Altair sat at his desk, scribbling furiously at the calculus problem in front of him. He felt a small tug on his pantleg, and he looked down to see Desmond standing there, his stuffed tiger named "Shaun" in one hand, and the other reaching up, making grabbing motions at him. Altair sighed and scooped him up, setting him on his knee as he went back to finishing the math problem. Desmond watched with his bright brown eyes, his thumb in his mouth. The kid was, thankfully, the quiet one of his brothers.

The two-year-old held Shaun close as he watched his brother do his homework. Only a year, and then he would be in college and rid of his two younger brothers. He hated how he always had to look after them, and how Ezio was always annoying him, never helping with Desmond. At least the youngest was well behaved. And in thinking of Ezio, Altair stood up, planting the youngest on his hip, Shaun dangling in his hand as he sucked on his thumb, and started searching for the middle child.

He found Ezio and Kadar stomping like elephants on the playing mats for DDT, or whatever it was, and he closed his eyes in relief. Buying that used Wii thing was the best decision his parents had made. And even better was the fact that he had the Xbox locked up in his room with all his games. He walked back up the stairs into his room and sat back down, finishing the problems from the book and setting it aside.

He leaned back in the chair, turning Desmond around and bouncing him on his knees, smiling wearily at the "uh-uh-uh-uh-uh" noise that the youngest made, his voice going up and down with each different "uh." Shaun was held tightly in his tiny arms, and Altair wondered how long that poor thing would last. He gave a particularly hard bump, laughing at the "uh-pah!" that Desmond made. The boy shrieked happily at Altair's laugh, and he rubbed Desmond's head as he stopped bouncing him. The youngest brother smiled and leaned forward, resting his head against his heart.

"Bump bump," Desmond murmured.

"Yes, Desmond, my heart goes 'bump bump.'"

"Heart go 'bump bump.'"

"Are you hungry?"

"Hungry."

"Want to go to the kitchen?"

"Kitchen crackers."

He gave a breathless chuckle and rose again, carrying Desmond down to the kitchen and setting him on the counter. He fished out the last sleeve of saltine crackers and wrote it down on the grocery list before he opened it and pulled one out. Desmond started gnawing away at it when Ezio came barreling in.

"Altair! Can we have some pizza rolls?"

"No, Ezio, I'll start making dinner in a half an hour. You can wait."

"Naw, you always make disgusting stuff for dinner! Like peas!"

"Peas!" Desmond screamed happily around a mouthful of cracker.

Altair scowled at Ezio, and the middle one scowled back. "Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because dinner will be soon."

"But I don't like what you cook."

"Then go hungry."

"But Desmond gets a cracker!"

"Do you want a cracker?"

"No! We want pizza rolls!"

"Please, Mister Altair?"

He rolled his eyes as Kadar and Ezio got on their knees, crawling toward him and tugging on his pants.

"Please?"

"Pretty please?"

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"Pretty please with sugar and a cherry on top?"

"Pretty please with sugar and a cherry and whipped cream on top?"

"Pretty please with sugar—"

"No, now stop asking."

"Come on, Altair—"

"Don't make me turn you over my knee, Ezio."

"I'll report you for child abuse!"

"I won't be convicted. Off with you."

Ezio scowled, folded his arms, and stomped off, Kadar close behind, hunched over and dangling his arms. Desmond was reaching for another cracker. He put on a pot of water and pulled out the bag of peas from the freezer, a wicked smirk on his face. He heard the door open and close and frowned, pulling off the rubber band and setting the bag near Desmond as he went to check, only to almost run into his best friend, Malik.

"Watch it, novice."

"Hello to you, too," Altair droned, turning around. Desmond had forgone the cracker and had a fist full of frozen peas.

"You're making peas tonight?"

"Only because Ezio called them disgusting."

He heard Malik chuckle as he slowly pried the peas from Desmond's hand. The boy looked bewildered.

"Only one at a time, Desmond."

"No."

"Desmond," he said sternly. "Only one at a time. Do you want me to turn you over my knee?"

"No."

It wasn't that he wanted to spank his youngest brother, but that was the most effective way to get him to listen. Desmond pouted, letting go of the peas, and Altair kissed his head.

"Thank you, Desmond."

"No."

Altair sighed, rolling his eyes and putting some peas in a small dish for him. He set the peas beside him, giving him what most mothers would call "the look" when he went to grab a fistful. As soon as he turned around, he could almost see Desmond grabbing a fistful and shoving them in his mouth, and when he looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow, he caught Desmond with a hand over his mouth, a guilty look on his face.

