Title: By my side (6 of ?)

Author: Adsagsona

Type: Romance

Rating: PG – PG 13

Disclaimer: Nothing about the movieverse Alexander belongs to me, I don't own a thing, sadly enough. I believe the real Alexander the Great and his companions belong to history and themselves.

Warnings: Very mild slash.

Beta: None.

Pairing: Alexander/Hephaestion

Archive: Note: It is a slight AU from the Alexander movie verse. Hephaestion is not the son of Lord Amyntor, but a slave.

This is a short interlude… Next chapter picks up the story again. I just thought they needed this –smiles-.

Spoilers: For 'Alexander'

Summary: At a young age, a slave gets captured by the soldiers of Philip. Alexander needs someone to wrestle with, because his friends always let him win. Too stubborn for his own good, the slave causes problems.

By my side – Chapter 6

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Alexander had begun to look forward to the quiet evenings he spent in his room. Together with Hephaestion, he let him read the Illyad time and time again, and it seemed the other never got tired of it either. But one thing had changed, never had the young slave even make a motion of touching him, or retrieving some comfort like the first night. Alexander had not dared to ask what was wrong.

"Hephaestion?"

The reaction came quicker nowadays, as the young man lifted his head. He put the scroll down, but his finger remained where he had been reading, so that he could pick it up again from the moment his master found it was time to continue.

"Yes, my Prince."

"Why have you not come to me again?"

The young man frowned for a moment and tilted his head slightly to the side. His hair had grown longer over the past few months, but it seemed like he had no feel for cutting it. It rested on his shoulders with ease, and it did not seem to bother him.

"My Prince?"

"That first night… you came to comfort me because I had a nightmare. Why have you not done it afterwards?"

The slave did not answer, which irritated the young Prince more than he would have liked. Standing from the bed he came closer to Hephaestion, who had put the scroll down and lowered his head.

"I have asked you a question."

"You had no other nightmares, my Prince."

"Believe me, I am very sure that I did. Do you have no other reasons?"

Silently Hephaestion shook his head.

"Good, then you can keep me company tonight. Nobody would mind it if you were staying, since you are mine."

At this comment, the hell blue eyes of Hephaestion flashed dangerously, but he managed to keep his tongue and merely bowed.

"Yes, my Prince."

The Prince worried about the fate of this young man, how had he become so obedient. A few years before, he was so spirited and now… he kept everything to himself. Perhaps the life in the palace had not been so kind to him. So he pulled at the hand of Hephaestion, motioning him to drop the scroll.

"But, my Prince… I can not…"

"You can, if I ask you to." Alexander climbed into the bed and expected for Hephaestion to do the same. The slave did as he had been told, sliding off his robe and stepping beneath the covers. He laid there like a sort of wooden board, his hands at his sides and staring at the ceiling.

"Sleep."

He startled at the sound of the voice beside him. It sounded much softer than he had expected, but he had always heard that Alexander was a caring master. He had saved a young girl from the mines, so why would he not be friendly to him? However, he did not react to the one single word that had been uttered.

Then, he felt a hand cup his cheek and he was obliged to look into the light brown eyes of his superior. They looked back at him with a sort of sympathy, that he could not be comfortable around his peers.

"I have never wished for you to be treated like this. It was a mistake, years ago."

Was the Prince apologising to him? Hephaestion frowned slightly and began to shake his head, but Alexander would not let him.

"No, my friend, it is true and you know it. I hope that you will forgive me."

Baby blues just stared at the Macedonian for a moment, before Hephaestion slowly nodded.

"Of course I forgive you, my Prince."

"Good, that is all I needed to hear. Sleep."

Alexander lowered his head, if only a little, and pressed his lips gently on those of Hephaestion. Before the young slave could react, he had retreated and gone back to his side of the bed, closing his eyes.

Now in total confusion, the slave breathed deeply a few times and told himself that it was better to get some sleep as well. He could not begin to grasp the motives of Alexander in this one, but he had no choice but to obey. Finally closing his eyes, he found much needed rest.

It was Alexander who woke first in the early hours of the morning, finding himself snug against a warm body. He frowned for a moment, as he could not recall inviting someone into his bed... again. Glancing up, he found a sleeping Hephaestion there, hands now not folded at his sides anymore, but one on the waist of Alexander and the other beneath his pillow.

He had turned towards the other in his sleep, breathing evenly as he did now. Dark lashes rested against his cheeks and Alexander realised the other was truly at ease with him, or he would not rest in this manner. It seemed like the young man had heard him, because he found himself staring into deep blue pools, before Hephaestion startled and backed away.

"No, Hephaestion, stay."

"I am not allowed, my Prince." The young man answered hurriedly as he got dressed and more ran than walked out of the door, leaving a stunned Alexander behind.

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Nelia: I'm going to clear a bit of his history out next chapter, promise.

Queendel: They are jealous of him for Alexander chosing him, not for who he is. And what Alexander doesn't know… but it'll get better, I promise.

Lexy: I love your long reviews! It makes me write better.

Xzanayu: Here it is, luv.

Josephine: Next chapter will clear out some.