Under The Mistletoe
by Terranfem
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December 1997

Intro: Paramount owns all Star Trek characters. No copyright infringement intended. All songs belong to the composers. I apologize for any errors in the song lyrics. No infringement on their copyrights either. Hope you enjoy this short story! It's the holidays and I just had this urge to write a Christmas story involving our boys.

Feedback: Any feedback would be very much appreciated! :-)

Archiving: PKSP and my own website only for now.

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"What do you want for Christmas, B'Elanna?" Harry asked his friend.

B'Elanna looked up from the couch and shrugged indifferently. "Nothing really. My family didn't celebrate Christmas all that often and after I joined the Maquis, there seemed to be no point in it." She smiled mischievously at Harry. "But I bet I know what you want!"

Harry blushed furiously. "Don't even start, B'Elanna!"

B'Elanna laughed. "You look so cute when you get all red like that!" She patted Harry's arm. "You've been a good boy. Maybe Santa will finally give you what you want for Christmas."

"I wish!" Harry sighed wistfully. But what he wanted (or rather, who he wanted) wouldn't fit in a stocking. Well, he amended smiling wickedly, one part of Tom would definitely fit in a stocking!

"If you'd only told me years ago that you loved Tom, I wouldn't have gone out with him. I feel so awkward about it now," B'Elanna said, feeling a little guilty. "But now that I'm not seeing Tom any more, why don't you go after him?"

"B'Elanna, stop it," Harry blushed again. It was getting mighty warm under his collar. B'Elanna would go on teasing him all night if he let her so he decided to change the subject. "C'mon, let's go to the party or we'll be late." He pulled B'Elanna up from the sofa.

"Coward," she chided teasingly.

Harry merely grinned in tacit agreement and arm-in-arm they headed for the Mess Hall where Neelix had arranged a Christmas party.

The party was already in full swing when Harry and B'Elanna arrived. Almost immediately, Harry's eyes scanned the room looking for Tom and found him holding court at the kitchen counter turned bar.

"You go find us a table and I'll get Tom," Harry instructed B'Elanna. She nodded and went off in search of an empty table. She was later joined by Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok.

"Harry!" Tom's eyes lit up when his best friend was finally able to shove his way to the front of the crush of people crowding the bar. "Thought you'd never get here."

"Hi, Tom. Can Neelix handle things here? Let's go eat. I'm starving!"

A few hours later, all the food (except for Neelix's Leola Root Special Christmas Stew that was decorated with some green and red vegetables) had been eagerly consumed. The crew sat at their tables, chatting happily away, savoring the occasion and feeling of camaraderie and friendship.

Everybody snapped to attention when Janeway stood up, clinking her spoon on a wine glass.

"How about a musical number from Harry?" piped up Janeway, smiling merrily at Harry.

"Captain!" Harry half-protested. "I don't have my clarinet," hoping that would get him out of it.

"No problem." Janeway addressed the computer. "Computer, replicate one clarinet and charge it to my account." A shiny brass clarinet shimmered into existence and she picked it up. "You're out of excuses, Ensign." She eyed him mock threateningly. "Don't let me make it an order, Harry."

Harry laughed and held out his hand for the clarinet. "Okay, Captain. I give up." He walked to the front of the room where some chairs had been hastily assembled in a semi-circle around a single microphone. His mind was already racing through some classic Christmas carols from Earth circa 20th Century that he could play. As he raised the clarinet to his lips, the Captain gestured for him to stop.

"Wait, Harry. I want somebody to sing while you play the music." Her eyes quickly scanned the room.

Tom, who was chatting with B'Elanna, stopped in mid-sentence and turned beet red when he saw the Captain's gaze zeroing in on him. "Oh no, not me, Captain. My voice isn't good enough."

Janeway pulled him up by the arm. "Nonsense! I've heard you sing during talent night. You've got a great voice. You and Harry would make a great team."

