Credit to sweetedge for the title, summary, editing, and overall story idea.

xXx

Malik knew a lot about Altair, found out a lot about him by simply observing. Looking at him now as he sat at his usual spot in the bureau, Malik knew that he had been careless in navigating the streets at one point before arriving here. The small bruise near Altair's mouth indicated as much. He had probably gotten cocky and left himself open to an easy shot from a guard.

Idiot.

Malik didn't care. He didn't care that he knew a lot about that arrogant fool down to the littlest, unimportant details.

But watching Altair eat, it irritated him to know that Altair hardly ever enjoyed the food he ate. Even though a well-prepared dish or a delicious piece of fruit could be appreciated, food was more of a necessity and was usually treated as such. Rarely did he ever have the luxury of slowly eating his food. Relaxing was not always something an assassin could do, but in the security and comfort of a bureau, he could have that time.

Malik knew this. He knew having that down time was something to be prized, and he could not begrudge another if they wanted to take their time to feed themselves.

But he had known Altair a long time. He knew some of his different ways of eating. He just did not know which way Altair ate was worse: the loud, frantic, face-cramming way or the soft, slow, lip-licking way, filled with pleasure-ridden sighs.

All Malik knew was that he was overcome with the desire to throw something hard and heavy at his head.

Watching Altair suck down fruits for nearly an hour had Malik silently fuming, his lips curling in disdain. How long does it take for one to finish a small bowl of berries? Curled up in his little corner with cushions propping him up, Altair took his damn sweet time eating.

Slow. Just...maddeningly slow.

Malik could hear Altair's breathing in the quiet room—soft, his even exhales mixed together with endless chewing. He really didn't care to look, but the sounds were infuriating. It wasn't simply because it was Altair making the noises, no. He hardly meant enough to hold Malik's attention. In fact, Malik didn't pay any attention to him at all.

He didn't watch as Altair's lips parted to wrap around the soft flesh of a piece of fruit, his teeth sinking in, the berry's skin giving way and bursting with trickling juice as his tongue darted out to lap up the sweetness at the corners of his mouth.

Malik gave the parchment he was working on a look that promised it a fiery death. And a stomping. He was going to stomp on the thing. It seemed like Altair did this every time he had the chance to relax. If he wasn't lazing about sleeping, stretched out on the rug, arms wrapped around a pillow, he was stuffing his face. Malik wanted to tell Altair to stop eating messily like a child, wanted to tell him that he was sloppy and slow, and could he kindly finish the hell up and leave already? But to comment on how he was eating seemed silly. His mouth started throwing out the words anyway as politely as he was capable of when it came to Altair.

"Must you eat like a cow, Altair?"

The comment was so unexpected for Altair that he inhaled some of the juice in his mouth. His eyes widened and he started to cough violently. Redness from the berries speckled his hand and he nearly upturned the bowl propped on his thigh as his body jerked from his coughing.

Malik drummed his fingers against his workspace, waiting patiently for the entire episode to finish.

Altair finally turned tear-filled eyes towards an unconcerned Malik, swiping his sleeve over his scowling mouth. "What are you talking about?"

Malik narrowed his eyes, mouth thinning into a frown at the irritated look thrown at him. He felt like a parent trying to discipline an unruly brat. "You chew like an animal. Is it so hard to eat as if someone had taught you to properly?"

"I'm doing no such thing." Altair cleared his throat—a rough, raspy sound, and he swallowed hard to keep himself from coughing further. "If you don't care for the way I eat, may I suggest you not watch?"

"I'm trying, believe me. It's a little difficult when you grunt as loud as you do."

Altair tilted his chin up as he glared heatedly, annoyed with having his meal interrupted. Mailk was always doing this. If he wasn't clawing at him with his sharp words or sneering at him, he was flinging callous comments at him, trying to irritate him into leaving. Altair wanted to tell him to stop acting like such an obnoxious, tantrum-throwing child.

"I'm almost done," he growled. "You may kick me out when I'm finished."

Malik pointed at him sharply, his sleeve shifting up his wrist from the movement. "Don't be so arrogant. The choice is not yours. If I desired it, I could kick you out this instant."

