The iridescent orange of morning filtered through the gauze thin curtains, awaking William as sunlight blinded like the starkness of bleached bed sheets. He squinted against the light, reassuring himself that the events of the evening in sensual darkness were not composed of dreams. He laughed as opened his reflective eyes wider, refreshed that his pleasure had not been condemned to his imagination as the dawn gave way.

He chuckled, as he did each morning, �Well, I�ll be damned!�

The form beside him mumbled some foreign obscenities, no doubt unaccustomed to the regulations of the sun and the sea; but hedonistic hangovers were no excuse to remain asleep, even with the privilege of being ashore for weeks. William arose from the warmth of the body against him, to the cold of the unheated room where their leftover dinner languished beneath silver and empty wine bottles laid smashed upon the carpet. He smiled as he noticed the trail of discarded red and blue from the door to the bed, but it was more amusing as his companion sunk tossed and turned beneath the bed sheets in search of comfort.

He smiled, �You might as well arise, since I�m not going back to bed.�

His morning grin was greeted by more obscenities in growling French.

�You can call me whatever you like, Major Cotard, but it won�t get you what you want.�

Andre uncovered his face, revealing his glowering fa�ade to William.

�That will not work either,� William shook his head. �But it is most amusing.�

Andre sat upright, with his dark eyes squinting. No doubt, he was contemplating how to usurp the stolid resolve of his lover.

William ignored the galvanizing gaze of his companion, having acquired some immunity after their encounters. He focused on washing and dressing his bruised and battered form, knowing his disregarding attitude would antagonize Andre. As he prepared to shave, the edges of his mouth twitched as the smoldering stare was reflected in the mirror before him. He removed his blue eyes from the glass, but could not deny that the rage within him could not be subsided with the weight of sea discipline.

He sighed, �You have something to say, Major?�

�Plenty,� Andre sneered as he laid back upon his pillow. �But I will inform you of it later, Monsieur Bush.�

William turned from soaping his neck to the brooding expression that tantalized him.

�Over breakfast perhaps?� he asked, knowing well what the answer would be.

�Non,� Andre answered as he scrunched his eyes tight. �Now, let me sleep.�

William quickly wiped the excess soap from his neck, his pulse quivering as he watched the pouting face of the pretend sleeper. He threw his towel at his tempter, knowing the blood was rising to his face and elsewhere.

He growled, �Fine, Andre. I�ll come back to bed.�

�And be damned?� the Major grinned, exposing his sharp teeth. �Damned that you did it with a Frenchman?�

William grimaced at this taunting, knowing there was little he could do as his body and mind were galvanized by the stare upon his groin.

�Damn you!� he snarled as he removed his wrinkled clothes, but was snatched by the naked Andre into the bouncing bed before he could remove his shirt.

William laid under the weight of the muscular body of his superior, being lavished with kisses from his bruised neck to his scarred abdomen. He bit down upon his bloody tongue, muffling his moans that otherwise would emit beyond the boundaries of their rented rooms. Andre approached the most sensitive areas, already burning with the sensations of the previous evening, no doubt intent on getting William to scream in ecstasy.

William squeezed his eyes and his fists tight, knowing well what would be occurring as the tongue squirmed downward. It was like this every morning with Andre, with William attempting to counteract their desires with his Naval discipline; but William surrendered each morning, never planning infallible defensive strategies as he hoped. At least, that is what William told Archie and Horatio, who were also preoccupied with outwitting their mutual lover in the Army; but they observed each other with satirical smiles as William ranted and raved, knowing better than their older, worldlier friend.