Understanding

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Skinner or Dorian, though I wish I did simply because they're my two favorite characters in the movie and if I had, Dorian wouldn't have died! This fic is dedicated to my friend Deanna, who turned me on to this ship recently, and without whom this fic would never have been written.

There was nothing arranged or planned about their relationship; really, it was more pure circumstance than it was anything else. Had they not been stuck on a ship together, their little liaisons would never have occurred. They had both come to this conclusion and that's the way it was.

When it came down to terms of wealth and privilege, Dorian and Skinner were as different as night and day. One had been born into money and society, the other to a poor sailor and his wife in Whitechapel. However, they were both men of some immorality and both found the company they were forced to endure rather amusing. Over time, an odd sort of friendship had blossomed between the two, the kind of friendship that always occurs between two extraordinary gentlemen of somewhat immoral tastes when they are stuck on "a ship of prudes," as Skinner put it once, much to Dorian's amusement.

Neither one of them could pinpoint exactly when their relationship had gone beyond their usual chats though, as Dorian had dryly remarked, it was surprising it hadn't happened sooner, given their dispositions. Skinner had agreed with a grin and then had gone back to exploring a particularly fascinating curve of Dorian's neck with soft, teasing kisses, causing the immortal to shiver and pull the invisible man into a kiss, which had been Skinner's wish all along.

There had been some rather close calls where Skinner had made good use of his invisibility and Dorian had quickly made his excuses as to why he had been laying in bed moaning late at night. At one point he had been offered a sleep aid from Jekyll, a cure for all the nightmares that had seemed to spring up overnight.

Skinner had found this rather funny, but one flash of those dark brown eyes had kept his quips in check. The invisible man had leaned early on that the immortal was a very unpredictable man, and there had been occasions when he slipped from the room, unseen bruises covering various parts of his body.

But though there was nothing in particular that initiated this relationship, both men had their reasons for returning to it. For Skinner, it was having someone to talk to who didn't treat him like a criminal or an idiot. He had brought up the subject late one night while the two of them lay in bed together. Dorian had been smoking, and he had been savoring a glass of scotch when he had mentioned it.

Dorian had simply raised an eyebrow and taken another drag off his cigarette. "Well, to treat you like a criminal would be rather hypocritical of me, as I daresay my record is far worse than yours. As for your intelligence, you'd have to have at least some kind of sense to survive in Whitechapel, and on the streets no less. Besides," he added with a smirk. "You couldn't have less of a brain than Sawyer."

Skinner had smiled at this and leaned over to kiss the dandy's lips. "And what about you love?"

"What about me?" Dorian had stubbed out his cigarette and was now helping himself to a glass of the scotch.

"Well, something must keep you comin' back to me," Skinner replied. "And since I gave you my reason, I think I 'ave a right to know yours."

"I see absolutely no reason why I should have to tell you anything," Dorian said coldly. "If you want to bear your soul that is your choice, but I am certainly not going to bear mine."

This statement stung Skinner slightly, and he rose to go. "Right," he said simply. "I'll just see myself out then." The invisible man turned to go but before he could leave he felt himself get grabbed, turned around, and pulled down, his lips colliding with Dorian's in a rather deep kiss that left both men somewhat breathless. After a moment Dorian spoke. "You never fail to surprise me, my dear Skinner; that is why I keep coming back."

Skinner looked at Dorian with a small grin, nodded, and no more understanding was necessary.

Fin