Just Checking
by Sidra M. S. Vitale
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"Just Checking", an erotic Star Trek:Voyager short story by Sidra M. S. Vitale, copyright 1996. Paramount owns them, not me. MM, rated R, consensual. Kim/Paris. Spoilers for "The Chute", "Swarm", and whatever the hell the next episode is. Set during that episode.

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Kim sat up, watching Tom sleep. The other man was curled a little, head almost in Harry's lap. Paris was lying mostly on his stomach. Harry was propped up against a few pillows, hand on the other man's head, stroking his hair very gently. He didn't want to wake Tom up. Just had to sit for a while, just had to know he was okay.

It was something that hadn't decreased any to date, this nocturnal watching habit. But it hadn't increased, either. He had to see with his own eyes, that Tom was there, breathing, sleeping, dreaming. Just checking. First their experience in that prison and then his being hurt because of the swarm, Kim just had to check on Tom, was all.

So far, after they'd started sleeping together as well as just sleeping together, Harry would wake up once a night, maybe twice, and watch Paris sleep. Maybe it would go away with time, but for now he just waited, watching, stroking the blond man's hair, keeping an eye on him.

On duty, they didn't make it obvious that something new had happened between them. One, it was no one's business. Two, when you're on duty, you're on duty.

At some point - although Harry knew he was thinking way too far into some ideal future - they might formally request new quarters, together, and actually move all of their things into one space. In the meantime, Paris didn't own a lot of stuff to begin with, and it wasn't like there was a constant influx of new crew clamoring for quarters.

Tom made a noise, talking to someone in his sleep, then jerked and woke. He looked up at Harry, not recognizing him for a terrified moment. Kim didn't move. Paris took a shaky breath. "Whoa."

"You all right?"

"Yeah." He ran his fingers through his hair, rubbing his face a little. "Just a weird dream, not really a nightmare."

Kim nodded.

"What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Is that happening a lot?" Paris pulled himself up, suddenly worried. "Computer, raise lights to 25 percent of normal." He instructed. Kim shrugged, blinking a little at the lights.

"Harry."

The ensign sighed. "I wake up, I watch you sleep for a little while, I go back to bed. I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

"Well, you don't need to worry about me, either."

"I'm not worried, I'm just..."

"Harry."

"I'm just checking." He was starting to feel trapped.

"You should've said something." You should have told me.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just", he shrugged again, helplessly, "so much, so soon. And now the captain is off trying to save Kes, and there's nothing we can do!"

Paris moved to wrap long arms around Harry. "No, there's nothing we can do, Harry. But it will be all right."

They held each other for a while. "Are we moving too fast for you, are you worrying about us, Harry? Do you feel like you're betraying your girlfriend back home?"

Kim was silent, thinking. Finally, "I don't know." Again, softer, "I don't know. But so much has happened to us recently, I just feel like I haven't had time --"

"To absorb everything."

"Yes. To think."

"Would you feel better if I went back to my quarters for the next couple of nights? Would you still be able to sleep?" The last referred to their difficulty sleeping apart after the prison.

Kim gazed off into the dim distance of his quarters. "I think I'd be able to sleep." He looked at Tom with an almost-smile. "But I like having you in my bed, Tom Paris. It's where I want you to be." He took Paris' head in his hands and kissed him slowly, thoughtfully.

"Hmmm." When they finally parted, Tom's eyes glowed brightly, "Well, I certainly don't want to leave after a kiss like that."

Now Kim was grinning. "Oh, and what DO you want to do after a kiss like that?"

Paris' turn to smile. "I'll show you", he whispered. He pushed the covers off their bodies and moved to straddle Harry. He sat in Kim's lap, holding the other man's face. Ran his thumbs over Harry's face, stroking his eyebrows, the other man closing his eyes in response. Brushed Kim's hair with his fingers, kissing his forehead, the tip of his nose. Harry sighed and smiled, letting his head fall backward as Paris' lips moved down to his jaw, his neck. Then back up to tug at an earlobe. "You smell good." He commented, idly. Brushing closed lips against Harry's sandalwood skin. He was getting hard just smelling Harry.