"Desmond…"

Desmond's hand shot to wrap around Shaun, and he pulled the stuffed tiger over the bottom of his face as he chewed. Altair walked over slowly, his arms out and fingers wiggling.

"You took more than one, didn't you?"

Desmond shook his head, his eyes growing wide.

"You're lying, aren't you?"

Desmond shook his head furiously, trying to hide behind Shaun. Altair could see him trying to hide his smile. Altair roared and scooped him up, and Desmond shrieked, and several peas went rolling from his mouth as he held his younger brother upside down, tickling him.

Desmond screamed with laughter as Altair tickled his sides, and the boy was thrashing and squirming as he dropped Shaun on the floor. Altair found himself laughing as well as he set him on the kitchen table and gave him a raspberry on his stomach. The little boy shrieked and wrapped his arms around his stomach, and Altair pressed their foreheads together, trying, and failing, to hide his smile.

"Now then, only one pea at a time. Understand?"

"No." Desmond's eyes were shining with mischief. Such was the life of a two-year-old.

"No? Am I going to have to tickle you again?"

"No!" Desmond yelped.

"Is that all you can say?"

"No!"

Altair laughed quietly and straightened, running a hand through his hair as he turned back to the water. He pulled out a box of pasta.

"No!"

He found himself trying not to laugh as he looked at Desmond, faking surprise. "No?"

"No!"

"But I thought you liked pasta, Desmond."

"No!"

He saw Ezio's face peeking around the doorway to the kitchen. "What about you, Ezio?"

"What?"

"No!"

"Do you like pasta?"

Ezio's eyes grew wide, and he nodded. "Yeah, with your meat sauce."

"Good. I think we'll finish that up tonight."

"No!"

He poured the peas into a glass bowl, covered them water, and placed them in the microwave. As many ways as he tried to make peas palatable, this seemed to be the only way. He saw Ezio handing Desmond his tiger, and Kadar was hugging Malik. Ezio had pulled his brother down for a kiss and was carrying him around—much like Altair had been earlier.

"Careful, Ezio."

"I know."

For being only ten, Ezio was definitely a charmer with good looks—and the boy knew it. He reveled in the attention from his teachers (who were largely female, much to Altair's chagrin. A strict masculine teacher would do him good) and the girls in his class. He schmoozed his way into the hearts of everyone he met, and "stranger" was not a word in his vocabulary.

"Are you staying for dinner, Malik?"

"Only if you don't mind."

Altair nodded. "That's fine. You can cook tomorrow."

Malik scoffed, but didn't disagree. The two often spent the night with them. They were in the same boat, their parents always gone for one reason or another, and it made it slightly easier to raise their brothers. They each had a credit card and a good sense for money, so it wasn't a problem. They were both legal, could both drive, and picked up the slack for the other. Malik may have a biting tongue, but he was good man. As he fixed dinner, he realized he'd have to go to the grocery store after school.

"It's raining out," Malik mentioned, and Altair swore.

Desmond's daycare had flooding problems (but all the others had pedophiles for caretakers, and Altair liked Lucy's) sometimes in heavy rains, and he didn't want to have to take Desmond to school tomorrow. The principal didn't like it, but at least the man understood his problem. Principal Vinci was a caring man. Fortunately for him, Altair went to the same school as Malik, and when Desmond just became too unmanageable, or he just needed a break, Malik would take him to class instead—and Altair would relieve his stress by beating on Robert Sable when he would inevitably call them faggots or whatever. Tomorrow might not be too bad if he had to go grocery shopping. It was then he realized tomorrow was Saturday.

The microwave went off, and he put in the meat sauce. With a yawn, he turned to see Ezio playing with Desmond in the little foot-pedal car. Malik was watching the rain with his brother, and not for the first time, he was looking forward to going upstairs with Malik and falling asleep. He was exhausted. He set out dinner, calling for Ezio and letting him carry Desmond in.

"Peas?" Ezio shouted. "No way!"

"Yes, and yes, you will eat them, or no, you will not leave this table till they're gone."

Ezio scowled, and plopped down at the table, scowling. Altair put Desmond in the high chair and gave him several noodles and peas to eat—and play with, much to his chagrin. Altair and Malik were quiet through dinner, although Altair looked remarkably more tired than Malik, and they listened as Ezio told him an epic on how he had saved Cristina from Vieri today, and he couldn't help but be slightly proud of the new bruised cheek Ezio was certain the boy had. When they were done, he dried the dishes as Malik washed them, giving the boys a few more hours of playtime. At eight, Desmond promptly passed out from exhaustion, trying valiantly to stay up and play with this older brothers (of which, Kadar was one). Altair trudged upstairs and tucked him into the bed after sticking him in a diaper.

