6. Happy Holiday

Altair Ibn-La'Ahad desperately wanted to cheer loudly once he escaped through the door to his college, but since this would have been highly embarrassing with that many other students around, he barely stopped himself from doing so.

"Glad that we finally have holidays?" a familiar voice said next to him.

"Why would you think that?" Altair replied with a sarcastic note in his voice when he turned to look at his best friend since childhood.

Malik Al-Sayf and he had been friends ever since the Altair had defended the slightly younger male from a bully named Robert de Sablé. It had not been pretty, not for Altair, and certainly not for Robert, who had suffered from a broken jawbone after Altair had been done with him. The French idiot promptly ran to his father and had cried to him, about how mean Altair had been. Thankfully there had been enough witnesses to proof the half Syrian's innocence.

"I don't know," Malik said, "perhaps because I know you."

There had been a time when he and Malik had not talked with each other. It had been the time when the younger male's brother, Kadar, had died during a car crash. Malik had blamed himself, he had sat behind the wheel after all. At least that is what he always said. The full Syrian himself had lost an arm during that crash and almost his best friend. The two of them have had a bad argument, when Malik had still been in the hospital, which had ended in screaming and insults, especially on the raven haired man's part. They had lost contact for a few months, until the point where Malik had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and apologized under tears. Altair too had apologized, he had spoken words that he regretted as well after all.

"Yes, you do," the golden eyed male replied easily.

"So," they were walking side by side to their vehicles, both of them possessed a car, even Malik, who had gone through therapy. "Any plans for the holidays?"

"Not really," Altair admitted, "I had planned to show Desmond a little bit around, tell him about the place and about the things he could do here. I also have to sign him in a school, I had thought about Southview High. He certainly has the brains to go to High school and he is old enough."

"That and the school is only a few metres away from our college, perhaps fifteen minutes on foot." Malik guessed.

"Yeah," the brown haired male nodded. He casually leaned against his car, an old and very well used Ford Mustang from 1965 in white. Altair had inherited the car from his grandparents and he took very good care of it. It was one of his most precious possessions.

"You could show him where you work, perhaps he takes after you and the two of you share the same interests," Malik suggested with a shrug.

"I don't know Malik..." he sighed, "Desmond is very... reserved, especially with physical contact." That was something that bothered the golden eyes male. There were only a few logical explanations for his brother's strange behaviour and he didn't like one of them. The thing was, they remained suspicions until Desmond revealed his past and that was another problem, he didn't.

"Go free running then, you used to do that lot. Perhaps he will enjoy that as well and there is not much physical contact, none really."

An old memory came to the front of Altair's mind. He saw himself, Malik and Kadar climbing an abandoned building. The three of them had always done such stupid things, hell Altair had even corrupted his Italian cousin Ezio to join them. In fact, he had corrupted a lot of people in his past, namely before he had to grow up and stand on his own two feet.

"I will think about it."

"Do what you must," Malik replied. "Just know that it would do BOTH of you good, if you get out of that house for once." As always Malik was absolutely right, not that Altair would say that out aloud. His pride was too important for that, besides, the other male's ego was already bad enough.

"Whatever," he casually waved that last comment away, "I'll see you."

"Bye," Malik waved and strode away, without doubt to his own car, a black Chevrolet. Altair was not sure which model, but he did not really care either, he had his Ford after all.

Upon entering his familiar home, Altair called, "Desmond, I'm home." He waited a few seconds and was surprised not to receive an answer or any other sign of the young teenager. Then he shrugged. Perhaps he was just listening to some music, Altair figured.

The college student got rid of his jacket and of his back and by getting rid of it, he just threw it on the table in the kitchen. He would clean it up later. A small note fell to the ground after the jacket had been carelessly thrown onto the surface and the adult bend over to pick it up.

It read:

Hey Altair,

I'm exploring the path you told me about. I will be back for lunch.

I've got my phone with me.

Desmond

Altair was more than satisfied with that. He had told his brother to always notify him when he left the house and he had done so, he had also remembered to take his phone with him, just in case. He briefly glanced at the clock that hung near the door. It was still an hour until lunch, more than enough time to prepare something and for Desmond to return home safely.

The adult slightly smiled to himself. He had told Desmond about the small path behind his humble home just yesterday. The path led to a small forest, nothing too fancy, but there was wildlife there. It had been one of the reasons, why Altair's grandparents had moved here in the first place. Altair himself had often enough wandered into the forest. He and his friend had built a small wooden shelter there, Desmond would undoubtedly find it, if it was still intact that is. It had been years since he last went there himself.

The golden eyes male shrugged, he had no doubt that his little brother would give him a detailed description of what he had found.

It's been way too long until I worked on this story... but I had no real ideas or motivation to continue (up until now that is).

I hope you still like it and I would appreciate it, if you left a review and tell me what you think. ^^