The BLTS Archive - The Proposition
eighth in the Of Love & Logic series
by Yvette (yvette@ecn.net.au)

---

"Why?"

Harry Kim fought to keep the blush from showing on his features.  It
was a pointless exercise, as Tuvok would clearly sense his
embarrassment from their link.

"I just like the idea, that's all.  I grew up a lot bigger than any of
my cousins, and I've only ever dated woman who were smaller than me.
It's a real turn-on, your strength.  Knowing you could force me if you
wanted to."

Tuvok had been Harry's lover for long enough to know not to ask Harry
why he would ever want to force him to have sex. The subject of sexual
fantasies was a fascinating one, and Tuvok knew that most humans in a
relationship experimented with fantasies at one point or another.  He
had no intention of denying Harry something his lover wanted, but he
was insistent on knowing the reasons behind Harry's fantasies.  Tuvok
wanted to be absolutely sure he got it right.

"Very well.  I will adapt a holodeck program to suit the occasion."
The smile Harry gave him was already reward enough.

"I could do it, Tuvok."  Harry was reaching for Tuvok now, wanting to
show the Vulcan how much he was loved for doing this very human thing.

Tuvok accepted the embrace, and even raised a hand to Harry's face to
gently trace his cheek and jawline.

"I believe it will be more enjoyable for you if you allow me to handle
the details, Harry."  Tuvok leaned in to kiss him then, and the
conversation was concluded for now.

---

The police car cruised slowly down the deserted street, its powerful
headlights sweeping past the dimness of the unlit neighbourhood.
After the curfew laws of 2192, no-one would dare be out on the streets
after 10pm without a purpose card.  The young man, Harry, who was
standing in the shadow of one of the tenements had a purpose card.

He swallowed nervously at the sight of the police car anyway - the
police were often more brutal than his customers.

Within moments the cars headlights had picked him out and the cruiser
came to a halt. Harry stepped out immediately, not wanting to risk a
'jolt' from the electric batton all policemen carried.  Most riders
didn't need a reason to use the heavy nightstick, but if you looked
sufficiently cowed, sometimes they would be satisfied with a few
slaps.

The rider stepped out of his vehicle and his victim silently cursed.
The cop was big.  The form-fitting uniform clung to every muscled
millimetre of this black Adonis, the boots polished to a shine, the
epaulettes and rank insignia gleaming with military precision.  The
cap put his face in shadow, but there was no mistaking the menacing
aura that clung to him. The rider approached his victim slowly, and
spent several long seconds raking his gaze over his quarry from head
to toe.  As always mirrored frames hid the eyes, the night-vision
enhanced lenses giving the law enforcer a perfect view of his prey.

It was some view.  The prostitute was clearly not a streetwalker.  The
ivory coloured trousers molded every inch of the powerfully muscled
legs, lovingly following the contours of a truly impressive-looking
cock and balls before framing a trim waist.  The blue silk shirt was
open to the waist, as was the fashion, but no scars or tattoos marred
the magnificent chest.  The open shirt invited the customer to explore
the skin that lay beneath it, and the colour of the trousers
proclaimed to any passerby that this was no quarter-hour suck-or-fuck
- only someone with money would wear clothes that needed regular
cleaning.

"Purpose card."  One black-gloved hand was held out casually and the
card was immediately put into it.  Harry's most recent client was a
Supreme Court Adjudicator, but the police had the power on the streets
and everybody knew it. This one could kill him with one jolt from the
batton he held so casually, or could beat him savagely and leave him
here to die without fear of reprisal.

The younger man waited silently as his purpose card was read and
handed back without a word.  It gave him permission to be on the
streets at this hour - at any hour in fact. His occupation was listed
as Sex Worker FA. It stood for Full Access, but was known on the
streets as Fuck Anyone.  His listing meant that he was allowed to be
on the streets at any hour of the day or night, but it didn't give him
protection against the police. Nothing did.

The policeman held one gloved finger up and moved it in a circular
motion. Harry obeyed instantly, turning in a slow circle to give the
cop a good view of his assets - all of them. It was clear that the cop
intended to sample the goods on display this evening.   The cop's
gaze travelled over Harry's entire body, leaving the younger man in no
doubt of what he wanted. Harry flushed with embarrassment but hurried
to comply.   He stripped out of the shoes, shirt and trousers, and
left them folded up neatly on a box outside the car. They would be
there when he was finished. No-one in their right mind would steal
them when it was clear that a rider was being serviced less than two
feet away by the whore who owned the clothes.

Harry was completely naked now, and burning with silent fury at the
treatment being meted out, knowing full well that dozens of prying
eyes would have seen his very public striptease and laughed from the
safety of their homes. FA's weren't popular in this kind of
neighbourhood and they would have loved seeing him humiliated in this
fashion.

The cop finally got into the back of the police car and Harry
followed. Kneeling in front of the larger man, Harry released the
catch on the belt of the uniform, his fingers working swiftly to
release the cop's cock so that he could suck on it. The cop was
already half hard, and it didn't take long for a pro like Harry to get
it to full strength.  The cop remained silent throughout, his head
against the head rest, eyes closed, he might have been listening to a
pleasant piece of music for all the emotion he showed.  The prostitute
didn't dare give anything less than his full service, though.  Not
that sucking this particular cock was any hardship. He was clean, and
his cock was thick and beautifully formed, the balls practically
hairless.  He tasted good and Harry allowed himself to let go and
enjoy the sensation of this cops cock down his throat.  It was over
soon after, with the cop coming as silently as he had done everything
else. Harry was panting and hard himself when the job was done,
blushing under the cold gaze of the cop as he did the uniform back up.

