After long months of gallivanting across the globe and more then a few mighty air battles, the Leviathan finally made its way back to London. This came as a relief to most of the crew, as ready as they had been for war the past months had been difficult on all of them. Newspapers were hailing it as one of the greatest conflicts in modern history, a Great War that enveloped the entire world. Even after the Yanks joined the Darwinist powers the skies were still filled with enemy zeppelins and aeroplanes, and now as the fabled end to the carnage drew close the very earth seemed to heave a sigh of relief. The skies were clear of storms or even clouds for days on end, nothing but the cool winter winds to push the Leviathan home to Europe.

"This'll be your first time in London, right?" Deryn asked, not looking away from her sketchbook as she marked the page with quick, easy strokes.

"I suppose it will be," Alek said with a shrug, "I've seen a lot of new places in the past months."

"Aye but this is the first Darwinist city," Deryn lowered her charcoal to turn to him, "You've never been to a proper one, have you?"

Alek opened his mouth to say of course he had, but then realized she was right. Every time the Leviathan restocked in a Darwinist port he had stayed aboard the ship with the rest of the crew, and while Japan and America took influence from Darwinist philosophy they both had distinct Clanker design as well.

"You have a point," he said with a frown.

For all that the papers hailed him as an ex Prince who had famously switched sides, he had never actually seen to what kind of world he had surrendered himself. Perhaps it had all been a bit too hasty, forsaking his Clanker origins to become a Lady Boffin's assistant. Alek had made the mistake of assuming he had seen the worst of Darwinism before, only to have an unfriendly reminder when seeing Deryn's compress for the first time.

Whatever Deryn saw on Alek's face caused her to smirk.

"Don't look so nervous," she said, "You've seen more Fabs here on the ship then they have running about in London, can't go scaring the Monkey Luddites can they?"

"Perhaps," Alek said, shaking his head, "But I think a little apprehension is only natural."

"Nervous!" Borvil chirped lazily from where it napped on the rail above them.

Deryn laughed, high and soft in the way she could only allow when there was no one else to hear it. No one but him, anyway.

"Don't worry," she said, lightly punching his arm, "I'll make sure nothing eats you."

A smile spread across Alek's face even as he rubbed the spot where she had punched him. It was hard to be afraid of anything with Deryn Sharp by his side, particularly when they were alone like this.

They had spent a lot of time together alone since leaving New York behind, without Mr. Tesla to entertain and all his German-speaking men back in America Alek's time was almost exclusively devoted to her. Sometimes it was spent talking, sometimes a bit more then talking, but usually it was just quiet moments like these. Sitting in comfortable silence watching her sketch, or perched on a crate with joined hands. They only had a few minutes to relax between her duties after all, not all of them Alek was able to follow. Not a lot of time, but time enough to lace his fingers with hers and bring her wrist to his lips.

Whatever else Deryn might have wanted to say choked in her throat as a blush crept across her face. Perhaps it was the excitement of seeing a part of her no one else knew, or maybe remnants of the rivalry between Alek and his good friend Midshipman Dylan Sharp, but there was a guilty satisfaction in managing to make her so flustered. This satisfaction was fleeting however, as she rarely stayed flustered for long. Deryn was the sort who rolled with the punches, or in this case, the kisses.

It wasn't long before they were drawn together in the usual way. Every kiss they shared since the first on the spine drew them closer and closer, from joined fingers at a gentlemanly distance to the close embrace they shared now. Nothing vulgar, mind, merely a light grip on each other's shoulders as they sat side by side.

So no, it was nothing vulgar, at least not until Deryn shifted her weight and caused them both to tumble to the floor as the crate toppled over. At first Alek worried that the girl might have been hurt, but then was distracted by the presence of her body pinning him to the floor

Deryn pushed herself up from where she had landed on his chest and stared down at him with a mixture of surprise and horror. If her cheeks were red before, it was nothing to how they were now. Alek wasn't faring much better, suddenly very aware of just how little of her body he had been familiar with until this moment. It had never quite reached this level before.

It was difficult to move or say anything, as if each expected the other to do something first. Part of him knew that he should have shoved her off first thing, but hadn't for whatever reason. Now he realized she should have leapt away, but didn't. The fact that she didn't made him think that maybe she didn't mind being there, which was a concept that caused him to shudder. So now he looked at her and she at him, each wondering what the other would do

"Do you want to have sex?"

