Starbuck smiled wickedly, as an old memory surfaced and demanded attention. He waited until Apollo was engrossed in his goblet, then spoke up.

"How's this for a memory?" He twirled the stem of his ambrosa goblet, idly watching the potent fluid swirl about through the clear crystal. They had been reminiscing for hours, as the level in the bottle slowly dropped, both of them sprawled comfortably on Apollo's couch. Apollo raised an eyebrow, curious. "The first time we tried this stuff."

Starbuck looked up from his goblet to watch Apollo's reaction.

Apollo frowned briefly at his glass. "The first time... oh!" His eyes widened, and he blushed as the memory swept over him with astonishing clarity.

"I feel... funky," Starbuck observed, trying to focus on his friend. Apollo sprawled beside him on purloined cushions, blinking owlishly.

"Funky good, though, right?" Apollo swam into focus, then receded again. "Not funky bad. At least, I don't feel funky bad. Do you?"

Starbuck considered carefully. "No, no I don't."

"I think I like trying new things."

"Me too." The boys, determined to discover just what they were missing out on, had purloined a bottle of fine ambrosa and had spirited it off to their secret hideaway- not much bigger than a closet, but unused by the building's tenants and therefore perfect for a hideout. The two friends escaped to it every chance they got.

"Speaking of new things," Apollo said, "there's something I'd really like to try."

"Yeah? What is it?" Starbuck gave up trying to focus and just lay back on his own cushions, enjoying the warm pleasant tingle of the ambrosa in his system.

"Sex." Apollo paused. "Or even just kissing first, you know?"

"Yeah." Starbuck thought about the concept for a moment, the wheels of his brain turning slowly. "What if I finally get a girl, and I don't know what to do? Or how to do it right?"

"I know what you mean. I wonder how too- what's Doing It really like? How do you know what to do?"

"Too bad we can't, you know, kind of practice."

Apollo sat up abruptly. "That's it! We can practice!"

"Oh yeah? On who?"

"On each other, nitwit!"

Starbuck's eyes popped open. He gaped at Apollo, who was grinning like an idiot. "Each... other?"

"Who better? That way, nobody but us will know we've never kissed before, see?"

Maybe it was the ambrosa, but Starbuck did see. He cocked his head and looked at Apollo through the pleasant haze. "Just practice, right? Not like it means anything."

"No, of course not," Apollo said hastily. "Nothing at all."

"Okay, then." With a quiver in his middle, Starbuck reached out to his friend, pulling him close. "I'll try anything once."

He planted his lips firmly on Apollo's. Their noses bumped into each other.

"Ow!" Apollo pulled quickly away, rubbing his nose and giggling. "Here, let me try." He leaned forward, head tilted at an angle, and kissed Starbuck. Two sets of wide-open, startled eyes locked.

"Now what?" Starbuck spoke against Apollo's lips. Apollo shivered and put a hand behind Starbuck's head, enjoying the tingles racing through his body.

"I think we're supposed to have our eyes closed," he said breathlessly when the kiss had ended. He shut his eyes, then kissed Starbuck again, with less force this time. That felt even better.

Then Starbuck licked his lips. Apollo froze, not even daring to breathe. He liked that. In fact, he liked that very much.

"Breathe, silly!"

"Feels good, though." Apollo gasped for air and grinned, even though he knew his face was red.

They tried again. This time, hesitation and uncertainty melted away as lips and tongues explored and played with each other.

"That was nice," Apollo said, pulling away when it felt like he must either stop or die of happiness. Doesn't mean anything, huh? Boy, you lie.

"Very, very nice..." Starbuck smiled, rolled languidly over to grasp the neck of the forgotten ambrosa bottle. "More ambrosa?"

"We were so young and innocent," Apollo smiled. He gazed at his friend thoughtfully. Wonder if he knows that's one of my most cherished memories? Nah... "What were we, fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Something like that. Why'd we ever stop?" He laid a hand on Apollo's thigh, an open invitation in his eyes.

"Uh..." Apollo blinked rapidly several times, wondering if he was imagining things. "Because we were young and stupid?" He smiled and covered Starbuck's hand with his own.

"Stupid indeed."

For a long moment, the two men stared at each other. Then Apollo leaned forward and brushed his lips against Starbuck's. "Shall we make up for that mistake?"

"Yes, let's," Starbuck agreed distractedly, already busy exploring with his hands.

(Feel free to imagine your own ending to this- I don't feel like writing all the juicy details. *g*)