"Get dressed."

Harry scrambled out of the car again, twice as humiliated as before
because, despite his embarrassment at the public nature of this
humiliation, this time he was also sporting an erection.  He was a
pro, though, so it was only seconds before he was dressed again.
There was no hiding the erection in trousers like these, the material
clung to every contour. The cop had also exited from the car and had
waited until Harry was fully dressed.  Harry looked back nervously -
would he get a beating anyway?  Apparently not.

The cop opened the passenger door to the car and motioned for Harry to
get in.  As the younger man crossed in front of him, the policeman
reached out one gloved thumb and ran it along the length of the very
obvious erection straining Harry's trousers.

"Keep it hard."

They drove to a hotel several suburbs away from the grim tenements
where Harry had been spotted.  The rider exited the vehicle, not even
bothering to see if Harry were following him. The arrogance of the cop
annoyed the prostitute no end, but there wasn't much he could do but
follow. The transaction for a room took only moments, the Manager of
the hotel having no doubt been informed of the presence of a rider's
vehicle approaching the hotel before they'd even arrived.  Harry
followed obediently, chin held high as the hotel staff he passed gave
him the once over with knowing grins.  As per his instructions, he was
still hard, and his outfit left nothing at all to the imagination.

Despite the humiliation, however, the prostitute couldn't help but
feel an intense awareness of the dark man who rode in the elevator
beside him. It took exactly four seconds to traverse the 54 floors and
the rider exited after the doors opened at the second last floor. The
top floors were for permanent residents, and the penthouse they
entered was the best the hotel had to offer at such short notice.

As the doors locked automatically behind him, the prostitute dared to
look at his owner for the night.  It had been less than ten minutes
since the cop had come in his mouth, and it wasn't likely he would be
ready for another round anytime soon.  It didn't appear to concern
him.

He took off his cap and glasses and put them on the table beside a
very comfortable looking chair.  Even this deep into his fantasy,
Harry couldn't help but smile inwardly at Tuvok's ingrained neatness.
The Vulcan was following the fantasy as Harry had detailed it, but
there was no mistaking economical movements and the expressionless
facade. The cop could have been a Tuvok from another time.

As Harry waited for instructions, the rider unclipped a hand-held from
his belt and entered a code.  He slipped the disc into the control
panel conveniently located on the low table in front of the chair, and
pressed the engage button. There was a low hum, and a hologram of the
cop appeared. This one was still wearing the glasses and cap, though,
but he was every bit as awe inspiring as the original.  Harry had no
trouble at all slipping back into fantasy mode at the mouth-watering
sight before him. "Strip."  The command came from the one in the
chair, and the prostitute hastened to obey.  He was still erect, and
it was getting a little painful from anticipation.  None of his
clients looked like this, that much was certain.

The clone waited until Harry was naked before crossing the floor to
grab him by the shoulder and spin him around to face the bed.  In one
quick movement his wrists were grabbed and handcuffed to the corner
poster of the bed, high above his head.  The cop ran a hand down his
flank and Harry shivered at the feel of the thin leather gloves. What
was a turn on against his skin was doubly so when lubricating his ass.
He began to pant and thrust slightly into mid air, hands grabbing the
pole in front of him and curling around it in an effort to get some
control.  It was a losing battle as the clone entered his body and
began to fuck him.

The pleasure was intense as the cop began to pick up the rhythm and
Harry moaned despite himself.  His cock was so hard it was aching.
What was already an intense experience became an almost unbearable
turn-on when the original cop left his chair behind the two and lay on
the bed in front of them.  He had a perfect view of the scene in front
of him - the bed post being made of a hard transparent material, as
was the fashion. The hot, hungry look in his eyes as he took in the
picture of the younger man being fucked by his clone was enough to
make Harry's balls tighten with pleasure. He cried out as the clone
thrust into him and straightened as much as he could with his hands
above his head as the climax neared.

Seconds later, however, he moaned - both in frustration and disbelief
as the fucking stopped and the clone took his cock out.  He wanted to
come badly.  His hands were released and he was shoved to the foot of
the bed. The cop had gotten off the bed and had moved around behind
Harry and there were several long moments filled with the soft murmur
of orders given to the computer simulation and the rustle of clothes
being removed.  The prostitute stayed where he was at the foot of the
bed, bent over it, hands on the coverlet taking the weight of his
upper body, and his legs spread with his ass in the air just begging
to be taken again.

And then one of them was getting on the bed in front of him, lying
down with his legs spread and his cock right in front of Harry's mouth
if the prostitute would just bend down a little further and suck it.
He was clean, but that was no indication of which one it was.  The
rustle of cloth had sounded like someone cleaning themselves, and
whether it was the cop wiping himself down from Harry's blow job
earlier, or the clone readying himself to be sucked there was no way
of telling.  The young man didn't have a chance to consider it
however, as there was a very large cock being placed at the entrance
to his body and slowly shoving its way in.  When whichever cop was
fucking him was fully sheathed, a hard hand high on his back shoved
his face down so that he could service the other man on the bed.

