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Work was forever like high school, there were the popular kids and then everyone else. The popular kids in this case being the assassins, they never had to do paper work, possibly fill out an incident report or scroll their signature on a parchment to either accept an assignment or when saying whether or not it was successful or not. Other than that, all they did when they arrived at work, even if they arrived late, was training. Sometimes they goofed around even doing that, instead of doing strenuous work outs, they played games such as volleyball, soccer, or basketball. And then there was everyone else; Malik looked at the assassins with a look of longing behind his desk, many assassins had been relieved of their duty and stuck doing paperwork, a human contractor of sorts for the company. Malik sighed as he continued clicking away at his computer, typing out reports with his hand, able to do it fluently with one hand due to practice over the months.
"You know, you could still join us, we're going to play soccer," Altair's voice didn't even make him jump, his senses still keen and sharp from his training when he was an assassin.
Malik frowned, "you know I can't."
"I know you can, we play all the time in the park," Altair said, lowering his voice towards the end of his sentence as Malik was still sensitive about it.
Malik blushed a bit before saying, "I just have a lot of paperwork to get through, Altair. Maybe some other time." It was a lie; it was the same lie that was said every time Altair asked if he wanted to play some sort of game with them. It was also the same lie he gave when Altair asked how work was at the end of the day, Malik would say he simply caught up with paperwork. Glancing at the clock though, Malik frowned as he said, "what about your niece? She lands at-"
"Don't worry, it's taken care of," Altair gave a dismissive wave.
"Altair-" Malik began to mock but someone slammed a folder on his desk making him jump in surprise.
The person in the cubicle next to him gestured to the folder, "mind looking over that for me? It's about the last mission in the Mediterranean." Malik nodded and then turned his attention back to Altair, but saw that the man was already gone. He sighed and decided to get to work, not wanting to give Altair the chance to tell him he didn't look busy. He logged out of the word document where he had just been typing aimlessly and got to work on the latest report that was now on his desk.
"She's horrible," Altair growled in obvious frustration, Malik didn't bat an eyelash as he continued cleaning. Altair had quite a temper on him, even Malik was a bit shocked when he found out that Altair was taking custody of his niece. He had very little patience and thus a short fuse, so it wasn't a new occurrence to see his lover clearly upset, annoyed, frustrated, or anything about something. It usually retained to work though, now it was happening with someone he was responsible for, and Malik could only imagine the sort of loss of control that he was feeling. "Where does she get off talking to me like that?" He shouted the question, well it seemed like a shout since he said it in a normal volume and the silence of the house seemed to make it be louder than before.
"Quiet down," Malik hissed, eyeing their closed door as he glared and finished refolding shirts that Altair had messily tossed into the drawers. It was obvious he was worried, cleaning being a nervous habit. "She's confused, Altair. Give her time-"
Altair angrily pulled off his shirt and tossed it next to the hamper that was on the floor, Malik scowled before giving up cleaning and treating his own shirt the same, only making it into the hamper, "what was my brother thinking? I was barely able to take care of him when we were little! We were on the streets for God knows how long," Malik stayed silent, knowing he was really frustrated if he was willing to bring up his past so openly. Altair never spoke about his rough childhood, Malik was curious as to what happened as he caught little bits such as this when Altair was on an angry rant, but never the whole story. "I can't do this Malik – I should find someone who can properly care for her."
Malik frowned as he watched the other brush his teeth angrily before moving towards him to stand behind him in the mirror, "I know you're frustrated with her. But try to be patient Altair. Dumping her with a stranger will only cause problems for her; she's clinging onto the fact that you're family."
"Family doesn't treat family like shit," Altair said in a muffled voice through his toothpaste as he angrily scrubbed at his teeth.
"She's hurt-" "WHY are you on her side," Altair demanded, spitting out toothpaste. Malik rolled his eyes as he washed his mouth out of the toothpaste, "I'm not on her side, I'm not on anyone's side. I'm simply trying to help you understand. I have an idea of what she is going through."
