I see the lonely road that leads so far away I see the distant lights that left behind the day But what I see is so much more than I can say And I see you in midnight blue ---------------------------------------- Apollo stood in the observation dome looking out at the stars. He imagined that somewhere out there was a road - a road that would lead them to Earth. In the rest of the Battlestar, lights dimmed for sleep period. Apollo fancied that lights were doing the same on the countless planets that they passed on their journey. The Captain suddenly heard a noise. It was coming from a corner of the room. Investigating, he found Starbuck huddled in a corner. He noticed that his wingmate wasn't wearing a uniform, but was instead dressed in civilian clothes, including a silk tunic in midnight blue. ----------------------------------------- I see you crying Now you've found a lot of pain And what you're searching for can never be the same But what's the difference Cos they say "What's in a name?" And I see you in midnight blue ---------------------------------------- To Apollo's astonishment, he realized that Starbuck was crying. "Starbuck?" he whispered gently, resting a hand on the other man's shoulder. "What's wrong?" Starbuck straightened and wiped his eyes. "I had hoped you wouldn't see me," he admitted. "Why not?" Apollo wanted to know. "Well, I didn't want you to see me like this." "Starbuck, I'm your friend, and if something's hurt you, I want to know what it is. Won't you tell me what's upset you so much?" The Lieutenant sighed. "I had a date," he admitted. "She told me that because I'm an orphan and don't have a name, nothing could ever happen between us. We could go out and have a good time, but there could never be anything permanent." "Pardon me if this sounds insensitive," Apollo started, "but aren't you usually the one who's not looking for a commitment? Normally you don't want anything beyond a good time with a woman." "Ironic, isn't it?" Starbuck said with a bitter laugh. "Oh, it's not the commitment part that bothers me. It's the reminder of my status around here. No House, no name. I don't know what my real name is, did you know that? Starbuck is a nickname. I have no idea what my parents named me when I was born." "What's the difference?" Apollo asked rhetorically. "What's in a name?" --------------------------- I will love you tonight And I will stay by your side loving you I'm feeling midnight blue ------------------------------- Apollo wanted nothing more than to comfort his friend. He wanted to tell Starbuck that he would stay by his side and love him. He wanted to tell him how amazingly sexy he looked in that midnight blue tunic. "Bucko, names and Houses and family status don't mean whole lot since the Destruction. Maybe one or two ignorant people want to re-create the glory days of colonial life when one's family name mattered, when what House you belonged to determined how far you would go in society, but those days were long gone even before the Destruction." "That's easy for you to say, Apollo. You know what your name is. You know who your parents are. You know what House you belong to." "None of that matters to me," Apollo told him. "Have I ever treated you differently because you're an orphan?" "No," Starbuck admitted. ------------------------------------ I see you standing there far out along the way I want to touch you But the night becomes the day I count the words that I am never gonna say And I see you in midnight blue --------------------------------------- The two warriors continued to talk for most of the night. Apollo stood there thinking of how close Starbuck was to him, yet far away at the same time. He longed to touch his wingmate and best friend, but something held him back. As the sleep period came to a close and the ship's "day" began, Apollo thought of the words he probably would never say to Starbuck. Barely thinking about what he was doing, he reached out and took Starbuck into his arms, trying to comfort him. Starbuck looked at his wingmate. He'd loved Apollo for so long he couldn't remember at time when he hadn't loved him. They were so close. It would be so easy to reach out and touch him, or even to kiss him. Why the frack not? He came to a decision. He might be throwing away their friendship, but he had to do this. He had to know what it felt like to kiss Apollo. Continuing the way things were was getting harder and harder. He turned so that he was facing his wingmate, wrapped an arm around the back of his neck, and kissed him. ----------------------------- I will love you tonight And I will stay by your side loving you I'm feeling midnight blue ---------------------------------- Starbuck wanted so badly to make love with Apollo. He wanted to be Apollo's life mate, not just his wingmate. He wanted to love Apollo for the rest of their lives. But he had no idea how Apollo felt. He was afraid of what would happen if Apollo didn't want him. Would he lose Apollo forever? The thought of losing the person that he loved most in the universe made him feel as blue as the tunic he was wearing. "Starbuck...." Apollo breathed as the Lieutenant broke off the kiss. "What do you want?" -------------------------------- Can't you feel the love that I'm offering you? Can't you see how it's meant to be? -------------------------------------------- Could Apollo not feel the love that Starbuck had for him? Didn't he know that they were meant to be together? "I want you," was the answer he gave. ------------------------------ Can't you hear the words that I'm saying to