Swallowing was hard for the Turk, Giovanni spoon feeding him wasn't easy either but he was still out of it and dropped everything he tried to hold onto. "My hands are usually the first thing to gain control, sorry to make you do this." A spoon went into his mouth to stop him from talking further, giving the Turk a pointed look that he wanted to look after him. Giovanni was just relieved that Devrim's mind remained undamaged and that he could speak easily now, when all he could do before was make half sentences and try to communicate without much success; he thought he was going to lose him at one point. "I could hear you, you know..." Devrim said as he rested back against the pillows, "I even heard Matteo begging for your forgiveness a few times." Another spoon of food was shoved unceremoniously into his mouth.

Devrim frowned at the other, every time he bought Matteo up, Giovanni shot him down or changed the subject or forced him to eat the unappetising soup. "You wanted to know about my family. I have four brothers and a sister. I am the oldest, turning twenty two back in January, my brother Karamat was born two years after me, he nearly did not make it. A year later my twin brothers were born, Sedat and Seref – I think they put my parents off babies for a while because it was five years before my baby sister, Ece, came along." Giovanni listened with a pleased smile on his lips,

"Lastly was Sef, he died of fever last year, too little to fight it off for long." Feeling his hand being held, Devrim just shrugged a little, as if his feelings weren't important, "My mother died of the same thing; I left for Cyprus after that. I could not bare to see my father so destroyed and volunteered for the mission...It was selfish. I wasted a whole year and missed him terribly – maybe my siblings a little but mostly Baba. My parents got married as soon as they were old enough, they had known each other since they were children and apparently she was supposed to marry a prince but Baba stole her away from Bursa and brought her with him to Constantinople."

Trailing off, the Assassin had to think hard to remember what else had been asked and then made a pleased sound as he recalled them, "My favourite thing to eat is honeyed dates and my favourite colour is gold. Past lovers, you asked that too, my first one was a bastard, second was a merchants son, who felt bad about having sex against a religious monument and spent the rest of his time praying. Third was...I was a bit drunk and he ended up setting his eyebrows on fire at some point..."

Giovanni made a choked sound and signalled for him to stop, it was a little too much to take in all at once. What was his favourite food again? Devrim grinned at the face his lover was making and continued, "Oh, I did not mention my nephew and niece yet or where I lost my virginity, where I like to sleep and I have not told you how many bones I have broken – I thought you wanted to know everything – mmph." Lips had quickly sealed over his and the message was clear; 'you are talking too much'. Devrim groaned, he hadn't touched the other man like this in so long, Giovanni's kiss was needy but so much was passion was being held back for Devrim's benefit. Even when he managed to get his uncooperative hands to rest on the Italian's shoulders and pull him into a deeper kiss, Giovanni wouldn't let go of his careful control. Breaking apart for air, Devrim tried to continue but was rebuked quickly by a spoon in his mouth, "Tease." he grumbled after swallowing.

Panting out a little laugh, the Italian rested his forehead against Devrim's, far too affected by the kiss than was normal, he wanted to climb on top of the older man and devour his lips until they passed out from lack of air. A look from his lover told him that was completely acceptable, "I feel like death but I want you...If we were careful and you were to be on top of me, we could do it – it would mean you doing all the work and I am not sure you are ready for that without hurting yourself - " An indignant sound came from Giovanni, "It is not a challenge, güzel, but I know you would be impatient." He was trying to stroke his hand through the brunette's hair, his movements slow and clumsy, it reminded Devrim that he wasn't quite able, he rested his hand back on the bed as if it weighed a ton, "Not today though, I am tired and you look like crap, you have been awake too long nursing me. You do not want me to become ill because of worry for you, do you?" He didn't like such a cheap trick, "Lay here and take a nap with me, Matteo will continue to guard that door until you allow him back in, you do not need to protect me from anything."

