HOME | DD

Description
"Welcome back to winter" Shaun muttered to himself, quietly lamenting the loss of the mild fall that he much preferred to the cold barrenness of this practically arctic North American winter.  He drew his coat closer around his shoulders, one mitten clad hand taking a firm hold of the railing to make sure he didn't lose balance on the thin blades mounted to the sole of his boots.

The rubber that protected the stairs leading down to the ice surface squeaked under the metal as he shifted his feet. His eyes following the form of the man below him as he glided across the smooth ice, his skates leaving small indents in the glassy surface.  His body wrapped tightly in a snow-white parka, the auburn faux fur lined hood of which was pulled up over his ears.

With a grace that would have shamed a swan he finished a perfect double eight, using the momentum to slide himself back-wards 'till his back came in contact with the railing of the stairs. He gripped the railing from behind and spun around, casting his brown-eyed gaze up to the historian.

"Do you feel like coming on the ice Shaun, or would you like to stay there all day?" the one who could only have been Desmond Miles teased, reaching out his hand invitingly, silently offering to help him onto the skating surface.

Shaun begrudgingly took the hand he was offered, taking a few steps forward in sync with Desmond's steps back. Only wavering for a moment when his blades met the frozen lake water. In that moment he lost the careful balanced he had been keeping and his left foot slipped.  Shaun's eyes closed behind his frost tinged glasses, bracing for impact.

Instead he was met with a plush front, the soft patting of duck-down, and two strong arms wrapped around his back. It seemed that he had landed perfectly in Desmond's arms.  Desmond's short chuckle reverberating through his chest and heavy coat, sounding slightly strange to the ear that was pressed against it.

Slowly Desmond eased Shaun back to his feet, but didn't step back, all too happy to act as a stabilizer until the Brit got re-adjusted to the feel of being on ice. Desmond kicked his feet back, guiding the other out and away from the stairwell. Tilting his hold on the other so neither of them would slip. Shaun shivered a little in Desmond's hold, keeping his eyes down and away, fearing that having any eye contact with the assassin would betray his thoughts.

"You cold?" Desmond murmured, toe curlingly close to the other's ear. His warm breath in this cold weather causing an annoying tingling sensation in the British man's gut. "A Little" Shaun lied, keeping his eyes on the snow covered ice under his feet.

"You should have put on that cute fuzzy sweater before we left" Desmond explained. Carefully spinning the other in his arms, and pulling the historian's hips back against his own. Nuzzling under the neck of his winter coat and pressing his cool lips to Shaun's collarbone.

"Yha right" Shaun muttered, trying and failing to suppress a second shiver. One witch he would later blame on the sudden increase of snowflakes. The soft little crystals falling gently to the ground drifted all around them. a few even getting stuck in Shaun's  hair, the little white frozen crystals contrasting with the shot red-brown spikes.

The cold ice of the river was solid under their feet.  The chill in the air hanging heavy over the almost abandon skating surface, sinking icy claws into everything, but Desmond would keep him warm. So the two cuddling together amongst the drifting snow were only ignored by the frosty chill as it swept over the lake.

It didn't take long before Shaun slid back into the strange set of movements that was used to propel oneself across ice. Left foot and right alternating slowly, keeping pace with each other and pausing to just let his feet slide.

The speed took over, inertia nipped and his heals, the cold breeze doubled now that they were moving. It soon began to sting the historian's eyes even though they were hidden behind his glasses.  The ex-bartender, who was keeping pace easily by his side, grinned out at him from under his hood. His head bowed against the wind that was blowing at precise rates, moving his ice skates in perfect time.

"Feel like a race little tea pot?" Desmond challenged, raising his voice a little so he could be heard over the gusts.  'Little tea pot?' Shaun wondered, but then his competitive edge kicked in and he replied "whatever you want Nancy boy!"

In the end Desmond won.

"You sure love skating, don't you mate?" Shaun observed, his speech coming out a little slower than normal as he tried to catch his breath.  Desmond leaned back against the tree they had hidden behind to block the wind as they rested, and nodded.

