It's here, in the dark of night, in the almost boiling waters of the bath that he lets himself go. It's a rare occasion, and he allows himself to touch his brother again, running the water over Kadar's arms, worshiping the body as he cleans the layers and layers of grime off him. He cups the water and dumps it over his little brother's head, chuckling quietly at his brother's protests. He scrubs at his hair, gently and tenderly, working the soap through. He smiles when Kadar hums at the feeling of him washing his hair. These are the moments that he lives for. As he splashes the water over his head, Kadar yelps, grabbing Malik's thigh, and he laughs again at his brother, who is rubbing furiously at his eyes.

"That fucking hurt, Malik!"

He presses his back against his brother and kisses his cheek, tasting the ash and animal fat on his skin. "I'm sorry, Kadar."

Kadar harrumphs but settles back into his arms. It isn't until he's got his arms wrapped around him tightly and his tongue in his mouth that he can feel hot water biting at his back and legs, his brother's twined around his waist as he wraps those arms around his neck and gives him a kiss that he longs for. He smirks when his brother pulls back, flushed and out of breath, and he brushes his lips against the boy, smiling softly.

"I love you, Kadar."

Kadar smiles shyly, and he kisses him gently. As he kisses down his cheek and along his neck that he hears his brother whisper, "I love you, too, Malik."

"Am I forgiven?"

Kadar scoffs. "Not yet. Not until you've finished cleaning me."

Malik chuckles against the joint of his neck and his shoulder. "Demanding."

"You'll do it, or I'll never forgive you."

Malik rolls his eyes as he leans back to be met with a smirk from his little brother. He pick up the soap and finishing cleaning him, and raises an eyebrow when he takes the soap from him and silently asks to clean him. He nods, hardly noticeable, but Kadar grins and washes him, and he sighs in utter relaxation, the hot water seeping into his bones as his brother worships him, trailing the baby soft fingers over his arms and down his chest. When Kadar is done, he washes him slowly and sits in his lap.

They sit in the silence, reveling in the alone time between them as the scorching water cools slightly, and it isn't until Malik hears the sound of someone coming in that he jumps out of his trance. He looks to see Altair there.

"Malik, you've been in here for several hours now. Come on, we have an early morning. You need sleep for when we start rebuilding the garden tomorrow."

He blinks as Altair looks at him briefly. He looks around when he leaves, only to find the room empty and silent in an entirely oppressing way. Shadows creep toward the bath as if to pull him in. The moon taunts him from the sky, and the stars dance mockingly in the cold black sky, laughing at him as he gives one more look around. Kadar is not there. The grimy water is just the dirt from his body, and he still has one arm. That warm body against him does not exist anymore. He lies buried in his final resting spot beneath Solomon's Temple. He hears a quiet, anguished moan that surely did not come from his mouth, and he wades to the side of the Master Assassin's bath.

The water has never felt colder.