Music Inspiration: Two Steps From Hell- "Magic of Love"
Two Peas In a Pod
"Block! Kick!"
Vivian obeyed instinctively as she practiced her hand-to-hand fighting skills with Malik as the dai blocked each of her moves easily after years of constant training. Her defense and offense skills had been improving steadily since their travels in Sudan and although she would never want to be any kind of an assassin or climb buildings with superhuman speed, she was proud. There was no way she'd ever attempt parkour without fearing for her life or wield any kind of projectiles to hurl at anyone but her training sufficed. She was keeping her mind focused on realistic goals that would prolong her life expectancy, not her coolness factor, and the assassins helped. She couldn't always depend on them if she ever hoped to do a little recon for them when investigating villages and needed to watch out for herself.
Malik went on the offense and pounced to strike her stomach, leading her to grab his arm and Vivian used her strength (rowing really helped) to pull it behind his back. Her friend was quite strong despite his humble appearance, inspiring jokes that he hid an arsenal of muscles and weapons under the robes, but she managed to press his arm against his back. Boy, the man definitely packed muscles underneath his robes so the Malik fans could swoon in appreciation. Implementing his teachings, she struck the back of his knee with hers to trigger the reflex in his joint to bring him to knees. Malik fell down as she had predicted and he smiled to her success since she'd been having issues finding the right angle to strike from. Releasing him afterwards, she helped him stand up with eager hands and asked with hopeful optimism about her improvement, "How was that?"
She was so giddy on the tips of her toes, she could explode! . . . Figuratively, of course.
"Better, but I will recommend you do a few upper body exercises like Altaïr" Malik suggested and pointed to their friend, who was performing push-ups a few feet away from them.
When it came to intense exercise routines, Altaïr was the best at creating them for his assassins and Vivian definitely needed to gain strength. For once, he wasn't clad in armor or robes but simple brown breeches with his boots and nothing else to keep the heat from suffocating him through his exercise routine. His shirtless appearance floored Vivian's hormones since she'd only caught brief glances of him when he left the river creeks after bathing. Since he'd apparently caught her covert glances when he admitted it at the brothel, she avoided doing so to avert further embarrassment. Why was she teased so horribly again? That and his unbelievable strength as he performed push-ups like no tomorrow put her little muscles to shame. Nothing skyrocketed her estrogen and killed her testosterone in one second like Altaïr could.
"Can't I watch you beat him in one armed pushups instead? It won't make me feel so tiny" she praised in order to slide her way out of doing the same exercises that gave the two the astonishing bodies of Greek gods while she had a tummy matching the consistency of the Pillsbury mascot. Her cheeks darkened to seeing his muscles flex against the resistance of his own weight and the sun wasn't her friend as it illuminated his glistening skin. The man was a gorgeous bronze hue while her own paler beige arms didn't make her feel stronger or attractive since the archaic climate decimated any possibility.
"Vivian" he used the fatherly tone that told her she was in the wrong and that it was all for her benefit. Her shoulders sagged as she failed to wiggle out of dealing with Altaïr's swimsuit calendar worthy physique and sighed under her breath. She'd easily hand over her position to any athletic AC fans that held no attraction towards the man because he was making her ovaries implode.
Malik's voice was nonnegotiable but he didn't understand what his colleague's appearance did to her. Altaïr was a walking aphrodisiac that strutted with the confidence of a male peacock but she'd have to put on her big girl pants to bear it. She wasn't looking forward to this and sighed morosely to obey her teacher, "All right. You know, you're going to make an awesome father one day. I hope Altaïr won't let his kid eat glue paste while he's off training recruits or making his blades shinier."
"They will have Maria" Malik reasoned since women primarily cared for the children and since the child was at Masyaf, they would be under Maria's guidance. The dai really hoped the child would take to being more sociable because Altaïr was the worst when it came to social interaction. You had to literally poke the man so he could utter a single word and most of the time, it was a disgruntled sound. He could only hope that time would mellow him slowly like an old lion past its prime that could only swat at bothersome flies and nothing else.
"Yes, but she's an awesome ass kicker too- where is she going to carry little Altaïr if she's kicking butt?" she pointed out to Maria's unwavering strong will and gasped at imagining her knitting baby socks instead of beating Templars with their helmets. What if she decided to settle down and be a homely cook with five kids clinging to her skirt? Her eyes widened to the horrible thought of her abandoning a life of adventure and exclaimed woefully, "Oh no! She became Mama Maria-"
"Vivian, worry over your own training" Malik advised with an amused smile to her outrageous imagination and headed off to focus on his own training. She didn't have any issue learning alongside him but once he involved Altaïr, she fell into nervous rambles. All he could do was reassure her that the man was harmless nowadays and wouldn't be chasing her with an unsheathed blade like he used to.
She listened to Malik as the dai decided to practice throwing knives into the trees for accuracy. D'oh, why couldn't she need help in that rather than building strength? Well, she could either wallow in her misery or march right next to the man as he kept his concentration solely on the floor. She could only blink for a few seconds and wonder if he was part Terminator as he continued exercising without faltering. Performing a few pushups to increase her muscle mass, she grew tired after reaching twenty since her body wasn't familiar with strength training after years of reading in libraries. True, she ran her laps around the neighborhood while hearing lectures about history to increase her brain power but didn't venture past that. This new life pushed aside her old lifestyle to mold a different Vivian that slowly kept changing but she wasn't sure whether she liked it. She couldn't compare to either assassin as she felt as tiny as a bug and collapsed onto the floor to rest after her meager set. Her assassin friend, however, merely kept going with unbelievable stamina that had her gasping in disbelief, "How are you not tired? This . . . you're inhuman!"
"I've trained all of my life . . . so this . . . is nothing" he snorted dismissively and her tiny triumph at succeeding in her lessons felt like specks compared to him. There was absolutely no way she'd ever match him but truly, he was to be admired at this rate. Unfortunately, she couldn't just lie on the grass and make googly eyes at him all day or risk being caught by either him or Malik for doing so. Altaïr rested for a minute by kneeling on the grass, wiping his brow free of accumulated sweat as he caught his breath, and Vivian resisted from gouging her eyes out to spare herself the tantalizing view.
This was the stuff memes were made for! Why was the universe taunting her with a tautly muscled upper body like his? Even as a woman, he put hers to shame as even the scars decorating his body like artwork made her skin look worse. She hated admitting to herself that he was handsomer than she originally believed and felt the inkling to make paint to fake her own little scars to imitate him. Seeing the old scars decorating his body, she tried to make a count of them but he finally took notice of her sitting there beside him. She tried to appear nonchalant as she waved at him with an innocent smile but he said nothing about it. Altaïr returned to his push-up position after catching his breath to make sure his heart rate didn't lower too much and requested, "Sit on my back, will you? The extra weight resistance will help me strengthen my muscles."