For a moment Alek didn't even process the words as a question, but that quickly passed. He gaped up Deryn, finding her own features smooth as she stared down at him. Completely still, her eyes met his with a sturdy determination. She was completely serious. For a long time silence stretched between them, before Alek gulped loudly and tried to formulate a coherent response.

"We'd only have a few minutes-"

"Not now!" Deryn sputtered, her face flushing bright red.

The girl shot up from her place on top of him as if branded by hot iron. It seemed as though she had been putting on an air of false confidence, confidence that had been thrown overboard by his comment. With a deep breath she managed to compose herself and try again.

"In general I mean, later," she said, "Its just a question. Thought it'd be better to just ask, with the 'No Secrets' thing."

"Ah."

That brilliant contribution to the conversation was the last of what was said for a small while, before Deryn shrugged and growled out a sigh.

"Forget about it," she mumbled as she stood and smoothed her crumpled jacket

Alek was finally shaken from his stupor, and he reached out to grip her arm before she could escape.

"No, I didn't mean-" Alek sighed, what exactly did he mean? "I wouldn't mind…trying."

For lack of anything better to say Alek took a deep breath, if she could be forward about this then so could he.

"I'd like to, actually," He said.

Deryn nodded slowly, staring first at his face then to the side when she lost her nerve.

"Right then," she said steadily, "We can meet up later tonight. Your stateroom's better, seeing how it's got a proper lock."

There was probably a million things Alek should say to that, but all I could manage was, "Yes that seems sensible."

Again Deryn nodded, before pulling out of his grasp to stand, "So.,. I've got to go feed the bats, I'll see you…um…later I suppose."

With this she left him, Alek could do little more but sit bewildered in the darkness. Everyone always said that that Darwinists were open when speaking about matters of…natural philosophy as they called it, but after long months aboard the Leviathan Alek had passed this off as a myth. The captain and his officers seemed well versed in matters of decency, and Alek shuddered to imagine Dr. Barlow partaking in lewd philosophies, no matter how natural. But it was true the soldiers acted in the manner they were famous for, and Deryn was a soldier. A girl soldier, but still a soldier, maybe this sort of thing came with the territory no matter who you were under the uniform.

"Sensible!" Piped up a little voice from a crate, causing Alek to jump, "Proper lock!"

Alek sighed and shushed Bovril, the beast seemed to take immense amusement from his predicament. From the way wickedness glinted in its large eyes Alek could tell it had been waiting for Deryn to leave, as if determined to aggravate Alek alone. When Bovril leapt from the crate onto its spot on his shoulder, Alek mused that he had completely forgotten the loris was there. A horrible thought struck him suddenly, and he glared at Bovril.

"You will not be present," he said sternly, "I hope you realize that."

Whether or not the beast realized was a question lost to the ages, as it only yawned and flexed its claws on the fabric of his lapel. Even if it didn't understand Alek would make himself very clear.

"Surely you can amuse yourself for one night?" Alek asked, wondering if he'd need to resort to locking the creature up to keep from intruding.

"One night, fah!" Borvil giggled, "A few minutes!"

Alek rose an eyebrow at this, he could only assume this was one of those occasions where the loris spoke only nonsense. Either way, Alek reached up to scratch Bovril's flank as he always did when nervous. There was quite a bit to think about after all, but not only nerves.

Alek's eyes trained on the door where Deryn had left, thinking again to how it had felt to be so close. Her long slender legs tangled with his, hands pressed to either side of his head, her weight pressing her softer parts against him. Again he gulped, thinking of the look on her face when she had offered him her virginity. He wondered if she would wear that same face if he were to take it. When he was to take it. Slowly but surely the reality of their agreement sunk in. Tonight, on their final night aboard the Leviathan, Alek and Deryn would make love for the first time.

"Later" Bovril giggled, nuzzling his hand.

In fairness, Alek tried to focus on other tasks throughout the day. Not that he had much to do in the way of tasks, beyond trailing behind Newkirk or exploring more of the ship. Alek suspected that either Doctor Barlow or Volger could find some way for him to spend his time, but in light of recent developments he found himself unable to seek them out. Alek flinched at the mere thought of Volger's reaction to his plans for the evening, and felt that somehow Volger would find out. That was not a conversation he wished to have with the Count, even if he had once taken amusement from managing to sneak around him.

