NOT Yusuf x Ezio - I'm fine with Ezio/Leonardo fluff, because Leonardo is actually like that (unless it's Ezio being the romancy one) but Ezio/Yusuf definitely is one of my less favourite pairings. So, yeah. No offence to shippers and I don't mean to insult anyone. Oneshot. Ubisoft owns everything. (And I know he has his birthday at a different time - he does in the book anyway - so let's just say he has his birthday now than later, okay?) NNAAAAGHHHH IT'S BEEN SO LONG.
It was the 23rd of June. Ezio was sitting down, as casually as one could sit next to an enemy's bleeding body, and was watching as Yusuf, a Ottoman Master Assassin scaled a building that had a green roof with ease, having unsheathed his hookblade.
What intrigued the Mentor was when another figure, too distant to recognise clearly, joined Yusuf. The two seemed to converse before an exchange occurred: the Templar passed a small bag to Yusuf. Ezio's golden eyes narrowed.
Was it money? Was the usually sensible Assassin taking a bribe for something, say, information or details or weaknesses. At this realisation Ezio bolted upright. He had never though of Yusuf as a traitor. He wouldn't be the sort to pass information to the Templars- but he had been betrayed many times.
His mind, unbidden, flitted back to the painful memory of Uberto Alberti. That betrayal had cost his father and brother their lives. Maybe this one would cost the lives of many fellow Assassins. Even now Templars could be approaching.
Without a second thought Ezio flicked out his hookblade and jumped off the roof edge, latching on and speeding down a high zip wire. He reached the green-roofed building as Yusuf ran down a nearby one, oblivious of his Mentor chasing him.
Ezio was tempted to call the man's name, to get him to come back, but a traitor would flee. He decided to wait for Yusuf.
It was past midnight, and still Ezio was patiently stood by the door. He readied himself silently as Yusuf entered. The man was holding his hand over a small lump, concealing something under his Assassin gear. Ezio had to act fast before Yusuf got away with something worse.
He grabbed Yusuf's arm, twisting it behind his back as he held the hookblade at the man's throat. His captive gave a bellow of pain as his arm was dragged behind him painfully, and began shouting at Ezio.
"What is this, Mentor?!" he cried, almost falling over. His yellow and orange headwrap was knocked askew, the teal sash flapping wildly as he struggled to get free of Ezio's armlock. Ezio gritted his teeth and held onto Yusuf's wrist, as resilient as the man was.
Finally, the younger Assassin fell still. He awkwardly manoeuvred his unrestrained arm to reach the small bulge under the material on his chest, and pulled out a slightly crumpled package. He held it out to Ezio, who examined it suspiciously.
"Iyi ki doğdun," Yusuf panted. Ezio knew just enough Turkish to realise what this meant.
"My birthday?" he murmured. And indeed it was: the twenty-fourth of June. He was now fifty-three. He released Yusuf, and the man stumbled away, rubbing his arm. He managed a half-grin at Ezio's surprised expression.
"Why, Mentor da Firenze, were you so absorbed in your work you forgot your own birthday?" he chuckled. He watched his bemused Mentor unwrapping the parcel, to reveal