It was bliss.  One fantastic cock fucking him hard, another in his
mouth. The quiet gasps of both the cop and his clone as they took
their pleasure in his body.  This time he could allow the climax to
build - it took longer because he'd been hard for so long but it felt
*so* good.  The cock in his mouth tasted fantastic and he tongued it
thoroughly, all the way from base to tip and back again, before
mouthing and licking the balls.  The hard pounding continued behind
him and he was dizzy from the pure bliss of his prostate being given a
good massage and the firm hands holding his hips as he was fucked
hard.  He couldn't delay any longer, however, and with a sigh of
relief he closed his mouth around the head of the cock, and slowly let
it slip further into his mouth and down his throat. He was practised
enough to get even this giant length and thickness inside him until
his nose was buried in the curly black hair that framed it.

He could hold off no longer and he let the orgasm take his entire body
to the peak before allowing the cock to slip out of his mouth.  He
didn't want to bite down accidentally - instead, he buried his face in
the groin in front of him and shuddered delightedly as the climax hit
him and his own cock shot it's load and covered his hand in come.
Until he felt the wetness he hadn't even realised that he'd reached
down to jerk himself off, but there was no time to think about it as
the familiar feel inside him heralded the climax of the guy fucking
him.

For several long moments he remained where he was, bent over the end
of the bed with his face buried in the groin of the cop or his clone,
breathing in the heady scent of sex and power.  The cock inside him
slipped out of his ass and he took another deep breath before
continuing his previous task of sucking the cock in his mouth.  It
wasn't long before his ministrations did their work, and for the
second time that night, he was rewarded with a mouthful of the
addictive nectar.  As he swallowed and straightened up, he was
overcome with a wave of exhaustion, and it was a blessed feeling to
lay down beside his fantasy lover on the cool, clean sheets.

This time Harry allowed himself to grin when he felt Tuvok washing him
down with a cool washcloth.  It was only moments before he slipped
into delicious slumber.

---

Harry lunched alone the following day.  Tom was working on some sims
and Tuvok was busy.  Harry was still in a pleasant daze from the
events of last night, and a satisfied smile had played on his face all
day.  He was just leaving the Mess Hall when it happened.

Seven of Nine was as direct as ever, ignoring the curious glances from
crewmembers as she addressed Harry.

"Ensign Kim. I have decided to choose a mate. You.  Please discontinue
your relationship with Lt. Tuvok by this evening and report to my
quarters at 1900 hours."

Harry's eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped open. He was
completely speechless.  He stared blankly at Seven for several long
moments, trying desperately to think of something to say.

"Ah….. Seven - thank you.  That's very flattering, but……"

Seven cut him short impatiently.

"But you do not wish to hurt Lt. Tuvok's feelings.  I understand.  I
have done considerable research on the subject of romantic
entanglements.  You will leave him a letter, explaining your wish to
cease your relationship with him. I have memorised passages from the
letter Lt. Cremorne used to break up with Ensign Galloway if you
require assistance in the writing of your own letter."

Harry stared in dismay at Seven.  He took a deep breath, equal parts
of frustration and embarrassment combined.

"I'm not leaving Tuvok a letter, Seven.  I'm with him because I want
to be with him. We're not breaking up.   Ah….. thanks.  Really."  He
was bright red now, wanting to be anywhere but here, having this
particular discussion.  Seven was regarding him now in the light of a
resigned teacher dealing with a recalcitrant student.

"I see.  It would be more convenient if you were less obstructive,
Ensign Kim, but if you wish for me to fight for you then I will do so.
I have observed several relationships since coming onboard Voyager and
I believe I can provide sufficient inducements for you to cease your
current relationship and begin a more lasting one with me. We will
continue this discussion at a later time."

Having made that pronouncement, Seven turned on one high heel and
walked away, leaving Harry dumb-struck behind her. What the hell was
he going to tell Tuvok?

---

Later that night, Harry ran his fingers lightly over Tuvok's naked
chest and arranged himself in their usual sleeping position.  He was
tired and it was difficult to fight the lassitude that always followed
fantastic sex, but he needed to bring this up.

"Tuvok?"

/Hmmm?/  The mental query wasn't perhaps quite as defined as that, but
Harry had no trouble reading his lover's sleepy response.

"Tuvok - wake up.  I need to tell you something and I'm too tired to
concentrate on doing it mentally."

Tuvok raised an eyebrow at Harry's command and opened one eye
reluctantly. Harry had sat up in their bed and was now regarding him
with a frown. "What is the matter, Harry?"  The inquiry was spoken in
the lazy tones that always turned Harry's brain to mush. He loved it
that Tuvok relaxed this much with him. No-one else on board ever saw
this intimate side of their Chief of Security.

"Seven propositioned me today."

Tuvok's eyes were suddenly more alert.  They were both open now, and
fixed on Harry's face. "Indeed?"

Harry sighed.  "Yeah.  After lunch.  She said she'd chosen me for her
mate, and basically told me to finish with you and meet her at her
quarters tonight.  God, Tuvok, if it had been anyone else except Seven
it would be really funny, but I hate to hurt her feelings.  She's kind
of new at this, and she's really pretty vulnerable."

