--Hephaistion's PoV--

After spending most of that night laying under Alexander, I awoke to the feel of the fire dying beside us and the sounds of his breathing close to my ear.

I had smiled to myself, so content with the way things felt inside my mind right now, that I didn't really mind sleeping the rest of the night just like this. But Alexander had already awoken as well, slowly pushing himself to his elbows.

We eventually made it into his bed where we both slept soundly the rest of the night, and it seems like I've been here ever since.

Even now, two weeks later, I wait every day for the sun to ease below the skyline so that I can spend the night in his arms.

One would think that we would be doing more than just sleeping at night. But in truth, we hadn't been more physical than simple kisses and revrent touches than the night we first spent by the fire.

Not that we didn't want to. I could feel his need when his mouth connected with mine and the desire that absolutely radiated from him with every touch we bestowed upon on another. But something inside just told the two of us to take things slowly.

So that was exactly what we did.

Macedonia, Late Summer, 339 B.C.E.

--Alexander's PoV--

"You're finally eightteen." I said dropping into the chair I always sat in by the fire.

Hephaistion's face was slightly flushed, evidence of all the alcohol we had consumed at the celebration in his honor.

I took his fingers in mine and pulled him down onto my lap, "How does it feel to be a man?"

He shook his head, wrapping his arms around my neck and shifting around to press himself closer to me. My arm came up behind him and the other rested on his thigh. "Just like it felt to be a child."

I laughed, "You speak so elequently with the wisdom that comes with your age."

He leaned and brushed his lips against mine, "I don't want to speak any more of my birthday."

Sometimes I forget how uncomfortable he is with talk of himself. I kissed him softly, letting our tongues mingle for a few minutes before he rested his head on my shoulder, pressing his mouth to my neck.

We sat in silence for a long while, not moving, save my hand rubbing the hard muscles of his thigh.

It had been a month since we shared our first kiss together. A month since we lay together. And a month since we had done hardly anything more. It wasn't that we didn't want each other.

I wanted him so badly it hurt, but he didn't want us to really share with one another until we were both eightteen.

True, it was I who said we should take things slowly, but perhaps it was a way for both of to make sure this was what we really wanted.

If that was the case, I didn't need any time to think about it. I care so deeply for Hephaistion. It feels like years since I realized that my lust for him had turned to love, but I knew that it was but a few months.

I can understand his hesitance though. I am to be king one day and the pressure that will be on him will be immense. I will have need to marry and produce an heir and I know that cannot be easy for a lover to bear wittness to.

Hephaistion's hand came down to my chest and started rubbing slowly. I smiled. He was so much more than just my lover. If this continued on, and we did indeed lay with one another, then I would never let him go.

I wouldn't be able to.

I loved him and would continue on until our dying breaths.

--Hephaistion's PoV--

Alexander and I sat in that chair, arms about each other for quite a while, just kissing one another and whispering quite words of nothing.

Finally, after what seemed like a small lifetime, he pulled away from me and leaned back in the chair. I reclined against him, watching the fire crackle and burn as his fingertips grazed up and down my arm.

This was the perfect way to finish out the day, in the arms of the man that I had just so recently realized I loved.

Just as I had leaned my head back on his shoulder and started to drift off, he shook me softly, "Let's go to bed."

Nodding tiredly, I stumbled to my feet and pulled him to his.

He reached over to me, pulling me towards him for a kiss, which I eagerly accepted.

It didn't last quite as long as I'd have liked, but I let him lead me over to his bed by the hand. He surprised me by not letting me climb in, but starting to unlace the ties at my throat. My breath caught as I realized he was going to undress me.

He tugged and my tunic came up over my head. Our eyes met and I smoothly ridded him of his own top.

My hands ran over his hard chest, feeling the twitch of muscles beneath my fingers. The look of love and lust in his eyes was incredible, and I could scarcely allow myself to hope that he would continue undressing me.

