#leonardo still thinks desmond is giovanni’s love child

[teecupangel]

i know you have so much on your plate rn but i can't stop thinking about Ezio-era Baker!Desmond and the shenanigan layers of ✨intrigue✨ going on with Ezio and Leo thinking he’s Giovani's bastard, and Maria inviting him to the villa on a whim ’cause she thinks her kids (and Leo) like the pastries, and Desmond misinterpreting absolutely everything because that boy is a Wreck™

what comes of it, tho?? is Desmond trying to alter history more than just pre-inventing exotic baked goods? is he already having to dodge assassins around Italy while trying to protect the Auditore family, getting on Giovani's radar and spooking him ’cause he can't figure out what branch he's from? or is Desmond holed up in his bakery trying very hard NOT to change anything ’cause hey he’d already saved the world he’d like to not fuck things up bad enough to have to do it again?

does Giovani catch a glimpse of him at some point (either just in the bakery or while Desmond’s out being assassin-y), and instead of thinking he looks like himself or Ezio (since this would be before Ezio gets the scar), thinks he looks eerily like the statue of Altaïr? as another layer of shenanigan, he could come to Leonardo with the idea of time travel but thinks that Desmond is from the PAST rather than the FUTURE, and Leo spends the whole convo trying not to blurt that he thinks/knows Desmond is GIOVANI'S kid

just. the confusion of this au speaks to me, since it’s ALMOST crack-y but also these fools are canonically FOOLS, and i love the way you blend angst with shenanigans. im also shippy at heart, so would love to see your take on that in this au if you have the time 👀

(thank you for reading, i hope you're doing well! 🧡)

As long as you guys are find that your asks are getting answered a month later, I’m alright with adding more to my plate XD (just to be clear, this is a first-in-first-out basis for both asks and replies/reblogs and I’m only about to clear Oct 13 XD)

The original Desmond becomes a baker in Renaissance Italy and gets mistaken as Giovanni’s illegitimate child idea for those curious.

In this one, Desmond only went as far as stop the Auditores from being arrested by dropping key documents showing Uberto’s treachery to the Medici. He stayed as far away as he could from the Auditores and only dropped off the evidence in Lorenzo’s bedside table one day, slipping into the darkness. Anyone who saw him actually thought he was a monk since he was wearing a monk’s attire (which he burned afterwards). This does lead to Giovanni and the thieves guild looking for him after since he hasn’t done any other Assassin related stuff and was simply living his life as a baker, they’re hitting a dead end. Desmond doesn’t plan to do anything else since he believes that the Auditores would be able to handle it from here and he’s betting on Giovanni finally starting Ezio’s training after learning that the Templars are after his family.

Giovanni’s first glimpse of him is when he checked the bakery from afar since his family seemed to like it so much. He just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t post any danger to his family and maybe even talk to La Volpe into adding it to the thieves’ patrol route just so they would have eyes on the bakery at all time. It’s gotten so popular that the Medici are even thinking of ordering from them so Giovanni figured he should do reconnaissance before it got to that point. When he saw Desmond, he doesn’t see the similarities between them, he saw Desmond looking a lot like the statue of Altaïr and he freaks out. Because, unlike Ezio or Leonardo, he does have an inkling of how powerful Those Who Come Before were. He has seen the Shroud and he has heard the tales of how Altaïr had mastered one of their weapons. And… if the Shroud could heal all and any injuries then… In this case, Giovanni doesn’t think Desmond is a time traveler, he thinks Desmond is Altaïr himself who has gained immortality thanks to the ‘powers’ of Those Who Come Before.

Thank you! I honestly like writing these ideas where it’s crack but not crack enough that it’s a bit confusing XD

[teecupangel]

Desmond/Claudia and Ezio's/Auditore family reaction?

The Desmond gets reborn as Claudia Auditore idea that started this.

Giovanni dotes on her because she’s their only daughter. He does think that the reason why Desmond acts like man is because she’s surrounded by boys. He loves her and wants to support her but, at the same time, he was also raised in thinking that what’s best for women are the usual ‘good husband, blah blah blah’ so their relationship is a bit strained.

To Giovanni, Desmond will always be his little girl and that’s why, even when she became an Assassin, he still tries to protect her by getting Federico and Ezio to keep an eye on her.

There was talk of marrying her to one of Lorenzo’s sons but Desmond looked so disgusted that Giovanni never brought it up again.

Maria is Desmond’s main enabler but she’s also the stricter of the two. She reminds Desmond that she needs to learn proper etiquette and the proper way to behave as a noblewoman even if it’s a lie because “Sometimes, you must hide how strong you are to get what you want.”

Maria is the reason why Desmond met Leonardo and they became BFFs early on.

If you want to add ezileo: Desmond is definitely playing matchmaker for the two.

Mario would hear about his niece and would keep sending swords and other weaponry just to fuck with his brother.

Desmond always ends up taking them all and hiding them anyway just 'in case'.

Federico likes to tease her but he’s also the one to worry the most for her because she’s his baby sister!

Federico sometimes uses his allowance to buy her male clothes that actually fit her so she doesn’t have to use his and Ezio’s old clothes.

Ezio knows he’s Desmond’s favorite brother and proud of it.

He keeps an eye on Desmond since they were children because he’s the one who usually see Desmond cry as a child (mostly it’s Desmond’s child body not being able to stop itself from finally letting out years of repressed pain and sadness over what has happened to him)

Ezio and Desmond are thick as thieves and they’re both ready to throw down for each other, making Federico the responsible sibling much to his tired acceptance.

Petruccio and Desmond are close as well because they don’t have any friends.

They like playing board games whenever Desmond isn’t allowed to go out or doesn’t want to go out (which happens a lot when they were children).

