"Are you sure about this?" Apollo nervously took in the seedy surroundings and the dim neon sign proclaiming this to be the "Gray Side of the Force."

"That's exactly what you said a year ago, and that turned out okay, didn't it?" Starbuck grinned complacently. The bouncer passed them in with a grunt and a nod.

"Doesn't this place ever change?" Apollo shouted over the blaring music.

"Beats me- I've only been here once before, remember?"

"Yeah- I remember. Believe me, I remember..." Apollo followed Starbuck towards the bar. He smacked a hand away before it could grope Starbuck's leather-clad ass.

"Two Pete's," Starbuck called to the barman. Two foamy mugs appeared with gratifying speed. They both took their mugs and turned to face the dance floor.

"One thing's certain," Apollo said in Starbuck's ear.

"What's that?"

"I don't feel so out of place here in this get-up." He gestured at his own black leather pants and velvet shirt.

"You look absolutely wonderful." Starbuck tried not to drool visibly.

"You said that already."

"I'll say it again, and again, and again- because it's true. You look absolutely delicious." He gave up on the struggle and wiped the drool away.

"Yeah, yeah- whatever." Apollo was rather annoyed. It had been a year now, and Starbuck was still just as flighty as ever. He still ran just as fast and just as far every time Apollo hinted that he'd like some kind of commitment. Although, to give him credit, he didn't stay gone long, and he did always come back. But it would be nice to have something more than a casual sex partner and a good buddy.

"Hey, look- they're starting up a karaoke competition!" Starbuck grinned. Excellent. Everything was going according to plan. He couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than karaoke.

"Where're you going?" Apollo caught his arm as he set his beer on the bar.

"I'm going to enter the competition, of course," Starbuck replied, then was swallowed by the crowd. He returned a few moments later, to find a desperate Apollo backed into a corner by the little green muppet in the pink corset who had emceed the contest last year.

"I told you, no! I do not want to 'feel the Force!'" Apollo caught sight of him and beckoned him closer frantically. "Starbuck!"

"Lay off my boyfriend, you freak," Starbuck said, and punted the little green muppet clean across the dance floor. "Wow, it worked!" he said in surprise. "Maul was right- he told me that was the best way to handle the little guy. Otherwise, he never goes away."

Apollo laughed. "Ordinarily, I'd yell at you for abusing a much smaller and weaker life-form, but that critter was annoying the hell out of me. Did you get entered? And since when did you start doing karaoke in bars, anyway?"

"There's always a first time," Starbuck grinned wickedly, reminding Apollo of their own first time. He leaned in for a beer-flavored kiss. "All right, come on- let's get a bit closer. You can't see the stage well at all from here."

"Do I want to?" Apollo shuddered after a look at the stage's current occupant.

"Of course you do! I'm going to be up there, remember?" Starbuck grinned with anticipation.

"This I've got to see." Apollo followed Starbuck through the crowd to the edge of the stage. With a quick kiss, Starbuck left him there and went to the steps at the end of the stage- he was up next.

When Starbuck took the stage, he felt a moment of stark, primal terror. Not because of the lights, or the eyes- no. Because of what he was about to say. He grasped the microphone firmly and took a deep breath.

"Okay, folks- before I sing my song, I have something to say. A year ago, I brought my friend here as our starship was passing by Coruscant. Since then, we've been through a lot together, had a lot of great times... and great sex." He paused for the appreciative chuckles to die down. "And now, I think he's finally tamed this wild boy. Apollo, this is dedicated to you, and I just wanted you to know... I love you."

The music started then, and Starbuck focused all his attention on Apollo's upturned face.

Starbuck poured his entire soul into the words of the song.

"Thank you, Star," Apollo murmured into his ear. "You know, that was the first time you ever said you love me."

"Just because I can't say it easily doesn't mean it's not true," Starbuck replied. "I do love you, and I want to be with you."

Apollo pulled away to look at him. "Don't play games with me, Starbuck- you know how I feel about cheating, and you know I know you see other people."

"Not for quite some time, Pol- I don't want anyone else anymore, only you."

Someone bumped into Apollo. "Ah, hells- look, this is hardly the place to talk. Come on, let's go somewhere a bit quieter."

"The alley."

"What?"

"The alley behind the bar. I'm not going to leave here until we work something out."

"Okay, then- if you insist."

They pushed their way out of the crowd and emerged into the night air of Coruscant.

"Damn, I can't hardly hear anymore," Starbuck said, rubbing an ear.

"But it's easier out here than it was in there, anyway- hard to have a serious discussion when you're shouting over loud music and getting pushed around by a bunch of drunk guys."

"You have a point there. Now, where were we?"

"I believe you were trying to convince me that you could be faithful."

"Oh yeah. It's true, you know- I can be faithful, if I want to. And I want to- very, very badly."

"How do I know you won't just run off with the first cute girl that wiggles her hips at you? Or guy, for that matter."

Starbuck stared at him, wondering how to get through that suspicious nature. "Tell you what- give me a year. I'll prove it to you somehow. We can have this discussion again in a year, and you can give me your answer then, okay?"

Apollo smiled. "That sounds pretty fair to me. Just don't blow it, okay? I don't want to lose you. I'd rather keep you as a friend and casual sex partner than lose you entirely."

"You won't lose me," Starbuck promised, and sealed it with a kiss.