Potty training was his least favorite thing about Desmond. About a year ago, he had started training the boy in how to use a toilet—and as odd as that was, he had to admit that the tiny toilet he bought was almost cute. He was still having problems catching himself before he had to pee at night, but he did occasionally catch himself. So instead of washing the sheets, he taught Desmond how to take off a diaper. When he did catch himself, he rewarded him with a pack of gummies in his lunchbox for Lucy's. An hour later, and he was herding Ezio and Kadar into their pajamas and into bed, and after he had tucked them in and kissed them goodnight, he trudged into his room to find Malik all ready lying there. He stripped to his boxers and climbed in beside him, turning out the light and throwing an arm over Malik's waist, spooning against him as they slept. They did have a relationship, but it was nothing like what Robert thought. It was just nice to know he had a body to sleep against during the night, someone to help him raise the kids—and Malik was good for both.

He woke to the feel of someone tugging on his sleeve, and he rolled over, causing Malik to grunt and turn as well. The bed was warm; it was Saturday, and he had earned the right to sleep in. Until a little voice told him what time it was.

"Seven dot dot one one. Up, up."

"Desmond," he groaned, sounding more like a dying animal. "Go back to bed."

The little boy was silent, and Altair closed his eye again, almost back to sleep when he heard, "Seven dot dot one two."

Altair grunted, and Malik pulled the covers over his head. He hated his little brothers.

"Seven dot dot one thr—"

"I get it," he snapped, sitting up, fixing the boy with a hard stare.

Desmond whimpered and backed up.

"What do you want?"

Those lips were trembling, and he watched Desmond slink from the room like a kicked puppy. He grunted, and Malik murmured something as he got from the bed. Probably something like "Good job, dumbass." Altair hated kids. He walked out into the hallway and saw Desmond crying, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was tired—he never asked for this life. Walking over, he knelt down and picked Desmond up, shushing him and letting him cry. Altair thanked his luck stars his little brother cried quietly, and he cursed Lucy for teaching him his numbers.

"What did you need, Desmond?"

"Hungry."

Altair wanted to cry. All he wanted was his warm bed and Malik. He trudged downstairs and into the kitchen to get him some Cheerios while he fixed strawberries for the boy. He plopped him in his chair, and tried to pull back, but Desmond refused to let go.

"No."

"Desmond, please."

"No."

Altair hated kids. He picked his brother back up and went about awkwardly making a small bowl of oatmeal for him. Ezio and Kadar came bounding into the kitchen just before it was done, raiding the pantry for a package of Poptarts.

"Ezio," he murmured, gesturing him over.

Ezio came over with one eyebrow quirked, and jumped when he was pulled into a hug.

"Thank you for being independent for breakfast."

Ezio pulled back, looking thoroughly shocked. "Uh… You're welcome?"

Altair let his head thump on the table as Ezio bounded out to watch Saturday morning cartoons.

"Me too! Me too!"

Altair grunted and stood up to give Desmond a hug before the boy settled down happily to eat his breakfast. He vaguely remembered before Desmond was born, and he and Ezio would settle on the couch like two guy friends, a box of cereal in their hands as they watched Power Rangers, or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or whatever else was on. He missed those days—back when he had energy. He woke with a start as a plate clattered down in front of him, and he blinked blearily to see Desmond gone from his chair and over easy eggs and sausage in front of him. He stared at it, not quite knowing where it came from.

"Eat, you idiot. Can't go chasing kids all day if you don't have any energy."

He glanced up to see Malik sitting on the other side of the table. "What?"

Malik rolled his eyes. "Do you need me to speak to you like Desmond? Food. Eat. Energy. Or am I using words too big for you?"

Altair snarled and picked up the fork after a few minutes.

"And don't worry about tomorrow. You can sleep in then. I told Kadar to take care of him for you."

Altair grunted, eating much slower than usual, his chin in his hand as he dreaded the day. He had been looking forward to sleeping. He finished quickly and washed the dishes before walking out and settling in his favorite, overstuffed chair, tilting his head back and trying to catch a nap. Ezio and Kadar were talking about whatever was on, and Desmond was busy doing something, and as long as he didn't wake up Altair, they would all be in good moods.

He grunted when he felt Malik smack him upside the head two hours later.

"Get up off your ass and go to the store. I saw your list."

"You do it," he snarled, feeling remarkably better after sleeping.

Malik scoffed. "I have to take Kadar for his shots."

Altair grunted and stood up. "Fine."

"The boys are dressed and ready to go."

"Thanks. Ezio! Let's go!"