"If you tell me you can lift a horse, I might as well throw in the towel in my defense training" she sighed miserably to her puny strength but sat on the middle of his back to offer a helping hand. She felt like she was sitting on a warm but sturdy coffee table and placed her hands on his bare back for extra security. Her cheeks reddened slightly since she never expected to actually touch the man and hoped her fingers didn't decide to become sweaty from her nervousness. He was the assassin of assassins and here she was with her palms touching his bare supple skin and could feel his shoulder blades move under her right hand. Where was a modern air fan when she needed it? She managed to find her voice as she looked straight ahead to avoid any lewd comments from her inner fangirl and asked, "Are you sure you won't hurt your back like this?"
"No, I used to have Malik or the others places crate or sacks of items to help me back at Masyaf" he assured easily since he'd had worse training exercises during his youth and began a new set with the woman on his back. Her weight was easily manageable since he'd had heavier items to lift and she wasn't anywhere near an armored Templar. Vivian could only stare at the forest around them with wide owl eyes since her weight didn't do much to deter his pace. Was he truly human? Altaïr found her extra weight easy to overcome as he kept the same speed without stopping and joked lightly, "With the lack of hiking and trekking, I expected you to gain a little weight."
"Sorry to disappoint you but this is all maintenance" she laughed softly since her adventuring days had caused her to lose weight rather than gain and flicked the back of his left ear. He uttered a protesting grunt since smacking her wandering hands was out of the question but that didn't deter her. Her fingers ran through the short locks of his brown hair as perspiration coated the roots and she teased with a small smirk, "I think it's time for another of Vivian's famous cuts."
He abhorred her haircutting skills after a certain style she'd given him and snapped tightly, "If you give me that atrocious bowl cut again-"
She laughed aloud to that memory since he'd resembled one of the three stooges for half an hour and justified, "Only because you let your hair grow long enough for me to do one since you were so fussy about doing a better job. Maybe you'd like to grow your hair out and imitate your descendant's beautifully luscious chocolate locks-"
"What?! What efficient and smart assassin would grow their hair long?" he began to rant angrily about having long hair as an assassin because it would be a severe hindrance. Nobody had their hair long unless they tied or braided it back behind their head because having it loose was irresponsible and pretty much a death sentence. If it was loose, it was cut short in fashion to Vivian's and even she knew what he did: it obstructed your sight. Altaïr stared at the green grass with a heated scowl to the ridiculous notion of future assassins casting aside their core traits and spat, "Unless it was tied, it baffles me as to how he succeeded in assassinating a target."
"Yes, he had it tied back in a nice assassin approved little ponytail" she assured sarcastically since Ezio did have a gorgeous mane of hair that could awe the masses. He probably made women themselves swoon in jealousy during his time. Mmm, the man would've been a gorgeous hair product model and probably would've owned his own cologne line 'Essence of Ezio'- or something deliciously fancy. Vivian chuckled softly as she felt the tension that rolled through his body as he performed his pushups and spoke gently, "Goodness, I'm almost inclined to believe you're a little jealous of your dear descendant. He respects you highly so I'd think you'd be happy to know that he's been able to continue your work."
"Bedding women, parading in luxurious fabrics, and using harlots as cover does not please this old fashioned assassin" he stated gruffly from his end since he had absolutely no luxuries in his current life but it was a small comfort to know his descendants weren't starving and ill. Otherwise, he'd really be ashamed of how far his name fell. He'd never have thought to be a father but since he was, Altaïr wanted all of his future descendants to live a life different from his own. They deserved to be free of looking over their shoulders, poverty, oppression, and most importantly, have a safe home to call their own. Of course, that didn't mean flaunting or parading oneself cockily down the street and charming the skirts off women. He lived a hard life and although there were times he wanted to let another man walk in his shoes, he couldn't do it. This was his job to do alone but he hated to feel that he was crawling through the streets like a homeless man while later assassins would be well-dressed eye candy for others.
He didn't own any clothing fit for a civilian or money to call his own- not even property! It didn't take much for Altaïr to feel inferior when it came to placing himself in society and he muttered bitterly, "Half the time, I'm mending my robes to patch them up and keeping the color fresh however I can. I'm living day-to-day like a poor wanderer by counting my coins and I find the stars mocking me because they hold an infinite number than I could ever achieve. My search for answers will not bring me any closer to the truth and you already stated my descendants are still piecing everything together-"
"Hey, hey, it's okay" she interjected soothingly as she found the root of the problem and tried calming him from his rant. It was an incredible rarity that he opened himself to his inner turmoil but she would smooth that rocky road for him. He increased the output of his pushups to lock away those grim thoughts because they would only hinder him as he felt a cold pit settle in his stomach. Vivian's hands rubbed circles over his back to focus his attention away from it all and despite he'd kick off a person that touched him, he let her be. She wasn't going to let him wallow in misery because he was the most determined in her book and encouraged him kindly, "They wouldn't know what to do if it weren't for you, they'd be lost like chickens with their heads cut off. None of them are better nor less than you, everyone fights for the same cause. You, however, unraveled it all and began finding the pieces to bring all those revelations to the rest. Everything started with you as you shed light on the truth and it will stand through the echoes of time."
Patting the top of his warm head, she added in with an amused tone, "Besides, I don't mind singing and dancing for money like a little monkey. You're doing exceptionally well with what you've been given, Altaïr, and we're proud of you. Don't worry about competing with ghosts that don't even exist and those that do, remember that you're fighting for the living. They're the ones we need to protect and you're the only Batman around for miles."
"I wish I could think like you with that optimistic view of everything life throws at us" he mused quietly about his companion's cheerful outlook and said nothing about her dog-like pats to his head. If she was happy, he would grant her that because it took a lot of patience to handle him. He stopped his routine as his muscles began to ache, along with his joints, and Vivian hopped off his back to prevent causing the man a back injury. Awesome assassin or not, he had to take care of himself to prevent bone injuries in later life and she stood on her tiptoes to pop her spine. The resounding pops caused his eyes to widen as she stretched with an arched back but Altaïr told himself he'd nag her if she whimpered in pain. She plopped down onto the grass as he kneeled and steadied his breath but she groaned in her mind when he wiped sweat from his brow. He looked like he'd just walked out of a sunblock commercial!
She bit her bottom lip when she saw his chest heaving and smacked away her inner fangirl as it wanted to trail a particular bead of sweat that rolled down his pectoral to, well, baby making land. Life was giving her a bunch of lemons today and she had half a mind to sprint for a tunic in camp to chuck it at him before she turned into a puddle. Her attention snapped away from his upper body (she felt so ashamed for objectifying him as a gorgeous baby making machine) when he stated aloud with reflection, "Or maybe, I have grown too old from the world around me. I've never had the time to enjoy the little simple things of life."
