A/N

I was a little bummed out that the guys from the E3 trailer are actually just Arno. I was also bummed out that Elise was a romantic interest, I kind of wanted her to play the part of a sister to Arno, which would have been an interesting change. Although I do like the game so far, i think it would have been more interesting with the baguette boyband so here I am.

Warning: This will eventually be Axe Guy/Arno. You should blame the fan art that was going around after E3 because i have shipped this ever since.

Disclaimer: I do not own Arno Dorian or Assassin's Creed.

Special thanks to tumblr user shaycormec for helping me pick out the names for thebaguette boyband and encouraging me to write this.

"Rebirth" they had called it.

Arno found it very fitting; It had indubitably felt like he had died.

He had killed himself; found himself in a crowd of faceless, nameless strangers and thrust a blade through his own back. And was it not strange that he felt nothing when he did? He had looked upon his own face, his own eyes vacant with death, and only felt relief.

Relief and clarity.

His journey to rebirth had given him an understanding of himself, his abilities and his legacy. He could now see and hear things that people could only dream of, could tell friend from foe with only a glance. He was always good at leaping from roof top to roof top but he always had to think about it. Now that he knew himself, knew what he was capable of, he could leap farther, higher. He knew now how to trust himself, how to take a leap of faith and know that he would come out alive.

It was a great difference from what he used to be. His old self had been naïve, selfish and childish; oblivious to the deceptions around him. That naïveté had cost him the only family he had. The brotherhood had given him a second chance with a clean slate and a purpose, something he never had before-

"Welcome back, Arno!"

The voice startled Arno out of his dark thoughts. He looked up, only now realizing that his feet had taken him from the Café Théâtre into the hideout, and was greeted by the Brotherhood's smiling shopkeeper.

Arno's lips curled up in a quiet smile, so different from the boisterous grins of his youth, and replied, "Hello, Jean. How are things?"

"Very good, actually. Some of the other Assassins have returned from their missions today to restock, so business is good. Did you wish to do the same?"

"Not today, mon ami. Another time." He promised, taking two steps in the hideout's direction before pausing to look at Jean over his shoulder, "Those other Assassins you mentioned, are they still here?"

Jean laughed, his floppy woollen hat swaying as his shoulders shook, "Oui," He said, waving a hand towards the hideout, "Just follow the sound of banter, I'm sure you'll find them easily enough."

Arno's brows furrowed under his hood but he nodded his thanks and continued into the hideout.

Arno has not met any of the other assassins, apart from Bellec and the Council. He had been wondering about the others. Where they were, what they were doing, what kind of people they were. He had seen a few around the hideout since he joined but he did not have the time before to stop and say hello. This was his chance to meet his brothers, his new family.

He took the stairs on the right to the upper level, greeting one of the researchers that was standing by the top of the stairs as he passed. The hideout was normally quiet, with only the low murmurings of researchers and the scraping of sharpening stones on steel. This time, however, there was the sound of rambunctious laughter coming from the left side of the hall.

Arno followed the voices, the sound of his footsteps muffled by plush red carpet.

There were two assassins seated at the table, laughing about some shared joke. They did not seem to notice him and he took the opportunity to quickly evaluate them as he rounded the giant globe standing in the centre.

One was dressed in dark green assassin robes, the other was wearing off white robes with brown leather arm guards, a blue arm band wrapped around his right bicep and a blue collar. Both were slender, obviously preferring light weapons and stealth. Arno stepped towards them, ready to introduce himself, when an unfamiliar voice spoke from behind him.

"You must be Arno."

Arno spun around to look at a third assassin, one that had been previously hidden in the shadows. Arno inwardly kicking himself for missing that there was someone else in the room, that kind of carelessness could cost him his life. Behind him, the other two assassins quieted.

The man before him was slightly taller than Arno, dressed in an off white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows. His arms were muscular, probably preferring heavy weaponry. A sleeveless, tan leather jacked was worn on top of the cotton shirt, with a hood that shadowed half his face but left his warm smile and stubbled jaw visible.

The man held out one of the two glasses of wine in his hands towards Arno. He eyed the glass for a moment, wondering if he had been expected or if the man had planned to give the glass to one of the others before Arno's arrival, and then reached out to take it from him, nodding his thanks as he did.

"My name is Lucien." The man, Lucien, introduced. He gestured with the hand that held his own wine glass in the direction of the table and the two men seated there, "The one in green is Christophe and the other one is Philippe."

There was a snort from behind Arno and he turned to watch Philippe as he spoke, "Oh, so I'm 'the other one' now?"

"Don't worry, Philippe." Christophe replied with mock sympathy, "Someday you will be known as 'the one that tripped on a roof tile and fell right into a guard patrol'."

"That was one time!"

Lucien chuckled, drawing Arno's eyes back to him, "As you can see, we are a very elite group of assassins."

Arno smirked, "Clearly I have much to learn about being an assassin. Perhaps I should practice tripping on roof tiles."

Lucien and Christophe guffawed while Philippe sputtered in false indignation before laughing himself. Arno took a sip from his wine glass to hide his amusement just as Lucien gave him a rough pat on the back, causing Arno to choke on his drink.

"You'll fit right in, Arno. Come, drink with us." Lucien's hand wrapped around Arno's bicep, pulled him bodily towards the table and shoved him into an empty chair that Christophe had pulled out for him, almost sending the glass out of Arno's hand. As it was, he only spilled some of the wine down his front.

"Don't worry about that, it'll come out." Philippe assured.

"Now," Lucien said from Arno's left as he poured more wine into Arno's glass, "Tell us about your first mission."