Note: The plant mentioned so much is an extinct plant called silphium that, supposedly, the Greeks used for birth control. Sorry, I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to feminine stuff and I apologize for any mistakes but thank you for the reviews everyone! Don't you love double entendres?

Chapter 3: Secrets Behind Closed Doors

Dylan and Alek's life fell into comfortable rhythm after he found out her true gender. For the next week and a half, the two of them stayed up late at night telling stories from their childhood and explaining their plans for the future. She was his dearest friend.

And the greatest source of his torment. He liked to watch her at night, after she finished her shower, and see her nod off to sleep as he attempted to continue conversing with her. Her big blue eyes, his favorite of her features, would flutter like butterfly wings until they finally closed. Her mouth was half agape in slumber and her blonde hair fanned across her pillow like corn silk.

The worst part was, now that she trusted Alek with her gender, she felt no need to bind her chest at night. The curve of her breast was clear through the baggy shirt she wore to bed.

He spent many nights memorizing the slope of her cheekbones, the softness of her lips, the porcelain sheen of her skin. His dreams were even worse. He dreamt of drowning in her cornflower blue eyes, of running his hands down her creamy legs or in her soft hair, and of the night he caught her and, for a moment, had felt the velvety soft skin on her chest.

Alek woke from these dreams gasping, covered in sweat, with a burning in his abdomen. Any glance toward Dylan set the fire burning.

Even working on the topside of the Leviathan, they sometimes met eyes. Alek would get distracted for a split second and he'd let his green eyes wander over to where she'd be pulling in Huxleys or climbing up the ratlines or practicing signal drills. She cut a striking figure, even in the garish green jumpsuit she wore; she was tall and strong and confident, but at the same time beautiful and delicate looking. Alek could have watched her all day.

Sometimes, she'd feel his electric green gaze on her back and would turn her head over her shoulder. They'd meet eyes and she'd smile with genuine happiness before going back to the task at hand.

But aside from the fact that he was tormented by her appearance, there was another factor that Alek had not expected from himself: he was easily jealous.

Being on a ship full of men, Alek noticed his symptoms quickly. The first time was when she smiled happily at Bauer after he taught her more German swearwords. Alek just managed to catch her grin at another man and his head hurt he was so jealous.

He was getting better at not being so easy to upset, especially when Dylan would interact with the much older men; the only one that REALLY bothered him anymore was the idiot, Newkirk. Alek had never minded the good-natured boy before but Newkirk and Dylan were good friends and that bothered Alek to no extent now. Whenever Newkirk was working close to Dylan, Alek ignored his work and watched them like a hawk.

Dylan was nothing, if not oblivious to Alek's suffering.

She treated him just the same as before, as her best friend and true confidant; some days he felt as though he was about to burst.

However, all these things combined could not compare to the night the Leviathan was caught in the storm. Thank god it wasn't a thunderstorm, but the wind was still strong enough to hear through the beasties' blubbery sides and the rain sounded like constant tapping on the walls.

Alek and Dylan woke up almost at the same time, Dylan sitting up like something had shocked her.

"Nightmare?" Alek asked groggily. Dylan nodded, clutching the neck of her shirt and Bovril looked up at her dejectedly; he had been sleeping with her almost every night now.

"You too?" She asked.

Alek yawned. "Yes. It was something about being chased by killer spider monkeys…" His nightmares never had much clarity, usually just black shapes and menacing sounds. "What about you?"

"Fire." She sighed, lying back down. "Fire everywhere." She put her arm over her face. "I don't think I can get back to sleep…"

"You and Bov can come sleep with me," Alek said as he was falling back asleep. He meant it in jest; there was no way he could sleep with her next to him. Bov yes, Dylan no. But as he was on the very edge of falling back to sleep, Alek heard Bovril scamper across the floor and hop onto his bed. He knew the Loris was watching Dylan intently with his wide, sweet eyes and Alek scarcely dared to breathe.

Dylan sighed like she was giving up part of her soul and Alek heard her bare feet hit the floor.

'No, no.' He thought, screwing his eyes shut; he was awake now. 'No no no. I will NOT allow this. I cannot. I've lost too much sleep as it is.' But some little voice in his mind, smiled wickedly. 'At least it will keep the nightmares away.' Alek wanted to scream. 'The hell it will! I won't be able to SLEEP!'

His bed creaked with the weight of two people and Alek went rigid. He could feel the heat from her body as they lay back to back.

