assassin's creed imagines

• y'all who let me publish this the first time around, this was TRASH SKALAKSKSK

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Florence, 1476

The sound of lapping water could be heard as your hood was pulled down, tears threatening to spill from you E/C eyes as you watched a grieving Ezio approach. Your arms stretched open wide as he gladly accepted your hug, arms wrapped around his shoulders and squeezing tight as he reciprocated your embrace. You could feel his body shake slightly and hear soft sobs fall from his lips as he cried into your shoulder. You buried your head into his white robes, inhaling his scent of vanilla with the odd hint of espresso and committing the scent to mind. His sobs died down and turned to sniffles as you still held him in your arms, no intentions to let him go. He pulled back a little bit to meet your gaze, deep brown orbs red rimmed from crying. It was all he could do to manage the smallest of smiles, pulling back completely to wipe his eyes free of the tears that had fallen.

You were surprised to say the least when Ezio sent word that in the dead of night someone had broke into the Auditore house and kidnapped Giovanni, Federico, and Petruccio, to meet him by the waterfront, and that it was important. "Are you alright?" Your voice broke the silence that hung in the air, seeing him visibly tense before sighing through his nose and looking off into the distance. "I'm here. I need your help though, Y/N." He returned his gaze to yours and gently grasped your upper arms in his hands, your eyebrows furrowing as you wondered what help you could be. "My father and brothers are going to be thrown into the river like nothing. The guards patrol their bodies, I need you to distract them long enough so that I can give them the proper burial they deserve." He informed you and you could see his face falling in sadness, he was trying to stay stong in front of you but so desperately failing. Your eyes softened upon seeing his do the same, your hands came to rest on his as you stared up at him. "Of course I'll help you, Ezio." You smiled softly and tilted your head in the slightest, he visibly relaxed a bit in relief and a small smile stretched his lips.

— Time Skip —

Ezio had placed the bodies of his father and brothers into the boat, you stood respectfully on the docks as he got into the boat to give him some time. He sat down beside his father's body, your eyes welling with tears upon seeing the slight bruising around his neck from the rope. You could remember when you were younger your parents and his had been close friends, they were always at your home and you were always at their's. They lived in the dead center of Florence, whereas you and your family owned a large Villa in the peaceful Tuscan countryside. It wasn't really a long ride from your Villa to their home, but as a child it always seemed to last an eternity since you were always so excited to play with Ezio. Petruccio was a little too young, Federico was a bit too old, and Ezio was just the right age. He was the closest to your age, only a few months older than you and he used to joke about the fact that he was indeed older and that you should show him some respect when you playfully insulted him.

You and Ezio were never not together through your childhood, but as Ezio entered his teenage years he started to grow into his handsome looks and used them to his advantage. He became a womanizer and you both grew apart over the years, it wasn't that you intentionally didn't want to talk to him, the split just happened naturally. Your parents kept in touch with the Auditore's and still had weekly dinners with Maria and Giovanni, Federico and you talked some but you could never grow as close to him as you did to Ezio.

Returning to the present, the air was quiet and thick with grief, watching Ezio look over each body tugged at your heart. After he said his goodbyes to his father, he moved to Petruccio who laid next to Giovanni. Ezio kneeled next to his baby brother and moved the hair from his forehead, his face emotionless and you were surprised at how well hidden he was keeping his feelings. Ezio stood up and moved from Petruccio's body over to the final one, Federico laid propped up against the side of the boat. You finally saw Ezio's facial features change at the sight of his older brother. He was always closer to Federico since the age gap was smaller between them, not that he didn't love Petruccio, he just felt more open and free around Federico. They understood each other, Federico would put up with Ezio always getting into fights and his adventures with almost every girl in Florence. He would always take care of Ezio, when they were a bit younger Federico would always seem reserved and cold on the outside but when it came to Ezio being sick, his entire demeanor would shift into parent mode. It just came natural to him.