"It's not your fault, you were born in a situation you couldn't really help and your mentor wasn't the honorable man you thought he was" she murmured softly since he'd been dealt a bad hand in life every once in a while but hoped the future held a brighter tomorrow. His insightful words were enough to pry away her hidden gazes as her heartstrings were pulled rather than hormones. He needed a helping hand to strengthen the flickering flame of courage in his heart and she assured warmly, "You are optimistic in your own way by never quitting until a job is done. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here in the middle of Africa trying to stop maniacal Templars from total world domination. I may wield optimism but you use hope."
She pressed her right palm lightly against his left shoulder blade and suggested helpfully, "I also give friendly massages to ward away muscle pain. It's my extra super awesome perk as your faithful companion."
He directed a deadpan stare for her usage of game jargon since they weren't in an RPG game and she mumbled as she hung her head, "Sorry, I was caught in the zone again."
Altaïr was dubious of her therapeutic claims since she crafted good lies out of thin air and he was left either flustered or furious- usually the latter. After what happened in that brothel many months ago, the little historian was capable of anything and he wasn't turning a blind eye towards her tricks. This was mostly because they involved him or otherwise, he'd unleash her to the world without a care. Vivian pressed her palm firmly where the nape of his neck met the left shoulder and he felt the tension released immediately in that move. All right, maybe she wasn't the quack he originally believed her to be. She kneaded the tightness bundled there since the man was always stiff in posture and swore his skin resembled stone.
For once, she managed to hold her raging fangirl in check as she massaged the muscles nestled in that spot and explained, "I've been reading all about it. Malik and I have been practicing, not on each other since he's pretty gentlemanly about keeping me proper. He's a father bird ready to peck people's eyes out and I've never been prouder to be deemed a feeble little sheep under his protection. He likes to use the technique on the nerves while I go for the muscle since," her face deflated from its gleeful cheer as she mumbled, "well, it's not exactly new that each training session leaves me in a puddle of my own goo of crying flesh."
"It's not approved for a half-naked man to be in the company of a woman-" he began to decline since Malik would lecture him about maintaining Vivian's virtue. Frankly, that crafty badger was anything but innocent and wouldn't be surprised if he saw her running naked for fun in a creek one day.
"Altaïr, any thought of riding you like a mad stallion went out the window when you snored on the first day" she shot back sarcastically because she wasn't itching to do the horizontal tango and he sputtered awkwardly to her bold words. Perfect, now she'd ingrained that scandalous image in his head! Unlike Ezio who would charm his way through rejection, Altaïr became flustered like a schoolgirl whenever sex was involved. It was downright hilarious to Vivian as he tried to feign offense for being deemed unworthy and she laughed to his ruffled expression when he glared at her. She decided to nip the topic in the bud before they ventured into more scandalous territory that would leave him blushing (oh, how she wanted to test her capabilities for that) and pointed out matter-of-factly, "We're not anywhere near civilization so I can claim this piece of land in the name of Sub-Zero and call it Lego Land. I can also implement the imperial rule that anybody named Altaïr will be a manservant for life to anyone named Vivian."
"You love making a mockery of my time" he muttered flatly as he stood up to wipe the dirt off his knees and palms to end his workout. Vivian hadn't provided much resistance to his pushups and would have to find heavier weight next time. Maybe he could use flat pieces of wood stacked together with river rocks on top- anything that offered decent resistance.
"Goodness no, that would be hypocrisy on my studies" she chuckled softly since Altaïr was a serious persona with humor but there was no question as to whether she respected him. How could she not when he'd saved her life more than once? Not to mention, he was her knight in shining armor when he squashed nasty bugs that were too fat for her feet to squish. Who wouldn't love their own personal bug killer? She smiled earnestly to her grumpy companion since their chat had stirred a little gloom in his heart and admitted, "It might not be the safest or civil of times but it has you and Malik. . .that makes it worth my wile."
Well, maybe he could try it just this once.
Five minutes later, Altaïr lay on his soft bedroll inside his tent with Vivian standing on the center of his back. Whatever he'd originally believed had been completely correct after all. Who was sane enough to allow a living person to walk over them? His right cheek pressed firmly into his bedding as her small feet left red indentations on his shoulders with each move and he growled heatedly, "I'm beginning to believe you lied to me, treacherous badger."
"No. . .just highly exaggerated my qualities" she restated with her crafty wordplay but sat down to straddle his back, facing forward towards his head. She'd been head over heels in joy that he'd actually let her touch him (in a platonic way) without fearing for her life. What fan wouldn't enjoy giving him a back rub as they molded his skin like putty? It was absolutely fantastic! His frequent growling, however, reminded her that he wasn't feeling 'fabulous' in the slightest and she spoke slowly, "Before you hurl me across the field, tell me where the knots are and I'll do my best to knead them away."
"That's better" he grunted painfully between thinned lips since she'd literally been trampling him under her feet and was thankful she didn't have a heavy weight. Still, he wasn't keen on having her on his back as he played a lame horse so she'd better try her best or he would hurl her across the field.
"You're definitely stronger than I gave you credit for and it was a lot" she admitted proudly to her old gamer self that had spent hours lavishing the man in fanfiction that was never published. It was so much better to read online so she'd hidden her little copy like a bashful kitten between her mattress. Her thumbs pressed against the start of his shoulders blades to smooth the tight muscles and while he tried to fall asleep to ignore her, she blathered on, "You've risen from your old standings in my book. You're not at Superman's level just yet but you're definitely past Captain America and he's awesome. Also. . ."
He would've preferred poking himself in the eye with his knife than hearing this.
Ten minutes later, Malik walked by the assassin's tent and paused immediately when he heard sharp grunting from inside. Well, if Altaïr wanted to exercise or take care of a few urges- gah! He didn't want to blind his mind with that ghastly thought. When Vivian's voice mixed in with the grunting, Malik's brotherly protectiveness arose because nobody would harm the historian or sully her honor. How dare Altaïr decide to turn a charmed eye towards her? Had he no shame with a child back in Masyaf? With that in mind, the honorable dai stormed into the tent with valiant courage to face whatever carnal act was-
He found Vivian digging her left elbow into the lowest part of Altaïr's left shoulder blade to deliver some tough love on a stubborn knot that failed to budge. It needed a lot of elbow grease to do away with it and she gave it her best shot to kill it. Altaïr, on the other hand, had painful red welts from the other previous massage areas over his back and was holding onto a blanket for support. Malik could clearly see there was no pleasure at all in that face as it resembled excruciating torture while Vivian balanced herself on his back. This was. . .not what he expected to find at all.