Alexander must have been listening to my private thoughts because his rough fingers soon rid me of every stich of clothing on my body, leaving me bare and vulnerable in front of him.

Instead of looking at my body, he kept his eyes on mine, preserving my modesty as I stripped him down as I was.

He was still not looking at me, and I was not allowing myself to look at him as he turned me around and I climbed up onto his bed.

We both slid under the covers and he got up on his side over me, letting his free hand roam my chest. With a contented sigh, I closed my eyes as he continued to explore my body. Fingering a scar or running his hand over a bruise, he seemed perfectly happy with just touching me.

Maybe it was the alcohol, even though I was fairly sure I was sober by now, or maybe it was the fact that he hadn't touched me in such a way in over a month. Maybe it was just my pure deisre to be close to him and have his hands on me.

Whatever the reason, I was quickly growing aroused.

He must have sensed it or felt the muscles in my stomach tighten; for he leaned over and kissed me softly, trailing on down my throat to my chest and on down to my stomach.

Using the hand that had been caressing my skin, he pushed the covers away from my body and wrapped his hand around the evidence of my arousal.

A throaty groan escaped me before I could stop it.

With a knowing look up at me and a devilish smile, he pushed himself down the bed and removed his stroking hand. I whimpered at the loss, but he soon gratified me in another way that was, if anything, better than his hand.

My eyes slammed shut and my back arched as his mouth touched me.

His tongue glided up and down my hard flesh, causing me a greater pain than anything I had ever before felt.

My hands shot into his hair, tightening on the blonde strands, holding him down to me, "Alexander..." His name was nothing more than a stangled gasp on my lips, but it seemed to work wonders for him.

He moaned and put himself fully behind the movements of his head which were driving me to painful heights of arousal.

My fingers tightened in his hair. Never before had I ever felt this amazing. Never had another man ever touched me in this way, nor did I ever want another man to. Alexander was making me feel incredible as his head moved up and down quickly.

I knew he had never done this before, and he was, to a modest extent, uncordinated, but his movements drove me wild.

My stomach began to warm as the fimilliar heat of an impending orgasm swept through my lower half.

My fingers were now stroking through his hair, urging him on with both my touch and my voice. I wasn't sure what I was saying or if I was saying anything at all, but it made all the sense in the world to Alexander.

His lips tightened around me and he sucked harshly.

Within moments, I was crying out his name and emptying myself into his mouth.

My world quickly became engulfed in darkness as I kept my eyes tightly shut and desperately tried to recover my breathing as my body shook against his.

When I finally opened my eyes, his arms were around me and he was kissing my sweaty forehead. As soon as my eyes opened, they sought out his. "That was amazing." I whispered, kissing him again.

He smiled against my lips, "You flatter me."

I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled him down on top of me.

He stunned me by whispering, "Happy birthday." in my ear as he kissed it.

Our eyes met briefly and I kissed him hard, wanting to show him how much this had meant to me. I loved him so much, and he had shown me the same.

My hand haistily sought out the hardness pressing into my thigh and I set out to seal this encounter properly.

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Author's Note: (1) Thank you for all of the feedback that I have received. I'm overwhelmed that so many people are enjoying this story.

(2) Disliking disclaimers at the start of my stories, I would like to take this opportunity to state that I own nothing that has to do with this movie. That having been said, Saprykin is my character and I do own him.

(3) According to the book "Alexander", Alexander was most likely the younger of he and Hephaistion. By more than a few years at that. The exact age difference is unknown due to the fact that neither has a positive date of birth and while I have kept my Hephaistion older than Alexander, it is only by a few months. Hephaistion's birthday will be sometime in late summer and Alexander's will be in late winter.

(4)I'm not sure yet, but I'm fairly positive that I'm going to make this story continue from where it's at up until Alexander's death in 323 B.C.E. Let me know if you think that would hold your attention through the entire duration.

Thank you.