Assassin's Creed Drabbles

↳ insanity

things always seem to go awry when alexios takes the lead, but sticking with him through thick and thin is the only option when he gives you one of those charming grins.

A FIRM HAND wraps around your wrist, dragging you down into a thick patch of shrubbery budding with bright red flowers yet to open. The abruptness of the action forces a small, surprised yelp from your lips as you land atop something softer than the dry Messaran ground. Alexios glances down at you —head pillowed on his chest— and smiles with those tawny-gold eyes that still make your knees go weak even after all this time.

Off in the distance, you can hear the soldiers cursing and shouting, undoubtedly preparing to put a bounty on both your heads for stealing and murder if they didn't find you first. The little old crone by the port of Kydonia had told you and Alexios bandits stole her most prized possession —a brilliant golden necklace adorned with pearls and stones as blue as the Aegean. The last gift and a reminder of her late husband. It hadn't been bandits, but Spartans —a small regiment of them.

There's no shame in foregoing this task you'd said upon seeing the encampment, but Alexios wasn't one to walk away. I always finish what I started he'd replied in that infuriating cocksure tone of his. You reach up, rubbing the fresh scratch on your cheek, frowning. The shrub isn't large enough for one person —let alone two— but in the interest of safety, you stay put. "Isn't this romantic?" Alexios asks, unfazed by the turn of events —it's difficult to say whether he's being sarcastic or not.

"We're hiding in the bushes," you deadpan, keeping to a whisper. This was not how you imagined your evening would go. Alexios promised to take you to the ruins of Knossos Palace. A place you could be alone together, away from the troubles of the world —if only for a night. But now you're both stuck in a fucking bush with thorns pricking your arms and legs. The hard metal inlays and clasps of Alexios' cuirass pressing into your ribs isn't comfortable either.

"And I couldn't ask for better comp–" You see the iron-shod sandals approaching before he does and quickly surge forward, pressing your lips against his. It's the easiest and quickest way to make him shut up.

Unable to move his hands into your hair or cradle your head like he usually does —his hands find purchase on your hips, pulling them down against his. Breaking away from his kiss, you take in a large breath of air seeing the single pair of sandals had become several. There's a quiet quip on the tip of Alexios' tongue, but you clamp your hand over his mouth —keeping him silent. You can feel his lips kinking into a smile beneath your palm.

Once the raucous of the troops die down, you and Alexios crawl from the bush to the sight of a setting sun. By the time you reached Kydonia, it would be night. "Please tell me you have that malákas necklace," you grit out, picking leaves and dried bits of bark from your linothorax chest-piece.

"Safe and sound–" he pats the small pouch tied to his belt, the metallic contents jingle "–now time to collect." After ruining your plans for a quiet evening, the old crone better double the reward for retrieving that bloody necklace.

Alexios tugs on your arm, keeping you from setting off down toward the road leading to the port. "You have something in your hair," he notes, reaching to pluck a small bunch of brownish leaves from your messy locks. Then his hand slips to your cheek, thumb running over a small scratch from the thorns. His face hadn't fared much better either.

Your eyes slip shut and instinct forces you to lean into his touch and the soft sigh you make is hushed by his lips pressing gently to yours. Free of the confines of the prickly bush, his hands are free to wander up to your back and into your hair —cradling your head. You wrap your arms around his waist, pressing yourself closer against him. Alexios breaks the kiss and leans his forehead against yours. "I know this isn't what you had in mind," he murmurs, guilt seeping into the admission. "But I'll make it up to you, I promise." He seals it with a short kiss and you smile. Alexios is not one to break a promise.

GLANCING OVER YOUR shoulder, you make out the bandits flowing from their camp with spears, swords, and bows. This is the last time you let Alexios talk you into joining him on a quest to retrieve something for a stranger. It always ends the same —both of you running for your lives or hiding in bushes, stacks of straw, and flower petals. He isn't nearly as stealthy as he believes himself to be.

You skid to a halt at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, watching as pebbles plummet out of sight into the depths below. "You're insane," you hiss, looking down at the drop already knowing what is running through his mind. The Adrestia is waiting, you can vaguely make out Barnabas and Herodotus pointing up to the cliff face where you and Alexios stand.

He'd run the opposite way you wanted to go and now there were only two routes to safety. A drop that could kill a man or facing an overwhelming number of angry bandits. The heirloom had been yours —an easy task for once but then he had to go be an honorable fool and release the captured Athenian soldiers. "You love me," Alexios smiles, blood trickling down the side of his face.

"Not right now I don't," you bite back, shooting him a harsh glare. It's a long way down to the water. The bandits' shouts grow louder. Alexios looks over his shoulder in time to see archers nocking arrows. It's now or never he thinks —knowing you would rather face the horde than take a leap of faith.

Arrows sing past your ears and fall into the sea. He sees you turning, preparing to draw your kopis from its sheath —then he makes his choice. Alexios shoves you backward without hesitation, and the ground beneath your feet vanishes. You scream but through the initial shock, you manage to bring your arms in to cover your mouth and nose as the dark water races up to greet you. The sea tugs you down for only a second before spitting you back out.

You break the surface, spluttering. A few seconds later, Alexios' head pops up from the churning waves next to you. Above on the cliff's precipice, you can hear the bandits still cursing and shouting as you turn and start swimming toward the Adrestia —Alexios trailing behind you.

"I hate you," you tell him laying back on the ship's deck, heart still pounding.

He's sprawled out on the deck next to you, grinning like a madman. "No, you don't," he says, and the mirth in his voice is obvious. The Eagle Bearer is right of course. You could never hate him —not after spending the past years of chasing down Cultist and now ancient artifacts across the Aegean. You're stuck with me you'd told him after he tried in vain to convince you to stay behind one time. Now, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Alexios sits up, eyes skimming over you for any apparent injuries. He would have given you a warning or offered to jump hand-in-hand but he knew you wouldn't've. Your name passes through his lips like a hallowed prayer, bringing your ether gaze down to him. "I love you," he says softly —tawny-gold eyes shining with reverence. Those three words are enough to make you melt every time he says them.

Sitting up, you turn to face him. Any trace of anger in your expression is gone. "I love you too, Alexios," you breathe, careening toward him —lips finding his. You'd told yourself this would be the last time, but you know if he looks at you with that boyish grin again you may very well end up following Alexios into Hades.