"my mom used to say, that If all the roads were paved with ice that would never thaw or crack, I could skate from Maine to Nebraska then on to Alaska and back" Desmond offered, adding "well, when she wasn't telling me to hurry up and get back to training anyway.." his shoulders falling a little as he mulled over the memories.

"That's cute" Shaun offered, quite genuinely which wasn't a common thing for him, taking the other assassin's hand in his and giving it a little squeeze.  "It's not really true..." Desmond reflected, pausing to look the historian in the eyes before adding, "Unless I had you with me of coarse..."

"Why?"

"Because you keep me warm."

-

"Shaun?"

"Yha..."

"Do you remember that time that Templar bullet got me in the chest?"

Shaun's fingers tightened around the side of the rooftop, peering over the edge to see a sight that made his blood turn to ice water in his veins. Desmond's limp body lying on the concrete below, his arm draped loosely over the wound in his chest.

By the time he had gotten down to street level, rivulets of salty tears had begun to flow from the corner of his eyes, despite how hard he tried to blink them away. He placed his hand on Desmond's chest, and was almost overjoyed when he felt the short shallow breathing that meant he was still alive.

Desmond tried to speak up when he felt the presence of the other assassin, but the effort only made him choke and splutter. A liquid the shade of ruby red paint dripped from the corner of his mouth. Shaun knew that soon it would be coming down like a waterfall. Desmond's breath was getting shorter by the moment, and it wouldn't be long 'till his lungs crystallized.

Getting to the hospital was an effort that Shaun almost didn't remember, but he knew what he had done had been drastic, and could have landed most normal people in jail. To this day He would be eternally thankful for the lessons Rebecca had given him on how to hot-wire a car and drive like you didn't care about tomorrow.

He regretted none of it, what he had done at that moment was just the tip of the iceberg, compared to what he was prepared to do, and just like before, if it happened ever again he'd do whatever it takes.

"Yes, never do that to me again."

-

After a few hours, both Shaun and Desmond decided that it was about time to say farewell to this powdery paradise, stopping for a snack at a little shack made entirely out of ice blocks, held together with frozen water.

Sitting down beside a warm fire pit, that Shaun considered a rather dangerous thing to have on a frozen lake. Desmond pulled off his mitts and warmed his fingers by the flames. Glad to have gotten to them before they froze.

"I think I've got bloody frostbite on my toes..." Shaun griped, stretching out his legs and resting his skates by the flames.  Desmond smirked, pulling his mitt back on and wrapping an arm around the other's shoulders. "I think they'll be fine, it wasn't that cold out today anyway." Shaun grumbled a little, but didn't reply, choosing instead to rest his head on Desmond's shoulder.

The American reached up to the other's head, and weaved his fingers into the others hair. Ruffling it and freeing a few snowflakes. Shaun grunted again and gave the other an exasperated stare. Desmond sighed happily in return, not fazed at all.

He reached down by his left hip and picked up the sticks they had found near the base of a tree. Passing them both to Shaun as he cracked open the bag of marshmallows he had been keeping in his one strap backpack, resting the thermos full of hot chocolate in his lap so he could use both hands.

After a few moments, and a few bitter remarks about how it would have been better if they had brought tea, Shaun and Desmond were sitting together roasting large marshmallows on the end of the thin branches. Both simultaneously trying not to burn the sweet snacks and outdo each other for the perfect shade of brown.

After much lip smacking and a few sugar laced kisses, the couple lapsed into a comfortable quiet. Both rather hard-pressed to move despite the fact that they had finished their snack, and that they were essentially sitting in a snowdrift.

Outside the wind suddenly picked up, tossing snowflakes from the ground that then mixed with those that were already falling to cloud the air. Forming an almost opaque curtain of white. The two lovers exchanged a look, both agreeing on the proper course of action without saying a single word.

-And so they decided to wait out this winter storm, snuggled close in the darkness, keeping each other so warm.