Tuvok pondered the comment for some time.  He agreed with Harry's
estimation - in part.  Annika Hansen was certainly very inexperienced
and quite vulnerable.  But Seven of Nine was still at least 75% Borg,
with the knowledge and experiences of literally hundreds of
assimilated races. She was about as vulnerable as a targ in heat.
Tuvok fought to keep the instinctive surge of possessiveness from
communicating itself to Harry. His lover was still new to the ways of
a Vulcan bond, and there was no need to concern him with this.
Eventually, Tuvok spoke.

"What did you say?"

Harry looked down in surprise.  "What do you think I said?  I told her
thanks, but no thanks.  She didn't seem too upset, though.  Said she
would fight for me if I forced her to, but it would be more convenient
to submit now, basically."

"Resistance is futile."  Harry had no difficulty reading the humour in
Tuvok's mental tone.  He smiled despite himself.

"Be serious, Tuvok.  I don't want to hurt her feelings."

Sleep was clearly not an option right now, and Tuvok had no desire to
spend the next hour discussing Seven of Nine.  He sat up in bed and
reached for his lover.  One hand cupped Harry's jaw to turn his head
in Tuvok's direction.

"You belong with me, Harry.  I will discuss the matter with Seven
tomorrow. But for now……."  Tuvok's mouth covered Harry's, and Harry
was ready for him.  For long minutes they kissed, tongues stroking
each others', before breaking for breath.

Harry's eyes held that same lust-filled glaze that signalled an end to
serious conversation, and he didn't fight Tuvok as he was pulled back
down onto the bed.  Their lovemaking earlier had been hard and fast,
and his ass still ached slightly with the feel of possession.  This
time they could take it slower.

Harry moved his body gently until he was lying completely on top of
Tuvok, and then began rocking back and forth in the familiar rhythm as
his mouth found Tuvok's again.  The cocks, both now hard and flushed
with arousal, moved together in perfect synchronicity and their
lovemaking was a smoother, more relaxed affair.  This time they
allowed the passion to build as hands explored each other's bodies and
tongues mated passionately.  The lovers climaxed together in a
surprisingly explosive release, given that it was the second time for
both that evening.  For some time afterwards, they continued to kiss
and pet, enjoying these moments of closeness, communicating on a level
deeper than most humans imagined existed.  It was at these times that
Tuvok was most affectionate, showing Harry with every gentle touch
just how much he was cherished.

---

Seven of Nine had spent many hours researching the subject of human
relationships.  It was a subject the majority of the crew seemed
obsessed with, and if she was ever to fully integrate herself into
this crew, it appeared she would have to find a mate. One thing was
clear - humans clearly needed a number of 'practice relationships'
before they committed themselves to a life partner. Consider the
relatively short-lived relationships of Torres and Henley for example,
or the multiple partners Tom Paris had had before Chakotay.

In her extensive research, which included many discussions with such
experts on the subject of human relationships as the Doctor and
Neelix, Seven had come to the conclusion that  Harry Kim was the most
suitable partner for her.  He was already sexually attracted to her,
he was a suitable rank, age and disposition and he was not prone to
melodrama.

The fact that Harry was in a relationship with Tuvok was irrelevant.
Seven had observed the breakup of six seemingly committed
relationships in the last four months. Of the twelve people involved,
eight were now in other relationships, one was married, another
preparing to be. She could expect Ensign Kim to be defensive.
Eventually he would realise the logic of her actions, though, and they
could commence a sexual relationship. The entire process should take
somewhere between four days to three weeks, based on the relationships
Seven had observed onboard Voyager.

The next step was quite simple.  It was an oft-repeated theme onboard
Voyager, best summed up in a phrase Tom Paris had used quite recently.

"Sex can make a man do just about anything."

---

Once again, Seven didn't give him a chance to speak.  She had clearly
waited until he left for the mess hall for breakfast to ambush him
once again.  Tuvok had left over an hour earlier in order to complete
some training assessments and Harry was on his own.

"Ensign Kim."

"Seven.  Hi.  Look, I'm kind of late…….."

"You have twenty-two minutes before your bridge shift begins, Ensign.
You did not come to my quarters last night."

Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"I told you, Seven - I'm in love with Tuvok.  I'm not interested in a
relationship with you."

Seven regarded him silently for a moment. "How do you know?"

Harry struggled to find an answer that wouldn't hurt Seven's feelings,
assuming she had any.

"I don't need to be *in* a relationship with you to know……. - well,
what I mean is, I don't think you and I would, um….. you know, suit."
Please go away now, Harry thought.

"I have observed your behaviour when you are around me, Ensign Kim.
Your pupils dilate, your respiration rate increases.  The doctor
informs me that these are indicators of sexual desire."

Harry felt himself reddening.

"Okay, I'll happily admit that you're a very attractive woman, Seven,
and just because I'm with Tuvok doesn't mean I don't notice that.  But
. . ..."

The former Borg interrupted him, clearly uninterested in what he had
to say.

"Have you been faithful to Lt. Tuvok?"

Harry flushed - this time with shame.  He looked away instinctively,
and Seven had no difficulty reading his body language, despite the
lack of response.

"I see.  It would seem that your relationship is not as strong as you
would have me believe, Ensign Kim.  I believe you will find it easier
to remain monogamous with me. Lt. Tuvok clearly does not give you what
you require in a mate."

Harry was getting angry.

"Tuvok gives me everything I could ever need or want in a mate, Seven.
Our relationship is none of your business, anyway.  I'm happy with
Tuvok and I'm not about to do anything to risk my bond with him.
Enough, Seven!"  He was really annoyed by now.