Giovanni glanced at the door and for a second his heart clenched at the sentinel Assassin that was behind it. As he had said, Matteo was waiting outside the door waiting to be called and as the younger twin helped Devrim lay down on his back, putting the pillows he had been using to sit up on in place, Giovanni felt a little guilty. They settled down together, Giovanni's head resting on the man's shoulder and instantly feeling all the stress from the past few days boring down on him. "Forgive him soon."

000

It was a better day for Devrim, his body seeming to have lost most of its lucidness, he wasn't going to be running across the rooftops any time soon but he could move around the room by himself and even though his stomach hurt like a bitch it felt more like overworked muscles. He was still ill from time to time and he missed real food but at least he wasn't dead, the door to the cabin opened and Devrim smiled at the man as he entered, "Did you sleep well?"

The Italian scrunched his eyebrows up suspiciously, "You do realise I am not Vanni, right?" Matteo didn't think there was any sane reason for Devrim to be speaking to him other than mistaken identity. "Should you be walking around?"

The Turk rolled his eyes at him and leaned against the wall, "If I stay in that bed any longer I will lose all feeling in my backside, it will also be no good if I let my body get stiff...I am still an Assassin." Devrim watched as Matteo grabbed a fresh set of clothes and spoke up, "Matteo, where are you sleeping? Come back to this room before I have to strangle some sense into your brother."

Matteo started at that, "You are not fighting because of me are you? Because even though I like women," He gave a slight pout, "I like vagina...like REALLY like vagina. It is practically my life. Kill a Templar, get vagina, complete an information mission, get vagina, do well in training – get vagina paid for by Padre. Why the fuck are you laughing?!"

Devrim was laughing so hard it actually hurt quite badly, he was hunched over with his hands on his knees as he nearly howled in hysterics, "N-nothing...just..." he was trying to stop, really he was but the adorable petulant look on Matteo's face was funny and his insistence on his sexuality to the point he had said vagina five times in less than ten seconds, "Eğer komiksin! Really funny...I am dying..." Actually that may have been true.

"You are making fun of me!" Matteo saw Devrim nodding in agreement and really wasn't sure what to make of it – he was being laughed at. He stood there and crossed his arms until the laughing subsided into chuckles and then the occasional snort as Devrim wiped his eyes before straightening up. "Finished?"

"Evet..." A snicker escaped him as he said it but he pressed his lips together to contain himself, "Ahem, so...we have established that you like..." a cough, "Women. What point are you making?"

Matteo swore under his breath, "The point I was trying to make is; I like women and I do not understand how a man can feel that way about another man but I accept it as long as my brother is happy – So please do not fight because of me."

"We are not fighting abiut that, you moron, that was last weeks argument - simply put; he does not like me taking your side. Though I honestly see no sides. I just want all this misunderstanding put behind us, I am a jerk, you are an idiot and your brother is stubborn; mistakes happened. I forgive you and you forgive me for the shaky start with Giovanni. All three of us have established that that I am happy having sex with your brother, he is happy I am having sex with him and you think it is really strange but are happy that at least I love your brother while I am having sex with him."

The Italian wanted to gag a little but instead huffed, "You are so straight forward..." Matteo didn't want to hear the word sex and Giovanni in the same sentence, it was one thing knowing his twin was attracted to men but a completely different thing to hear about it. "Do you love him? It seems too soon to claim something like that." Devrim seemed confused if the wrinkle between his eyebrows was anything to go by, "Amore...I think your word is...um...Sevmek?"

The Turk nodded slightly, "I see." Perhaps the word he used was to strong at this point in their new relationship, "My feelings do not run that deep...I want him to be happy and I am sad when he is sad...Adoration seems a better word for my feelings – is that acceptable?" Matteo seemed to think that was enough; for now.

