circle7 | Steal a Kiss (or two)

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Steal a Kiss (or two)

It was early morning when Vico and Adamo had made it to Barcelona. They had traveled by boat from Roma on a mission for some vital information. Actually, it was a lead up to that Spanish noble who waltzed his way through Roma just two months earlier - one of his connections. They were to find out where the iron was being transported from, and to sabotage the operation.

However, it required a little courting. The official - a Senator - had an adventurous wife, it turned out, and they - well, one of them - was to court her while the other distracted the Senator at a party they were having that very night. (They would be under the guise of Borgia officials.)

As it turned out, though, sea travel did not get along with Adamo. He was heaving half the time, huddling in the most stable corner he could find. As they finally docked and reached an inn, he flopped into his bed, groaning into the pillow as he held his stomach. Everything still felt like it was tilting back and forth over and over.

"Let's take horses back. Ugh."

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Following Adamo's eyes, Vico also lowered his eyes to the seal, mouth pressing into a thin line. He didn't much like the look of his friends in those corrupt colors, either. His costume, a much more discreet assistant's garb, was plainer than the officials', less frills, puffs, bells and whistles overall, since it would do them no good for them both to appear as flashy as Adamo was, by nature (and frankly, Vico preferred it this way). Vico swept out a hand and gave a deep, mock-respectful bow, holding open the door with his head down to hide his smirk. "Then, after you, señor."

They spent a few minutes on the street just practicing the swagger, but Adamo was a complete natural at the role. Sooner rather than later, they were on their way, walking the streets like they owned it as they made their way to the rendezvous point. With ample research, Vico and Adamo had Madonna Garcia's schedule down to every minute detail - the Spanish spoke easily and freely about their local peoples of interest, especially those serving the Borgia and making lives difficult for everyone. They would be meeting her in the market, under the guise of simply happening upon here there. (Imagine the coincidence, señora.)

Adamo was a natural for things like acting. At least, when it came to acting like a pompous Borgia official. Only Vico would know he did it mockingly - anyone else would believe that was simply the arrogant air of a man in such a position. Luckily for them, it turned out the senator's wife was fluent in Italian, making the mission that much easier. Adamo knew as much Spanish as his Italian language would allow. Hearing it was one thing, but speaking it was difficult. Thankfully, Vico did not have such barriers.

As they walked into the market, Adamo scanned the crowd subtly, eyes tilted to a carefully hidden angle under his hat. There was quite a crowd to sift through, but eventually he caught sight of a noble woman who had servants carrying her things, and buying things for the sake of carrying them for her. With the way she cast her eyes upon the men around the market, Adamo was sure they had their match. He motioned Vico to follow, feigning interest in the stands around them as he approached slowly.

What Adamo hadn't counted on was the senator himself being there with her. He hadn't seen Señor Garcia on the other end of the market, walking back to his wife to rejoin her.

"Merda, the senator is here," he mumbled to Vico. Courting the wife would have to wait - they would simply exchange formalities for now. When they were close enough, Adamo took a double glance at the pair a few feet away, looking surprised. "Senator Garcia?" The man looked up, wearing particularly extravagant clothes for the occasion, Adamo imagined. His wife looked up as well, and while in the presence of her husband, only seemed mildly curious about the men before her.

"Si?" For a moment, confusion was on his face. "Ah, Borgia's men! Welcome to Spain! I did not expect to find you here in the market."

Vico only bowed, half a step behind Adamo, as expected of the role he was playing. There was something odd in the way the Senator measured them up; it was not unlike how his wife was sweeping her eyes over them, and Vico fought down the urge to fidget. Did they suspect something already? Had they given themselves away somehow? That was impossible; the Senator should have known nothing - they had ambushed the real Borgia officials long before the Spaniards would have had a chance to meet them, so then what was with that overly-curious look they were being given? By both husband and wife, no less?