Vivian hung on like a stubborn barnacle as her pink tongue stuck out from between closed teeth and she mumbled firmly, "C'mon, you. Turn into mush!"
"Go back to the previous move, you're killing my muscle!" Altaïr demanded swiftly with a painful yell since her strongest touch turned out to be too much to bear. Had she been seized by a sudden form of strength? He'd never have believed her arms could carry any serious firepower and wanted her off immediately before she tore something internally. His white knuckles thrashed against the blanket as she brought the mighty assassin down to his knees with her horrible massage skills and he grunted painfully, "I didn't think you could be strong in any way. Get off, you little imp!"
For that, Vivian used her right index finger to deliver a wet willie to his right ear and laughed to the disgusted exclamation about being sullied. How dare she put that dirty finger in his ear canal without permission? Had she no shame?! Malik decided to exit before they realized he'd walked into that bizarre scene and decided it was better left alone. As long as the two weren't locked in an amorous embrace, he was fine. He liked being sane and would not join their eccentric behavior because the two were definitely reflecting each other's personalities with every passing day.
I could handle Altaïr but a having a mini-Altaïr in Vivian will be too much to bear, he sighed in dismay because he was not looking forward to having her imitate the man. He was there to keep their group balanced as he kept Vivian by his side to maintain her sanity but with each day she spent with Altaïr, he was reeling her in to join his side. It was like seeing a child run off with a man that would only bring him grief and he thought, I am too young to be a father, especially to those two.
A week later, the trio was gathered at a creek created from the white Nile River but it was safe for swimming as natural barriers kept predators like crocodiles and hippos from veering there. The weather was nice enough that mosquitoes were rare and they were glad to be away from the horrible festering birth grounds of the itchy critters. The companions had camped uphill for a protective defense against wildlife but before sunset, they had decided to venture down to the creek and enjoy themselves in the quiet nature. They were the only human beings around for miles and the isolation was preferable as the weather treated them kindly with its breezy wind.
"Come on, buddy, you can do it!" Vivian grinned ecstatically as she treaded water and watched Altaïr practice a front crawl in the water as his face was contorted in frustration. He was not happy in the slightest today! She squealed happily with joy as he achieved the best stroke for his assassin hunting in the water. Since that day in Egypt, she had slowly been teaching him how to swim in river inlets and creeks to develop his skills. It had started out quite slow due to him hissing like a furious cat and clawing onto her but once she managed to draw Malik to get him to behave, the fear left. Malik's teaching style had been to simply leave him in the water to see how he fared when the dramatics were pulled away but Vivian tended to coddle the assassin. The man had an odd flair for drawing sympathy from her when he was in pain or faced with the possibility of death.
Gradually, she'd taught him the basics and started with the backstroke since it gave him the confidence to swim without breaching the water with his face. Since then, he'd proceeded to swim efficiently with the front stroke and was currently finishing with the butterfly as the last. She'd changed its name to the 'silent assassin' when he objected that it was too feminine and demanded a suitable name to fit his style. Both she and Malik were proud of his achievement since they knew he felt inadequate about his inability to swim but now, he didn't have to fear drowning.
Vivian had no issue treading water in her makeshift twelve century swimsuit since the men wanted her covered from the neck down so she'd thrown on breeches and a tunic with rolled up sleeves. Of course, her companions were perfectly all right going topless and it reminded her of the ugly duckling because she was definitely isolated from having assassin appeal. Her inner ugly duckling paid no mind as she batted the water with her hands and squealed with glee to her first student, "Come to mama."
"I am not your child!" Altaïr retorted with furious embarrassment since he lacked the swimming experience of the two and would not place him below Vivian on the skill bar. Even Malik was swimming circles around them with a single arm! He hated to admit he was envious of his friend but Altaïr was rather proud of being the best at everything. He wasn't going to be cocky about it like he used to but he wanted to add another skill to his belt that most assassins already had. Frankly, he hated swimming because the unknown depths could swallow him at any time if the current shifted. He wore a scowl fit for any worthy foe as he eyed the blue water suspiciously and didn't hesitate to disclose sharply, "I don't like this, Vivian. I feel like a drunken horse."
Malik swam by with a graceful move that cut right through the two and grinned wittily to gloat, "You move like one too."
Altaïr threatened to swim after him and beat him down with a river reed for daring to insult his dominance over the treacherous water. Vivian grabbed his left shoulder before he tried to sneak off using the ridiculous 'dragonfly' stroke since having a drowned Altaïr on her hands would sink the entire future into disarray. Being wary of the water, she thought he'd admit defeat and return to his lesson but the man was a furious eagle ready to claw eyes out. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to immobilize him completely since he was fairly new to the water and couldn't outswim neither she nor Malik. Her round chin rested on one of her arms as she clung to him with all her might to end his struggle and ordered hastily with a firm face, "Don't make me wrap my legs around you like a crazy mad crab. I will literally be your newest swimming backpack through this creek."
Like a petulant child, he flicked his head towards the swimming dai as Malik headed towards the center of the creek and hissed, "But he-"
"Stated his opinion and you've yet to finish" she finished for him to nip his rebelliousness in the bud and released him back into the water with her most serious face plastered on. He treaded water with a frown since he'd never received any of Vivian's reprimanding looks and decided that he'd never have her as a teacher again. He enjoyed learning on his own because nobody told him what to do and he'd become accustomed to ordering her around. Eagles didn't learn from badgers, they devoured them! Vivian had shifted from a pesky one to his little friend and he dismissed the tempting idea to dunk her underwater when she smiled gently, "You've improved considerably given the fact that you pulled my hair out in the first try, almost drowned me in the second, cried in-"
"I didn't cry!"
"You cried? Like a child? Or a manly sob?" Malik burst into boisterous amused laughter but controlled it as he tried to sound sympathetic. Unlike Altaïr, he'd learned to swim at a young age and adjusted when he lost his arm to keep the skill. If he'd known that Altaïr couldn't swim, he would've tried to help him years ago but part of him was tickled to hilarity to see him cursing the water. The mere idea that his friend could cry from the fear of drowning was earth-shattering . . . and hilarious.
Vivian ignored the echoing laughter as the dai headed to shore by swimming on his back to carry out his hysterics before he accidentally drowned. She hid a little smile by biting the back of her lips with her teeth to muffle any arising laughter since the thought of him huddling in a corner in dripping clothes with crocodile tears was rather hilarious. She grasped Altaïr's shoulders in both hands before he attempted another chase after their friend to carry out his reed attack and wrestled with the assassin one more time. It was a good thing he wasn't confident enough to swim with the extra weight on his back and she forced him to focus on the brighter aspect of his lessons, "The point is, you've come this far. You can finish this and practice the rest whenever we're in a safe area but you're almost done. You're swimming without my help and this isn't something you could do half a year ago. Take pride in that because you've earned it."