Altair glanced at the angry, light pink, scarred flesh of his exposed left shoulder. It made Malik feel uncomfortable as he fidgeted underneath that guilty gaze. He quickly left the bathroom in an attempt to stay hidden. He then proceeded to pull on a sweatshirt even though it was decently warm in the apartment. He couldn't take that gaze though, the look of guilt as though it was his fault. Someone could say that it was Altair's fault, in the assignment it had been him that had gotten Malik and his late younger brother, Kadar caught. But he hadn't done it on purpose; he had made a mistake any assassin could have made, yet still Altair insisted on punishing himself every day. Was being with Malik a punishment? Some sort of guilt driving him to stay with Malik? The thought stung and he waited for Altair to finish in the bathroom before doing his own business. When he entered the room, Altair was playing on his phone and on his side of the bed, the side closest to the door. Malik turned off the lights and took barely a second to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness before he maneuvered around the room and to his side of the bed with ease and slid in. "Good night," Altair said with a yawn, pulling the covers up to his shoulder and sliding close to Malik.
"Good night." Though he knew that the night would be anything but nice.
The heat was familiar to Malik, after all Syria had been his home before he had travelled to the United States. The dry heat that seemed to lay over the land like a lazy giant was familiar and didn't bother Malik too much, Altair on the other hand was constantly getting annoyed with the heat as the three stayed inside their hideout. Altair wanted nothing more than to jump into a fountain that could be seen just outside the window, it tempted him like a moth drawn to a flame he had constantly compared as he gazed upon the water, but it was crucial that they were not seen and so the three were forced to attempt to ignore the fountain as they readied for the right time to move. They wouldn't leave until night fall, the temperature dropping severely to the point where it felt as though it should snow, but the air still felt and tasted dry with every inhale and exhale. It would be during the night when they would finally make their move, the moon and the stars being their only guide as they moved fluidly through a dry desert and up towards Masyaf castle.
The small bushes were dry from desert, it was a miracle they were even green, but they easily snapped off and branches cracked when stepped upon – making it difficult for the trio to keep the element of surprise if anyone were there. Instead of going through the entrance, they climbed the ruins of what used to be a majestic castle; Malik went first as he was the oldest and most experienced though Altair grumbled about how he could climb it much faster. He made certain that no one was around and then gestured for Kadar and Altair to climb up as well. For a moment no one believed anyone was there as they jumped calmly down the wall and through an old courtyard, entering the castle, but the moment they were inside they heard voices and all three immediately took places; Altair scaling a pillar and sitting on a beam out of eyesight, Malik whipped behind a book case, and Kadar moved under some sort of desk.
The three listened as the voices grew nearer…
"Why is Sable so paranoid, it's annoying," one was questioning.
"It keeps him alive doesn't it?" Responded the other with a chuckle of amusement at the first's obvious irritation.
The other spat on the ground and said, "The assassins aren't even here, we kept a watch on the city and there was no movement against us. So why be paranoid?"
It seemed laying low had worked; no one realized that they were here. They heard the other guard brush him off as one went to guard the entrance of the castle and one moved towards the courtyard entrance to watch the back of the castle. Malik peered around the corner cautiously and what he saw made his heart drop – Kadar was under the desk, one turn from the guard in the back and he'd be seen! But before Malik could make a move, Altair had already sprang into action, he dropped on the man, hands grasping his head. The man only let out a gasp which was muffled by one of the hands before Altair yanked his head at an unnatural angle. The way Altair had dropped to the ground, hands and feet poised to grab his head and drop on his back – he looked like some sort of bird of prey. Altair quickly turned, a throwing dagger in his fingertips ready to throw at the other guard, but he didn't stir and merely continued to gaze upon the entrance.
Altair grabbed the body and stowed it behind the book case with Malik, gave him a pat on his left shoulder and then moved towards Kadar. It would be the last gentle touch to his left arm he'd ever feel, and he never thought too much about it.
The two followed Altair quietly down the steps and through a door on the ground floor that the two guards had come from. Once they were a safe distance, Malik grabbed Altair, "we should abandon the plan, you heard what they said – Sable is here."