Amid whistles and cries of encouragement, including some coming from Harry, Tom joined Harry on the stage and sat in front of the microphone. Since there was only one microphone, Harry had to pull his chair really close to Tom so the music from his clarinet would also be picked up and amplified.

Feeling a little nervous as all eyes in the room focused on them, Tom faced the audience. "So, what do you want to hear tonight, folks?"

"How about - " Janeway had a melancholy smile on her lips and a faraway look in her eyes. "-'I'll Be Home for Christmas'?"

Harry smiled for the captain had chosen the very same song he wanted to play. He lifted the clarinet to his lips. The lovely melody soon filled the room and the hubbub abated as the crew stopped to listen.

Tom began to sing the poignant lyrics, that despite being an Earth song, nevertheless echoed every crew member's yearning to someday be home. Not necessarily for Christmas or even any special holiday. But just someday to reach home and be with their loved ones.


I'll be home for Christmas,
you can plan on me.
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.
Christmas eve will find you
Where the love light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams.
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.
Christmas eve will find you,
Where the love light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams.


As his fingers effortlessly played the clarinet, Harry felt the expected pang of homesickness hit him. This holiday, more than any other, reminded him of his family and the old love he had left behind. To his surprise, however, his yearning for home was not as intense. And he knew why he didn't miss home so much. It was because of the man beside him who was singing with so much heartfelt longing and emotion.

As the lyrics tugged at his heart and Tom's voice echoed in his ears, Harry knew he loved Tom more than ever. And that no matter how far away he was from his family, he wouldn't trade this time with Tom for anything.

Wherever you are, Tom, that'll be home for me, Harry thought and his lips curled in a smile around the mouthpiece as he looked at Tom.

Tom smiled back as he caught Harry's eye.

Their stirring rendition of the song soon came to an end. As Harry and Tom took their bows, Harry spied a glint of wetness on the cheeks of the people seated near the stage. And in the back of the room, he could see people surreptitiously dabbing at their eyes. Even the normally stoic Tuvok was visibly moved.

Tom and Harry hugged and congratulated each other, as enthusiastic clapping erupted around them. Thinking their duty to provide the musical entertainment fulfilled, they were about to leave the improvised stage but halted at B'Elanna's outcry.

"Hey, wait a minute! Who said you were done? I want to hear another song," B'Elanna called out from her chair.

Cries of "Yeah!" and "More!" broke out. Chakotay yelled, "Hear! Hear!"

A little less nervous about a public performance since their first number had gone over so well, Tom and Harry exchanged a questioning glance and, in mutual agreement, sat back down. "Okay. Any special requests?" asked Harry this time.

"How about 'Christmas and You'?" coyly suggested B'Elanna.

Harry knew B'Elanna was teasing him again about Tom. And in public too! Gods! She was truly incorrigible. He tried not to look too dismayed at B'Elanna's choice since Tom was right there beside him. I'm going to get you for this! he thought while looking at B'Elanna.

B'Elanna grinned impishly. "You can't turn down a request," she pointed out.

"Oh yes we can!" Harry shot back. But Janeway was looking expectantly at them so he shrugged and turned to Tom. "Do you know the lyrics?"

Tom's brow was scrunched in concentration. "I think I remember most of it," he replied. "Just play the music and hopefully I'll remember most of it as we go along."

Once again, the audience settled back to listen in appreciative silence as the pair on the stage began.

Janeway ordered the lights dimmed throughout the room except for the lights at the front that bathed the two figures on the stage in a warm glow.

Tom faced the audience as he began to sing-


I'll remember Christmas and you,
All through the rest of the year.
I'll be hearing jingle bells ring
Even when spring time is near.
I'll remember our walk through the snow
And the way we kissed without a sign of mistletoe.


As he went into the second verse, Tom turned to look at Harry for a second and from that point on did not even look back at the audience. As the words flowed out, his whole body turned fully towards Harry and blue eyes bored deep into soulful black.

