Argh. I apologize for taking so long with this I really do, but I just moved and settling in takes forever. Well, here's the next installment of BSASE.
...
Altair paused hesitantly on the roof of the assassin's bureau. He'd managed to muscle up the nerve thus far, but now he could actually think and all that fear was catching up to him.
Fear. That's what it was, this feeling taking root in the pit of his stomach and forcing him to be so hesitant. Maybe if he put up his well-known façade of arrogance he'd be able to survive this mission. He swallowed nervously and dropped in.
"Safety and peace, Malik." He said, entering the dark room.
Malik replied with a glare. "Your presence here denies me both."
"Are we really going to go through this again?" Altair asked, leaning on the doorsill with a grin. "You're going to be a bitter old man, you know."
"And whose fault is that?"
Altair honestly couldn't keep the urge to laugh at bay much longer. "Now, now, Malik, there's no need to shout."
He sighed in frustration and resumed his work. "Are you here for your mission or just to annoy me?"
"Both, but mostly the latter."
Malik groaned and dropped his head into his hand. Altair couldn't exactly make it out, but it sounded like he said, "Of all people to send…"
Altair grinned. He had Malik where he wanted him, so now he could take a chance. He hoped. He went over to the counter and stood over his one-time friend. "What happened, Malik?"
"What?" He looked up at Altair and immediately realized what he meant. "Oh. That."
"You don't know?"
Malik reached under the counter to retrieve a book. "Of course not."
Altair noticed the look on Malik's face. "You've been thinking about it."
"The hell I have," he hissed back, taking sudden interest in the map on the counter.
"You're a liar."
"And you're and idiot with no regards for anyone else!" Malik shouted, turning a slight shade of red.
Altair laughed loudly. "You're a goddamned liar, Malik! You've been thinking about it as much as I have! Don't even try to deny it."
Malik narrowed his eyes in acquiescence.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
Malik just shrugged. "What can I do about it? Neither of us remembers what happened."
"I say we try and find out," Altair suggested quietly, a dark look to his grey eyes.
"What? You—," Malik's face reddened more and he stuttered. "Altair, you're so insatiable."
He grinned. "Thank you."
Malik's eyes widened and he slammed his fist on the counter. "Altair, NO. We are not ha—"
He was cut off when a foreign set of lips crushed his. Altair took advantage of Malik's open lips and kissed him deeply, thrusting his tongue far inside the angry young rafiq's mouth. Malik felt himself begin to reciprocate—despite his better judgment—and he froze, hurriedly trying to think of a plan that would prove that he wasn't enjoying it. Whether to Altair or to himself, he wasn't sure. So he pushed the younger man away and threw a blind punch.
There was a sickening crack and Altair let loose a string of curses. Malik stared in disbelief as he staggered back a few steps, a hand to his nose. The collar of his hood was beginning to stain red.
"Altair, I'm sorry!" Malik blurted out, trying to avoid the silver glare that was guaranteed him. He vaulted over the counter and took a step toward him.
Altair pushed him back. "Get the fuck away from me." He hissed, grasping the crooked bridge of his nose with a bloody hand.
"But…" Malik's voice was almost pleading.
Altair ignored him and snapped his nose back into place, snarling a curse at the sharp pain. Blood coursed over his fingers and down his wrist. He glared at Malik, who cringed visibly, and turned to leave.
"Don't you want help with your mission?" Malik called after him.
"I'll do it myself," Altair growled back, climbing the wall. I shouldn't even have come in the first place.
Malik groaned as he heard the last scrapes of Altair's boots against the wall. "Why am I such an idiot?"
