Message of Love
by Terranfem
---

Revised June 2000; Original version November 1997

Introduction: The title says it all - this is mush. Pure mush. ;-). Slight reference to "The Chute". A little angst thrown in. No sex - not yet anyway. <G> This is my first ever slash fanfic so please be kind. Any comments (praise, constructive criticism) are welcome. No flames please.

Note about the revision: The original version was posted November 1997. I've always wanted to revise this since I first posted it and I finally got around to it. <g> If you still want to read (or prefer) the original version, I've still kept the link .

Acknowledgment: I would like to express my appreciation to Carla for the beta help! Many many thanks!

Disclaimer: All Star Trek characters belong to Paramount. I just want our boys to be happy and find true love with each other. :-)

Archiving: May be archived at PKSP and R'Rain's Slash Archive. Please do not repost anywhere else.

---

B'Elanna Torres accompanied a silent Harry Kim back to his quarters, a frown trying not to form on her ridged brow as she glanced worriedly at him from time to time. She opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it every time. They had just come from visiting Tom in Sickbay where he was recuperating from a severe concussion and several broken ribs suffered during their most recent away mission.

"Goodnight, Starfleet," she said as the door to Harry's quarters opened and she patted him on the shoulder.

Harry didn't respond, only staring silently at his darkened quarters. Just as she turned to leave, he reached out and stopped her.

"Can you stay and talk, 'Lanna?" Harry asked softly.

"Sure, Harry." She followed him inside and sat down on the couch. Harry sighed deeply as he sat down beside her, contemplating the nondescript gray carpet. She waited a couple of minutes then finally offered a tentative, "What's on your mind?"

Harry visibly started at the sound of her voice and smiled sheepishly. He had almost forgotten she was there. "Sorry." He sighed. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" she asked concernedly.

Harry took a deep breath, seeming to gather his courage. "It's Tom. I'm in love with Tom," he breathed out, his voice almost inaudible.

But B'Elanna heard every word and blinked in astonishment. "You're in love with Tom?" she gasped.

Harry ran shaky fingers through his hair. "What am I going to do, B'Elanna? I just can't go up to him and tell him, "Hey Tom, I love you!" now can I? He'll laugh at me. Or worse he won't speak to me ever again!"

"Calm down." She got up and fetched a glass of water for Harry. "Start from the beginning, Harry. When did you start feeling this way towards Tom?"

Harry accepted the water gratefully. "When did I fall in love with Tom? I don't even know myself. Sure, I loved him, but as a friend. I felt vaguely jealous when he and Megan began seeing a lot of each other. I figured it was because Tom and I weren't spending as much time together like before. I wanted to be happy for Tom but I began resenting Megan. A lot!" He grinned lopsidedly. "Then of all a sudden they broke up. I felt so guilty. I even asked him once what happened between the two of them but he wouldn't tell me." He put down the empty glass and started pacing restlessly.

B'Elanna settled down on the sofa and just waited for Harry to continue.

"I tried to convince myself I shouldn't feel this way! I was supposed to be in love with Libby. It scared me when one night I couldn't even picture her in my head and all I could think about was Tom."

"You managed to hide it pretty well," B'Elanna observed.

Harry grinned wryly. "I guess you can no longer read me like a book." His expression sobered. "I didn't want to lose Tom as my friend and I know he depends on me a lot too. If I told him that I was beginning to feel more than just friendship towards him, that would change everything. I'd rather have his friendship than risk losing him."

He sat down beside B'Elanna, staring at the carpet again. "It's been difficult," he admitted. "I almost told him when we were in that Akritirian prison. He was dying and I knew I would soon be dead too. I didn't want to die without telling him how I felt about him. Then Captain Janeway rescued us and the moment was gone. I was relieved I didn't tell him then yet at the same time I also regretted it."

B'Elanna smiled sympathetically, taking Harry's hand and squeezing it.

"I want to tell him, B'Elanna. We're best friends but it's getting so damned hard to pretend that that's all I want to be to him. Then down on that planet I was terrified he'd die and I cursed myself for not telling him sooner. I finally realized that I should tell him."

"So you'll finally do it? You'll tell Tom?"

"I will. Just give me time. I only just decided to tell him. I'll have to find the right moment and hope that our friendship survives."

B'Elanna grinned. "If you need my help you only have to ask, you know that."

