Okay guys, I'm back. I'd say that this is a relatively fast update coming from me but I've had this chapter pretty much finished for a while now so I guess I'd have no excuse to re-lease it any later.

I'm slowly getting used to college and I'm in the middle of designing a schedule that will let me keep up to date with work, DeviantArt and FanFiction.

Also, I've decided to use an extract from this story (with changed names) for my college EPQ on "How people in homosexual relationships are affected by domestic abuse". It's actually the most fun project I've ever had to do because all I have to do is write FanFiction in my spare time which is what I was doing anyway :p

Anyway, I won't keep you from enjoying this next chapter though fair warnings apply;

Warnings: This chapter contains rape and mentions of violence, domestic abuse and severe depression, trigger warning.

Okay, you've been warned, enjoy!

"Altair...who the fuck is Malik?"

...

'Oh shit' was the singular thought that flitted through Altair's mind over and over again as Ezio read out the good night text from Malik, "Had great fun with you tonight, hope we can do it again sometime...'smiley face'"

Altair's hands fled to his face and stomach to brace for the punch that was sure to follow; he pressed his thighs together in fear of a sharp, sudden kick to the groin and closed his eyes, taking a sharp intake of breath to steady himself. But nothing came. He cracked open an eye when Ezio's fist didn't immediately find his face, and was surprised to find said man re-reading the message to himself with a frown.

The silence was deafening and Altair knew he had to say something now before everything between them was ruined, while Ezio still held on to the last tendrils of calm and sanity.

"Ezio, please, I can explain" he began, praying to a God he'd never believed in that he wouldn't be interrupted.

Clearly, the universe was against him as Ezio spoke over him almost immediately, "Oh, no need. it's really rather obvious what's going on here"

Altair frowned, "It-it is?" he seriously doubted that.

"Yes," Ezio nodded, "clearly this fag is paying you for your services"

It took Altair a full five seconds to comprehend and those had easily been the most awkward and silent five seconds of his entire life. Things only got worse when he realised what Ezio was implying.

"Oh no, God no, it's not like that." Ezio rolled his eyes as if that was the most predictable thing Altair could have said but Altair continued on despite this, "Ezio, you have to believe me, we just talked, I swear"

Ezio snorted "I don't have to believe anything and you swear? No offense but it's going to take a lot more than just your word to refute the proof I have in front of me" he waved the phone around to emphasize the point"

"Fine believe what you want but I do swear that nothing happened, you've got it all wrong" he ignored Ezio's glare as he dared to say that the Ezio Auditore was wrong. "You stood me up at the restaurant and Malik was just trying to help me by not looking like the idiot I am by waiting for his date to show up for over an hour. I felt like I owed him one so we ate dinner and talked for an hour or so".

He was stretching the truth there - they had talked for well over two hours inside the restaurant and then there had been the scene outside the restaurant to but Ezio didn't need to know about that.

Ezio took on a relatively calm expression as he thought through Altair's statement before his face, once again, twisted in rage, "So this figlio di puttana stole my date night?!"

Altair scowled at that, he'd had enough, "It's not like you were using it! I showed up, ready and waiting for you, I booked us a table at a high-end restaurant and ordered us champagne to celebrate our two year anniversary but you never bothered to show up! You were too busy getting drunk and trying to talk teenage girl's out of their clothes like the twisted son of a bitch you are!"

Altair attempted to step back but still found that the wall was blocking his way so he settled for leaning against it and panting softly. He glanced up at Ezio to gauge his reaction, he hoped that hurt.

Ezio simply looked back at him for a moment before he began chuckling darkly.

Altair almost flinched - he knew he'd stepped out of line this time - but he caught himself and stood his ground. Whatever punishment Ezio managed to dish out on him this time, it would be worth it for the split second of power and control he'd felt over his own life and choices for once.

He was expecting a punch or a kick or some other form of physical attack but instead, it dawned on him as he was forced against the wall and taken dryly and roughly, that the man he loved wanted him to experience mental and emotional pain as well.

He soon stopped struggling and took it without complaint - aside from several harsh grunts of pain. He deserved this, he was weak and pathetic and he didn't deserve Ezio or his love at all.

When it was over, he was allowed to go to clean up the blood and fluids in the bathroom where he somehow managed to take an even longer shower than Ezio's.

He felt dirty and used and abused and craved the love and attention of the man he loved but, deep down, he knew he didn't deserve it.

Like I said at the end of the last chapter, this was incredibly short. I could have combined it with the last chapter but I just felt like it works best as a chapter of it's own.

I've been reading Othello by Shakespeare recently, where there's a mix of scene lengths from literally dozens of pages of script for one scene and then just one or two pages for the next, so I figure if Shakespeare is allowed to write like that, then so am I.

On a completely un-related note, I'm taking my little sister trick or treating on Halloween while being dressed as Malik, should be fun :p

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter or of the story so far, I love hearing from you guys and I'd like to know if anyone really likes the story so far :3

Vale,

Vitacazzo