Rictor strode out of the video store and immediately walked into the rain, shoving the video deep in his coat as he swore loudly at nature. Star seriously owed him for that debacle, though Rictor still wasn't sure where the sudden burst of modesty had come from, just that the need to blindly grab a video and run was too strong to deny.

Julio still wasn't sure what he was supposed to make of the situation. The idea that Shatterstar could be planning a night of passion with some nameless person was unsettling, almost disturbing ... and painful, Julio had to finally admit. It was a very painful thought.

"Madre Dios," Julio muttered, kicking his way through the rain puddles. He could hardly even voice what really worried him. He could hardly even think about the real reason. If he did, if he dared, then it became *real.* Real. Real ... attraction. This real bond between ... friends? Or ... more than that? More than that, far more than *just* that. But did he dare to even hope for more? It would mean being completely honest with himself and telling everyone, his friends, his family, his enemies, that he was gay.

Rictor jumped feet first into a large puddle, casting his dark eyes to the heavens and smiling as the water streamed down his face. "You think too much, Julio."

But he did have to stop and collect himself before he met Cable at the car. Nathan was a telepath. If Rictor felt too much Cable would surely know his secret desire, his ... love? Or strong like, strong like was good, less scary. His strong like for his best friend, who was as asexual as they came .. or had been. Until today!

But how he wanted Star, just wanted to touch him and talk to him and not be afraid or ashamed of what he felt. Sometimes, in the quiet moments when Star felt comfortable and relaxed, Julio almost thought that perhaps, somehow, the warrior felt the same way.

Settled on the side of the road, Cable honked the horn of the car, looking annoyed, and Rictor lifted his head, grateful the rain could hide so much.

"Star, I mean, this will show you where to put things and whatnot, but it's not exactly realistic, you know? The relating, it's stupid, and the dialogue, no one talks like that, and, uh ... I'm going to grab something to eat. Want anything?"

"No," Shatterstar replied quietly, sitting cross-legged on the couch and waiting patiently for Julio to start the video. Julio shrugged and pushed the video into the VCR, disappearing up the stairs as the movie began to play.

"What am I doing?"

Julio put his head against the wall once he was in the kitchen. Complicated. It had all become so complicated, and a complicated life was the last thing Julio needed. Did he even dare to tell Star what he really felt? They worked perfectly as friends. Better than perfect even.

"What the hell am I doing?"

Then something came back to him. A sudden look from Shatterstar. *Really.* He said *really.* Julio narrowed his eyes, repeating the exact tone of the word in his head. *Really.* Almost ... eager? Hopeful? Surprised? No, Star's voice had changed pitched slightly, but it wasn't surprise. But he had said it. *Really.* Not the other word. Not *No.*

Julio grabbed the chips and a couple cans of cola, trying not to think about it all as he jumped down the stairs. Julio walked in front of Star, dropping the snacks on the floor, and he sat down, raising an eyebrow at Star's face. The utter, complete look of ... shock or fascination, Julio couldn't tell, but the face seemed almost blank with information overload.

Oh. Shit.

"Madre Dios, what the hell is this?" Julio scrambled to grab the box, not even having looked at it until now, not even thinking he should have looked at it, and his eyes went wide. "Star, I just grabbed it, I didn't realise .. they usually ... it should have been labelled," he finished lamely.

"But it is the same, yes?" Shatterstar asked slowly, his face red with ... shame? Julio blinked. He was blushing, but why? Or did Rictor want to know? "It is ... not so ..." Star dropped his head. "Do you know?"

"Huh?" Julio blinked, scarcely even hearing the whisper.

Star looked uncomfortable now, purposely pulling his hair in front of his face and drawing his knees closer to his chest. Julio sat next to him, setting down gently and touching his fingers to Star's shoulder.

"Do I know what, Star?"

"Nothing. I ... do not ... I was wrong to ask you this." The warrior spoke brokenly, his voice quiet and unsteady, disappointed. "It is ... nothing. Do not concern yourself, Julio."

"Tell me," Julio said simply, aware of his fingers and the body they touched and how that body shook. Was this the moment? Was he supposed to make it easier? He was more comfortable, but the fear, the fear was greater than any fear he had ever felt. "Star, tell me what's wrong."

"I cannot."

Tell him then, Julio thought, tell him the truth. "Star, I'm ..." God! To say it! One word and maybe, just maybe, it'd be all right. The body beneath him tensed, and Julio tightened with it, pulling his fingers away from the shoulder as if it was fire. He closed his eyes, unable to bear the silence or the look of the quivering body. "I'm ..."