So the hours ticked by agonizingly slow, until finally the sun set on the southern horizon. Alek made his way to the middy's mess, having decided that it was the least conspicuous place to leave the Bovril. The creature chirped irritably when he peeled it away from his shoulder, but didn't struggle. When he placed Bovril on the table it made no move to follow him, merely scampered off and disappeared into a message tube. Alek could only assume it was making its way to the other loris to amuse itself, and hoped that it wouldn't let anything incriminating slip to the Lady Boffin.

With that sorted Alek checked the time, seeing that Deryn's watch would be over in under an hour. While the idea of sitting in his room waiting was hardly appealing, it was better then stalking the ship in a state of nerves. Besides, as the natural light in the gondola was replaced with that of the glow worms, giddiness quickened Alek's step.

The majority of the daylight hours had been spent worrying and guiltily skulking outside of Volger's notice, but now that was out of the way he could feel excitement bubbling in his chest.

He'd never done anything like this before, never even had a lover. Briefly he wondered if Deryn had any experiences before him, and felt a sudden pang of jealousy. Of course that was ridiculous, no one on the ship had even known what she was before Alek came aboard, and Deryn was likely far too young before joining the air service. But even knowing this Alek couldn't help but wonder, even as he tried to insist that even if she had it was likely in the past, and therefore Alek had no reason to care. Irritably, he forced such thoughts out of his mind.

When Alek heard the light rap of knuckles on the door he tripped over his feet in his haste to answer. Momentarily he caught his own reflection in the porthole, and frantically wondered if he should had made some special effort on his appearance, before shaking his head and opening the door.

Deryn stood in the doorway, completely shrouded by darkness. She hadn't even brought a lamp with her, which Alek supposed was wise. Didn't want anyone to know she was here, after all.

"Uh, hello." she said, hands flexing in and out of fists at her sides.

"Hello." Alek said back, flinching at how flat and cordial his tone was.

After that all they did was stare, each seeming to wait for the other to initiate.

"Are you going to let me in?" Deryn finally asked, a nervous smile breaking across her lips.

"Ah, yes," Alek said, "Please er…come in."

With that he stepped aside, allowing Deryn to step in after him. In the long months spend aboard Alek had grown used to the tight quarters the crewman managed to call a 'stateroom' with a straight face. It was little more then a closet compared to his rooms back in Prague, but one look at Deryn's accommodations told Alek that even this little room was better then the middie's cabins. Now however, the room felt confined again, as if the lack of space would push him and Deryn together. It wasn't an entirely unpleasant thought.

Once inside Deryn kept her back turned to him, and Alek wondered if he should go to embrace her. Any other time they were alone he'd have her in his arms the moment the locked clicked into place, but even as he wanted to hold her this was new and uncertain territory for both of them. So Alek simply stared at Deryn's dark silhouette, only topped by the tufts of light blonde hair that caught little slivers of moonlight from the porthole.

Deryn finally turned about and opened her mouth as if to say something, but seemed to lose her nerve. Alek also felt as though she should have something to contribute, but he had no idea as to what

"Sorry I took so long," Deryn finally said, "I …um, had to make a detour. Were you waiting?"

"No," Alek lied, "What kind of detour?"

Even in the darkness Alek could see Deryn flinch as a blush crept across her face. He noticed she had something clutched in her right fist, which crinkled as her grip on it tightened.

"Had to take some precautions," Deryn managed, "Can't have any…little princes running about…"

Alek's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of that

"Ah," was all he could manage.

In the following awkward silence neither of them even moved. Alek was beginning to grow antsy, and found himself walking to her without realizing it. Deryn shuddered when she felt his presence behind her, and turned to face him in the usual way.

Deryn wrapped her arms around Alek's middle while he reached up to cup her face. When they stood this close the height difference became more obvious but Alek never minded. Normally they would waste no time, Alek would pull her lips down to his and she'd practically bend him backwards in her enthusiasm, but now her face was flushed and nervous, an expression which Alek probably mirrored himself

"Should we…" Deryn's voice was dry, she cleared her throat and tried again, "Are you alright?"

When Alek didn't immediately answer Deryn released him and backed up, rubbing her neck.

"I sort of…put you on the spot didn't I? I mean…I was only asking right? You know you can always…. That if you don't want to…"

"No!" Alek was sure he spoke too quickly, and perhaps a bit louder then was wise.

Upon seeing Deryn's shocked face he coughed and said more calmly, "I do Deryn, gods I do."

