Trigger Warnings: This fic contains the explicit death of a minor from his perspective.

Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed.

Petruccio cried when his Father told him they would die, but at the same time, he felt strangely at peace with the knowledge. Wedged between Giovanni and Federico, head buried in his Father's shoulder, he was surprised to feel he wasn't very scared at all.

He had been sick his entire life, his lungs weren't strong at all. He'd had to be pulled from school the year before because he couldn't keep up with boys his own age. Petruccio always knew he would die young, knew it when the dottore spoke to his parents when they all thought he was asleep. He had made his peace with death a while ago, knowing every day was a blessing.

Instead, Petruccio felt for his elder brother and his father. An Assassin, Giovanni had explained. That was the crime for which they were being punished. He had told them everything, but Petruccio hadn't been very surprised. He'd explored the house endless times, and he had found the secrets it concealed. He had found the secret room when he was a child and when he grew tall enough to open it, he had.

He remained silent as his father spoke, asking no questions while Federico asked many. Why hadn't Giovanni told them? What was going to happen now? Did Giovanni plan on telling them on his own at some point?

Giovanni had finally looked to Petruccio and asked "Do you have anything to ask of me, Petruccio?"

Petruccio considered. "No. I have nothing."

Ezio had already come and gone, and Petruccio felt relieved that the rest of their family would be safe. He hoped Ezio would remain safe, hoped that Ezio would live even if they could not.

Resting between his brother and Father, Petruccio fell into an uneasy half-sleep, waiting for the morning. Either they would live or they would not, and Petruccio wasn't going to waste his strength worrying about it.

He awoke before the guards came in the morning. Giovanni and Federico tried to fight back, but although Petruccio tried to wriggle away, he knew that out of all of them, he wasn't going to be able to fight back. They were walked down to the gallows, Giovanni shouting profanities the whole way down. Federico was pale and shaking. Petruccio went quietly, coughing as he went and wincing when the guards grabbed him too hard.

Petruccio swallowed then the noose was placed around his neck, shaking now and murmuring a prayer under his breath and Giovanni shouted of betrayal and innocence. He looked around at the crowd screaming for blood, and his breath caught when he saw a hooded figure in white making his way through the crowd. No, Ezio, no! What was he doing? He could see the fear in Ezio's eyes, could hear the crowd screaming and then-

The trapdoor opened and Petruccio fell below, the noose tightening, but not enough to break his neck. His feet couldn't find ground, his hands were behind his back, he couldn't breath, and finally panic began to settle in as he attempted to struggle. He wanted to cough , but he couldn't get enough air in his lungs. He hoped he would black out soon, the blood was roaring in his ear so loudly he couldn't differentiate it from the screaming crowd, tears burning in his eyes.

The world swam and he felt dizzy. His mind was filled with panic, but somewhere in there he desperately hoped Ezio had gotten away, and it occurred to him that Federico and Giovanni were not struggling against their bonds like him. Black dots started to fill his vision and if he'd had the breath he would have cried with relief as he fell blissfully into darkness.

Notes:

Okay so I owe y'all an explanation for this fic: my girlfriend and I were talking about Petruccio and how he's probably come close to the brink of death multiple times (at least in our own headcanons). Thus, he's made his peace with death. From what I remember of the cut-scene where Ezio watches his family get murdered, Petruccio doesn't seem to struggle much. An explanation for this can be that he's just too sick to struggle much, but I prefer this. I had a lengthier note, but the page reloaded, so I had to add this all back in.