Altair's mouth opened automatically, but he refrained from speaking. He looked torn between making a smart remark or staying his tongue to be able to finish eating in peace. If he left now, he was bound to run into a guard or two no doubt itching to harass others for their entertainment. But if he stayed, he'd have to sit through Malik's endless whining. Was relaxing berry consumption worth it? Closing his mouth, he glanced between Malik and down to the bowl he held in his lap. The bruise near his mouth throbbed.

Damn guards.

He frowned before placing another berry into his mouth and biting down fiercely, his jaw working in exaggerated motions. Almost as if the berry was Malik's head.

Malik rolled his eyes. He was right about Altair being a child. The rebellious way he scowled over being scolded because of his lack of proper eating manners could only be described as petulant.

"Just eat faster," he demanded. "You're getting on my nerves."

The confused glance Altair gave him turned smug as he realized what was annoying Malik. A superior, self-satisfied look crossed his face as he slowly brought another juice filled berry to his mouth and pressed it softly against his lips.

Malik's eyes narrowed, his teeth baring in a sneer. "Altair..." he spoke warningly. Eat. The damn. Food already.

But Altair didn't. He continued to grin like the damn unrestrained bastard that he was and he opened his mouth slowly, eyes half lidded as he breathed in the fruit's sweet scent.

"Altair." Malik's fingers attempted to dig into the desk, nails making light scratching noises as his entire arm tensed. His irritation rose over being outright ignored.

A tongue flicked out to swipe over the skin of a bright red berry. Malik's eyes did not follow the movement. A short, amused laugh had his attention jerking up to Altair's eyes.

"You seem to like saying my name, don't you, Malik?" Altair spoke smoothly, dangling the taunt in front of Malik to make him bristle further. All Altair wanted to do was pay him back for all the annoyances flung his way, all the vocal jabs, all the sharp bites he had to endure just to keep the peace.

His lips became smeared with juice as he bit through the berry right down the middle, shiny redness filling the grooves and brightening it. His mouth quirked a tad to the side as Malik glared him, glared at his mouth. He didn't bother cleaning it off. "Maybe you should stop with my name. I might get the wrong idea."

Malik wouldn't have been able to cross the room faster if he tried. He stood over him, towered over him and wanted to pay him back for the teasing, for the sly, sometimes crude remarks made that he had to deal with.

Altair merely grinned up at him, a small twitch at the corner of his mouth, barely noticeable, but Malik noticed. Malik knew Altair enough that the tiny quirk stood out to him, so damn obvious that he could only stare hard at it, wanting to see it crumple and die.

"Is something wrong?" Light eyes glimmered with mirth as Altair held up the berries and shook the dish slightly to see if he could provoke a reaction. "Did you want some?"

Malik kept his eyes locked on Altair's as he knelt down, face devoid of emotion as he reached for the bowl, because he didn't need to see the glaring color across that mouth. Altair finally licked some of the juice from his lips, a rough swipe over a soft mouth as Malik's fingers cupped the bottom of the bowl, glancing over his own.

Malik didn't want to get closer, didn't want to be as close as he was. He didn't like the feel of his knees brushed up against Altair's crossed legs. He didn't like how he felt himself leaning forward, only wanting to get rid of the rest of the missed juice across that damn, teasing mouth in his own way.

Altair leaned up to meet him.

There was no affection between them. None at all. Malik denied it even as softness pushed against his mouth, the taste of sweet fruit flooding his tongue, the wetness of the juice turning warm as they shared something that neither of them should have. All hostility evaporated for the few short moments together. But Malik refused to feel any of it, refused to care even when Altair kept forcing him to feel it, to try to make him acknowledge it by pressing harder against him, mouth opening warmly.

Malik slammed his hand against the underside of the bowl, whacking Altair's hand along with it. Altair jerked back out of the way of the upturned bowl while the remaining berries flew in arcs, raining down upon the two and bouncing along the dusty ground. The bowl hit the stone floor and clattered noisily before coming to rest a few feet away.

There was only a glimpse of shock that flashed over Altair's face before it steeled into irritation to the retreating figure, and then to the arrogant look thrown over a shoulder to him.

A fierce smile slashed across Malik's face, his thumb swiping over his bottom lip, sweet red juice rubbed away along with Altair's taste.

"Enjoy the rest of your food."