Assassination's note: As much as I wanted to avoid posting this up (this little one-shot was written on Nov.29th), I felt that this really needed to be updated. I'll try typing up more ficlets/drabbles/one-shots/whatever you want to call these over the weekend.

Also...this was inspired by a picture and I haven't played Prototype 2 yet, so I'm sorry if I messed anything up.
Please don't kill me. (you'll see why I said that momentarily)

Altair wished he hadn't seen what he'd just witnessed. In fact he wished it hadn't happened at all.

There was a bulky man towering over a beaten and battered Mercer, whom was bleeding profusely. He was down on his knees. His knees. Slowly healing scratches carved into the man's flesh as he stayed where he was, as if not bothered by what had happened, the fact that he was bruised, that he looked like a horrid mess. That his arms lie somewhere on the rooftop or on the ground.

Altair's throat tightened, his hands curling into fists while he stared down at the mess from a higher building.

He couldn't handle the sight. It was sickening and made his stomach twist. He couldn't explain it, what he was feeling at this point in time, but he knew that the man standing in front of Alex was just like the BLACKLIGHT. That he could consume, devour and basically 'eat' the New Yorker.

True, it wasn't like the virus had been kind to him when they'd first met. It wasn't like Altair had come to appreciate Alex's company and vice-versa.

It wasn't like he'd fallen in lovewith the man. That was simply outlandish, ridiculous - though not impossible.

The Syrian swallowed harshly, nails biting into leather and skin, body tensing as he watched - just watched- as Alex rose his head to regard the other man before him. Still acting as if he were not prey, rather the predator, that he wasn't going to let this squash down his pride and turn him into a sniveling coward. Like the villains on TV who pleaded for their lives when they realized they've truly lost everything.

It didn't surprise him when he caught sight of that cocky smirk, the one that would have him chuckle on the inside as his own would reveal itself.

But this time it was different.

Altair couldn't hear what the mortally wounded man had said, but he didn't pause a moment to reconsider his next action. The assassin had leapt down onto the damaged rooftop, shouting at the man to back away from Alex, to leave before he forced him to go. Although those were mostly empty threats. He knew he wouldn't be able to do any real harm to the infected man.

The golden eyed eagle was rather surprised when the man had distanced himself from Alex. A good few feet so that Altair could drop down to Mercer's level, gritting his teeth as the mirth of tears stung his eyes once he was able to see the whole extent of the damage done. A pool of blood had formed underneath the man, the man who told Altair that the world was corrupt. That it needed to be fixed. That hewould be the one to do it, repair the horrific results of human actions.

He pushed the thought aside, raising his gaze to lock with blue. Dull cerulean eyes slowly slid shut, head lowering to then be held in tanned hands.

"Alex…"

The virus shut his eyes with a low cough as thumbs ran over his cold cheeks, cringing when one brushed over a wound.

"Alex." His tone was more urgent this time.

"…you're too loud." Alex replied, tone hoarse as he opened his eyes a bit, cocking his head slightly when he noticed that tears were brimming the corners of the assassin's eyes.

The Syrian's hands moved back, gripping Alex's hood with trembling hands. "It will be all right." He offered a strained smile, chest tightening more when a dribble of crimson slipped past his friend's lips. "Alex…everything will be all right."

His hands tightened on the hood.

"Yeah…right." Alex's eyes started to fall shut once more.

"Alex." Altair's hands shook more, his shoulders starting to do the same. "Alex…?"

His eyes were shut.

Altair couldn't stop the tears.

Assassination's note 2: Oh, look...and just when I thought I would never write another character death ever again...
If there's any OOCness, I'm sorry.