The sides of his lips twitched as he acknowledged it and managed a small smile of gratitude when she offered one. She squeezed his shoulders for one last boost of encouragement and offered her help one last time, "If you need me to guide your legs with this last method, I can easily do so-"
"Vivian, I'm more liable to kick you unconscious" he stated dryly since he lashed out whenever someone touched him without warning, especially when he couldn't see them. After years of being an independent man that lived in the shadows, he'd become accustomed to striking anyone that approached him. He grabbed her hands to pull them off his shoulders because he needed to do this alone and heard her feet stop splashing water as she'd decided to doggie paddle with her legs. Altaïr gave her hands a reassuring squeeze that sent a light blush to her cheeks since their hands had only touched once after killing a Templar. As he turned around, he caught the rosy tint as he swam around her and asked with amusement in his voice, "Are you blush-"
"Swim, assassin man" she cut him off with a flustered look since they'd never initiated skin contact like that and cursed the lingering sensation of his calloused hands over hers. When had a working man's hands become so damned attractive? He was fit like a fiddle, strong as stone, scarred like any warrior, and grumpy as an old cat but he managed to weave himself under her skin with each passing day. Not even the water helped to cool off the heat settling onto her cheeks and she dunked herself underwater to drench her head in its soothing coldness.
Altaïr followed her instructions but grunted irritably under his breath when he missed a specific movement. It wasn't any better when Malik swam by with his own modified version and a pearly smile that had Altaïr frowning all over again. Was he really that bad?
"You can do it, follow your Mother Goose" Vivian piped up cheerfully with a goofy little smile as she pretended to mimic a goose and Altaïr decided a watery death was preferable than following her. She decided to swim in her wacky form despite his resistance and Altaïr hated that he was stuck between a woman imitating a goose and a one-armed man that was naturally graceful in the water.
He finished a little sloppy in his 'silent assassin' stroke but it was a finish nonetheless so Vivian dubbed it a passing C. It didn't have to be perfect but as long as he could swim so she was happy. Plus, she wasn't looking forward to failing an assassin that could break her in half once they returned to land. She placed her hands on his shoulders to stop his lap around the creek because the butterfly was not his best stroke but wouldn't sink his confidence. He was a determined man, even if he knew the odds stacked against him, and she concluded cheerfully, "You have completed your training, my padawan."
"I understood the former and that's what I'm going with" he stated bluntly because he had no time for jargon but ruffled the top of her head with triumph. He had conquered the perilous water that could've been his grave in previous years and could rest easy knowing he could swim.
Vivian let him be since he appeared to be in cloud nine as he finished his swimming lessons and merely watched him practice over the water. His face had held the frustration but relief of a child learning to ride a bike and she felt sympathetic when he eyed Malik with a little envy for his perfect fluidity. After an hour in the water, her fingers had become wrinkly and she wanted to avoid looking like a prune. Heading for shore, she walked onto the shore to shake her limbs free of water and wrung her clothes to squeeze excess water onto the dry earth.
Altaïr noticed his quirky badger had left the water and with Malik swimming laps around the creek that put his beginner's skills to shame, decided that he didn't want to be in the water without her. He felt safer knowing she was beside him whenever he swam since she pulled him to the surface whenever he made a mistake. He enjoyed living and carefully swam back to the safe ground that would never give way under his feet until he felt the soft dirt underneath his fingers. Practice would help him perfect his strokes but for now, he would claw his way back onto his feet and back to Vivian's side.
Of course, he'd never voice his need to be beside her rather than swimming in uncertain waters since she'd more than likely bounce all over the place. Any compliment on his part sent her flying over the moon with glee and although he growled with annoyance for it, he was rather . . . pleased to cause that joy. She was stranger than women of his time but her cheerful optimism to lend a helping hand made up for every odd quirk.
"Thank you" Altaïr admitted softly as she wrung the ends of her black breeches and she glanced up with surprise in her eyes to the unexpected words. He was grateful for learning something new that had been one of his vulnerabilities in life and was now a fortification. He'd keep practicing as they traveled but for now, he could swim like anybody and that sufficed. There was nobody he could thank but Vivian since she'd offered in the first place because he wouldn't have attempted it alone.
Vivian moved her hands to wring her hair free of water as she tried to figure out what he was thanking her for and he supplied, "For teaching me to swim."
"No problem, thank you for helping me design this 12th century bathing outfit that didn't drown or embarrass me" she smiled brightly to return the same kindness since she'd showed him every piece of clothing she'd packed to ask for his input. With the lack of sunscreen in his era, she was more than eager to cover her skin to block the sun from her vulnerable cells. Vivian began her ascent on the slope to head back to camp as her wet toes sank into the soft earth as she walked and gathered the dirt onto them.
Altaïr followed since he wasn't fond of having wrinkly fingers and Vivian turned around to make a scrumptious offer, "If you help me skin the quail at camp, I'll make you some soup from the broth used to boil it. I found some squash and green salad plants in the bushes off to the west to give it flavor and we have bread we can dip it in."
She yelped in surprise when he picked her up to carry her away in the classic princess style and wrapped her arms around his neck in case he wanted to chuck her into the water. What happened to the thanks she'd just received? When he didn't throw her for an unexpected dive, she eyed him suspiciously since he'd never done anything like that before. He found all soups delectable since Vivian knew what to season her food with while he would've just chucked a random amount of salt and hoped for the best. Vivian couldn't help but smile to his relaxed and carefree expression since he was not the type of man to act as such. It was so peculiar to view him as a regular man and he agreed to her offer with an ecstatic voice that brought her laughter, "How can I refuse?"
Had he undergone a random personality transfer?
Malik quirked a curious eyebrow to their sudden behavior since his friend never invaded anyone's personal boundaries. That had been his number one trait growing up since he only allowed specific people to ever lay a hand on his shoulder but here he was carrying a woman out of his own will. The two had become quite amicable over the months as they shared personal tales but Altaïr was showing more disclosure than usual. Was that the reason for his current behavior? When the two headed uphill alone, he called out to them as he emphasized the dangers of leaving him behind, "Of course, leave the man with one arm in the middle of open water! He can only- I don't know- drown!"
"Malik, you're the best swimmer out of both of us" Altaïr called back across the slope since Malik could swim a marathon and he ran off with Vivian in his arms towards camp. She quickly asked whether it was safe to leave him because despite all of his skills, one wrong move could drown you. There was absolutely no way she'd have her friend's death on her conscience just because she wanted to start supper. Altaïr assured he'd be fine since the dai had already survived worse in his life and wouldn't allow water to take his life so easily. Vivian wasn't convinced since she took it upon herself to care for the two heroes but Altaïr explained easily, "He wants to die gloriously. Me, I'd rather be asleep in my bed after eating a good dinner."
