Waiting alone in the quiet made Alexander feel like his heart was beating harder than it should be. “I'm really sorry. I didn't think you'd get sea-sick.”

“Stop whining about it.” Julian barked. “If you're gonna mope, go somewhere else.”

This perked Alexander up a bit. He straightened his back and leaned forward. “You aren't worried I'll get into trouble?”

“If you do, jump off the ship and swim for shore.”

“No.. I mean... Seriously, Julian.” Alexander sighed.

“Look, if you're going to keep talking, you have to answer me this.” Julian rolled over to look at the blond. With a glare in his sharp eyes, he studied the pink tips of Alexander's blond locks for a moment. The pink seemed to match his honey yellow skin and bright blue eyes. Eyes that Julian could remember looking at him earnestly years before. “If it's not a vacation, why are you taking a cruise ship north?”

All of the color seemed to drain from Alexander's face. His lips fell open as his jaw slackened. He clearly had never prepared for Julian asked him this. His mind flashed to several days before, when he had been talking with his older brother about going on the trip; before he had even picked Julian out of the group to join him.