So, this may not end up how OP wants because I just can't imagine Ezio watching while Cesare fucks Leonardo, my brain just won't go there. Also, I am very short of time so I don't even know if this will go anywhere :/ So please another writer!anon feel free to post your take on this as well.
Ezio Auditore stood on the stone landing in the fading light of evening, arms folded across his chest.
"Ezio!" said Leonardo, and started towards his friend. Seeing the expression on Ezio's face, he stopped short.
"Leonardo." Ezio kept his arms folded. His bearded face was grim, his eyes narrow beneath his hood.
"It is good to see you, friend," Leonardo said, but his stomach began to twist with doubt.
"I hear you work for the Borgia now," said Ezio, his voice dangerous.
"Ezio, they have commandeered my services," Leonardo began. For some reason, he had hoped Ezio would understand. "Cesare would have killed me, had I refused." Even as he said the words, Leonardo realised they would mean little to a man like Ezio Auditore. Ezio would expect any of his allies to die before betraying him - just as he would do for them. Leonardo had never thought of himself as a coward. Then again, perhaps that was a part of cowardice. A question for the philosophers.
"At Monteriggioni, Cesare used the pistola you made to kill my uncle."
"Ezio, I heard. I am so sorry." Leonardo wanted nothing more than to reach for him, to be held, to feel hard arms drawing him in to the heat of his body. He wanted to explain how it was for him in the Castel Sant-Angelo - the cold walls, the complete lack of any culture or intellect among the Borgia. And, worst of all, Cesare - young and handsome and cruel.
"The weapons of the Papal guard - they are your doing, too?"
"Yes." Leonardo met his friend's eyes. "I have constructed weapons for all the Borgia guards, and other terrible monstrosities besides." He took a folded paper from underneath his cape. "You must destroy them."
Ezio took the paper. "Grazie." He turned to go.
"I did not willingly go to the Castel Sant-Angelo, Ezio," Leonardo said, his shoulders slumping with shame and sorrow. He was sure he had lost Ezio as a friend. He was unable to keep the reproachful tone from his voice. "Cesare took me against my will."
Leonardo took his leave.
***
Ezio stalked away from their meeting place, heading back to Tiber Island.
If only Leonardo had more courage, Cesare's thugs might not have been so difficult to dispose of. Ezio had to admit that it would not have helped Mario Auditore, though. Cesare would have found some other way to execute him. At least a bullet was quick.
Still, Leonardo's betrayal stung. He saw his uncle as he lay on the ground - the proud condottiere, dazed with pain, face in the dust. Cesare standing over him, raising the pistola that Leonardo had designed.
He banished the image from his mind.
It was late when he got back to the hideout, but he felt the need to work. Machiavelli was also still awake, so the two men spread a map of Roma on the table to chart the areas they had liberated from Borgia control.
As they worked, Ezio reflected on his meeting with Leonardo, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt he had missed something.
Machiavelli tapped a thin finger against a point on the border of the Antico district. "Here, Auditore," he said. "My men report that this tower is well-guarded. But if you were to take it, you would have a safe place to begin incursions into the Centro."
"Your men? I hope you mean our men," Ezio said. Machiavelli did not deign to reply.
Cesare took me against my will.
"Pezzo di merda," Ezio said, standing up.
Machiavelli looked at him calmly.
"Not you. I must go."
"Very well." Machiavelli inclined his head and continued his work.
Fill. Sortof. [1/?]
Ezio Auditore stood on the stone landing in the fading light of evening, arms folded across his chest.
"Ezio!" said Leonardo, and started towards his friend. Seeing the expression on Ezio's face, he stopped short.
"Leonardo." Ezio kept his arms folded. His bearded face was grim, his eyes narrow beneath his hood.
"It is good to see you, friend," Leonardo said, but his stomach began to twist with doubt.
"I hear you work for the Borgia now," said Ezio, his voice dangerous.
"Ezio, they have commandeered my services," Leonardo began. For some reason, he had hoped Ezio would understand. "Cesare would have killed me, had I refused." Even as he said the words, Leonardo realised they would mean little to a man like Ezio Auditore. Ezio would expect any of his allies to die before betraying him - just as he would do for them. Leonardo had never thought of himself as a coward. Then again, perhaps that was a part of cowardice. A question for the philosophers.
"At Monteriggioni, Cesare used the pistola you made to kill my uncle."
"Ezio, I heard. I am so sorry." Leonardo wanted nothing more than to reach for him, to be held, to feel hard arms drawing him in to the heat of his body. He wanted to explain how it was for him in the Castel Sant-Angelo - the cold walls, the complete lack of any culture or intellect among the Borgia. And, worst of all, Cesare - young and handsome and cruel.
"The weapons of the Papal guard - they are your doing, too?"
"Yes." Leonardo met his friend's eyes. "I have constructed weapons for all the Borgia guards, and other terrible monstrosities besides." He took a folded paper from underneath his cape. "You must destroy them."
Ezio took the paper. "Grazie." He turned to go.
"I did not willingly go to the Castel Sant-Angelo, Ezio," Leonardo said, his shoulders slumping with shame and sorrow. He was sure he had lost Ezio as a friend. He was unable to keep the reproachful tone from his voice. "Cesare took me against my will."
Leonardo took his leave.
***
Ezio stalked away from their meeting place, heading back to Tiber Island.
If only Leonardo had more courage, Cesare's thugs might not have been so difficult to dispose of. Ezio had to admit that it would not have helped Mario Auditore, though. Cesare would have found some other way to execute him. At least a bullet was quick.
Still, Leonardo's betrayal stung. He saw his uncle as he lay on the ground - the proud condottiere, dazed with pain, face in the dust. Cesare standing over him, raising the pistola that Leonardo had designed.
He banished the image from his mind.
It was late when he got back to the hideout, but he felt the need to work. Machiavelli was also still awake, so the two men spread a map of Roma on the table to chart the areas they had liberated from Borgia control.
As they worked, Ezio reflected on his meeting with Leonardo, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt he had missed something.
Machiavelli tapped a thin finger against a point on the border of the Antico district. "Here, Auditore," he said. "My men report that this tower is well-guarded. But if you were to take it, you would have a safe place to begin incursions into the Centro."
"Your men? I hope you mean our men," Ezio said. Machiavelli did not deign to reply.
Cesare took me against my will.
"Pezzo di merda," Ezio said, standing up.
Machiavelli looked at him calmly.
"Not you. I must go."
"Very well." Machiavelli inclined his head and continued his work.
Ezio left for the Castel Sant-Angelo.