I watched Starbuck talking animatedly with Boomer. We'd just announced that our Sealing ceremony would take place in one secton. Silence had fallen over the entire room while a dozen pair of eyes had goggled at us. I'd felt my lover stiffen and knew he was panicking when what he'd feared seemed to be coming true.

But the next sound we'd heard was cheering and the tentative smile on Starbuck's face was worth all the uncertainty that had come before. Now, I just watched him looking like the animated Starbuck from the old days. But I made sure that I stayed where he could see me. And where I could see him. It seems that being apart wasn't an option these days.

I took another sip of grog and smiled at his expansive gestures.

"It must be love, Apollo. I've never seen a more besotted look in my life." Sheba's voice came from over my shoulder.

I turned slightly and tried to think of something to say. No matter how dim some of the others thought I was, I'd always been aware of Sheba's interest in me. "It is love. Came out of nowhere. But then I realized it had always been there. Cassie said I was clueless and she was right."

"I wish you luck then, Apollo. You're both good men. But what will this do to the squadron? There's regulations against married couples flying together."

"Yes. Colonel Tigh has asked to speak to us tomorrow. Starbuck has already volunteered to become an instructor at the academy. I don't really feel comfortable flying without him so I'll probably be stepping down as Squadron Leader. I think there's probably a place for me on Command Staff."

"You'll miss the flying." She eyed me speculatively.

I smiled and took another sip of my heated grog. "You're probably right. But as the fighting lessens, the need for exploration will grow. Especially when we near where we think Earth might be. I think that Starbuck and I could manage a flight or two. Now and then."

"He's worth giving up your wings?" Her look was challenging.

Looking over at my lover with the shining golden hair and the laughing blue eyes, I felt myself melt all over again. "He's worth every thing. Someday, Sheba, you'll find the other half of your soul and you'll understand. I'll be recommending you to replace me. Think about it."

And I left her with her mouth hanging open in shock. That felt better than it should and I chastised myself all the way over to Starbuck. But I quickly forgot about her when my eyes met my lover's and I took the full force of his sultry gaze. Just one look and I was ready to take him home and fuck him through the bed.

He knew it too. His eyes laughed at me and promised another lesson in man to man loving as soon as we could break away. But for now, I patiently answered questions about the ceremony and fended off the ones about our future status. I was pretty sure that Sheba would keep what I'd told her to herself. She wouldn't want anyone else as a rival.

At some point, I was alone with Derek and I mentioned to him that I was putting him back in the two-man room with his wingman, Rudy. He just nodded then blushed when I told him thank you for alerting me to Starbuck's nightmares. I could tell he wanted to ask about them but was afraid it was too private. So, I just smiled and told him all was well. He grinned happily at me and wished me luck before heading over to Rudy with the good news.

The party broke up with invitations to both of us for dinner on the Rising Star or a game of Pyramid but we turned them all down. Walking slowly back to our quarters, I thought to the evening ahead of us. Dinner with Father and Boxey and then some privacy while our son stayed overnight with his grandfather.

************

I was in heaven. That's all there was to it. Starbuck was washing my body and I leaned against the tiled wall of our turbowash, loving the feel of his soap-slicked skin against mine. I never realized how sensitive my skin would be with constant stimulation. Sometimes, I could swear I'd turned into a million nerve endings, all aching to be touched by my tactile lover.

He guided me under the water and shielded my eyes so no soap got into them. Always so careful of me, as if he thought I might break. I was not that fragile and I planned on proving it tonight. I ran my hands over his sides, glad that he was finally putting on a little more flesh over his ribs. Two weeks of constant feeding were having an effect.

Turn about was fair play and I pulled him under the cascading water to wash his hair. It was shining again and had lost that limpness that had been such a barometer of his ill health. Now it shone with a luster that rivaled the sun we'd just passed. Silky smooth, I ran my fingers through it in a soothing scalp massage that soon had him purring.