But Julio's words were cut off by a kiss, close-mouthed, completely chaste, but so ... amazingly wonderful, beautifully loving. Soft lips, lips that had never kissed another person, had kissed him. Dark eyes flicked open and a mouth extended unsure of the words it needed to say.

"Star, I'm ..."

But the warrior was gone.

"Star?"

"Julio."

"Stop this."

"I am doing nothing." Julio stepped directly in front of the robot Shatterstar was presently dismembering and gasped when the sword missed him by an eighth of an inch. Intentional, he suspected, Star could get petty and childish when he wished it.

"Come on," Julio said, slightly irritated, terribly afraid. Shatterstar didn't budge. "Come on, Star, please!"

"I do not wish to leave. I am training," the warrior replied through clenched teeth. Julio wanted to smack him, to knock some sense into that sombre head, but Shatterstar was much taller than he was and huge in comparison to Rictor's slender frame. In the end, Julio suspected he would be in traction for many months. "Leave me alone."

"Madre Dios! You are stubborn! Will you come with me please?"

"Why?"

Julio sighed a heaving, massive sigh. "Because we have to talk about last night."

"No."

"Star, please, we have to talk. There are things here that you don't seem to understand, feelings that you need to see from me."

So there it was, Julio thought, he was admitting to something, *finally*, though the words still weren't right. It was something he couldn't explain, something he didn't know if he had the right to feel at all, but it was obvious now that there would be no rejection. If it had been unrequited, if last night had never happened, Julio would have been able to ignore everything, every little feeling, but it had happened. God, had it happened!

"Star, please. Come with me."

Finally, the warrior threw down his swords and followed quietly. Julio was uneasy with the constant stare that was directed his way, but he ignored the cut of the silver eyes as well as he could. It was unnerving but wholly necessary.

Rictor stopped at his room, the most private place he could find, so they could talk. Shatterstar brushed passed him coldly, holding the grudge until the last possible second, and sat in the corner of the room, glaring. Julio sat on the bed.

"Why did you run away last night?"

The warrior didn't answer, didn't have to, because when he looked up, when the silver eyes met Julio's dark ones, the world shook with profound understanding. You know. Rictor looked away, haloing his face with long brown hair as he sat uneasily on the bed. Yeah. I know.

"Last night ... you should have let me explain, Star."

"I have shamed myself." Shatterstar looked away, casting his eyes to the shadowy darkness he hid within. Rictor clasped his own hands tightly, wringing out his fears on yielding fingers. "You did not say anything."

"I was ... surprised, okay? I never thought, not in my wildest dreams, that you'd actually ..." His voice caught for a moment, afraid, nervous, hopeful, all of those things and more, but nothing less. "I never let myself believe that you could love me back until last night, and I didn't know what to say to that."

Star lifted his head.

"Star ... I'm gay. Do you understand what that means, what I need to tell you and can't seem to find the words to say?"

That gorgeous head nodded slightly, the eyes serious and solemn. "You are like me."

"I guess so." Rictor smiled weakly, sheepishly scratching his head and ruffling his dark hair. "So ... do you want to ... um ... we can be ... together. If you want to be with me. I," Madre Dios, this is sounding dumber by the second, Julio thought drearily, "want very much to be with you."

Shatterstar blinked, dropping his gaze as if he though he suspected this was all a cruel joke, but Julio looked at him still, trying to convince Star that he in no way meant to confuse Shatterstar's already baffling and fragile emotional state.

Shatterstar raised his eyes and spoke, "You have my eternal devotion, Julio. I will love no other."

Julio caught the shy smile before it vanished from Shatterstar's face, saw with clarity the force behind it, the dedication, and Julio felt the fear come back, the unintentional worry of mistakes and blunders, of messing up an already unsteady life. Sometimes things were too good to be true. "But what if ...?"

"I will love no other," Shatterstar repeated earnestly and looked at him, stray locks of hair creating a veil for his eyes, partially hiding him, but the look and the hope and the love flowed through Julio like he was paper. "Only you."

Rictor felt the urge to speak again, to try and slow the crusade for his own heart, but no words would come to his lips, nothing. The truth was he didn't want it stopped. Julio bowed his head into his hands, aware he was shaking, not because of his powers but because of the rightness of what Star said. This was it, then, this was what he had dreamed of getting and now it was all coming true.