Seven was not surprised by the response.  It appeared that Neelix was
correct.  The more obvious it became to Ensign Kim that he was not a
suitable bond-mate for Lt. Tuvok, the more defensive he would become.
Clearly she was very close to attaining her objective.

"You are required on the bridge, Ensign Kim."  Tuvok's measured tones
had never been so welcome.

Harry turned to see Tuvok standing a few feet away and gave him a
relieved smile.

"I'm just on my way, Sir."  He turned tail and almost ran without
acknowledging Seven at all.  Tuvok would deal with it.

---

Harry was relieved to see that Seven wasn't in the Mess Hall during
lunch. Tuvok had been involved in Security training all morning, so
there had been no chance to find out what he had said to Seven.

He and Tom got their trays and snagged a table near the window.

After the first few unenthusiastic mouthfuls, Tom yawned.

"Late night, Tom?"  Harry grinned.

Tom answered with a grin of his own.

"Oh, yeah.  God, I am sore.  You wouldn't believe what Chakotay had me
doing last night, Harry."

"I don't think I want to know, Tom - thanks anyway," Harry replied
dryly, knowing of old Tom's propensity for intimate detail.

Tom ignored the reply completely, as always.

"Chakotay owed me big time from all those nights he spent working late
last month and last night was pay back.  Picture Chakotay in a very
short, very sheer toga, and you'll get an idea."

Harry was appalled.

"Tom - I'm trying to eat, here! God, why do you insist on telling me
these things?  How am I supposed to look Chakotay in the eye and *not*
picture him in that outfit?  I don't even want to *know* what the hell
you two were doing with him in that getup."

Tom laughed at the disgruntled expression on Harry's face. "Harry,
Harry, Harry!  You have to separate Chakotay the First Officer from
Chakotay Your Best Friend's Lover.  I don't have any trouble with
Tuvok, now, do I?"

Harry rolled his eyes at that argument.

"That's because I don't tell you all the nitty gritty details of *our*
sex life."

Tom choked back a laugh.

"What details?!?  Somehow I just can't see Tuvok spending his
replicator rations on leather and whipped cream."

The smirk on Tom's face disappeared completely as the even tones of
Voyager's Chief of Security made their presence felt behind him. "If
you have such an excess of spare time as to waste it contemplating
possible purchases on my replicator account, Lt. Paris, I am able to
suggest a number of ways your time could be better spent."

Tuvok slid into the seat beside Tom as he spoke, a tray of food placed
on the table in front of him. Harry was trying to force down a grin at
the look of horror on Tom's face as he considered the many duties
Tuvok could give him as a punishment.

"Ah, thanks anyway, Tuvok, but I don't really have that much spare
time. In fact, I just remembered somewhere I have to be."  The
red-faced blonde practically stumbled over his own feet in an attempt
to remove himself from the proximity of the stoic Chief of Security,
and Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

Harry shifted over one seat so that he was directly opposite Tuvok,
who was calmly eating his lunch.

"This is nice, Tuvok.  We don't get to have lunch together that
often."

Tuvok looked up at Harry and there was a warmth in his gaze that only
Harry would have noticed.  The younger man smiled in response and
waited for Tuvok to tell him what had happened with Seven.  His
curiosity would be apparent to Tuvok through their link, but it
appeared Tuvok wasn't in any hurry to satisfy it as he continued
eating calmly.  Harry sighed, and waited for him to finish.

Eventually, Tuvok spoke.

"I did not have time to discuss the matter with Seven - I was called
to the Captain's ready room.  I will speak to her later."

Harry sighed.

"This is getting serious, Tuvok.  I just hate the thought of hurting
her feelings.  Maybe I should track her down and we could have a long
talk about it."

Tuvok's frown was barely noticeable on his even features, but Harry
saw it nonetheless.

"I do not believe I want you alone with Seven, Harry.  It would be
difficult to predict her actions."

Harry grinned at the unconsciously possessive tones in Tuvok's voice.

"Okay, Tuvok.  I have to get back to the bridge - I'll see you later,
huh?" Tuvok raised an eyebrow at the redundancy, but the warmth in his
eyes gave lie to the severity of his tone.

"Undoubtedly."

Harry just smiled back, and left.

---

Harry was fast asleep on the couch when Tuvok finally returned home
from a rather long day.  Harry's dreams had clearly been pleasant
ones, judging from the slight smile that graced his lips even in
repose.  The Vulcan considered his lover for a long moment. He wanted
nothing more than to enjoy several hours of Harry's company, and
thoughts of the evening meal and the sexual intercourse that would
follow had threatened to disturb his concentration during the past
couple of exhausting hours.

But Harry had been up early for the past few days working out with Tom
Paris in the gym, and they'd had two very late nights.  He needed his
sleep.  The Vulcan sighed, and went into the bathroom to prepare for
bed. Some time later, he padded silently out into the main room again,
freshly showered and attired in a neat pair of boxer shorts.  Tuvok
knelt down beside the couch and leaned over his sleeping lover.

"Harry." One hand gently rubbed Harry's shoulder to wake him. Harry
frowned in his sleep, and sighed, shuffling on the couch to turn away
from the insistent hand and the voice that threatened his sleep.

"Harry."  Tuvok's voice was both louder and more firm. Harry groaned
and opened a pair of sleepy eyes with a definite frown on his face.
When he saw Tuvok kneeling down beside the couch though, his frown
melted into a smile of welcome and was met with an answering smile in
Tuvok's eyes.