00

Ezio was at a loss. Stood silently, staring at a grave as some priest gave last rites to the mother of his children felt surreal. His friends were there of course, his uncle Mario, sister and his mother, who had recovered well over the years, were stood with him. He had failed to protect his family again – from a simple group of thugs. Would he have felt better if it had been a Templar attack to take Carlotta and destroy two little boys world's? "She will come back, right, Nonna?" His guts twisted at the question; Matteo had asked it again and again in hopes that someone would tell him she would...he just did not understand or refused.

"Ezio," his uncle placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded toward a waiting carriage, "Let me take the twins to Monteriggioni with your mother and sister, they will be safer than you bringing them next week...I think you could do with a break too." That sounded good. For him and the boys, they needed to get away from Venice and the smell of death that clung to the city like fog.

Heaving a sigh, the assassin squeezed the little hand in his and walked with Matteo to the carriage, first helping his mother in and then placing the boy on her lap, "You be good for Nonna, do what she says and I will see you very soon." Matteo nodded compliantly and practically nuzzled into his father's hand as he stroked his cheek fondly, "Good boy."

Leonardo was stood behind him with Giovanni in his arms. This would be a little harder; the boy came out of his waking coma four days ago, latching onto the artist who had come to visit and not letting go. He cried and fought whenever Leonardo tried to leave, resulting in the blonde taking full care f the child after explaining that it would be better, just until the shock wore down and the risk of Giovanni opening his wound was gone.

Leonardo could not think of a moment in the past four days he had not been touching the child in some way. Giovanni sat in his lap when they ate, he curled into Leonardo when they slept...when he could sleep, they bathed together, when the man was working then he would sit in his lap or by his feet holding onto his leg. "He has not said a word...it is like he is not even in there...just stares off into the distance. Even when he has nightmares he just cries." The blonde rubbed his chin against the top of Giovanni's head and felt little arms hold a little tighter around his neck, "I tried everything, Ezio."

"I know, amico, thank you for trying...what did your friend say?"

"Said he was insane, that it was a matter of time before he cracked and lost all rational thought – we are no longer friends." Leonardo practically spat the words out, still fuming about the fight he had had with one of his associates, "It is not true! He needs a little time, imagine what he saw them do to her; he will be alright...your own mother came through it."

Ezio looked at his mother as she gently fussed over Matteo, she had been just as unresponsive and even though there was a piece of her missing, a gap his father and brothers left, she was healthy again. "You are right. Leo." The other man gave him a look that said, 'of course I am, I am Leonardo god damn Da Vinci'. "Ready?"

"Not at all." Heaving a sigh, Leonardo pulled the child from him and the second Ezio's hands were on the boy to take him away Giovanni let out a whine, hands digging into the artist's clothing. "Gio, let go, caro, you need to go with Papa..." that was when the real crying began and the blonde felt terrible as he worked fingers loose from his collar, "You can not stay with me, I am going away and you will love Monteriggioni – it will be like having your own castle! It is going to be exciting and - " During the struggle, Giovanni had gotten hold of a handful of hair, the little boy knew how to stop them in their tracks.

Mario joined them and gently began untangling hair from fingers, "Think about Matteo, he will be lonely if you do not come and you are big enough to ride all on your own, I have a horse that will fit you just right." Usually the large mercenary would not stoop to bribing a child but he understood how fragile his great nephew was, "Your grandmother has missed spending time with you too." Leonardo pulled his head back whilst the bigger man distracted the child, "Do you not want to go with your Papa?

"No!"

All three froze, that was the first thing Giovanni had said in days, "Gio, please go with Papa." Leonardo implored him, finally managing to get him half way into Ezio's arms.

"No!" Struggling in earnest, Giovanni began to sob loudly, reaching for the artist with everything he had, "Stay!" Leonardo tried to quiet him, worried about how strained his voice sounded and how it cut out and squeaked the louder he yelled, "Not him!"

"Gio..." Ezio let go of him and watched as he clung to Leonardo, "He is bleeding," the Assassin reached for the reddening bandage around his son's neck only to have it smacked away and a pair of wild, golden eyes pin him with a glare, "...Gio?"