Description
"Welcome back to winter" Shaun muttered to himself, quietly lamenting the loss of the mild fall that he much preferred to the cold barrenness of this practically arctic North American winter.  He drew his coat closer around his shoulders, one mitten clad hand taking a firm hold of the railing to make sure he didn't lose balance on the thin blades mounted to the sole of his boots.

The rubber that protected the stairs leading down to the ice surface squeaked under the metal as he shifted his feet. His eyes following the form of the man below him as he glided across the smooth ice, his skates leaving small indents in the glassy surface.  His body wrapped tightly in a snow-white parka, the auburn faux fur lined hood of which was pulled up over his ears.

With a grace that would have shamed a swan he finished a perfect double eight, using the momentum to slide himself back-wards 'till his back came in contact with the railing of the stairs. He gripped the railing from behind and spun around, casting his brown-eyed gaze up to the historian.

"Do you feel like coming on the ice Shaun, or would you like to stay there all day?" the one who could only have been Desmond Miles teased, reaching out his hand invitingly, silently offering to help him onto the skating surface.

Shaun begrudgingly took the hand he was offered, taking a few steps forward in sync with Desmond's steps back. Only wavering for a moment when his blades met the frozen lake water. In that moment he lost the careful balanced he had been keeping and his left foot slipped.  Shaun's eyes closed behind his frost tinged glasses, bracing for impact.

Instead he was met with a plush front, the soft patting of duck-down, and two strong arms wrapped around his back. It seemed that he had landed perfectly in Desmond's arms.  Desmond's short chuckle reverberating through his chest and heavy coat, sounding slightly strange to the ear that was pressed against it.

Slowly Desmond eased Shaun back to his feet, but didn't step back, all too happy to act as a stabilizer until the Brit got re-adjusted to the feel of being on ice. Desmond kicked his feet back, guiding the other out and away from the stairwell. Tilting his hold on the other so neither of them would slip. Shaun shivered a little in Desmond's hold, keeping his eyes down and away, fearing that having any eye contact with the assassin would betray his thoughts.

"You cold?" Desmond murmured, toe curlingly close to the other's ear. His warm breath in this cold weather causing an annoying tingling sensation in the British man's gut. "A Little" Shaun lied, keeping his eyes on the snow covered ice under his feet.

"You should have put on that cute fuzzy sweater before we left" Desmond explained. Carefully spinning the other in his arms, and pulling the historian's hips back against his own. Nuzzling under the neck of his winter coat and pressing his cool lips to Shaun's collarbone.

"Yha right" Shaun muttered, trying and failing to suppress a second shiver. One witch he would later blame on the sudden increase of snowflakes. The soft little crystals falling gently to the ground drifted all around them. a few even getting stuck in Shaun's  hair, the little white frozen crystals contrasting with the shot red-brown spikes.

The cold ice of the river was solid under their feet.  The chill in the air hanging heavy over the almost abandon skating surface, sinking icy claws into everything, but Desmond would keep him warm. So the two cuddling together amongst the drifting snow were only ignored by the frosty chill as it swept over the lake.

It didn't take long before Shaun slid back into the strange set of movements that was used to propel oneself across ice. Left foot and right alternating slowly, keeping pace with each other and pausing to just let his feet slide.

The speed took over, inertia nipped and his heals, the cold breeze doubled now that they were moving. It soon began to sting the historian's eyes even though they were hidden behind his glasses.  The ex-bartender, who was keeping pace easily by his side, grinned out at him from under his hood. His head bowed against the wind that was blowing at precise rates, moving his ice skates in perfect time.

"Feel like a race little tea pot?" Desmond challenged, raising his voice a little so he could be heard over the gusts.  'Little tea pot?' Shaun wondered, but then his competitive edge kicked in and he replied "whatever you want Nancy boy!"

In the end Desmond won.

"You sure love skating, don't you mate?" Shaun observed, his speech coming out a little slower than normal as he tried to catch his breath.  Desmond leaned back against the tree they had hidden behind to block the wind as they rested, and nodded.