Kim 'mmmmm'd in response. Tom played with the copper colored nipples of the other man, squeezing a little until Harry purred in the back of his throat. "You like that, huh." leaning to whisper in his ear. Then claimed the other man's mouth, probing deeply, taking in his taste. Harry took Paris' head in his hands to control the kiss, growling in protest when Tom finally disengaged. Kim was fully erect.

Paris sat back a moment on Harry's thighs, smiling at the effect he'd had. "You're beautiful like that, you know?" Harry flushed further. He bent to caress Harry's chest with his tongue, drawing slow circles on Kim's body. Then gradually working his way down, to flick his tongue against Harry's penis.

Kim shuddered with pleasure at the touch, thrusting upward with his hips into empty air. He pulled Tom up to lay on his side next to him. Dug his fingers into the other man's hair to kiss him, hold him still, skin against skin for a blissful moment. "I'm going to lose it just kissing you."

"Hmmmm. Sounds fun."

Harry closed his eyes again for a moment, to collect himself, and Tom bit at his clavicle. "Ooooooh, Tom, I mean it", he shuddered. Paris grinned.

Kim shook again. "Would you --"

"Would I what?" Nuzzling in his ear, nibbling again at Harry's clavicle, tongue playing with the divot at the base of his throat. Harry's skin tasted so clean, so clear, so something he didn't have a word for it. Electric.

"Ahhhhh." Moaning in his ear, then Kim collected himself and whispered, "Inside me, would you like to be inside me."

Paris kissed him, lingering at the other man's lips as he whispered, "oh, yes." Fingers dancing down to stroke Harry's erection just once, "yes." Drawing another shudder from Kim.

"I want to come with you inside me."

Tom grinned. "I think we could do that. Lubricant?" Kim pointed.

Paris grabbed the bottle out of the indicated drawer and handed it to Harry, who poured a little bit out into his palm and began to massage Tom's erection with it. Paris gave a low groan, thrusting into Kim's hand.

"Come on."

"Oh, I am already." They both grinned at the double entendre.

"Here." Paris moved behind Kim, taking the bottle back as Harry turned over almost onto all fours, pulling a pillow down to rest on. Tom drizzled a little liquid between Kim's buttocks and began to explore with his finger. Swirling the lubricant around with his fingertip, then gently pressing into his partner. A little more lubricant. A little deeper.

Harry shuddered, then moaned loudly as Tom pressed even deeper, probing with a second finger. He pushed back, breathing heavily. "You didn't tell me it would feel like this," he gasped.

Tom withdrew, "not everybody likes it." Brushing his penis in the cleft of Harry's buttocks, pushing gently in. Harry was so tight. They both moaned at the same time. Harry being entered, Tom being squeezed so deliciously hard. Gasping, each trying not to orgasm, as Tom penetrated centimeter by centimeter, until there was no further to go.

They paused. Kim's fingers dug into the bed, Paris' into Harry's ribcage. Calming down.

Kim squirmed backward and Tom tried to push deeper in response, then withdrew and thrust, holding his lover to him tightly. They found a slow rhythm for a few moments, both moaning with each stroke. Tom pulled back and Harry gasped. Paris could see the muscles in the other man's back tense and release. He thrust, holding Kim to him, and Harry cried his name, arching his back as he came. Paris waited, pressing deeply until Harry stopped convulsing, then thrust once more, sighed low and deep, fingernails scratching Kim's back, pulsing in orgasm.

Tom leaned forward, wrapped his arms around Harry and hugged him.

They disengaged, shoving wet sheets out of the way, and lay side-by-side, holding one another. "Did you like?" Paris asked unnecessarily.

"Did I!"

Tom kissed him and crawled out of the bed, "I want to clean up a little, I'll be right back."

"Sure." Harry's eyes were closed and he smiled, snuggling into the pillow.

Kim was deeply asleep by the time Tom was done and he stopped a distance away from the bed to instruct the computer to kill the lights. Then climbed into bed, careful not to disturb Harry.

Paris lay there in the dark for some time, carefully stroking Harry's fine black hair. Just checking, making sure he was okay, before falling asleep.

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End