"You cannot fall asleep on the couch, Harry - you will find it most
uncomfortable.  Come to bed."

Harry sat up and stretched, a sleepy smile dominating his features.
He looked down at Tuvok, and the smile widened as he took in the sight
of his lover's half naked form. "I was dreaming about you, Tuvok."

The Vulcan rose to his feet, and pulled Harry from the couch to stand
beside him.

"I trust it was a pleasant dream."

Harry followed Tuvok back into the bedroom.

"Mmmm, yeah.  I was thinking about our night on the holodeck.  God,
that was great.  We *have* to do that again. I can't wait to try out
your fantasy."

Tuvok was in the bathroom now, flicking the switches that would start
a shower at the pressure and temperature Harry preferred.

"We will, Harry, just not tonight.  You require sleep."

Tuvok turned to Harry and began the pleasant task of removing his
clothes. Harry allowed him to do all the work, still smiling sleepily.
When Harry was naked, Tuvok reached out to test the temperature of the
water once again and began moving Harry towards the spray.  He was not
assisted by his lover, who  moved closer to Tuvok and began nuzzling
at the juncture of his neck and left shoulder.

"Harry - the shower is ready."  Tuvok made a serious effort to curb
his instinctive response to his mate.

Harry continued his meal of Tuvok's neck, moving up to the base of one
pointed ear and murmuring, "You have to come in with me." Their bodies
were pressed together now, Harry's burgeoning erection easily felt
through the thin layer of Tuvok's shorts.  And Harry's hands were all
over him, spanning his rib cage and sides before moving up to stroke
his back as he continued to kiss, lick and suck Tuvok's ear lobes and
jaw line.  Tuvok made one more concerted effort to get Harry into the
shower.

"Harry - I have already showered.  It would be……"

"Yeah, I know," Harry interrupted easily, "it would be illogical for
you to shower again.  But I don't want you in there to get clean,
Tuvok, I want you in there so I can make love to you."

It was difficult to refute such a powerful argument, particularly when
Harry's hands had slipped down Tuvok's naked back and underneath the
shorts to palm his buttocks possessively.  Tuvok took a deep breath,
marshalling his resources, and opened his mouth to argue the point but
Harry took the advantage offered and covered the Vulcan's mouth with
his own.  It was pointless fighting the kiss at that point, Harry was
fully aroused and seemingly determined to devour him whole.  They
kissed for a long while, the shower forgotten until the soft alarm
began to beep, signalling that the water had been running for a period
of more than three minutes without a crew member actually standing in
the shower area.

At that point, Tuvok slipped out of his shorts and manouevered them
both underneath the spray.  Harry latched onto his mouth again and one
of his hands curled around Tuvok's erection which was pressed between
them. Tuvok wrapped his own arms around his lover and palmed the firm
ass, pulling Harry's cock closer to his own.  Harry's hand stroked
them both and they continued to kiss until the pressure had built and
they came, thrusting against each other, in the shower.  It was fast
and clumsy, but intensely satisfying sex.

Harry pulled back from Tuvok and slumped against the shower wall,
grinning breathlessly.

"Fuck!"

Tuvok raised one eyebrow and reached out of the shower for the
washcloth, which he used to wipe them both clean, allowing the
continuing spray to wash them.

"Indeed."

In their passion, Harry's hair had been soaked, so Tuvok switched to
the air cycle and they both stood in the shower until completely dry.

Some time later, when Harry had fallen into a deep sleep, Tuvok
continued to ponder the problem of Seven.  As he absently stroked
Harry's hair, he considered the possible solutions, and decided that
confrontation was the most suitable.  While there was no danger to his
relationship with Harry, it was less than pleasant to contemplate
images of Seven trying her best to seduce Harry.  Tuvok was well aware
of Harry's attraction to Seven, but equally aware that it had no
bearing on their relationship.  Harry was a very young human and it
was natural that he would find other people sexually attractive.  That
did not mean there was a desire to act on that attraction, however.
Tuvok would simply have to make Seven understand that before she
caused a distasteful scene in her ignorance.

Decision made, Tuvok concentrated on relaxing himself, and gradually
slipped off to sleep.

---

Tuvok didn't get that chance.  There had been a training accident in
his security team and he was held up in sickbay dealing with the
matter. The entire ship had heard about the accident, and Seven of
Nine decided, quite logically, that it would provide an excellent
opportunity to get Harry alone.

The Borg entered Harry and Tuvok's quarters and began without
preamble.

"I believe now would be an excellent time for you to conclude your
relationship with Tuvok, Ensign Kim.  He will be in sickbay for at
least another two hours, giving you ample time to remove any necessary
items from these quarters and leave a letter."

Harry sighed, taking in the sight of the beautiful woman who spoke
with such an unusual mixture of command and naiveté.  He motioned to
the couch.

"Seven, please sit down."  As she sat, Harry joined her on the couch.

"Seven, I need you to listen to what I'm saying, okay?  Don't
interrupt, please," Harry pre-empted the impatient comment that was on
Seven's lips.

"I am in love with Tuvok and I plan to be with him for the rest of my
life. I appreciate your interest, and I'm flattered - really - but I'm
not interested in a relationship with you or with anyone other than
Tuvok.  So you have to stop this. Now."