Those words hung in the air, before Deryn cracked a smile. The laugh that followed mixed Alek with both dread and affection. For all that it was humiliating, gods wounds Deryn's laugh made his knees weak. Before long he was laughing as well, though still eyeing her nervously all the while.

"We're pure dead hopeless," she finally said with a snort, "Why don't we start over?"

Whatever weight pressed on Alek's shoulders abated somewhat as he nodded, "That might be best."

Deryn nodded and came close to Alek again, hands slipping about his waist. Alek's breath hitched in surprise, causing Deryn to chuckle.

"Hope you don't mind having the tables turned, your Princeliness," she said.

There was a bit of Dylan in the smirk she gave him, but strangely Alek didn't find himself put off by it.

"I can't always win, especially against a strapping young airman such as yourself."

The effect was more intense then Alek would have imagined for such a light jab, almost enough to make Alek worry he had offended her. But hearing that seemed to make the girl perk up, as if every particle of her had lightened.

Again that laugh, that high beautiful laugh that made Alek's heart skip with longing. For all he knew they weren't on an airship at all, just floating together in the darkness. It definitely wasn't an unpleasant thought.

This time they came together at once, the way they usually did. Perhaps not the usual way, there was a certain frisson that added extra heat to the kisses. Deryn almost forgot to breathe, and had to pull away a few times to regain her breath. On one such occasion it was Alek who broke the kiss, notably after Deryn's hand's slid below his waist to cup his groin.

Alek wasn't proud of the noise that came out of him then, but Deryn certainly seemed to be. She pressed against him harder, her slender fingers stroking along a growing bulge in his trousers. At this Alek curled to press his face into her shoulder, moaning against the fabric of her shirt.

"Good?" she asked, a delighted smugness in her tone

"Y-yes," he huffed hotly.

"You're shaking," she teased.

"In my defense," Alek stammered, somewhat embarrassed through the pleasure, "I haven't done this before."

Deryn paused in petting him momentarily, and Alek felt a relieved sigh against his neck.

"Neither have I."

Alek felt as though he should share in Deryn's joy that this was the first time for both of them, but was distracted by his ache for her touch. He began to grind his hips against her hand, anything to keep feeling her.

But it was not to be, or at least not in the way Alek had in mind. Deryn untangled herself from him and pushed him back. Turning his head Alek saw she was trying to get him on the cot, and nearly drew blood from his lip in anticipation. However, instead of laying down together Deryn pushed him to sit, and then was kneeling between his legs.

Long ago, back in Prague, Alek's first exposure to sex had been in the form of translating romantic poems in English. His first readings of them he hadn't understood what they meant, only that they were ballads of love and that his tutors withheld certain lines. Later he'd look back upon these works and blush, understanding exactly what had happened between the lovers meeting for the first time and riding together into the sunset. Even then, the English poets had described lovemaking as elegant and sublime, the subtle wording carrying a sense of beautiful intensity between the vaguely referenced acts they committed.

There was nothing elegant about the way Deryn's shaking hands fiddled with his belt, or all too beautiful about the face she pulled when wrapping her lips around his cock.

Eyes shut tightly enough to wrinkle, jaw parted all the way to keep him away from her teeth, little gagging and grunting noises as she tried to fit it all in. No, there was nothing sublime about Deryn's performance whatsoever, but from all the way up in heaven Alek found it impossible to care. Experience or no, her mouth was hot and soft, her determination endearing in its own right.

'Cute' Alek thought through the haze of his pleasure-slack mind, Deryn looked so cute as she tried to swallow all of him at once.

"A-ah!" Alek exclaimed, feeling her tongue brush against his skin just right, "Liebe."

Momentarily Alek was aware of two perfect blue eyes glancing up at him before all other sensation was drowned out by ecstasy and his own cries of bliss. His grip tightened around a fistful of her hair as he felt something inside him reach its peak. With a groan he shot his seed into Deryn mouth, startling her enough to pull away and dribble it down her front.

"Barking Spiders," Deryn swore, trying to catch his essence in a cupped hand.

Once the euphoria wore off Alek was able to feel the full mortified sting of what he had done. His eyes widened as he scrambled to find something to wipe her face, icy fingers raking down his back in his panic. Faintly he thought back to a certain fabricated beast's suggesting that Deryn his experimenting wouldn't extend through the entirety of the night, and was annoyed to find himself spent after only a few minutes!

"I'm sorry," he choked out, handing Deryn a handkerchief from his desk.