"Julio?"

Rictor looked up at the soft mention of his name, seeing Shatterstar on the floor at his feet and wondering momentarily how he had gotten there.

"I will make you happy."

Julio looked down at the taller man, realising Shatterstar was deliberately lowering himself, putting himself as far down as his pride would allow. Despite everything, despite how far Shatterstar had come, Julio realised his best friend still thought of himself as a slave.

"Get up," Julio said quietly, moving over on his bed and looking to the empty spot. Eventually, Shatterstar slid onto the bed and pulled his knees to his chest, staring blankly at the door. "I don't doubt that, Star."

"My name is Gaveedra. You may call me by it," he said quietly.

"Renting that movie really was a mistake. I didn't realise it was ..." Julio's voice trailed off as his face ignited with a red hot blush. It had been a porn, yes, but not the video he had intended, not the man systematically does woman but the man loves *man*. It had almost been as if he planned it.

Julio touched Shatterstar's arm. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"With everything that I am, I swear it."

Pulling his fingers away from the muscled arm, Julio stood and locked the door, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room with his eyes closed. Waiting. Feeling. Fearing. What if this was wrong? What if ... what if this was a mistake after all? But ... what if he missed it and realised that Gaveedra was whom he suspected he was. The One. *Him.*

Julio lifted his head, his mouth opening slightly, to speak, to want, to love, and he gasped when he felt the lips come down upon his, hot and loving, a kiss that could shatter glass and set worlds asunder. Passion and love, pouring into him like wine, and Julio was drunk.

"I will love you," Gaveedra murmured, his fingers twining in the dark hair of Julio, his lips trailing down the shorter man's neck, holding him there, holding them within a breath of each other. "I will love you for all time."

"I know," Julio responded, his tentative fingers grasping the hem of Gaveedra's sweat-drenched shirt, noticing how the shirt clung and outlined *everything*. With a swift movement, he brought the shirt up the strong body and onto the floor. "You'll get nothing less from me, Gaveedra."

"My name sounds so wonderful when spoken from your lips," Gaveedra whispered as he set to unbuttoning Julio's shirt, his thumbs and fingers moving in a whir of passion and need, blindly stumbling but eagerly wanting. The silk shirt dropped to the carpet.

Julio looked at him, *really* looked at him and loved him more. The warrior smiled gently, his mouth creasing slightly at the corners and shattering the harsh outer shell that so many people judged Shatterstar on. He is so beautiful, Julio thought, when he smiles.

That understanding between them, that pause that spoke more than words ever could, lasted only seconds, and with a gasp, neither sure if it was their lips from which it had escaped, their bodies came together and met as lovers's bodies do, completely and with all the feeling in the world painted on their skin.

Julio put his lips to the tanned shoulder of Gaveedra, tasting the sublime salty taste such a kiss drew from the smooth skin, and he put his palms on the rippled stomach, rushing them up the flat plane of Gaveedra's belly. The treasure beneath his hands felt so *strong*. There was such power and elegance in that long, hard body, such overwhelmingly incredible beauty.

Fingers dipped into Julio's hair, pulling the brown locks from his rough face and Gaveedra kissed him again, tasting the forbidden fruit, aware of the freedom that loomed. What lips, Julio thought, what love and passion and desire. Everything Julio felt was reflected, all his wants and needs and yearnings, he could see it all in Gaveedra's pale, silver eyes.

"I am a Virgo."

Julio smiled to himself. "Virgin."

"Yes." Gaveedra blushed lightly, used to his fumbling and blundering, but somehow, when it never be so again, he was modestly embarrassed. Julio only seemed to relax further, hugging him, laughing gently. "Is that all right?"

"So am I, Gaveedra, so no worries, okay?"

"None, Julio."

Gaveedra kissed him again. They were both addicted to the taste of kissing, that warm sweetness that seemed to flow without end, that love that passed between them like lightning. Julio stepped back, closer to the bed, concentrating only on the movement of his legs before they turned to mush beneath him, pulling Gaveedra with him.

"How far do you want to go?" Julio heard himself murmuring, his fingers reaching behind the mass of red hair and pulling the elastic free of it. It was thicker than his and the touch of it was different, not quite human, not exactly.

"As far as you wish to take me." Gaveedra paused. "I would like that you take me all the way."