Seven of Nine considered his proposal thoughtfully before speaking.

"I have observed many relationships during my research, Ensign, and I
believe I am familiar with this particular phase. Crewman Henley told
me that the best sex they had ever had in their relationship was in
the week before she and Lt. Torres broke up.  She said it was a
familiar phenomenon - the last, final defense before saying goodbye.
As you are aware, Crewman Henley is now married and expecting a
child."

Harry mentally gathered his resources, wishing once again that Tuvok
was here to help him with this.

"That was Donna and B'Elanna, Seven - not me and Tuvok. And before you
tell me all about Megan and Ayala before he got together with Vorik,
I'm just going to give same argument.  I know a lot of couples have
previous relationships before settling down to one life-time one - I
had Libby and Tuvok was married to T'Pel, after all - but this is the
one for us.  I don't want to hurt you, Seven, but I don't want to be
with you.  I want to be with Tuvok."

Seven once again considered his words.  Harry's comment about hurting
her feelings was discarded instantly, Seven having absolutely no
emotional attachment to the Ensign whatsoever.  Now she had a choice.
Continue to pursue her original course of action, or abandon this line
of research and begin another.  There was no decision, really.  Her
research had been both thorough and time-consuming, and even if the
desired outcome was not reached this evening, there was still
opportunity to learn from further encounters with Ensign Kim.

"You have indicated on several occasions that you are sexually
attracted to me, Ensign.  If you are so sure that you and Lt. Tuvok
are a perfect match, then there will be no problem proving that to
me." And then Seven of Nine stood, and with a few economical
movements, stripped naked.

Shocked as hell, Harry backed off with a speed that would have been
amusing in other circumstances.  He practically vaulted over the couch
in an effort to avoid his would-be seducer.

"No way, Seven - this is NOT going to happen."

One incredibly strong arm reached out and snagged his uniform, and
Harry was bodily hauled back onto the couch with Seven on top of him.
The blonde straddled the struggling Ensign effortlessly, ignoring the
demands to stop.

"Seven - get *off* me!"

"I will not force intimacy on you, Ensign Kim, however a short
demonstration will prove to you that there is a considerable sexual
attraction on your part.  Certainly enough base upon which to begin a
relationship."

/TUVOK!/  Harry continued to struggle as Seven swooped down to capture
his mouth with hers. His hands were free, but were flailing uselessly
above her body as Harry tried to get her off him without actually
touching her naked skin.

Harry managed to get his mouth out from under hers and yelped with
pain as a rather strong hand reached down to grab his cock and
manipulate it. Agony shot through him as Seven got a death grip on his
balls, clearly unaware that his moans were from pain and not arousal.
The only thing Harry could grab a hold of was Seven's hair and he did
so, with rather more force than he would previously have used, using
his handfuls of hair to pull her face back from his so that he could
tell her to let go of his aching balls.

At that moment the door to his quarters opened and Tom Paris stepped
into the room.

"Jesus Christ - Harry!"

Tom looked absolutely horrified, clearly misunderstanding the nature
of the scene before him.  Seven of Nine, completely naked, on top of
Harry on the couch.  And Harry - his best friend, and Tuvok's lover! -
with his hands in her hair, looking like he'd just been kissed to
within an inch of his life.

As Harry moaned again and Seven finally released her hold on him and
got off the couch, a myriad of thoughts crossed Tom Paris' mind. He'd
been there when Harry had confessed his love for Tuvok, he'd been
there when Tuvok had practically broken Harry's heart by breaking up
with him. He'd been there when Harry had nearly destroyed his
relationship through grief and anger at a crewman's death. Tom Paris
had come to understand Tuvok and he had an immense respect and liking
for the man Harry Kim loved. And there was no way he was going to
allow Harry to throw away his relationship for some stupid fling.

That thought galvanised the pilot into action, and he strode over to
where Seven was reaching for her clothing, grabbed her tunic and
thrust it at her. "Get dressed.  Now."  His voice was
uncharacteristically savage, and Seven raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Harry had slumped back on the couch, trying to get his breath back.
All he was concerned about for the moment was trying to gently massage
some feeling back into his aching cock and balls.  His eyes were
closed as he grimaced in pain, and so he missed the look Tom threw his
way.

"Harry - Tuvok's going to be here any second!  Jesus, what the hell
were you thinking?  We have to get Seven out of here now - come ON,
Seven - get dressed!"

For Tom's part, it seemed clear that Harry was suffering a severe case
of blue balls, perhaps combined with a serious guilt streak.  He
deserved it, Tom thought mulishly, as he continued to thrust items of
clothing at Seven, all the while half dragging her towards the door of
Tuvok and Harry's quarters in an attempt to get her out of the way
before Tuvok came home and got entirely the wrong idea.

That was the scene that greeted Tuvok when he walked in the door.

Tom looked at the door with an expression of guilt so profound it
would have made Harry laughed had he noticed. He did not, however,
intent as he was on communicating a feeling of sincere relief at
Tuvok's arrival.  The Vulcan had taken in the scene at a glance,
understanding instantly what had occurred.  It appeared, though, that
Tom Paris was under a serious misconception.

"Tuvok - this isn't what you think."

The Vulcan had been heading towards Harry on the couch, but he stopped
in surprise at Tom's words.  Harry also looked up, about to speak up,
when a furious look from Tom silenced him. Tom continued at breakneck
speed, trying desperately to fill what he thought was an ominous
silence with some story - any story! - that would draw Tuvok's
attention away from the thought of Harry's infidelity.