"I know," Harry smiled back.

B'Elanna jumped to her feet, pulling Harry with her. "Get some rest, Harry. We'll deal with this tomorrow."

Harry caught B'Elanna in a bear hug. "Thanks, B'Elanna," he whispered in her ear.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be all right. You'll see." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. Goodnight, Harry."

"Good night, B'Elanna." Harry returned the kiss and released her. He bade her goodnight and B'Elanna exited his quarters.

Unable to sleep, Harry's thoughts invariably turned to a certain blond pilot and he smiled. Thinking about Tom always gave him a warm glow inside his chest. He loved how those blue eyes twinkled every time Tom would tease B'Elanna. And how he loved that self-satisfied smile he got when he won Harry's replicator rations in a pool game.

It hadn't been as difficult as he thought it would be telling B'Elanna about his feelings for Tom. He just couldn't deny it any longer. He wondered again how he would hurdle the task of telling Tom but no solution presented itself and sleep eventually claimed him.

---

Harry had been waiting anxiously for his shift to end so he could visit Tom in Sickbay. Without taking a break to get some dinner, he headed straight to Sickbay. "Hey Tom!" he called out cheerfully. "How are you feeling. . . " the question died in his throat as he took in the unexpected sight of Megan Delaney sitting beside Tom's biobed.

Harry almost felt physically sick with jealousy. What the hell is she doing here? Harry thought fiercely. Then his eyes focused on how she was holding on to Tom's hand and looking for all the world like she belonged by his side. Harry quickly plastered a smile on his face when Tom looked up at the sound of his voice.

"Harry!" Tom grinned. "I was wondering when you were going to drop by. Where's B'Elanna?" he asked as he looked past Harry, as if expecting B'Elanna to suddenly come bursting through the Sickbay doors.

"Last minute repairs in Engineering," Harry explained, studiously ignoring the entwined hands.

Tom nodded.

"Hello, Harry." Megan gave a quick nod of greeting. "Tom was just telling me about his daring exploits down on that planet," she flashed her eyes admiringly at the pilot. She reached up to brush a lock of stray hair from Tom's forehead.

It was only through sheer force of will that Harry stopped himself from forcibly tearing her hand away from Tom. Now's not the time or place, he admonished himself. "What did Tom tell you? Because I can tell you right now that none of it's true," he retorted teasingly and was rewarded by a crinkling of the blue eyes and a laugh from Tom.

They spent the next half-hour engaged in small talk (with Harry wishing that Megan would just go away) until the Doctor appeared and attempted to shoo Harry and Megan out of Sickbay, insisting that Tom needed to get some rest. Tom protested that he felt fine but Harry noticed the tired lines on Tom's face and he stood up.

"C'mon, Megan," Harry called out. "We'd better do as the Doc ordered."

"I'll try to visit tomorrow," Megan promised and leaned to give Tom a kiss on the cheek.

Tom grinned. "I'm looking forward to it. Doc said I might get out of here tomorrow."

The doctor harrumphed noisily. "The sooner you're out of my Sickbay, Lieutenant, the better I will feel." Then he went back to his office.

The three officers laughed.

"See you tomorrow, Harry?" Tom asked.

Harry clapped a hand on Tom's shoulder. "You bet." He noticed Megan holding Tom's hand again and he pulled at her arm. "C'mon, Megan." He felt a perverse pleasure when Megan lost her grip on Tom's hand.

"Bye, Tom!" said Megan.

"Bye, Tom!" Harry cast one more wistful look at Tom when he thought Tom had settled down to sleep.

---
A few days later. . .

"Hey Harry, B'Elanna wait up!"

Harry froze in place at Tom's voice and he glanced uneasily at B'Elanna.

The pilot sprinted to catch up with them. "Why didn't you guys wait for me after shift?"

"Hey, Tom," Harry smiled a little apprehensively. "I - I thought that maybe you had plans already and wouldn't want us to wait for you."

"Well, I do have plans but that doesn't mean we can't talk after work," Tom countered, his voice carrying just a hint of hurt.

"How are you feeling, Tom?" B'Elanna jumped in when the silence stretched uncomfortably.

"I'm fine, B'Elanna. Thanks." He paused. "Listen, Megan and I are having dinner tonight. Would you like to join us?"

