Efflorescent Feelings
Chapter 11


Altaïr had been acting stranger than normal, more serious and only opened up when he was addressed to. Malik observed this behavioral change as they headed to Masyaf on the back of two horses, Altaïr's son Maj in front of him, and on rare occasions in front of Malik. The two had begun to bond, to the point where the boy seemed to trust the Dai.

"Malik, can I have another apple?" he asked from on the back of Altaïr's horse.

Malik could only chuckle and shake his head, "We don't want to spoil your appetite, dinner is not too far off," he stated, looking up at the site of the setting sun. "We should probably make camp."

Altaïr gave a curt nod, veering off to the side, his face hidden from Malik, his hood blocking his view. This bothered the smaller man. He couldn't see if Altaïr was simply just lost in thought, or something was bothering him. The fact that the assassin was hiding something from him worried him. He faked a yawn, earning a small glance from the other as he looked away.

"I'm going to go to sleep," the Dai stated, dismounting his horse and pulling a blanket that was bundled up on his horse.

"Malik..." Malik lifted his head and looked to Altaïr, who pulled down his hood looking puzzled. "What happened to Al Mualim's body?" he asked, slowly getting off his horse, and carefully easing down Maj from the saddle.

Malik blinked at the sudden realization that he hadn't gotten rid of the body. He left it in the storeroom, figuring that the men who served Malik in Jerusalem would take care of it. "Why?"

"When I retrieved the Apple from the sack, he was no longer in the corner. His blood was cleaned up, and the stain in the hall was gone."

The Dai was silent for a moment, "My men must have taken care of it," he stated, not sounding to convinced of his own statement. Altaïr raised a brow, and looked to the ground watching as Maj collected sticks. "Is this what has been bothering you?" Altaïr lowered his head, staying silent as he reached up breaking sticks off of a tree. " Altaïr?"

"I'll talk about it later," he said softly, looking at Malik, then looking to Maj who reached up holding out the armful of sticks he had collected. "Thank you," he said, earning a wide smile from the boy, who skipped over to a tree and plopped down, awaiting the fire that his father was going to make.

As the fire was made and lit, the assassin pulled out a sack of bread and berries, gesturing with his finger for Maj to come over, placing the bread and fruit in his outstretched hands. The boy tucked into the food immediately, finishing it in record time, making the assassin laugh and shake his head, the first time Malik had seen Altaïr smile since they left. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to savor a meal?" he asked, earning a strong shake of the head from his son.

Malik wasn't sure how or when he would bring up Altaïr's silence from the trek to this point. Would he wait until Maj was completely asleep? Probably. If it was something he wanted to save for later, it was probably something that he wanted to hide from his son. As the Dai watched the assassin playfully tackle the boy, he couldn't help but think that if it wasn't for this moment he would have never been able to see Altaïr as a father. Not because of the playfulness, not by a long shot, but he honestly didn't think the man had the attention span for one.

Altaïr looked up, catching Malik staring at him and blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his head foolishly. "Time for bed Maj," he stated, scooping his now pouting son as a soft "awe" could be heard.

"But I'm not tired, Baba," he whined, looking over to Malik with wide puppy-dog eyes. "Can I have five more minutes?" he asked.

Altaïr scoffed, "He has no say in this," he said, sticking his tongue out slightly.

"But he's my new mother, right?"

Altaïr froze, blinking down at his son, not even glancing over at a paler Malik, who was reaching out for some of the berries, prior. "N-no, son," the assassin stuttered, laying him down and covering him up with a blanket, "Sleep, Maj," he said, ruffling his son's hair as he yawned.

Both Altaïr and Malik were silent, till they were sure Maj was asleep. The assassin stood up, walking over to the smaller man, taking his hand and pulling him to stand up, "Come with me," he said, pulling him with him a few feet into the woods. When they were far enough to see the dim light of the fire, they stopped, Altaïr pulling Malik into a tight hug. Nothing was said, Malik couldn't manage to speak, unable to form words as he felt the taller man shake lightly.

