"In Love and War"
Chapter 1
WARNING: CONTAINS YAOI, SLASH, MALE x MALE, (etc.). IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT, DO NOT READ IT. Thank you.
Rated for language and sexual references.
Pairing(s): Altair/Malik, some Desmond/Shaun.
Summary: A modern AU story. College is just full of... love and war.
Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed and characters rightfully belong to Ubisoft.
AN: Hope you enjoy the story! Seems writing Altair and Malik in an AU setting is all I can do... I will write them non-au one day! Just you wait! Anyways, reviews are appreciated! C: First chapter.
Another day started with a hangover. The usual. Throbbing pain pounded through his head as the small alarm next to his bed went off loudly buzzing in his ear. Altair shuffled in the bed- half awake, half asleep. An arm extended to silence the annoying clock on the nightstand next to his bed. Once the clock was off, he laid there, not really willing to leave his bed. His head hurt. His stomach felt like someone had punched him at least a hundred times. He couldn't even recall what happened last night. Altair had been drunk beyond all belief at a party he didn't even want to go to. Why did his friends always insist on dragging him to them? And why did he always insist on leaving them drunk enough to numb his senses?
Altair shifted again to turn to his side. He had classes to attend to- though there was no actual chance he'd actually go. He stopped when he felt something rather heavy on his arm under his thick blankets. The confused man lifted up his sheets only to see a half naked woman. The whore- as everyone referred to her as. Maria Thorpe. Shit. He couldn't even remember how they ended up in bed together or why she was half naked in his bed. Shit- he only hoped he wouldn't catch some sort of STD...
The woman stirred some at the sudden cool air passing on the upper half of her body. He saw her long, fake lashes flutter open. The woman's head looked up towards him as her cherry red stained lips spread into a small smile.
"Did you sleep well? Though I doubt if you were even able to catch any sleep." She giggled as one of her pale hands rubbed the crests in his abdomen. Altair shivered at her touch. Not really the morning wake up he wanted.
Maria pulled herself away from the man, standing up and stretching the stiffness from last night. She was both topless and braless so Altair had to look away. Maria noticed this and giggled once more. Her hand traced his jawline as she gently led his face to look at her again.
"You're shy? How cute. Don't worry. I'll help you overcome your shyness." Maria left a chaste kissed on his scarred lips and pulled away. The woman then proceeded to pull on one of his shirts and collected her scattered things. She went to the door of his apartment and before leaving, she turned to him with a wink. "I'll call you." And then blew him a kiss as closed the door behind her.
Altair could only stare as the door closed. He had no words for what just happened. Over processing it would only lead to a bigger headache. Forgetting about it would just cause trouble. The brunette groaned as he rubbed his hands over his throbbing temples. Advil- he needed Advil.
It seems today he chose to go to classes today. He needed to talk to his friends who were actually at the party. To get the story how his night started and ended because honestly- he couldn't remember past his first drink.
Lunch was served on the campus of his college. Most students chose to eat at the campus because it was more convenient and they could talk to their friends without leaving and wasting gas.
"There he is!" It was the first thing his friend had cried out when they all saw him. Knowing smiles and laughs were passed among them- everyone knew, except for Altair.
"Dasten, what exactly happened last night?" He questioned not even bothering to greet his friends as he sat down at the table with the group of five.
"Ah, you sly dog. You honestly can't remember?"
"I can't say that I do... I woke this morning... and Maria Thorpe was in my bed."
The group roared with both laughter and jeers.
"After your third beer, you started dancing like a madman!" His friend laughed. "You are quite the dancer my friend. You attracted the attention of many women, including Maria Thorpe herself."
"She's the most popular girl here. What I wouldn't give to sleep with a woman like that." One friend cut in.
Altair stared at them all, unamused. This was exactly why he did not like going to parties. They always ended badly.
"Anyways- even with the multiples of girls surrounding you, you took home Maria. And i'm guessing you two had a busy night, eh?" Dasten smirked while elbowing him in the side. Altair brushed his off with knitted brows. This situation wasn't good at all. For all he knew- he could be carrying an STD.
"We didn't do anything... She was only half naked when I woke up."
"But there is still this you can do, half naked."
Oh, the embarrassment. The brunette buried his head into a hand as he sipped his bottle of cold water. His friend around him talked joyously about the party last night. How many women they laid. How many women they should have laid. His friend were his polar opposites. Altair was always the quiet one out, but somehow they were attracted to him like a magnet. He didn't what about him even landed his friends in the first place. But none the less, they were fun to be around. Even if they did drag him to parties that he rarely ever remembered.
