The Captain sat alone, unnoticed, in the corner of the Officer's Club. He twisted the stem of a glass between his fingers, thoughts whirling through his head. What was he going to do?

Today was his birthday. In less than a centare, he was supposed to meet up with friends and family for an intimate little dinner, and he was expected to make an announcement about his intention to seal with Serina. Unfortunately, he didn't want to make that announcement.

"Apollo?"

A quiet voice interrupted his thoughts. Startled, he looked up, directly into the troubled blue eyes of his best friend and sometime lover.

"Starbuck! What are you doing here?" He smiled and slid over, making room on the bench seat for his friend.

"Looking for you," the other man replied. He sat, wrapping an arm around Apollo's shoulders for a quick squeeze. Apollo sighed.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, really," Starbuck replied, releasing Apollo reluctantly. "Just thinking—about tonight. Wondering if you're going to go through with it. Wondering if I'm going to go through with it..."

"Lords, Starbuck, if I have to do it, then so do you." Apollo drained his half-empty glass.

"Yeah, yeah, so you said before. And why are we doing this, anyway? Why are we getting sealed, when neither of us wants to?"

"Because," and Apollo sighed explosively. "It's supposed to be better this way. You know—better for our careers, socially acceptable, not going to destroy us in the public eye... all that felgercarb, and more."

"Yeah." Starbuck reached for Apollo's hand, under the table so prying eyes couldn't see and become suspicious. "It's all a load of felgercarb, if you ask me. I think it's the biggest mistake we could ever make... I don't know about you, but I don't think I can give up what we've shared."

Apollo made a small sound of protest. "Give up... hellfires, Starbuck, I can't give you up!"

Starbuck sighed. "You'll have to, if you go through with this and seal to miss nosy bitch. And what do you think would happen on my end, if Athena caught us sneaking around behind their backs?"

Sudden recklessness stole over Apollo. "So why should we do it, anyway? I say let's not!"

"Not?"

"Yes, not!" Apollo smiled, wide and happy. "Let's make this into a real celebration—of independence! Dammit, there's no reason we should seal to them, when we both know we love each other. I should never have listened to my father, and neither should you."

"You think?" Starbuck was less excited about the idea. "But what about our careers?"

"You know as well as I do that there is nothing in the rule book which prohibits same-sex pairings. It's just my father and his damned Kobolian prejudices we'd have to get around."

"And you're willing to go against your father? For me?"

Apollo looked into his lover's eyes and smiled. "Not for you, Starbuck. For us. I want to be happy, and I want you to be happy. So what do you say? Shall we finally be free and out in the open?"

"Let me think about this," Starbuck said, considering. "If I say no, I announce tonight that I'm getting sealed with Athena—a nice, safe thing to do, with a comfortable future. I'll be expected to be a good little husband, make lots of babies, and in general be responsible. If, however, I say yes... Then I incur the Wrath of Adama, and Athena, and Serina. I am free to be with you openly, and take all the felgercarb that our friends and fellow warriors can dish out. I'll be expected to be me... but still faithful, which can be kind of boring. Hmm."

Apollo felt a sinking sensation in his middle. Was Starbuck really considering... "Well?"

Starbuck left him suffering in anxiety for a moment longer, looking at him solemnly. "What's the date today, in the new reckoning?"

"7.4.00, After Destruction. You know that," Apollo replied impatiently.

"Sounds like a good day to declare our independence to me!"

Apollo laughed with relief. "Excellent! Does this mean that instead of announcing that we're getting sealed, we'll be announcing that we're breaking up with the ladies?"

"You've got it!" Starbuck's reckless grin was a mirror of his own. Apollo kissed his lover, for once not caring who saw them.

"Come on, then. Let's go and give everybody a birthday surprise."

The two men rose and left the OC. "But Apollo," Starbuck said, "Aren't you supposed to receive surprises on your birthday?"

 

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