Ezio came sliding down the banister, and Desmond came toddling in, making a grabby motion with his hands as Shaun was on a leash behind him. Altair scooped him up and they walked out to the old junker his parents bought him, strapped Desmond in back, and got in. Ezio was excited.

"So, what are we doing?"

Altair blinked. "Grocery shopping. Run in and grab my messenger bag and the shopping list. It's on the fridge."

Ezio sighed dramatically. "Fine."

As soon as the child disappeared inside, he slammed his head on the steering wheel. He hated grocery shopping.

"What wrong?"

Altair grunted at his youngest brother's question, reveling in the pain blooming throughout his skull.

"What wrong?" The voice sounded worried. "What wrong? Not sick?"

Altair sighed, and he rubbed his eyes as he turned to look at his brother. "No, Desmond, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as he hid behind his tiger.

Altair reached out and placed a hand on his knee. "For what, kiddo?"

"Woke up at seven dot dot one one. Cranky. I'm sorry."

Altair let out an amused breath. "It's okay, Desmond. You're not old enough to know how to make breakfast."

"Sorry."

Altair rubbed his leg. "Don't worry about it. You're a good boy."

Desmond's eyes, peeking up over the edge of Shaun's furry head, seemed to brighten a bit. Ezio came running and leapt into the car, both the messenger bag and the list in his hands, and he shut the door.

"Let's go!"

Altair nodded and pulled out, driving to the grocery store. The trip was largely uneventful, and it wasn't until they had to go through the isle with the gummies that Altair began to have trouble. Desmond had taken a box of Godzilla gummies off the shelf, and was walking alongside Altair with them. Shaun was nestled into the seat in the cart so he couldn't escape.

Altair frowned. "No, Desmond, I didn't say you could get that."

"Yes," Desmond said, giving him his best glare.

"No. Turn around and put it back."

"No."

Altair quirked an eyebrow, and he squatted so he could look the two-year-old in the eye. "Desmond, I said, 'No,' and I expect you to listen to me. If you don't, I will turn you over my knee right here."

"No," Desmond said, pouting. "No. Want gummies."

He reached out and gently pried the box from him. "No, Desmond."

"Yes."

He put the box on the shelf and straightened, turning to Ezio. "Thank you, Ezio, for behaving yourself."

He looked when the middle child pointed, and Altair frowned at Desmond holding the box of gummies again.

"Put it back."

"No."

"Desmond."

"No."

"I will turn you over my knee. Last chance."

He took the box from the boy's hands and stuck it on the shelf. He scooped him up before he could grab it again. His eyes grew wide when Desmond slapped him in the face, as hard as he could. Altair's eyes grew cold. Then, calmly, he set the boy down, and when Desmond grabbed for them, he bent him over his knee, delivering two quick, sharp smacks to his bottom—hard (perhaps a little harder than he should've, but he was still agitated from earlier). He scooped Desmond up and set him in the cart as he started screaming and crying, pointedly ignoring the other people's stares as he pushed the cart to the end of the isle to get to the frozen goods section. He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Desmond bawled into Shaun, screaming and the whole nine yards. He needed a nap.

"Hey, wasn't that a little harsh?"

He fixed his iciest glare on the man behind him. His wife was also struggling with children who wanted gummies, and Altair sneered, despite the fact the man was slightly bigger.

"You raise your children to be spoiled, disobedient snots who end up in jail for assaulting their teacher, and I will raise my childr—brothers to be well-behaved, obedient men who have a healthy fear for disobedience."

He scoffed at the kids behind him and turned around, ignoring Desmond as he cried, and pushed the cart into the frozen foods. He was pleased to catch, in the corner of his eye as he looked at the frozen vegetables, the man smacking his children's rumps twice. Eventually, Desmond realized that crying was not giving him the attention he wanted, and he stopped, sniffling. Altair handed him a tissue from the messenger bag he carried around and threw some mixed veggies into the cart, as well as peas and carrots. Ezio was silently walking alongside the cart. As they pulled into the ice cream isle, the one with frozen pizzas, Ezio spoke.

"Uh… Altair?" He turned to see Ezio standing there, slightly afraid, by the fudge bars. "Can we… can we get some?"

Desmond was fast asleep, cuddling Shaun as he slept in the cart. He had cried himself to exhaustion, and Altair had never been happier to see that poor stuffed tiger. He sighed, then nodded.

"But only if you run and fetch some of those gummies Desmond wanted. Don't let him know."

Ezio beamed, grabbing the fudge bars and the ice cream sandwiches, and then dashed off before Altair could object. Altair rolled his eyes and shook his head as he threw in three frozen pizzas and started toward the checkout lane. Ezio came back moments later, the gummies in hand, and bounced by the cart as the ice cream was put in.