Desmond is also the reason why Petruccio started a feather collection in this verse. Desmond just gave it to him out of habit and Petruccio was confused at first but he later thinks of them as a way for Desmond (and the rest of his family who started giving him as well) to share what he had seen outside.

Additional headcanons for Claudia!Desmond from me and @kitsunesongs

kitsunesongs

Leonardo paints Desmond!Claudia in Altair's Armour and the painting gives people a bisexual awakening even centuries later.

teecupangel

@kitsunesongs Yeeess. Fuck the Mona Lisa. Desmond!Claudia in Altaïr's armor becomes the world's most prized painting

kitsunesongs

Omg yes! And nobody knows who the model is until Shaun freaks out when they first see Claudia in Altair's Armour in the animus (in the new timeline caused by Des!Claudia) and says they have to let the world know her name. Mona Claudia!

[teecupangel]

Tags from @crispybureau

#*heart eyes all over this* #hmmmmm am thinking about how the family thinks des is crushing on ezio #but then they see how much des wants to TAKE CARE OF ezio and they all independently have a little ''oh'' moment #that maybe it isnt a romantic crush so much as some sort of emotional transference #which they arent entirely WRONG about #BUT back to des being desmond: #tasty ideas!! love them!! #giovani encouraging ''caterina'' to change her name just in case and des going ''wait i can do that'' and going full hog like #''can i pretend to be a man too'' and giovani is like ''sure ig???'' but then realises down the line that it isnt really pretending anymore #then of course it can go two ways #of A) giovani never telling the fam who or what desmond was before arriving and the gay panic happening #or B) the family DOES know but also come to accept des isnt just faking it. so fed or ezio goin along thinkin theyre straight #and then they realise des is a MAN and suddenly have to confront their feelings for des in an entirely different way than expected #im super curious about your thoughts on how you think the italian brotherhood is taking giovani's mystery apprentice #we already know the florentine auditore are pretty separate from them at this time for being too close to the medicci #how does the rest of the brotherhood feel about giovani taking on an apprentice before hes even started training ezio? #that it's a stranger? #whoops is this another one where people think giovani has a bastard child lmao #teecupangel #other people's writing #cj rambles #desmond #ezio #giovani auditore #and then also what lengths will giovani go to protect desmond or would he encourage him to return to the duke? #giovani (and the time period) place such a heavy importance on family and filial piety.....

We can absolutely go for the idea that @thedragonqueen1998 had

Ooo, the gay crisis could be so sweet and angsty. Maybe finally the love interest and Desmond start getting physical and when Desmond reveals he is technically a woman, our loverboy could be like "Oh! I am not gay and we can be as openly involved as possible because your a woman!" and just crush Desmond's heart. Leading to the typical "lovers split" part in any romance story. XD Then the brother could be the one to knock some sense into our interest Because didn't they love Desmond when they thought he was a man and does his gender matter? Cue loverboy trying to win back Desmond. ^^

I personally lean towards Ezio(truly, my OTP XD), but Fedes is cute too. ^^

Oh man, that would be such sweet sweet angst, I love it. Just Ezio (or Federico) not understanding why Desmond is heartbroken by his words and having to go through an entire ‘journey’ just to understand what he’s going through while Desmond isn’t sure if he wants to tell his love interest everything or just… he doesn’t truly know… break up with him? Accept that he thinks Desmond is a woman when Desmond is a man?

Enter Leonardo Da Vinci who is more open than a usual person in this time and place listening to Desmond once and understanding what he’s going through and becoming their bridge.

As for the Italian Brotherhood, they would think Desmond is some street urchin that Giovanni took as his apprentice mainly because they don’t look alike. Giovanni would also act a bit awkward around Desmond and people would assume it’s because they don’t necessary know each other (it’s really because Giovanni is surprised of how easy it was for Caterina to ‘pretend’ to be a boy named Desmond)

Giovanni would try to remind Desmond that he should still talk to his father, even if it’s to say goodbye. Desmond writes a letter that says “I’m fine. Stop looking for me. I’m not coming home. My ex-husband deserved it.” and Giovanni just sighs because that’s a confession if he ever heard one.

Desmond just shrugs. Unlike Giovanni, Desmond only remembers Duke Sforza as being an absent father too preoccupied with his responsibilities as a duke.

Or maybe his memories are clouded by his memories of William Miles.

Any time Giovanni tries to push Desmond to Duke Sforza, Desmond just asks if he has reconciled with Mario?

Giovanni would stress there was nothing to reconcile, they were fine and Desmond just hums.

New reincarnation idea: Desmond is reborn as Caterina! I have no other details. Just thought it was a interesting idea.

I’m thinking of a way we can keep Desmond from just running away as soon as he can and trying to find Ezio or the Auditores XD

Like, sure, we can make him stay put at the age of 10 when he’ll get married to the then pope’s nephew but there’s no way in hell he’s going to stay and consummate that marriage at the age of 14.

Especially considering that his husband would be around 30 years old when they got married.

To be completely honest, Desmond would definitely assassinate his husband at the earliest convenience for him.

Especially once he remembered that his husband is a Templar.

If he does end up killing his husband (which he probably will), he’d either run away and be known as his husband’s killer or he stays put and pin the kill to a close ally of his husband or a fellow Templar. And take over his husband’s titles.

Or…

Because they have never consummated their marriage, Desmond would be returned to Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza.

He’d be worried that his dear father would marry him off again but the duke just let him stay by his side and even start to teach him.

Desmond wasn’t sure what the duke thought but there were already rumors that it was ‘Caterina Sforza’ that killed his own husband and Desmond was wondering if that was the reason why the duke wasn’t planning to marry him off again.

Because of this…

Desmond was there when the Templars try to kill his father.

And he comes face to face with Giovanni Auditore.