𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐞𝐧 | 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 |

22 | 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Somewhere in Peru

February 23, 2013

I walk around the halls of the hideout, no specific aim in my step. The group of assassins scattered around the place as well. The flickering lights and random torches lighting the place give it a certain gloom, that of loss.

My mind goes back to that day.. of how little effort I did in carrying out my plan to save him. I didn't count on the fact that he would use his words to make me feel a mess, making me freeze and not being able to process the situation in its entirety. The plan was simple, manipulate him and the others with a thought, a word of what happened once—despite me never seeing the world burn—, and if it was the case, fight him until he understood that his life had more value than mine ever did.

But like always, words were enough to stop me.

I come across a dimly lit room where the sound of repetitive clicking can be heard, and I take the liberty to peak around the corner. The solitary figure of a man lit up by his computer is seen, his back to the door while he hunches on the desk, elbow propped up and hand supporting his chin momentarily. He sighs in boredom, a slender finger repositioning his glasses.

I knock once, scaring the life out of him as his breath hitches and quickly turns, a hand on his chest.

"Forgive me, I don't wish to intrude. Nor scare." He calms down at my voice, sighing and standing from his chair.

"No, it's alright. I was too caught up with this and lowered my guard. What are you doing?." He asks while fixing his shirt and running a hand through his hair.

"Just.. walking around, getting to know the place.. or rather getting more lost." He chuckles and crosses his arms, sitting sideways on another desk close to me.

"That can happen, I've been with the Assassins since two thousand ten and I still get lost. This place is a maze." I look towards him and raise a brow, the story of how he got saved coming to mind.

"And.. if you've been here for some time, how come you don't have a blade?." He looks down as I change my sight to him, his brows rising and his eyes wide.

"William thinks that it's still to early for me to get one, seeing as I barely go into the field, much less am I involved in fights. The same goes for Rebecca. The work we do is behind a screen the majority of the time, he sees no need to give us that privilege." His voice fades as it holds some type of melancholy.

"That's absurd.. you may not be out there, fighting and getting in trouble, but what you do still places you in danger. It's enough to see with what happened when you were just a guy searching for who to disserve." He nods and shrugs, his face getting stoic.

A tense silence comes between us, this level of anxiety not being present in the male before. His shoulders which are usually more relaxed, are wide and still as his eyes dart around the floor and his hanging leg bounces on the tip of his shoe. I turn to leave, but as I reach the door, I'm stopped by his voice.

"Are you alright, Deimos?." His question makes me stop in my tracks, this one taking me off guard. I turn briefly, and give him a small smile to the best of my ability.

"Yes." He hums and gets up, walking towards me, the glint of the computer light shining in his lenses.

"It wasn't your fault. The only thing that would've happened was that she wouldn't have let you live, but neither the world. Everything was rigged from the start." He whispers, the echo of his words going deep in my mind.

"But he'd be here. And him and his father would've had all the time to reconcile and make amends." He grabs my shoulder and turns me to him.

"Don't you see that they did this in those last moments? Everything they said and wished along the years for one another was repaired in an instant. And instead, chose to give you that chance. The chance to repair yourself and your life. The chance to become someone new. He did this in reward for your help, you sacrificed yourself for him, and he sacrificed himself for you." An ache consumes my heart at his words, never having thought of the situation like this.

"They won't see it like that.." I express, referring to the others who were part of the journey.

"They will, in time. But I do since that day. You were both condemned, lied to and deceived. It was never your fault, and never will be." He takes a gentle hold of my hands, his being shaky in nervousness.

I look at him and admire his features. His internal features. All I see is a man who uses sarcasm, dark humor and spiteful remarks to defend himself. But also one who can be a loyal and honest friend in times of need and desperation. Despite the circumstances, he can see the good in people, despite everything they use to make it seem more of an affliction.

"Thank you, Shaun. For everything." Even in the dim room I can see how his cheeks grab a pink color, making him look more younger.

"Hey, look at that. You finally said my name." I feel my neck and ears burn at his statement.

"I just.. well I've always been instructed to call people by their titles or last name, bad habit in this time, I suppose." He shakes his head and lets go of my hands, quickly stuffing his in his pockets.

"Well, you can let go of this 'bad habit', It'll be cool if you continue to call me like that. Us! Call us like that, I mean. Everyone, like.. you know?." He stutters, making me smile fondly at his attempt of correction.

I nod and begin to exit the room, my footsteps being the only sound around the quiet place. I sigh in contempt as I feel how a small weight has been lifted off my back.

So this is how it feels like to have somebody close..

"And you're welcome!." His scream echoes around the empty hallway, making my smile get bigger, a lightness in my step.

Maybe this is how a real friend is supposed to feel? Be?.

I have been lied to so much, that I don't know if I'll ever be able to recognize what's real anymore. In the meantime, I will keep my expectations low, still completely conscious of the fact that not everyone thinks like him.

What a.. joy it feels, to have someone who will listen no matter what.