Harry winced at the mention of Megan's name. Fortunately, it escaped Tom's attention since he was partially turned towards B'Elanna. Harry shook his head behind Tom, silently mouthing "No!" at B'Elanna. Dinner with Megan present was the last thing he wanted.

To his relief, B'Elanna nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "Sorry, Tom, but Harry and I have plans already."

"Oh." There was no mistaking the disappointment in Tom's voice. "Maybe tomorrow?" he asked hopefully and this time he turned to face Harry.

Harry smiled weakly. "Maybe."

Megan chose this moment to alight upon them and she immediately put a hand on Tom's arm. "Ready, Tom?"

"In a minute, Megan." Tom gazed intently at Harry. "Tomorrow?" he persisted.

Lost in those blue eyes, Harry could only give in. "Tomorrow," he confirmed softly. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Tom. Tom returned his gaze unflinchingly. For a moment it seemed as if they were alone in the universe.

"Harry," B'Elanna said softly.

Harry was immediately jerked back to the present and he felt an embarrassing hotness travel up his neck. He grabbed B'Elanna's hand much like a drowning man would grab a life buoy. "I'll see you tomorrow then." Harry forced his voice to remain calm. With that he and B'Elanna quickly entered Harry's quarters.

---

"This is not good, Harry. Not good at all." B'Elanna's voice held a tone of rebuke. "Tom's your best friend. You can't keep avoiding him like this."

Harry bent his head, unable to meet B'Elanna's eyes. "I know. It's just that for the past few days, every time I see Tom, Megan seems to always be there. How can I tell him now when it might be too late already?"

Her eyes flashed. "So now you're going to give up just like that? If you love Tom as much as you say you do, then fight for him! You said you were going to tell him. What happened?"

"I know I said I'd tell him but….but I'm scared, B'Elanna!" Harry cried out.

"Your friendship has always been strong," B'Elanna asserted. "If he doesn't feel the same way, I think Tom would still want to be your best friend. It's going to be awkward in the beginning but I'm positive you'll both find a way to work it out. Don't back out now, Harry."

Harry let out a deep breath. "Okay. I trust you, B'Elanna. If you believe my friendship with Tom will survive my telling him, then I'll do it." Harry laughed nervously.

B'Elanna smiled encouragingly.

"Which leaves me with one problem."

B'Elanna's smile disappeared. "What problem would that be?"

"How to tell Tom."

"What's wrong with you going to his quarters and telling him straight out?" B'Elanna always believed in being forthright. Harry envied her that quality. He wasn't that brave.

"I'm not too comfortable with that idea," he admitted.

B'Elanna sat thinking for a moment. "How about we put it in writing?" she mused loudly.

Harry brightened. "That sounds good. Something short and simple."

She snapped her fingers. "Hand me that padd will you?"

Harry gave B'Elanna the padd. "What are you going to say?" he asked curiously.

"We need something that'll get his attention." She tilted her head for a minute and tapped in a few words. She stopped writing when Harry still looked uncertain. "Are you okay with this?"

Harry decided to throw caution to the wind. "Yeah. Let's go for it!" He leaned over. "What have you got so far?"

B'Elanna scrolled up the screen and showed it to Harry. "How does this sound ?"

---

"Computer, location of B'Elanna Torres," Tom requested.

"Lt. Torres is in Ensign Kim's quarters," the computer obediently responded.

"How long has she been in Ensign Kim's quarters?"

"Three hours and 20 minutes."

I wonder what they're doing, Tom thought then smacked himself. What am I thinking? Didn't you hear them say they had plans? They're obviously on a date.

Tom ignored the feelings of melancholy that rose at the thought of his two friends falling in love with each other. He saw how Harry had held on to B'Elanna's hand as if he didn't want to ever let it go. They're your friends, for goodness sakes. You should be happy for them.

Still, he wanted to bang his head on the wall in frustration for letting all his chances to confess his love slip through his fingers. Damn! Damn! Damn! You're an idiot, Thomas Eugene Paris!

But what did I do wrong? Why is Harry avoiding me? he questioned himself. He recalled that time in the hallway earlier when he had to run up to catch up with them. They usually waited for each other if their duty shifts happened to end at the same time and they'd discuss dinner plans, and maybe run a holodeck program to unwind. But the officer relieving him at the con had several questions for him which detained him for a few minutes. He hadn't really been worried. Harry usually hung around to wait. This time Harry immediately called for the turbolift without waiting to see if he was ready to leave also. B'Elanna joined Harry at the entrance of the turbolift and caught Tom's eye.

