potential customer's eyes, was a mess. Shelves were crammed full of art supplies, racks of canvases were stacked waiting to the used, two parallel tables were covered with sketches and half-finished projects. There was even the beginnings of a horse sculpture in one corner, barely larger than a household cat.

"This is where I work," Leonardo awkwardly held his arms out then dropped them to his side. "And where I live too, I suppose, since I spend more time here."

"You're very talented, Leonardo."

"Thank you." He had already begun to find something to put the lilies into. He had a whole bookshelf full of props he evidently used to draw, and found a vase among them. Once filled with sink from the nearby basin, the flowers sat pride of place in the center of once of the tables. "There," Leonardo suddenly looked away from Ezio, occupying his hands by futilely organizing the semi-finished drawings. "If I was to, say, accept what you were proposing…"

Ezio beamed. "I knew you would."

"Ah, ah, hang on. If I accepted, purely because I am curious, how would we go about this?"

"We would have to know basics about each other, but my family is arriving in a few hours. Do you have formal type clothing?" Ezio paused. "Perhaps I should buy you a coffee before going through your wardrobe."

"Yes, I think so too."

Once Leonardo locked up, the two of them began toward the nearest apartment block. It was where Leonardo lived and they stopped at the first café they passed. Taking their still steaming coffees up the flights of stairs, they discussed whatever Leonardo needed to know. Ezio's parents' names, his siblings' names, the Bachelor of Arts he was working toward. In that time, Ezio found out more about Leonardo; his struggles with the shop, his endless and undying love of art. He described it as an itch –if he hadn't drawn or painted in a day or so, he had to. He itched until he put pen or pencil to paper.

Leonardo's apartment was small, and somehow just as full of doodles and sketches as his studio. "Sorry for the mess," Leonardo laughed nervously. "I don't have an excuse."

"No need to apologize, it's fine."

For the next half hour, Ezio sat cross-legged on Leonardo's floor as Leonardo pulled out various shirts and trousers for inspection. This was a task that should have only taken ten minutes maximum but the two constantly distracted each other. While Ezio had never given his parents no details about this "casual boyfriend", aside from the gender, Ezio still wanted him to be presentable. If they were going to try and pull this off, it may at least be decent. Ezio finally approved of various items of clothing and Leonardo threw them and his toiletries into a bag. "What about nights?" Leonardo tried to be vague and it took Ezio a moment.

"Oh, I don't live far from here but it may be easier to stay with me for the week," Ezio scrunched his nose up. "Or for some of the days. We may have to share a room." He wondered how comfortable Leonardo would be with that, but the two of them had been getting along well so far. Very well, in fact. Acting won't be so hard if they were friends and could laugh about it afterward.

"That's okay, I'm sure I'll live."

"Brilliant. We should probably get going, I asked Federico and Claudia to come around early. They won't let me forget it if they're at my own apartment before me."

And so Ezio's plan began. He had managed to get Leonardo involved, and neither would ever forget what happened over the next week and beyond.

I'm plunging myself back into Ezio/Leo shipping hell. Yay, angst.