Altaïr x Male!Reader

Discovery

You woke up alone, only the sun shining through the ceiling keeping you warm. There was an empty spot where Altaïr had slept. Subconsciously, you ran a hand over the area. It was stone cold. So he had been gone for a while. But where? What time was it, even?

You groaned, pushing yourself up from the floor. The flat ground was never comfortable, no matter how many pillows there were. Your hips and arms ached, part of any assassin's training. But mainly it was getting used to the pain. It wasn't that it didn't hurt, it was just that you were good at ignoring it.

Running a hand through your hair, you paced the room, circulating blood to your legs. It was a morning ritual you did every day, walking back and forth until you were fully awake.

After stretching a bit, you climbed up the walls, out the ceiling, and onto the roof. It was nice out, maybe almost noon, the sun was out, as always, and a pleasant breeze drifted through your loose clothes. Taking a deep breath, you clambered down the building into an empty alleyway. You paused at the mouth, quickly surveying the crowd from the shadows. Just like all those years of training taught you. Cautiously, you stepped out into the street, trying to make it look like you had no association with the alleyway in any way possible. You walked confidently, quick and quiet steps, becoming hyper-aware of your surroundings. Of course, it was hard to imagine where you would start with your search for Altaïr. It was a big city, after all.

Quietly, your stomach rumbled. Well, there was no way you could find your mentor on an empty stomach, that's for sure. The lack of food and the interruption of sleep last night had you frazzled. Without a clear mind, you couldn't find a clear man.

* * *

On the corner of a particularly deserted street, there stood a soup kitchen. Smells of onions and wilted greens reached your nose. Walking over, you peered into the various wooden pots filled with soup. It was more like a vendor, there were no nearby tables or chairs.

"What will it be, boy?"

You looked up, an overweight man wearing dirty clothes was giving you an equally dirty look. Timidly, you pointed to a pot. While the greasy man scooped a wood bowl into the soup, you reached into your back pouch, pulling out a few coins.

"That'll be 6 shekels." He said. You gave him 7. Perhaps some good karma would be of use today. The man smirked and exited to count his money. Silently, you took the bowl and left.

* * *

The streets were still quiet as death. Only a few stragglers remained. Almost no merchants were shouting incomprehensible words. No new strange smells drifted through the air. It wasn't the holy day, was it? 'No,' a small voice echoing in your head said, 'No, today's Wednesday, not Sunday.'

Suddenly, a couple of kids ran past you, nearly bumping into your legs. They laughed and skipped, chatting in high pitched tones. There were only a few words you could make out as they ran away.

"Courtyard... Hanging... Assassin..." It was enough to get you moving. Eating the rest of the broth based soup in one giant gulp, you tossed the bowl aside and started running. A stack of crates provided a good way to the roofs. Clambering over wood and brick you continued running, even swifter, jumping over ledges and gaps onto the next building. This was one thing you missed about missions; your feet slapping on the dirty ground, heart pounding in your ears, and your heavy breathing; in, out, in, out.

Leaping gracefully over another pile of boxes, you rose higher, getting a better view of the town. You stopped, caught your breath, then surveyed the city with hawk-like vision. Jerusalem was big. Massive, even. There could be hundreds of large courtyards. You knew if Altaïr, the person you were searching for this whole time, was at the hanging, it would be one nearby. Wheeling around, you spotted it. A sizable amount of people crowded around a gallows platform. There was no time to waste. Jumping down, you headed towards the courtyard at full speed, ignoring the growing ache in your gut and stomach.