"No."

00

"Hey," Giovanni's head turned with the light pressure of Devrim's hand on his cheek, "You look so sad, what is wrong?" He allowed the Turk to place light kisses on his mouth until he felt a smile forming.

He had thought Devrim was sleeping when he laid down beside him on the small bed and had let his mind drift, the memory coming to him for seemingly no reason, The Italian propped himself up on his elbow, reaching for the notebook they kept nearby all the time now. 'I was remembering how I am always so horrible to my Papa, he does not deserve it...'

"You are?" Devrim asked in surprise, "What an odd thing to be thinking of...perhaps you are anxious to see him again."

Giovanni went on to write, 'I think it is your fault.' the younger man's finger pushed against the man's lips to quiet him before he could deny it, 'The stories you tell about your relationship with your father make me a little jealous. I am looking forward to seeing your country and seeing how your brotherhood works – but you know what I am really looking forward to?'

"Um, bomb making?"

'Giving the old man a heart attack when I hug him to within an inch of his life.' Wanting no more talk and feeling braver than usual, Giovanni's hand snuck into Devrim's trousers and an eager set of teeth nibbled his ear,

"You are done talking I see – you are rather frisky lately; that is if your hand around my cock means what I think it does." Giovanni stared down at him with an unimpressed look for the obvious being pointed out, Devrim grinned boyishly at him, sealing their mouths together as he reversed their positions. Dipping his tongue into Giovanni's mouth, he sighed happily at the familiar taste, the familiar feel of another tongue sliding against his own and suddenly he was so glad to be alive. He pulled away and the Italian followed his lips with his own, pressing their lips together twice more until Devrim was too far away for him to reach, "I think I should thank you for taking care of me, güzel." Devrim removed Giovanni's trousers in one smooth movement – delighted that his body was no longer rebelling against him and he could do what he wanted freely.

Giovanni made an involuntary gasp as warmth enveloped the head of his semi erect length, teasing him a little at first before Devrim pulled his mouth away, his tongue giving a broad swipe at the sensitive head before moving to lave the entire length with the wicked muscle. Sucking at the skin between the root and Giovanni's balls, the Turk sent a smug look up at his partner, tongue now teasing and pressing against the prominent vein under the other's cock, "I told you I would teach you a few tricks and you are the most delicious thing I have had in days." It was a slightly backhanded compliment as he had been eating that nasty soup morning, noon and night, "We do not have much time alone tonight, so do not worry if you miss anything." Sinking down upon the other, scraping his teeth along the way just to feel the other tense, tanned fingers slipped into his inky hair, unconsciously giving Devrim a firm push until he'd taken him to the hilt. He gagged for a second and pulled back a little, the older man adjusted his angle until he could take the entire length comfortably. He wasn't so lucky to have a natural talent for swallowing things like Giovanni so this was a little harder than the Auditore would have found it.

Giovanni didn't seem to notice as he panted into the pillows, too wrapped up in his own pleasure to notice a finger rubbing against his entrance and when he did it was already inside him pressing against his prostate making him roll into the sensation. Pushing a second finger in alongside the first, Devrim watched Giovanni arch gracefully and twist his head a little further into the pillow as if trying to muffle his cries, "I want to see your face, Gigi." Another finger stretched him and at the same time a warm, wet mouth wrapped around his length again, the pleasure far outweighing the uncomfortable feel of being worked loose by slick fingers – when had he even gotten the jar of oil from under the bed? The Italian shivered at the dual sensations, hips rocking on instinct to get more and wound the Turk's hair into his fist and giving an accidental sharp yank up when lightning seemed to sing through him.

