Stupid girl and her stupid laugh and her-

"Malik!"

"Kadar?"

"What are you doing? You're just standing here, staring- OH."

"What?"

"Looking at Altair and Aden now, are you?" Kadar said, raising his eyebrow.

"No! I'm..thinking."

"About Altair?" Kadar said, rolling his eyes.

With lack of better response, Malik just glared.

"Brother, be rational. He's fifteen, I think things like this are normal." Kadar said, crossing his arms.

"Love is a weakness. Love is forbidden." Malik growled.

"And? Many of us are sons of assassins Malik, including Altair. Clearly not everyone follows that rule."

"It doesn't necessarily have to do with love."

Seeing there was no reasoning with his brooding bother, Kadar stalked off, leaving Malik to himself.

Malik was just as annoyed. At himself. Why did he care? It's Altair's life, his choices have no affect on Malik. None at all. He didn't want to care. Not one bit. But he did, he did with a burning rage. Why did this girl, who was probably destined to work in the gardens as a whore, matter so much to Altair? She wasn't anything spectacular to look at, and was dumber than boots. It just didn't make sense, there was no logic to why Altair was suddenly so smitten with Aden.

Trying to piece things together was making Malik more irritable by the minute. It couldn't be love, Altair was fifteen. Besides, Malik just always knew, deep down, that love was a fairytale. He had read about it in books, how love could make an empire fall, or destroy peoples lives, and clearly never lasted. So even if it did exist, Malik didn't see why anyone would want to be anywhere near it. He loved his brother, but that was a different kind of love, one that only exists between blood, and as far as Malik was concerned, Altair did not have siblings of any sort.

So what witchcraft did Aden use on Altair?

No longer having an appetite, Malik sighed in frustration and trudged out of the dining hall.

For the next few days, he immersed himself in training, books and writing. A world that made sense to him, hardly ever talking to anyone. In the instances that he did talk, they were always curt one word answers, even to Kadar. Most had learned to stay away from Malik when he was in such a state.

Most.

"Malik."

No reply.

"Would you at least tell me what is wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You are a better liar than that, Malik. What. Is. Wrong?"

"Nothing."

Exasperated, Altair threw his hands in the air. Malik just ignored him, never looking up from his book.

"Malik, you're going to tell me." Altair warned.

Malik finally snapped.

"And just who are you to be telling me what I will or will not do?! You-"

Altair jumped and tackled Malik off his chair, catching him off guard. Sitting himself firmly on Malik's hips, one leg on each side, Altair leaned close to Malik's face.

"You will tell me."

"Get off."

"Tell me."

"Don't you have better things to do? Because I do, oh great son of none."

"If you're going to be like that, fine."

Altair cracked his knuckles, and started tickling Malik's sides. He knew about the latter ones weakness, and before you knew it, Malik was giggling, then howling with laughter.

"St-Stop it!" Malik gasped between badly suppressed giggles.

"Not until you tell me." Altair said, smirking proudly.

"That s-stupid girl!"

Taken aback, Altair paused.

"Girl?"

"Aden!"

"What about her?"

"..."

"Malik, I won't hesitate to start tickling you again."

"Fine! You're just..Always around her, laughing, teasing.." Malik stopped, blushing, seeing how ridiculous he must sound.

Altair's shock had turned into laughter, making Malik's face somewhat resemble a beet.

"That's why you're like this? Allah, I thought it had been serious." Altair wheezed between laughter.

Malik scowled, thoroughly embarrassed. Although he didn't want to admit it, he was still confused.

"So you don't?.."

"Malik, I didn't know you could be so jealous."

"I. Am. Not."

"Uh huh."

"Just answer the damn question!"

"I talked to her once."

"And?!"

"And what? She's incredibly incompetent? She has a big mouth? You should've come and saved me from the terrible conversation?"

Malik smacked himself on the forehead at his own silly assumptions.

"This never happened, by the way." Malik warned.

"Of course, what would happen to the King Of Swords reputation, if everyone knew he would crack when being tick-"

Altair was promptly shut up by a book hitting his head.