Julio smiled, shy and unknowing but wanton and ardent. He hooked his fingers into the black training shorts Gaveedra always wore, determined to see what he had only dreamed of seeing. Rictor had never thought it was wrong to want Shatterstar. The idea of loving a man came easily, far more easily than his bumbling with women, and there was a knowledge here that he didn't have with the latter. Rictor knew his body, so he knew Shatterstar's body, two of the same, familiar.

With half-closed eyes, Julio eased the shorts down the swell of male hips, so close to heaven yet so beyond it he thought this could only be a dream. Shatterstar moved, the long legs bending to be rid of the confining fabric. Julio looked up.

"Now you," Gaveedra said quietly, his voice thick with a heavy accent, heavier than Julio had ever heard before, but it was music, powerful music that made Julio's whole body melt. Gaveedra smiled as if he knew what Julio was thinking and put his hands on the fly of Julio's jeans, thumbs crossing to unbutton the clasp. The zipper hissed down.

Julio was both grateful and terrified to be free from his jeans. The uncomfortable pressure was gone, but now he was naked, nothing to hide what he felt, nothing to protect him from his lustful desires, nothing to lie for him, it was all gone. With a self-conscious look to the wall, he chuckled nervously though it seemed more a growl, low in his throat, feral and needy.

Julio nearly fell over when fingers came to rest on his hips, touching the swell of skin softly, and he looked up, watching Gaveedra's face as the warrior studied him, testing foreign ground. God, all the months of not knowing what to think, it all seemed crystal clear now. No doubts, no worries, just *love*.

Gaveedra sat down upon the bed, shuffling up the old, worn comforter Julio cherished so much, and Gaveedra waited, his gorgeous face half masked by the shadows. Julio went to him, rushed into the waiting arms and clung to the tall body. When their bodies touched, the heat of their desire seemed to touch and meld into something solid.

Just a touch, here and there, memorising the feel of the skin beneath fingers, the move of the muscles, the shift of the bones. With an almost hesitant curiosity, Julio touched the tip of his fingers to Gaveedra's erection and stroked, inciting a surprised gasp from the warrior's lips.

Julio had to laugh at the sheer look of surprise on Shatterstar's face, how the reddish eyebrows shot up and the silver eyes went wide, and the smile, that coy smile of understanding, that came last. "You like, mi Amor?"

"I believe I understand why others enjoy it so much, yes," Gaveedra whispered, smiling quietly to himself before wrapping his long fingers around Julio's shaft, teasing him as intimately as he had been teased, and Shatterstar grinned to see Julio shudder.

How comfortable it felt, Julio thought, how it seemed to lack the awkwardness and the fear he thought always accompanied these hushed first encounters. Julio ran his hands through the long red hair that seemed to be everywhere, pulling the smirking face closer and kissing the stretched lips, dipping his tongue to meet its willing recipient.

Gaveedra twisted in Rictor's grasp, leaving the Mexican's fingers wound tightly in his hair but moving his kisses down the slender length of Julio's body. From what Gaveedra had seen of the video, this seemed the proper thing to do next, and Shatterstar admitted to himself that the idea of it, of tasting Julio's desire, was as exciting as the concept of battle.

"What are you ... Madre Dios!" Julio arched his back, feeling the hot tongue tease him, the soft lips envelop him, the fingers curve into his hip, holding him still but stroking his skin, tickling the sensitive parts of his body. A perfectionist, Julio thought as he combed his fingers through the russet hair, splaying the beautiful mass on his belly, I should have known he'd be a perfectionist.

And the fact that he had wanted this for so long, the fact that the reality put the dreams to shame, Julio felt himself on the brink, his back arching already, his hips thrusting without his permission, tiny cries of ecstasy escaping his mouth. No, the desire, the lust, the pure and undying *love*, they all were his enemy and his body stiffened, ushering him into the swirling heaven of release. "Did I do it correctly? I have read so much ..."

Julio kissed him, shut him up and thanked him all at once, and he took the surprisingly light body in his arms and hugged him, letting their flesh mingle and meet. The body in Julio's grip was hard all over, and hot, hotter than he ever imagined it would be, but so soft too, smooth like a marble statue.

Gaveedra smirked when Julio let go of him and urged him to lie flat on his back. Julio's lean body leaned over Gaveedra's legs, the wet lips kissing the broad chest, worshipping the finely developed muscles, sucking on the nubs of his breast, licking and nibbling. Gaveedra gasped, never having suspected it could feel so pleasurable, and it only encouraged Julio, pushing him onward.