"I…used to do this with my brother." She murmured softly.

Alek did not even attempt to respond. His mouth was clenched shut as were his fists and his legs and his eyes. He feared that if he opened any of them something was going to pour from him like steam from a teakettle. Noise and all.

Bovril made contented humming noises from where he was curled up between the two of them. Alek was counting heartbeats, whether they were his, Dylan's or Bovril's he didn't know.

"It's a shame…you didn't have siblings…so…nice…" She was falling asleep as she spoke. She was so adorable, Alek almost turned to look at her. Almost.

"Alek…you have…beautiful…hair…"

He felt her breath even out and only then did he dare to unclench his jaw. "You too." He gasped. His crotch felt like it was in flames, like there was an itch he couldn't scratch. He tried to keep his hands as far away from his legs as possible.

"Bov," He whispered and a tiny fluffy head popped above the covers. "I'm losing control."

Bovril blinked. "Your secret is safe with me." Alek slammed his head into his pillow; he hated having his own words used against him.

…..

Dylan walked down the hall after dinnertime with Bovril perched precariously on the top of her head. She felt awful after the previous night's events. She hadn't wanted to admit to Alek that she was scared out of her wits and that when he offered to let her sleep with him, joke or no, she was so grateful. She had fallen immediately into a peaceful sleep from the combined warmth of Alek and Bovril.

However, she woke the next morning to find herself pressed against Alek's warm back and he was like stone. While he worked on the machines today, he had hardly glanced her way and there were big dark circles under his jungle green eyes. Dylan felt that she was completely to blame.

She was doing so well, holding back her emotions toward Alek, especially after he had been so kind to her. There had been times when she almost blurted out how much she had loved him…

It was just that every time she'd had a nightmare at home she would wander to her brother's room and curl up in the protection of his arms. Alek had been, for all-intensive purposes, a brother stand-in…at least, that's what she was trying to convince herself.

Just a glance from those vivid green eyes could make her mind go blank and her legs turn to jelly; she longed to run her hands through his semi-curly red hair, down his freckled cheeks and body until she was holding his large hand. She even liked his scent: sweat, soap, and orange, with a faint hint of engine grease.

She felt guilty and had tried to silently apologize over dinner. She took his hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly. Alek's face went white and he practically bolted from the table. He hadn't come back to dinner either.

Dylan's head hurt; so he was angry with her for keeping him up.

And so Dylan was on her way back to her room to apologize, Bovril along for the ride. Dylan was glad for the little Loris. He gave her hope and confidence. But there was still that nagging…if Alek hated her, life on the Leviathan would be unbearable.

She and Bov were in the hallway outside her room, when she heard her name being called. She stopped.

"You hear that Bov?" She asked. Then it came again. It was definitely someone gasping her name and it was coming from the direction of her room. She ran the final stretch of the hallway, Bovril holding on for dear life, and slammed against her door.

The one calling her name was definitely Alek and the door was locked.

"Alek?" She cried, banging one fist on the door. "Alek! What's wrong? Open the door! Let me in!"

"Dylan…" His voice sounded tortured but at the same time, there was an inflection of bliss when he said her name. "Dylan."

Was he sick? Dylan dithered and continued to beat her hand against the locked door. "Alek! ALEK! Let me in! Let me in you great idiot!"

"I'm coming!" He shouted in return, but Dylan did not hear him moving towards the door.

"Liar!" She retorted. "Alek! Alek!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Dylan waited patiently with her hand flat against the door until Alek finally unlocked the metal door and slid it open. She saw the green fire in his eyes first and any frustration she felt toward him dissipated.

She touched his cheek and it felt a little hot. He leaned his head into her hand in a touching gesture and one of his red curls touched her fingertips.

"Are you okay?" She asked, worried. "You're not sick? You're ok?"

"I'm great." He reassured her. "I'm great. I was…"

"So you're not mad at me?"

His eyes smoldered green and he smiled. She saw a hint of reddish stubble on his chin. "Of course I'm not mad. Why would I be mad at you?"

Dylan was flabbergasted and felt herself blush. "But I kept you up. You didn't get any sleep last night." Alek brushed the hair away from her face and her forehead tingled at his touch.

"I couldn't be mad." He said. "You were scared. And…what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you?" Dylan laughed with relief; it felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest. Alek laughed as well. "You look silly with Bov on your head."

End note: So…I know these situations are really improbable but…it's fiction and…honestly, it's more fun that way.