His status on campus you could say was a good one too. Altair never planned on making it that way. But like his friends, people were attracted to him like magnets. They were always so eager to know him- met him. Women basically threw themselves at his feet, not like he wouldn't take up the offer. Most of the campus population knew who he was. He honestly didn't know what he did to become so... "popular".
As lunch wore one, Altair finished a tray of food offered to him by his friends and his bottle of water. He was about to get up to throw away his trash, when someone or something came flying into his back.
"Clumsy piece of shit- you coulda broke my toes with your elephant feet."
Altair turned with confusion written on his expression. It seemed like the statement was directed at him. Before him stood a rather large male who looked like one of those everyday jocks who loved to brag about their pride. The man's eyes were directed to something below him and Altair looked down to see the one who had collided with him. It was a young looking male with tan skin and short, cut black hair. His eyes were pierced blue that held fear and worry in them.
"I-I-I'm sorry, I- didn't mean to step on your foot. It was an accident, I swear." The man on the ground quivered.
The larger male took a step forward and reached down and grabbed the blue eyed man by the shirt collar. He was easily hoisted up and the larger man growled at him.
"Sorry ain't gonna cut it. I'm gonna beat you until I'm satisfied."
By now- most of the campus' attention was on them. No one seemed to want to help the guy on the verge of tears. Cliche much. Altair was about to step forward, until another male stepped in. He saw the newcomer grab the large man by the arm. Altair wasn't sure what happened, because the next thing he knew, the large man had released his prey and was now glaring daggers at the new target.
This man looked similar to the one with blue eyes. Except his eyes were charcoal black and he wore a small, neatly trimmed goatee on his chin. He also looked a few years older. Something about this man was somewhat more captivating then his look-a-like. Maybe they were brothers? The next thing the charcoal eye guy said made him confirm this.
"Leave my brother alone. If you want to pick on someone your own size- choose me." His words weren't at all scared like his brother's. His voice dripped with venom as charcoal eyes threatened the large man in his sights. There was something slightly off about this man though. Altair saw his right fist clenched tightly at his side through the black cardigan he wore, but it seemed his left sleeve was slightly longer then the other, because he couldn't see his other hand. It was when a slight breeze picked up the left cardigan sleeve- blowing it backwards then how a normal arm usually bends- that Altair realized that, the man had no left arm at all!
"He's... missing an arm." Altair pointed out, looking astonished at the scene before him. Was that massive guy really going to hit a cripple? It was time for him to step in.
As a punch was being thrown, Altair intervened somewhere in the middle, catching the large man's fist just in time before it made contact.
"What the fuck?" The bigger man shouted.
"You should leave- if you know what's best for you." Altair's golden eyes stared at the man hard. With only his stare, he was able to send the man off. Wise choice.
He turned to see the older brother helping the one on the floor to his feet. With his only arm, the man had dusted off his younger and was asking if he was alright. The younger nodded with his head held low in embarrassment. Altair could only stare at the older male. Watching the expression soften as he spoke to his younger brother. He hadn't even realized the man was talking to him right now.
"-ouble."
"Sorry?"
The man with the goatee looked annoyed now when Altair shook himself back to reality.
"I said- sorry for causing you trouble." The annoyed male repeated.
"Glad to help."
"We didn't need your help." The man shot back and Altair could only look at him in surprise.
"Come again?"
"We. Did. Not. Need. Your. Help. I am perfectly capable of handling these situations."
Right- you defend a guy and he gives you shit for it. What kind of world was this? At least he could have said thank you. A frown spread across his scarred lips at the chip on the man's shoulder.
"Really. Because it really seemed like you didn't with-" He stopped himself before he mentioned the man's missing arm.
The older brother glared at him, before taking his younger sibling by the arm to leave. As they walked off, the blue eyed one turned his head and mouthed he words, "thank you" and Altair could only nod. His younger brother seemed like a nice person. Why the hell was the older one such an ass? He sighed as he made his way back to his group.
"See you met the Al-Sayf brothers."
Altair turned his head to looked up at Dasten, "Al-Sayf?"
"Yeah, they're pretty well known around here. Well, the younger one, Kadar is. They usually are seen together all the time. The younger brother, although not the biggest dare devil, he's a pretty cool guy to hang around. He could hold his alcohol, that's for sure." Dasten said with a small laugh.
"What of the older one?" Altair questioned, seeming to be more interested in him instead.
"The older one's a total dick. No one knows what his problem is. He doesn't seem to have any friends, a lot of people like to avoid this guy. He works at the library even though he's a student here too. He's missing an arm, no one really knows how he lost it though because he's a total asshole and brushes everyone who even tries to get near him away."
"...His name?"
"Malik Al-Sayf."
AN: Yay! First chapter = poop.