A.N.: So, this is the first story I'm publishing here, so... I don't know, enjoy! And, you know, reviews are always helpful.

P.S. I admit, I haven't watched the movie in a while so I don't remember exactly what the mentioned confrontation was about and the exact exchanged words, so yeah... sorry about that.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the historical characters. The mentioned scene is from Oliver Stone's take on Alexander.

The first time he had done that they were teenagers and it had scared Hephaistion nearly to death.

He had been sleeping soundly, but his warrior instincts, still in training but already quite developed, immediately had recognized something was wrong when the bed dipped right next to him and a hot breath passed over his face. Hephaistion awakened instantly and only Alexander's luck ensured that he opened his eyes before he struck, as was his intention. In the soft light of the moon creeping through the big window Hephaistion saw the young prince snuggle next to him in the bed, a distressed expression adorning the youthful features. The brunette sat up in the bed, took his best friend's face in his hands and started insisting on him to tell him if there was anything wrong, if something had happened.

Alexander had shaken his head, kissed the soft pink lips lightly and assured him that everything was just fine now, he had only had trouble sleeping alone in his huge bed. He had then turned his back to Hephaistion, snuggled into his chest and had been asleep in seconds.

Now, after so many years, Hephaistion was so used to it, that it didn't even wake him. He subconsciously still stirred enough to scoot over, wrap his hand around his lover's waist, bury his face into the golden hair and continue to sleep till the morning.

It didn't happen every night, not at all. And they never discussed it at length. Only once did Hephaistion ask him if he knew what made some nights more difficult than others. Alexander had shrugged and responded that he would always wake when he is alone, but only some of the nights he would not be able to go back to sleep, gripped by fears and doubts. Hephaistion had kissed him reassuringly , said that he understood and promised to always be there to keep him calm during every challenge that he faced, including this one.

Alexander POV

Whenever Alexander thought about it, he was always amazed by how little it took for Hephaistion to calm him down. He was sure that if you asked his beautiful Chilliarch he would give as an example the nights when Alexander sneaks into his bed. The king himself didn't find that as important. Surely, that particular 'tradition' was very dear to him, so much that sometimes he would do it when he wasn't all that disturbed, but just because he so much loved his soul mate, and loved felling the warmth of his body next to him even in his sleep.

He regretted that he was unable to keep his idealistic youthful promises that he would never love or touch another as he did his beloved Phai. But he was a man and a weak one at that, so he had taken other lovers and wives and broken the oath he had made to himself and the gods, back at Mieza, when he had first realized he was deeply and utterly in love with his best friend. He loved none of the others and cherished none of them as he loved and cherished Hephaistion, but still, on the nights he was with them, he took comfort in their warm bodies and did not need his Phai as much.

No, for him the true testament that Hephaistion could always bring him down to earth when needed, from his anger, as well as from his fears, was that one day at the General's meeting. Cassander had been more annoying than usual, more vocal in his complaints than usual and when he had brought up the late king, Alexander had had enough. He had pushed him against the wall, put his arm on his throat and hissed angrily, reminding the disobedient General that it was in fact he, Alexander, that was the king and not Phillip anymore and that Cassander shouldn't forget that. He remembered he could hear the blood rushing in his ears, he remembered seeing red, however he didn't remember if he would have been able to stop himself before seriously hurting his General, or even worse.

And then he heard the voice he loved most in the entire world that he dreamt so much about, the voice that we would recognize anywhere at any time, saying his name in the softest of ways. "Alexander." He had said it without any strength and without any tone discernable for the other Companions. And only those of them who stood nearby heard the king's name slip from Hephaistion's lips.

But that was absolutely enough for Alexander. He immediately released Cassander and dismissed them all from the meeting. Hephaistion didn't say anything because he knew there was no need. Alexander had understood everything behind that little word. "Leave it, it is not worth it and it will only bring you more troubles later"; all of what his friend had meant he had told him without needing the words. It had only been in the way he said his name and the approving little smile he had given him after the Generals left.

One of the many, many reasons Alexander loves Hephaistion is that without him his restless nature would someday probably cause him to explode.