Assassin's Creed: Firewall

On the Edge

 Emma came to slowly, leisurely, the feeling of warmth surrounding her and tempting her to resist coming to completely. Her body remained relaxed and unmoving, a small whisper in her mind telling her that if she moved, it would only evoke the pain of over-taxed muscles. So she didn't question the notion and remained still, gradually becoming aware of the soft chirping of birds.

It had to be daylight, though she refused to open her eyes to check if it was early or late morning. What did it matter? Her shifts were almost always in the evening anyway.

Her thumb stroke a random pattern on the pillow, the motion mimicked against her back. Curiosity won out and she let her eyes slowly open, careful not to move, lest she tempt her limbs to protest and ruin this quiet comfort that surrounded her.

Altair lay shirtless beneath her, his scarred chest greeting her view in the late morning light, her leg draped over his and his arm around her back kept her securely against him.

She could honestly say she'd never woken up like this before.

Tipping her head, she found his eyes closed and his face relaxed into soft lines. The frown that so often marred his brow was gone and he looked years younger for it. Even on the road during the brief moments she'd caught him sleeping, she could not say he ever looked so relaxed. She would swear that he was out of it completely, in a sleep so deep that even raiders couldn't wake him, except that it was his fingers tracing invisible patterns against her spine.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked quietly, loath to break this spell they found themselves under.

Altair opened his eyes slowly, his amber gaze rolling over her lazily. The ministrations on her back did not miss a beat. "Not long."

His voice, still thick with sleep, rumbled straight through her.

If this was how Cat' woke up every morning, she could understand why the redhead had no intention of giving it up for the single life. This was....strange, the level of peace she felt, of contentment, it was almost foreign, but it was nice. Their own world, just the two of them, nothing life-altering or potentially life-ending hanging over their heads, just a quiet morning.

A calm before the brewing storm.

Emma released a heavy sigh as it all flooded back in full. They were at Masyaf castle, over 800 years in the past, and had just toppled the leader of the Assassin Brotherhood, putting the Order in chaos. Despite whatever he had managed to quell last night, Altair still had heaps of trouble ahead of him, of that, she had no doubt.

The assassin let out his own breath a moment later, his brow drooping to that familiar frown. His eyes turned to the window and the light streaming in. "We should rise, there is much to be done."

He was right, of course, but that didn't make what he said any more pleasant.

"We should, but it's going to be a long day." She didn't want to feel the ache of her muscles or the pain of her injuries that were threatening to break through the edges of her awareness. Could she not hold onto this peace for just a moment longer?

Altair did not move, his eyes sliding shut despite his words. Apparently he looked forward to facing the day no more than she did.

It was just so quiet. Only the birds and the barely audible rush of the river far below could be heard. Even the castle was silent for now, something she doubted would last for long once they left this room.

His hand stilled against her back and Emma knew the moment was over. Time to wake up and come back to reality.

With a groan, she stiffly pulled herself away, wincing at the sharp protest of her body as she did so. Her bruised chest pulsed with every heartbeat while her thigh cursed her for each and every step she'd taken the day before.