"Can we have one in the car?"

Altair found himself smiling softly. Ezio had been well behaved.

"Sure," he murmured, chuckling at Ezio's enthusiasm.

After he put all the groceries in the car, he handed Ezio a fudge bar and strapped Desmond in, who was still out cold.

"Thanks, Altair!" Ezio said, happily eating the ice cream.

He nodded as he pulled back out and drove home. The Al-Sayfs weren't home yet, and Altair had Ezio help him carry in the groceries as he unstrapped Desmond, took him inside, and tucked him in. "And don't think you're off the hook for throwing the ice cream sandwiches in there when I said you could only get the fudge bars," he growled, his heart not really in it.

Ezio froze, then sent him a sorry look and offered one out. "You were just so upset this morning."

Altair shook his head at his brother's antics and swiped the ice cream from his hand. He pretended not to see the smirk he wore as he ripped open the paper and bit into it. After he put away the groceries and polished off the ice cream sandwich, he walked into the living room, his mood a little brighter, but no less tired as he stretched out on the couch. Malik and Kadar came back an hour later, and Altair offered him one of the fudge pops when he saw how mad Kadar was at having to get allergy shots.

"You bushed?"

Malik grunted as he plopped down beside Altair.

"What happened?"

"Damn fucking bastard fucking fled…" the rest was nothing but a bunch of curses, followed by a, "chased him for two Goddamn hours."

Altair chuckled slightly, earning him a glare, and he rose. "Need a nap?"

Malik was all ready heading upstairs. Altair peeked in to find Ezio talking to Kadar as he happily ate the ice cream.

"Malik and I are going to take a nap. Be good."

Ezio nodded, smiling. He walked upstairs, the weariness still in his bones. He pulled off his shirt and pants as he entered his room, Malik all ready under the covers and watching him. He climbed in beside him and pulled him close, and Malik didn't object when he pressed his lips against the base of his neck in a slow, tender kiss before settling down and closing his eyes, his arms wrapped securely around him. It didn't take long before they were fast asleep.

He woke to the sound of a crash, and he was out of bed in an instant, running down the stairs and into the kitchen—only to find Kadar on Ezio's shoulders and several pots and pans all over the floor. They were staring sheepishly at him, and he blinked in wide-eyed wonder.

"Sorry, Altair. We were gonna make pizza rolls so we wouldn't wake you."

He blinked again, then ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, a small chuckle bubbling from deep inside his chest.

"You could've waken me."

"We didn't want you mad," Kadar said.

"You have been a God send today, Ezio. It's the least I could do for you."

Ezio grinned. "Really?"

"Yes. I'll make you lunch."

"Awesome!"

He was sitting at the table, thumbing through a cookbook and waiting for the timer to go off, when Desmond came waddling in, Shaun in one hand with his thumb in his mouth and a piece of paper in the other. He leaned forward and scooped him up.

"What do you have there, Desmond?"

The child offered out the paper, and he looked at it. It was a piece of computer paper, filled with scribbles from the sixty-four colored Crayons.

"What's this for?"

"Sorry."

"You're sorry?"

He buried his face in Shaun, and Altair wrapped him in a hug.

"Desmond…"

Desmond curled up around his stuffed tiger and nuzzled against his chest. Altair ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey, kiddo. It's okay. I'm not mad."

They sat in silence until the timer went off, and Altair held him close as he pulled the pizza rolls out. He set them on the top of the oven and picked up the piece of paper, smiling slightly. It was a work of art—just for him.

"I think this needs to go onto the fridge. Don't you?"

He saw one bright brown eye peek over the top of Shaun, and he smiled gently at him.

"And I think that we should use the Godzilla magnet, yeah?"

He saw the tiniest happy smile, and he kissed his head as he put the picture on the fridge. Desmond was smiling softly in his arms, his ear against his heart, and he hugged Desmond close. The boy was so small and fragile.

"Shaun park?"

"Hm?"

"Shaun park."

Altair nodded once. "Maybe tomorrow, okay?"

"Shaun park. Lucy Shaun."

He blinked, then realized what Desmond was talking about. He wanted to go to the park with Shaun Hastings, from his day care center—not the stuffed animal in his arms. The two were friends, and Altair had often seen them playing with the building blocks when he stopped to pick him up after school.

"Kiddo, Mrs. Hastings doesn't know me."

Desmond looked at him, confused. "So?"

He sighed. "I'll call her, okay? And we'll see if we can't go to the park."

His kid brightened considerably, and he pulled out the directory. He thumbed to "Hastings" and followed to the number before fetching the phone and punching it in. He held it to his ear, counting the rings absentmindedly.