The older assassin hissed in a breath, his own hand reaching up and digging its thumb into Giovanni's wrist until the pressure point forced his hair to be freed. He crawled up his lover's body, tearing the man's shirt as he went, buttons popping off in all directions and harsh bites rained down on tan skin, "Do you want me to be rough, Gigi?" Devrim growled into his ear, nipping almost painfully, "Because if you pull my hair again; I will turn you over and fuck you so hard you will be unable to sit down for a week." He was interested in the look of sweet agony of Giovanni's face, purely from his voice, that he was too late in noticing legs curling around his waist and flipping them. It seemed the Turk's threat was received a little too well and bright gold eyes were almost asking for that to be a promise.

Finding the jar of oil on the bedside, Giovanni snatched it up, a smug smile forming as he realised how cold it felt and slathered it rather mercilessly up and down Devrim's shaft. The man below him jumped and an indignant sound escaped him – sounding strangely like 'see if I warm it up for you next time'. Well it was his own fault for getting the younger man so excited. Taking hold of Devrim, Giovanni carefully positioned himself and lowered onto the throbbing length pressed against his stretched hole. A whoosh of breath left him as the head opened him and his eyes shut at the discomfort; his bottom lip was pulled between his teeth as he chewed on it as a distraction. He had thought it would be easier this time – it hurt just the same as the first.

Devrim's hands didn't hesitate for a second, firmly taking hold of his lover's hips and stopping his advance, "Get used to it, when it stops being painful; continue." Easy enough to say but he wanted the man to sit down and ride him, he was still deliciously tight like the first time, the only difference being that the Italian was less nervous and relaxing his muscles on near instinct as he took more of him in until they were flush against each other, "Gigi?"

The brunette nodded quietly, Devrim was so deep that Giovanni swore he could feel every inch, he clenched around the intrusion, shivering delightedly at the feel and hitched breath of his partner, a crooked little grin appearing as he did it again.

"I...I told you about doing that," Giovanni huffed at him, Devrim couldn't help teasing him, he was too cute sometimes and the Turk just had to tell him, even if it irritated the man. Other times – like now – the Auditore stopped being cute and turned into every wet dream Devrim had ever had. Giovanni sat up straight, his thighs tensing as he lifted his body up and then relaxed as he let his body carefully slide back down causing them both to sigh or groan. He did it again, more confident this time as he repeated the motion and Devrim's eyes were drawn to the lean body partially covered by the torn shirt, he found it sexier than if Giovanni was naked – those curious glimpses of tanned skin. A flash of muscles working under his stomach, a dusky nipple peeking from the silk material as it began to slip over a bite marked shoulder. If Giovanni was turned on by his voice than he had to admit he was turned on by watching this man just moving. His hips thrust up against the younger man as he was coming down, one of those silent cries contorting his face into a mask of pleasure, slits of gold barely seen through a shield of eyelashes.

0

Matteo left one of his lady friend's cabin, feeling better for the bath and succour of the occupant. It was nice to have slept in a bed for a little while instead of outside the cabin door waiting and waiting for Giovanni to forgive him – he heard Devrim blackmailing his brother earlier and had permission to sleep in the room again. Giovanni hadn't so much as signed a single word to him in days and that had never happened before, a day was the longest – even when Giovanni had stopped talking when they were little he still stayed by Matteo's side. He wouldn't look at him, wouldn't speak to him or even acknowledge that Matteo was there and it hurt. Really hurt.

He was beginning to break apart inside at the thought of his twin rejecting him. With a massive sigh, he walked into the shared room and froze on the spot, his eyes nearly falling out of their sockets. He turned around and sat outside the door, hands over his eyes as if he'd been blinded. "Mio Dio, my brother is fucking another man...I saw it...I can not un-see that!"

0

Giovanni paused in his movements, head turning slightly to gaze at the door, "It was nothing," Devrim supplied quickly and rocked his hips upwards hard enough to make his injuries hurt. Anything to distract Giovanni from figuring out his brother had just gotten an eyeful. "It was the bed creaking – I do not care; move!"

