Disclaimer: I don't own Thief Lord or any of its characters…Cornelia Funke does.

A/N: My Italian is horrible people so I will only use Italian phrases found in the book.

Love Is Found In the Most Unlikely Places

Chapter 1: Confessions of Amor

The morning sun glowed brightly on the horizon of the beautiful city of Venice, brightening its many streets and canals as another spring day begins. Many of the natives were still sound asleep in their beds, save the schoolchildren and the market owners, who had to get ready for school and tend to their stores respectively. One house in particular was rather quiet even though the children that lived there were wide awake.

"Prosper, shouldn't we be getting ready for school?" asked a small boy around 7 years old. His scruffy, blonde hair had streaks of black in it and his boyish features melted the hearts of any tourists who set eyes on him.

"No, Bo. Remember that we don't have to go to school like the other children?" said a taller, serious-looking boy with raven black hair. He looked about 14 years old and appeared to be the younger boy's brother.

A moment later, a slender young girl the same age as Prosper walked into the room and patted Bo on the head before sitting next to his older brother. She had long brown hair worn in a thin braid that went down to her hips. This braid looked suspiciously like a long stinger, which earned her the nickname Hornet, and she usually never answered to anything else.

"Besides, don't you like being home-schooled by Signora Ida? It's much better than going to a public school, where we would have to watch out for bullies." Hornet said, smiling at the youngest of the three of them. "I suppose, but I want to make some friends my own age, Hornet. I also know that you and Prop would be there to look out for me." Bo exclaimed, giving his companions his sweetest smile. The others chuckled at his innocent gesture and pulled him into a hug.

It was silent for a few moments before Prosper spoke up, "Bo, why don't you go wake up Ida and Lucia so that we can get breakfast started. Scip and the others should be here soon anyway." Bo grinned widely and with a nod of his head, jumped up and bolted upstairs to wake their caretaker and her housekeeper.

Prosper sighed and glanced over at Hornet. They had known each other for almost two years now and during that time, the two friends had developed more than friendly feelings for each other. The reason that they weren't a couple yet was because each was oblivious to the other's feelings. All of their friends, even Bo, kept prodding them to get together but Prosper's shyness and Hornet's stubbornness always prevented them from going anywhere beyond friendship. That, however, was about to change…

"Hornet, can I ask you a question?" Prosper asked, glancing over to his secret crush.

Hornet looked back at him and giggled, "You just did, but go ahead anyway."

The witty remark made the young boy laugh heartily as he put on his 'serious face,' "What am I to you, exactly? What kind of relationship do we have?" At this, Hornet's face turned a deep crimson as she turned away slightly, "We're best friends, Prop. But there is something I've been meaning to tell you."

This naturally caught Prosper's attention as he turned her head around to look into her eyes, "What is it, Hornet?"

If there was one thing that Prosper wasn't expected the younger girl to do, it was what she did at those words: She sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. If Prosper's face could've burned off from blushing so hard, it would have done so right there.

"Prop, I have to say this before Bo comes back. I've had feelings for you for a long time but I was afraid you would reject me and not be my friend anymore," Hornet said with a tear beginning to make its way down her cheek. Prosper smiled as wide as he could and wiped the tear off the girl's face, cupping her cheek in one hand and wrapping his free arm around her waist, "Hornet, I've also had feelings for you. To be honest, I've liked you since I first saw you. I was just scared you would laugh at me and turn me down."

Hornet's eyes brightened at his words and she leaned her face closer, gently planting a kiss on Prosper's lips, effectively quieting them both. For a couple minutes, the pair just sat on the couch and kissed, perfectly content with each other's company and the knowledge that they shared the same feelings.

Prosper pulled away for a moment and smiled at Hornet, holding her close, "Hornet, will you be my girlfriend?"

The young girl giggled and nodded, "I would be glad to, Prop. I love you so much." With that, she gave her new boyfriend another kiss and pulled herself closer to him, tightening her grip on his waist.

They most likely would've kept kissing, except at that moment Bo came running down the stairs and leapt into the room. He gasped upon entering, seeing his closest lady friend kissing his older brother while sitting in his lap. I mean, who wouldn't? At once, Hornet jumped out of Prosper's lap and blushed deeply, stuttering in embarrassment at having been caught. A minute later, Ida and Lucia came down and asked the children what had happened, seeing all three blushing like cherries. Bo was about to comment but Prosper and Hornet patted his head before he could say anything and confessed to the older women that they were a couple now and had kissed. Both guardian and housekeeper found it immensely cute and told them that it was okay, and that Bo had convinced them to let the children attend public school.

After Ida and Lucia left for the kitchen with Bo in tow, the new couple smiled and gave each other a peck on the cheek. Hornet giggled and said, "Looks like we're going to school after all, Prop." Prosper laughed and nodded, "Yeah. Bo can get anyone to do what he says, somehow. I have to ask him to teach me how he does it."

Hornet burst out laughing at this and hugged her boyfriend tightly, "Do you think the others will mind us being like this?" Prosper shook his head and chuckled, "Somehow, I think the others knew it would happen, especially Mosca and Riccio. Heck, I wouldn't doubt it if Victor and Scip also had a clue about it."

Hornet nodded and smiled, giving Prosper a third kiss on the lips in six minutes. "Well then, we'll just have to get through it together," she said.

"Yeah," Prosper replied, "Together."