A Different Kind Of Forever- Fire in your eyes

        Today was Malik's 16th birthday. It had been a hard day of training, and after everything, there was no birthday wishes, no presents or any special treatment. He knew this was how it should be in the order, but Malik couldn't help but wish for something more on his special day..

Flopping down on his bed, he felt something hard poke at his shoulder.
Groaning, he rolled over and picked up the offending object to find it..

Wrapped?

It was against the rules to bring anything in from the outside into the fortress, that wasn't directly related to the order. Whoever left this here was taking a very big risk, and clearly didn't care, considering they left it out in the open.
About to throw it away, he spied something written on the corner of the wrapping.

To Malik

Malik furrowed his brow, wondering why the script was nearly illegible. All assassins were well educated, and their writing would sure be better than-

Oh. Good god. Altaïr.

Only he has such terrible penmanship, and only Malik could decode it.
Unwrapping the parcel, he found...

A book?

No, not just any book, Malik had seen this book before.

9 years ago...

Altair had always hated reading, and anything similar to the tedious torture. It had never interested him, and he couldn' figure out how Malik could sit still for hours and just read. Why waste time reading when you could spend time running wild outside?

That's why he was always pestering Malik to come out and play with him, because there really was nobody else. Altairs father was forever out on some mission, leaving the five year old Altair alone. 

So, like any other day, Altair was at Malik's house, trying to convince him to play, and stop being so damned boring.

"For the last time Altair, I want to finish my book today! Go to the fields on your own."

"But it's no fun on your own! Put the damned book down and come!" Altair whined.

"I, for one, am actually getting some knowledge out of reading, while you, are simply fooling around outside, which has no educational value." Malik pointed out. 

"Who cares? At least what I'm doing is fun. Your book is probably about 'how to be boring', for all I know." Altair mocked.

"I'll have you know, it's a guide to bugs. Clearly something YOU can't even comprehend." Malik said, glaring.

"What!?" Exclaimed Altair, getting defensive. Let me see that. He said, grabbing for the book.

Malik sighed, knowing there was no stopping Altair. He handed over the book, and waited for the oh-so-famous dumbfounded expression that would soon appear on Altair's face.

"What?"
One...

"The??"
Two...

"HELL???"
Three.

"You should have listened, child." Malik said, victorious.

Altaïr grunted, a sound of defeat.

Now, let me be with my..

"NOPE!" Altair squealed gleefully, dashing out the door with Malik's book.
Malik, at a loss, stated blankly after Altaïr for a second, before following suit.

"ALTAIR!! YOU NOVICE! GET BACK HERE WITH MY BOOKKKKK!" Malik screamed at the top of his tiny lungs.

"Well come get it, Mr. Knowledgable!" Altair yelled back.

Malik huffed in anger, and continued the chase.

Soon, it got dark, and unbeknownst to Malik, Altair had led him right to the park he was trying to drag Malik to earlier. Malik, still blinded with fury, was ready to snap Altair's neck.

"ALTAIR! COME OUT WHERE I CAN SEE YOU!" Malik yelled, desperately hoping his book wasn't damaged.

"What's the fun in that?" Altair taunted, giggling from his hiding place.

"Altair, you-" Malik's chin dropped.

Before him, stood no- flew the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Altair, curiously creeping out of his hiding place, and stared in awe, just as Malik was.

"What is it?" Altair asked with shimmering eyes.

"Fireflies.."Malik breathed.

Malik had read about them in dozens of scrolls, but he had never seen them with his own eyes.

It was a truly magnificent sight, as the fireflies danced across the night sky, creating streaks of light in the boys vision as they flew. As Malik held out his chubby little hand, one landed on his fingertip.

"Fireflies... "Malik repeated, gazing at the little creature on his hand. "I love fireflies..."

"You love me too, right Malik?" Altair asked innocently.

Malik looked at Altair in astonishment, before smiling.

"Yes Altair, I love you too."
--------------------------------
"The book of bugs"

Malik shook his head in disbelief, lifting the book out of its wrapping.

"So, that's where it went. 9 years, 9 years you novice. You kept it all this time." Despite it all, Malik found himself with a smile. But not just any smile, the same one he had all those years ago.