The Italian gasped as Devrim thrust into him, forgetting his rational thoughts as he thought about what he should be thinking about. His hands found purchase on the other's raised knees, using them to balance as he tried to find his prostate, their hips making a satisfying slap as skin hit skin. One of Devrim's hands left his hip and curled around his cock, stroking it with every downward thrust, everything intensified with a tiny shift of their bodies, Giovanni throwing his head back in rapture as he felt the familiar jolt of his sweet spot being brushed.

Devrim wanted to watch the Italian ride him all night, wanted to watch his cock being swallowed greedily by Giovanni's tight little hole and he wanted to watch the man gasp and pant his name. But he needed more than this; it wasn't fast enough, wasn't hard enough. Sitting up, Devrim buried himself into the inviting heat of his lover and pushed forward with his body until Giovanni was on his back, legs still gripping Devrim's waist, moaning wantonly as the shift rubbed hard against his prostate. Giovanni's fingers drifted to the bandage around the Turk's middle as a warning.

"Do not care. You feel amazing…better than anyone in the whole world." Devrim pulled out a little and thrust back in jerkily, discomfort shooting through his abused muscles but not enough to make him ever stop. "Hot, tight…you should see the way this greedy little hole grips my cock as I pull out and..." he pulled a little further out this time, "How eagerly it swallows me up again." The Turk's thrust was accentuated with a harsh cry being ripped from Giovanni's throat, "I want to make you scream and moan for me, whether it is silent or - " He lifted the tanned leg over his shoulder and revelled in the loud, desperate, near scream that came from the other, "Loud." It was a little hit and miss but he had just about figured out when Giovanni's voice would work and when it would fail – one day he was going to make the other lose his voice completely from yelling.

Giovanni let himself drop onto the mattress and groaned as his prostate was brushed again, his head digging into the hard bed, his hips rocking up against Devrim's as the thrusts became faster and more forceful. Moaning loudly again and clenching around the intruding organ – loving how Devrim pistoned into him a little harder and loving the shots of fire it sent hurtling through his body. He could feel that heavy cock rubbing his insides, the burn of being pulled tight over the same cock and the constant attention to his prostate, he couldn't think – could hardly breathe.

Devrim smirked in a smug kind of satisfaction that Giovanni was getting so swept up, his head was thrashing from side to side, hair worked loose from the red tie that had held it, His hands were clawing at the the Assassin's hips to bring him closer and those beautifully lewd sounds were sinful. The sweat slicking their bodies stung the scratches they were gradually giving each other in the desperate attempt to hold on to something – anything! Devrim let out a strangled groan as he stiffened first, biting into his lover's thigh as his body locked and he thrust as deep as he could. He forced his silver eyes open so he could watch the man beneath him come hard into his hand, some of it spattering across his stomach and chest. Well worth the pain he would feel later.

00

Giovanni had gotten up early that morning, stretching his muscles and trying not to limp as he walked around the deck. He was definitely more sore than last time, they had rushed into it this time though, perhaps hi body hadn't been s ready as he wanted it to be. "Gigi!" Giovanni turned on his heal to face the man jogging toward him. "Gigi, you are on the wrong side of the ship, this way!" Devrim grabbed his arm and rushed them to the other side, his excitement barely contained as they hit the side of the boat and he pointed forward, "I am home."

Giovanni could see the outline of a great city, the sun shining off it and making it glow as if it were made of gold. Their were small boats and vast ship with bright sails basking at the city's feet and the Italian could have sworn he smelt fresh spices in the air – he wanted to say that it was beautiful or that he couldn't wait to get on land but instead he made unconscious movements of his hands and Devrim laughed at what it meant, "Of all the things I expected you to say - 'I can not wait to climb the big, pointy thing over there' was not one of them. We should start packing, güzel."