you? Can't you believe like I believe? It's only one and one, it's true Still I see you in midnight blue -------------------------------- Apollo wondered if Starbuck had heard his unspoken words of love and devotion. Even though he hadn't come right out and told his friend that he loved him, he realized that he'd been saying it indirectly for a long time. Did Starbuck only want sex, or did he want something more? Apollo had to admit that seeing Starbuck in that blue tunic made thoughts of anything other than fracking his wingmate senseless rather difficult. He knew that Starbuck wasn't very likely to confine his attentions to one person, but he couldn't help himself. He kissed his friend. "What do *you* want, Pol?" Starbuck asked, sounding amused. "I want you," Apollo groaned. "But Star, it's not just about wanting. I love you. Do you understand? I love you. If I can only have you this once, or only have you as a sex partner rather than as a long-term lover, I'll accept that, but..." Starbuck cut him off with a kiss. --------------------------------------------------- I see beautiful days And I feel beautiful ways of loving you Everything's midnight blue ------------------------------------------------- "Apollo, all I want is to love you. I can think of thousands of different ways to make beautiful love to you. And I mean love, Pol. I love you. I see many beautiful, wonderful days with you by my side." Apollo wrapped his arms more tightly around the man that he loved. "Thank the Lords," he sighed. "I was so afraid that I would lose your friendship if I ever told you that I love you. I was scared to death." "Don't say that word," Starbuck said softly. "What word?" Apollo asked, confused. "Death. Please don't remind me that you died and I couldn't do anything to save you." "Starbuck, my love, you did save me. The beings of light brought me back because you were willing to give your life for me, remember?" Starbuck turned away. "I wish I didn't remember. I wish I could forget that it ever happened. Everyone else has forgotten the things that Iblis did, but I'll never forget." Apollo pulled Starbuck back to him. "It's all right," he whispered. "I'm right here. Let me help you forget." He kissed Starbuck hard, pushing his tongue between his mate's lips. The blond man groaned. "Make love to me, Apollo." Apollo smiled. "I thought you were going to make love to me." The Lieutenant smiled in return and pushed his wingmate against the wall, plundering his mouth and pushing their groins together. This time it was Apollo's turn to groan. "Lords, Star, I want you." "How do you want me?" Starbuck whispered in his ear. Apollo pushed his erection against Starbuck's matching hardness. "I don't know what I want. I've never done this before. All I know is that I want you." "Do you want me inside you?" Starbuck asked. "Y-yes," Apollo gasped as he felt their cocks rubbing together through their clothes. Starbuck removed Apollo's jacket, tunic, and trousers and soon his wingmate was naked before him. Apollo moved to do the same, but hesitated for a moment. "What is it?" Starbuck asked. "I love that colour on you," Apollo told him a bit shyly. Then he carefully, reverently removed the shirt, folding it and placing it on a chair so that it wouldn't get dirty or damaged. Then he removed Starbuck's trousers and underwear, freeing the other man's hard cock. He knelt before his lover and took the hard length in to his mouth. Starbuck gasped and thrust into Apollo's mouth. Apollo continued sucking his lover's erection until Starbuck told him, "Apollo, if you keep this up, I won't be able to frack you." Apollo reluctantly released him and stood. "Not fracking," he answered. "We're making love." They kissed, and Starbuck noted the taste of Apollo's lips - *his* taste. "Do you have anything, Pol? Any kind of lotion or cream? I can't just stick myself inside of you without some kind of lubricant." The Captain frowned. "No, I don't. Like I said, I've never done this before. I've never been with a man before." Starbuck kissed him again. "It's all right," he said. "Like I told you, I can think of many beautiful ways of loving you. We don't have to do that yet. It can wait for the next time." He took Apollo in his arms and lowered him to the floor. Apollo was thrilled to hear Starbuck say, "Next time." Was he promising that there would be a next time? "Next time?" he asked. His lover kissed him gently in reassurance. "Yes, Apollo. Next time. I want a next time. I want a thousand next times, or even more, if that's what you want." He lowered his own body on top of Apollo's and lined up their cocks, then he thrust against his lover. "Yessss," was all Apollo could gasp out as he felt their cocks rub together. "You like that?" Starbuck asked. Apollo nodded mutely, not trusting himself to speak. Starbuck lowered his head and kissed Apollo while continuing his thrusts. Apollo thrust back, wanting more of the delicious friction. He felt his climax building. "Star, I'm going to..." He didn't finish before he came all over them both. Starbuck continued to thrust into the slick wetness that covered both of them, and soon he came as well. After giving Apollo one more kiss, Starbuck rolled off him on to the floor. Apollo immediately moved to take his lover into his arms, and they lay there, completely sated and deliriously happy. "I love you, Starbuck." "I love you, Apollo." ---------------------------------------- I will love you tonight And I will stay by your side loving you I'm feeling midnight blue -------------------------------------- END