Beneath that cardinal's skirt

I will not marry the Duchessa of Squillace. But I will ride to Napels, present my young brother's suit.

Juan..

Well, one of us must ensure she's a suitable bride. Or would you prefer the honour?

I cannot. I'm occupied in Rome.

Yeah.. So I've heard.

*pope laughs*

What is it you've your heard?

That beneath that cardinal's skirt, there may still be a man..

Juan chuckled as the memory of the earlier events crossed his mind. The look on his brother's face had been priceless - but surprising as well. Was Cesare really that naïve after all? He, the master of intrigues and secrets, did he really think no one would notice his.. well, unusual relationship to the lady Ursula Bonadeo?

The Gonfalonier was lying on his mother's former bed in the pope's estate. A nearly emptied bottle of Italy's finest red wine was standing on the bedside table next to him. How much time had passed since his mother had been "removed" from his father's premises, as well as his heart? A lot of things had changed since then, not all for the better. Their family clan had broken apart; it existed only in the minds of their enemies, who were too intimidated by the Borgia family's powerful reputation, to risk a glimpse behind the curtain.

Juan wasn't fooling himself (or anyone else for that matter). He was far from being as worried about Lucretia and Jofre as his elder brother might was. His sense of family had never been as strong as Cesare's; not to mention, that Cesare's love for their little sister has always been slightly awkward.

'Slightly awkward'? Maybe 'annoying' was a better word for it. There was only one thing, Juan disliked more than the squeaky voice and the childish behaviour of his sister and that was Cesare's unusual affection for Lucretia. (And of course the fact that – as talented as Cesare usually was when it came to distraction and disguise – he was just as clumsy when it came to hiding his affections for Lucretia from the rest of the world.)

But of course Juan's feelings could not be described as jealousy. He wasn't craving for Cesare's affection, as Lucretia or so many others were.

Was he?

Juan closed his eyes and sighed. Thinking about his family exhausted him every time he did, but yet it appeared, the only thing he was being reduced to was one of them. A Borgia. He would never be the Gonfalonier of the papal armies if it wasn't for his father and he would never be able to afford the lifestyle he was living.

A hollow sound made him open his eyes again. Bemused, he realised that the light had disappeared from the room and the sun wasn't shining through the stained-glass windows anymore.

Juan sat up and rubbed his eyes. He must have fallen asleep, but for how long? The strange sound that had awoken him was almost forgotten as suddenly a cough broke the silence. Alarmed, Juan held out for the sword lying next to him and tried to identify his unexpected visitor. Unfortunately, he or she was hidden in the shadows of the heavy velvet curtains next to the door.

"Who is there?" Juan demanded to know.

The clouds outside the window shifted and a single ray of moonlight shined trough it and on the visitor's feet. Juan's eyes widened as he realised the red fabric he was looking at, was part of a cardinal's robe.

"Cesare?" he presumed and let loose of his weapon. "That is no way of an appropriate audience. You could at least have knocked. Has our dear father taught you no manners?" he mocked with audible amusement in his voice.

Cesare remained silent which caused Juan to frown. "Well? Have you lost your voice, brother?"

Was this some sort of game? Was Cesare trying to scare him? Or could it be that he was mistaken and the stranger in his room wasn't his brother at all? (At that point Juan wasn't sure which version would be scarier.)

"You, of all people, should not possess the audacity to judge other people's manners, Juan." the raspy voice of Cesare Borgia finally replied.

Juan straightened his back as he realised the red skirt was starting to flutter in movement, as Cesare walked over to the bed. His steps where slow and almost soundless – not for the first time, he reminded his brother of a predator creeping up on his prey.

Although Juan knew he would be in the weaker position if Cesare came over to his bed while he was still sitting, he could not find the strength to stand up. Suddenly he got the uncomfortable impression he was the prey, ready to be caught.

Cesare stepped to the bed and looked down at his younger brother. His eyes showed no sign of anger yet still he was surrounded by an aura of danger.

"'Me of all people'?" Juan asked just to break the silence – and of course because he felt slightly offended by his brother's claim. "I presume that's all you see in me, brother? Nothing but a living example for bad manners?"

Without a warning Cesare leaned in and put his hands on the bed, on each side of his brother's body. He came so close their noses almost touched and caused Juan to yank back in surprise. "I see more in you than you could possibly imagine, dear Juan."

