At the sound of a large crash Deryn jerks awake with a snort and Alek, who's chest she'd been resting her head on, stirs softly in his sleep. Bright morning light streams into the Sharp's shabby sitting room. She blinks hard and rubs the sleep from her eyes. Deryn thought she had gone to sleep in her own room but then she remembered tiptoeing downstairs, talking with Alek, reading a book together, kissing Alek, falling asleep in his arms.
"Alek!" she hisses. "Wake up, daftie!" She could hear her Ma in the kitchen, whistling murderously. There was also no doubt that she had seen them wrapped up together like a pair of eels on her way downstairs. She had thoughts about the pair of them simply traveling together unchaperoned; who knew what was waiting for them past the kitchen door.
"Liebe? What is it?" Alek mumbles, detangling his arms from around her waist and stretching them behind his head. He slowly blinks his eyes, squinting at the sunlight through the windows.
"We fell asleep in the sitting room!" Deryn replies, shaking his shoulder. He still woke up like a bloody prince, slow and daintily.
At that he sits up straight, checks his watch, and swears. "Surely that can't be the time! Is your mother awake yet?"
"Aye she's whistling merrily in the kitchen. She'll have our hides no doubt."
Alek rubs his temple. "I think we've faced worse together than your mother. Probably best to get it over with."
"Aye, but it wouldn't hurt to have a plan, eh?" She runs her fingers through his auburn hair and tugs on a loose curl. Her usually prim prince looks a little rumpled with his wrinkled shirt and loose tie. Alek leans his head into her hand and smiles that soft smile he saves just for her.
"Yes, I suppose we could start with getting dressed." Alek rubs his neck. "And perhaps Bovril has learned how to massage. Two people to one chair does no wonders for the spine."
"But, minus the wrath of my mother," she looks at him and smirks, "it was nice to spend the night with you." That was bold even for Deryn and she expected the Clanker to blush but he only matches her gaze, eyes blazing with intensity and tenderness.
"Yes," he says softly, "I imagine that a bed could only improve the situation." Deryn grabs his hand and grins. Alek's composure begins to crumble and he turns a bit pink around the ears. He coughs. "Much later in the future...when we're more, ah, settled and, and we shouldn't make this a habit—"
Deryn cuts him off with a kiss, the kind that would shock her aunties, and Alek returns it in earnest. For all his qualms and propriety, Deryn has a way of making him go daft. He brings a hand up to the nape of her neck and she shivers, leaning into his embrace.
"Oi! What do you think you're doing?" Deryn and Alek jump apart. There in the doorway, still in his airman's slops, stands none other than Jaspert Sharp.
"Jaspert is that you, you bumrag!" Deryn runs over to him him and Jaspert engulfs her in a bear hug. He shoots daggers at Alek over her shoulder.
"Aye it's me but I have a few questions— " Just then Mrs. Sharp walks in from the kitchen.
"Jaspert!" she says. "I didn't expect you to be home."
"The Minotaur's taking a stop in Glasgow," Jaspert says, "and I decided to stop for a nice home cooked meal when I walk in to find Deryn snogging some lad!" He jerks a thumb at Alek, who has stood up and hastily straightened his tie and rumpled collar from the day before.
Mrs. Sharp's eyes flick between the pair, who are trying hard not to look guilty, and sighs. Both her children are home and she'd like to not spend the time mediating a row between them. "Never mind them; he's a prince after all," she says. Alek opens his mouth to correct her; ex-prince he would have said, but Deryn elbows him sharply in the ribs.
Jaspert remains unconvinced. "I don't care if he's the bloody king, but what's he doing here, Ma?"
"They're on leave from their assistant job at the Zoological Society," Mrs. Sharp replies. She shoots a look at Deryn. "Honestly Deryn, don't you send your brother any letters?"
"The boffin thought it would be best to hold off for discretion purposes, Ma. Didn't want Dylan Sharp's name being bandied about on an airship while the war was still on." Deryn says. "But it's been over a year now. I guess I just got out of habit. Sorry, Jaspert, I'm a dummkopf."
"Aye and she's speaking bloody clanker!" Jaspert snorts.
Mrs. Sharp smacks him with her dish towel. "Well come and eat breakfast and she can tell you all about it. How long are you on leave?"
"Three days," Jaspert replies, shooting another suspicious glance at Alek.