"You want to die by horrible indigestion?" she asked curiously but he caught the playful glimmer in her eyes as she feigned a frown. She had a way of twisting his words into hilarity and he directed a small glare in her direction but it only served to make her grin. Did she really think he suffered from gas and would torture his loved ones by leaving such a gift on his deathbed? He broke her playful masks easily and the way his brown hair clung in wisps around his forehead gave him a boyish expression as they walked. They rained droplets of water upon the dirt as he walked up the incline and she teased cheekily with a wag of her eyebrows, "Could you imagine the smell for the poor people that find you?"
"Normally, I would drop you for that jab" he stated casually and she clung on like a baby koala in fear that he'd make true on his word. Happy free ride or not, he was still an assassin and she wasn't about to suffer a spinal injury for it. Altaïr merely smirked to her reaction as she latched on to protect herself but he only said it for fear points. Yep, he still had it.
Vivian wasn't eager on testing her luck but had to poke the bear by asking, "Then why haven't you?"
"Your poison of kindness has infected me" he replied with an honest frown as he headed for camp and Vivian smiled proudly for toppling his tendency to drop, push, or whack her. It had reduced dramatically since their first days when he knocked her unconscious with the hilt of his knife so it was a huge improvement. Plus, her skull wouldn't hurt anymore. Altaïr, on the other hand, wasn't keen on the infectious friendliness she'd instilled in him and muttered morosely, "Why couldn't I rub off on you?"
The world definitely didn't need any more Vivian's' lurking about.
"I guess I'm stubbornly resilient, like a cockroach" she smiled impishly to her tenacity to triumph in her goals and her grin turned sly the next second. He didn't like that shiny gleam in her green eyes whenever she met his gaze because it usually meant he'd be embarrassed, teased, or enraged. Her eyebrows wagged again as she lowered her voice to wink slyly, "You can still rub off on me, if you catch my drift?"
Altaïr coughed awkwardly as he realized he was carrying her too closely against his bare chest in sopping wet clothes. He was not looking forward to outlining any curves in her body since her large clothing usually hid her shape and he didn't want it being revealed at all. It wasn't often that he remembered she was a woman underneath it all and when he did, wanted that revelation to be shoved down the nearest gorge. Vivian saw the discomfort written over his face as he carried her and chuckled good-naturedly to dismiss, "I'm joking, Altaïr. After a year of my endless prattle, I would've thought you'd grown immune. I'll have to keep getting better to grant you immunity."
"Please don't, you'll be liable to pull me into a scandal somewhere" he declined with a dismal sigh to her crackpot plans and she grumbled out an agreement to abide by his wishes. He had to admit that for a duo, she was the shortest but wackiest out of both and wondered how much energy ran inside that lean petite body. He lifted her as she became his living dumbbell for a few seconds and her eyes widened into perfect circles. Was he weighing her? She stayed still to prevent being dropped since being lifted like a rolled up carpet wasn't an everyday occurrence and heard him comment under his breath, "Goodness, you're small."
"I'm a perfectly normal size, you just think it's odd because you're gigantic" she justified with a cheeky grin since she barely reached his shoulders and hated it when he held things over her head. He'd done it whenever she found something curious to study and forced her to stay on whatever task he'd assigned rather than slack off. If people thought Ezio was a tease, Altaïr brought an entirely different name to it when he made you feel tiny by dangling your inanimate desire over your head.
Altaïr wasn't buying it because many people were taller than her in his era and pointed out smartly, "Malik is even taller than you-"
"People are shorter now in the future, Sasquatch" she intervened with a quick lie since her height was dwarfed by both men and threatened to pull at his whiskers. She'd never touched his face but the single glare he sent her way when her fingers treaded too closely to his prized kitten whiskers kept her at bay. Being a horrible and guilty liar, she couldn't deny the truth from him too long and muttered dejectedly with a downcast glance, "Okay, fine, the population is actually tall like you and I'm actually a tiny bit considered small."
"A tiny bit? I'm an entire head taller than you and more" he pointed out with amusement since he was considered a tall man in his time while Vivian was actually the normal height. Of course, he wouldn't say that just to see her squirm. It was interesting to learn another tidbit about the future and as their tents rose into view over the hill, he teased her with a mischievous smirk, "You can change in camp and I'll rock you to sleep like a swaddled baby, if you'd like-"
"You try that and you'll be walking with a bare face, mister" she cut in with deathly calm and leaned close to his face with puffed cheeks to show she meant business. If she was trying to appear threatening, it was a tragic flop. His eyes narrowed into a deadpan expression to make it crystal clear that he wasn't impressed by her little badger rage at all. Vivian attempted a different take on her humor as she kept a close distance to his face and preened playfully, "But you can hold me and whisper sweet nothings in my ear while I swoon femininely."
He groaned to her shift in demeanor as she turned the tables and hushed, "Vivian!"
"Hey, I like validation once in a while" she stated boldly and relaxed in his grip to lean back into her original position before he decided to drop her. Altaïr decided that no matter what he replied with, she would find a way to make it mortifying for him. Despite it all, Vivian appreciated the free ride from the awesome assassin and smiled widely to sigh blissfully, "For now, I will enjoy the rare princess style ride and dedicate my awesome win to the fans."
"Your paper fans?" he asked dryly to thwart her joy and she slumped in his hold like a sack of potatoes. Nothing killed her jokes faster than his own archaic logic and he knew just when to utilize that ammunition to blow them into smithereens.
"Eh, just take me to camp, man horse" she whimpered in disillusion and curled her limbs against him to resemble the exact swaddling child he'd mocked her about. She had to admit that the man was admirable in strength because she could barely carry her own weight and her spine would've undoubtedly broken in half if the roles had been reversed. Her day had become absolutely peachy as she hitched a ride on the same man that had let her fall off a horse but tried to ignore the hypnotic beat of his heart. It had a marvelous lub-dub that she could repeat in her head until she was asleep.
Humorously enough, they were already inside their small campground as he passed the unlit campfire. His arms barely received any decent exercise from carrying her and he lowered her down carefully so she could stand upright again. Vivian hopped out quickly with a bounce in her steps since her skin had broken into goosebumps and was ready to scuttle off. Although there was no breeze, the cold linen clothes were enough to make her shiver as they clung to her damp skin. She covered her chest with her arms quickly before he decided to call her pointy in rebuttal to her previous teasing and ran off to change quickly in her tent. She was more than happy to find a warm set of clothes waiting for her since she'd set them on top of her packs. If she had access to a dryer with clothing softener, she would've been in heaven.