The way the cardinal breathed out his name caused Juan to shiver. Has he ever been so close to Cesare before? He swallowed hard and tried to think of an answer that would help to make him look less like the idiotic, childlike younger brother he felt like at the moment. Unfortunately his brain seemed to have missed the memo on this plan.

"Oh.. yeah? Well, that's.." he stammered without any idea of how this sentence might end.

Great, and there it was. The smile that made him so weak, every time he laid his eyes on it.

If Juan has had any doubts left whether Cesare knew perfectly how to twist somebody around his little finger, then he just got them eliminated.

„Stop smiling like that, I don't respond well to being laughed at." Juan said in his well known sulky voice, but only caused his brother to smile even wider.

"You are so predictable." Cesare said and pushed Juan deeper into his confusion. The cardinal made no attempt to give up his position and Juan was starting to feel intimidated. Something he would never admit to anyone, let alone the person that was now in front of him.

"What is it you want, Cesare?" the Gonfalonier asked without taking his eyes off his brother's. If this was a game of who-has-the-stronger-mind, he was clearly the loser, but he would not grant his brother the winner's podium without a little fight.

Cesare smirked.

"I came to show you.." he whispered in Juans ear which led to another shiver.

"Show me.. what?" Juan whispered back automatically.

Before he realised what was happening to him Cesare had pushed him back on the bed and knelt over him.

"..the man beneath that cardinal's skirt.."

Juan's eyes widened as he looked up into his brother's face. The strong scent of incense made him feel dizzy and even more overpowered. Soft curls of dark hair tickled his cheeks as Cesare leaned in closer. Juan could feel his brother's breath on his lips and felt the urge to turn his face away, but he was mesmerized by the dark green eyes above him.

All Cesare did was breathe and tease Juan with 'almost-kisses'. Instinctively Juan parted his lips, but still he didn't get what he expected – and somehow wanted so much..

Slowly, Cesare let his tongue lick over his brother's lips, but never really kissed him. Said brother still lay on the bed feeling hypnotized. It all felt so unreal, just like a dream..

Juan lifted his head in order to touch those kissable lips but instead gasped in surprise and pain as he was pulled back roughly by his hair. The tight grip on his red locks forced him to put his head back on the bed and present Cesare his now exposed neck.

He gasped again as he felt his brother's kisses and his wet tongue slowly sliding over his neck. The pure sensation and the realisation of how forbidden it was what they were doing, sent Juan chills down the spine. Not to mention the fact they were doing it in the pope's former wife's bedroom.. their mother.

Suddenly Cesare pulled back and left his brother with a strange feeling of dissatisfaction. Juan's eyes followed every of his movements as the cardinal got rid of his precious robes. He couldn't help but look disappointed as the red fabric was removed just to reveal a pair of black trousers.

"Impatient, are we?" Cesare asked amused and caused Juan to blink surprised but then grin guiltily. "You know me. Patience never really was one of my virtues.."

Cesare's robes fell to the floor but neither of them cared. He kept his position for a moment and looked down at Juan who was certain his growing desire was clearly visible.

Juan lifted his arms and put his hands on Cesare's hips. He felt the urge to rip down those pants immediately, but found enough self-control to restrain himself.

Finally Cesare leaned down and kissed him roughly. Juan could feel his brother's beard slightly scratch his skin and tasted a mixture of Cesare and the wine in his own mouth.

Cesare tried to pull back again, but this time Juan put a hand on his brother's neck and held him back firmly. He could feel Cesare trying to move away, but did not let go of him. All he cared about was to keep kissing those sweet lips.

After a few struggles the elder Borgia son stopped his protests. His hand, still in Juan's hair, strengthened it's grip and his kisses got more passionate. Juan wondered if Cesare's kisses always felt like this or if the cardinal was using the opportunity to be rougher than he ever could be with a woman.

Their kisses turned into passionate teeth clashing and lip biting ones and somewhere along the way, Juan's shirt got lost. Soon he felt the arousing warmth of Cesare's naked chest on his own.

Once again he noticed what a waste it was that his brother's body was being hidden underneath the robes of a clergyman every day. The creamy white skin and the tight muscles really where a sight he could get used to..

Juan groaned slightly frustrated as Cesare removed his knee from between Juan's legs and started kissing his neck again. "Stop teasing.." the younger Borgia muttered and caused his brother to chuckle.

