Star immediately pulled his lover against him. "Julio, beloved, what happened? Please tell me." Julio gave no response and Star knew true fear. His determination, however, was stronger. "I will not lose you to your past. Julio, come back to me." His voice was raw with pain but he continued to talk to the unresponsive young man, pleading with him, searching his mind for anything that might help when he came across the memory of that morning.

Holding the cold body tightly against him with one hand, he undid the ties restraining his hair with the other, letting his thigh length hair fall free. Laying Julio down on the ground, he quickly straddled those lean hips and leaned over Julio's face, letting his hair fall around them. "Julio, flame, I need you and only you. There is just us. Please come back, you are safe with me, please." He pressed soft kisses on unresponsive lips and lay his forehead against Julio's, "I need you, Julio. I confess my deepest shames to you. I am afraid. I fear losing you more than anything else. Please do not do this to me, it hurts."

His breath caught as he felt his flame's breathing quicken a little. "Yes, my love, come back to me. Come home." He pressed a kiss to Julio's forehead, glad the sun was still up, shining copper through his long hair. "I would promise to do what you want but you would not like that, I know. Instead I will tell you what I want. I want to take you home and make love to you. I want to fill you and watch you as you spill your seed over your stomach. Then I want to feel you inside me, pushing me to ecstasy. I want to taste you, swallow you. I want to hold you in my arms and watch you wake up to me with a smile. Come back. I love you."

Julio whimpered and began to shake as he closed his eyes and turned away. Encouraged, Star nuzzled his neck but stilled as he came to a light but recent mark he had not put there. Someone had touched his flame and anger burned inside him. However, answers had to wait. He would get nothing until he retrieved Julio from wherever the boy was retreating to. Moving up, he traced his flame's ear with his tongue, "That's right, Julio, come back. I am here."

There was another small whimper and words so soft Star almost missed them. "I'm sorry, Star, I'm so sorry." The voice was rough almost on the edge of tears and Star's anger froze into fear. What had happened?

"I am here, beloved, I will always be here." He continued to run his lips and tongue over the side of Julo's face and neck, his weight resting mainly on his elbows.

"Star, please don't hate me, please."

"I will not. I would like to know what happened but it is no imporatant. I love you."

Julio gave a wail of anquish and threw himself at Shatterstar, clinging to the body above him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Star supported most of his weight on one elbow so he could reach up and stroke Julio's back. "What is it, beloved? You can tell me."

"Lance pulled me in here and he kissed me and...I should have pushed him away sooner I know I should have. I was going to, I swear I was, but my body wouldn't obey and he kissed me and...Star, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm such a weakling. I didn't want him, I swear I didn't, all I wanted was you."

Star burned with anger, fairly sure he knew what happened. He did not allow his anger to enter his voice as he continued to stroke Julio soothingly. "Shh, did he kiss you first?"

"Yes, I told him I was with you, to leave me alone but he had me pinned against a tree and he kissed me. I was going to push him away. I'm sorry. I was too weak."

"You kissed him back?"

"Yes."

That word was so painful it made Shatterstar flinch drawing out another painful wail from Julio.

"Fuck, Star, I'm so sorry!"

"Did you kiss him more than once?"

"No, I just returned his kiss then he began sucking on my neck and I shoved him away from me."

"And after that?"

"He got mad and I told him I love you and he left."

Star shivered at his words. "Did you mean it?"

"I love you, Star, I really do, please forgive me. I wouldn't blame if you didn't. I fucked up. I was weak. I'm sorry."

Julio was almost sobbing in his arms and Star held him tightly, dropping kisses on his shoulder and temple. Lance had kissed him and Julio's body had responded as it was trained, giving pleasure regardless of Julio's personal view of the subject. He had seen it happen before, with some of the escaped pleasure slaves. It still hurt, though, hurt that someone else had marked Julio, tasted him, tasted his heat. "I love you, Julio. We are one."

The brunette pulled back, eyes red and puffy. "You forgive me."

"Beloved, you were conditioned as a slave. You did not seek to hurt me. Your were betrayed by your conditioning. I understand this. I will not lie. It hurts me and I do not like Lance's mark on you, but the mark will fade and the training can be broken." He leaned forward and kissed Julio softly. "No, my flame, there is nothing to forgive and everything to avenge." They kissed once more, a hard, passionate kiss of promise and love.

Finally Star stood, pulling Julio up with him. "Come, you need to eat and then I feel a desperate need for you."

Julio hugged the large body tightly. "Anytime, mi amour."

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Epilogue

Noone said anything to the pair as they made their way up the stairs though many looked at Shatterstar with fear. The next morning, Star insisted on walking Julio to school and quickly found Lance watching them. He pulled Julio to him for a deep kiss which Julio gladly returned, not caring that the school saw and knew of his lover. The pricks had never liked him anyway. After sending his love inside, the large man caught Lance's glare and held it, his own silver gaze promising pain and death until the rival lowered his eyes in defeat. He was there again after school to walk Julio home and the two of them were greatly entertained by Kurt's exagerrated stories of what had happened at school. That night, and every night after, the two lover renewed their pledges to each other, joined deeper than flesh and bone, soul mates.

~Finished~

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you all enjoyed the ride. It was fun to write. Thank you again to all who read this and an even bigger thank you to those of you who took the extra time to review. I appreciate the encouragement.