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“Stop stressing yourself”, a voice says behind you with a heavy accent and an annoyed tone.
You didn’t need to look around to know who it is.
He appeared, anyway, seconds later in your side, with a mug of coffee while you tiredly rubbed your eyes.
“I can’t. If I don’t get the information on time, the Piece will be in enemy hands and that can be catastrophic to more than one”, you say blinking a few times and then looking at the mess of books, papers, and files you have in the table.
Malik is still on your side, looking at you with a frown, exactly how he looked at Kadar when he was being a little shit or when Altaïr breathes too close to him.
“I thought you said that the Templars were behind with that Piece. If that is true, you can take a break of a few hours and they will still be behind”, he says, crossing his good arm and his prosthesis over his chest.
“Is not that easy, Malik”, you say, taking the coffee mug from where he left it on the table. “They have a team and the technology to speed things up. What I have? A laptop, old books, and a lot of files that only give me incomplete information”.
“What about our Technical Team?”
“They hacked Abstergo archives and that’s how I knew that they were behind and just as blind as me in this investigation”.
Malik uncrosses his arms and takes a seat in the only chair that isn’t occupied with a pile of books or files.
“I still think you should take a break. You look like shit at this rate and if you keep it up you will not be allowed to continue”, he is looking at you with a serious face and his voice is very authoritative. You’re used to that, even though, you aren’t used to him worrying about you.
Well, was that what he was doing, right?
“Are you worried about me, Malik?”, you ask suddenly, with an amused smirk on your face before you sip the coffee, he gave you. The coffee you’re drinking in the library, which he oversees.
“Of course, I am. You’re my sister in the Creed”, he is frowning at you, like his explanation is pretty obvious but you know that that is not the only reason.
Malik wasn’t very social, and he was the perfect definition of nerd since he lost one of his arms and decided to work in the Bureau and not in missions. He still blames Altaïr for that and almost losing Kadar, but he adjusted to his life as a librarian. Still, he wasn’t to show much affection, not even Kadar who was his brother got hugs or compliments from him. Maybe the best definition for Malik was that he was an angry dog that barks and growls when you get too close for his liking.
So, the fact that he is worrying or at least, acting like he is worried about you overworking yourself for the Creed, is amusing and a strange sight that you will like to enjoy for a little bit more.
“Are you sure that is the only reason?”
“Yes, it is. Stop spending too much time with Kadar, ‘ahmaq”, he replies and while you giggle, he gets up and messes your hair with his good hand. “But seriously, you should take a nap before continuing or you’ll die with how much coffee you have a drink”.
“I’m not tired”, you don’t see him, but you know that he is rolling his eyes.
“Whatever, don’t say I didn’t warn you”, he starts walking then, to return to his work, since he just came to bring you coffee like the last few days you have been in the library trying to get information.
“Malik”, you call, turning around in the chair. The tall man stops and turns to look at you over his shoulder.
“What do you want now?”, his tone is annoyed, but you know that it doesn’t mean bad. That’s his way of treat everyone and practically why a lot of people hate to come to the library in the first place.
“Thanks for taking care of me while I’m here”, you smile, and he frowns again.
“Don’t get used to it”, and with that, he turns around and disappears from your sight just when the shelves end.
“I should tell that to you”, you whisper to the nothing, before you turn around again to keep up with the investigation you were doing.