The three Assassins finished dressing themselves, making sure their weapons and supplies were ready before packing their meagre belongings. It would not be long now, the ship a quarter of a mile from the docks, everything was ready. "Have you got your papers?" Matteo asked as he brushed his hair quickly, tying it and flipping his hood back up after he'd done, grabbing his boot dagger from his hammock before he left it there.

"Evet," he waved the protective tube in his hand once and placed it in the centre of his bed, "I have everything I came on board with, your throwing knives are still hidden along that beam."

Matteo swore and quickly went about retrieving them, feeling something other than his blades Matteo pulled it down, "You forgot your mask." studying it the Italian frowned, there was no way this thing had good visibility and why did the Ottoman wear them? "I do not get these."

"Some of us have normal lives and families, it is to protect their identity. Baba makes me wear one because of my resemblance to him – the guards like to take pot shots at him." Devrim could read the look on Matteo's face and continued, "Believe it or not the visibility is very good; try it yourself."

Matteo tied it behind his head and looked around the room, surprised at his unobstructed vision he lifted it to rest on top of his head under his hood, "I am impressed and it is easily kept out of the way too." Devrim opened his mouth to warn the Italian that the mask slipped often but it rolled down and hit Matteo's nose. "Ah! Cazzo!"

"The cause of many bruised noses." The Turk chuckled, "Whilst you nurse your ego, I am going to see if I can spot my brothers on the docks." Giovanni followed behind him closely, still ignoring his twin, "You can help me look," Devrim opened the door and before either man could step out a small ball rolled into the room with a 'tink', stopping at Matteo's boot. The older Auditore leant down and picked it up, throwing it in the air and catching it like a toy. Throwing his lover behind him, Devrim shouted at Matteo, "Put it down! It is a - !"

0

Devrim pulled Giovanni through the sea water as he desperately tried to swim toward dry land, the explosion had stunned the Italian and made him too disorientated to swim by himself for the moment. He wasn't much better off himself and he could feel the urge to close his eyes for a moment begin to overtake him; he needed to get Giovanni out of the water first and then he could rest a minute. He kept telling himself to move but was sinking in the cool, clear waters, not even aware of when he'd stopped paddling until water rushed into his mouth. Struggling to keep hold of Giovanni and get above the surface, Devrim barely noticed when someone dragged them both up to the surface and the wooden walkways came closer and closer. "Yusuf! Take him!" Devrim fought to hold onto his lover as he was pulled up and away, "Here, make sure he stays awake." And then he was being pulled up by unfamiliar hands out of the water, his saviour climbing out straight after him, "Where is his brother?" Devrim's eyes focussed for just a second and he vaguely realised that Giovanni had aged thirty years, grown a beard, got a scar on his lip and changed his outfit – he hated explosions.

"Is he alright?!" Yusuf rushed over to his barely conscious child and clapped Ezio on the back, the man having swallowed the sea water as he rescued the boys. "How did you spot them so far out? Ah, look at him!" Yusuf swept his son's hair from his face and examined the dazed expression, "He must have been pretty close to the blast to be this confused – Devrim, oi, Devrim, come on, wake up for me." he slapped the younger man's cheek a few times, "I think your boy is alright, we could not get him to spit up the water at first but one of the girls figured it out."

"Then he pulled Giovanni out." At the Turk's confused noise Ezio quickly explained, "Vanni has no gag reflex," then he was gone to check on the younger twin.

It took Devrim a little while before he opened his eyes, he first noticed a familiar, female assassin staring down at him, a relieved look on her face as she helped him sit up, telling him to close his eyes to fend off the dizziness threatening to make him ill. The second thing he noticed was yelling, shrill, panicked yelling that cut in and out of being heard, at first he thought his hearing was going in and out because of the loud explosion of the bomb but as he looked around the walkway, past the civilians yelling and panicking as the ship burned on the sea, he realised Giovanni was being held back by a man in soaking wet, white robes. Giovanni's voice the most strained Devrim had heard it, "Fuck...Help me up before that idiot falls in!"