"I mean - it is what you think, God - I'm really sorry about this.
The thing is, ah….. Seven and I were, um, well we were making out on
the couch when Harry came home and he and I exchanged a few words and
then you walked in and I'm really sorry about this.  We'll just go
now."  He grabbed Seven's arm again and yanked her towards the door.

Seven wasn't budging, however.  "That is not……"

Tom squeezed her arm tighter and gave her a fierce look, before
interrupting.

"Yes it *is*, Seven.  We'll talk about it *later*."

Harry was sitting, open mouthed, on the couch.  He didn't know whether
to laugh or be severely pissed off at Tom for thinking for a second
that he would cheat on Tuvok with Seven.  Tuvok simply stood across
the room from the red-faced pilot and Seven of Nine, concealing his
own amusement behind a bland facade as he raised one eyebrow in query.

"I do not understand, Lt. Paris.  Why would you and Seven of Nine be
engaging in sexual intimacy in these quarters?"

Tom reddened further, glancing at Harry's way as he tried desperately
to think up a reasonable reply.  Harry had dropped his head into one
hand, trying hard not to laugh as his lover teased his best friend.
From Tom's angle, though, it looked like a guilt-stricken movement,
and he rushed to explain.

"Well, I was.. um, I didn't want Chakotay to find out.  And you know
the first place he would look would be Seven's quarters, and obviously
I couldn't take her to my quarters, so, uh…….." Tom was as red as it
was possible for him to be.  Even Seven was staring at him in
fascination.

"So you decided that the most logical place to consummate your new
relationship would be Harry's and my own quarters?"  Tuvok's question
was gentle.

Tom silently prayed that Chakotay would see the funny side of this
when it came time to explain.

"Well, yes.  You know how crowded the ship can be, and I heard you
were in sickbay, and um... I thought Harry was, uh, working..."
Tom's voice trailed off as he propounded on what had to be the most
unconvincing lie he'd ever told.

Tuvok's features were as bland as ever, as he ignored his lover who
was silently having hysterics on the couch.

"I would appreciate it, Mr. Paris, if you would find another more
suitable location for your sexual interludes in the future."

Tom nodded dumbly and headed for the door, dragging Seven behind him.
He couldn't help Harry any more than he had done - hopefully it would
be enough to avoid he and Tuvok breaking up. He physically hauled
Seven into the corridors and the door to Tuvok and Harry's quarters
closed behind them.

Alone at last, Harry had succumbed in to the hysteria that he'd been
fighting and was clutching his sides as he roared with laughter.
Tuvok joined him on the couch, and waited for Harry's mirth to die
down.  There was amusement in his eyes too as he watched his younger
lover snigger uncontrollably.

"Harry."

Tuvok had waited long enough, finally deciding that the only way to
stop Harry laughing would be physically.  He leaned over, and kissed
his lover, communicating everything he needed to through the link they
shared.  Harry was still smiling as he kissed back, and within minutes
they were entwined on the couch, expressing their love physically,
mentally and emotionally. All was right with their world.

---

It was a very embarrassed Tom Paris who joined the Captain, Tuvok and
Harry for breakfast the next day.  A long talk with Seven had bought
some interesting information to light, and Tom had convinced her to
set her sights on another, single, crewman.  It wasn't that difficult.
Chakotay had found the entire incident hilarious, and Tom had hoped to
catch Harry and Tuvok alone to apologize.

Harry smiled and winked at Tom as the pilot took his seat opposite
Harry and  next to the Captain.  Captain Janeway, who was seated
opposite Tuvok, saw the wink and wondered what had taken place the
night before.  There were undercurrents of something in the air,
Tuvok's bland facade notwithstanding.  Her subtle attempts to discover
what was going on had been unsuccessful, and she had been about to
write off the whole thing as her imagination.

Tom and Harry began a discussion about the activities on the holodeck
that night, and as Chakotay was handling the early shift on the
bridge, the group were able to settle down to a leisurely breakfast.

Seven of Nine had spent a lot of time pondering the events of the
night before, and had come to the conclusion that Harry was *not* a
suitable companion for her.  Instead, she began her campaign on her
second choice, one Lt. Cremorne.  Things were already progressing
satisfactorily. The Lieutenant had turned bright red at her approach,
but had evinced nothing but enthusiasm when she had directed him to
report to her quarters that evening for sexual intercourse.

The Borg entered the Mess Hall, and went over to get her cup of
nutritional juice extracts from Neelix, before making her way over to
the table where the Captain and Tuvok were breakfasting with Tom Paris
and Harry Kim.

The group at the table were chatting about the work rosters when Seven
approached.  The Captain's previous suspicions had been allayed, until
she noticed Harry's heightened colour and Tom's uncomfortable movement
beside her.

Seven stopped beside the table, and the occupants all looked up at her
with varying degrees of interest and nervousness.  It was simply a
matter of bad timing that the Captain had just taken a giant mouthful
of coffee when Seven spoke up.

"Ensign Kim.  How are your genitals this morning?"

Tuvok was late for his shift for the first time since boarding
Voyager, as he had been forced to return to his quarters and change
his uniform which had unaccountably been sprayed with coffee.

---

continued in the ninth story in the Of Love and Logic series 'Submission'