"my mom used to say, that If all the roads were paved with ice that would never thaw or crack, I could skate from Maine to Nebraska then on to Alaska and back" Desmond offered, adding "well, when she wasn't telling me to hurry up and get back to training anyway.." his shoulders falling a little as he mulled over the memories.

"That's cute" Shaun offered, quite genuinely which wasn't a common thing for him, taking the other assassin's hand in his and giving it a little squeeze.  "It's not really true..." Desmond reflected, pausing to look the historian in the eyes before adding, "Unless I had you with me of coarse..."

"Why?"

"Because you keep me warm."

-

"Shaun?"

"Yha..."

"Do you remember that time that Templar bullet got me in the chest?"

Shaun's fingers tightened around the side of the rooftop, peering over the edge to see a sight that made his blood turn to ice water in his veins. Desmond's limp body lying on the concrete below, his arm draped loosely over the wound in his chest.

By the time he had gotten down to street level, rivulets of salty tears had begun to flow from the corner of his eyes, despite how hard he tried to blink them away. He placed his hand on Desmond's chest, and was almost overjoyed when he felt the short shallow breathing that meant he was still alive.

Desmond tried to speak up when he felt the presence of the other assassin, but the effort only made him choke and splutter. A liquid the shade of ruby red paint dripped from the corner of his mouth. Shaun knew that soon it would be coming down like a waterfall. Desmond's breath was getting shorter by the moment, and it wouldn't be long 'till his lungs crystallized.

Getting to the hospital was an effort that Shaun almost didn't remember, but he knew what he had done had been drastic, and could have landed most normal people in jail. To this day He would be eternally thankful for the lessons Rebecca had given him on how to hot-wire a car and drive like you didn't care about tomorrow.

He regretted none of it, what he had done at that moment was just the tip of the iceberg, compared to what he was prepared to do, and just like before, if it happened ever again he'd do whatever it takes.

"Yes, never do that to me again."

-

After a few hours, both Shaun and Desmond decided that it was about time to say farewell to this powdery paradise, stopping for a snack at a little shack made entirely out of ice blocks, held together with frozen water.

Sitting down beside a warm fire pit, that Shaun considered a rather dangerous thing to have on a frozen lake. Desmond pulled off his mitts and warmed his fingers by the flames. Glad to have gotten to them before they froze.

"I think I've got bloody frostbite on my toes..." Shaun griped, stretching out his legs and resting his skates by the flames.  Desmond smirked, pulling his mitt back on and wrapping an arm around the other's shoulders. "I think they'll be fine, it wasn't that cold out today anyway." Shaun grumbled a little, but didn't reply, choosing instead to rest his head on Desmond's shoulder.

The American reached up to the other's head, and weaved his fingers into the others hair. Ruffling it and freeing a few snowflakes. Shaun grunted again and gave the other an exasperated stare. Desmond sighed happily in return, not fazed at all.

He reached down by his left hip and picked up the sticks they had found near the base of a tree. Passing them both to Shaun as he cracked open the bag of marshmallows he had been keeping in his one strap backpack, resting the thermos full of hot chocolate in his lap so he could use both hands.

After a few moments, and a few bitter remarks about how it would have been better if they had brought tea, Shaun and Desmond were sitting together roasting large marshmallows on the end of the thin branches. Both simultaneously trying not to burn the sweet snacks and outdo each other for the perfect shade of brown.

After much lip smacking and a few sugar laced kisses, the couple lapsed into a comfortable quiet. Both rather hard-pressed to move despite the fact that they had finished their snack, and that they were essentially sitting in a snowdrift.

Outside the wind suddenly picked up, tossing snowflakes from the ground that then mixed with those that were already falling to cloud the air. Forming an almost opaque curtain of white. The two lovers exchanged a look, both agreeing on the proper course of action without saying a single word.

-And so they decided to wait out this winter storm, snuggled close in the darkness, keeping each other so warm.