"But they don't know we're here – we have the element of surprise," they were whispering softer than the wind, but still their voices seemed to echo to them to the point where they constantly paused to listen to movement, but only ringing of silence came.
"They might have the Apple already, we shouldn't stay," Malik insisted.
Altair glared, "our mission is to retrieve the Apple, and if we are to kill some Abstergo's along the way? What's the matter with that?"
Malik paused, frowning and mauling it over as Kadar looked between the two anxiously, "I don't like it Altair, it's too risky."
"Then we shall leave it to your brother, he'll be the tie breaker," Malik rolled his eyes at that suggestion. Kadar looked up to Malik as any younger brother should, but Altair always managed to outshine Altair. It started a rivalry between the two and cause d for Kadar to idolize Altair just as much as he did Malik if not more. Malik knew his answer before he even said it.
Still, his younger brother had the decency to look guilty as he looked between the two before finally nodding to Altair in silent agreement. Malik couldn't help but show his frustration with a scoff and grumbling an, "Of course." Altair held no decency to hide his smug before he turned and led the way through the old pathway.
"Ah Assassins, I should've known you'd show up," Sable suddenly said once they had turned yet another hallway.
"Sable!" Altair said and charged.
Malik let him, and he saw the string too late, "Altair! No-" Something exploded right beside him and Kadar, the two went flying, rubble colliding into them painfully as they entered the hallway on the other side and Malik felt completely dazed. He heard some sort of fight and yelling as he laid there, ears ringing and head throbbing with his heart beat in pain. There was a pressure on his chest, and as he finally came to, he realized it was rubble. Something was also a dull throb in his left shoulder. He wasn't certain how long he lay there, but as he heard footsteps, he turned to see shiny, black shoes moving towards him. A hand suddenly shot out through the rubble, Malik's dazed gaze looked at the hand in wonder as Kadar pulled himself out of the rubble, and he looked terrible. Blood slid down his face.
"I only need one to be a messenger…" Sable's voice mused to himself, there was a click of a gun. The barrel pressed to his head, all Malik could do was watch. He begged his mind to shut down, to look away, to black out, anything but watch what he knew would fall upon his brother. But he was still hypnotized as he stared at his brother who spat blood on those shiny red shoes…the blood was soon followed by brain as well and Malik's voice screaming in his head.
NO, Malik bit his bottom lip hard as to avoid shouting in pain as he tried to rise as calmly as possible and move into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. His face was sprinkled with sweat; he tried to even his shuddering breaths, and most of all he tried to block out the painful throb of his shoulder, pulsating pain throughout his entire body. He took a deep breath, gritting his teeth to bite back the pain. You're not there, leave me the Hell alone, Malik pleaded in his mind, popping a pain medicine and swallowing it down. Deciding to grab some water since he was up, he padded back into the room, looked to Altair who was knocked out; the only place seemed to be able to sleep like a log was Malik's apartment, their apartment now. He moved to the kitchen, his steps trained in silent as he quietly grabbed a glass and poured himself some water. He hadn't turned on any lights, not wanting to disturb anyone, as he turned to face the living room when movement to his right, the bedrooms, caught his attention.
Isobel had left her room, she was in pajama pants and a long sleeved shirt that Altair had given her when he saw her shivering; she poked her head into his and Altair's bedroom. The way she looked reminded Malik of a small child, wanting to crawl into bed with her parents but not having the heart to, wanting to be invited or told to. She suddenly moved, her footsteps were not concealed and he could hear her moving to the front door. He didn't move – it would be weird now if he revealed himself. He didn't know what she was doing, but she then returned to the living room, moving to the windows and doing something. He watched her carefully as she went to each window and… She's checking the locks, Malik realized as she grabbed the patio doors and tried them, making certain they were locked as well. She held herself for a moment, looking at the locked windows then to the locked door, finally she moved down the hall, returning to her bedroom. Malik waited a couple more minutes, wanting to be certain that she was no longer moving around before returning to his own bedroom. The pain now a dull throb and no longer a mind numbing pain; he slid back into bed, Altair only stirring to move a bit and once more get comfortable but not waking.