"A-Altaïr?" Malik asked, timidly, reaching up and placing his hand on the assassin's shoulder.

"I've never been so scared in my life.." Malik raised a brow, but stayed silent as he listened to his quivering voice. "Tell me to kill someone, I will do it. Tell me to take back a treasure that was stolen from you, I will do it..." Malik pulled back as he felt wetness on his neck, pulling his face away to look upon his lover's face. Tears spilled from his eyes, his face was contorted in a pained expression as he tried hard not to let his tears fall.

"Altaïr..." Malik whispered, using his fingers to wipe away the taller man's tears. "There's no reason to be afraid-"

"I've never had to protect anyone before," he snapped, cutting Malik off taking him aback. "Now I have to protect my son... my lover..."

The Dai was at a loss for words. What was he to say? He stayed silent, reaching up and caressing his face. "You don't need to worry about me. And as for Maj, I'll be behind you in anything. He will have both of us watching over him. He will never be in any danger."

Altaïr's eyes seemed to light up at the sound of Malik's words. He slowly lowered his head to rest on the other's shoulder. As Malik held the man close to him, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. If he had forgiven him sooner he would have had more time with Altaïr. 'But then again.. Maybe it was the guilt that both of us felt that made us more interested in each other... Maybe that guilt was what brought us to love each other' he thought, pulling back and looking up at him. "We should get some rest. Morning comes soon, and Masyaf isn't far off. We do not know what awaits us."

Altaïr nodded his head, but didn't loose his grip on Malik's sides as he picked him up, putting him over his shoulder, earning a muffled protest from the Dai, who silently squirmed, lightly hitting the taller man's back hissing a soft "Let me down now." Altaïr didn't let him go till they were back in the sight of their makeshift camp, where he set him down and plopped down next to him. "Don't do that again," Malik warned, narrowing his eyes as he sat down.

Altaïr grinned, and scooted down to lay down, staring up at the sky, "Alright, alright."

The two fell asleep quickly, and when daybreak came, Maj was jumping on top of them, calling for them to wake up. Malik was the first to rise, ignoring Altaïr's groans of protest as his son started to run around the fire in a hyper frenzy.

"I see you slept well," the Dai murmured to the boy, who skidded to a halt and hopped up and down his arms upward as he made soft begging sounds to be picked up. He leaned over, allowing the boy to latch onto his neck as he used his arm to hoist him up to perch on his side. "We'll let your father sleep for a few more minutes, hm?"

Malik stepped forward, heading to the sack of food off to the side, and plopped down in front of it, allowing the boy to scoot into his lap as he opened it, handing him an apple. The man found it amusing at how much the child loved apples. It seemed like he never grew tired of them, and would beg for one at any chance he could get.

"You're spoiling him with apples, Mal," Altaïr grumbled as he rose to his feet, stretching upward. Malik just gave him a smug look, before turning back to Maj, who had almost already finished the apple.

Altaïr walked over to the horses, pulling out the Apple from a sack, rolling it in his hands as he stared at it. He glanced up at his lover and his son, wondering what exactly was going to happen to the three of them. Were they going to keep moving forward, teaching new assassins the way of the creed, and continue to try and rid the world of men that threatened the people and the future? Or was there some tragedy looming ahead that sought out to break everything they wanted and rid them of their wants and dreams?

"Altaïr?" The assassin jumped slightly, looking at Malik, who had just packed up their things and was boosting Maj up on his horse. "Are you ready?" The man gave a curt nod, shoving the apple back into his bag before swiftly hopping up on top of his horse. He ignored Malik's worried glance as he got up onto his own horse, and snapped the reigns making the horse begin to trot back onto the road.

Two hours into their ride, the assassin tower of Masyaf could be seen from a distance. Normally, the site of the tower brought hope of shelter and a place to be safe. But this time, it was a mutual feeling between both the assassin and the Dai of fear. What was ahead for them? They could only find out by keeping their strides and moving forward.