Deryn looked at the offering, then down to her stained shirt. After an audible gulp that sent a twitch of life straight to Alek's groin, Deryn smiled at him and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"I'll have to wash this shirt anyway," she said.

A smile cracked across Alek's lips, finding he rather enjoyed her cocky attitude. And she wasn't the only one who could flirt.

"Most sensible, but perhaps you should do away with it regardless."

That might just be the most forward thing he had ever said to her, but after what had just happened there didn't seem any reason to slow down. His comment was rewarded with a glowing smile.

"A brilliant suggestion your princeliness," she said, undoing the top buttons then paused as a thought seemed to come to her.

A wicked delight flashed in her eyes, and she came close to perch on his knee, "Perhaps you could lend me a hand?"

That took Alek off guard. She expected him to undress her himself? Even as the thought made his mouth go dry Alek wasted no time. Pulling her to sit in his lap Alek fumbled with the buttons one by one until her shirt was pulled open about her shoulders like a lady's shawl. Her shoulders were the only part of her he could see however, as she seemed to be wearing a sort of white cotton undershirt beneath.

"Ah, hell," she swore, looking down, "I wear this bloody thing so often, I forgot all about it. Give us a minute."

With that she stood, and tried to get the article of clothing over her head. Alek sat back in bafflement, wondering what exactly it was. From the way she grunted and pulled, he could tell that the shirt hugged her body tightly, and in the darkness he could see the skinny lines of her belly and hips just as if she were naked. It took a moment of stumbling about, but finally the shirt was tossed to the floor and Deryn turned about to face him.

"Sorry about that," she said, suddenly shy, "I'd planned to have that bit go a bit more…seductive."

Alek swallowed a lump in his throat, even after watching her struggle and curse to undress she stood with her arms crossed and hip cocked to the side as if the whole encounter had been planned. Deryn came to straddle his lap again, just as a cloud passed the porthole outside.

For a moment the moonlight shone on her body, illuminating her pale skin enough to give Alek a brilliant view. He had always assumed that Deryn had just been…lucky when it came to passing as a boy. It never occurred to him that she took great lengths to hide herself, or what delectable curves she hid under her jacket every day.

If Alek was familiar with the sight of topless women he might have noticed that her breasts were smaller then average, but as it was he was distracted by her slender form and the growing desire to explore it

"A-alek…" Deryn said, breaking Alek from his thoughts, "Can I..?"

Alek paused, pulling back to regard her flushed cheeks, "What is it Deryn?"

The girl looked abashedly to the side and bit her lip, her hips wriggling against him slightly. "Is it alright to kiss again?"

This caused Alek to frown, "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Because I just had your…" she blushed deeper and nodded to the little space down between them, "…it was in my mouth."

"Oh." Alek said flatly, glancing down as well.

He supposed he could see why a man might be apprehensive, but the idea of refusing to kiss her made him feel as though she had done something dirty and wrong. And while what she had done was a little of both of those things, it wasn't as if Alek had stopped her. Alek's right hand pulled away from Deryn's back to cup her chin in two fingers, bringing her lips delicately to his.

That was all the encouragement Deryn needed, she flung her arms about his neck and pressed her body close. Alek certainly didn't taste any difference on her lips, albeit he preferred to focus the goose bumps forming under his touch at the moment.

He was still too shy to touch her breasts directly, deciding instead to run them up her back as he had done so many times while kissing. 'Soft' was perhaps the last word Alek might have ever associated with Deryn Sharp, but her skin as well as the little gasps and moans in Alek's ear could only be described as such. Gently his fingers rose to her shoulders, gripping them slightly and admiring the muscle, before they lowered again to stroke her mid back.

All the while Deryn squirmed, her own hands gripping bunches of Alek's shirt as she panted into his neck.

"Gods wounds liebe," Alek said, satisfied that it was his turn to tease her again, "And I'm only touching your back!"

"Get s-stuffed," Deryn growled, "Its like you said, never done this befo- …ah!"

Deryn moaned softly when Alek's hands slid to her front to cup one of her soft little breasts in his palm. Gently he worked the tender skin, watching Deryn's face flush and contort under his touch.

But Deryn Sharp wasn't about to be fondled without retaliation. Curling her fingers into his hair Deryn pushed her hips hard against his. Alek froze to let out a groan; that friction was all it took for him to harden fully, which didn't go unnoticed by Deryn.

"Ready to go again?" she asked slyly, beginning to grind her hips deliciously against the hardness in his trousers.

