Loving the feedback, guys! XD I've got a beta now, so hopefully there will be even less grammar issues. ^^;

Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed © Ubisoft, lyrics © Me

ACT 3

It was a disaster - a complete and utter mess that none of them could have predicted. When they arrived at the bar after leaving the museum, there was a mob of fans, screaming and yelling their names. The men just stared out the window before Desmond pulled away and back onto the road.

"How did they know we were coming?" Ezio asked as he watched the crowd until they were out of sight.

"Who knows? Perhaps someone overheard us mention it at the museum?" Malik suggest. He didn't seem to care in the slightest that they had to search for a new bar.

Desmond ignored the men in the car and concentrated on finding a new building to go to. After ten minutes he found a club that didn't seem to lively or too dead. "How about here?" Desmond suggested, slowing to a halt in front of the club.

Shaun took one look at it and sighed. "That's a gentlemen's choice bar, Desmond."

Desmond made a face and rolled his eyes. "What do you care? You guys are all gay anyways."

Altaïr threw his head back and laughed before leaning foreword to clap his cousin on the shoulder while everyone else rolled their eyes. But, even if it was reluctant, they all agreed to give te bar a chance.

To their relief, no one recognized them, not even the usher. But, it was a tasteful place. It was clean with low lighting and the music wasn't too loud nor too soft. Desmond concluded that if he wanted to have a conversation with someone that he wouldn't have to yell, and that pleased him - the simplistic man that he was.

The group chose a table off in the corner to avoid wandering eyes. A waiter came over for their drinks and let his eyes linger on Shaun a little too long for Desmond's taste. When the waiter looked away and noticed that he was being glared at, he back down and left for their drinks. If looks could kill, the poor man would have been a bloody heap on the floor; an unpleasant trait that he had seemed to pick up early in his life from Altaïr.

"How was the museum for everyone?" Desmond asked in order to start a conversation. Immediately, just as Desmond had planned, Leonardo began ranting about the artworks he had seen.

"Don't you agree, Ezio?" Leonardo asked eventually, his shinning blue eyes gazing up at him excitedly.

Ezio smiled down at him, affection clear on his face. "Of course, mia colomba."

Desmond felt a twinge of jealousy when he looked at what his cousin had with the artist, and what Altaïr had with Malik. He glanced at Shaun who had his eyes closed and presumably listening to the music. Shaun was so very different from the men that his cousins had chosen and their personalities never had matched. But, he and Shaun connected on a level that he didn't think was possible, and he wanted to be able to feel that again. He wanted to be able to hold him like he used to after they spent the night together; clinging to each other like they were the only thing keeping them from falling off the Earth.

Is this love? Desmond asked himself as he took a big drink of his beer. Of course. I have always loved him.

"Des!" a voice yelled and snapped him out of this thoughts.

"What?" he asked dumbly, blinking his eyes to bring back his senses.

"You've been staring at me, you bloody wanker. Know it off!" Shaun growled in an obviously annoyed tone.

"Oh, uh," Desmond paused, "I didn't know I was. Sorry."

"Whatever," came Shaun's curt reply before he walked over to the bar.

"Smooth," Ezio murmured.

Desmond glared at the man to get him to shut up.

"What's up with you two? Shaun would usually punch you in the face for annoying him. You guys dating again or something?" asked Altaïr.

Desmond choked on his drink and looked at the man in horror. "What? No!"

Malik shook his head. "You two are foolish then."

Desmond looked at the black-haired man in confusion like he often did. "What do you mean we're fools?" he questioned right as Shaun sat back down at the table.

"Malik called you a fool? He has good eyes," he piped up bitterly.

"You're being called a fool as well," Desmond explained.

"Why?"

All eyes shifted over to Malik to see what his response would be. "You know exactly why, Shaun." Malik gave him a knowing look that confused Desmond even more.

"I don't. Care to explain?"

Malik just smile innocently, making Altaïr snicker, and got up. "I think it's time we move to another bar."

~.~

Ten jell-o shots later and they were all drunk off their rockers. Desmond, the designated driver who had puked at least three times behind the same trash can, had called a taxi and arranged for someone to pick up their car in the morning. So, by the time they got home, everyone made their ways to the bedrooms to sleep off their inebriation. Everyone, that was, except for Desmond.

Desmond sat at the island in the kitchen and drinking from a very large glass of water. He may have been drunk but he was still functional, unlike his relatives; he was just pleasantly buzzed.

He was peeling an orange when Shaun walked into the room. The Brit gave the man one look before walking over to the sink. He poured himself a glass of water and took a seat next to Desmond.

"You look functional. What happened to all that alcohol?" Shaun asked in mild curiosity.

"I've never really been able to hold down fancy drink like tequila or jell-o shots. Since I puked up most of the alcohol in my system, I probably could have driven, but…" Desmond trailed off, frowning at the sudden bad memories.

"But, you decided to play it safe?" Shaun suggested and Desmond nodded. "As you should. Your family has bad luck when it comes to cars." Shaun was aware that Desmond trailed off for a reason, so the normal bitter response came out gentle and softly.

"Yeah," Desmond agreed with a sad smile, "and I think I've lost just as much as they did during those accidents."

Shaun looked at Desmond, knowing exactly what he was talking about, and felt jealousy rise up in his chest. And anger. "How could that be? They all lost family in car-related deaths. No one died for you."

Desmond looked at Shaun with a crooked smile that was just as sad as he felt inside. He learned long ago that no matter what he did, he couldn't his things from the British man. "That's not true, exactly. All those years ago I lost someone that I held more closely to myself then anyone else," he paused to see Shaun's reaction and when he got none, he continued, "I lost you, Shaun."

Shaun looked away and down at his water. He stole the forgotten orange from Desmond's hand and finished peeling it. He popped a slice into his mouth and gave it back. "It's juicy," commented Shaun.

"It's perfect. Just the right amount of ripeness."

Shaun yawned and asked Desmond in a sleepy voice, "Is that even a word?"

Desmond shrugged, smiling at how mild Shaun was when he was tired. "No, but you know what I mean by it."

"I suppose so."

Shaun stood up and immediately tumbled sideways into Desmond. Desmond, who had been watching his carefully, caught his shoulders in time and helped him back up.

"Sorry," Shaun murmured.

Desmond smiled and replied, "It's okay. Let me just help you back to your room."

Shaun agreed reluctantly and they went on their way. When they got there, Shaun hooked his arm from around Desmond's neck and looked him square in the eyes. Without warning, he leaned forewords and crushed their lips together.

Desmond made a quiet, surprised noise at the feeling of Shaun against him. He was quick to recover though, wrapping his arms around the man's waitst and pulling them closer together. How long had he waited for that day? How long had he dreamed about Shaun's lips and how it felt to hold him in his arms. Too long, Desmond realized as his tongued begged for admittance into Shaun's mouth.

The British man complied as he wrapped his arms around the brunette's neck. It was a brutal battle of dominance that somehow Desmond managed to win, but his victory did not last long. The were forced to pull apart for air, leaving the two gasping and whipping saliva from their chins. Shaun turned halfway, his hand on the door knob, and looked at Desmond with lust filled eyes.

"Care to join me?" he asked, his voice low and husky. Desmond didn't even need to reply, as he already knew the answer.

BWAHAHAHA! I am EVIL! Dunno if there will be smut in the next chapter or not. I'm just gonna toss you guys into a flashback and we're gonna go from there…..yeah….don't kill me?

Comments are love, so please leave me some~! ;D