Upon reaching the town, they came to a halt. The gates were closed. Both stared up, in confusion. They were never closed unless a threat was nearby. Was there an army behind them and they were not aware?Malik looked to Altaïr, who shared the same worried look in his eye, as he veered to the side, trotting behind the town, heading to the cliffs. He dismounted his horse walking to the edge of a cliff and looked down as he listened to Maj and Malik dismount their horse.

"I'll go on ahead, you keep an eye on Maj," Altaïr stated, turning and climbing down before the other could protest. Malik looked down at Maj, then watched as he climbed down, letting himself drop after a few minutes, standing up, and sprinting across a rope. He made his way up a ladder then pushed himself backwards as he grasped a wall and climbed up it with ease.

Malik's eyes never left the assassin's back as he climbed. He couldn't help but feel scared at the sight of him being so far away. He didn't feel safe here, not anymore. Something was wrong, but he couldn't leave the boy behind and go after Altaïr. He let out a soft sigh, sitting down, allowing the boy sit in his lap and curl up. He was jealous of Maj and how calm he could be. "Are you okay?" he asked the boy, earning a curious glance upward.

"Baba is the best assassin in the world, I never worry about him," he stated, nuzzling his forehead against Malik's shirt. The Dai simply smiled lightly, and held the small boy close to him, watching as Altaïr ducked out of sight.


Altaïr stayed against a wall, the sound of voices could be heard from the halls as he slipped in through a window. The stench surrounding him smelt of decay, and blood, making him fear for his fellow assassins and the novices who lived inside. He slowly moved down the hall, his heart racing as he padded towards the voices. They sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where or if he even knew the people. He stopped at a door, it was cracked open slightly, just enough for him to peek through if he wanted. He bit his lip, peering inside looking around the room.

What he saw shocked him. He couldn't believe his eyes. Standing tall and mighty, standing in front of a desk was the man he had supposedly killed... Robert de Sable. He nearly stumbled backwards, but caught his balance, his eyes narrowing as he saw a figure of a woman standing at his side, batting her eye lashes as Robert talked with someone at the desk.

"Maria..." Robert whispered, caressing the woman's cheek, making Altaïr grit his teeth in anger at the woman he once trusted. "Are you sure Altaïr won't get in the way?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Of course. He's to busy raising our child now. If he does get in the way we could always use Maj as collateral," she stated, crossing her arms, looking up at him like a snake.

The assassin couldn't hear anymore. He couldn't bare to. How was Robert alive? How could Maria so easily offer her son to any harm like that? He backed away, shaking his head lightly, grunting as his back hit against something hard and muscular. Turning around, his grimaced as three Templar guards stared down at him with glaring eyes. Two of them grabbed his arms, the third pointed a spear at his throat as they barged through the door, throwing him to the ground.

"Caught this man sneaking about, eavesdropping," one sneered, glaring down at him.

"Altaïr, Altaïr, Altaïr... What are we going to do with you?" The assassin once again gritted his teeth, his suspicions once again confirmed.

"I knew you couldn't possibly be dead... Master..." Altaïr spit to the ground of Al Mualim's feet, who's eyes gleamed menacingly down at the man below him.

"You were always a cleaver one, my best pupil," he noted, circling him. "But unfortunately for you, you won't be living much longer..."


Review Responses:

191026: YES. I have watched Revelations's trailer way to many times (to the point where if I'm talking to friends on skype they tell me to shut up xD) I'm beyond excited for it. And I'm glad you liked the concept of the short and fluffy scene. I had about 4 different plots running through my head at once, and that was the one that finally made it to xD

ChaosGarden: Your review really made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I'm really glad you liked the chapter, and I'm glad you are enjoying the story~

BADAZZtoldya: I'm really glad :D I aim to please :3

Song of the Midnight Wolf: I was thinking about doing that, but I'm not to sure about it. They are short, really really short, and I don't really plan to make them any longer than they are. But we'll see, maybe I will ^^;

xxxAREESHAxxx: o_o; I was aware it was both a girls and a boys name. My friend's little brother and her father are both named Maj xD

PhantomWise19: I'm really happy to hear that! I am always looking for something to satisfy my own inner fan girl, and to hear that I have satisfied yours really makes me happy :D

Jcgurl201: We shall see~ :3

Shikaxshake: Glad you liked it ^^


Note:
You all had to have seen that coming D: If not... Then... I apologize xD. Also, I apologize again for the slow update. My college has been a pain in my side, leaving me stressed out, and busy beyond all belief. But I won't bore you with the details x_x Just know that I will not forget you guys, and promise to update as soon as I can.