He mechanically answered the relieving officer's questions, blue eyes staring at B'Elanna. He saw her say something to Harry who shook his head. There was an apologetic look on her face as she looked back at Tom again and they disappeared into the turbolift..

He barely acknowledged the other officer's apology for having kept him and walked as fast as he could to the turbolift, trying not to appear as if he wanted to bolt after his friends.

Tom shook his head. What did I do? He asked himself again and wracked his brains. He must have done something REALLY stupid and bad that would make Harry avoid him so.

By the time he had caught up with them, Harry and B'Elanna were deep in conversation. He had called out to get their attention and they had exchanged that cryptic glance. What was that all about? He began to be afraid. What if he lost Harry's friendship? The thought was so upsetting that Tom immediately pushed it out of his mind.

Their refusal of his dinner invitation reinforced Tom's fear. But oh that unforgettable moment when Harry had looked at him with some unfathomable emotion in his normally expressive eyes! Tom steadfastly held Harry's gaze and for a heartbreaking second thought he saw something in those soulful dark eyes that somehow mirrored his own feelings.

Tom almost cried out in frustration when B'Elanna had spoken and the moment was vanished. Megan had understood when Tom said he wasn't up to company. She kissed him goodnight and they went their separate ways.

He returned to his quarters, walking restlessly about. He really wanted to talk to Harry but got nervous and thought that it might be easier if he talked with B'Elanna first as a go-between. Tomorrow. I'll talk to her tomorrow, he decided. Tom replicated some tomato soup, changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, threw his uniform in the refresher and settled on the couch with a book.

Tom gave a startled jerk when his doorbell chimed and he glanced at the chronometer. It was nearly 2300. He yawned and stretched. Who would be visiting me at this hour? he thought. What the heck! Some company would be nice.

"Come in," he called out.

"Hey, Tom! Did I disturb you?"

"B'Elanna! Not at all! I was just reading. Have a seat." Tom gestured to the sofa. "Want something to drink?" He didn't fail to notice the padd she carefully set down on the coffee table.

B'Elanna held up her hand. "I'm fine, Tom. Sit down." She patted down the space beside her. "I want to talk with you about something."

"Sure, B'Elanna. Is anything wrong?"

She shook her head, smiling a little. "Not at all."

"I'm really glad to see you. I've missed your company." Then Tom quietly added, "Yours and Harry's."

B'Elanna winced. "I'm sorry, Tom. Me and Harry needed to work something out."

Tom stilled at that. What did she and Harry have to work out? Unless.... His voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Are you and Harry a couple now?"

B'Elanna glanced sharply at Tom. "What? Me and Harry?!?" she exclaimed incredulously. "No. No!" She repeated more forcefully when Tom looked skeptically at her. She took the padd from the coffee table and handed it to Tom. "I want you to read something.

Tom accepted the padd and began reading out loud.

"Tom, there's no easy way to say this so I'll just come right out and say it. I love you. I want to share my life with you. To be with you always and soar through life together with you. I promise you that if we fall, we fall together. But if this cannot be, I only hope that we will still always remain friends. "

His voice trailed off as the words sank in. I love you? B'Elanna's in love with me? But if B'Elanna is in love with me, then why is she spending so much time with Harry? Which still didn't explain why Harry was avoiding him. He had no choice now but to tell B'Elanna the truth.

Taking B'Elanna's hand, Tom gentled his voice because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "I'm flattered that you love me. I really am. At another time and place, perhaps, I could have fallen for you so hard. And I do love you, B'Elanna, but we can only be friends."

"Wait, you don't understand," B'Elanna started to explain.

"I love somebody else." Tom blurted out, releasing her hand. "It's not Megan, in case you're wondering. She's a friend. Nothing more."

"Then who?"

"It doesn't matter now. The person I love can't ever love me back." Tom buried his face in his hands, his shoulders hunched over in misery.

B'Elanna instinctively reached out and put her arm around his shoulder and tried to comfort him as best as she could.

Tom was so tired of keeping his feelings secret any more. He raised his head and there was a look of naked vulnerability in his eyes. "It's Harry. I'm in love with Harry. I always have." He didn't take his eyes off B'Elanna, steeling himself for the look of disapproval that would surely appear on her face at his unexpected announcement. What he didn't expect was the beaming smile she flashed at him.

