A/N: I haven't stopped playing this game since I got it, and I now carry my limited-edition art-book with me everywhere I go. Was going broke over an art-book and an Ezio statue worth it? Yes. Yes it was. Oh, I realise there's a little bit of slash in there, so if you don't like it, there's a lovely little back button up there for you to click, OK? This takes place right after you rescue Leonardo from the guardsmen beating him up outside his home, towards the beginning of the game.
DISCLAIMER: Assassin's Creed belongs to Ubisoft.
Ezio set Leonardo down onto a chair, careful not to move him too roughly or too quickly as to upset his wounds.
"Please, Ezio, it's nothing, really, I'm fine," Leonardo pleaded, his usual smile turning into somewhat of a grimace as he brushed his hand against his stomach.
Ezio scowled and looked down at the other man. "That's not what it looks like to me," he said, "now tell me, where do you keep your medical supplies?"
Leonardo sighed and pointed towards a cupboard on the opposite side of the room. "In there. But I assure you, nothing is—"
"Will you just let me take care of this?" Ezio interrupted, his voice sharp. Leonardo would have protested further, but the assassin was already at the other room gathering the medicine he would need. He crossed back over to Leonardo and pulled up a chair across from him, setting the supplies on the table.
Leonardo's eyes watched him closely as he opened the jar of medicine and spread some on a clean piece of cloth. "Here," Ezio began, scooting a bit closer to the other man. He lifted up Leonardo's tunic, enough so that he could see the purple skin underneath. Ezio's eyes narrowed at the sight, especially when he discovered that the bruised area was much larger than he anticipated.
He stood up and proceeded to take the tunic the rest of the way off, helping Leonardo's arms through the sleeves and trying not to jostle him any more than necessary. The inventor's stomach had turned a dark purple colour, the bruising going up along the plane of his abdomen and stopping right below his breast.
Silently, Ezio sat back down and pressed the medicine-coated cloth to the affected area, Leonardo hissing in return. He took another cloth and very gently ran it along Leonardo's abdomen, spreading the medicine across the purple-tinted skin.
"I'm sorry," Ezio whispered, retracting his hand to get more medicine.
"For what?" Leonardo managed, his words becoming strained as Ezio once again returned to his treatment. "It's not like you did anything wrong. Like I said, I'm used to their abuses."
Ezio glanced up at the other man, frustration evident in his expression. "No one should have to be used to abuse."
Leonardo fell silent, watching Ezio's fingers trace over his stomach.
"It's my fault," Ezio whispered, bringing his hands up to touch the bruising right below Leonardo's chest. "None of this would have happened if I would not have come."
"That's not true, Ezio. They would have done it regardless of if you were here or not."
"That's no excuse!" Ezio shouted, bringing his hands up to Leonardo's shoulders and drawing closer. "The very institutions meant to help the people just end up hurting them? Is that what you're telling me should just be endured?"
Leonardo's eyes went wide, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Ezio didn't notice and pressed in closer, panting slightly. "I swear to you, I'm going to change this. This corruption and cowardly abuse of those who cannot defend themselves. I'll kill every last bastard who tries to pull shit like this around me".
Leonardo's usual smile returned fully, and he brought a hand up to cover the one Ezio had placed on his shoulder.
"And I'll be behind you every step of the way."
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