"I do not think Mentor Ezio would let that happen," She said to him. Mentor Ezio? That was Giovanni's father then? Devrim's head spun at the idea that Mentor Auditore had dragged him out of the water and saved his life, "His brother is still in the water, somewhere, we have a few men looking but it was a big bang." The Turk nodded in agreement, he leaned heavily on her as his vision swam, waiting only until it cleared enough for him to stagger in a straight line before heading to Giovanni.

"Matteo! Let me go! Matteo!" Giovanni fought against the arms around his middle and tried to forcibly drag himself to the end of the walkway, "Matteo!" Where was he? He should be here by now, he was an excellent swimmer, he should have been right behind them. Another pair of arms were around him and someone was speaking into his ear soothingly.

"Gigi, you are hurt. If you go back into the water you will drown for certain." Devrim was holding him back with the help of Ezio, both trying to restrain him without hurting him, "Please calm down, if he is alive we will find him."

Giovanni managed to tear away from the Turk and his father, staring at him open mouthed, "If? IF?! How can you say that!?" He felt his father pull him into a tight embrace, trapping the young man's hands against his chest and squeezing him.

Ezio knew given half the chance Giovanni would be back in the water, he had to hold onto him with everything he had, "Your brother is just fashionably late. Stop fighting, you have half the ship embedding into your skull and you will be no good to him dead!" Giovanni was trying to yell at him but nothing was coming out, he felt one of his son's hands wriggle free and rest on his scar – only then realising his voice had been lost during his rant at Devrim, he stilled in defeat because there was nothing he could do right now, "Have a little faith in Matteo."

Devrim sat on the walkway heavily, his mind reeling still from the explosion, only a little more used to it than the twins were. Someone crouched down beside him and when he looked he had to smile at least a little, "Baba," He threw his arms around the man's neck and hugged him as hard as he could, "I told you not to throw me a party."

"I thought fireworks on a boat would be interesting." Yusuf replied easily as he held his son close to him, getting soaked in the process. "Where is the other Auditore?"

Devrim shook his head at the man, "A bomb was thrown into our cabin, time delayed by a fuse and that idiot picked it up..." The image of Matteo bending down to swipe the object refused to budge from his mind's eye, "He did not know what it was – I should have done something...instead I grabbed Giovanni and flung us out of the room."

Yusuf patted the man's back sympathetically and stood up to glance at his friend, Ezio looked grim, had he heard what Devrim had said? Did he understand them enough to put one and one together? He opened his mouth to say something, anything really, when another explosion went off on the sinking ship, this one more spectacular than the first as its gunpowder cargo went off in the fires. His grey eyes watched as the young Auditore broke free from his father and once more tried to dive into the water, didn't he realise that even if his brother hadn't been blown to pieces with the grenade that he would surely be dead after that. "Ezio, we can not stay here." Guards would be swarming the docks at any moment and the multitude of Assassins come to investigate or help should be making their escapes now.

"Take Giovanni with you, I need to search for Matteo," He knew it sounded like a pathetic whine, Ezio looked miserable at the sound as he held onto his youngest, "He will not know where to meet us..."

"Mentor Auditore," Devrim said lightly, "Matteo...he was holding the grenade when it went off; the guards will execute us on the spot if we stay any longer." struggling to stand, his father moved quickly to support him, "I am sure Baba can spare a few men to look out for him..." Yusuf nodded, letting Giovanni take his son as he went to speak to a few of his men. They started away from the scene; the lover's going as quickly as their injured states allowed them. Giovanni glanced over his shoulder, his father hadn't moved yet, he was searching the water, eyes straining as he used his heightened senses. His right hand was clenched in a fist, Giovanni shuffled to a stop, apologising as he nearly toppled Devrim, clicking at Ezio until he turned. Reaching out his hand, Giovanni waited for his father to stop staring at him like he'd grown an extra head and follow.