Tom was confused. "What?" he asked cautiously.

"This message?" B'Elanna picked up the padd.

He nodded slowly.

"It's not from me. I only came to deliver it."

"Who sent it?"

"Harry", B'Elanna emphasized his name, "sent the message," she declared happily.

Tom waited for the punchline for this had to be a joke. She was kidding, right? Any second now she's going to say "Ha! Ha! Gotcha!". He was almost angry with her for how could she toy with him like that especially after he told her that he loved Harry?

Then he realized that B'Elanna would never be that cruel. She had always been straightforward and honest with him. If she said the message was from Harry, then it must be from Harry. "Oh gods," he exclaimed, his eyes widening. "You're not kidding, are you? Harry loves me!" Joy swelled in his heart. Harry wanted him! "Why didn't he tell me himself?"

"He was afraid how you would take the news. And it hurt him a lot to see the two of you together when you started seeing Megan again."

"Is that why he's avoiding me?" It all suddenly became clear to Tom. He remembered that odd look on Harry's face when he had visited Tom in Sickbay. Megan was holding his hand. And when he had visited again, as promised, the next day, Megan was also there. He recalled how Harry seemed anxious to leave that time. "Megan was never a threat. She knew how I felt about Harry." He laughed. "Hell, she knew even when I tried to deny those feelings myself." Tom looked at B'Elanna from beneath lowered eyelashes. "After our last date, she said she didn't want to go out with me anymore. I asked her why. Then she drops a bombshell on me and tells me I'm in love with Harry!"

B'Elanna smiled. "So that was why you didn't tell Harry why you and she broke up," B'Elanna commented.

"He told you about that?" Tom sighed. "How could I tell him I love him when I'd barely admitted it to myself? I tried to deny it and told her she was crazy. But she said she just had a feeling that there was more than just friendship when it came to Harry."

"Was there more to it?" B'Elanna wanted to know.

Tom quirked a grin. "Megan was right, of course. I was in love with Harry but I knew Harry couldn't feel the same way about me so I buried those feelings deep down. I thought I could forget by going out with other people. I was just hoping nobody would notice but Megan did."

"Must have been a blow to her ego," B'Elanna said, a little unkindly.

"Give her a chance, B'Elanna. Megan has been a good friend and she never did tell anyone about my secret."

B'Elanna nodded. "Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"You really love Harry?"

"Yes," Tom replied simply and suddenly found himself engulfed in an embrace by B'Elanna.

"I'm so happy for both of you," she whispered.

Tom closed his eyes in profound emotion. "Thank you." They shared a few minutes of closeness until B'Elanna disengaged herself. Her eyes looked suspiciously bright.

"Now go talk to Harry," she pushed Tom playfully towards the door.

Tom was excited but unaccountably nervous. "Is he still awake?"

"Yes he is. In fact, he's waiting for you."

---

The door chimed once. Harry didn't want to answer it. He was afraid of who would be behind that door. It could either be B'Elanna returning with bad news that the message didn't work (Oh, I just knew I shouldn't have told Tom!) or, worse yet, Tom would come and let him down gently. Explain that he was in love with Megan. (That little tramp, thought Harry heatedly.)

The door chimed again a little more insistently.

With heart pounding and mouth dry, Harry called out, "Come in." As always, his heart leapt at the sight of the person he loved most. He's so beautiful, Harry thought. He noticed Tom carrying the padd and then his eyes were drawn again to those hypnotic blue eyes.

"Hi, Harry. I know it's late but I wanted to talk with you." Tom wondered at how calm his voice sounded when he was feeling so euphoric. He couldn't wait to sweep Harry into his arms and finally (finally!) get to kiss that wonderfully luscious mouth.

"Hey." Harry kept his voice carefully neutral, still unsure of what Tom came to say to him.

"B'Elanna came by my quarters tonight."

"I know."

"She gave me some pretty interesting reading material."

This doesn't sound good. Harry abruptly sat down on the couch, his limbs threatening to give way beneath him.

Tom perched on the coffee table directly in front of Harry, their knees brushing against each other, forcing the younger man to look up at him. He took the padd and gave it to Harry who looked as if he wanted to fling the hapless object clear across the room.

