BY YOUR COMMAND - Static ARCHIVE

Yahrens of shame and hiding, veiling
truth of feeling
With rules or wiles, duty or debauchery

Struggling against the bonds of fate,
Lords predestined,
Bearing easy the yoke of friendship

Life for life so often offered,
wingmate or no:
Cannot let you go without me

Masquerading loves accepted,
even marriage -
Scorning the will of the Lords was tragic

One or many, doesn't matter
in the end -
Foolish to resist the tides of passion

Cores of heat and pulsing rainbows,
fountains of life
Spraying high to celebrate our love

Orphan and Heir are bound together,
now and always
Friends, lovers and forever-mates.

Apollo read the words through the veil of liquid that had suddenly welled up in his eyes.

"That's a beautiful anniversary gift, Star," he said huskily. "I had no idea you were capable of writing a Caprican sonnet. I thought dirty limericks were more your style."

Starbuck pulled off his uniform pants and undergarments together, and tossed them over a chair. "I have to be able to surprise you with something after all this time," he grinned, then paused. "Boomer helped me with a few of the words," he admitted. "The thing with a sonnet is you can't write one about something you're not really interested in - that's why you had to help me write that stupid assignment at the Academy."

"Ah, I see." Apollo held the sheets open for his Sealmate of five yahrens.

"The instructor wanted a Caprican or Sagittan sonnet about stars, for Sagan's sake!" Starbuck settled his butt against Apollo's hip. Yeah, he was interested. "The Caprican is easier, with just seven verses of four accented syllables, then two, then four again. What's the Saggitan? Sixteen verses of four lines of iambic tetrameter and a couplet of anapestic pentameter? And the topic! There are an awful lot of stars out there - what the frack was I going to write about them for even seven verses, let alone sixteen?"

Apollo wrapped an arm around Starbuck, holding him close. "I'm flattered that you could write seven verses about us." He nibbled on Starbuck's shoulder. "It makes me ashamed that all I gave you was a nice dinner on the Rising Star, and this room."

"But that's my favorite thing for an anniversary, Pol." Starbuck pushed back against Apollo's front for emphasis. "Spending time with you - alone."

"When we first did that, you said you just wanted sex," Apollo reminded him, turning to snag lube from the drawer.

"Still want sex." Starbuck's chuckle turned to a gasp.

"It shocked me, that you wanted sex with me." One thrust, they were joined.

"Had to do something to protect you from Sheba." Mmm, nice.

"So you offered yourself instead?"

"You were ready to blow a gasket. Sexual backup." Back up and writhe.

"So you thought I'd frack anything that was readily available? Stop wriggling so much!"

"Yes indeed - even horse-face. I can't help it. Not enough." More, please!

"I just wanted to frack you through the floor. Like I do now."

"We're on a bed. But frack me through the floor if you want. If Sheba'd offered first, you'd have gone for it. She wanted Sealing."

"Get on your knees and hold onto the headboard. I might have fracked her, but I never wanted to Seal again. How's that? Better?"

Inarticulate sound. "Sheba would've wanted to be on top. Yes! Oh yes, this is better! "

"Ah, Star! So tight, so hot! I don't mind bottoming once in a while." Not at all.

"Harder, Pol! I like your bottom - can I have it later?"

"Already thinking ahead? I must be doing something wrong. Especially since you've been speaking in Caprican sonnet format for - oh, five verses. Since you were talking about spending time alone with me."

"Maybe it's because we skipped the foreplay. You think? Plunging right into sex is crass."

"Stop! You're speaking in verse again. Stop it, Star! Maybe we need to start over with kissing." Long pause. "Oh Lords, now you have *me* doing it! No more talking until we're done. Got that?" Apollo was growly. Growly Apollo was fun.

"You never wanted to Seal again?" Starbuck had never listened to orders well.

"No. Never." Ruthless thrusting, hitting that bliss spot each time.

"So why did you ask me to Seal with you?" Gasping groan. So close, so close!

"Because I loved you too much not to."

"Sweet, Pol." All he could manage.

"Feel the pulsing rainbows, Starbuck!" He did. Oh, he did! "I'm feeling the cores of heat."

Both of them cried out. Collapsed.

"Love you," Starbuck breathed.

Apollo chuckled against the back of his neck. "Fountains of life spraying high? That might be worthy of a dirty limerick."

"No it isn't," Starbuck protested. "It's a representation of loving sex."

"Now we're speaking in verse together! Must be a curse!"

"Must be a curse to speak in verse," Starbuck intoned. "Tell me again that you loved my poem."

"I did. I never thought you had it in you." Starbuck was turned and soundly kissed. "I love you, Star."

"And I love you, Pol. See? The curse is lifted." He traced a dark brow. "Beautiful."

"You're the beautiful one, Star"

"Still love me?"

"Always."

"Happy Anniversary, Pol. Maybe for our tenth anniversary, I'll write you a Saggitan sonnet. It'll take me five years to do it!"

The End