This is a continuation of Chapter 12

"I'm not sure I understand the meaning of this picture." Alek stated as he flipped the book upside down to better examine the image inside. "Although the composition is flawless, her figure complements the picture plane wonderfully and the artist was obviously paying attention to the use of negative space. However, I can't imagine that a woman would stand in such a strange position. Clearly she wouldn't be comfortable with her legs outstretched like that. What do you suppose, Dylan?"

Dylan appeared to not have been listening because he was too busy giggling over his own book.

"Dylan?"

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry. What did you say?" Dylan took a brief moment to breathe after laughing so much before scooting closer to Alek to see what he was talking about.

Alek sighed.

"I was just commenting on how the thought processes behind these pictures is somewhat flawed. The artist clearly was focusing on composition and lighting, but his common sense about human anatomy is atrocious."

Dylan erupted into another fit of laughter.

"Blisters Alek, it's only a girly pic! I doubt that anyone was thinking about the way it looked as much as you did! This isn't Michelangelo, for God sake, it's a porno magazine!"

Alek frowned and flipped through the pamphlet to examine some more images. It had only been a few minutes since he started looking and the light from the glowworm lamp wasn't very good. They were currently sitting on the floor of the middy linen closet, examining a few pornography magazines that Dylan had acquired. The photographs weren't terrible. Most of the women were artfully covered in sheer fabrics and scarves. The photographer must have used a tinted lens because the images were slightly foggy, giving the women a softer complexion. He was actually quite impressed with most of the camera work and tried to explain this to Dylan.

"I beg your pardon, but some of these are very well done. Take this one for example. I think the artist was thinking….."

"Alek, stop it!" Dylan snatched the book away from him. "They aren't artists because this isn't artwork. So stop trying to analyze it like it's one of your royal masterpiece collections. You're not making this any fun. Here, look at this one instead."

Dylan dropped the book he had been looking at in Alek's lap. It was a smaller, nearly the size of his palm, and printed on cheaper paper. When he began flipping through pages Alek almost threw the thing across the room. It was disgusting. The photographs were replaced with rudely drawn cartoons and bits of dialog above them. But because Dylan was watching, Alek took the time to read the little book. It was the story of an Indian princess named Lady Taj Mahal who had fallen in love with a British soldier. She had yearned for him so much while he was away at war that when he returned she practically mauled him with her poorly drawn, disproportionate body.

At least that was what Alek could glean from the crude English grammar. Most of the language was in heavy slang and he had to make Dylan translate, of which the boy was not so cooperative.

"Well….that word means…*giggle giggle* ummmm , I really don't want to say it! I guess its kindof another word for the last thing we were talking about but more like if she were an animal."

"That's terrible. But I'm curious, what does this one mean?" Alek pointed at another short saucy sounding word that was accompanied by a very explicit picture.

Dylan had turned a rather deep shade of scarlet from all this talking and it was difficult to get him to say much without either laughing a lot or covering his mouth with his hands.

"Dylan, this is getting frustrating. I know you aren't as accustom to the nude form as I might be. I did have years of tutoring in classical art. But still, you should know the difference between a well conceived form and a disgraceful one like this."

"ummmm, what?"

"I don't mean to sound like I'm demeaning you, but I don't think you're used to the subject of the nude female so I don't believe you understand how mortifying this is."

At this Dylan blanched and his eyes widened profusely.

"Are you saying you've seen more naked girls than I have!?"

Alek slapped himself in the forehead.

"No, Dylan, I'm saying that you don't understand how much these images disgrace women." He flipped to the most vulgar image he could find and pushed it toward Dylan. "Now, if you were a woman, how would this make you feel?"

Dylan didn't answer. Instead he just gaped at the foul picture and then stared at Alek like he was some sort of hallucination.

"I don't mean how she feels if this specific sexual act is done to her, although that is clearly another argument because this would probably hurt her, but how she would feel if she saw this drawing. Do you think a lady would like it if she knew her husband or, god forbid, her son was looking at these pictures and enjoying them? Think what your own mother would say! I have to admit that I'm shocked that you have this book. Not that I'm mad at you, but I am very disappointed and quite disgusted."

There was a long silence as Dylan seemed to be swallowing in what Alek had just told him. During the quiet Alek began to think that maybe he had spoke to rashly. Dylan was his friend, after all, and at times he forgot that Dylan was raised in a completely different upbringing. Never had Alek believed that his friend was of lower intelligence than him, and he certainly didn't think any less of Dylan because he was from a different class. He was beginning to worry that he had offended Dylan.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that so brashly." Alek finally broke the silence. He didn't have the strength any more to look at Dylan in the face. "I know it was my idea for you to show me these things and it is unfair for me to judge you on them."

"Alek….I…... I'm a bit….I don't know what to say. I….just, that was really amazing that was."

Alek looked up to see that Dylan's face had turned blood scarlet again and his eyes had gone all misty and soft.

"Oh! Don't cry, Dylan, I didn't mean it!"

"Woah, hang on a squick. I'm not crying! I'm a little miffed that you care so much what my ma thinks, but either than that I think you said something really smart, Alek."

"Oh." A tiny grin began to grow on Alek's lips.

"The fact that you respect women so much is really, well, it's very nice. I'd almost say it's heroic."

"Heroic?"

"Aye." Dylan pushed himself a little closer to Alek so they were almost touching noses. The other boy's eyes still had that cloudy look. He was sure it wasn't because the boy was crying. It looked more like Dylan had moons for eyes because he was so struck by what Alek had said. It made his stomach squirm and Alek had the bizarre feeling that Dylan wanted to kiss him.

"Ummm….." Alek backed away from his friend. "So where did you get these anyways? Again, I'm not judging, but I would get rid of them if I were you."

Dylan blinked and suddenly the misty feeling was gone.

"They aren't mine, dummkopf!"

"Then where did you get them?"

"None of your business. But I assure you, I will not be keeping them."

And with that Dylan snatched both of the books out of Alek's hands before opening the door and escorting him out of the closet.

"Before you leave, let's get one thing straight." Dylan said. "Nobody knows that this happened, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Alek could tell his friend was serious, but Dylan still had a rather humorous grin on his face.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Alek answered.