Note: This time, on "that iPod shuffle challenge"… nothing but songs from the 1980s! Reader, it was an excellent decade. Don't hate on it. ;)
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1. "Lay Your Hands On Me" by The Thompson Twins
Deryn picks the worst moments.
She does it deliberately – Alek is certain of that. There's no other reason to explain why she would choose, in the middle of a formal dinner, to lean over and whisper an absolutely indecent suggestion into his ear.
He half-chokes on his drink. Looks at her, at the innocent expression on her face, at the devilish smirk hidden in the corners of her eyes.
Just this once, he decides to call her bluff. "All right," he says, "I'll get our coats."
Much too late he realizes that he hasn't outmaneuvered her; he's encouraged her to try it again next time.
They leave a lot of dinners early.
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2. "Stand Back" by Stevie Nicks
She has to keep him at arm's length.
That's the worst part. Every bone, every drop of blood, every life-thread in her body wants nothing more than to bring him in closer – as close as two people can be – and instead she has to smile and act like a boy and pretend her heart's not cracking clean in half from not having him.
She has to be his friend.
She can't be anything more. He can't see her – the real her. He only gets to see the lies, and he never does bother to try reading between them to find the truth.
In the end it's too barking much.
She has to walk away from him.
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3. "In A Big Country" by Big Country
"I like America," Deryn declares. Hands on hips. Goggles pushed up onto her forehead.
Wind gusts across the Leviathan and the land below, ruffling both her hair and the endless miles of gold cornfields.
"It's lovely," Alek says dubiously, peering at the same vista.
"Not down there, ninny," she says. She tilts her face up, happy as a sunflower. "Look at all this sky!"
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4. "Girls On Film" by Duran Duran
"I wonder if there's any way to buy a copy of this newsreel," Alek says.
Deryn gives him an incredulous look. "Why d'you want to do that?"
He flounders for a reason. "Well – I suppose – to watch it whenever I like."
"Where?" she asks, laughing. "You don't have a cinema!"
"Hmm. True enough."
"And why this newsreel, anyway?"
"Because you're in it," he says, and gives her a quick kiss in the darkness.
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5. "I Know What Boys Like" by The Waitresses
Deryn hasn't the first sodding clue what boys like.
She knows how to pretend to be a boy, but not how a girl's supposed to act, if she wants a boy to like her. She supposes it involves fluttering and being coy and dropping handkerchiefs and all that rubbish.
But she's dead terrible at that sort of thing.
So she goes right along spitting, swearing, throwing knives, tying knots, climbing the rigging, and swearing some more (it's fun).
And as it turns out: that's exactly what Alek likes.
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6. "Blue Dress" by Depeche Mode
He counts it as a victory when he can get her into a dress.
She hates wearing dresses, but he loves it – there's something exotic about it. Exciting and different.
There's one dress in particular. It's as blue as her eyes and it takes his breath away when she wears it.
He likes to catch her by the hand and spin her into a waltz, skirts belling out. He likes to whisper ridiculous compliments into her ear until she laughs and forgets that she hates wearing dresses.
He loves his tough airman. He loves, too, his pretty wife.
And most of all, he loves to help her take the dress off.
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7. "With Or Without You" by U2
Alek stands before the window, watching rain patter on the glass when he ought to be minding what his ministers are discussing at the table behind him.
He touches the glass, cool and slick, and wonders: Is it raining where you are?
He wonders. Who comforts you when there's a thunderstorm in the night, and you wake crying for your father?
He wonders why he ever imagined that a crown could fill the place in his heart that is rightfully hers.
Watches the rain trace tears down the window and wonders.
Do you miss me?
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8. "Englishman In New York" by Sting
"People are looking," Alek says. Deryn glances about; people passing by them are indeed looking. Staring. Muttering darkly.
Blisters – why did she think New York might be kinder than London?
If her hair was longer and she was wearing skirts, they wouldn't notice her – she'd just be another girl. If her hair was shorter and she wasn't walking arm-in-arm with Alek, they wouldn't notice her – she'd just be another boy.
Instead she's herself, and all of these people who don't like it can sod off.
"I don't barking care," she says.
He grins at her, quick and bright. "Neither do I."
Deryn laughs, and they keep walking.
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9. "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac
She grasps Alek's hand in hers. Pampered prince that he is – was – his skin isn't half as rough and callused.
"Goodbye, then," she says, as if it isn't killing her.
"Goodbye, Deryn," he says softly. His eyes are sad.
He lets go of her hand and she says nothing, nothing, nothing as he turns to leave forever.
But what can she do? Leave the Leviathan, leave the sky? Go with him to Lord knows where?
"Alek, wait!" she calls. He pauses. Looks back at her. Made reckless by sudden panic, heart hammering in her chest, she says, "I'm coming with you."
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10. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson
"It's not so bad," Deryn says, examining the bruise forming on his arm. "Didn't cut you, at least."
Alek scowls. His pride is damaged enough. "A small mercy."
She sighs and sticks her hand out. After a moment of further sulking, he accepts it and allows her to haul him to his feet.
"Congratulations, Miss Sharp," Count Volger says. "That was nearly adequate."
"Aye, thanks," she says, grinning at the (for Volger) generous praise. She turns to Alek. Raises her saber with a flourish. "Two out of three, your princeliness?"
"I should never have taught you how to fence," Alek says.