With a grin, Julio kissed Star's belly, tonguing his belly-button and chuckling lowly as the body jerked, incredibly ticklish and having betrayed the secret. Gaveedra weakly batted him away, laughing when Julio could never remember hearing him laugh before. Smile, yes, usually ruefully or awkwardly, but not laugh, never laughing.

Julio stopped the tickling, grinning as Shatterstar gave him a look of utter amusement and watched Julio travel down his body with keen interest. Keeping their eyes locked, Julio lowered his mouth to kiss the hot erection, licking the head with a coy grin. Gaveedra's mouth opened silently. Julio licked and sucked alternately, taking the greatest pleasure in watching the body beneath him completely relax then tighten with need, the grey eyes fall closed, the mouth open wider and gasp in quick breaths of air, the fingers twine in the covers.

It didn't last forever. He didn't expect it to last forever. Julio logically realised it had spanned maybe a minute or two, but it seemed to be forever, and he was content to think it was. With his hands laid gently on Julio's head, Gaveedra came and muttered something in the Cadre battle language, something beautiful and lyrical when the dialect had always seemed so harsh and angry to Rictor.

Julio clambered up to lie against the heaving body, watching the eyes open and turn to look at him. They kissed again, pulling tightly abreast, legs mixing to hold them together, and Julio spoke softly. "Are you all right?"

Gaveedra nodded, brushing Julio's hair behind his ears, running his fingertips along the Mexican's strong cheek bones. "I had never had that happen, not like that. I have," Gaveedra grinned shyly, biting his lip, "touched myself, but it did not feel so ..."

"I know," Julio breathed.

"I only ever thought of you," Gaveedra whispered with a light blush on his skin.

"Yeah?" Julio asked, and Shatterstar grinned that shy grin again. "Me too." Julio paused to share a kiss again with his lover, wanting it all and having the heart to take it, to beg for it, to give it all back. "Gaveedra, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why did you want to know about sex?"

Shatterstar bit his bottom lip and put his hand to his face, his eyes laughing. "It was my plan to seduce you. It seems to have worked."

"Madre Dios, we're a couple of idiots, aren't we?"

"Yes." Gaveedra hummed happily, absently tracing the pattern of a star on Rictor's chest with his finger. "Could we do more? I am not tired at all, and I am curious." Shatterstar looked up, watching the dark eyes. "I know that men can be intimate. Physically."

"You want to? I mean, yeah, sure, I have stuff." Rictor wondered momentarily if he sounded too eager, but Shatterstar only nodded forcefully, letting him go free. Rictor rolled onto his stomach and looked under the bed, grabbing the black box and pulling it from its hiding spot.

"All right. How do we do it?" Shatterstar asked, looking into the box and withdrawing a tube of lubrication. Rictor smiled, untwisting the cap and squeezing free a small blob, rubbing it on Shatterstar's fingers. "I see. Which role do you wish to take?"

"I want you in me," Julio said quietly. "Can you do that?"

"I have seen pictures. I assure you I can manage, Julio," Gaveedra replied with a grin, pushing Julio back lightly with his fingers to the trim chest. Julio reclined and lifted his legs, knowing the passionately intense love making had to come after the learning, the discovery of this foreign territory they wanted to inhabit. Right now they were two new lovers learning how to make love.

Shatterstar kissed Rictor's knees then sat between them, stroking the proud erection with greasy hands, teasing Julio who moaned appreciatively. Gaveedra's fingers dipped lower then slipped inside, feeling Julio tighten at the intrusion before his body relaxed completely, the eyes fluttering shut.

"Does that feel all right?" Shatterstar asked quietly, mesmerised by the sight of his fingers disappearing into the body he loved so much. Julio hummed and nodded, so in love, so completely happy. Gaveedra smiled, withdrawing his fingers and stretching up to kiss the beautifully parted mouth. "I love you."

"I love you," Julio murmured, concentrating on keeping himself relaxed, gasping when he felt his body stretching to accept the token of love and moaning when it felt better than anything else imaginable.

Gaveedra kissed Julio again, resting against him before beginning to rock his hips, sliding in and out with a rhythm that seemed natural. His hands dipped under Julio's legs, pulling the strong limbs around his body, connecting them in an unbreakable chain.

They moved like magic, a song played by an instrument only recently discovered, and it was perfect, loving, all either had ever thought or hoped it could be.

It wasn't complicated at all.