"I'm only starting.." Cesare murmured in between kisses.

Juan felt dizzy and overwhelmed yet still he was conscious enough to be slightly worried about the unlocked door behind them.. What if someone walked in right now? A servant? Giulia? Not to mention their father. Juan couldn't think of anything half clever to say in this case. But not even this nervousness could keep him from digging his hands in his brother's soft hair and enjoying every touch, every kiss, every bite.

Cesare moved lower, caressing Juan's collarbone and his chest. Gasping, Juan looked down when he felt a wet tongue in his navel. The cardinal trailed his hands along Juan's sides until they found their way to his waistband. Once his pants were open, Cesare removed them with one quick movement. Juan swallowed hard when he felt the cool air surrounding his throbbing erection. His brother sat upright and kneeled over him again, looking down at him with pure lust in his eyes.

It wasn't the first time he noticed the hint of a dark side on his brother but this time the realization hit him so hard it made him gasp out Cesare's name.

Feeling the heat growing inside him, Juan slowly turned around to lie on his stomach. Cesare did not have to say it out loud, what he wanted was written all over his face.

Juan realised he was holding his breath when he heard the sound of fabric being removed as Cesare got rid of his own pants. Juan still felt hazy, unsure if it was because of Cesare or just the after effects of the wine he had been drinking. His heart was pounding in his chest and his throat was feeling dry.

The Gonfalonier gasped as his brother pushed inside him without a warning. Automatically he grasped the sheets under him and pressed his forehead onto the mattress. Cesare gave him a few moments to adjust to the feeling but Juan could feel him shiver with anticipation.

As Cesare finally started to move, Juan couldn't help but groan aloud, his voice muffled by the pillow under his face.

A slightly painful sting made him tense which caused Cesare to moan loudly. Juan was glad that his brother refrained from talking right now. The cardinal never seemed to say more than necessary (except when he was trying to persuade someone to do something he wanted them to) and at the moment he obviously had nothing important in mind.

Juan tried to strangle the sounds he made with the pillow but could not avoid to moan loudly as Cesare reached down to latch his hand around the younger man's leaking cock, his breath harsh and heavy into his brother's ear.

"Don't do that. Let me hear you.."

Once Juan moaned in pleasure Cesare didn't hold back any longer. He continued to jerk him off with his right hand and clenched his brother's thigh with the left one to hold him in a firm grip as his pace became harder and faster.

With every thrust the stinging got more and more washed away by pleasure and Juan could feel a rush of ecstasy building up in his abdomen. He gasped and groaned without even trying to be silent. The fear of being caught in the act was blown away by the feeling of Cesare inside him and the sound of his brother's moans that filled his ears.

He felt like he had given up completely and he was sure Cesare was aware of that too. Juan, who was proud to be a rebel since he was a young boy suddenly felt like he had never really managed to overcome being the younger brother. Here he was, obedient, doing as Cesare wished and craving for his touch even more than his affection, just as pathetically as Lucretia.

It took him only a few thrusts more until he couldn't take it anymore. Hearing Cesare gasp his name he moaned loudly and arched his back, spilling his semen into the hand around his cock.

Cesare thrusted into him a few more times, before he came with a loud groan. Juan's body sank back down on the bed. He felt shaky but completely satisfied. Soon he felt Cesare sliding out of him, but keeping his position. The cardinal leaned down to place a kiss between Juan's shoulder blades. Although he was sweating and feeling hot, this simple kiss gave him goosebumps and made him shiver.

Juan was too exhausted to move as he felt the bed shake when Cesare got up. All he could do was move his head to look at his brother who was already starting to get dressed. While Juan was sure he looked exactly as if he had been pounded into the mattress only minutes ago, Cesare looked as fresh and collected as ever. Just as if he was on his way to prayer.

Only his ruffled hair and the light flush on his cheeks gave a hint on what he had been doing.

„Where are you going?" Juan mumbled sleepily and looked at his brother with half opened eyes. Cesare was getting dressed just as smoothly and elegant as he did everything. Juan couldn't help but wonder if there was anything in this world that could really baffle his brother.

The next words that came out of Cesare's mouth made Juan hold his breath.

"I told you, Juan. I am occupied."

And all he could do was lie in his mother's bed and watch the cardinal leave the room.