Harry, mesmerized by those blue eyes he loved, got swept away by Tom's singing. It was as if the audience faded away and there was just the two of them in the room. Just him playing for Tom, and Tom singing just for him.

Oblivious to everybody but each other, the two friends performed in perfect harmony, their bodies moving imperceptibly closer, their eyes never losing contact. Harry felt he could gladly drown in those blue depths. He wished more than anything else that he could tell Tom how much he loved him.


I'll be dreaming and, when I do,
Christmas and you will be here.
I'll remember our walk through the snow
And the way we kissed without a sign of mistletoe.
I'll be dreaming and when I do,
Christmas and you will be here.


When the song ended, it took Harry a few seconds to notice the applause from his crewmates and he started as if waking from a dream. Tom just sat looking at him, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips. He tugged Harry to his feet and both bowed to their audience, taking in the applause.

"Thank you everybody!" Tom waved. "And that concludes the musical portion of the evening. Goodnight one and all. And Happy Holidays!"

The crew members laughed and they began to file out of the Mess Hall, still chatting with their friends and crewmates. Eventually only Tom, Harry, B'Elanna and Janeway remained.

"Well done, Harry. Tom," Janeway clapped the two men on the shoulders and they began walking towards the exit. "Let's not wait too long to hear you two perform again, okay?"

"Okay, Captain," Harry replied warmly, still relishing the memory of the applause and the captain's praise.

Tom nodded.

"Hey, Captain, look where you're standing!" B'Elanna pointed above their heads.

Janeway looked up and smiled. She was right under the mistletoe. "That means I get a Christmas kiss each from Tom and Harry."

Tom was the first to plant a great big, noisy and affectionate kiss on Janeway's right cheek. When he tried to step aside to make room for Harry, Janeway slipped an arm through his elbow and kept him firmly at her side.

"Your turn, Harry," Janeway beckoned him closer with her head.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Harry smiled. Leaning down, he bestowed an equally noisy and playful kiss on Janeway's left cheek. He felt Janeway's hand hold him steady at her side and wondered what she was up to.

"Now I want you both to kiss me at the same time. On the cheek."

A little surprised by Janeway's request and grinning a little sheepishly, Tom and Harry flanked the captain. But as they leaned in closer to her, Janeway released her hold on Tom and Harry and swiftly took one big step back from beneath the mistletoe.

Harry's startled eyes met Tom's as they found themselves together smack right under the mistletoe.

With a sly quirk to her lips, Janeway told them, "It's tradition, gentlemen, to exchange a kiss when you're under the mistletoe."

Harry blushed a deep red and Tom's gaze went anywhere except at the man in front of him.

"We're waiting," Janeway called out. She crossed her arms in front of her and tapped her foot impatiently. She grinned at B'Elanna conspiratorially.

Harry looked shyly at his friend. "Do you want to?" Harry whispered, his heart pounding in anticipation and excitement. He really wanted to kiss Tom but wouldn't do it without the other man's consent. To his utter delight, Tom smiled and nodded.

"Yes," Tom whispered back and held out his hand.

Harry reached out for that beautiful hand and was drawn within the circle of Tom's embrace. Their heads moved closer and two pairs of slightly trembling lips brushed fleetingly. But as they parted, Harry realized he wanted another kiss. And another. And another. And still another. He couldn't seem to stop kissing Tom. And Tom was responding to each kiss with the same eagerness and hunger.

Janeway and B'Elanna exchanged satisfied grins and moved towards the door to grant Tom and Harry some privacy.

Janeway glanced back at the two men and sighed fondly (but also a little enviously) as she saw Tom gently caressing Harry's face. She caught her breath, however, when she saw the naked devotion shining from Harry's eyes as his gaze remained fastened on Tom.

The last words she heard as the doors closed behind her was Tom murmuring, "I love you, Harry. Merry Christmas."

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End