"I thought at first the message came from B'Elanna." He gave a bemused chuckle. "I told her I love her -

B'Elanna! He's in love with B'Elanna?

"- But only as a friend."

Harry allowed a small sigh of relief to escape. His heart shattered at Tom's next words.

"I told her I was in love with somebody else."

"Megan?" the name seemed stuck in his throat.

Tom shook his head, the slight movement tousling the dark blond hair. Harry clenched his fists to prevent himself from reaching out to touch it.

"No. Megan's just a friend," Tom explained patiently.

A flicker of hope burned in Harry's heart.

"Then B'Elanna decided to put me out of my misery and finally told me who the message was from. I didn't want to believe her at first."

"Why not?"

"Because I was afraid of getting my hopes up. It didn't seem possible that the message was from the one person I've always loved but never thought I could have." Tom glanced shyly at Harry.

Harry gawked at Tom. "Tom," he began hesitantly, "Are you -" his throat seemed drier than ever, and he swallowed several times, "Are you saying you love me?" The flicker of hope began to grow into a flame when Tom reached for his hand and their fingers wrapped around each other.

"Ensign Harry Kim, I love you. I've always been in love with you." Tom kissed Harry's fingers. "And I want to share my life with you too."

The flame smoldered into a full-fledged fire.

"You love me?" Harry still couldn't believe it. "Since when?"

Tom smiled. "Since you told me that you don't need anybody to choose your friends for you. Everybody else warned you about me but you still wanted to become my friend. You were so brave and I just knew you would always be there for people you care and love about. I figured that if you could like me the way I was, there must be something to like. I began to like myself again and it was because of you," Tom said simply, his eyes full of love. He smiled. "How about you? When did you realize that you love me?"

"I loved you as a friend in the beginning. I was still in love with Libby then and missing her badly." Harry looked down at their hands. "But when I started to think about you more than Libby, I just knew my feelings for you had developed into something stronger and I realized that I was in love with you. He leveled a slight glare at Tom. "I was jealous of Megan, you know! I was terrified I'd lose you on that planet and then the Doctor said you were going to be all right. To make matters worse, I had to face the possibility of losing you again, but this time to Megan!"

Tom tightened his grip on Harry's hands. "I'm sorry about that. She's just a friend. You've nothing to worry about, okay, now or ever." He tried to reassure Harry with his eyes and he smiled when Harry finally gave him an answering smile back.

"If only we had been brave enough to tell each other how we felt before." Tom shook his head in disgust at the time they'd wasted. "We could have been together sooner." He straightened determinedly. "But that's all in the past now. All that matters is that we're finally together!"

"Together," Harry echoed. He pulled Tom close for a fierce embrace. "I love you, Tom."

Their mouths met in a gentle exploratory kiss that quickly turned into a frantic tangling of tongues and heavy breathing as neither wanted to part their mouths long enough to take proper breaths.

They finally settled back on the couch, arms clasping each other close. Harry's head rested on Tom's chest while Tom slowly caressed the soft golden skin.

"Harry?"

"Hmmm. . ." Harry captured Tom's fingers in his mouth and was busily nibbling and kissing each tapered fingertip.

"That was a beautiful message of love."

Harry chuckled sheepishly. "Actually, B'Elanna wrote most of it. The only part I added was "I love you."

"Really? B'Elanna?" Tom couldn't imagine it. "I wouldn't have guessed she wrote it. Who knew that beneath those fierce Klingon features lurks a romantic side?"

"I know. I couldn't believe it myself when I read what she wrote. I think she has a crush on you," Harry teased.

"She does not!"

"C'mon, she wrote it as if she was writing it for herself." Giddy with joy and happiness, Harry couldn't resist clowning around. "She wanted to confess her true feelings for you. . ."

He was suddenly silenced when Tom's lips descended on his with a burning kiss which he only too willingly accepted, his lips parting eagerly for Tom's fevered invasion.

The need for more air made them break contact and Harry looked into those shining blue eyes that were filled with so much love. He took Tom's hand and placed it over his heart. "I meant every word in that message, Tom. I love you. You're the only one I'll ever want and need."

"You are my life, Harry. I'll always be here," Tom promised solemnly.

"Me too." Harry leaned in for another kiss. "Together always," he vowed, a smile lighting up his face.

---

End