"I think you're perfectly aware of how ready I am," Alek replied in a huff.

A perfect idea came to his mind, and he leaned back against the cot bringing Deryn with him. It was a bit like the position that they found themselves in earlier, the catalyst to all of this. He had thought endlessly about how she had felt on top of him throughout the day, and feeling her weight on his chest was just as pleasant now as it was then. Slowly one of Alek's hands slid down from Deryn's back and across her bum to rest between her legs. Deryn gasped as he began to knead his fingers into the soft flesh, his head spinning as felt the heat of her sex through her pants.

"Want it there do you?" Deryn gasped, trying to sit up, "Just a moment, then."

Although Alek would have preferred to hold onto her longer, he loosened his grip and propped himself on his elbows. Deryn disappeared into the shadows, but he could still hear her fumbling about has she searched for something on the floor. He also heard the sound of her belt unbuckling, and the soft whump of fabric falling to the floor. When Deryn crawled back into the light she was fully nude, the plastic packet gripped in one hand.

Alek had little time to admire her however, as she was already on top of him and undoing his shirt. Alek's hands hurriedly shot up to assist in getting it off, only to be swatted away.

"Oi, I let you strip me," she chided, "Its my turn you daft prince."

So Alek relented, only moving enough to free his arms from the sleeves. With his shirt gone Deryn whistled, staring unabashedly at his chest.

"Barking Spiders, fencing's been kind to you, hasn't it?" Her index and pointer finger walked down Alek's chest to his abdomen, something almost envious in her appreciation, "I never got these myself, no matter how much I practiced…"

"I'm…sorry," Alek said, unable to tell if she was joking or not, "I suppose biology favored me in that regard.

This won him a brilliant smile, "That's alright, I like them better on you."

Once again Alek's worry melted away, replaced with an urgency to get his pants off. Deryn helped him in that endeavor as well, tossing the trousers over her shoulder to the floor. When she pulled the condom to her teeth and ripped open the packet, Alek reached up to take it from her.

"I can do that part myself," he said.

Even as he would have deeply enjoyed Deryn's hands sliding the rubber over his cock, it was more important to him that he was wearing it correctly. While the idea of having little princes with Deryn was an attractive thought, now certainly wasn't the time to entertain it.

When satisfied with the fit, Alek shifted on the bed to lay his head against the pillow. As Deryn crawled over him, Alek's hands slid to rest on her hips, taking great satisfaction in how the curve of her outer thighs fit so perfectly into his hands.

A bit of awkward fumbling about followed, Deryn frowning down at their loins as she tried to position herself just right. Alek sucked in a breath when he felt the head of his dick brush her soaking lips, having to fight the urge to push up into her heat. As he understood, the first time usually was painful for the woman, Alek resolved to let Deryn take her time.

Some semblance of nerves flashed across Deryn's features, and for one absurd moment Alek feared she'd call the whole thing off. He wasn't entirely sure he could stop now, feeling her so close made every muscle in his body scream to get moving.

Deryn looked down at him positioned just outside her entrance and chewed her lip, seeming to wrestle with something she wanted to say. Alek had an idea of what it was, and knew that in a proper state of mind he'd be able to calmly and soothingly coax it out of her. Right now, however, he was horny and nervous and determined to find out if her pussy felt as good as her tongue.

Shutting his eyes Alek inhaled through his nose, fighting to compose his words. That kind of thinking would get him nowhere.

"I'll be gentle," he assured her, offering a comforting smile.

Deryn's brows knit together and she opened her mouth to retaliate, but seemed to give up. Perhaps it was alright to let her soldier's swagger fade a little sometimes.

"Promise?" she asked, her voice as high and soft as Alek had ever heard it.

Alek nodded, pulling Deryn down into a kiss. His fingers dug into her backside as she slowly lowered her hips to his, reveling in every inch of her heat constricting around him. Alek's eyes rolled when he slipped fully inside her, taking ragged breaths to keep his voice from shaking.

"Are you alright?" Alek managed, afraid he might have hurt her.

Deryn snorted into his neck, her swagger returning even as her insides quivered around him.

"Not so bad, not so bad at all," She said, "I'm thinking it was all a load of blather to keep us from misbehaving. How's it for you?

Alek breathed out a sigh of relief coupled with the breath he'd been holding. He closed his eyes, trying to describe the feeling.