The next day was rather busy, rather than relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Malik and Altair took Isobel to look at a private school, she showed zero interest, even when explained there was a rock climbing club. On the tour while Malik and Altair were impressed with the school and landscape, Isobel simply kicked at a rock and examined her nails. "Maybe she should just go to a public school, we're practically paying for a college in order for her to go to a private school," Malik scowled as he flipped through a pamphlet, a price that they could pay but the cost was rather high for schooling.
"I'd feel safer knowing she was going to a private school," argued Altair as he drove through traffic towards the mall.
"Do I get a say in where I go," Isobel finally spoke, her gaze was staring out the window, she was wrapped up in Altair's coat while the other two were in thin long sleeved shirts.
Altair glanced at her in the rearview mirror, "Yes…unless you want to go to a public school. Then no."
A scoff was Altair's only response and a mere chuckle from Malik as he finished looking through the pamphlet and put it on the dash. The two then went to the mall where Malik and Altair took her to stores to buy winter clothing, she didn't seem too interested in shopping but knew it was necessary so endured. She wasn't like most women who took their time and wanted to see everything, whether that was because of the depression or normality was up for debate. She went to something she liked, tried it on and if she liked it got multiple ones in different colors, if she didn't she tossed it out and went to something else. She was done once she went to one store and Malik felt that it was the easiest trip ever and hoped that her shopping was a habit and no due to disinterest in everything. Lastly they went grocery shopping so there was real food in the house, as the two men were so used to just ordering takeout and not worrying about eating healthy due to their active nature. Malik was just a paper pusher at work but he still went to work early with Altair every day to run on the treadmill or swim laps.
Malik had honestly thought that upon Isobel's arrival that Altair would completely change, that Malik would be second in Altair's eyes and Isobel would be first. Maybe she was, but Altair was yet to physically or emotionally show it, but it wasn't as though Isobel was giving him much of a chance to do so. So when he got an email from their company that he was going to California for a business meeting, Malik was enthusiastic that maybe without him there a bond could be formed….but he was also anxious, as he could return to a destroyed house and two beings that hated each other more than anything in the world.
"Don't leave me here alone with her," groaned Altair, "take her with you!"
"Altair, think about what you just asked me," Malik scowled at his boyfriend. He watched Altair take a moment to think about it, before giving Malik a look and a sort of shrug that basically told Malik that he didn't care nor did he think the idea of Isobel traveling with a stranger was completely crazy, "I have no relation to her! That would be crazy."
"Then take us with you," Altair bargained.
"Don't you have that assignment Thursday," Malik asked.
Altair let out a groan as though just reminded, "Don't leave me here. I might kill her. You would risk her life?"
"You won't kill her," Malik stated matter-of-factly, he was packing his bag as they spoke as he'd be leaving Monday so he wanted his things packed early and set aside. Altair pouted at him, Malik smiled before kissing him gently, "you're cute when you pout."
"So you shall stay," Altair asked, hopeful.
Malik gave him a charming smile that made Altair's face brighten more so with certainty, "no." Malik almost felt cruel for teasing him so, almost. The look of devastation was delicious, which quickly turned into a scowl as he crossed his arm and flopped back on the rest of the bed, glaring at the ceiling. Malik laughed making Altair growl at Malik with annoyance, "Go check on your niece." Altair gave yet another scowl towards Malik before leaving the shared bedroom and going down the hallway to do as he was told. As he heard the soft murmuring of voices, Malik couldn't help but pray, though he wasn't much of a religious man, that his lover would grow closer to his niece during his absence and she the same.
So I know it's short and sort of a filler, and I know it has been such a long time since I've last posted! But for whatever reason fanfiction doesn't send me my reviews through my email anymore. So I believe my story has little/no interest and then just kind of stop. Plus I have to be in a certain mood to write these depressing chapters, but I'm working on the next one immediately!