Altaïr didn't see the rush to change since the cold clothing didn't bother him after walking for days in the pouring rain on more than one occasion. Vivian's safe civilian life often made him wonder if she'd turn him soft with all of her coddling but he rather liked it when she fussed over him. He'd never had anyone do so in his life and for the first time, he had someone that listened and provided him with a sanctuary to voice his concerns. After cleaning his feet free of dirt with water from a nearby bucket, he changed into his warm clothes and noticed a pair of brown breeches folded over his bedroll. He picked them up to realize they were a recent pair he'd ripped while hunting but had forgotten to sew because frankly, he had gotten a little lazy in his sewing. He'd fussed constantly about never having a decent pair of breeches after sorting through them all and finding holes in each one! Vivian had apparently decided to throw him a freebie to pacify his need for perfectly sewed pants and appreciated having a decent pair to wear.
When he finished changing into his dry breeches that bore no holes, he slipped into his comfortable boots and headed to fetch Vivian to begin cooking. He'd help her this time as a show of thanks for her small gift but he would need to start sewing his entire lot since he tore through the knees and edges often. Unfortunately, he sprung in uninvited into her tent as he pondered off in his mind and landed himself in figurative hot water. His mouth had reacted faster than his mind as he entered her private tent, "Viv-"
He'd caught her tying on the strings of her breeches while her bare back faced him, void of the breast band that covered her chest. There were no words to describe what he'd stepped into and he immediately wished he'd fallen into a trap with a dozen deadly Templars than her. Both of them wore the faces of frightened deer caught in headlights as they realized they were in the same tent and the silence was painfully deafening. Quickly, she used one hand to keep her pants tied as the spell broke and another to cover her bare chest as she screeched indignantly, "Out! Get out!"
He didn't have to be told twice and ran faster than he ever had in his life until he arrived in the outskirts of camp with a red blush that hadn't greeted his face in years. Well, he could now say he knew what type of figure existed under the loose clothing she wore and cursed the heavens for branding that sight into his head. He'd never really expected that at all because he lived easier believing she held no female parts and decided to ignore that moment for the rest of his life. Why had he been so careless in the first place?! He couldn't blame his ripped pants this time because that had been his own mistake so he was stuck with this new fact.
He kicked the dirt under his boots to help relieve the aggravation at having to face Vivian again after what happened. It had been fine when he'd seen Maria in such a manner but this was an entirely different woman and they were not in any sort of romantic entanglement. The more he tried to suppress the image of her lean arms fiddling with the front of her pants, the more it flashed in his eyes. It was a good thing he hadn't entered the tent with the front of her body facing it and decided to seize that as his stroke of luck.
In the end, he had to face that she was . . . attractive underneath it all.
When he pieced together the tethers of his sanity and returned to camp, she was dressed appropriately with everything but her face covered. This settled his beating heart back into its normal rhythm since each step had caused it to skyrocket like never before and feared he'd give himself a heart attack. When he noticed the pink blush across her beige cheeks, the entire moment surfaced in his mind all over again and he decided whether staying in his tent for the night would be a better choice.
Vivian managed a small smile as she saw his stiff robotic movements because she didn't want him to feel awkward over an honest mistake. Since he was a conservative gentleman, she could only imagine what was rampaging through his mind since she was meant to resemble an androgynous companion. The last thing she wanted was for their friendship to turn awkward after finally reaching harmonic stability and chuckled softly, "I guess your assassin prowling made you forget to knock first."
"I apologize for overstepping my bounds in your tent" he blurted quickly to unload the entire burden that he'd chucked onto his shoulders before she decided to yell his ear off. Truly, he never meant to trespass on purpose and intrude on her privacy because he respected her as a woman to do so. He didn't burst into every woman's tent like an idiot! She had every right to be mad since he stumbled into her home without ever announcing himself and would bear whatever punishment she deemed fit.
His beating heart calmed when she forgave him with a soothing tone as she caught the turmoil in his eyes and couldn't bear to be mad at him. He wasn't a lecherous man nor idiotic to walk into her tent and everyone was prone to careless mistakes once in a while. She invited him to sort through the mound of collected firewood that Malik had chucked near the logs since he'd been eager to swim and was still doing so. While their friend decided to become a living prune, Vivian grasped his shoulder to offer a firm squeeze of forgiveness and stated gently, "It was an accident, don't worry about it. Let's start this fire first and we can go check on Malik afterwards before he drowns or decides to be one with the creek."
He nodded quickly because he would rest easier knowing nothing changed but she added in with a warning finger, "But if it does happen again, I'll scald you."
He directed a small glare for the jab since permanent disfigurement wasn't amusing and her trademark grin returned to tease him, "No, it would kill your allure factor for the fans and I can't do that to them. I'll be seeing you in the same manner if it occurs again."
"You have, I don't swim with tunics on" he pointed out flatly since he didn't like being constricted in the water and had already handed Vivian her compromise. Hmm, maybe he could squeeze out of-
"Egad, you're right!" she declared mischievously as she bumped her shoulder against his and he cursed himself for sticking his foot in his mouth. Why had he stopped thinking like a logical man after entering that tent? Had she placed something in his drinking water that day? Vivian leaned back on her feet as she stopped fixing the sticks for the fire and pondered on her revenge plot because it needed to be hilariously juicy. Altaïr was more than ready to hurl himself back into the creek for handing her that victory and wanted to implode out of existence like a star when she announced, "I want full backend nudity! I demand to see the ass that's brought a new meaning to assassins!"
She walked off to prepare their meal with a gleeful smile since the man put a whole new meaning to those robes when he walked. D'oh, now she really had to admit to herself she'd been watching him every once in a while. Ugh, maybe it would leave once she realized he'd claw her eyes out like a gargoyle for thinking he was handsome. As for Altaïr, he fought that same frustrating blush on his cheeks because he was not ready to bare himself in that way if he trespassed on her property.
Wait, did she just admit she's admired by backside?, he pondered with mortification since she'd thought about her new unspoken rule for quite a few seconds rather than leaving it be. On the other hand, it was better than her declaring she wanted full front nudity because he really would've dug himself into a physical hole to wallow in misery.
A/N: And we finally start on the road towards romance for the two as Vivian tries to fight off the tendrils that are slowly heading to her heart and Altaïr is more flustered than humanly possible. They'll finally arrive at Lake Victoria in the next chapter to commence the investigation on the new POE and we'll be seeing more hilarity between the two. I can't help but feel bad for Malik because he has to bear the two and it'll be worse when he sees Altaïr fussing over Vivian as he tries to solve the equation of Altaïr+ Vivian= two happy bunnies.
Thank you for the new alerts since the last chapter, I just got a few yesterday, so many gracious thank you's:
xVentressx: I'm glad I can always make my readers split their sides. Lol.