"Warm…and wet and…gods wounds liebe, you're so tight…" he laughed offered her a sheepish grin, "…Though I'll have more to say if we keep going."

Deryn smirked down at him and sat up a little, driving him deeper inside her.

"I'm sure you would. We can do that, if you like," she panted, taking each of Alek's hands and moving them to grip her hips, "Come on then Clanker, give me your worst!"

She didn't need to tell him twice. Alek grabbed her skinny waist and lifted her half way off his cock before pushing hard back inside again. This time Deryn also moaned with pleasure, and the next time she moved of her own accord.

The next few thrusts after that were awkward and disjoined, but Alek found it difficult to care. Deryn's warmth seemed to spread through his entire body, and his previous comment was proven false. He didn't have anything to say as they sped up, all words and images in Alek's brain fled as he thrust into her.

Nothing around him registered, no worries about being too loud, not the sting of her nails raking down his back. All that mattered was Deryn, this wild and brilliant girl riding him like it was the last thing she would ever do.

"Oof!"

After a particularly forceful buck of Alek's hips Deryn toppled forward onto his chest, breaking their passionate momentum. Deryn giggled- actually giggled, and planted a trail of kisses along Alek's jaw. Even with his hormones demanding to return to the quicker pace, Alek laughed in response and slowed enough to properly enjoy the moment.

Alek wanted the feel of her to catch in his mind. Her scent, her voice, the contrast between her soft breasts against his chest and calloused hands cupping his face as they kissed, Alek wanted to remember every moment of this first time together. It wouldn't last forever, Alek had learned that just moments before when Deryn had used her mouth, but now he knew what was happening Alek was determined to at least hold on until Deryn came as well.

Alek pushed Deryn back up to the angle that felt the best if her cursing was to give any indication, and resumed his quick desperate pace. Deryn let go of Alek completely to slap both hands over her mouth, in the back of his mind Alek remembered that they were aboard an airship of sleeping soldiers who all thought Deryn was a man.

Well, he could deal with that later, right now Deryn was seizing up so tightly Alek felt as though she might snap his cock clean off. Whether or not this meant she had reached her peak, it was too much for Alek to bear. Again he felt the sweet relief wash over him as he came, though noticed that it was less intense this time.

It was only after moments of laying panting in the dark that he took note of Deryn laying draped over him, or just how much sweat had collected on his brow throughout. Alek would have liked to lie there in utter bliss forever, but soon Deryn slid off of him on shaking limbs to collapse beside him.

"I really should get back to my cabin," Deryn said more then once in the following hours they spent laying in bed together.

Alek's hand paused in its motion of sliding up and down her arm, and he placed a lazy kiss on the ridge of her ear, "I'd rather you didn't."

"Got duties in the morning," Deryn continued, "We'll be docking at the scrubs first thing."

"That's hours away."

"Aye, hours I should be spending sleeping."

"You can sleep here."

"Barking spiders Alek!" Deryn laughed lightly and turned in his arms to press her forehead to his throat, "I've also got to get a fresh uniform, wash up, take tazza for a walk, and use the head!"

With a grumble that was only mostly for show Alek allowed Deryn to untangle from is arms and pick up her clothes. He hung lazily off the side of the bed and watched with fascination as she put that strange shirt on again, her breasts disappearing underneath he fabric as if they had never existed at all. Alek supposed he should be redressing as well, probably go look for Borvil before it was able to pass information of what they had done to the other loris. But instead he sat propped on his elbows and took Deryn's hand before she could leave. Gently he brought her fingers to his lips, eyes wide to watch her reaction.

Deryn snorted.

"What, you think that can make me blush after tonight?" she asked, "Dummkopf!"

"Then I will have to double my efforts," Alek said with a shrug.

"Looking forward to it," Deryn was at the door now, her hand still on the knob.

"Actually, I think I can bring a fresh shirt and trousers back here, and tazza can do without his walk seeing as we'll be in London again tomorrow," she turned briefly to flash him a giddy smile, "I'll be back in a few, and we'll see what 'doubled efforts' look like!"

With that the door shut behind her, her swagger present even in the way she left a room. Alek fell back on the cot with a smile, rubbing a hand across his sweat stained hair. He would be doubling his efforts, he should think, but there was no rush. They had all the time in the world after all, with the war ending and a promising new life together in London. He'd find new ways to make her heart flutter, just as she likely would for him.

All of that would happen in due time, Alek thought with a smile.

Later.

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