It might have been just paranoia, but Vico kept his head down respectfully, letting the little red beret slide over his bangs, obscuring his face. He just hoped Adamo could handle this passably, but just in case... Behind his back, he fingered one of the throwing knives strapped to the inside of his belt.

Adamo had noticed, but his facade didn't waver. He greeted the two enthusiastically, deciding small talk was best - they would not want to talk business out in the open like this. It would be foolish.

"I am surprised to see you here," Adamo said with a bow. "Is it your party not about to begin? Marco and I were just about to head there after a glance at some of the fine Spanish jewelry. Such different quality than Italia's."

"Ah, yes, indeed," Senator Garcia said with a nod. By now, the strange glances they were being given had stopped - apart from the wife's. She was eying Vico. "I do not blame you. Well, I believe we have our last minute party preparations. Sorry our meeting had to be so short - but we will have the rest of the party to ourselves, hm?" The look and pat on the shoulder - that ran down the length of his arm - he gave Adamo was definitely not your usual hearty parting gesture. Adamo simply nodded, bowing his head with a smile.

"Adios, for now," the wife finally spoke up with a kind smile of her own, and as she left, her gaze finally detached from Vico - not before sweeping down and back up, though.

As soon as they left, Vico looked up. He threw a suspicious glance over his shoulder at the departing couple, only to meet the Madonna Garcia's still lingering eyes, and he snapped his head back around, swearing under his breath as he and Adamo leisurely made their way through the rest of the market. "They are strange," he announced, only loud enough for the two of them to hear, however, as soon as they were out of earshot. "I think they are suspicious. That is dangerous."

As soon as they were outside the market, where the crowds were more sparse, he laughed.

"They are not suspicious," he said, simple and without explanation.

"They were!" Vico protested, looking uncomfortable in his guard's uniform. "It is like they knew! They kept on staring at you, Adamo. We are not well-armed. If they had called enough guards on us, we would have been done for."

"Idiota, they were interested," Adamo clarified, with a roll of his eyes. He knew those kinds of looks anywhere. Figured that Vico was clueless.

A pause.

"They were?" Vico said, pulling back incredulously and scanning Adamo over with a look that said he had no idea what in the world on this person could possibly interest anyone ever.

Edited 2011-02-18 18:41 (UTC)

"I guess they failed to inform us that the both of them are adventurous," he said thoughtfully, rubbing the stubble on his chin, ignoring the look he was being given. "Very well. Madonna Garcia looked more interested in you. Court her instead."

Instantly, he recoiled. "Court her instead? Who will you be courting? That is your job!"

Edited 2011-02-18 18:48 (UTC)

So oblivious, Vico. Adamo couldn't help but grin. "So you would prefer the senator? Not that I mind, but... I didn't think he would be your type."

"I- ...what?" It was a very rare occasion when Vico was taken by so much surprise, that he was past words and well into the 'speechless' territory. He looked absolutely bewildered for a moment, frowning to himself as if trying to figure out this particular in-joke that he was not privy to, but Adamo clearly was. It only dawned on him after a minute - the exact moment made obvious by the widening of his eyes.

He clasped onto Adamo's wrist, looking alarmed. "I cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself like that!"

"Sacrifice?" Adamo's smile fell, eyes wide.

Then he started laughing again, stabling himself by thumping a hand on Vico's shoulder as his body shook. "I had no idea you were so clueless! This is truly endearing, amico. Classic." After another small bout, he withdrew, still grinning. "It's really no problem. If you understand my meaning. If he wasn't as good looking, well... there might be a problem."

The second instant of enlightening was heralded by Vico literally backpedaling, leaning back with eyes threatening to pop right out of his face. "...What?"

Oh.

Despite his grin, his facade, and the way he always carried himself, he was not brave enough to wait for Vico's true reaction to settle in. He checked outside the small alley they were huddled into, then motioned Vico to follow.

"Let's not wait around. We should head to the senator's."

A hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him back. Vico's expression was serious and determined, just like always. "You are sure?" he questioned, staring hard at Adamo's face as if he could find the answer there, rather than trusting what he heard. He knew what bravado looked and sounded like, after all. "I mean, even if you...partake in that kind of thing, that is a completely different matter of whether or not you are willing to let that Borgia scum put his hands on you just for answers. We can abandon the mission, fratello. I am willing to suffer el Maestro's punishment for it."

Adamo stared back. His gaze hardened; just as determined as Vico's own.

"I am not willing to," he answered back, though the fact that Vico was willing to, just to save Adamo's dignity, made his frame relax again, made his grin a little more honest, and his stance more like that of an assassin. "Grazie, amico. But I can handle it." He gave the hand around his wrist a well-meaning squeeze with his free hand. "Besides, I am more worried about how you are going to court a woman. Maybe I should give you some tips first."

Growing red in the face, Vico looked as though this particular fuse of his was especially short. He let go, clenching his hand into a fist. "That-!"

And then just as quickly, he fizzled out. What was he going to do? Dio mio. It wasn't that he was clueless with women, or that he was disinterested, but he had really never thought he would ever be doing this with anyone than the lady of his choosing. To do this on a woman who had done the same with Borgia pigs was...

"Do not think of the Borgia," Adamo said, well knowing the look that crossed his face. "Think of the mission. If I can get over it, so can you, si?"

"Of course," Vico said, even if a little sulkily. He supposed it was better than the other way around, with him having to distract the Senator. He should count his blessings, he reminded himself.

Adamo smiled. The sun was beginning to set, the clouds soaked in oranges and reds. A sure sign that they should be on their way.

"Ready, then?"

Adjusting his beret on his head (it made him look younger, like a boy, still), Vico steeled his look. "Like I said, I always am."

(Sometimes he's acted the part, too.) "Molto bene." With one more encouraging pat on the back, they were on their way.

The senator's home was practically a palace, and by nightfall, it looked like a completely different place than when they first inspected it. It was candlelit to a degree of elegance, tables of food strewn about here and there, minstrels and acrobats entertaining guests. It was deceivingly nice, compared to that Banker's party they had heard about. The Templar life had obviously treated Señor Garcia well. His guests were just as elegant. Adamo wondered how many were just as guilty of the very same lifestyle; reaping the benefits of an unjust life.

He masked these thoughts, smiling as he passed through crowds of people to the food buffet before them. All this facading around made him hungry again. (When he looked down, he swore he could almost see his reflection in the tile.)

"Pretty nice huh, Marco?" Adamo asked as he tossed a grape into his mouth.

"Sí, señor," droned Vico, sounding every part the bored assistant at a gaudy party that was way out of his tastes and league. Unlike Adamo, he could not work up an appetite when on a mission, and there was a feeling of unrest churning at the bottom of his stomach. He did not like having to use a woman to do a man's work, and he did not like, at all, leaving his friend to a pig for the sake of their duties either. He almost wished he could just force their answers out of them at blade-point and call it a day. (That much better suited his style of operation.)

Vico glanced back up at Adamo, wondering if the older man would just let his reason win out over his pride and agree to take Vico's offer to go home, but Adamo gave no indication of even the smallest amount of hesitance or discomfort. Then again, out of the two of them, Vico had always been poorer at masking his emotions.

Soon enough, preceded by a loud clearing of the announcer's throat, Senator Garcia and his wife Angelita finally made their entrance at the top of an embellished flight of stairs at the north end of the hall. They waved and slowly made their way down, holding each other's hands in a fragile gesture that was more of a touching of fingertips than any real sign of companionship or co-dependence. It was obvious to the practiced eye that these two had no lost love between them. They faced different directions when they talked, cast roving eyes over different people. It was more like a very odd partnership of equal parts greed and corruption.

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TIME TO TIMESKIP AFTER THIS

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