Dolce Latte van Crème: Time has indeed moved in Vivian's realm and she'll see the results of her disappearance near the end of the story. It's a bit sad for her because although she's made one family in the 1190s, her biological one has also moved on with a grieving process and she'll be reopening those wounds. Thankfully, I'd never make Vivian one of those tragic Mary Sue's whose family randomly dies or hates her guts for no apparent reason because they're a very loving family.
Noveltycourage: Whenever babies are involved, cute animals will make a chapter explode with the 'aww' factor. If you do have any questions, feel free to ask because I love answering them.
ShizukaRen-Hime: Altaïr is hilariously bodacious whenever he pops into Vivian's head to be praised as her favorite hero. Maria's a strong capable woman so I imagine she'd rather have pulled out her own child if medicine didn't insist she have a midwife by her side. I'm glad you liked her quotes since originally, I'd reserved a few for Vivian in the first draft after she became pregnant and literally fell through a log she was sitting on while Altaïr ran away from the plump 'dragon lady'. That didn't fit into the grand scheme I later developed so who better than the other pregnant woman in the story. Ezio indeed makes everyone happy which is why poor Altaïr feels miserable that everyone forgets him to run to his descendant, especially when Vivian is living beside him. I'm glad you love each chapter!
KrnYong: Hedgehogs are definitely cute! You're perceptive with Maria and Ilias since the two are very similar in personality because he leaves her be while Altaïr tended to poke her for attention. She's definitely beginning to feel the strain when a particular item symbolizes home and there's no way a normal person wouldn't feel that longing centuries away from their loved ones (unless you're a Sue). Since it took Altaïr a bit to trust Maria, it's been the same with Vivian but since the poor woman could never cause a dent in him, it's easier for him. You're right about breaking barriers since we need that to occur first before he decides to accept that 'yes, Vivian's crazier than a loon but she's my loon'. lol
Guest: I used to be just like Altaïr but learned in college when opportunity presented itself with a swimming class because I had his same fear of drowning. lol
ThrowingTrees: When he doesn't get his way, he can definitely turn cranky to force Vivian to pay attention to him.
Next Time: Lake Victoria- Not A Vacation
Altaïr's mind hadn't relinquished the desire for soft bedding throughout the night and he'd wriggled in his sleep like a caterpillar until he bumped into a soft mass. Over the hours, he huddled against the mystery lump of plushness until he barely felt the twinge of pain from the hard floor as he slept on. The assassin was on cloud nine while the lump noticed throughout their deep sleep that something was wrong with their natural pressure. Being smothered by a heavy beast was not what they sought in their sleep so the huddled lump decided in its subconscious that enough was enough.
An hour before the crack of dawn, Vivian jolted awake when she could no longer bear the painful weight that had pulled her from sleep. She realized that she wasn't sinking in imaginary mud but she might as well be in reality. On her stomach, her right arm was uncomfortably wedged between her bosom and the floor while her shoulder blades ached from the weight of one mighty snoring bear- aka Mr. Parkour himself. Apparently, he'd managed to roll himself onto her to substitute her as his new sleeping mat and she couldn't believe the lousy beginning to her day. Forget the handsome assassin on her back, her poor limbs were aching with every inhale of his mouth as he flattened her like a crepe. She would not be Rigby!
"No way, man, I will not be the crappy sidekick that gets the bad end of the stick" she groaned miserably and tried to shrug him off but the man was heavier than anticipated. Curse those well-sculpted muscles that eluded the eyes of many! She decided to take the road less traveled and pinched the end of his nose to jerk him awake since pushing him off was out of the question.
He coughed as his airway was sealed off and awoke to find a wriggling historian underneath his frame. How had he- oh, now the plush lump of softness made sense. He'd almost flattened Vivian into a flat cake. . .hmm, he didn't know whether that was necessarily a bad thing. It was a bit embarrassing to know he'd used her as a bedroll but turned even more mortifying when she leaned back against him to escape. Years from now, he would wish that particular event never happened and could only pray that the unknown Desmond never saw it.
Vivian's hand tried to push him away as she wriggled underneath him for freedom but while he tried to contain her frantic movements, her hand wandered into personal assassin territory down below. His eyes widened in shock where her hand landed because he did not wear his layered robes or armor to bed and she yelped with mortification, "Ah! I touched something!"
She channeled her inner Superman and yanked herself out of that tight spot after accidentally feeling . . . well, she was glad her lady parts didn't hang. Her entire face was red to match a cherry as the lingering sleep was knocked aside and she refused to look at Altaïr, hyperventilating the embarrassing ordeal. Great, she'd just gone where no AC fan had gone before and where Maria managed to in Acre. This was not how she wanted her day to start and had lived better believing he had the anatomy of a Ken doll! She felt blood rushing to her face since this was one experience she hadn't counted on and snapped quietly, "This is what happens when you use people as beds, hands land on your hidden blade and it was entirely accidental. I did not fondle you . . . willingly."
He was ready to shoot a retort about being sullied but realized that yes, he had been the one to crush her during sleep. Was it really to much to ask for a decent bed in an inn of all places? Nobody could sleep on stone! As for the latter part . . . ugh, it was embarrassing enough. Was it too late to wear armor to bed? He raised a hand to show everything would be fine and there didn't need to be a fuss about it. It was a simple honest mistake and he'd done the same unwillingly when he'd entered her tent weeks ago. Although, that sudden touch. . .no! A million times no! This was Vivian!
He raised his hands to calm her down and stated quietly to avoid waking Malik, "It's all right. Go back to your bed and we'll sleep for the rest of the time."
"You won't roll over and crush me again?" she asked tentatively as she massaged her sore shoulder and slowly crept back to her ruffled blankets. She didn't want to reenact the same event hours from now and eyed him suspiciously.
"I'll try my best not to" he replied tiredly and slumped back onto his awful bedding after enduring awful sleep. If he'd slept over Vivian for hours, he could only imagine how many aches she already had because she was lighter and smaller than him.
"Good or I will have to kick you there" she insinuated innocently as she eyeballed the exact area she'd accidentally grazed and curled into her fetal position. The tips of her ears reddened because she didn't want to look or know about that vicinity of his person for the rest of her days. Thankfully, the hard stone floor took away her attention as she tried to make herself comfortable and muttered irritably, "Jeez, how do people sleep on this?"
"Easy, you use others as pillows" he replied sarcastically because his own did absolutely nothing to help and she nudged his ribs playfully with her elbow. She found the soft spot between two ribs and he batted her hand away with an empty threat, "Don't make me crush you into paste."
"But I'm small and insignificant, like a bug" she smirked mischievously with an innocent voice because her current sleeping pose made her half his size. He sighed under his breath because he would never hurt her and hated that she knew it. She was weaving herself under his skin like said bug but it wasn't for the worst.
Thank you for reading the story and I'll be back with more of Altair, Vivian, and Malik shenanigans! ^-^