We rinsed ourselves clean and stepped out to dry. The wall blower dried our bodies while we finger combed our hair into semi-neat order. I loved watching him fuss over his grooming. He concentrated on every curling lock, trying to tame the flyaway strands but to no avail. Only when he combed balsam into the damp ends did the golden mane behave.

I watched him surreptitiously while I slowly donned my robe and tried to decide if I needed to depilitate again. Whisker burns would be hard to explain away tomorrow when we met with Colonel Tigh and I had every intention of kissing him from head to toe very shortly. Choosing the vanilla scented lotion, I smoothed it on and waited to a count of three before wiping it off with a wet cloth.

He hugged me from behind and I leaned back against him while he gentled a kiss across my cheek. "Hm-m-m, nice and smooth, love. I guess this means you're going to be gentle with me tonight?"

"I thought I might, unless you want to make mad, passionate love to me instead?" I widened my eyes hopefully and watched indecision cross his face.

"It's still too soon, Apollo. You need to be stretched some more and get used to having part of me inside." He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on my hair. "Let's just play some more tonight. There's something we haven't done yet."

I perked up and smiled in anticipation while he let me go and reached into the cabinet. But when he brought out the squeeze bottle, I was confused until he explained about internal cleansing. I could feel myself blushing and stammering out my agreement. It brought home to me very clearly what we were contemplating.

He left me alone with a soft kiss and a few simple instructions. I was nervous and had a hard time inserting it but once I'd activated the bottle, I relaxed and began to enjoy the rushing feel of the liquid cleanser. Within moments, I'd been totally cleaned out. While I washed my hands, I contemplated the changes in my life.

So many new things to learn that it was a bit overwhelming. But when I thought of the man with whom I was sharing these new lessons, it was worth it. Every single, unsure moment. So I smiled at myself in the mirror and headed out to see what new pleasures Starbuck had in store for me.

He was stretched out on the dark sheets, practically glowing in the dim light. Holding out his hand to me, he smiled the smile that always melted me to the spot. Joining him on the bed, I crawled into his arms and felt them close around me tenderly. Long moments passed in sweet kisses and gentle touches. We made love slowly, each caress a vow of our faith in each other.

Kissing down my body, he lovingly slid his hands over my hips, tilting them up so he could torment and tease my hardening cock. He licked and sucked on the tender skin of my inner thighs, making me shiver and moan. My hands massaged his neck and shoulders, feeling the heavy muscles there flex with every movement.

Starbuck blew on my rising cock then licked it just once before backing off. "Ready for another lesson, lover?"

"Lords, yes." My answer was halfway between a moan and a growl.

He just grinned at me and reached over the side of the bed for something. Then I felt something cool and wet sliding over my balls and back to my puckered opening. One finger breached me, spreading the gel deep inside where Starbuck had been before. He deep throated me at the same moment and my body couldn't decide which way to move. Moving back and forth, his finger played with me until suddenly I felt two fingers scissoring within the channel that stretched around him.

There was some discomfort this time but it quickly passed when he nibbled up the large vein of my cock to the flared head and licked the clear drops of liquid from the small slit. Then the twisting fingers touched something that sent a tingle through my whole body and I moaned louder.

"A sweet spot that every man has." He grinned up at me and moved back to that spot again and again while he sucked hard on my cock.

The tension grew inside until I could no longer hold off my climax and I spent myself within his warm mouth. He gently drained me dry and softly slipped his fingers free, leaving me empty. But not for long. Something slick and rippled slowly slid inside of me and my eyes widened when both his hands smoothed circles over my stomach.

"It's a plug to help stretch you and get you used to the fullness. Is it too uncomfortable?" His gaze was uncertain and I moved gingerly to try and get used to it.

"It's all right ... I think." I panted at him and took the full force of his smile

"Just for a while, Apollo. Then I'll take it out. I promise you'll enjoy that as well." He kissed my limp cock with his soft lips and he never stopped touching me, moving up my body slowly with licks and nibbles. Giving me time to get used to the new sensations.

This had to be why the creatures of light had brought me back to life. To love him and be loved by him. And as soon as I got my breath back, I was going to show him in excruciating detail just how much he was loved.

*****************
End part 8