ALSO Need more requests for the short n fluffy one shots. (cough) Make me do one with La Volpe ;D Or...something... inspire me~


Short 'N Fluffy:
Remember! If you want to see a pairing for a Short 'N Fluffy mini story just list the two characters, and what the setting will be (or an idea of what you want to see) and I'll work from there. Simply leave me a comment on DA, my email, or in a review!


Featuring: Shaun and Altaïr


Requested by: Stylet-Rouge


Shaun shot out of bed for the fifth time that night, rubbing his eyes vigorously. His sleeping pattern had been horrid for the past few weeks, his mind plagued with the thoughts of someone he could never meet. He stared down at his hands, which were shaking violently, as he struggled not to cry. It was torture. Pure torture, to have to see scenes in his head of something that would, and could never happen.

Flopping backwards, he let out a exasperated sigh of annoyance as he fought to fall back asleep. Sleep was always quick to come for the Brit, but staying asleep was the problem. The dreams he would be plagued with gave him pleasure, something that he never wanted to feel for something so imaginary.

As expected, the man fell asleep almost instantly, his mind clouding over with flashing images of Altaïr running, skidding to a halt, killing, smiling, standing on a cliff, and sneaking through a crowd of scholars so skillfully raced in front of his eyes. He wasn't sure where this obsession with this man came out of. All he did was watch over files that Desmond had previously been through, and studied the movements of the assassin.

It would be considered a bit stalker-like if the man was still alive, but he constantly reminded himself that it was strictly for his job. If he studied how the man was, it was possible that they could find some things out that they never knew before. Of course, that is what he was telling everyone, not fooling anyone but himself with his lie.

It was hard for him, especially at night where he would be plagued of dreams of the assassin interacting with him. Tonight was especially brutal. The man would flirt with him, pin him against a wall and capture his lips with his own, making sure Shaun knew that he was his for the time being. When he forced himself awake, he felt his pants were a bit damper than when he fell asleep.

He groaned, forcing himself out of bed and over to his sack of clothes, pulling out a fresh pair of boxers and slipping them on, before going back to his makeshift bed and covering up. He found himself searching for everything that was disgusting, thinking of his grandmother's mustache, his childhood teacher who would slobber on her fingers before she passed out the classes graded papers. He shuddered, confident that his dreams would not result in another wet pair of pants before falling asleep once again.

Altaïr's strong arms wrapped around him in a tight and loving embrace. He rested his head against his shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. "You aren't real," Shaun whispered, shivering as he felt the assassin's breath on hiss neck.

"I'm not?" Shaun shivered, closing his eyes as he felt Altaïr's lips touch his skin.

"N-no."

Shaun shot up from his sleep, scowling as he stood. "Stupid dreams..." he murmured, walking out of the room, ignoring Rebecca's curious gaze from her computer she normally sat at at this time of the night. "Stupid assassin..."

He walked outside, and stared out at the town below. He looked to the side, jumping slightly as a figure walked towards him. When it was finally able to be seen, he was disappointed to find out that the man was only Desmond, not his beloved Altaïr. "What's the matter with you?" Desmond asked, raising a brow.

Shaun only scowled and crossed his arms, "You aren't Altaïr..."

Desmond blinked, and tilted his head to the side, his face contorting into confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Just bugger off."

Desmond scowled back at the man, turning muttering a soft "Asshole" under his breath as he left.

Shaun growled as he sat on the edge of the railing, looking up at the sky. "Altaïr, if you're up there. I know it's weird. But I think I love you. Bizarre, right?"

Shaun held onto his head, letting a soft scream of annoyance out as he kicked the rail with the back of his heel. "Bloody hell... I've gone insane..."


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